by Erin Lanter
“He wasn’t tall, but not short either. Maybe around five feet ten or eleven. He was thin, but not skinny. Pretty average from what I could tell, but I saw his eyes, and they didn’t look right. They looked… dead.”
The pen stopped writing and the detective looked up. “Did he see you?”
Tessa shrugged. “Maybe. He looked in my direction.”
“Did you get the impression that he saw you?” he asked, slowly this time.
Again, Tessa shrugged.
Detective Jefferson studied Tessa for several long moments before dropping his eyes back to his notepad. “Let me double-check to make sure I’ve got this straight. Last night you were taking a walk in The Estates and saw a man carrying a young woman who was wrapped in plastic over his shoulder. You don’t know the address, but the house looked creepy and was mostly hidden by a tree. You saw his eyes but aren’t sure if he saw you or not. Is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“But this man might have seen you?”
“It’s possible, yes,” Tessa said, fighting to keep her voice level. “The problem is, I’m having a hard time being certain if I really saw this.”
He dropped his pen onto his desk and brought his fingertips to a point under his chin. “Are you married, Ms. James?”
“No.”
“Do you live with anyone?”
“No.” Tessa’s shoulders drooped.
“Have you told anyone about this?”
“Just my ex-husband.”
“What does he think about it? Does he think you really saw it?”
Tessa sighed. “I wouldn’t know. I should tell you that there was one other time I thought I saw a crime, but it turned out I was mistaken.”
The detective pursed his lips and said, “I see.”
“Can I go now?” Tessa asked, heat creeping up her neck.
“Yes.” He opened the top drawer of his desk and pulled out a business card. “We’ll take a drive through The Estates and see if we notice anything.” Extending the card across his desk, he said, “Feel free to call if you think of anything that could be useful.”
Implying I’m not useful now, she thought.
Tessa nodded and stood, silently making her way out of the police station.
Detective Jefferson had been kind, and that almost made the embarrassment worse. If only she could be sure of what she saw, then she could assure herself that it wasn’t happening again.
13
When she finally arrived at work, Tessa was met with concern. Minutes after she settled into her cubicle, she looked up to find her boss, Jack Stein, leaning on top of the makeshift wall.
“Everything okay?” he asked, eyebrows arched in worry.
“Yes,” Tessa lied. “Everything is fine.”
The eyebrows furrowed. “You sure? Being late for work isn’t like you.”
Spinning her chair slightly toward him, she looked at the creases on his forehead. He seemed genuinely concerned for her well-being. She smiled. “Yes, Jack. Everything is just fine.” Somehow, in that moment, looking into the face of someone who cared about her, everything did seem fine.
He let a couple beats pass. “If all is well…” He slapped the top of the cubicle wall, turned, and walked toward his office.
All is well, indeed, Tessa thought. Thanks to the paranoia I inherited from Mama, I feel like I’m walking around with a target on my back.
She shook her head to clear her mind of those cold, dead eyes. Then, clenching her teeth, she focused on her work. There was a pile of rewrites in her inbox and they wouldn’t take care of themselves. She got into the rhythm, her concentration broken only by the sound of other news assistants tapping on their keyboards and phones ringing in the distance. She took a break to stretch and glanced at her clock. It was ten after five. Somehow, she’d managed to work through the entire pile of articles that had been waiting for her attention.
Rubbing the back of her neck, Tessa realized she’d been at it for six hours straight, not even noticing her growing hunger. It had been a long time since Tessa lost track of time like that.
Gathering the stack of rewritten articles, she dropped them in the box outside Jack’s office, then went back to her desk to gather her things. Absently waving at her coworkers still seated at their desks, she walked out into the blistering summer heat and crossed the parking lot to the rental car.
Hoping she’d have a little time alone before Drew got to her house, she quickly backed out of the parking lot and eased into the rush hour traffic.
A half hour later, she pulled into her driveway with the nagging worry about how she’d lost track of time.
With the way this week had been so far, she had more to tell Dr. Raymond at her next appointment than either of them bargained for.
14
The sun would be setting soon, and he was desperate to get a look at the houses in this neighborhood before dark. She’d been taking a walk that night, which meant she had to live relatively close to his neighborhood.
Early this morning, after his shift was over, he’d driven through the surrounding neighborhoods, determined to figure out where the woman lived. He needed to know. His survival depended on finding her, but the streets here were poorly lit. He could make out little more than silhouettes of houses, standing neatly in a row like little soldiers.
He hadn’t been thinking last night. Now there was a possible witness to his blunder. But maybe, if he could find her, the problem could be taken care of. He had to find her tonight. He wouldn’t feel calm until he did.
He passed moderately sized houses, nice in their own way but not suited to his taste. A few children were playing outside, many of them being called in for the night as he drove by.
Finally, he found himself on a street lined with small, ranch-style homes. Toys were strewn across the lawns; bikes lay haphazardly on the sidewalks.
He supposed she could have walked from here, but it wasn’t likely. Still, he couldn’t rule it out. He slowed as a car that looked a bit too nice for this neighborhood pulled into a driveway. A man with dark hair got out carrying a pizza.
He shook his head. That guy should watch out, he thought. Somebody might try to break into a car like that around here.
The realization that a luxury car would stick out on this street made him press his foot a little harder on the gas pedal. His would definitely be noticed.
Sweat moistened his palms as a patrol car rolled slowly down the street. He had to get out of here.
Just as he turned around to head home, he glanced through the window of the house the car had just pulled up to and saw the face of the woman that could be his undoing.
A smile touched his lips. “Gotcha,” he whispered, an almost euphoric feeling washing over him. Making a mental note of the address, he pressed the accelerator and breathed a sigh of relief when he finally pulled into his garage.
He’d found her. The situation was under his control. He would erase the threat, and this time, he’d make sure there were no witnesses.
15
Drew’s car wasn’t in the driveway, so Tessa quickly unlocked the front door and went in. She held her breath, straining to hear anything amiss in the silence. Exhaling the air she’d been holding in her lungs, she dropped her keys and purse on the kitchen table as she passed.
Minutes later, she was wearing shorts and a T-shirt. Flexing her toes in the thin carpet, she walked to the kitchen for a glass of water. As she drank, a knock at the door made her pause. She tensed.
“Who is it?” she called, her voice a few octaves too high. She didn’t take a single step toward the door.
“Drew.”
She set her glass on the counter and walked down the short hall toward the front door. She opened it to find Drew standing there with a pizza and a six-pack of Mountain Dew. “I brought dinner,” he said, stepping into the house.
Tessa turned and walked back toward the kitchen. “Twice in two evenings. A girl could get used to this.”
“I could, t
oo,” Drew offered as he followed her. “How are you?”
Tessa shrugged. “Fine.”
Sliding the pizza onto the counter, he said, “Are you seriously trying to make me believe that? I was here last night. Remember? I saw how scared you were.” He put the Mountain Dew next to the pizza and turned to face her. “How are you really?”
She sighed. “Still breathing, so I’ve got that going for me.”
He nodded. “How’d it go at the police station?”
She narrowed her eyes. “How did you know I went?”
Drew raised one shoulder and let it drop. He smirked and shifted his eyes away from her. “Because you wouldn’t want me to do it for you, and you knew I would. That, and there’s no way you’d allow someone’s death to go unnoticed.”
“Right on both accounts,” Tessa admitted. “The detective I talked to was nice enough. I felt bad reporting something I’m not even sure happened.”
“I know, but don’t you think it’s better to report something and be wrong than keep it to yourself when a murder occurred?”
“I suppose. He gave me his card in case I remember anything else.”
“That’s something. At least he didn’t dismiss you as a nut-case.” Drew visibly winced. “Sorry. You know what I meant.”
Tessa nodded. “That’s something, I guess. Still, I’m worried. How long would it take for someone to break in here, kill me, and leave without anyone ever noticing? Ten minutes, tops?”
“Don’t think like that,” Drew admonished. “That guy doesn’t even know where you live.”
“How can I not think like that? It’s a possibility.” Tessa visibly shuddered. “Anyway, let’s eat. I missed lunch.”
“Again? Tessa, you’ve got to – “
“I know, I know. I need to take care of myself. By the time I got to work there was a mountain of things I had to rewrite. I just lost track of time,” Tessa defended. “Besides, I didn’t have much of an appetite.”
Reaching into the cabinet, she took out plates and a glass for Drew. Dumping the rest of her water in the sink, she popped the tab of one of the soda cans and poured it in. Drew put two slices of veggie deluxe pizza on each plate. Once again, they’d fallen into the comfortable routine they’d had for years.
It felt good to have that stability again, but she didn’t want to need him. The truth was, though, right now she did need him. If a killer might be looking for her, she didn’t want to let Drew out of her sight.
As they carried their dinner into the living room, the irony of how her life had turned out struck her. She’d spent their whole marriage keeping Drew at arm’s length, and now that they were divorced, she found herself in a situation that made her desperate to keep him close.
Although, to her knowledge, while they were married there wasn’t anyone who would want to kill her. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. Looking back on some of their arguments, she was sure Drew must have entertained the idea from time to time.
Drew was already squatting in front of the DVD player when she came into the living room. He stood, then settled in next to her on the sofa, clicking on the TV with the remote. As they ate, they watched a comedy about a husband and wife who were trying to come up with new, and often hilarious, ways to kill each other to avoid losing half of everything to the other in a divorce.
Later, as Tessa drifted off to sleep, she had the impression of Drew leaning over her, covering her with a blanket, leaving the scent of his aftershave behind.
She slept soundly, waking Wednesday morning to the sound of birds chirping and the sun shining through the bay window in the living room.
Throwing back the blanket, she yawned and arched her back to loosen her spine. As she walked to the bathroom, she realized there was no sign of Drew.
Did he already leave? she wondered. What time is it?
She walked into the bathroom and froze. The sun shone through the long, narrow window over the shower, leaving her no need to turn on the light. On the wall, next to the shower, was a smear of blood.
Please God, no.
Where is Drew?
She took a step closer. Her mouth went dry. Something was dripping.
Hand shaking, she braced herself for what she might find. Grasping the shower curtain, she jerked it back quickly, a scream getting caught in her throat.
16
“Hey, I’m naked in here!” Drew shouted. “Why are you screaming at me?”
Tessa grabbed a towel off the bar next to the shower and threw it at him.
“There’s no need for violence,” he teased as he wrapped the towel around his waist.
“You almost gave me a heart attack,” she growled through clenched teeth. “What are you doing in here?”
Drew held the towel closed with one hand and waved around the shower with the other one. “Isn’t it obvious?”
Hands on her hips, Tessa glared at him.
“Okay, look,” Drew said, stepping out of the shower, still dripping wet from the waist up. “You fell asleep on the couch during the movie. I didn’t want to wake you, so I slept in your bed. I hope that’s okay.” He ran his free hand through his hair, trying to get the excess water out.
“Why wouldn’t it be?” she snapped. “You used to sleep in my bed all the time.” She turned on her heel and stalked out of the bathroom, angry at Drew for scaring her and angry at herself for letting her mind go to the worst possible scenario. For a moment, she’d actually believed she would find Drew’s mutilated body when she opened the shower curtain. That fear had been replaced with rage.
Several minutes later, Drew emerged from the bathroom, smelling like her lavender shampoo and wearing his clothes from the night before. “I came straight from work last night and didn’t pack a bag, so I need to go home to change before work.”
“Fine,” Tessa said simply. Her hair was a knotted mess that she’d managed to pull back into a ponytail while Drew finished grooming himself. Even in his dirty clothes, he looked impeccable. She, on the other hand, was a mess.
He smiled as he passed her – too closely – and walked into the kitchen. “Got any juice?” he asked, peering into the refrigerator.
“No,” she snapped.
“Are you already sick of having me around? I’m surprised our marriage lasted a full ten years.”
“It’s not that, Drew,” she said, reaching for a coffee mug. The truth was, she didn’t know why she was upset – other than the fact that he’d just scared a decade off her lifespan.
He closed the refrigerator door. “Then what? I’m just trying to help you, Tess. Have I done something wrong?”
She slammed the mug on the warped Formica countertop and turned toward him, her face hot with anger. “No, Drew, you haven’t done something wrong. You just left me, that’s all. And now that I’m having a tough time, you just waltz back into my life like some knight in shining armor. But I can’t do this. I can’t play house knowing it’s not going to last.”
Eyes wide, Drew studied at her, then dropped his eyes to the floor. When he looked up, they were filled with sadness. Maybe regret. She couldn’t tell.
Closing the distance between them, Drew put his arms around her and rested his chin on her head. She stiffened. She’d forgotten how safe she felt when he hugged her.
Refusing to allow herself to get comfortable in it, she stepped out of his embrace. “I’m not some damsel in distress.”
His eyes searched her face. “I miss you, Tess. The last few days made me remember what it was like when we were together. We had fun. We were good together. Maybe we could be again.”
She unconsciously crossed her arms over her chest, instinctively trying to protect herself. Her own steely gaze met his pleading eyes. “I’m seeing a shrink. What more do you want from me?”
Drew raised an eyebrow. “You’re in therapy?”
There was no reason to be surprised by his disbelief. Even she found it hard to believe. Instead of indulging him with the details about why she wa
s seeing Dr. Raymond, she muttered, “I’m going to be late for work,” and brushed past him toward the bedroom.
Rather than going to her closet, she sat on the edge of her unmade bed and covered her face with her hands. This was too much. Having her feelings about Drew flare up at the same time she was trying to convince herself some mad man wasn’t going to use her for target practice was more than she could handle. Right now, she needed to focus on getting herself ready and going to work.
Mentally slamming the door on Drew’s suggestion of reconciliation, she rose from the bed and went into the bathroom. She washed her face, brushed her teeth, applied makeup, and tried to do something with her mess of hair. The finished product was only slightly better than the beginning one. She looked like she’d been on an all-night bender and was trying to put herself back together. Contributing to that effect, she grabbed the outfit closest to her and threw it on.
I’m really going to turn heads today, she thought dryly.
Glancing at the bedside clock, she realized that if she left at that exact moment, she’d still be fifteen minutes late for work. She rushed from the bedroom and passed Drew, who was still standing in the kitchen.
“Lock up when you leave,” she said as she opened the front door. With her hand still on the doorknob, she paused and turned back toward the kitchen. “Why was there blood on the wall next to the shower?”
Drew half smiled. “I cut myself shaving. You really need a new razor.”
At that she walked out the door. On the way to the car, she heard Drew yell, “I’m just trying to help! You still need me, whether you want to admit it or not.”
Tessa’s life was off-kilter. She’d nearly unraveled because her ex-husband cut himself shaving. That sounded crazy, even for her. It sounded Mama crazy.
Not again, she scolded herself.
She was angry at Drew for his sudden intrusion into her life, but he was right. On that horrible night, she had called him, and she hated herself for it. Then she let him stay with her the last two nights.
Now he’d made it clear that he wanted to give their relationship another chance.
