When the Smoke Clears (Deadly Reunions)

by Lynette Eason

  “Alexia!” Lori called as she headed over. “Come on in. I think you know everyone.”

  A hush fell over the group as all eyes turned on her.

  She ran down the names in her head. Harry Chumley, Carl Standish, Erin James, Patricia Hammond, Leslie Monroe, Christine Graham, Lori Tabor, and herself.

  And one person in the corner she didn’t know. Or didn’t remember.

  Lori took her arm and faced the group. “Y’all remember Alexia.”

  Cautious smiles appeared. Christine, former senior class president, rose and walked over to give Alexia a hug. “Glad you could make it, Alexia. Hunter’s talked a lot about you.”

  That seemed to break the ice.

  One by one they greeted her. The one person she didn’t know was from another graduating class and the spouse of Harry Chumley.

  In the back of her mind, though, Alexia couldn’t help wondering exactly what Hunter had said to his sister about her. Must have been good if the girl was offering her a hug. Apparently the Graham children didn’t hold their father’s opinion of her.

  Then she had no more time to ponder. Lori handed her a bottle of water and opened the meeting. Alexia found herself in charge of the food. She would contact different catering companies and get prices.

  The meeting passed in a blur as she tried to remember if any of these people had had a relationship with Devin. But for the life of her, she couldn’t put his face with any of them. Being on this committee might just be a huge waste of time for her. And yet, surprisingly, she found herself laughing and reminiscing a bit as talk turned from business to socializing.

  Alexia nodded to a picture of Lori and two men dressed in army fatigues. “I didn’t realize you served in the army.”

  Lori picked up the photo. “Yeah. Right after high school. I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do with my life, so I enlisted.”

  “Who’re the two men?”

  A soft expression covered the woman’s face. “This one is Avery, my brother. He was a medic with the special ops team. This one was Jackson Peters. He was special ops too and was killed right before I got out.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “Avery and Jackson. The two of them were inseparable until I came along.” She replaced the picture and shook her head, sadness etching lines along her mouth.

  “How are you doing after the excitement at the hospital this morning? Hunter told me you were caught in the parking garage.”

  Lori shuddered. “That was awful. I think I finally quit shaking about an hour before people started getting here. Of course if I’d had to stay at the police station any longer, I would have had to call it off.”

  “That might not have been a bad idea.”

  The woman shook her head. “No. Having to rush home and get ready for this took my mind off of it.” She gave a small shrug. “It’s not like I’ve never heard gunfire before or been in a dangerous situation, but that was . . . intense.”

  “Yeah. I can’t believe he got away.”

  Lori looked like she would say more, but excused herself to address the group. “I think we have a great start on everything. When would be a good time to get together again? Next week same time?”

  Everyone agreed and Alexia made her way over to Christine Graham. When she touched the woman’s arm, Christine turned and gave Alexia a smile. “Hi. It’s really kind of you to help out with the reunion when you have so much going on in your own life right now.”

  “Thanks.” Alexia gave a rueful smile. “When I agreed, I didn’t have quite so much going on.”

  They chatted a couple minutes about the careers they had pursued after high school.

  Then Alexia paused. “Speaking of what all is happening in my life, I’m sure you know that Devin’s parents were killed.”

  “Yes, I saw that on the news. Just crazy. I wonder if there’s a connection there.”

  “I’m sure there is. The police are working on finding it. Did you keep up with Devin much?”

  “No.” A slight shake of her head dislodged a few curls. She pushed them out of her eyes and said, “Hunter’s already given me the third degree about Devin. The only person I know that might know anything about him is Marcie Freeman.”

  Alexia nodded. “He’s already talked to her and didn’t get much from her.” She sighed. “Thanks anyway.”

  “Sure.”

  The other women had already left, and Lori came up beside them. “Thank you, guys, for coming. I appreciate it. This reunion is turning out to be more work than I planned.”

  Alexia smiled. “It’s no problem. I’ll start pricing the food and get back with you soon.”

  “Well, I’d better get Mary Ellen heading for bed. Her dad and brother will be home soon.”

  Christine patted the woman’s shoulder. “It’s so great that you can help him like you do. Not all sisters would be willing to help out like that.”

  Lori shrugged. “I love those kids like they were my own. When Melissa died in that car wreck and Avery needed help, I couldn’t say no.”

  “That must have been a horrible experience. I’m so sorry.” Alexia felt her heart go out to the little family and admiration for Lori welled. What would it be like to have a family so committed to each other that nothing, not even the death of a loved one, could tear them apart?

  Grief for her brother, her dead sister, her relationship with her mother blindsided her and she gasped.

  Fortunately, neither of the women seemed to notice.

  “Well,” Lori pursed her lips, “Melissa was a tormented soul. She was bipolar and refused to take her medication. She caused Avery and the kids so much grief with her ways that—” She shook her head and bit her lip. “You get the idea.”

  Christine looked troubled. “I admire everything you’re doing. With everything you have on you, are you sure being in charge of the reunion committee isn’t too much?”

  “No.” Lori shook her head. “This is fun. I need this.”

  Christine nodded, then sighed. “I’ve got to run. I have a brother that needs help too.” She gave a tight smile and headed out the door.

  Alexia watched her go without saying anything about Chad sitting outside. If he wanted his sister to know what he was up to, he would tell her. She said to Lori, “Thanks so much for doing all this. It is nice to get together. Kind of lets you put all your troubles aside for a little while.”

  “I know.”

  Alexia could tell she did. “Well, it’s getting really late. I’ve got to go too.”

  As Alexia headed to her car, a black Mercedes turned into the drive to pull into the garage.

  29

  Thursday, 10:15 p.m.

  Hunter’s phone rang for the second time that night. The first time was Marcus Porter, Dominic Allen’s arresting officer. He listened to Hunter’s plea for help, asked for some time, and promised to call him back.

  Walking into his den, Hunter grabbed his cell phone from the coffee table where he’d tossed it thirty minutes ago. “Hello?”

  “So you think I need babysitters, hmm?”

  His phone beeped indicating an incoming call. He pulled the phone away and looked at it. Chad calling. He could wait.

  Right now, he had Alexia on the line. At least she didn’t sound mad. “You’re in danger. I’m just covering all of our bases.”

  “You must have some really nice friends or co-workers who owe you a lot.”

  He paused. “You talked to Chad?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you angry?”

  “No. Yes.” She paused. “No.”

  Hunter kept quiet hoping she’d tell him more.

  She did. “I’m not angry at the protection detail. I’m angry because it’s a necessity. I don’t like the fact that my life is spinning out of control. I don’t like feeling helpless.”

  Hunter took a deep breath. The phone beeped again. Again, he ignored it as he focused on what Alexia had just told him. He couldn’t imagine what it took for her to admit
that. “You’re not helpless. You’re being proactive. Making sure whoever’s causing all this trouble can’t get to you.”

  “Hmm. I suppose that’s one way of looking at it.” Another pause. “Hey, you need to tell your guy who’s following me to back off.”

  Hunter frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean his headlights are blinding me. He’s following way too close.”

  Hunter clicked through the schedule he’d set up. Jackson Mann was on duty at ten. A chill hit him. Following too close? That didn’t sound right. “Okay. Let me give him a call. Hold on.”

  Hunter walked into the kitchen and picked up the handset for his landline number. He dialed Jackson’s number and waited through three rings. Finally, “Hello?”

  “This is Hunter. Are you following Alexia?”

  “No, man. I called Chad and told him I’m in bed with a stomach bug. He said he would cover for me.”

  “Thanks.” Hunter hung up and dialed Chad’s number.

  Chad answered on the first ring. “’Bout time you picked up.”

  “Back off Alexia. She said you’re following too close.”

  A flash of silence. “I’m not following her at all. That’s what I’ve been calling you about for the last ten minutes. I’ve got a flat tire.”

  Foreboding made his gut clench. Into the other phone, he said, “Alexia, I don’t know who’s behind you. But don’t stop.”

  “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  He could hear the fear in her voice. “Maybe nothing. Could be you just have an impatient driver behind you. Could be something more.”

  In his other ear, Chad said, “I’ve already called backup and gave them the direction she’s headed, but I don’t know if they’ve found her yet or not. She’s probably already at Serena’s. I sent a car over there.”

  To Alexia, Hunter said, “Where are you?”

  “Almost to Serena’s subdivision.”

  “Drive past her house and tell me if you see a police car. If not, find a place to turn around and come here.”

  “Where?”

  He rattled off the directions to his home. “Chad, you got that tire changed yet?”

  “Almost,” his brother grunted. “Tightening the last lugnut now.”

  “The person turned off.” Alexia’s voice came through the line.

  Relief claimed Hunter.

  “No, wait.” He could hear the fear return. “The car’s coming back.”

  Relief fled. “Do you see any other police cars? Backup should be there.”

  “No. Yes. I see someone. The officer turned on the blue lights.”

  “Is the car that’s following you still there?”

  “No. It’s gone.” He could almost picture the tension leaving her.

  “Okay, do you have somewhere you can stay tonight?”

  “I can’t stay at Serena’s?” She sounded befuddled.

  “Alexia, you just led the person to where you were staying.”

  “But I didn’t turn in the drive. Maybe . . .” Now he could hear the tears in her voice. “I don’t know, Hunter, if I can’t stay here . . . I guess I can go to a hotel . . .”

  He’d offer her his couch but didn’t think she’d go for that. And a hotel wasn’t a good solution. No alarms, too easy to break into. No way.

  “You don’t need a hotel. I’m going to contact the cruiser. You park your car in the driveway.”

  “Okay.” More confusion on her part.

  “I’m on the way. Wait for me to get there, okay?”

  “Sure.”

  “Hey bro, you there?”

  Chad.

  Hunter had forgotten the man was still on the line. “Where are you now?”

  “Climbing back in my car.” Hunter heard the door slam. “Heading to Serena’s.”

  Chad hung up. Keeping Alexia on the line, Hunter grabbed his keys from the kitchen counter, went out the door, and down the steps to his vehicle. In the background, he could hear Alexia talking to someone he prayed was the police officer.

  Hunter grabbed his radio that would allow him to speak to the officers in the cruiser. “Officers in the vicinity of Hartford Road, please respond.” The appropriate code came back to him. Then he heard a familiar voice. “Alpha-304 this is Alpha-501. We’ve got your friend here.”

  “Don’t leave her alone. Wait for me to get there.”

  “10-4.”

  Hunter switched back to his phone. “Alexia, are you okay with me hanging up? I’m on the way.”

  “That’s fine. I’ve invited the officers in just in case my stalker is still hanging around.” She sounded subdued. Resigned. Tired.

  He said goodbye and hung up. However, he placed the blue light on his dash and let his foot rest a little heavier on the gas than he normally did even as a plan formed. He grabbed the phone again and called Chad.

  The mesmerizing sweep of blue strobes from the street washed the neighboring homes.

  “How many cops is this woman friends with?” It was getting almost ridiculous. The cell phone on the seat buzzed. “What!”

  Silence. “What was that stunt at the hospital? That was not part of the plan.” The voice was calm. An awful calm that did not bode well.

  “I wanted to get rid of the detective. He’s in my way. I need to take him out to get to her.”

  Another pause. “Thanks to your shooting”—the voice sharpened like a razor—“her protection detail will be even more difficult to get around.”

  “Don’t you think I’ve thought about that?”

  Silence. The sound of a slow, deliberate exhale.

  Sweat began to drip into bleary eyes. The headaches, the fatigue were getting worse. Should have taken more meds. “Sir, I’m sorry. I . . . It won’t happen again.”

  “Not if you know what’s good for you.” The tone changed slightly. “We’re backing off. Let her get comfortable.”

  “What? But you said—”

  “I know what I said. Now I’m telling you to lay low right now. Understood?”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Good.”

  Click.

  The front door of the house opened and two officers moved quickly toward the street. Then the happy couple exited. She’d changed clothes, put on a ball cap. Odd getup.

  The police car peeled away from the curb and shot down the street. The couple climbed into the detective’s car and pulled out of the driveway, heading slowly in the opposite direction.

  Back off? No way. Not now.

  “So, what do you think of my plan?” Hunter asked.

  Alexia gaped at him. “Are you insane?” She turned her stunned gaze from the man to the nice middle-class house. “This is your parents’ house. There’s no way I’m staying here.”

  “Sure you are. Christine is living with them right now and she said she’d appreciate your company.” She felt his gaze rove over her and an appreciative gleam entered his eyes. “Have I told you that you look awesome in a uniform?”

  “Yes, you did.” Exasperation filled her. Alexia honestly didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Crying sounded pretty good. “Hunter, we’ve been over this. Your father hates me. He believes I burned down my parents’ house. I’m not staying here!”

  Finally she seemed to get through to him. His brow furrowed and his lips turned down like a two-year-old who was told no. Then those lips thinned. “Look, you can’t stay at Serena’s tonight. Swapping places with Pete and Maria allowed us to get away without being followed. If nobody was watching, fine. But if someone was, hopefully, we’ve thrown them off. Now you can get in there and get a good night’s sleep. We’ll figure out what you’re going to do tomorrow.” He paused. “And besides, my parents aren’t home tonight. They’ll be gone until Saturday, home in time for the dinner.”

  Right. The dinner.

  He continued. “The dinner you still haven’t said you’d attend. With me.”

  Exhaustion and fear pulled at her. “I’ll give you an answer on that tomorrow
.”

  He looked away, but not before she saw a hint of disappointment. And why was she hedging anyway? She knew she was going to say yes. The thought of spending that time with him, going on an actual date, was exhilarating. In spite of the fact that she was feeling scared, irritated, and frustrated at the moment.

  “Great. Now, let’s go in and find Christine. She can take care of anything you might need. Including a clean toothbrush.”

  “Hunter . . .”

  He climbed out of the car. Grudgingly, she followed. What choice did she really have? What if he was right and the killer was watching Serena’s house? Did she really want to be there alone tonight?

  Of course not.

  “What if my staying here puts your family at risk?”

  He didn’t even flinch at her question. Which meant he’d already thought of that. And come up with a good enough reason not to be concerned. He said, “The alarm system is awesome here. Plus there are two dogs that roam the yard at night. Everything will work out fine. Come on.” His hand grasped her upper arm in a gentle grip. He propelled her toward the front door. “For the record, I have someone watching your house—Serena’s house—tonight. If anyone tries anything, I’ll be notified.”

  Chad opened the door. “Christine’s not here yet, but come on in.”

  The words were no more out of his mouth than Alexia heard a car turn in to the driveway. Christine parked and climbed out. She looked disheveled and upset.

  Hunter frowned at his sister. “Are you okay?”

  “Just fine. Just great. I’m wonderful.”

  Alexia lifted a brow as the woman walked past her and into the house.

  “Chris?” Hunter asked.

  The woman’s shoulders lifted, then fell. “I’m all right. Just a little perturbed with your friend Rick.”

  “Ah.” Hunter’s knowing drawl earned him a scowl from Christine.

  “Shut up and get in here.” Her words may have sounded harsh to an outsider, but Alexia could hear the love behind them.

  Hunter kept his hand on her arm and a shiver danced up her spine as she entered the foyer. Class and good taste greeted her. And she felt as out of place as a mouse at a cat family reunion.