by Brenda Bryce
“I think it was the waitress from the diner. What was left of her clothes was that distinctive pink color.” Kyle cursed. “That could have been you. You walk around this town all the time by yourself, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do, but in the two months I’ve been here, nothing bad has happened. There aren’t any criminal types here. The worst is the librarian, and she only jaywalks because she has the hots for the sheriff and that’s her way of getting his attention. What kind of maniac would do something like that to someone else?”
“I don’t know. I can only promise to protect you from whatever it is. It won’t touch you. Ever.”
Shaking her head, she tried to pull away. When he wouldn’t let go, she turned in his arms. “You can’t promise that, Kyle. You’re going back to the city, your job, and your family ... and I’m going to be here. Alone.”
“Actually, I’m going to be where you are.”
“What do you mean?” Lannie looked at him carefully, trying to read his expression.
“Just that. Where you are is where I’m going to be.”
“But what about your job and all those people who called day and night, needing your attention? They always come first with you. I thought about it and thought about it after I moved here and realized that we’d never really gotten to know each other. You wined and dined me, caught me up in your web, then set me aside while you took care of business. I didn’t notice it while it was happening, but we never spent any time together or talked about important stuff. I won’t live that way.”
Kyle opened his mouth as if he would argue, but closed it again when he saw a police officer approaching. “This is not the time or the place to have this conversation. I think we’re going to have to answer some questions, then I’ll take you home and we’ll talk there. Is that satisfactory?”
“Not really, I would rather not have to talk about that at all.” Lannie pulled out of his arms and approached the officer.
Tugging up his belt, the officer cleared his throat and asked them to come with him. He led them back across the street and toward another uniformed police officer, who was scribbling into a notepad. He was big. Fully as tall and broad as Kyle and in great shape. No doughnut tummy on this cop. Close-cropped, dark blond hair, a square jaw, high cheekbones. He had an all-around rugged look about him. He could easily have posed for a logger’s photo, but she recognized him as the sheriff. She’d seen him around town, but had avoided him in case there were missing person reports out on her. As they approached him, she noticed the scowl on his face. This was one mad cop.
“I’m Sheriff Ross Kendricks. So, talk to me. Tell me what you know.” His voice was as rugged as his looks, and it whipped across her skin.
Lannie opened her mouth, but Kyle spoke first.
“We went to the diner, but it was closed, so we left there and headed for the store. I smelled something strange, told Lannie to stay put and checked it out, saw what was there, and sent her to get the officers from the video store.”
The sheriff wrote in his notebook and looked at Lannie. “And what is your story?”
“Same as his up to the point where I went and got your deputies to come here, but I didn’t stay out of the alley. I came in with the deputies and saw ... well, I saw.” She gave a small shiver when she recalled the alley. It was just so unpleasant. A nightmare.
“So what you’re telling me is that you just happened by and found the body?”
Lannie wasn’t sure, but she thought the sheriff sounded skeptical. “That’s right. That’s how it happened.”
Nodding -- skeptically -- Sheriff Kendricks asked for their IDs and their addresses. Copying the pertinent information into his trusty notebook, he calmly instructed them to stick around, don’t leave town without telling him. As if they were going to pack up and bug out as soon as he looked the other way. Sheesh! A paranoid person might just think that the sheriff thought they had committed the murder.
That stopped Lannie in her mental tracks. “Wait a minute.” Kyle tried to grip her wrist, but she shook him off and stalked toward the departing man. “Are you implying that we did this?”
He looked at her as if he were measuring her up and then slowly stuck his pen and notepad into his shirt pocket. “I’m not implying anything. I don’t know who did this, and so far you two are the only ones around who have any relevance pertaining to this case. I may have more questions for you as I think of them, and if you leave town, how am I supposed to get my answers?”
“Oh. I didn’t think of that. Sorry for overreacting.”
Kyle shook his head. “Perhaps you didn’t. We’re not only the first on the scene as witnesses, but he has to consider us as suspects as well. I was standing practically on top of the body. Even though there isn’t a speck of blood on me, and we did inform the police as soon as we found her, I’m still an unexplained entity. Isn’t that correct, Sheriff?”
The sheriff was looking between a huffy Lannie -- who was considering the merits of hyperventilation -- and a straight-faced Kyle and nodded. “Until I learn otherwise, I don’t want you to leave town. Police procedure. That’s all it is.” Kendricks shook his head and turned toward her. “Look, miss, you two are the only suspects I have right now. You found her, you reported it, consequently, and until I learn otherwise, you’re my best bet. I don’t think you did it, but until I have proof, well, as I said, procedure.” He nodded to them and walked back into the alley.
Lannie stared after him with mouth open and eyes narrowed. “Of all the nerve! Why would he think we would do a thing like that?”
Kyle took the fist that she was shaking in the sheriff’s direction and pulled her away from the scene. He watched the sheriff turn, raise an eyebrow in their direction, and shake his head. Nodding, Kyle let him know that he had her under control and further action was unwarranted. The sheriff nodded his understanding and went back to his business.
Lannie had missed the entire silent male communication because she was ranting about how unfair the sheriff was. “As if I would be able to kill someone. How does he expect to find the real killer if he’s concentrating on us?”
Kyle gently pushed her against the wall of a building and kissed her. Sliding his hands down her arms, he wrapped her hands behind his neck and encircled her in his arms. Pulling her tightly into his body so every part of her touched every part of him, he deepened the kiss. Damn, he had missed her.
Pulling out of the kiss before he forgot where they were, he opened his eyes and waited for her to open hers. When she finally pried her lids open, he tipped her face up to his. “Calmer now? You can’t go around yelling at the sheriff, sweetness. He’ll get angry and try to put you in jail. I’d prefer that you stay un-incarcerated because it’ll make my job harder if you’re behind bars.”
Lannie, who still looked dazed by his kiss, cleared her throat and asked shakily, “What job?”
“The job of getting you back and married to me.”
Well, that snapped her out of her liplock-induced daze. “Sheesh! Talk about a mood breaker.” She grabbed a handful of hair at the back of his head and pulled.
Kyle winced at the pain, but he got the hint. He backed away from her and let her go. When she let go, he backed up a step. “What a vicious little thing you’ve become. I was just trying to keep you out of jail, and this is how you thank me?”
“Definitely. If you’ll keep your lips to yourself, I’ll keep my hands to myself.”
She pulled away from him and turned away. He slid his arms around her from behind.
“Who said I wanted you to keep your hands to yourself? I love your hands on me, no matter what you do,” he whispered softly into her hair.
Lannie laughed and turned in his arms. “That could pose major problems for you if I put my hands on a certain part of your anatomy and squeeze.”
He winced again. “I see what you mean, but then you would have to kiss it and make it better, so perhaps the pain would be worth it.”
Shocked, La
nnie squeaked and walked away from him. “Sick, that’s what you are, just plain sick.”
“Don’t knock it till you try it.” He laughed hard at her expression and followed her.
* * * * *
Kyle cooked better than she did. It was depressing. It seemed like everything he did was perfect. It was probably best that they hadn’t gotten married. Who could live with someone who did everything without any flaws? Well, maybe his temper could be considered a flaw, but everything he attempted seemed to go perfectly, and that got on her nerves.
Just as she finished eating, the phone rang. Her agent was on the other end, and she was happy for the distraction.
Kyle cleared the table and loaded the dishwasher while he blatantly listened in on the conversation.
“Ingrid, I’m so glad to hear from you. How’s everything going?”
She listened to her agent explain that the showing was just about ready. Lannie herself was the only uncompleted chore. She was ordered to pack her stuff and get her buns to town immediately.
“But Ingrid, it’s still two days until the opening. Why do I have to be there so early?” She realized she was practically whining, but heck, she was an artist and artists were allowed their foibles, right?
Then she thought of the sheriff. Uh-oh.
Cutting into the barrage of words that Ingrid was throwing at her, she simply blurted it out. “I’m not sure I can leave town.”
Instant silence on the line. “What do you mean?”
“Well, there was a murder in town, and I was informed by the sheriff that I’m not allowed to leave town without informing him.”
“So inform him. Wait a minute? Are you a suspect?” Ingrid’s scream nearly burst Lannie’s eardrum.
“Sort of. Kyle and I found a body, and since we’re the only connections so far with the case, we’re suspects until proven innocent. At least, that was what the sheriff said.” Lannie sighed loudly and dramatically.
“Do you need a lawyer? I can send you the best the company has. We’ll put the screws to that no-account town sheriff. Just you wait; he will beg and plead for your forgiveness. And who is Kyle? The ex you told me about? Is he back? Why am I always the last to know the important stuff?”
Lannie laughed. “I don’t think the lawyer will be necessary, but will keep it in mind just in case. As for the other, Kyle and I are not back together again.”
“Yet,” she heard him mutter.
“Whatever. You just tell that sheriff that you’re expected here tomorrow and if you don’t show, our lawyers will sue him for everything he ever wished he had. Then you get your butt on a plane and meet me in my office. By tomorrow, you hear?”
“Yes, mother. I’ll do as you so kindly request, and I’ll see you soon.”
She hung up the phone and bumped into Kyle when she turned around. He was glaring down at her from his great height.
“What?”
“When were you going to tell me that you had to go out of town? After you came back?” He wasn’t happy with her, she could tell. Maybe it was the fire shooting out of his eyes that tipped her off. Well, too damned bad.
“Actually, it slipped my mind until Ingrid called. Excuse me, but I have to go talk to the sheriff.” Lannie tried to go around him, but he blocked her way.
“So tell me about it now.”
“You aren’t going to let me by, are you?”
“Not until you tell me what I want to know.” Interesting. He had spoken through gritted teeth.
Taking a deep breath to keep herself from blowing a gasket and spewing aspersions all over him, she told herself that there had already been one murder committed. If she whacked him now, she would be the only suspect for the previous murder. The sheriff would quit looking for the real murderer then, and he or she would be free to kill again.
“If you really must know, I have to go to the city for a showing. I’m expected tomorrow afternoon and will have to stay until after the weekend. Three days. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Is there anything else you need to know?”
“Yes. A showing of what? What city? How long has this been going on, and I’m sure I’ll have more questions as we go along.”
“A showing of my statuettes, New York, since I left you, and maybe I’ll answer any further questions and maybe I won’t. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have things to do.” With that, she slipped around him and headed out the door.
Chapter Five
Trudging back to town again, Lannie considered purchasing a bicycle. The trip was just too short to actually fire up the old beater car she’d purchased from a neighbor -- the rental had gone back soon after she’d moved into her house. All these trips back and forth meant she didn’t have to do any aerobics -- she was getting plenty of exercise. She had planned on just calling the sheriff, but Kyle had pissed her off so badly -- again -- that she decided walking might give her some time to calm down before she had to explain her situation. Kyle followed her, naturally. Ignoring him would take practice, but she was willing to try.
She reached the sheriff’s office a little calmer, thankfully, and pushed her way through the door. Police officers were everywhere. Idly, she wondered where they had all come from. She had seen the sheriff and three or four other officers around town, but there had to be at least fifteen uniformed police officers milling around looking busy. That didn’t even count the crowd at the front desk and several townspeople manning telephones. It was an all-out command center.
Locating the sheriff wasn’t difficult. As soon as she entered the station, she saw him leaning on a desk reading some papers. With Kyle right behind her, she walked directly to the sheriff and asked to speak to him.
Sheriff Kendricks looked at them with a raised eyebrow. “What can I do you for?”
“Earlier you said that I had to let you know before I left town. Tomorrow afternoon I have to be in New York, and I’m expected to stay there until Sunday night or Monday morning.” Lannie sucked in a deep breath after she spit all that out as fast as possible.
“And this came up all of a sudden like, did it?” The sheriff crossed his bulging arms across his chest. “Seems mighty strange that right after I tell ya’ll not to leave town, you make plans to do just that.”
Exasperated with mule-headed men, Lannie put both hands into her hair and pulled lightly. It kept her from screaming and bashing their heads together.
“I didn’t just make these plans to leave town. The plans have been set for some time now, but with all the excitement lately, I’d forgotten. As soon as I got home this morning, my agent called to insist that I be there.”
“Agent, huh? Well, la-ti-dah. What do you do that you need an agent? Are you an actress or something? Could the killer be some sort of stalker?”
Ross Kendricks was good at firing off questions. She wondered if he was as good at listening to answers.
She once again explained about her showing and why she had to be there. She promised to keep him informed as to how she could be reached at all times if he thought it would ease his mind.
Motioning at Kyle, who stood behind her silently the entire time she’d been talking, the sheriff asked if he had anything to add.
Kyle straightened slowly. So slowly that to everyone who was staring curiously at them, it looked as if each and every muscle in his body flexed subtly. “I’ll be attending the showing as well.”
Kendricks nodded. “Figured as much.”
“What? No! I don’t want you there, darn it. I’m going to be nervous enough without you hovering over me, breathing down my neck, glaring at the patrons.”
Lannie poked Kyle in the chest twice. “You aren’t even looking at me. What are you two up to?” She had only seen Kyle’s expression and nod, but she recognized it as one of those male-to-male communication looks. She glared in the sheriff’s direction and saw his expression.
Seeming to mull it over, he made a decision and gave them what sounded like a warning. “Fine. Here’s the deal. You two go to New York and
do the showing thing. I’m going to call a colleague of mine who lives there and have him attend also. I want the number of the agent, the place you are staying, and the -- what’s it called? -- gallery where the showing’s going to be held. No surprises, no funny stuff, no bullshit. Got it? Or I’ll haul you both in.”
“Under what charges?” Lannie asked offended.
“Doesn’t matter. Small towns are like that, you know. I tell the judge that I need to hold you and why, and it happens, just like that. Oh, don’t worry, I’m sure any charges will be dropped, but by then, I’ll have gotten what I wanted anyway. Do I make myself perfectly clear?”
Eyes narrowed, she ground out her answer. “Perfectly. But if I let my agent know that you’re threatening me with false arrest, she’ll come down on you like a ton of bricks. It won’t be pretty.”
Lannie turned and stomped out of the station, leaving Kyle with the sheriff. Kyle just smiled. “At least it isn’t me she is ticked off at for a change.”
Kyle left his card with the sheriff, informing him that he would be available anytime. “I don’t know what’s going on around here, but I’m not going to let what happened to that woman in the alley happen to Lannie.”
“I’ve got a question for you. Where were you last night from ten to midnight?”
“Ten to midnight? I was working on my laptop at the rental house I got yesterday. Why?” Kyle watched the sheriff carefully, and noted that he wrote the information in a notepad he had pulled out of his shirt pocket.
“Can you substantiate this with proof?”
“Yes. Check my computer if you have to, but I’ll need signed documentation that nothing read on my computer will be shared. I run a lucrative, multifaceted retail corporation, and that’s my personal business unit. There are private files and stockholder information on it.”
Kendricks made a note of it, then looked him in the eye as if gauging his reactions to the questioning. “Did you talk with anyone during that time? Person to person and not e-mail?”
