Tracking Secrets

by Heather Woodhaven

  If she thought about it anymore her fear might increase, so Nick broke in, “I think we remember him the same way. I can take it from here.”

  She stood and shook her head. “No. I think it would help if I could get him out of my mind. We should both try to draw our own versions, then compare notes. If we are in agreement, we can take it to the chief, they can put out an alert and maybe this whole thing will finally be over.”

  It wasn’t a bad idea. “Only if you let me be the one to sign it.”

  “You want to take credit for my artwork?”

  He ignored her attempt at a joke. “I don’t want you to be a target anymore.”

  She shook her head. “Like it or not, we were both on that property. We are in this together. It’s my fault you’re even in this mess.”

  “I was the one who peeked in the gutters,” he argued. As far as he could tell, no good would come if they focused on fault-finding.

  She pointed at Raven. “You can thank her for the gutters tip.” She held up the cup of coffee. “But I thank you for this.” She shuffled to her side of the door but didn’t close it.

  Nick shut his eyes, trying to recreate fully his memory of the scout who’d started this whole mess. He sketched, erased and tried again. Minutes turned into hours. Raven’s soft snores and the sound of the pen strokes were the only noises except for distant vacuuming down the hallway.

  “Nick,” Alexis cried. “This is horrible.” She ran into the room and held up her phone. “Theresa called in the middle of the night. My Do Not Disturb setting automatically comes on at night, and I missed it!” She shivered. “Listen.” She pressed the speaker button on her phone’s voice mail feature.

  Nick jumped up and went to her side, wondering how to comfort her as he listened.

  “Alexis, something’s happened.” The woman hiccupped and sniffed. “We need to talk immediately. In person. I got your message. I think you might be in danger, honey.” The crashing of small items and a shuffling of papers could be heard in the background. “Where are my stupid time cards?” The sound of glass smashing blasted through the phone speaker. Alexis flinched, even though it had to be the second time she’d heard it. The message abruptly ended.

  Alexis bit her lip. “I’m worried something’s happened to her.”

  Nick barely registered her words. The only thing that stuck in his mind was what Theresa had said on the message: I think you might be in danger.

  “Let’s go. You can call the police on our way.” He grabbed the dog and ushered Alexis out the door.

  * * *

  Alexis shoved the keys at Nick as her other hand held the phone to her ear. “She’s still not answering.” She looked at her phone and pulled up the number Theresa had called from. “She used her office landline, not her cell, so we know she came back into town. Let’s start there.” She dialed the police, rattled off the address of the office and repeated the information to the dispatcher.

  She directed him as he slowed at the front of the storefront of the employment office. “Park in the back.” The side mirror showed an empty street behind them, but she didn’t want to risk leading the drug runners to Theresa’s place.

  Nick pulled into one of the spaces behind the strip of local businesses. One building down, a sprinkling of shattered glass from Theresa’s employee entrance was spread across the pavement. Alexis’s heart jolted. “Theresa.” She shoved open the passenger car door before Nick had shifted into Park.

  “Alexis, wait!”

  She couldn’t wait. Theresa had called her. She’d needed help, and Alexis had slept through it. She had the good sense to pull her sweatshirt sleeve down over her hand as she wrenched open the door. Unlocked. Of course.

  “Someone could still be in there,” Nick hollered as he caught up.

  “Don’t touch anything. If someone stole Theresa’s stuff—” Her feet crunched on the broken glass on the tile floor.

  Straight ahead, Theresa’s broken body lay in the middle of the floor on the cheap gray commercial carpet.

  Alexis’s throat closed, so tight and painful she could hardly breathe. Her legs refused to move forward.

  “I’m calling for an ambulance.” Nick passed her and crouched down at Theresa’s side.

  “Is she...?” Alexis couldn’t speak her fear aloud.

  He stood up, his face pinched. She knew the truth as he approached. She understood, but she couldn’t believe it until he said it. Nick put his hand on her shoulder and turned her around.

  “She wouldn’t have wanted you to see her like that,” he whispered.

  Alexis choked on a sob as Nick led her outside the building and back to the car. “We need to wait for the police,” he said softly. She left the car door open, her feet on the ground, as she sank onto the car seat and fought to hold the tears back. Raven climbed over the console and tried to rest her head on Alexis’s shoulder.

  The caring that came from an animal, of all things, was her undoing. The warmth helped the tears break. Nick reached around her to open the glove box and found a box of tissues. Her mom had always kept Dad’s car well stocked.

  Nick remained standing but put a hand on her shoulder. He opened his mouth as if to say something when sirens approached. Two officers she recognized from the mayor’s property and one of the EMTs from last night barely gave them a second glance as they charged inside.

  “H-how did...?”

  Nick swallowed. “I’m not a—”

  “Then give me your best guess. Please.” She knew he wasn’t a doctor, but he had eyes.

  He avoided her gaze and crouched down. His hand moved to her wrist. “Did she have any medical problems?”

  “Asthma.”

  He frowned. “Any legitimate medical reason to use a syringe?”

  “No.” Her breathing grew ragged. She shook her head. “No. Theresa was a health nut. What are you not telling me?”

  One officer came out of the office and approached. “Were you the ones who called it in?”

  Nick stood. “Yes, Officer.” He explained about the voice mail Alexis had received, presumably so she wouldn’t have to talk.

  The officer looked over Nick’s shoulder. “Could you save a copy of the message and send it to our main email address?”

  “Of course.” Alexis pulled her phone out and went through the motions as the officer rattled off the address. She blinked rapidly as the message sent, trying to force her mind to work properly. “What do you think happened to her?” she asked.

  The officer shuffled his feet and looked out into the trees behind the parking spaces. “I can’t say. There will be an investigation and a toxicology report. But, unofficially, it looks just like an overdose we had the other day.”

  Alexis hopped to her feet. Her heart jumped to her throat. “No. Theresa would never use drugs.” She sought out Nick’s gaze. “She wouldn’t.” She pointed at the door. “What about the broken window?”

  “Like I said, there will be an investigation.”

  A cherry-red BMW pulled into the lot and parked roughly ten spaces down. Dr. Bill Tindale worked in the small clinic inside the final building at the end.

  He got out of the car, frown lines etched on his otherwise handsome face. He spotted Alexis, and his eyes widened. A familiar face served as a balm at the moment. She waved at him, and he strode over. “Alexis, what happened?”

  “It’s Theresa.” She poured out the story again. “Please tell them this wasn’t an accident. Can you go in and tell—”

  The officer held up a hand. “I’m sorry, Doctor. I can’t let you—”

  “I understand,” Dr. Tindale said. He put an arm around Alexis’s shoulders. “I’m afraid this isn’t my area of expertise. But if there is anything I can do to help—”

  It might’ve been her imagination or the
grief, but it looked like Nick tensed. She didn’t take time to analyze it, though. “Were you about to go into the clinic?”

  He nodded and removed his arm. “Yes. I just wanted to catch up on some charts and paperwork.”

  She pointed over his shoulder in the direction of the dermatology clinic’s employee entrance. “You have a security system. A security camera?”

  “Yes, we do,” he said eagerly as if just remembering it himself. He gestured toward the officer. “You’re welcome to look through our footage.” The officer seemed relieved and pulled out a notebook to write something down. Dr. Tindale reached for Alexis’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You have my number, Alexis. Don’t hesitate to use it, okay?”

  Her cheeks heated under the intense scrutiny. “Thank you... Bill.” She’d never called him by his first name before, despite the many times he’d asked, but he was going to be the answer to catching Theresa’s killer. He beamed and gave a gentlemanly nod before he walked back to his clinic.

  “Okay, so we’ll get the tape,” the officer said, almost as if he was hinting for them to leave. Why wouldn’t anyone acknowledge that this wasn’t an overdose?

  “Tell me this,” Alexis said. “Why would a woman who drinks kale smoothies instead of coffee, eats carob instead of chocolate, and runs an air purifier in both her workplace and home ever choose to put drugs in her body?” She held up a hand and swallowed another sob threatening to overtake her. “No. If she died from an overdose, it was by force.”

  Nick put a hand on her back. “Maybe we should let them work.” He said the words softly. “I’m sure Jeremy would be willing to give you updates if you asked him.”

  She whirled to Nick. “We’re on the same page, though, right? This was murder. You heard the glass breaking at the end of the message.”

  “We can’t offer any statements, ma’am.” The officer looked as if he’d rather go back inside to the murder scene.

  “Listen. She’d left on a romantic weekend with someone from town. The man, whoever she was dating, he might know something.”

  “You don’t know who this man is?”

  She deflated. “No. They were keeping their relationship discreet.”

  The officer didn’t look convinced. The second officer stepped outside. “We found her landline and identification but no cell phone.” He pointed at them. “Did you see a cell phone when you found the deceased?”

  Alexis sucked in a sharp breath. The deceased? She had a name. Her hands fisted. This was her boss, her friend...

  “No,” Nick answered. “Other than the landline on her desk, I didn’t see any phones.” He pressed his hand at the small of Alexis’s back and gently guided her to the car. “You have our phone numbers and names if you need us. Can we go?”

  The first officer nodded and joined the second in conversation. How could they stand there as if nothing had happened? Nick closed the door once she was seated and walked around to the driver’s side. As soon as he started the car, her stomach tightened, not appreciating that breakfast sandwich after all. “You didn’t answer the question. Do you agree with me?”

  “After the last twenty-four hours, I don’t claim to know anything, but—” he turned the car in the direction of the hotel “—someone with asthma would’ve been at increased risk of overdose. I didn’t know her, but I trust your opinion of her.”

  She pressed her back against the seat. His trust should’ve soothed her in some way. Instead, it just reminded her that her opinion of people couldn’t be trusted. Could Theresa have been into drugs? No. Although Theresa had admitted to loneliness in the past. Maybe the new mystery man led her down the wrong path. The heart could be deceitful.

  “So, are you and the doctor...?”

  “Uh, no.”

  “Sorry. He just seemed...extra friendly.”

  “Well, it wasn’t your imagination. He has been, and I’ve turned him down flat. Many times. I have no intention of dating anyone in town when I don’t plan to be here permanently.” Besides, she sometimes temped in his practice, and it seemed weird.

  “Makes sense,” he said drily.

  “But Theresa was dating someone in town, and we need to find the guy. We need to get answers.”

  She watched Nick’s profile. He remained stoic, without a nod of agreement. Why was she trying to include him? Theresa’s death might not have anything to do with what happened to them yesterday, but it did involve drugs. “Is your number one agenda as mayor to pull drugs off the street?”

  He blinked in surprise as he turned into the hotel parking lot. “Won’t do any good if we’re not helping people at the same time. At the bare minimum, I want a resource officer at the schools and some kind of community program to help users get the rehab and counseling they need.”

  Right now she wanted only justice. She wanted the dealers and runners to pay, to be punished. Nick said dealers had killed his brother. “Are you running for mayor for yourself or your brother?” The question slipped out before she could filter it.

  He shrugged. “Does it matter?”

  “Don’t you want revenge?” She blinked rapidly, hot tears trying to escape.

  A heavy sigh escaped him as he sagged and closed his eyes. “Not on good days.”

  “Is today a good day?” She hated the way these antagonistic questions slipped out. She wanted to chase this horrible sorrow and helpless feeling away. She wanted him to get angry, be angry, with her so it would hurt less.

  He opened his brown eyes and looked at her with compassion. Her bottom lip trembled. She couldn’t handle sympathy right now or she’d fall apart, without any hope of pulling herself back together again.

  He laid a hand on her wrist. “No. It’s not a good day.” His touch eased her swirling emotions just enough that she could blink back the tears. He was struggling, too, and didn’t offer platitudes to gloss over it. She should’ve felt guilty that she’d likely pulled him down to her emotional level, but instead she felt exceedingly grateful.

  “The only thing I know to do,” he said, “is to put one foot in front of the other and do the next right thing.” He turned to stare into her eyes. “I don’t go a day without thinking of it.”

  A shiver went down her spine. Her hand twitched. She was tempted to flip her palm over and hold hands with him.

  He removed his touch and leaned back in his seat. “Doing something productive usually helps,” he said. “I would like to spend some more time trying to sketch out what I remember about that scout guy, but I don’t want to ask that of you right now.”

  “No, that’d be good.” He was right. They stepped out of the car. She needed something constructive to do, or she was going to go mad.

  Nick walked Raven to a small grassy area while Alexis waited at the hotel door. She needed to shower and get dressed for the day. The temperatures were climbing fast, and the sweats were beginning to add to her discomfort. Every time she thought her life couldn’t get worse...

  “Did you want to call anyone?” Nick asked. “You can take the car and go to a friend’s house while I stay at the hotel.”

  She shook her head. Because the truth was, she had no one. Not anymore. She’d been shunned by most of her lawyer friends back in Seattle, and she’d alienated everyone but Theresa when she’d come back to town. Even Theresa didn’t know how she’d lost her job. She hadn’t even asked.

  The elevator opened on the second floor. Raven lifted her head and touched her snout to Alexis’s hand. Normally she would have flinched and been annoyed at a dog’s touch, but she didn’t mind at the moment. Raven seemed to understand her emotions. It was probably a rare trait in a dog.

  Shuffling behind Nick down the hall, she saw his spine stiffen. Raven made a guttural sound.

  “What is it?”

  “Call the police,” he whispered.

 
; She peeked around him. Her hotel door was slightly ajar. “Maybe it’s housekeeping, or I didn’t close it fully.”

  Nick tugged on the leash so Raven would step closer to him. “There’s no housekeeping cart, and we both left the hotel through my door, not yours.”

  The moment he said it, she knew he was right. She dialed the number right away as they walked in the opposite direction of their rooms. “I think someone might be in my hotel room.”

  “Address?” the dispatcher asked.

  Was she joking? There was only one hotel in their small town. She rattled off the name and cross streets.

  “What’s your room number? We’ve already received a call about two hotel rooms. A unit is already en route,” the dispatcher said.

  Alexis frowned. Two other hotel rooms? Her heart sped up. What was the likelihood after everything happening in the past twenty-four hours that two other rooms had been robbed? She looked up and down the hallway. All the other doors were closed. She clicked the phone off. Someone had called in their rooms, but only one of their hotel doors was ajar, which meant...

  Nick’s forehead wrinkled. “What?”

  She strode back toward her room. “Something doesn’t seem right.” Her mind was so jumbled she couldn’t put it into words. At the moment, she felt like she had nothing to lose.

  “Alexis!” Nick warned her.

  She ignored him and shoved past him.

  “At least let me peek first.”

  “I have a weapon,” he called out. Of course he didn’t, but if people were in the room, it might make them think twice and leave from the other room.

  She peeked around his shoulder from the doorway. The sunlight streamed through the gap in the heavy curtains, and the three lamps in the room were all on.

  But not a single person was in the room.

  She strode past him. The bed sheets were in disarray, exactly as she’d left them. Her backpack sat on the couch, open. The clothes inside looked jumbled, not folded as she remembered. She strode to the desk. The drawing she’d started to sketch was missing.

  Clarity hit her over the head. She spun around to tell Nick to check his room, but he was too busy being led by Raven, who was sniffing frantically at the dresser. Raven barked and sat down.