In His Sights

by Jo Davis

  Took Maddy to school. Running a few errands, be home soon. Bringing pastries.

  His stomach growled and he went back to the coffeemaker. After investigating the choices, he settled on a French roast that he hoped was strong enough to revive his brain and get the juices flowing. Might take two cups.

  After making his coffee, he took the steaming mug and tried to sit still at the kitchen table. But he got restless and decided to wander to the living room. There, he turned on the TV and watched a bit of Good Morning America. Soon his attention strayed and he found himself looking around the room, focusing on the photos Robyn had displayed.

  The ones on the end tables were mostly of Maddy. On the wall were pictures of two different older couples, and he figured these must be Maddy’s grandparents.

  But it was the pictures on the mantel that drew him in like the proverbial moth to the flame. Unable to help himself, he rose from the sofa and padded to the fireplace, studying the studio photo of the man he assumed was Greg, who had once held Robyn’s heart.

  The man was handsome, he had to admit. He’d have to be, Chris thought, to snag a woman like Robyn. Not that Chris thought himself a great catch. No, it was just weird gazing at the man Robyn clearly wasn’t over and trying to imagine what had happened.

  Greg had dark hair and bright blue eyes. His smile for the camera was boyish. But was it Chris’s imagination, or did his eyes seem a bit sad? As he moved onto the next photo, his gut did an unpleasant turn to see this one was a candid shot of Robyn on the same man’s lap in a lounge chair. They were laughing into the camera, tangled together, looking very happy. The lounger was on some sort of flagstone patio, quite large and expensive-looking; behind them was a huge pool with a built-in waterfall and a gorgeous panoramic view of the desert.

  We moved here from Phoenix, Arizona, after my husband, Greg, passed away.

  Whatever had happened, Robyn’s lifestyle had apparently been altered. If there was a house attached to that fancy patio, and it had belonged to her and her husband, it was a far cry from where she lived now. Chris didn’t care whether Robyn had loads of money, but he hated that she had to suffer in any way. The loss of her husband and the home she knew must’ve been devastating.

  Chris heard keys rattle in the door leading into the kitchen from the garage. Mug in hand, he went to greet Robyn, putting aside his questions about her deceased husband for now. That conversation had to happen someday if they were going to move forward. They couldn’t pretend the man hadn’t existed or hadn’t had a big impact on her life. But he sensed she wasn’t ready for that talk.

  She looked so pretty in a pair of dark blue pants and a print blouse, hair pulled back from her face and secured with a clip at the top of her head. He couldn’t help but stare. She set a white paper bag and her purse on the table, then crossed to him and pulled him in for a kiss.

  “I’m glad to see you up and around. You were sound asleep when I checked on you this morning.”

  “I was wiped out, I guess. It’s not every day a guy gets poisoned like Snow White. Wonder where the apple came from?”

  “That’s not even remotely funny.”

  “I thought it was, a little.”

  “Not one bit.”

  “Sorry. Us cops have to find humor where we can, even if it’s grim. What’s in the bag?”

  She played along with his blatant redirect. “Two types of Danish, cream cheese and apricot.”

  “Damn, that sounds good! How am I supposed to pick?”

  “I got two of each, so you can have both.” She gave him a small smile.

  “Sweet. Thanks, baby.”

  She paused, looking at him oddly before moving to the refrigerator. “You’re welcome. Milk or juice?”

  “I’m just going to have another cup of coffee. I don’t drink a lot of milk or juice.”

  Glancing over her shoulder, she said, “One cup of coffee this morning is more than enough after what you’ve been through, sweetie.”

  He raised his brows. “You don’t have to give me the ‘mom’ voice. I’m not Maddy.”

  “Did I do that? I’m sorry, but I just want you to go easy on your system for a few days. Your body had quite a traumatic shock.”

  He held up a hand. “I surrender. If it’s that important to you, I’ll have milk.”

  “It is.”

  “I still don’t think it’s that big a deal, though.”

  Turning with a glass of milk in hand, she froze. There was something dark in her eyes, almost like pain. Then she walked over and carefully set his glass in front of him.

  “I care, that’s all. Your health is a big deal to me.”

  Turning, she started to walk off, but he gently caught her arm and encouraged her to face him again. “Wait—please. I meant to say I appreciate you caring about my well-being, honest. I just don’t want the person I’m with trying to dictate to me or change me.”

  “I’d never do that.” She blinked away tears and shook her head.

  His heart fell. “Shit. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”

  “You didn’t.”

  “Then what is this really about, Robyn? Please, trust me a little.” She was silent, and his heart dropped. “Does this have anything to do with Greg and his death?”

  Her head shot up and anger blazed on her face. His spirits fell even lower as he realized he was right. It was clear she didn’t want to confide in him, either.

  “I’m sorry,” he said softly. “Forget I asked.”

  “I can’t talk about him.”

  “Right now?”

  “Maybe ever.”

  He let go of her arm and she stepped back. Immediately he felt colder, desolate. “I want to be a part of your world, but I can’t if you won’t let me. It tells me you either don’t trust me or don’t have deep enough feelings for me.”

  “That’s not true,” she whispered. “You don’t know how it was to be in my shoes back then. How hard it is to relive that time.”

  “Then tell me.” So much for his resolve not to push. But he had a feeling that if he didn’t, she’d never open up.

  “I need more time. Please, Chris. It hurts too much.”

  Big blue eyes pleaded with him, and he relented. “Okay. But we have to talk about this eventually, or it will always be the elephant in the room.”

  “I know.”

  Tentatively she sat and they finished their breakfast, but the damage to their morning had been done. Conversation was stilted, and by the time she gathered her purse and keys for work, he was feeling ten kinds of remorse for trying to get her to open up before she was ready. Admittedly, the detective in him wanted to solve the mystery of Greg and Robyn and then put it out of his mind for good. At least the part about Greg.

  After giving him a kiss, she started for the back door. “I’ll see you this afternoon, all right?”

  “Okay. Again, I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  Which of course he did. After she was gone he felt restless and edgy. When he became almost overwhelmed with the cop’s urge to snoop through her things—or better yet, use her computer or his police contacts to search for Greg Lassiter’s name and cause of death—he did the only thing he could: he left the house.

  A walk would do him good. Help him build up his strength again. He wasn’t one to mope or sleep all day, no matter how tired he might be. Automatically, his feet carried him in the direction of his own house, and he wondered if the tech guys had finished searching his stuff. Probably so, and he cringed when he thought of his stack of porn videos in the master bedroom closet. Fantastic.

  By the time he got to his house, he was winded and cursing himself for an idiot. He should have stayed on the sofa and watched TV. Then again, he’d be able to get more clothes, then fetch his car and drive it back to Robyn’s.

 
He winced to see the wood frame around the front door smashed, as well as a big cracked hole the size of a heel—Tonio’s—next to the knob. Someone had fixed it as best as they could, but the whole thing would need replacing.

  Fortunately, Tonio had brought him his keys along with fresh clothes. Chris unlocked the door with a little difficulty and let himself in. The house was still. A glance around showed nothing much was out of place. Some items had been moved, and he wondered what the techs had removed.

  He figured starting in the kitchen was best. His hunch was right—every single item of food and drink had been cleaned out. Every last one. Even his canned goods were gone, probably to be examined for tampering. Damn. It was sort of depressing not to even be able to have a snack in his own home.

  Making a tour through the house, he noted things here and there that were missing. Anything that contained liquid or was applied to his body was absent from his bathroom, including cologne, aftershave, shaving cream—the list went on. His sense of violation grew, and anger began to break through the fog of shock he’d been feeling for the past two days.

  A knock on the front door snapped him to attention, and he went to answer it.

  He opened up to find Tonio and Captain Rainey standing there, and let them in. “Hey. I’m assuming this isn’t a social visit?”

  “I wish,” Tonio said, looking solemn.

  “You get the results of the testing?”

  Rainey spoke up. “We did, and they showed exactly where the poison was placed.”

  “In my kitchen somewhere? In the milk or some food?”

  “Nope. The cyanide had been added to both your shampoo and the body wash.”

  Chris’s mouth fell open. He took a moment to let that sink in. “Shit. He knew that was the best place to ensure I’d come into contact with it every day. I might not eat the same foods, but I’d probably shower.”

  “Exactly,” Rainey affirmed. “The team went over every square inch of the house, and that was the only contamination. You can come home if you’re extra vigilant—and install a damned alarm system. I can’t believe you don’t have one.”

  “Never put much stock in those, Cap,” he admitted. “I always thought, if I’m home I’ll take care of any intruder myself. And if I’m not home, the police won’t be here for several minutes, giving them plenty of time to get out, so what difference does it make?”

  Rainey huffed. “Haven’t you learned anything, Detective? Motive and opportunity. Criminals have the motive, and stupidity often gives them the opportunity. If the asshole had been faced with an alarm system, he wouldn’t have been able to tote a dangerous poison into your house and spend God knows how long searching for the exact right spot to hide it. Because he wouldn’t have had time.”

  His face flushed at his captain basically calling him stupid in front of his partner. But the man was right. “Sorry. You’re right. I’ll call them as soon as you leave.”

  “Good. I’ve already had a team in to clean your tub and shower, and it’s clear of any poisonous residue. And the tech guys are bringing back the rest of your shit, in boxes, except for the perishable food and drinks, like the lettuce and milk. You’ll get to have fun putting it all back.”

  “Awesome.” Not.

  “When do you think you’ll be back at work?” Tonio asked.

  “Miss me, honey?”

  “Shut up.” But his partner laughed. “I’m tired of doing all the fucking work.”

  “So you do admit I pull my weight. I’ll mark this day on the calendar.”

  “Yeah, yeah. So, when?”

  “Tomorrow, I think.”

  “Day after,” Rainey put in. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you can barely stand up. Your body had a shock, and you need to be in top form before I’ll consider letting you come back.”

  “All right, day after tomorrow,” he relented.

  “See you then, bro.” Tonio’s mouth widened in one of his rare smiles.

  Bro. It was said with such warmth, such genuine friendliness, that Chris was surprised. Almost dying changed things sometimes, for all parties. “See ya.”

  He saw them out and then cleaned up the house some. Nothing heavy, just made sure the drops of blood were off the kitchen floor and the bathroom was spotless. He didn’t give a crap if experts had already scrubbed his shower—fuck that, he was doing it again. With gloves. Which he promptly tossed in the garbage afterward.

  Next he considered whether he should stay at Robyn’s house another night or come on home. He didn’t want to impose and, after their conversation at breakfast, wasn’t sure staying with her was the right thing to do. She wasn’t ready to commit. And frankly, his staying there reeked a bit of desperation. He didn’t want to force her into a relationship.

  Decided, he remained at home. He still had a few things in her guest bedroom, but he could get those later. There was nothing he couldn’t live without. Flopping on the sofa, he intended to watch TV but ended up falling asleep. He awoke sometime later to an afternoon talk show blaring, and he switched it off, sitting up.

  First, he made an appointment with a reputable alarm company for the following day. That done, he glanced at the clock on the DVD player and saw it was almost three in the afternoon. He needed to get to the store and replace some food and, yeah, the shampoo and body wash. He’d never look at them the same way again.

  Slipping on his shoes, he grabbed his wallet and keys, then headed out. The tech team hadn’t been by with his stuff, but he wouldn’t be gone long. He drove to the store and roamed the aisles, stocking up on food, coffee, milk, and toiletries. His phone buzzed in his pocket as he was heading up the aisle to check out, and he stopped and checked the display.

  “Hi there,” he said to Robyn. “Are you on break?”

  “No, I picked up Maddy from school and came home early. Where are you?” she asked, voice tinged with concern.

  Suddenly feeling awkward about explaining, he was glad she couldn’t see him. “Oh, I went home and took care of some things. Tonio and the captain stopped by, too. They had news about the tests on my household items.”

  “What did they find?”

  “The poison was in my shampoo and body wash.” He grimaced. “Guess what I’m at the store buying?”

  “That’s diabolical,” she said breathlessly. “How did he get into your house?”

  “I’m not sure. I never detected a break-in and my buddies didn’t find an entry point when they were searching. The captain just raked me over the coals for not having an alarm system, so that’s going in tomorrow.”

  “Good for him. So, are you coming back after you put your groceries away?”

  “Well . . .” He faltered, not sure how to refuse, or how much to say about the real reason he shouldn’t go back.

  “If it’s about earlier, I’m sorry.” She sounded sincere, and a bit sad.

  He blew out a breath. Hell of a conversation to have in the middle of the grocery store. “It’s all right. I guess I just don’t want to push so hard that I drive you off. The more I’m around you, the harder it is to take things slow.”

  “You’re not driving me away,” she insisted. “But I don’t want to do the same to you.”

  “I don’t know what you want, gorgeous. Maybe I should stay away until you figure it out.” That hurt to say out loud. Much more than he’d thought it would.

  “No! That’s not what I want. At least come to dinner tonight? Maddy asked about you the second we came in and you weren’t here resting. She was disappointed.”

  “Using the kid to guilt me into dinner? Why, Dr. Lassiter, that’s conniving.”

  “Did it work?”

  He laughed in spite of himself. “Yeah, I suppose. What time?”

  “Six thirty?”

  “Okay, sure. That sounds good. Anything I should bring? I can pick it up while I’m here
at the store.”

  “Red wine? I have steaks.”

  “Mmm, red meat and wine. Two ways to a man’s heart. I’ll be there.”

  “Great! See you soon.”

  Hanging up, he shook his head. Ford, you’re a pussy. Face it now.

  A few minutes later, he had picked a good Cabernet. Finished at the store, he checked out and went home. He was tired when he arrived, especially after he put all his stuff away. Damned if he hadn’t overdone it today, but he was too stubborn to cancel his plans. Besides, the girls would be disappointed.

  You can’t win her by running, either. Man up.

  When it was almost time to go, he went to the bedroom and retrieved his gun and holster from the night table drawer. He rarely went anywhere without his weapon, and he’d felt naked the last couple of days. With it securely on his belt, he was nearly human again.

  The drive over to Robyn’s was short, but he wasn’t up to his normal walk. He pulled into her driveway and shut off the Camaro, then went to the front door and knocked. Maddy threw it open and nearly tackled him in her enthusiasm.

  “You left!” she accused. “Why didn’t you stay?”

  He gave her a hug. “I had some things to do, munchkin. But I’m here now to eat with you guys, if that’s okay?”

  “Uh-huh. Mommy’s in the back, with the steaks.”

  “Lead the way.”

  She took him by the hand and pulled him along, which he thought was cute. He let her drag him through the living room and kitchen and out the patio doors. Robyn was grilling, flipping the steaks. Maddy let go of him and he went to her mother, pulling her in for a hug and brief kiss.

  “Those smell wonderful,” he said, gesturing to the meat. “Rib eyes are my favorite.”

  “Good. I should have asked how you like them cooked.”

  “Medium-rare to medium. But honestly, I’m not picky. If it has four legs, I’ll probably eat it.”

  Maddy wrinkled her nose. “Eeewww.” With that, she ran back inside.

  Robyn chuckled, watching her go. “Kids. They’re so funny about food. She doesn’t care for steak much, but I talked her into it tonight.”