by Harper Lin
Amelia pressed her body flat against the brick of the nearby building and watched the man pull the police tape aside and step into the ashes. He stood there for a moment, looking at the area around his feet. He took a few steps farther into the mess, and Amelia lost sight of him behind several jutting beams that the fire didn’t eat.
Just as she was about to stretch her neck a little farther, he reappeared a mere twenty feet from her.
What was he doing? Was he a cop investigating? Maybe he was whoever Dan had said was taking this case. Murphy or Lewis. Amelia almost spoke up, but the man’s cell phone went off.
“Yeah,” he grumbled into the phone. “No, I’m just taking a stroll down memory lane. Why?”
He said a few more things that Amelia couldn’t make out.
“The job is done. You wait for a check from the insurance company. Once it comes in, you give me my piece. It’s simple.”
Amelia couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This guy wasn’t referring to the burnt building he was standing in the gut of, right? People got insurance claims all the time. There were car accidents and septic tanks overflowing and acts of God. He wasn’t necessarily talking about the warehouse. He didn’t mean the building he was watching flutter around his feet like black feathers with each step.
Even if he did set the fire, Amelia didn’t know who he was or what he was really doing. Her nerves were just on high alert because of where she was. And after her night with Dan in the red light district, she was seeing potential bad guys on every corner.
“I’ll kill you,” the man said into the phone and then laughed loudly, like he’d just heard the funniest joke ever. Amelia wanted to go to her car, lock the door, start the engine, and peel out of there. But he’d see her.
“You know I’m good, friend. You know there won’t be any problems or questions. Nothing. So stop worrying and relax. These things happen. What can we do, right?”
No. See? Nothing sinister here, Amelia. Just a weird dude who likes to walk through crime scenes. Disturbing potential evidence. Talking on his cell phone. She took a deep breath and pushed her back flatter against the wall. By tilting her head just a little, she could only hear bits and pieces of his conversation. When she leaned to peek around the corner, he was standing just on the other side of the wall she braced herself against.
You didn’t hear anything. He shouldn’t be mad. If he finds out you are here, he won’t do anything, even though you are isolated and hidden from the street, and so is your car. Amelia held her breath.
“I gotta get out of here. I’m ruining my shoes.” The man ended the call and proceeded to walk the way he’d come. He wasn’t afraid that anyone out on the main street would see him. So he probably wasn’t doing anything bad. Right?
Amelia waited a few minutes safely in her car with all the doors locked before she started her engine. Once she was on the road heading back to Food Truck Alley, she let out a deep breath.
It was weird. It wasn’t an earth-shattering experience. It wasn’t one for the books. It was just weird. Heck, she herself stopped to look morbidly at the charred remains of someone’s business. Maybe that guy was no different and just wanted to see it for himself.
Just as she was relaxing behind the wheel, her phone rang. The all too familiar number had begun to give her stomach pains every time she saw it. John’s phone number.
A million thoughts ran through her head. The first one was Don’t answer it. Once, Amelia would feel a tug of guilt or worry that prompted her to answer the phone every time John called after their divorce. Old habits died hard.
But this was different. He had scolded her like she was a child who had missed curfew. He threatened her more often than not with unrelenting issues to drag her into court over. She just couldn’t listen to any more of it. Or, he was really up for some mind games and would be sweet as molasses, crying to Amelia about how he didn’t know what he was doing and how she always was the one who understood him.
That might have worked two years ago. Maybe even a year ago. But not now. Not after the break-up of their family. Besides, Amelia had her own issues. She had to figure out the best way to launch her new truck into the world and how she would handle all the extra work. There would be no time for John or his manic behavior.
Before she reached Food Truck Alley, she’d completely forgotten about the man in the rubble and was clenching her teeth over her phone ringing for the third time.
“Hello, John.”
“I need to talk to you.”
“John, I’m busy. I can’t just drop everything and…”
“Jennifer is threatening to leave me.”
Amelia pulled over and slammed on the brakes.
“And this is my problem how?” she replied calmly despite squeezing the steering wheel.
“I need to talk to you. I just need to talk, that’s all. I’m under so much pressure, Amelia, you have no idea. I’m… feeling like I’m about to break.”
Amelia watched the cars pass by her as her mind turned over what he’d just said. If nothing else, John was the father of her beautiful children.
“Fine. But I can’t talk now. I have to get to work. You can call me once I get home. Anytime after six o’clock,” she said firmly. John mumbled something but then finally agreed. He’d call after six.
Chapter Eleven
“Well, this is a wonderful surprise,” Amelia said when she opened her front door to find Dan standing there. Without saying a word, he stepped in, slipped his arm around her waist, pulled her to him, and gave her a deep kiss.
“Hello,” he said in his low, serious voice.
“You’re in a good mood.” Amelia blushed, smoothing the nape of her neck as she spoke.
“Are the kids home?”
“Why, Dan, of course they are. What do you have on your mind?” She poked him in his stomach, feeling the taut hardness of his abdomen.
“Well, I have good news and bad news,” Dan said as he closed the door behind him. “The bad news is we found another body early this morning. I’ve been up and running since about three.”
“Oh no. Was it one of the girls we spoke to the other night?” Amelia gasped.
“No. Had we spoken to her, she might not have gotten into this monster’s car,” Dan said as Amelia led him to the kitchen.
“So, this is a serial killer?” Amelia said in a whisper.
“Unfortunately, it looks that way. This is the fifth body. All prostitutes. All around the same age, same features.”
“So what’s the good news?” Amelia grimaced.
“The good news is one of the girls we spoke to, Chooks, she stopped in at the station.” Dan pulled out one of the kitchen chairs and flopped down on it. “She drew me a picture of the truck she saw Missy get into. A real good one.”
Amelia saw the sweet twinkle in his tired eyes and smiled back at him.
“I’m not sure she would have come in if you hadn’t spoken to her,” Dan said before yawning. “I thought the kids would like to know about it.”
“Know about what?” Meg said as she bopped down the stairs, her ponytail swinging back and forth behind her.
“Your mom helping me solve a very serious case,” Dan said, stifling a yawn as he accepted Meg’s big hug. “How was school?”
“Same old same old.” Meg rolled her eyes.
Just then, Adam’s footsteps pounded up the basement stairs. When he opened the door, he smiled at Dan and walked into the room.
“Hi, Dan.”
“Hey, Adam. How’s life in the Matrix?”
“Good. We were worried about you,” he said, looking at Meg and his mother before looking back at Dan.
“Worried about me? What for?”
“You know. Just worried.” Adam bumped his sister with his shoulder and then went to the fridge to grab himself an apple.
“I know. I’ve been MIA for a while. A big case is in my lap. It isn’t an easy one.” He sighed. “But because of your mom, I got a good break.
Really good.”
“Really?” Meg pulled her chair out at the kitchen table to quickly take a seat. “What happened?”
Dan gave a sanitized version of where Amelia and he had gone and concluded that their mother’s kindness to one person brought out a great clue.
“Oh my gosh.” Meg gasped.
“That is so cool, Mom,” Adam said. “You’re like Batman.”
“And that makes you Robin,” Meg teased Dan, who chuckled and nodded.
“I think this calls for a special dinner,” Dan said. “Mom shouldn’t have to cook tonight. How about we order some delivery. Anything you want.”
“Chinese,” Meg said.
“Nooo. Let’s have tacos,” Adam replied.
“Last time I said tacos, you said the same thing, except, ‘Let’s get Chinese food.’” Meg pointed at her brother, who smiled deviously.
“Maybe Mom should pick,” Dan said, winking at Amelia.
“Yeah, Meg. We should let Mom pick. What were you thinking?” Adam chided his sister.
“I’m thinking you’re adopted,” Meg shot back.
“All right, back to your designated corners.” Amelia chuckled. “How about we order from The Woods Edge. Ribs, maybe?” Amelia smiled. “Would that be all right, Dan?”
“Anything you want,” he said. “Would you mind if I grab forty winks while you guys order up the grub?”
“Of course not,” Amelia said.
“If you close the curtains in the spare room, Dan, it’s just like nighttime. It’s the dark that creates the melatonin,” Meg chirped. “If you get twenty minutes of deep rest, it’ll be equal to a full night’s rest.”
“Did you learn that from Katherine?” Dan asked as he stood up.
“Nope. Learned that one on my own when I was having nightmares after watching She’s Possessed.” She beamed.
“She’s Possessed gave you nightmares? What a wimp,” Adam teased.
“It did. But not as badly as your face does,” Meg snapped back.
“Wimp,” Adam said as he went back into the basement.
“Nerd.”
“All right, you guys. Ribs all around, right?” Amelia said with the phone in her hand. Everyone, even Dan, chimed in, “Yes.”
“Jezebel with Bette Davis is on the classic movie station. I promised Katherine I’d call her and watch it with her over the phone. Is that okay?” Meg asked.
“Jezebel? I didn’t think you liked that one,” Amelia said.
“I love Bette Davis. I just don’t like that story. I can’t imagine a wife letting some tramp go tend to her husband,” Meg replied.
“Yes, you can watch with her. But put your headphones on. Dan needs to rest.” Amelia looked at Dan as he stood and then walked over for Amelia to kiss him on the cheek.
“I sleep like the dead, Meg. Don’t worry about me.”
“It’s okay, Dan. I put Katherine in one ear and the television in the other,” Meg said, proudly dangling two sets of earbuds.
“If only I could multitask that well,” Dan joked before heading upstairs.
The food would be delivered in about an hour. But just as Amelia was about to pull something out of the freezer for dessert, the doorbell rang.
She saw the shape of the person through the beveled glass and instantly felt her gut jump. It was John.
“What in the world?” she said to herself as she walked to and opened the door. “What are you doing here? I thought you were going to call me?”
“I needed to talk to you in person. Come on, let’s go to Tito’s. We’ll have a drink and…”
“No, John. Are you out of your mind?”
“Well, can I come in?” he snapped. “Or do I have to pour my guts out right here on the porch?”
“I think you need to leave, John. I’ve got… company over, and we just ordered dinner. You said you were going to call me, not come over. This is not how you do things. You should know this.”
Amelia could tell that John was getting madder by the moment. His jaw muscles worked back and forth, and he was shifting inside his suit jacket, like he was trying to get comfortable.
“So, that’s the new truck?” He shifted from his right foot to his left.
“Yes,” Amelia said. “I got a real deal on it.”
“You know, expanding a business can be difficult. There are a lot more things you are going to have to take into consideration. I mean, ignorance is no excuse for the law. You aren’t going to be able to flash your smile and get a judge to forgive any laws you might be breaking. I’m not talking about jail. But the fines can get into the thousands. Tens of thousands if you aren’t careful.”
“I’m not going to be breaking any laws, John.”
“That you know of,” he scoffed. “That’s what all new business owners think.”
“I’m not a new business either, John. I’m pretty well established now.”
“Yeah, but another truck means more employees, more insurance, more responsibilities. I just don’t think you know what you are getting into.” John shook his head sadly.
“John, I thought you needed to talk to me about the pressure you were under. This sounds more like a pitch,” Amelia said, putting her hand on her hip.
“You need a business partner, Amelia. You can’t do this on your own,” John said, looking down at her.
Amelia felt like she’d been punched.
“What?”
“You’ll never be able to manage by yourself. Look, I can make things easier for you. It’ll free you up to do the baking. You know, what you really love.”
“You’ve got to be joking,” Amelia said.
“I’ll draw up a contract. We can partner on this and that way, why stop at two trucks? We could have three, four, a hundred.” John smiled nervously.
“Okay, that is the most insane thing I’ve ever heard in my life, John. Absolutely not. I don’t need a partner, and even if I did, it wouldn’t be you.”
“Amelia, you are going to be in over your head. You got lucky with the first truck. But you’ll never be able to handle anything more.”
“Is this what you came over to tell me?” Amelia crossed her arms. “Because had you told me this was your plan, I would have saved you the trip.”
“You know, Amelia, I thought you were smarter than this,” John hissed.
“Good-bye, John.” Amelia went to shut the door, but John put his hand up to stop the door and forced his way into the front vestibule.
“You know, this would be a very easy way to avoid going back to court, Amelia. You partner up with me, and we can negotiate a fair salary for my legal expertise that’ll keep you out of jail and the business running. Not to mention save the kids from any heartache or embarrassment.”
“That’s enough, John,” Amelia said.
“Amelia, I don’t want to go to court.”
“John, I’ll go as many times as necessary. But you aren’t getting your hands on my business.”
“I don’t know what a judge will think of your business, especially when it’s taking you away from your children even more than your first truck already is.” He took a step closer and looked down at Amelia.
Just then, Dan cleared his throat from the stairs. John looked up, and Amelia saw him visibly shrink at least one full inch.
“John, you’re crowding the lady,” Dan said.
“Dan. So that’s your car out there. I should have known.” John smirked.
“John, I think I heard Amelia ask you to leave,” Dan sneered as he continued down the steps. Once he was toe to toe with John, Dan glared at him. Amelia was terrified there was going to be a brawl right there in her house. The last thing she wanted her children to see was the two major male figures in their lives fighting each other.
“You don’t live here.” John scowled.
“Neither do you,” Dan replied. “But your children do. You don’t think to say hello to them?”
John glared at Dan. The heat from his eyes could have melted ste
el. But he could say nothing to that. Dan was right. John had come in to press Amelia into signing over part of her business to him, and that was all that was on his mind.
“You’re going to be sorry, Amelia.”
“Is that a threat, John?” Dan asked. “I could arrest you on the spot for domestic violence. Now how would that look to your clients downtown?”
Without another word, John stormed back to his new BMW. Once inside, he revved the engine, peeled out of the driveway, and sped down the street.
“Gosh, he’s going to kill someone driving like that,” Amelia said. Dan stepped next to her. He gently shut the door. “Did you get any rest at all?”
“Not really. My mind is too alert.” He slipped his hand around Amelia’s and started to lead her back to the kitchen. But before they reached the privacy of the hallway, Dan pulled Amelia to him for one more kiss.
“That sure is a lot of affection,” Amelia whispered.
“I never got a chance to tell you how proud I am of you. That second truck, that’s a big deal. You can handle it.”
“Thanks, Dan.”
“No. Thank you, Amelia.”
“For what?”
“For everything,” he replied before kissing her tenderly on the cheek.
Chapter Twelve
Two days later, Dan called Amelia with an urgent request.
“You want to do what?” she asked.
“It’s a long shot, but I’m desperate,” Dan said into the phone. “Chooks gave us this detailed drawing of the truck she saw Missy get into. Unfortunately, you can’t look up a plate by a truck description.”
“So what do you want to do?”
“I thought maybe if I did a search of some of the neighborhoods, we might, by chance, catch a glimpse of this truck. The thing stands out like a sore thumb. But I’m at the end of my rope.” Amelia could hear the frustration in Dan’s voice.
“I’m game. What can it hurt, right?” She wanted to sound encouraging, but the odds of actually coming across this truck were pretty slim.
