Don t Look Back

by Margaret Daley

  “I was at that game. That was a shame. He was counting on playing professionally.”

  “And he would have if he hadn’t gotten hurt.”

  “Did he come to see the team practice?”

  “No, I ran into him at the Student Union. We ended up getting a cup of coffee and talking. I was kind of surprised at first, because he seemed in a hurry when I ran into him.”

  Jameson glanced around, then leaned forward. “What did you two talk about? This season?”

  “No, and that was kind of strange, too. We talked about the past few. I think he was interested in doing a piece on Marcus Reed. Most of his questions were connected to him.”

  “Oh, anything in particular?”

  “He did wonder if Marcus’s brother ever came around to see him at practice.” Sam peered behind him, then lowered his voice. “I thought maybe he was having second thoughts about Kevin. I know that after the accident their friendship fell apart. I hated to see that. They were so close at one time. Like brothers.”

  “Did you tell him where Kevin was?”

  Sam shook his head. “I couldn’t. I don’t even think Marcus knows where his brother is. It’s like he dropped off the face of the earth.”

  It seemed several people had. Something wasn’t right. He felt it in his gut. “If you hear anything about Kevin, please let me know. I’m sure that Scott’s sister would like to talk to him, close a door on that chapter of her brother’s life.”

  Sam rose. “Sure, Dr. King. By the way, have you graded my report yet?”

  “I’m working on it. The class should get it back by next week.” If he can squeeze his real job in between trying to solve Scott’s murder and keeping Cassie safe. Checking his watch, Jameson came to his feet and descended the bleachers. “I’d better get going. I have a class this evening. It was good talking to you, Sam.”

  The young man loped across the gym to the men’s locker room. Jameson waited until he disappeared through the doorway before making his way toward the exit. Outside he paused, noting how the fading daylight cast shadows across the campus. Then he sensed it.

  Someone was watching him.

  He pivoted, searching the area. The growing darkness hid any observer, but he knew he was out there watching him. Had he gotten close to something?

  He shook off the sensation. As long as Cassie was determined to investigate what Scott had been doing, he would, too. He owed Scott at least that much. After his murder was solved, he would figure out how to get on with his life—without Cassie.

  Cassie walked toward the front of the lecture hall. Good thing she wasn’t taking the class for a grade. If she had been, she would probably not pass. She’d only jotted down a few notes, unable to focus on Jameson’s lecture. The deep, smooth timbre of his voice had lulled her into a state of daydreaming that instantly reminded her of when she had been an undergraduate at Magnolia College.

  She waited until the last student finished talking to Jameson before she came up to him. “I talked with Dee and Lauren today.”

  As he slipped his wire-rimmed glasses in his pocket, Jameson checked to make sure no one was within earshot, then said, “And I went to basketball practice and had a chat with one of the players whom Scott interviewed.”

  “Let’s go somewhere to compare notes.”

  He watched the last student file out of the lecture hall. “Not the Half Joe. That’s not very private. How about coming back to my apartment?”

  Although Cassie knew the invitation was solely practical, she still couldn’t stop herself from blushing.

  He gathered up his briefcase. “I figured you wouldn’t want to go back to your house and have your mother overhear us talking about your brother’s murder.”

  “Your place sounds fine. I’ll follow you in my car.”

  Although Magnolia Falls wasn’t a big city, Jameson lived across town from the college. After quite a few turns, they still hadn’t arrived. Away from the lights and traffic near the school, Cassie began to notice the same pair of headlights behind her. The driver kept his distance, but every turn they made, the car repeated.

  Was someone following them?

  Jameson pulled into a parking space in front of a two-story, redbrick apartment building on a residential street. Cassie stopped her car right behind his, then glanced back to see where the pair of headlights were. The street was empty and dark.

  After climbing from her car and making sure it was locked, she studied the stretch of asphalt that disappeared into the blackness. “I think someone was following us.”

  Jameson stood behind her. “I think so, too.” He draped his arm over her shoulders and directed her toward the large front door. “I also thought someone was watching me earlier this evening.”

  “Who?”

  “It could have been anyone. I guess it could have even been my imagination, too. I haven’t played investigative reporter in years. I may be losing my edge.”

  The laughter in his voice sounded more strained than merry. “At least you had an edge once. I never did.”

  “And we need to talk about that.” He opened the door for Cassie to go inside the building first. “My apartment is on the second floor.” He headed for the stairs.

  She couldn’t help noticing that he no longer had his arm around her. Obviously outside he had meant it as a protective gesture, which endeared him even more to her. At the top of the landing, she peered down into the lobby, half expecting to see someone below watching them. The foyer was as empty as the street.

  “Maybe we are imagining things.” She waited while Jameson unlocked his door.

  He waved her inside. “That’s always one possibility.”

  “And the other?”

  “That we’re being followed.”

  She shrugged off her light jacket and handed it to Jameson. “If we’re being followed, then that means we’re on to something.”

  “But what? Does it concern the skeleton or the basketball team?”

  “What if it concerned both?”

  Jameson chuckled and proceeded into his living room. “You have a vivid imagination. I may have to come to you when I have writer’s block.”

  Cassie surveyed the large room before her. It had a comfortable, lived-in look, with one long navy-and-maroon-striped couch and two blue leather lounge chairs that complemented the sofa facing them. She would even say it was cozy, nothing like her brother’s place had been.

  “You spend a lot of time here.”

  Although she hadn’t meant it as a question, he answered, “Yes, when I’m not teaching, I’m writing here.”

  Cassie sat on the couch, resting her arm on a maroon throw pillow at one end. “How long have you lived here?”

  “Since I moved to Magnolia Falls.” He stood on the other side of his large wood-and-glass coffee table. “Do you want something to drink?”

  “No, I’m fine.” Suddenly she was self-conscious of the fact they were alone together. She’d been alone with Jameson before, but this felt different.

  He looked around for a moment, then chose the lounge chair near her end of the couch, but with a coffee table between them. “Tell me what Dee and Lauren had to say.”

  After she gave him a rundown of their conversation, she asked, “What did you discover at practice? Who did you talk to?”

  Jameson filled her in on his meeting with Sam. “It was outside the gym I felt someone watching me.”

  Cassie sat forward, threading her fingers together. “So it was most likely someone connected with the basketball team. Was Marcus Reed there?”

  “Yeah.”

  “What does he look like?”

  “Tall, slender, dark hair.”

  Cassie thought back to the evening she had seen Scott talking with a young man in the Half Joe’s parking lot. Was it Marcus? “You wouldn’t happen to have a picture of him?”

  “No, but I could pull one up on the Internet. Why?”

  Cassie described the exchange between Scott and the mystery p
erson at the café. “He was tall, slender with dark hair. It could have been Marcus. If so, neither Scott nor he were happy with the way the conversation was going.”

  Jameson pushed to his feet. “I’ll be right back.”

  When he walked toward the hallway that must have led to the bedrooms, Cassie collapsed back against the cushion and shut her eyes, images and thoughts swirling around in her mind. Scott could have been working on either story, both of them, or neither one. They weren’t really any closer to the truth than they were the day after the murder.

  She heard Jameson coming back into the room. She straightened while he approached with a laptop and placed it on the coffee table in front of her. Bending forward, she saw a picture of the young man whom Scott had been talking to that night at the Half Joe.

  “It was Marcus.”

  “Maybe there were hard feelings between them, and he didn’t want Scott to do a story on him. After all, Kevin disappeared not long after graduation. There was an ugly altercation between them at a party. Both were drunk and they got into a fight.” Jameson closed down his computer. “Rumors were flying around campus about the party and the fight.”

  “Maybe we should find out exactly what happened at that party.”

  He sank down beside her and rubbed his hands down his face. “I don’t know anyone we could ask.”

  “I do. Tony Blake was in the same year as Scott and on the basketball team. From what Scott told me about him, he was most likely at any party on campus, if not hosting it. His older brother, Will, went to school with me and now owns the In and Out Mart. He may know where Tony is.”

  Jameson’s eyebrows rose. “You’re probably right. I’ll pay him a visit.”

  Cassie placed her hand on his arm. “We’ll pay him a visit.”

  He frowned. “I remember Will Blake. From what I know of him he isn’t a very nice man. I’d rather you not be around him.”

  “There you go trying to protect me again.” She smiled, warmed by the gesture.

  “And what’s wrong with that?” Although his frown deepened, a gleam sparkled in his eyes.

  “Nothing at all, just as long as you let me accompany you.” She angled so she faced him. “I want to make whoever killed Scott pay. I can’t let this go unsolved.”

  He stared down at both of her hands gripping his arm now. When he reestablished eye contact, all traces of his frown were gone and something unidentifiable was in his expression. Concern, yes, but that wasn’t all.

  “When do you want to pay Will a visit?”

  “Can you go tomorrow after I get out of school?”

  “Sure. I don’t have an afternoon class. I’ll come by the high school and pick you up.”

  Satisfied, she sank back, exhausted from the past week. “Good. I know the Savannah police are investigating Scott’s murder, but I think somehow it involves Magnolia Falls.”

  “If we find out anything, we have to let the Savannah detective know, but I also want to keep Jim informed.”

  “Why would someone go to such lengths to shut Scott up?”

  “People murder for all kinds of reasons—passion, greed, revenge.”

  “And there are some who like to kill for pleasure.”

  “I don’t think that’s what’s going on here.”

  Her heavy eyelids slid close. “Neither do I. This is personal. I’m glad you’re helping me.”

  “So you’ll listen to my advice on how to proceed?”

  She shifted to look at him. “I’ll try, but there are no guarantees.”

  His chuckles tingled through her. “At least you’re honest about ignoring me.”

  “I could never ignore you,” Cassie said before she realized what she had admitted to.

  He drew in a breath of air, his eyes flaring.

  She sat up straight, deciding relaxing was making her say things she shouldn’t. “I mean, I will always listen to what you have to say.”

  “But not necessarily follow my advice?”

  She lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “What can I say? I don’t even follow my mom’s one hundred percent.”

  His robust laugh transformed his features, easing the world-weary look that was his usual expression. “Your honesty is so refreshing.”

  “I don’t feel very refreshed.” Cassie yawned. “And if I don’t leave now, I might fall asleep at the wheel.”

  She hated to move from the comfortable couch, but that very comfort was luring her to stay longer than she should. Jameson rose and took her hands to pull her to her feet. Eyes locked with hers, he brushed her hair behind her ears. She wanted him to kiss her. Her heartbeat slowed in anticipation. Her stomach fluttered.

  One corner of his mouth curved up. “I’ll follow you home to make sure you get there all right.”

  Still so close she could see the lamplight behind the couch reflected in his eyes, she tamped down another yawn and said, “I promise you I won’t fall asleep.”

  Seriousness wiped away his half grin. “I’ll feel better if I make sure you get home safely. This isn’t up for discussion.”

  “But…” She started to argue with him, then it dawned on her why he was insisting. “You think the person who followed us earlier is still out there. We may have imagined it.”

  “I know, but we may not have. I did learn as a reporter to be careful. It saved my life once.”

  “You are just full of surprises. What happened?”

  “An informer turned on me. I did some checking and didn’t go to meet him as planned. I found out later it was an ambush.”

  “My, you’ve lived an interesting life.”

  “My life is dull and boring, the way I like it.”

  There was nothing dull and boring about the man who was inches away from her. He stepped away, retrieving his car keys from his pocket. With regret, she realized the moment was gone.

  After donning her jacket, she picked up her purse and searched for her own keys. “I do appreciate the escort home. This cloak-and-dagger stuff isn’t my normal routine.”

  “Which I’m thankful for.”

  Jameson locked his apartment door and settled his hand at the small of her back as they made their way to their cars.

  “Are you working on a mystery?”

  “Yep. I will say I never thought I would be involved in a real-life one.”

  “No one ever is.” Cassie opened her car door then faced Jameson.

  He started to move away, but closed the small space between them. Cradling her face between his hands, he leaned in and brushed his lips across hers. Softly once, then twice. Legs weak, Cassie nearly collapsed against him but managed to keep herself upright as he deepened the kiss, his fingers sliding into her hair.

  All too soon he backed away several feet. She gripped the door to keep herself from sinking to the ground while she tried to calm the rapid beat of her pulse.

  His expression hidden by the dark night, he said, “I shouldn’t have done that.”

  Still stunned by his kiss, all she could ask was “Why?”

  “Because this—” he pointed to himself, then her “—won’t lead anywhere and you deserve a relationship that will.”

  Shaking the daze from her mind, she straightened. “I meant, why did you kiss me.”

  “Because I’ve wanted to all night.” He pivoted and strode toward his car.

  “Christiana, have a seat.” Cassie sat behind her desk in her small office and examined the beautiful teenager across from her. Her dark eyes reflected anger. “What’s wrong?”

  Shrugging off her backpack, Christiana plopped down into the chair. “My brother. He will not let me do anything. I have to come home right after school. I cannot go out on a school night. He just does not understand I like to study with my friends.”

  She’d seen the teenage girl on several occasions since August, most of her complaints directed at her older brother. Edgar Ortiz was trying to take the place of their parents, who had died in Brazil. “Have you told your brother why you want to stu
dy with your friends?”

  Christiana nodded. “He said he can help me when he gets home from work. He has gotten worse since that skeleton was found on campus. He thinks something like that is going to happen to me.”

  “Have you thought of trying out for a sport so you’ll have something to do after school?”

  The teenager slouched in the chair, shaking her head. “I’m not interested, except maybe soccer. But it’s too late to try out for the fall season.”

  “There’ll be a spring one.”

  “When a boy calls, Edgar hangs around while I talk with him. He will not let me date, not even a group one.”

  “First, continue to talk to him about how you feel. Second, have your friends over to your house. Let him get to know them, then maybe he will feel more comfortable with you going out with the group.”

  Staring down at her hands clasped together, she mumbled, “He is so strict. He will probably scare away my friends.”

  “Have you given him a chance?”

  The young girl shook her head.

  “Try it and see what happens.”

  The dismissal bell rang. Christiana stood, grabbing her backpack. “I will think about it.”

  “I know your brother. We went to college together. I’m sure he has your best interest at heart.” Cassie rose and rounded her desk. “You know my door is always open. Let me know what happens.”

  “Thanks, Miss Winters, for listening. Sometimes I get so frustrated….” Her words trailed off into silence. “I had better go or I will miss my ride.”

  At the door Cassie watched the teenage girl leave and disappear into the flow of students leaving the high school for the day. Christiana Ortiz wasn’t the only one without parents, living with a sibling. She’d come to her before, wanting advice that a mother usually gave a daughter. Christiana needed an adult female in her life on a regular basis.

  She turned back into her office. She remembered how Scott had struggled in high school without a father figure. Her mother had tried, but there were things that she couldn’t do for her son.

  Cassie leaned against the edge of her desk. She needed to do something. Maybe she could start a mentoring program at the school. Or maybe she could establish a study group where teens could get help. She could even get Edgar’s input at church. If he bought into whatever she came up with, then he might allow Christiana to be a part of the program.