Dangerous Passage

by Lisa Harris

  Avery glanced at her watch.

  Forty minutes and counting.

  20

  With her father’s retirement party in full swing, Avery took a moment to tune out the conversation with Jackson, Mitch, and his fiancée, Kayleigh, in order to search for her mother in the crowded reception hall. Shania Twain’s “You’re Still the One” played in the background. Servers dressed in starched black-and-white uniforms worked to replace food on the twelve-foot-long buffet table and ensure the punch bowl stayed full, which meant Aunt Doris was holding up her part of the deal. Avery intended to ensure Mama did the same.

  Her father stood talking to a group of his former officers. Clearly he was enjoying the attention despite his insistence that he didn’t want—or need—a party in his honor.

  She finally caught sight of her mother on the far side of the room, wearing a flattering red sheath dress and chatting to the guests. Claire Hunt was in her element, playing hostess with all the southern charm of Scarlett O’Hara. Mama might have her faults, but she did know how to enchant a crowd.

  Avery let out a long sigh of relief. If both women had actually decided to keep their end of the bargain, as far as the party was concerned, they were in the clear. At least until the food was cleaned up and the floor and tablecloths washed. Then, no doubt, the two of them would go back to not speaking to each other.

  Avery felt her shoulders droop and let the stress of the past few days begin to dissipate. A few hours away from her paperwork and interviews would go a long way to help clear her mind.

  Mitch’s elbow brushed against her, pulling her back into the conversation. “So, Avery? What do you think?”

  Avery caught Kayleigh’s square, one-carat diamond engagement ring flashing beneath the overhead lighting. “The ring is gorgeous.”

  Kayleigh was all smiles. “Thank you.”

  Avery continued. “I have to say that I never thought my partner would actually tie the knot. Though, in his defense, now that he has decided to, I don’t think he could have made a better choice.”

  “Thanks, Avery. That means a lot.” Kayleigh stared at the rock on her finger, her eyes still sparkling. “Since you’ve known Mitch a lot longer than I have, I’m counting on you to give me the inside scoop.”

  Avery returned Kayleigh’s grin. “We’ll get together for lunch soon, and—”

  “Hey, now. Wait a minute. I’m standing right here.” Mitch glanced from Avery to Kayleigh, then back to Avery again as if he’d just discovered that life as a married man was never going to be the same again.

  Kayleigh crossed her arms and frowned. “Don’t tell me you’re already regretting your escape from bachelorhood, Mitch Robertson.”

  “Not in a million years.” Mitch grabbed Kayleigh’s hand and pulled her against him, his gaze never leaving hers. “But that doesn’t mean that I want Avery spilling all my secrets.”

  Avery turned to Jackson, whose white shirt and tie and tailored black jacket made him look like Cary Grant about to sweep her off her feet. “I think this is our cue to exit.”

  Jackson slipped her hand into the crook of his arm. “I could use something to drink and maybe seconds on those crab cakes.”

  “Lunch, Avery.” Kayleigh laughed as Avery and Jackson started to walk away. “Don’t forget.”

  “Oh, don’t worry, I won’t.”

  Avery stopped beside Jackson at the punch bowl and waited for him to pour them glasses of the red party punch. He handed her one. “Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”

  “At least once.” Maybe twice.

  Somehow, she’d managed to finish dressing, put on her makeup, and slide on her heels with three minutes to spare. But it had been worth the hurried rush to be ready on time and see the look of approval in his expression when she’d opened the door to let him in.

  Avery took a sip of the punch, wondering if they could get away with ditching the party for an intimate table for two at some cozy restaurant. “You clean up pretty good yourself. Though as nice as this is, I’m not sure this is what either of us had in mind for a third date.”

  “We’ll have to remedy that soon, but in the meantime . . .” His hand slid down her arm and took her hand. “I plan to simply enjoy being with you tonight.”

  She took another sip of her punch, certain Aunt Doris must have spiked it. She felt as giddy as Tess sounded talking about a boy she liked at school.

  “Considering we’ve actually made it to date number three despite family issues and a murder investigation, I completely agree.”

  So what if it wasn’t a typical date. What about their relationship so far had been typical? Maybe typical was overrated.

  “Do you want another plate of food?”

  Avery eyed the buffet line, then shook her head, still full from her first time through the line. “Go ahead. Between my mother’s cooking, too much takeout while investigating a murder, not to mention that fabulous donut you brought me, I think I’ve indulged enough this week.”

  Jackson started filling a plate. “Speaking of murder investigations, what did the DA think about my autopsy findings?”

  “The DA is reexamining the evidence while we investigate the Sourns and the problems with Tala’s paperwork. Which means Monday’s arraignment has been canceled and James Philips will walk. For now, anyway.”

  “And the Sourns?”

  “They’re claiming they had no idea Tala’s paperwork had been laundered and that she, in fact, had conned them.”

  “Seriously?” Jackson dropped a tart onto his plate and caught Avery’s gaze.

  “Which means that until we get some more answers, we’re back to square one with a murderer on the loose.”

  Jackson finished filling his plate and nodded toward an empty table. “Maybe the answer is that we forget about murder and autopsies and serial killers for the next couple of hours.”

  “I’d like that.” Avery grabbed a chocolate-covered strawberry from his plate and popped it into her mouth.

  He nudged her with his elbow. “So is this what I have to look forward to?”

  “You’ve haven’t seen anything yet.” Avery’s father came up and hugged her.

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dad.”

  The icing on the cake for tonight was seeing her father’s smile that had yet to leave his face. He might hate the attention and spotlight, but these were his men and women. They had fought beside him for the past several decades to keep the streets of Atlanta safe. Many of them owed him their lives. He’d been counselor, friend, spiritual adviser, and more.

  He reached out and shook Jackson’s hand. “How are you tonight, Jackson?”

  “I’m fine, sir, thank you. Congratulations on your retirement.”

  “I’m still not sure what I think about the idea, but I guess a few extra rounds of golf a week never hurt anyone.”

  “I’m sure you’re right.”

  “If you don’t mind, I’d like to borrow your date for a few minutes for a promised spin. She’s a hard lady to track down.”

  “I’ve discovered that.”

  Avery returned Jackson’s smile, then let her father lead her out onto the dance floor.

  “You don’t mind, do you?” he asked.

  “Of course not.”

  “Third dates are a big deal.”

  “Daddy.”

  Her father smiled. “Did you notice they’re playing our song?”

  “Unforgettable” played in the background. A rush of emotions surged through Avery.

  “Do you remember this song?”

  “How could I forget? Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole—father and daughter singing together. Seems like forever ago.”

  “Has anyone told you that you look beautiful tonight? Just as beautiful as you did back then. And tonight there’s an extra glow in your eyes.”

  Avery smiled at the compliment, enjoying the jazzy tone of the music. Enjoying even more the time with her father. The last time they’d danced together had b
een at her wedding to Ethan.

  It seemed like a lifetime ago.

  “I’m sure it’s just the angle of the lights.”

  “Or a certain handsome medical examiner. I see the two of you made up, which is good, because I like him. He seems stable. Competent.”

  Unforgettable?

  The soothing rhythm of the sax played with her emotions. “I’m still not ready to look too far ahead, but I like him too, and I’ve decided that’s enough for now. Time will tell.”

  “What does Tess think?” He led her around the dance floor filled with a dozen other couples.

  “She likes him. He’s met her menagerie of pets and brought her presents.”

  “Good. You both need a man in your life. Next to me, that is.”

  Avery rested her head against her father’s shoulder, content for the moment just to feel the safe protection of his arms.

  “I guess I need to thank you for saving the day and the food,” he said.

  “Who told you?”

  “Emily.”

  “I’m just thankful that a truce was made. At least for tonight.”

  “Your mama isn’t the only one I’ve been worried about. Maybe that’s why Jackson seems right for you.”

  “Why are you worried about me? I’m fine.”

  “Maybe, but you work too hard.”

  “I learned my work ethic from the best. God and family first, then work hard at whatever I do, because someone once told me that the only difference between try and triumph is a little umph.”

  Her father laughed, but his smile quickly faded. “I did teach you to work hard, which is why I’ve been thinking more about what we discussed. I see you spend the majority of your time either working your cases—including Michael’s—or with your family. Which made me start wondering. When do you actually make time for yourself?”

  “Let’s see. A manicure every month or two. Midnight shopping trips for groceries and indulging in a box of Milk Duds from the candy aisle.” Avery couldn’t help but chuckle despite the hint of worry in her father’s eyes. “Do any of those things count?”

  “It’s a start. A very small start.”

  She’d taken her father’s words to heart, but even his advice didn’t change the list of demands on her time. Like with Jackson, as much as she wanted things to work out between them, a relationship meant rearranging her life, and it was going to take time to figure out how to do it.

  And there were other things she simply wasn’t ready to give up. Like Michael’s case.

  A song she didn’t know started playing in the background, but she barely heard the music as she followed her father’s lead. “I know you’re worried about me, but for the most part I really do enjoy what I do. And with Michael’s case, all my digging might actually pay off. I found something earlier this week that we missed.”

  Clearly her statement took her father by surprise. “Where did you find a new lead?”

  “It’s a possible witness, buried in the paperwork, who was never followed up on. I’m not sure how he slipped through, but I’ve put out some calls and am working to track him down. It may not come to anything, but at least it’s something fresh.”

  “Avery, I know that your heart is into this, and I want his name cleared as much as you do, but . . .” Her father’s words faded.

  “Daddy?” Thomas Hunt might have always been her hero, but losing his only son had changed him too. “What’s wrong?”

  “Jack’s wife is here tonight.”

  Avery couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen the wife of her father’s former partner. Probably not since the funeral. “I’ll make sure I say hello to her.”

  “She’d like that, but her being here reminded me of something I’ve been thinking about for a long time. With your questions about finding balance in your life, I’m wondering if it isn’t time I said something.” He pulled back slightly and caught her gaze, still moving in step with the music. “I think you should stop investigating Michael’s death. I’ll hire a private investigator. Someone who isn’t so emotionally involved with the case.”

  “I can understand this coming from Mama and Emily, but from you?” Avery stopped in the middle of the floor, the music and guests still swirling around them. “Besides, what does all of this have to do with Jack’s wife?”

  “I know what it’s like to investigate the case of someone you’re close to.” Her father took her hand and pulled her off to the side of the room where there were fewer people. “Fifteen years ago, Jack was shot and killed by a gunman fleeing a home-invasion robbery. He was like a brother to me, and I spent the next two years trying to find the man who killed him.”

  She’d been young, but she still remembered the man who spent most of his days off hanging around the Hunt home. “You found Jack’s murderer.”

  “Yes, but the process consumed me. I neglected my job, my family . . . I was obsessed. Nothing else mattered except finding the man who killed Jack. And for Jack’s wife it was even worse. Then instead of bringing closure, finding the murderer only seemed to spawn feelings of anger and revenge. She’s never gotten over Jack’s death.”

  “Are you afraid of what we might find?”

  “No. I’ve never doubted your brother’s innocence. But I don’t want you to suffer any more than you already have.”

  “I can handle this.”

  “Can you? You’re worried about all the responsibilities vying for your attention. Maybe it’s time to let go of this.”

  “I don’t know if I’m ready to do that.” The aromas from the buffet table that filled the room enveloped her senses and turned her stomach.

  “It’s not just you I’m worried about. It’s your mother too.”

  “I’m doing this for her. For all of us.”

  “I know, but you’ve seen your mother. Today’s blowup with Aunt Doris is a prime example. She’s not getting any better, and I’m worried.” He shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring this up, tonight of all times, but I don’t know what else to do. Some days I feel like I’ve already lost her. She’s not the same woman I married, and this downward spiral keeps getting worse.”

  The music faded in the background. “I’ll be the first to admit that she needs some professional help, but stopping my search for the truth isn’t going to help her.”

  “I know it won’t just go away, but every time there’s a new lead, or even the hint of a clue in the case, she gets her hopes up, only to have them come crashing down. Honestly, I don’t know how much more she can take.”

  “Mama is stronger than you think. She’ll get through this. She told me about going to the counselor . . .”

  “She’s said she’ll go. She has to . . . We both have to come to the realization that Michael isn’t coming back. And finding his killer isn’t going to change that.”

  “Mom.” Tess appeared in her bright blue party dress, holding a small silver gift bag with a purple ribbon.

  “Tess, your grandfather and I are in the middle of—”

  “It’s important, Mom.”

  Avery shifted her attention to her daughter. “What is it?”

  “That man over there—” she turned back toward the entrance—“I don’t see him now, but he asked me to give this to you.”

  “For me? You must have misunderstood. It has to be for your grandfather?”

  He’d already opened a table full of retirement gifts, everything from gift cards, to luggage tags, to charitable donations. Someone must have come in late.

  Avery started to hand the gift to her father.

  “No, the man said you.” Tess’s smile widened. “Which means it’s probably from Jackson.”

  The hint of romance clearly had Tess’s attention.

  Worry still lingered in her father’s eyes, but he managed a weak smile. “I think I like this boy.”

  Tess nudged her grandfather. “It’s romantic, isn’t it?”

  Avery reached for the attached
note. Well, at least she didn’t need to worry about what Tess thought about her dating again. She opened the card and started reading.

  “Ring around the rosy,

  Pocketful of posies,

  Ashes, ashes.

  They’ll all fall down.”

  Avery’s breath caught. She flipped the card over. No signature.

  They’ll all fall down . . .

  “This isn’t from Jackson.”

  She pulled open the bag and glanced inside. A sweet, lemony smell filled her senses.

  “Mom, what’s wrong?”

  Avery’s fingers shook. The bag dropped to the ground. Out tumbled a white magnolia.

  21

  Jackson put his empty plate on a tray, then refilled his punch. Watching Avery dance with her father had offered a rare peek into the private life of the woman he was falling for. She’d found a way to take both the good and the bad that life had given to her and allow them to make her stronger. The threads of vulnerability that ran through her only made her more real . . . and made him want to be the one to protect her.

  He had his own haunting memories to throw into the mix and, like Avery, knew what it meant to lose someone he loved. Something that gave him a place to connect and understand better where she came from.

  Jackson turned back to the dance floor and searched for Avery. She and her father now stood across the room with Tess. A silver bag lay at her feet beside a white flower. She turned and the light hit her ashen face.

  Something was wrong.

  He put his cup down on a table and crossed the room in long, determined strides. “Avery?”

  She looked up at him, eyes wide, and handed him a card.

  “What is this?”

  “Read it.” Avery gripped Tess’s hand. “It’s him, Jackson. He was here.”

  “Ring around the rosy . . . Ashes, ashes . . . They’ll all fall down.”

  He didn’t have to ask who she was talking about. He knew exactly what she meant. But why? Why send a threatening message to a function where there were dozens of police officers and even the former captain himself?

  “Where did it come from?”

  “A man gave it to Tess. He knows who I am, Jackson. Knows about Tess, my family, but it’s more than that. They’ll all fall down. He isn’t finished.”