Death by Intermission

by Alexis Morgan

  Tripp muttered something under his breath, probably a couple of those choice words he only used when the situation was dire. She didn’t blame him. Abby had her own past experience with coming under attack in her own home. No one deserved to live with that kind of fear.

  It only took a few minutes to reach Jada’s neighborhood. Even if Abby hadn’t known right where she lived, it would’ve been obvious with all the police cruisers parked out front with their flashing red and blue lights illuminating the entire block. Clusters of neighbors had gathered up and down the street to see what was going on. She hated that poor Jada was going to be the subject of neighborhood gossip through no fault of her own.

  Abby parked two doors down, which was as close as she could get. Tripp joined her on the side of the road while they studied the situation before they started walking toward the nearest deputy. Fortunately, it was someone Abby knew, at least by name.

  “Deputy Lund, can you tell me where Chief Logan is? He’s expecting me.”

  The woman nodded. “Sure thing, Ms. McCree. He told me you’d be arriving soon. Gage is in the house, but he won’t want you to come inside while they’re processing the area.”

  After she made a quick call, Gage stepped out on the porch a few seconds later. He motioned for them to come closer. If he was surprised to see Tripp with her, he gave no sign of it. “Sorry to drag you two out like this, but I really appreciate that you came.”

  “Anytime.”

  Abby looked past him at the splintered wood that had formed the frame round the door. It had taken a lot of effort to do that much damage. She shuddered to think how the sound alone must have terrified Jada.

  “How is she doing?”

  “Not good. As soon as she heard the door slam open, she locked herself in the bathroom and called us. A deputy was only two blocks away on routine patrol and responded almost immediately. Even so, it probably felt like forever to her. Regardless, whoever broke in never got close to her. The perpetrator took off as soon as he or she heard the siren. The EMTs checked Jada over just in case.”

  He turned back to look inside the house. “Right now, she’s with one of my deputies, packing a bag. It shouldn’t take much longer, and then you can take her back to your place. I don’t know if she’ll be able to unwind for a while, but some sleep would definitely help.”

  “Don’t worry, Gage. We’ll take good care of her. If all else fails, Tripp can make her a big mug of his special tea.”

  He dredged up a weary smile. “I could use a big dose of that myself. Seriously, I wish I knew what this town was coming to.”

  Someone inside called Gage’s name. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

  The night air was chilly enough she was sorry she hadn’t put on a sweater before leaving the house. She rubbed her arms, which were covered in goose bumps. Tripp must have noticed because he moved closer and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Do you have a jacket or anything in the car?”

  “No, but I’ll start keeping one in there after this.”

  He shot her an amused look. “Are you planning on having a lot of these late-night adventures?”

  “I hope not.”

  She eyed the thin T-shirt he was wearing. “Maybe I should stash one of your sweatshirts in the car, too, since you seem inclined to invite yourself along on all my escapades.”

  Tripp grinned. “Good thinking. And while you’re putting together an emergency kit, a thermos of hot coffee would be nice, too.”

  He wasn’t wrong about that. What else should be on their list? “How about few of Bridey’s peach muffins to go with the coffee?”

  “And some lawn chairs. Might as well be comfortable while we wait.”

  When she laughed, a couple of the deputies glanced in their direction, probably wondering what the two of them could possibly find amusing at a crime scene. Abby winced, wishing she could explain that she knew full well there was nothing funny about this situation. But sometimes humor was the only way to deal with all the bad stuff life threw at people.

  She noticed Tripp scanning the area as if something bothered him about it. “Is something wrong?”

  “Not sure.” He released his hold on her long enough to slowly do a three-sixty turn, his eyes narrowing as he studied their surroundings. “I’ve spent too many nights out on patrol wondering if someone was out there in the darkness watching my every move. I really hate standing out in the open like this. Even if the guy who did this took off, there’s no guarantee he stayed gone. If he did come sneaking back to watch, he’s going to know we were here. When Jada gets in your car, it won’t take a genius to know that she’s going to be at your house. I really wish Gage had left you out of this.”

  “You’re scaring me, Tripp.”

  All signs of his earlier humor were gone, replaced by a grim expression. “I’m sorry, but I need to know you’ll be extra careful. For sure I’ll be camping out on your couch the rest of tonight. Longer if necessary.”

  She knew better than to argue with him when he got all hyperprotective like this, and she wasn’t sure she would even try anyway. She’d rest easier knowing he was close by, and Jada would likely draw comfort from knowing someone was on guard.

  “I appreciate that, Tripp, although it’s doubtful any of us are going to get much sleep tonight.”

  Gage reappeared on the porch with a small suitcase in hand and Jada standing right behind him. Abby started forward, but he motioned for her to stay where she was. He took Jada’s elbow and gently escorted her across the yard to where Abby and Tripp stood waiting. “Ms. Davidson is ready to go, Abby. I’ll give you a ring later this morning to set up a time to come by.”

  Jada definitely looked ragged around the edges, her face pale and her eyes full of fear. “I’m sorry to bother you like this, Ms. McCree, but I didn’t know who else to call.”

  “Not a problem, Jada. I’m glad you did. This is my neighbor and friend, Tripp Blackston. He came along for the ride because, well, to be honest, he’s just plain nosy.”

  That remark earned her an elbow in the ribs from Tripp and a small smile from Jada. “If you’ve got everything you need, why don’t we head out? You’ve had a rough night, but it won’t take us long to get to my place. I have a guest room you’re welcome to use as long as you need it. I should warn you that my mom is probably in the kitchen cooking up a storm. In my family, food is the answer to most of life’s problems.”

  Tripp took the suitcase from Gage. “She’s not kidding, Ms. Davidson, so I hope you packed your appetite.”

  The four of them walked down the street to where they’d left the car. Tripp opened the front passenger door for Jada and then settled himself in the back seat. Abby hung back until the other two were inside with the doors closed. Turning her back to the car, she kept her voice low as she talked to Gage. “Don’t worry about Jada for tonight. We’ll take good care of her.”

  “I know you will. I feel better about her going home with you than with someone I don’t know. Until we figure out what’s going on and if this has any connection to what happened the other night at the park, I don’t like the idea of her being alone.”

  He glanced back toward Jada’s home. “Especially after this.”

  “She won’t be alone. Tripp already plans to camp out on my couch. He’s afraid whoever did this is out there watching us right now and might follow us back to the house.”

  Gage took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair, clearly frustrated. “I wish I could say he’s wrong about that.”

  When Abby shivered this time, it had nothing to do with the cool night air. “See you later, Gage. I hope you’re able to get some rest, too.”

  One of the deputies stepped out on Jada’s porch and called his name. “I’d better go. Keep an eye out, Abby, and don’t hesitate to call if you need us.”

  “Will do.”

  Slipping into the driver’s seat, she started the car and immediately cranked up the heat. They hadn’t been there long enough for the
engine to have gotten cold, so warm air immediately poured out of the vents.

  “Let me know if it gets too hot in here.”

  “The heat feels good.” Jada shifted in her seat to look more directly at Abby. “I apologize again for dragging you into this. If you’d rather not get involved, you can drop me off at the motel in town. I can afford it.”

  “Sorry, but that’s not happening. Even if Gage wouldn’t get ticked off about it, my mother would have my head. As soon as I walked in the door without you, we’d be right back in the car and on our way to retrieve you.” She softened her response with a smile. “Seriously, we’re glad you had Gage call.”

  Jada turned away to stare out into the night. “I do have friends, but most are away at school.”

  But that didn’t explain why she hadn’t called her godfather. Of course, Will Swahn hadn’t actually said that he lived in Snowberry Creek. Now wasn’t the time to be asking questions. The poor girl had had a rough night, and she didn’t need to face an inquisition from an almost total stranger on top of everything else.

  It was time to lighten the conversation. “You’ve met Tripp and my mom, but I should warn you about my roommate, Zeke. He means well, but he has a few bad habits. For one thing, he drools copiously.”

  Tripp chimed in from the back seat. “He also sheds like crazy, lives to mooch, and snores like a freight train.”

  A small smile tugged at the corners of Jada’s mouth. “Zeke sounds charming. In fact, better than some guys I’ve dated. I can’t wait to meet him.”

  Abby turned into the driveway and spotted her mom and Zeke looking out the front window. As soon as they saw her car, they disappeared from sight, no doubt heading for the back door to meet them in the kitchen. “Well, brace yourself because you’re about to.”

  The car had barely come to a stop when Zeke came bounding across the yard. Jada’s eyes flared wide in surprise. “You didn’t mention he is huge. What kind of dog is he?”

  At least she didn’t sound scared. “He was a rescue dog, so we don’t know much about Zeke’s background. Near as we can tell, he’s mastiff mixed with who knows what. I know it’s hard to believe, he’s actually on the small size for that breed. He weighs about ninety-five pounds, but purebreds can weigh in at a hundred and fifty or more.”

  She opened her car door and tried to snag Zeke’s collar, but he danced back out of reach and charged around to the other side of the car to greet his buddy. Tripp knelt on one knee and held on to Zeke’s collar to give Jada time to exit the vehicle without being knocked around by one of the dog’s enthusiastic greetings.

  “Zeke, meet Jada.”

  The dog’s tail thumped the grass hard to show he was happy to see her, but at least he remained seated. Jada held out her hand for him to sniff and was rewarded with one of the dog’s patented slobbery licks. Her laughter eased some of Abby’s worry about how the girl was handling the night’s events.

  “Come on, everyone, let’s head inside.”

  With his uncanny sense of who needed him the most, Zeke remained right by Jada’s side all the way into the kitchen and then parked himself right at her feet with his big head taking up most of her lap. Tripp took his usual seat. When Abby sat down next him, she saw that the oven was on and there were a couple of skillets on the stove. Just as she predicted, her mom had been busy cooking, and the air was filled with the tantalizing scents of sausage and bacon.

  As her mother handed out plates and flatware, she smiled at Jada. “It’s nice to see you again, although I’m sorry it’s under these circumstances. I hope you’re hungry. I tend to cook when I’m worried.”

  Jada’s cheeks flushed a bit pink. “I don’t mean to be a bother.”

  “You’re not a bother at all. Besides, Abby feels obligated to feed Tripp every time he walks through the door. I suspect it’s part of his lease.”

  Abby might’ve taken offense at that if her mother hadn’t winked at Tripp as she said it.

  He took the jibe in the spirit in which it had been made. “I do my part to keep her busy and out of trouble.”

  Now Abby was the one who acted offended. “Hey, now.”

  The teasing exchange had Jada looking a little more relaxed. To help with that, Abby left the table long enough to grab a few of Zeke’s favorite treats. She set them down on the table within easy reach for Jada but far enough from the edge to make it harder for Zeke to sneak one with a quick flick of his tongue.

  A few seconds later, the table was loaded with a huge bowlful of scrambled eggs and a platter filled with sausage and bacon.

  Tripp took it all in with a happy, wide-eyed look. “I’m impressed, Mrs. McCree, especially considering we weren’t even gone an hour.”

  Her mother seemed pleased by Tripp’s comment. She sat down at the opposite end of the table. “Eat up, everybody. I’m sure this will be another busy day, so we should get some sleep while we have the chance.”

  She passed the eggs to Jada. “I turned down the bed in the room across from Abby’s and laid out some clean towels in case you want to take a shower. “

  “Thank you, Mrs. McCree. I appreciate everything you all have done for me, a total stranger.”

  Her mother smiled. “Not a total stranger, Jada. Even if we hadn’t met before tonight, we would’ve been glad to help. After all, any friend of Owen Quinn’s is a friend of ours.”

  Jada had been about to take a bite of her eggs when she suddenly dropped her fork as her face crumpled and tears started pouring down her cheeks. Before Abby could ask her what was wrong, the girl was up and stumbling down the hall. A second later, the bathroom door slammed shut.

  Tripp looked confused. “What the heck just happened?”

  Abby shook her head. “I don’t know. Maybe she’s been putting up a brave front, and everything finally just overwhelmed her. I’ll go see if I can help.”

  After grabbing Jada’s small suitcase, she headed the short distance down the hall to the bathroom. She set the case down and listened at the door for a few seconds before knocking. “Jada, can you let me in? I can’t help you from out here.”

  Nothing but silence.

  She tried again. “Please, Jada. I know you’ve been through a lot. If you don’t want to talk, that’s fine. At least let me take you upstairs and show you where you’ll be staying. I should warn you that Zeke is probably going to want to get up on the bed, and he likes to hog all the space he can.”

  There was a slight movement on the other side of the door, followed by the sound of splashing water. A few seconds later, the door opened just far enough to reveal Jada’s face. It was impossible to tell if the few droplets that still clung to her skin were leftover tears or water from washing her face.

  “Are you all right?”

  Jada didn’t bother to lie. “No, I’m really not.”

  When Abby gently pushed on the door, Jada stepped back to allow her to come inside. “Is it what happened tonight, or something else?”

  She was betting it was the latter. The girl had been holding it together right up until the second Abby’s mother had mentioned Owen’s name. Jada’s reaction had been similar when they’d been at her house. When they’d pressed her for details about the unexplained twenty or so minutes he’d been gone during the movie, she’d reacted by asking them to leave. The panicky expression was also the same.

  She gave Jada a considering look, aiming for sympathetic and not sure she was successful from the way Jada wrapped her arms around herself and backed away as far as the small room would allow. To ease the tension, Abby dug a clean washcloth out of the cabinet under the sink and wet it with cool water.

  “Hold that on your eyes for a little bit. They’ll feel better. I left your suitcase out in the hall. Take it and head up the stairs to the first room on your left, which is where you’ll be sleeping. There’s a bathroom right next door, so you can get ready for bed. Meanwhile, I’m going to go heat up your plate and then bring it up to your room. Maybe it will be easier for you to
eat something if you’re not having to face all of us at once.”

  Jada shook her head just a little. “Maybe just some toast. I’m not all that hungry, and my stomach’s a little iffy from the stress.”

  “Okay, I’ll bring toast and a cup of the herbal tea that helps when I’m feeling a little unsettled.”

  Abby started to leave but decided she needed to give Jada something to think about. “Look, I know you don’t really know us, but you trusted us enough to have Gage call me. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t push, especially considering everything that’s happened tonight and the fact none of us have had much sleep.”

  She paused to let Jada digest that much. “But whatever you’re hiding or holding back is only complicating things. Not only for you, but for Owen. Maybe you’re protecting yourself or someone else, but that’s not going to work long term. Gage needs to know if tonight’s occurrence is somehow tied to what happened at the park the other night. He won’t stop until he has all the answers. You need to make better choices before your secret blows up in your face.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  Abby’s words had clearly worried Jada. Good. But rather than press any harder for answers when they were both exhausted and running on fumes, she stepped out into the hall to give Jada time and space to collect her thoughts. Hopefully, she’d pushed just enough to make the girl come to her senses. The only way to tell was to see if Jada would head upstairs to her assigned room or out the front door.

  Not that Abby would let her get far, not at this hour, and not with the still very real possibility that whoever had kicked in Jada’s door had followed them home. There was no telling how Jada would react to being chased down only to be herded back to the house. If necessary, they could always take her to that motel Jada had mentioned earlier, but that would be a last-ditch choice. Fortunately, Abby had barely made it as far as the kitchen when she heard the bathroom door open again, followed by the telltale creak of the steps that led up to the second floor. Good, Jada was smart enough to make at least one good decision.