Credible Alibi

by Tyler Anne Snell

  “I feel for him, I really do, but I’m glad he’s staying somewhere else tonight.” He went to the next towel and picked it up. “I don’t want his misplaced aggression falling on you or this place. He needs to focus on figuring out who really killed her and why.”

  Madi’s heart ached for the man. Loraine might have been a pill but Nathan had been nothing but kind and respectful to her. If not always on a business call.

  “What I don’t get is why she was killed in the first place,” she said. “Here, I mean. It couldn’t have been random. Someone brought her into the inn and into my room. Why? Was it a crime of opportunity and they brought her here because they panicked? Or did they follow her to Overlook and then do it when the time presented itself?” Madi felt like her head was going to explode with questions. “And what about the blonde woman who attacked the coroner’s van? I’m not a detective but that’s oddly coincidental since it had Loraine’s body in it.”

  Julian moved around the room, picking up the rest of the towels. His lips were downturned in thought.

  “And don’t forget the cell phone bit.”

  “The cell phone bit?” she repeated.

  “Your phone had a call to Loraine’s phone logged in it. Plus Loraine’s phone was placed on your table. And so was your father’s shotgun, the supposed murder weapon.”

  Madi groaned. She pulled a section of her hair over her shoulder. Her fingers nimbly began to braid.

  “Do you know how hard it is to keep all of this straight? Especially while you’re nearing your third trimester?” she asked, voice raising. “One second everything is fine and the next I need a flowchart just to keep my sanity! Do you know the other day I had to make myself three cups of tea? Three! I kept forgetting where I put them or that I already had one cup in the other room. Finally I just gave up on trying to drink a whole one.” She finished the braid and threw her hands wide. “Now I feel like I’ve been dropped into a really awful Twilight Zone episode where we find out at the very end that I did do it somehow!”

  Julian closed the space between them, towels in his arms.

  “I’m not almost seven months pregnant and I wouldn’t mind a whiteboard to track all of this,” he stated matter-of-factly. “This is a bizarre situation but one that, I’m sure, will make sense soon. Until then we can check off one fact we do know.”

  “What? That even though I just peed, I have to go again because this kid thinks my bladder is a trampoline?”

  Julian snorted, then he was smirking.

  “I was going to say that you didn’t kill Loraine Wilson. But if it makes you feel better we can add ‘baby uses bladder as a trampoline’ to the list.”

  It shouldn’t have helped her feel better but Madi couldn’t deny that his words did the trick. If only enough to focus on the task at hand. Wordlessly the two moved around the room, straightening up. Julian took on the big-ticket items while Madi tackled the easier pieces. She’d already had a long talk with Desmond and the lawyer he hired about Hidden Hills. To play it safe she’d had to agree to shut the place down until the investigation was over. Not that she’d been thrown by that exactly, but it still had stung.

  Hidden Hills wasn’t just how she paid the bills, it was a purpose that focused her. That distracted her from the fears of being a mother and the loneliness that sometimes rocked through her.

  Shutting down the inn, even temporarily, hurt. Plain and simple.

  A heavy knock sounded on the front door as they finished up in the guest suite. The dull sound traveled up the stairs and right along Madi’s spine. She shared a glance with Julian. He’d gone tense.

  “Were you expecting anyone?”

  “No, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it were Miller. He didn’t get a chance to grill us earlier.”

  Julian led the way down, careful to stay in front of her. That didn’t change when he got to the door. Luckily, the face they saw on the other side was familiar.

  “It’s Des.”

  Julian opened the door and was met with a hardy handshake. Then Des was hugging her. It surprised Madi. While he could be an affectionate person, it was on occasion and usually not in front of strangers. Something must have happened. Her concern must have shown. When he pulled away, he sighed.

  “Don’t look at me like that. It’s just been a long damn day.”

  Madi cut him some slack. She didn’t push.

  They went back into the kitchen while she made Des a sandwich. Or started to. There was no way to hide how tired she was and no way to avoid the obvious—she needed to rest. So when Julian took over the food preparations she caved.

  “I’m going to go shower in the empty guest suite and, to be honest, probably lie down and watch some TV. My feet are killing me, my ankles are killing me and I’d really like to forget everything awful that has happened if only for a little while.” She turned to Julian. “You have full rein of the inn.” Then to Des, she added, “Let me know if anything happens, okay?”

  They both nodded and went back to their conversation. They had switched to Julian’s military experience. It was a subject she’d like to learn more about but just didn’t have the stamina for currently. She wobbled out of the kitchen. Because that was how tired she was. Usually she could walk like a normal human being. Right now?

  Penguin.

  Through and through.

  Just as she imagined herself waddling across the North Pole, Madi wondered how Julian saw her. And not just physically.

  That flutter that had finally landed earlier took flight again.

  A normal woman would have her mind on more pressing issues and yet...

  Julian was there.

  In her thoughts, swooping in without any rhyme or reason.

  She might not be a normal woman, but it certainly didn’t help that Julian wasn’t your average man.

  * * *

  BLOOD SWIRLED AROUND the drain. It was an unsettling contrast against the clean white tile of the shower. Julian watched it for a while. The cut along his thigh looked back at him, angry. The edge of Madi’s bed had been even angrier.

  Julian was used to physical exertion but he’d never encountered such an infuriating bed in his life. He and Des had hit their legs against the frame several times before they’d even managed to wrestle the mattress off. Julian had seen Madi’s legs before. They weren’t covered in bruises and cuts, which only meant the innkeeper had some kind of secret for navigating the awkward piece of devil furniture.

  But before he could complain too much about it, the dark stain had reminded him that there were much worse fates. They were quiet as they hauled the mattress out of the room and to the garage.

  “I’d say we take it to the dump but it’s pretty clear Detective Miller has an ax to grind,” Julian had said after they pushed it up against one of the walls. “I don’t want to give him any more ammo.”

  Des had nodded. Julian could see the same anger in his eyes that had been in Madi’s.

  “You’re right about that,” he had said, curt. Julian was about to get back to clearing out Madi’s room but Des had more to say. Like his sister, Des’s expression had become impassive, guarded. “I don’t think Madi understands how...bad this situation is. I don’t blame her for that. I know she’s trying to keep it all together, trying to keep her stress levels down for the baby, but I don’t think she’s really thought about how it all looks.”

  “She didn’t do it,” Julian had to reiterate.

  “But someone sure went through the trouble to make it look like she did, didn’t they?” It had been a constant thought in the back of Julian’s head. He nodded. “If you hadn’t provided an alibi, things would have been astronomically worse. And if Miller hadn’t been around when the unknown blonde woman was attacking the coroner’s van?” Des had lowered his voice. “A murderer is out there and somehow they’re involving Madi in their sick games. We have
to keep her safe, Julian.”

  Julian hadn’t even hesitated.

  “We will.”

  It wasn’t until just after nine that Des agreed to go home. Julian had gotten a little sleep that morning but he was pretty sure Des hadn’t had a wink since Loraine had been found. He’d given Julian his number, told him to protect his sister again and driven off, leaving Julian to lock up. He had gone over every inch of the house—every door, every window—before finally going to the guest suite Madi was using.

  There he’d found her, curled up on her side on the bed and fast asleep. Julian almost hated to turn the shower on in the next room. Then again, he was drenched in sweat and a bit of blood. Neither of which he thought she would appreciate. He was determined not to leave her side until the real killer was caught. He’d even left the door open to the bathroom, just enough to see Madi’s sleeping face. It was comforting. More than it should have been.

  He had realized that complicated didn’t begin to explain his feelings for the woman. She had ended things before they had ever gotten started. She hadn’t wanted to continue to see him. And now that she was pregnant with his child? From the vibes he was getting, that hadn’t changed her mind.

  So what would they be?

  Ex-lovers with a baby?

  Friends?

  Where did that leave his new life? Would Madi move to his new job or would he move to Overlook? Would they co-parent from different states?

  It all left a sour taste in his mouth.

  Julian finished the shower after a few more passes over his cut, and dried off. He knotted the towel around his waist and wiped the condensation off the mirror.

  One thing at a time, he thought.

  He nodded to himself, rolled his shoulders back and looked into the mirror, fully expecting to see nothing but his tired eyes and stubble that needed to be shaved.

  Instead what he saw made his blood run cold.

  It was Madi. She was no longer in bed but standing beside it, facing the bedroom’s main door. Both hands were clutched around her stomach. Even in profile Julian could see the sheer terror on her face.

  Then she spoke.

  It wasn’t to him.

  “Who are you?”

  Chapter Ten

  “You’re going to tell me the truth or else,” a man threatened. His voice was deep and raspy. Either from age or a hard-lived life. Julian couldn’t get a visual on the man from his vantage point. All he could see was Madi slowly backing up.

  “What truth?” Her words were hard but Julian could hear the undercurrent of fear.

  He needed to take out the threat. He also needed to know if that threat had a gun pointed. Julian didn’t want to rush out there only to have the unknown man fire off a few shots. There was a chance that he wouldn’t be able to shield Madi in time. Or their unborn child.

  Some risks were worth taking; that wasn’t one of them.

  “Loraine Wilson.” His accent was odd. Off. If he was from the South, he was purposely hiding his drawl.

  Julian quickly looked around the bathroom. He knew what it held—nothing that was equal to a gun. Julian grabbed his phone and fisted his hand. He’d just have to do it the old-fashioned way. Madi shook her head but stopped walking backward. To her absolute credit she kept her eyes everywhere but where he was.

  “I didn’t kill her,” she said. “I don’t know who did.”

  The man laughed.

  It shot adrenaline through Julian’s veins.

  “Listen, if you want to make this hard from the start, I’m not one to argue, lady. Honestly? I like it when my prey has a little fight in them.”

  Julian flung the bathroom door open and threw his cell phone like a pro pitcher in dire need of a strikeout. The man, much too close to Madi, had not suspected anyone else was around. The surprise showed clear in his eyes right before the smartphone slammed into the side of his face. Something cracked. Julian didn’t have time to figure out if it was his phone or the man’s face. His focus had switched to the knife in the man’s grip.

  Rage pulsed through Julian.

  Guns were easy. Knives took work. Knives combined with trying to get information? That ran right to torture.

  Whoever he was, he would never be the same when Julian was through with him.

  “Who the hell—” the man yelled, cradling his face with one hand and trying to get his balance with the other.

  Julian wasn’t about to answer any questions. He used his considerable height to his advantage. With two powerful strides forward, he closed the distance between them and threw his foot out in a high kick. The man hadn’t expected that, either. The kick landed square against his gut. He gasped and doubled over. It was a miracle that the man was able to put his knee down to retain some balance.

  It was also a miracle Julian’s towel stayed on.

  The man wheezed, trying to get his breath back. It was too much of a break in Julian’s opinion. He pulled back his fist, ready to deliver what he hoped would be a knockout blow when the tables were horribly turned.

  What Julian had in height, muscle and power, the man had in speed. He maneuvered the knife around so quickly that all Julian could do was stumble back. Madi’s scream heralded a hot, searing pain across his left side. He didn’t have time to assess the damage. The man changed his momentum until it was on a backward arc headed for Julian’s right side.

  This time Julian was prepared.

  He caught the man’s wrist as the cool blade of the knife bit into his skin. It drew blood but wasn’t as deep as the other had been.

  And Julian didn’t intend to let it go any deeper.

  With his left hand wrapped around the man’s wrist, Julian brought his right fist low. It hit the man’s ribs. Hard.

  But this man must have seen his fair share of fights.

  He was quick on the uptake again. With his free hand he delivered a quick jab to the first wound he’d inflicted.

  Julian couldn’t help the grunt of pain. Or the vulnerability it created. The men detangled from each other. Julian took a breath, knowing every second was precious in a fight meant to have only one ending, when the lighting in the room changed.

  Darkness was followed by something weirdly shaped coming right at them. Julian backpedaled. His opponent did not. The bedside lamp hit his face so hard that Julian almost felt the pain.

  The man didn’t yell out. He didn’t even groan.

  He just dropped like a sack of potatoes.

  Julian lunged for the knife as soon as the man’s fingers went limp around it. It was covered in blood. His blood. Yet Julian didn’t care. All his focus swept up to the pregnant woman breathing heavily at his side.

  Madi’s eyes were wide, her cheeks flushed.

  “You hit him,” Julian said, awe in his voice.

  Madi looked between him and the man on the floor.

  “I did.”

  “With a lamp.”

  She nodded.

  “It was either that or a pillow, and I didn’t think that would be as effective.”

  Despite himself, Julian chuckled. The movement hurt. He looked down at the first cut he’d been given. It was deep. Not life-threatening, but it would need stitches. He pressed his hand against it. Madi gasped.

  “Oh, Julian, you’re hurt!”

  “I’m fine,” he said, fending her off. He put the knife on the bed and backtracked to the bathroom, eyes never leaving the man on the floor. He swiped the fresh pair of boxers and jeans he’d laid out before his shower and stepped into them in record time. Blood ran down to stain them before he could cover his wound again. There was no time to worry about it. “Do you have something I can restrain him with?” he asked, coming back and kneeling down next to the unconscious man’s side. “You got him good with the lamp but I don’t want to take any chances.”

  Madi thought
for a moment and then snapped her fingers.

  “I have a pair of handcuffs in my room. They’re pink and fluffy but they’ll do the trick.” That got Julian’s attention. He quirked an eyebrow up. The color in her cheeks darkened. “They were a gag gift from one of my college girlfriends but they really do work.”

  She didn’t say anything more and hurried out of the room. Julian leaned over the man and for the first time took a really good look at him.

  He was clean-shaven, including the blond hair cut close to his scalp. Julian guessed he was around his age, maybe younger even. His relaxed face held a youthfulness, even if the rest of him looked on the worn side. Julian lifted up the bottom of his shirt, which had shifted open in the tussle. A tattoo of a scorpion was faded against his side. It looked familiar but Julian couldn’t place it. Other than that there were no telling signs that pointed to who he was or why he was there.

  Julian moved to the pockets of the man’s slacks, marveling at how well dressed he was. It didn’t fit with the way he had spoken. Or his knife. The man looked like he should be on Wall Street, not creeping around a bed-and-breakfast in Tennessee, threatening a pregnant innkeeper for information about a murder. Something was off. Something was really off.

  There was nothing of importance in his right pocket. Lint and a stick of gum. No ID or cell phone. Julian moved to search the other.

  That was when he heard it.

  A creak. From the stairs. Short and whining but definitely there. Madi’s room was down the hall, not on the first floor. There was no reason why she should have been there. Julian jumped up and hurried to the door. Adrenaline rushed back into his veins.

  The second-floor landing was laid out with the stairs in the middle. A half wall surrounded them, keeping guests from falling on their way to the two guest suites. Julian was in the one closest to the opening of the stairs. Loraine and Nathan’s room was to his right and behind the stairs. Madi’s private quarters were in the corner, on the opposite side of him.

  A more-than-troubling distance when that creak in the stairs turned into a mass of dark hair that in no way belonged to Madi. Julian silently cursed himself for leaving the knife on the bed but there was no time to retrieve it. Another stroke of bad luck in a long line of unfortunate events.