Deadly Storm

by Lily Harper Hart

  Finn’s face softened, understanding dawning. “Oh.”

  “What happened?” Emma asked.

  “All I could think about was getting to Mandy,” James said. “That’s the only thing that was on my mind. Then, when we found Sophie’s car … how is she, by the way?”

  “She’s okay,” Finn said. “They didn’t keep her. They gave her a salve for the burns. She didn’t have a concussion. Grady insisted on keeping her home from work today, and my understanding is that she didn’t take it well. I believe there were some flying bookends when she lodged her complaint regarding his bossiness.”

  James forced a weak smile. “I’m glad she’s okay. I tried to call you guys from the college last night, but nothing would go through. I left voicemails.”

  “We all got them,” Finn said.

  “Did you spend the whole night in the storage room?”

  “Yup.” Finn glanced at Emma, who was scorching him with a dark look. “And I loved every second with my sweetheart.”

  This time the lopsided grin on James’ face was real. “How about Ally and Jake?”

  “Yeah, I think they fornicated all night,” Finn said. “When I called her this morning she yelled at me for waking her up and I swear I heard some … moaning.”

  “Don’t tell me that,” James said.

  “I’m sorry,” Finn said. “They’re fine, too. We were more worried about you and Mandy.”

  “We were fine,” James said. “I was soaking wet, which meant I had to walk around in my boxer shorts in front of strangers, but I found I was very popular with the co-ed set.”

  “How did Mandy take it?”

  “She was on my lap,” James said. “She was my buffer. It was fine until … .”

  “You might as well tell me what happened,” Finn said. “I’m going to find out eventually, and if you want to solve this, we need to put our heads together.”

  “She was just being Ann,” James said. “The women wanted to hear how Mandy and I got together, and I was being sweet and romantic, as usual.”

  “Your lack of ego is my favorite thing about you,” Finn said.

  “Ann just started saying things,” James said. “She was trying to get digs in at Mandy. She kept saying that the only reason she and I weren’t together was because Mandy stepped in and somehow stole me two days before she could. It was utter nonsense.”

  “I’m guessing you didn’t take that well.”

  “I told her exactly what I thought of her,” James said. “I told her I never loved her. I told her the only reason I dated her in high school was because she put out. I told her she was mean and vindictive. I … told her everything I’ve ever thought about her.”

  “What did she do?”

  “First she accused me of lying to protect Mandy’s feelings and then she stormed off,” James said. “Mandy followed her because she felt bad and found her making out with their cooking instructor in the cafeteria.”

  “Why did Mandy follow her?” Emma asked.

  “Because she’s too sweet for her own good sometimes,” James said. “She said I embarrassed Ann the same way Ann used to embarrass her when she was a teenager.”

  “Well, I don’t know what to say about that,” Finn said. “Then what happened?”

  “Then we snuggled on the couch and some guy came over to hit on Mandy while I was right there,” James said. “Then I had a meltdown and picked the lock to the teacher’s lounge. I locked us in there for the night and we … fell asleep.”

  “You fell asleep?”

  “That’s what I said.”

  “Did you do naughty things in the teacher’s lounge?” Finn was amused.

  “It was funny at the time,” James said. “Now … it kind of feels creepy knowing Ann died twenty feet away from where we were. It might have even been when we were … you know. How weird would that be?”

  “It’s not your fault,” Finn said. “There’s nothing you could’ve done.”

  “That’s not true.” Mandy appeared at the bottom of the steps, and James didn’t like the bland look on her face as she regarded everyone. She’d showered and changed into a pair of yoga pants and a T-shirt. She was pale, though, and James was having trouble reading her emotions.

  “How was your shower, baby?”

  “It was a shower,” Mandy said. “I needed it.”

  “I figured,” James said. “What do you want to eat? I’ll order something.”

  “I’m not hungry.”

  James pursed his lips, narrowing his eyes as he decided what to do.

  “I could cook something,” Emma offered. “It probably won’t be anything fancy, but you both look like you could use the fuel.”

  “That’s not necessary,” James said, making a decision. “I don’t want to be rude, but I don’t suppose you guys could leave, could you?”

  “You’ve got it,” Finn said, extending his hand and helping Emma off the couch. “Call me if you need something.”

  “I’ll be in the office tomorrow,” James said. “I’m going to want to do some work on this.”

  “I figured.” Finn glanced at Mandy, who was messing around with the Keurig in the kitchen. “Take care of her.”

  “That’s exactly what I plan on doing.”

  Once Finn and Emma left, James remained seated so he could watch Mandy without drawing attention to himself. Her movements were strong, but he could see her hands shaking from twenty feet away.

  “You need to eat something, baby,” James said.

  “I said I wasn’t hungry.”

  “You haven’t eaten in almost twenty-four hours. You’re going to eat something. Do you want me to make you some tomato soup?”

  “No.”

  “How about some leftover Middle Eastern? I think we have a little bit left in the refrigerator.”

  “No.”

  James clenched his jaw and gripped the arms of the chair roughly. “I’m going to order pizza.” He pushed himself to a standing position and started moving toward the kitchen. “I won’t get anything on it you don’t like.”

  “I won’t eat it.”

  “Yes, you will,” James said. “I know your stomach is upset, but you need your strength. We’re all going to work together to solve this, baby. I promise.”

  Mandy remained silent, watching the Keurig as it heated up.

  James decided to change the subject. “Did you call Judge MacIntosh?”

  “The power was out at the courthouse all day,” she said, her voice low. “I apologized for being so late calling him, but he wasn’t mad.”

  “He’s a good guy. He wouldn’t be mad over something like that. Did you tell him … everything?”

  “Mostly. I told him someone died at the school and we were questioned. I didn’t tell him we knew her.”

  “That’s probably going to get out anyway,” James said. “The cop seemed interested in our mutual past.”

  “I picked that up myself.”

  “Mandy, please, tell me what you’re thinking.” James was at his wit’s end. “Are you sad? Do you feel guilty? Are you mad at me because of what I said to her?”

  Mandy finally lifted her head and met his steady gaze. “Do you feel guilty about what you said to her?”

  “I don’t know,” James said, opting for honesty. “I meant what I said to her. I meant every word. Now, though, in the light of day … the timing couldn’t suck more.”

  “I feel … strange,” Mandy said. “I hated her. I’ve hated her for as long as I can remember. There were times in high school when … .” She broke off, biting her bottom lip.

  “There were times you wished her dead,” James finished.

  Mandy nodded, hot tears flooding her eyes.

  James blew out a frustrated sigh and moved closer to her. He didn’t immediately close the distance. No matter how much he wanted to hold her, he knew she wasn’t ready. “People wish other people dead all the time,” he said. “I wished her dead a few times, too. It’s just a feeling. I
t’s not like you killed her. It’s not like the bad thoughts we had about her resulted in her death.”

  “I know that,” Mandy said. “I just keep wondering if I could’ve changed things, though.”

  “Like what?”

  “I told you I heard something last night,” Mandy said. “I told you I thought I heard someone crying in the hallway. You said I was imagining things. What if that was her dying out there?”

  James’ heart sank. He’d forgotten about her waking up. “I … .”

  “We might have been able to save her,” Mandy said.

  “I don’t know what to say,” James said. “I’d pushed that out of my mind.”

  “Do you feel guilty now?”

  Did he? James couldn’t identify what he was feeling. “I feel conflicted,” he said. “I feel like there’s something I probably should have been able to do to save her. On the other hand, I can’t help but wonder if I somehow saved you instead.”

  Mandy stilled. “What?”

  “You had that bad dream the other night, remember?”

  Mandy nodded, biting the inside of her cheek.

  “That’s what I kept thinking about when I was driving to the college yesterday,” James said. “You said you called for me in the dream. I kept imagining you calling for me.

  “There was a killer in there last night,” James said. “Part of me thinks that I would’ve lost you if I didn’t manage to get to you. So, while I’m remorseful about Ann dying – and I do kind of feel bad for what I said to her, if that helps – I’m also thankful that I had you wrapped in my arms all night long.”

  Mandy started moving, and she had her face pressed against James’ chest before he could fully react. He hugged her tightly, rubbing her back as her shoulders trembled.

  “Is it wrong that I’m thankful it wasn’t me?” Mandy asked through her tears, keeping her head low.

  “No,” James said. “I’m thankful it wasn’t you, too. That doesn’t mean Ann’s death is any less of a tragedy.”

  “You’re going to find out who did it, right?”

  James nodded, exhaling heavily when she lifted her glistening blue eyes to his. He brushed a kiss against her forehead and then rested his cheek there as he began to sway back and forth.

  “Promise me.”

  “I promise I’ll find who did this, baby,” James said. “I also promise I’m going to keep you safe. I won’t let anyone take you from me.”

  “Okay.”

  James rocked her for a few more minutes, and when her stomach growled he returned to the dinner conversation – even though he wasn’t sure if it was a good idea. “Do you want me to order the pizza now?”

  “I want mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes.”

  James opened his mouth to argue about the onions and then snapped it shut. This wasn’t a normal night. “Okay. How about we order pizza and then put in a movie? I’ll watch whatever shark schlock-fest you want to put in and I’ll massage you for the whole thing. How does that sound?”

  “I want to watch The Goonies.”

  James almost smiled but managed to refrain. “That sounds like a perfect afternoon, wife. Go get the movie and I’ll order the pizza.”

  Things weren’t perfect, and nothing was solved, but James felt better after their conversation. He was still unsettled, though. He had a feeling, until he could put a name to the emotion squeezing his heart when he thought of Ann’s face, nothing would be settled.

  For now, his wife and her love were all he needed, though. That was more than enough today.

  Sixteen

  “How is Mandy?” Grady asked, studying James’ face the next morning for signs of a rough night. Oddly enough, he looked well rested.

  “She’s okay,” James said. “She feels guilty because she wished Ann dead several times over the years, but other than that she’s all right.”

  “She realizes that she’s not the one who killed Ann, right?”

  “She does,” James said. “The problem is … and I forgot this until she reminded me … but she woke up that night. She thought she heard someone crying in the hallway.”

  Grady furrowed his brow. “Do you think someone killed Ann outside of the room where you and Mandy were sleeping?”

  “I have no idea,” James said. “I think it’s entirely possible, though.”

  “That is … creepy.”

  “It is,” James agreed.

  “What’s creepy?” Jake asked, walking into the office with an added spring to his step. “I heard what happened to you and Mandy, by the way. I’m sorry.”

  “Wipe that smile off your face,” James said. “I know why it’s there, and it’s grossing me out.”

  “I thought we were over this, man.”

  “We are,” James said. “I’m just … tired.”

  “You look like you got some sleep last night,” Grady pointed out.

  “We slept a long time,” James said. “We watched movies all afternoon, ate some pizza, and then went to bed really early. I think we both needed the sleep.”

  “You slept?”

  James made a face. “Do you really think either one of us was feeling romantic after finding Ann dead?”

  “You have a point.”

  The sound of the bell jangling over the front door caught everyone’s attention, and James shifted in his desk to greet the visitor. He was internally glad it wasn’t a new client. He didn’t know if he had the energy to put on a show for anyone’s benefit. Realizing it was Sophie walking through the door filled him with relief.

  “Hey,” James said when she strode into the office. “You look pretty good for a woman who almost died in a horrendous car accident two days ago.”

  “I look good every day,” Sophie countered. “You’d better recognize that.”

  “You’re saucy today.”

  “She gets that way when I force her to remain quiet for twenty-four hours,” Grady said, leaning back in his chair. “She threw bookends at me yesterday.”

  “I heard,” James said.

  “I said I was sorry,” Sophie said. “I don’t like it when you go all caveman.”

  “I wasn’t going caveman,” Grady countered. “Your car flipped on its side. You were tossed into three different trees. You could have died.”

  “I didn’t.”

  “And we celebrated by spending a quiet day at home,” Grady said. “It was only marred by the flying bookends.”

  Sophie rolled her eyes. “He’s such a mother hen sometimes.”

  “I’m going to mother hen your ass if you don’t recognize that I love you and I want to take care of you,” Grady snapped, his eyes flashing.

  Sophie mimed a chicken, complete with sound effects.

  “I’m going to wrestle you down and spank you when we get home tonight,” Grady threatened.

  “That’s a turn on,” Sophie countered, causing the room to erupt into laughter and Grady to relax.

  “Not that I’m not happy to see you, sugar, but what are you doing here?” Grady asked, deciding to change the subject.

  “I got Ann Nelson’s autopsy results a full day before they’re going to be made public,” Sophie said. “I thought you guys would want to see them.”

  “How did you get them early?”

  “One of the guys in the lab has a crush on me,” Sophie replied, nonplussed.

  “Excuse me?” Grady lifted an eyebrow.

  “Hey, it’s not like I’m trading sexual favors for autopsy results,” Sophie said. “Chill out.”

  “What are you exchanging?”

  “Smiles and flirtatious words.”

  “I don’t like it,” Grady said, crossing his arms over his chest.

  “I watched you flirt with the girl behind the concession counter at the movies last weekend to save fifty cents on a pop.”

  “That wasn’t flirting,” Grady said. “I was just discussing how awesome I am with a fan.”

  “Whatever.”

  “Not that I’m not loving the wit
ty repartee, but what does the autopsy show?” James asked.

  “Well, it’s interesting,” Sophie said, taking the seat next to Grady and opening the file. “She was strangled to death.”

  “Just like Julie Nichols,” James mused.

  “Exactly like Julie Nichols,” Sophie agreed. “Both women showed signs of sexual activity before their deaths, although no fluids were found.”

  “That doesn’t necessarily mean anything,” Jake said. “The assailant could’ve worn a condom.”

  “Ann also could’ve had sex with the professor in the cafeteria,” James said. “Mandy said they had their tongues down each other’s throats when she saw them. They might have had sex. Just because the professor had sex with her, that doesn’t mean he necessarily killed her, though.”

  “Did you talk to the professor at all?” Grady asked.

  James shook his head. “I don’t think I even saw him. He wasn’t out in the lobby while we were there, and I definitely didn’t see him after I locked us in the teacher’s lounge.”

  “What else did the autopsy report show?” Jake asked.

  “Ann’s hyoid bone was crushed, which isn’t unusual in strangulation cases,” Sophie said. “What is unusual is the way it was crushed. There were two different breaks – and another hairline crack.”

  “I’m not sure what that means,” James said.

  “It means that whoever strangled Ann did it more than once,” Sophie said.

  The room quieted.

  “Say that again,” James said after a moment.

  “The lab tech told me that the coroner believes Ann was strangled into unconsciousness but not killed the first time,” Sophie explained. “At some point it looks like she woke up and she was strangled a second time.”

  James’ stomach flipped. “Could she … when she woke up … would she have been able to make any noise?”

  “I don’t know,” Sophie replied. “I didn’t ask. Why is that important?”

  “Mandy woke up in the middle of the night,” Grady said. “She thought she heard someone in the hallway. She said it sounded like someone was crying.”

  “Oh,” Sophie said, making a face. “Do you think Mandy heard Ann dying?”

  “It’s a possibility.” Grady looked at James worriedly.