CROSS HER HEART

by Leigh, Melinda

  A few sweaty minutes later, Todd leaned out of the doorway. “Matt!”

  Matt ran inside, past cabinets, workbenches, machinery, and raw boards. In the back of the space, Justin lay on a pallet made out of folded blankets. One wrist was attached to a metal beam by a chain and handcuff. Blood saturated the shoulder of his shirt.

  His eyes were open, but his skin was pale gray, his eye sockets were sunken, and feverish spots colored his cheekbones.

  Relieved, Matt rushed to his friend’s side. “I can’t believe you’re alive.”

  It was a freaking miracle. Justin had been shot a week ago and hadn’t received medical care. His wound was probably infected.

  “Me either. Don’t wanna be. Not without Erin.” His face was tortured by pain that went deeper than physical, and he wouldn’t look at Matt.

  Matt dropped to one knee beside Todd, who was unlocking the handcuff. Matt took his friend’s hand. “You’re OK. We’ve got you.”

  Justin’s eyes weren’t focused on Matt. “He killed her. There wasn’t anything I could do. She died in my arms.” His voice sounded almost detached.

  “I’m sorry,” Matt said.

  Justin didn’t seem to hear him. “He used my dad’s gun. I’d left it on the dresser. I heard the shot from the shower. I ran out. She was on the floor.” He blinked a few times, as if clearing a vision only he could see. “I heard an engine outside and took Erin’s keys. The gun was a few feet away. I picked it up, put on clothes, and ran after him. There was a truck driving away. I followed it.” He grabbed at Matt’s arm. “I was gonna kill him, Matt. I was.”

  “I know.” Matt didn’t know what to say.

  Justin continued. “He drove out of town and stopped near the big farm, the one with the hay rides and shit.”

  “Empire Acres,” Matt said.

  “Yeah. I thought I was being smart. I hung back where I didn’t think he saw me. I was gonna sneak up on him. But he shot me before I could shoot him. He threw me in the back of Erin’s truck and brought me here.” Justin’s breaths quickened. “I wanted to die. It’s all my fault. I left the gun out.” Justin sobbed. The sorrow and regret emanating from him was as palpable as a cold mist. “Erin is dead because of me.”

  “No, man. That’s not true.” Matt leaned in, wrapped his arm around his friend, and held him like a child while he wept. “He had another gun. He would have shot her even if you didn’t leave the Sig out.”

  But Justin was beyond hearing. Another siren signaled the arrival of the ambulance. A minute later, paramedics came in and began assessing him.

  Matt squeezed his friend’s arm and stepped out of the way. The paramedics and gurney took up most of the space, and Matt retreated from the workshop to give them room. Outside, Bree fell into step beside him.

  “What kind of condition is he in?” Bree asked.

  Matt glanced back at the workshop. “Physically, he looks much better than I would expect of a prisoner with a gunshot wound. He’s lost blood, and he’s weak. But he’s conscious.”

  “Why did Zack keep him here, alive?”

  “So many questions.” Matt handed her the keys to his SUV. “Would you drive my truck to the hospital? I’m going to ride with Justin.”

  “You go.” Bree took the keys. “I’ll meet you there.”

  “Thanks.” Matt headed back toward the workshop.

  Justin was alive, but his emotional state was precarious.

  Maybe survival wasn’t everything.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  Tuesday afternoon, Bree shook another hand. The line of people paying their respects seemed to go on forever. The memorial service had been quick. People had gathered around the photo collage and shared memories. Bree had given the eulogy, just long enough to make the kids happy. She barely remembered it. Tears had blurred her vision and constricted her vocal cords, but she’d gotten through it.

  “Great eulogy,” a stranger said.

  Bree nodded. “Thank you for coming.”

  How many times had she said those words today? She was operating on autopilot; her mouth and body were doing what needed to be done, but her mind had shut down. Her grief was overwhelming, and she hadn’t had time to process yesterday’s shooting.

  She looked for the kids. Luke and Kayla stood in the back of the room with Adam, all three of them avoiding the crowd and looking as exhausted as Bree felt. Grief clung to them all like a virus. Dana hovered next to them, on guard. Matt was not in sight. Bree had asked him to cover the entrance. Under no circumstances was Craig permitted to enter. Bree would not allow him to ambush Luke and Kayla at their most vulnerable moment.

  She had arranged for the funeral home to serve coffee in a separate room after the service. Strangers were not invited back to the house. The kids had had enough. Bree wanted to sleep for a week, but tomorrow she had to be at the sheriff’s station for an interview. She’d given an initial statement, but Todd had follow-up questions. Since Zack was dead, and there were no charges to be considered, Todd had given Bree today to grieve her sister.

  Bree shook another hand. Jack Halo. She was surprised he was there. She’d thought he would have been busy with the aftermath today.

  “So sorry for your loss.” Jack enveloped Bree’s hand between both of his own.

  Bree suppressed the urge to punch him. She gritted her teeth. “Thank you for coming.”

  “Of course I came. Erin will be missed.”

  Because he’d have to find a new target for his unwanted affections?

  Bree wanted to threaten him, but maybe it was better not to give anything away at this time. But she did squeeze his fingers just a little too hard.

  “Thank you for everything you did yesterday.” Jack hadn’t been at the salon during the shooting and had arrived after it was all over. One innocent person had died and another five had been wounded. “It could have been much worse if you hadn’t been there.”

  Bree nodded. She forced herself to be civil, but friendly was not going to happen. Not with the man who’d harassed her sister.

  His salon wouldn’t be operating for some time. The sprinkler system had caused extensive water damage. Until the salon reopened, he wouldn’t have the opportunity to abuse his female employees.

  Wincing, he released her.

  With a tight smile, Bree moved on to the next guest, but she would not forget about Jack and how he had treated her sister.

  Bree had a blackmailer to deal with as well. She considered Craig the most likely suspect, but she couldn’t prove it. They’d found no evidence at Zack’s that it had been him.

  Two people had been missing from the funeral. Justin was still in the hospital undergoing surgery. Bree was relieved that he was alive and innocent. She had dreaded giving the kids any more bad news. Steph had said her presence would shift the focus of attention to her, rather than where it belonged, on Erin and her life. Bree suspected Steph didn’t want to face the kids, not after her husband had killed their mother. She doubted they would blame Steph, but they needed time to come to terms with everything that had happened. Steph’s presence would have been too much.

  Two hours later, Bree opened the door to her sister’s house. Dana, Luke, and Adam filed inside. Matt had gone directly from the funeral home to the hospital to see Justin.

  Adam carried a sleeping Kayla over his shoulder. Her eyes opened as he eased her onto the couch.

  “Can we watch a movie?” she asked.

  “Sure.” He sat next to her and turned on the TV. Luke dropped down next to them.

  Dana headed for the kitchen. “I’ll start the oven.”

  “No rush,” Bree said. “I’m not hungry.”

  Dana waved her off. “None of you ate this morning.”

  She’d put together some sort of casserole before they’d left for the funeral home. Equally exhausted and restless, Bree went into the kitchen. She wanted to sleep, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to close her eyes. While Dana unwrapped her casserole, Bree opened a canister of
coffee.

  “Let me get that.” Dana herded her away. “Your coffee is bitter.”

  “How complicated is adding water and grounds to a machine?” Bree moved to the window, staring outside.

  There were no houses or people in sight. The horses grazed in the pasture. Light snow drifted down, peaceful and quiet. A fresh inch had already accumulated, but the horses didn’t seem to mind. Bree sank into a kitchen chair. She watched the scene for a few minutes, with Dana bustling around behind her, the kitchen smelling like a home-cooked meal in the making.

  Dana set a cup of coffee in front of her.

  “Thanks.” Bree tasted the coffee. It was better than hers. “You know what?”

  “What?” Dana slid her casserole into the oven.

  “I could live here.” Bree sipped her coffee. “When I first came back, I didn’t think I could. I always thought this town was tainted for me. Too many memories of my parents and their deaths.”

  “But it’s not?”

  “I don’t think it matters where I am. Those memories are part of me. They will always be with me.” If Bree were being completely honest, maybe being in Grey’s Hollow had forced her to make a peace of sorts with her past. “Also, I have too many current issues to worry about something that happened in 1993.”

  “Have you seen the timer?” Dana closed one drawer and opened another.

  “No. How long do you need?”

  “Forty minutes.”

  Bree set a timer on her phone. “Is it four o’clock?”

  She glanced up at the cow clock on the wall. The hands were stuck in the two-thirty position. She went to the wall and removed the clock from its hook. After setting it on the counter, she turned it over, looking for the battery. “This is weird.”

  The design was just a frame with clock hands mounted on a drawing of a cow. In the center of the back was a plastic box about two inches square containing the actual clock mechanism with a compartment for a AA battery. An envelope was taped to the back of the clock.

  Dana looked over her shoulder. “Erin had a hidey-hole?”

  “Looks like she did.” Bree carefully removed the envelope. She opened it and removed a stack of twenty-dollar bills. Bree thumbed through the stack. “Looks like two hundred dollars.”

  “She had a rainy-day fund.” Dana pointed to the envelope. “There’s something else inside.”

  Bree turned the envelope over. A mini SD memory card fell to the counter.

  “Let me get my computer. I’m pretty sure I saw an SD adapter in the desk drawer.” Bree walked to the office for her laptop. Kayla, Luke, and Adam were all asleep on the sofa as she passed.

  She booted up the computer as she returned to the kitchen and finished her coffee until the screen came to life. Then she connected the adapter to the laptop and inserted the SD card. But when she accessed the SD card, instead of photos, two audio recording files appeared on the screen. Bree clicked on the first.

  “Here it is,” Erin said on the recording. The sound of her voice brought tears to Bree’s eyes.

  Paper rustled. Bree recognized Craig’s voice with his very first word.

  “Is it all here?” Craig asked.

  “It’s all I can get today,” Erin said. “I already gave you thousands of dollars. My savings are gone.”

  “It’ll do for now.”

  “I don’t have any more money, Craig.”

  “Then you’d better make some better life choices,” Craig sneered. “I want another three thousand next week, or I’ll sue for custody.”

  “I don’t have it, and you won’t win.”

  “Won’t I?” Arrogance filled Craig’s voice. “I’m a minister now. I could get a hundred members of my new congregation to fill the courthouse and testify to my outstanding character.”

  “I don’t have an extra three thousand, Craig.”

  “Better start working overtime or ask your rich brother for the money. Three grand is coffee money for him. Even if I don’t get custody, your attorney fees will cost way more than paying me.”

  The recording ended. Anger stirred red-hot in Bree’s belly. She’d suspected Craig, but hearing him threaten Erin made her want to hunt him down and make him pay that very moment.

  Patience.

  Dana and Bree shared a look. Bree shifted her anger to make room for some hope. With real evidence, Craig could face felony charges, and it was unlikely that he’d be given custody of the kids. Even he couldn’t smooth-talk his way out of extortion.

  “I’m almost afraid to listen to the next one.” Bree clicked “Play.”

  “I’m done with this, Craig.” Erin’s voice sounded firm. “This is the last payment. Take it and go away.”

  “You aren’t making the rules,” Craig said.

  “I think you’re wrong about that.”

  A click sounded, then the first recording played.

  Craig exploded. “You fucking—”

  “This proves you were blackmailing me,” Erin interrupted. “I hear the courts frown on using your own children for leverage and financial gain.”

  Fabric rustled.

  “Let go of me!” Erin said.

  “Give me that recording, bitch.”

  “I made copies. That’s why I didn’t play it for you last time.”

  A few seconds of silence ticked by while Craig processed Erin’s statement.

  “If you play that for anyone . . .” he said.

  “You’ll do what?” Erin’s voice sharpened. “Stay away from me and my kids. Or I swear I will march right down to your church and play this in the middle of your Sunday sermon.”

  “We are a long way from being done.” Craig’s tone went full-on menacing.

  Then recording number two ended.

  “Do you think he continued to harass and threaten her?” Dana asked.

  Bree checked the date on the recording. The file was dated the Tuesday before Erin was killed. “I do. He backed off, but not down.” Bree paced from one end of the kitchen to the other. “Knowing Craig, he thought of an angle to work. Her call to me came on the following Tuesday, Craig’s next day off. I suspect his continued harassment is what she called me about. She would go to Adam for money, but if she felt like she was in physical danger, she would turn to me.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “Oh, I’m going to fry his ass.” Bree rubbed her hands together. She felt almost gleeful. Most important, the kids should be safe with Bree now. But secondly, Bree wanted Craig to get what he deserved. He’d treated Erin like dirt since she was a teenager. “I’ll call Todd. Extortion is a felony in New York State, but he’d have to convince the DA to file charges.” Bree pulled out her phone. “Looks like I’ll be moving up here after all.” The grief she’d been saddled with all day lifted just a little.

  “Yeah. Family courts frown on dads who extort money from moms.” Dana glanced around. “Let me know if you need live-in childcare or a personal chef or whatever.”

  “You would want to move up here?”

  “The fresh air is nice,” Dana said. “I woke up at five this morning. Do you know what I did?”

  “No.”

  “Nothing, and it was beautiful.” Dana lifted a cookbook from the table. “I read some recipes. I drank coffee. I watched a squirrel in the yard.”

  “And you’d be content with that? ’Cause I’m going to need a job. I could use the help with the kids.”

  Dana nodded. “Yeah. I’d be cool living here. I’ve been working with death and violence for almost thirty years. Peace and quiet is exactly what I need right now.” She pointed to the audio recording. “A little revenge would be pure icing.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  Matt leaned his forearms on the conference room table in the sheriff’s office. He’d finished his interview. Bree was currently in the next room being questioned. As soon as she was done, Todd promised to talk to them both together.

  The door opened, and Bree came in carrying a bottle of water. She
dropped into the chair next to him. “How is Justin?”

  “I haven’t seen him today. When I stopped to see him last night, he was still pretty out of it from the anesthesia. But yesterday’s surgery went well.”

  “That’s good, right?”

  “Yeah. I’ll go to the hospital when we’re finished here.” Matt was more worried about Justin’s mental and emotional scars.

  She reached across the table and gave his hand a quick squeeze.

  They’d saved Justin’s life, but he was going to need help to rebuild it. Matt would be there for him.

  Todd came in and closed the door behind him. He had a manila file tucked under one arm and a mug of coffee in the other.

  “Thanks for your time.” Todd sat across from them and opened his notebook. “First of all, we want to thank you. Without the two of you, Zack would have kept going. He still had more than thirty rounds of ammunition on his person when he died.”

  “I’m glad I was there,” Matt said.

  Bree nodded. “Any off-duty officer would have done the same.”

  “Now where to start. The whole story is just too bizarre.” Todd tapped on a page. “We think Zack had been stalking Erin for a couple of weeks. We found a 35mm camera with a telephoto lens in his workshop. He also had notes, spreadsheets, and photographs documenting her daily activity. He’d outlined Erin’s whole schedule. He was probably the one who slashed her tires at the salon. The surveillance camera doesn’t cover the rear section of the parking lot, where the employees park, but we saw a vehicle that looks like Zack’s truck drive past the front of the building that night. Stephanie Wallace flagged a number of calls from her phone to Erin’s that she says she didn’t make. We assume Zack used her phone. Justin verified that Erin had received numerous threatening calls from Zack, telling her to stay away from Steph and accusing her of trying to talk Steph into leaving him again.”

  “Erin was not a fan of Zack,” Bree said. “She advised Steph not to go back to her husband when they were separated. He wanted his wife isolated and under his control.”

  “Yes.” Todd continued, “He also had some notes on your activity, Bree. He watched your farm a couple of nights. He also spent a lot of time checking up on his wife’s whereabouts. He kept detailed notes on everything.”