“I’ll try not to.” Lauri rose and yawned. “I’m in the mood for some pulla. I think I’ll run to the café. Want some?”
“I never turn down pulla,” her brother said.
Smiling, Lauri headed for the door feeling lighter than she had in weeks.
CHAPTER 32
This almost looks like a sleigh!” The little boy bounced on the soles of his feet as if he could hardly stand still. “But it’s got sails.”
Boone grinned at the eight-year-old. “You ready to be a sailor, Tyce? I’m going to show you and your parents how to get across the lake fast.”
His small ice-sailing boat only held four, so this family of three was the perfect size. It would be a fun excursion with the kid’s enthusiasm. His parents, Amber and Kyle, were an attractive couple in their late twenties. They held hands and focused on each other and their son.
And it would get his mind off his investigation. His thoughts went round and round like a tiger in a cage all night long. Could Chris really have killed Renee and the other women? Lots of people had similar looks. Maybe he was jumping to conclusions. Morgan still hadn’t called him back, but it was early on the West Coast. He had to be patient.
Boone helped the family climb into the boat, then stood next to the vessel, released the brake, and grabbed the hold of the tiller. He pushed into the wind then at an angle before jumping in and trimming the sails. He showed the family how to tack the sails to take advantage of the breeze. Tyce picked it up quickly and was grinning from ear to ear as the boat picked up speed across the frozen lake. The runners scraped across the ice, and the sails flapped above their heads, creating the perfect sound backdrop to the feel of the stinging wind. The ice was a little rough and bounced them as they hit the bumps.
A few hardy leaves clung to the bare branches of the trees that rimmed the lake. The sky was a beautiful blue bowl overhead, and Boone’s sense of well-being rose a couple of notches. He should have been doing this before now. Staying hunched over a computer was not conducive to a happy attitude.
He needed to bring Dana out here sometime. She claimed to hate boats, but there was no risk of drowning today. He’d checked the ice before bringing this family out here, and their puny weight wouldn’t come close to breaking through the thick ice.
The vulnerability in Dana’s eyes drew him in ways he hadn’t felt in years, maybe never. Seeing Esther again had made him realize his feelings for her had been pretty juvenile, based on looks and not character. He didn’t plan to ever make that mistake again.
He pointed out a remote boathouse restaurant on the other side of the lake. “We’re heading there for lunch. Anyone hungry?”
“Me!” Tyce shouted. “I want a pasty.”
The family was from New York, but they’d quickly fallen in love with the local cuisine. Kyle was even talking about buying a place here and opening a restaurant. The boat sped over the top of the ice toward the boathouse. Boone’s cheeks stung from the wind as his gaze swept the ice for any protrusions like rocks or tree branches. As they neared the other shore, he spotted a figure moving from the ice toward a truck parked along the road in the trees.
An old blue truck. His pulse kicked, and he reached for his binoculars. Once he focused them in on the truck, he looked at the license plate. Garret’s truck. Obviously, he hadn’t left the area.
Boone changed directions and headed toward the truck. The man had reversed course and was moving back toward the water. Boone wanted to see his face, though he was sure it was Garret. The wind was too tricky in this direction to let his customers steer, so he couldn’t use the binoculars. The man stepped out of the cover of trees, and his face came into the sunlight.
Bingo.
Boone wanted to run the boat aground and grab him, but he didn’t have any authority to arrest him. He couldn’t even call Dana because there was no cell service out on Copper Lake. All he could do was grit his teeth and make for the boathouse again. As soon as he could get a signal, he’d let Dana know to be on her guard.
Dana breathed a sigh of relief when she realized Chris was gone. She wasn’t ready to talk to him about what Kory had said. She went to her room with Phantom on her heels, but before she stepped into the shower enclosure, she remembered she’d forgotten to get more shampoo. Chris wouldn’t mind if she borrowed his. A message came in on her cell phone as she reached for her robe. The office wanted her to come back and work a double shift. Great, just great.
Dressed in a fluffy terry robe, she went barefoot down the steps to her brother’s room and into his bathroom where she scooped up his shampoo and cream rinse. She hadn’t been in his bathroom so she took a moment to look around. He’d had it finished in real marble tile in the shower that complemented the travertine floors. An antique dresser had been retrofitted into a sink cabinet, and she touched its beautiful surface. Nice job in here.
She went to his bedroom again and paused. It felt odd to be invading her brother’s sanctuary, but Kory’s comment about Chris’s trophy box wouldn’t leave her alone. Was it possible she didn’t really know her brother?
Her gaze swept the space. It was a big room with an expensive aqua Persian rug atop gleaming hardwood floors and furnished with heavy wooden furniture that had to cost the earth too. The walls were a pale aqua color that complemented the white duvet cover and blended with the accent pillows.
She should leave. What if Chris caught her poking around? But she couldn’t force her feet to the door. This would be a great opportunity to poke around, put her doubts to rest. She went to the large walk-in closet and flipped on the light. The illumination revealed neat rows of suits and dress shirts as well as casual shirts and jeans folded on shelves. His shoes lined one wall, and she hadn’t realized he owned so many pairs of shoes. He had more than she did.
She walked the length of the closet looking for anything that might hold his so-called trophies. There was a chest at the back of the closet, and she opened every drawer. The bottom one held a battered metal box that looked out of place in the pristine closet. About a foot square, its gray surface was chipped and dented. She lifted it out, but it wouldn’t open. Maybe the key was here somewhere too.
A further examination of the closet didn’t reveal any keys, so still carrying the box, she went back to the bedroom and set it on the bed so she could rummage through the bedside table. In the back of the top drawer, she found a small ring that held one key. It fit into the lock.
She stared at the unlocked box and tried to tell herself not to open it, but resisting the impulse was as impossible as telling Pandora not to open her box. Dana had to know. Lifting the box, she blinked. She didn’t know what she’d expected—maybe severed fingers or ears—but she hadn’t thought to find the yellowed pages from various newspapers. What on earth? She perched on the edge of the bed and lifted the first article out to unfold it.
It was an article about Renee’s death.
Her chest compressed and she stared at the picture. Why would he have this? Could it just be articles he’d found interesting? She wanted to believe it, but deep inside she knew it was more than that. She folded the newspaper clippings and returned it to the box, then started to sort through the other papers.
The front door slammed. Her heart banged against her ribs, and she rushed to put the box back before she scooped up the hair products and ran for the door. She nearly collided with Chris in the hall. Only then did she realize she still had the key in her palm.
She stuck her hand in the pocket of her bathrobe and smiled at him. “You scared me.”
His fists were clenched, and he was red faced. He blinked when he saw her. “Dana? What are you doing in my room?”
She forced a smile and held up the shampoo and cream rinse. “Raiding your bathroom. I ran out and forgot to get more. I just got home, but they’re swamped at work and wanted me to come back for a few hours. I didn’t think you’d mind.”
“No, no, of course not.” His smile was a little wobbly when it came, and he relaxe
d his fists. “There’s more in the guest bath though. For next time.”
It was a warning to stay out of his room. “You okay? You look a little upset.”
“Fine.” He drew a deep breath. “Just going to take a nap for now.”
He never took naps. She stepped out of the way. “Sounds like a great plan. You’re a little pale. Get some rest.”
Chris hesitated, then grabbed her arm. “I’ve been a good brother to you, haven’t I?”
She stared into his blue eyes. Something was clearly wrong. “The best.” She kept seeing Renee’s face in her head. What did Chris know about all this?
“I always knew we’d be together forever. Your face is the last one I want to see before I die.”
She mustered a laugh. “You’re not counting on making that anytime soon, are you? I have plans to keep you around for a long time.”
His brows drew together, and his grip on her arm tightened. “You would never hurt me, would you, Dana? You’re not like other women. You’re the type who sticks around no matter what.”
She stepped closer and palmed his cheek with her other hand. “You’re my brother, Chris. I’ll always be here for you. What’s this all about?”
He shook his head and released her. “Go get your shower. It’s nothing. I’m being maudlin for no good reason.”
She didn’t want to leave him like this. “Want to watch a movie after I get back? I could call Boone to join us.”
His expression turned even darker. “Let’s just keep it the two of us.”
The door closed with a soft click, and she stood staring at it a moment. She breathed a thanks to God that Chris hadn’t caught her going through his box. But what did it all mean?
Acid churned in her stomach, and she didn’t want to examine it all.
CHAPTER 33
The dispatch office already felt like home. Dana hung up her coat and greeted her coworkers on the way to her station. Karen and Tracie were already at their desks, though none of them were on the phone. The place held the scent of fresh floor polish, and the vinyl tiles gleamed.
Karen glanced over at her. “Thanks for coming back. The place went nuts, and Mark had an accident on his way in. He’s okay, but the other guy isn’t.” The traces of gray at the temples of her hair were gone, and her hair was a little darker today. “I brought in brownies. They’re by the coffeepot.”
“Thanks. Are we celebrating something?” It wasn’t uncommon for dispatchers to bring in food for birthdays.
“Nope, just trying out a new recipe. This one is made with black beans. It’s pretty good, so I thought I’d share.”
“Sounds yummy.” Dana glanced at her monitors, which were calm. She went to the refreshment area and grabbed a brownie and a cup of coffee, then carried it back to her station. Karen was a great cook.
She pulled out her chair and settled into it. “What’s been happening since I left? Any excitement? Things look calm at the moment.” In fact, they were so calm she had to wonder why they’d called her back in. The two of them should have been able to handle it.
Tracie swiveled in her chair to face her. “I’ve had all the excitement I can stand for months, thank you very much. I’m still looking over my shoulder for your Garret. Are you sure he’s gone?”
“He’s not my Garret. And it’s impossible to be sure of anything with him. He hasn’t called, and I haven’t seen his truck anywhere. Has he contacted you?”
Tracie shuddered and hugged herself. “No, and I want to keep it that way. The guy is downright scary. No wonder you were terrified of him.”
Terrified. That’s what she’d been her whole life. Dana stared at her monitors, still silent. No more. Nothing could keep her in this paralyzing place but her own actions. Moving back home wasn’t enough to change her life. No one could do that but her. She’d already found it was impossible to please others. Every time she’d tried to do that, she’d failed.
Time to focus on pleasing the only one who mattered.
Today was going to be a new start for her.
A call came in on her monitor, and her pulse kicked as she answered it. “Nine-one-one, what is your emergency?”
“He’s not breathing!” The young woman’s voice held a note of hysteria.
Dana glanced at the location monitor and rattled off the address only a few blocks from the firehouse. “Is that your location?”
“Yes, yes! Please, I don’t know what to do. He can’t breathe!” Her voice grew fainter as she spoke out of the mic. “Oh, baby, Mommy’s right here.”
Dana pitched her voice to an even calmer timbre. “Tell me what’s happening. Who is the patient?”
“It’s my little boy. He’s only two. I think he has something stuck in his throat and he can’t breathe! His face is turning red.”
“Do you know the Heimlich maneuver?”
“No. I mean, I’ve seen it but I don’t know how to do it. Please, you have to do something!”
There was no time for the ambulance to get there and save the little guy. “I’m going to tell you what to do. Listen carefully.” While she was speaking, she shot a message to the paramedics with the location. “Stand behind your little boy.” She gave the mother instructions on how to perform the maneuver. “I’ll wait while you do that.” The terrible sounds of the child choking were painful to hear.
“Okay, I’ll try. Pray for me.”
“Of course.” Dana launched into a fervent prayer for the little boy to breathe. She ended the prayer but continued to pray silently until she heard the sweetest sound on earth—the child crying. “You did it!”
“Oh, thank you, Lord.” The woman was sobbing almost too hard to be understood. “He almost died!” She broke out in even harder sobbing.
“The paramedics are on their way, and they’ll make sure he’s okay. They may need to transport him to the hospital. Watch for them. You’ll need to open the door.”
“Can you stay on the phone with me until they get here? You were an angel today, sent straight from the Lord.” The woman’s voice sounded raw.
“Of course. I’m proud of you. You stayed so calm.” Dana heard the little guy’s cries taper off, then his small voice asked for a drink. “Sounds like he’s doing fine. You can give him a sip of water. His throat is probably sore.”
“Okay.”
Dana heard footsteps, then the whoosh of the fridge opening. A thin wail built in the background. “Is that the ambulance coming?”
“Yes, yes, it is! Thank you for staying with me. He seems to be fine. I’m going to hang up now. What’s your name?”
“Dana. You’re Brylee?”
“Yes. Thank you so much, Dana. I’ll never forget what you did.”
Smiling, Dana ended the call. “Shew, thank the Lord.”
Karen rose and went to get some coffee. “Let’s hope all our calls go that well today.”
Dana’s personal cell phone vibrated on the desk, and she looked at the screen before answering it. “Chris, is everything okay? You never call me at work.” And he’d seemed so strange when she left.
“Sorry, I hope I’m not interrupting.”
“No, you’re fine. No calls at the moment.”
“What time do you get off? I need to talk to you about something, and I’ll stay up if I need to.”
“I just have to stay until Mark gets here, maybe another couple of hours. You’re scaring me. Is it serious?”
“Just a little bump in the road. It’s not worth getting upset about. I just wanted to talk it out with you.”
Her pulse didn’t believe him. He was way too somber. She glanced at her watch. Only four.
Karen motioned to her and mouthed, “Go ahead and leave.”
“My coworkers have it handled okay. I can come back and we can talk. Where are you?”
“That’s great! I’m still at the house.”
“I’ll grab some food from the Suomi and bring it there. That way you don’t have to starve to death just to talk to me.” She dr
ummed her fingers on the desk. “I’ll be right home.”
The sun went down early up here in the winter, and the streetlights were on as Dana sped down Houghton Street in her Prius. What could be wrong? Chris had been so mysterious and subdued. She turned onto Quincy at the light and headed for their house with as much restraint as she could summon. The radio announcer was making dire predictions of a massive blizzard headed this way.
The house was unlocked when she let herself in. “Chris?”
“In here.”
Sounded like he was in the kitchen. She hurried through the foyer to the door into the kitchen and found her brother sitting at the granite island with a glass of wine in his hand. And she’d rarely seen him drink. This must be serious.
She took off her coat and tossed it over the back of a chair at the dining table. “What’s going on?”
He looked up at her with red-rimmed eyes. “Sorry to call you home this way.”
She stepped to his side and hugged him, her fear intensifying when he gave a sob into her shoulder and clutched her. Patting his back, she tried to instill as much confidence as she could dredge up. “Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out together. We’ll fix it.”
He shook his head. “It can’t be fixed, Dana. I’m dying.”
Her hands gripped his sweater, and she shook her head. “No, Chris, that can’t be true.”
He released her and drew a shuddering breath. His mouth worked soundlessly in his pale face before he managed to grate out any words. “It’s true. It’s pancreatic cancer. There’s no good treatment, and I’m not about to let them dump all that chemo into my body in a fruitless attempt to stop it.”
Pancreatic cancer.
The diagnosis burned into her brain, and her knees went weak. She grabbed the edge of the granite and lowered herself onto the stool next to him. “Oh no.”
He nodded and ran a shaky hand through his hair. “I’m stunned. I need you right now, Dana.”
“Of course. You know I’ll be right here with you.” What could she do? She knew a great naturopath in Colorado. Shauna Young might be able to help him. Dana would call her as soon as possible. Maybe she could talk Chris into flying out to Durango.
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