by Vivi Anna
“Jesus, lots of people feel that way about you.”
The barb stung and she couldn’t keep it from showing on her face. “Including you, obviously.”
“Kirsten…”
She was out the door and down the hall before he could finish his sentence.
Carly called after her as well, but she didn’t stop, not until she was outside and literally running into Adam.
“Whoa, girl.” He grabbed her around the arms. “What’s the rush?”
The tears welling in her eyes threatened to fall. She didn’t want Adam to see them. He would too easily comfort her and that was not what she wanted. Not now.
She pulled away from him. “I’ve got to go.” She headed toward her car.
“Kirsten,” he called, “will I see you later?”
She didn’t answer but opened her car door and slid in. It would be too easy to fall into Adam’s arms and allow him to soothe her, protect her, as he had before when she’d fought with her father. If she tumbled into those safe, strong arms again, she wasn’t certain she’d ever let go.
She drove back to the B&B, intending to either pack to leave or to drink her anger and hurt away. She parked, went in, expecting to see Mrs. Turnbull in the kitchen. The proprietor was not inside. It was just as well, because Kirsten wasn’t in any kind of mood to be civil. So, she mounted the stairs, two at a time, to her room.
The moment she put her hand on the door handle, she knew something was wrong. She pushed open the door to see her room in shambles.
Trembling, Kirsten stepped into the destruction. The toe of her shoe knocked a tube of lipstick on the rug, sending it rolling. All her personals, including makeup, hair products, and even her birth control pills, were scattered about. It was the condition of the bed and what was written on the wall above it, with what looked like red lipstick, that had her guts roiling and her hands shaking.
Go Home Bitch…Or Die!
As one of the deputies photographed the destruction in her room, particularly the slashed pillows and mattress, Kirsten leaned against the opposite wall and watched in stunned silence. In all the years she’d been doing this, helping police find missing people, she’d never been attacked like this. She’d been called names, had prank calls, but this, this was rage-filled and personal. She’d obviously hit a raw nerve with someone in town. And she had her suspicions of who.
“It was William March,” she mumbled.
Adam, who’d been standing beside her holding her hand, frowned. “You don’t know that for sure.”
“It’s obvious, Adam. I met him, he knows who I am and what I do, and then this happens.” She waved her hand at the damage in the room. “Who else would do this? Only someone with something to hide, who doesn’t want me to find the truth.”
Samuel stepped into the room from talking with Mrs. Turnbull out in the hall. “Mary was in town for the past three hours so she didn’t see or hear anything. She leaves the front door open for guests, so there was no evidence of a break in.”
She didn’t look at her father. “Are you going to question William March now?”
“Yes, I’ll be talking to lots of people.”
Her gaze stayed on the bed as the deputy stripped the sheets and she could clearly see the deep gouges in the mattress where someone had stabbed, ripped and torn with a knife. There was a lot of rage there. She could still feel it in the room. Whoever had done this had killed Renee Burke. There was no doubt in Kirsten’s mind. Now they were fixated on her.
“Adam, why don’t you take Kirsten to your place. Make sure she gets some rest.”
Nodding, Adam pulled on her hand and guided her out of the room, down the stairs and out to his car.
There were gawkers outside, come to see what all the trouble was. Kirsten was used to that. To people always looking, always judging.
“What are you looking at?” she sneered at the eager faces staring at her as Adam opened the passenger side door.
Freak. She heard it whispered in the crowd.
“Everyone please move back.” Adam gestured to the crowd, but they didn’t listen.
Once she was in, he shut the door and came around to the driver’s side and got in as well.
He glanced at her as he started the car. “Are you okay?”
She met his gaze, letting the tears finally fall. “No. I’m not okay.”
Instead of saying anything, Adam drove away fast from the boarding house. He was silent all the way back to his place. He parked, opened the door, and guided her into his place to his kitchen. He settled her on a chair at the small breakfast table, then proceeded to pour two shot glasses of whiskey. He handed her one.
She knocked it back, wincing as it scorched her throat on the way down. She held out her empty glass toward Adam and he filled it again.
After they finished three shots each, Kirsten set her glass down on the table and leaned back in the chair. Her hands had stopped shaking.
“Has this ever happened to you before?” Adam asked.
She shook her head. “I’ve always been removed from the case, you know? I’d meet with the victim’s family, do my thing, then go to an undisclosed hotel.”
Adam moved to her and ran a hand over her head. She leaned into his touch, thankful for it, thankful for him. “I’m sorry this happened to you.”
“I know.”
“What can I do?”
She smiled up at him. “You’re already doing it.”
She turned her face into him, burying into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her tight. She inhaled him, his scent, his heat, his compassion, his love. This night, she would accept it all. She needed it. She needed him.
He pulled her to her feet and hugged her close. She could hear his heart thumping hard when she pressed her head to his chest.
“I don’t want to think right now, Adam.”
He ran a hand down her back, soothing her. “What do you want?”
She raised her head and looked him in the eyes. “You. Just you.”
Without another word, he leaned down and captured her mouth with his. She sighed into him, as he hooked his arm around her legs and swept her up. He carried her out of the kitchen, kicked open the door to his room and took her inside, to lay her down gently on his bed.
He knelt on the mattress beside her and kissed her again, not holding anything back. She let him in. For the next hour she didn’t think about anything but Adam between her thighs.
Chapter 8
The sun burned the top of Kirsten’s head as she walked down Jefferson Street past Ellis Park. She put up a hand to shield her eyes from the intensity of the sun’s rays. Where were her sunglasses? She was sure she had a pair, but she didn’t know where she left them.
She spotted old Jack standing on the corner as if he’d been waiting for her. When she neared she noticed that he was drenched from head to toe. Water dripped off the end of his nose to dot the hot sidewalk beneath his dirty bare feet.
“Why are you wet, Jack? Did you go swimming in the lake?”
He smiled at her, his grin nearly splitting his hard haggard face in half. It gave her the creeps to see that maniacal gleam in his eyes and a shiver snaked down her back.
Instead of answering, he lifted his arm and pointed at the painted mural on the side of the building.
Follow the sun, Bitch. Or else you’ll die.”
As quick as the wind, he swirled toward her, hands out reaching for her throat…
Kirsten bolted straight up in bed, breathing hard. Sweat slicked her skin but she was so cold inside. Shivering, she drew the blanket up tight to her chest. Her throat was tight and sore, as if she’d been screaming for hours. She rubbed at it, trying to soothe it somehow.
She was alone in bed. She could hear Adam moving around in the kitchen. Then he appeared in the door frame, two cups of what she hoped was coffee in his hands.
“Bad dreams again?” he moved into the room and sat beside her on the bed, handing her one of the cups.
> She took a grateful sip then nodded. “Always. Until I find Renee. That’s how this works. I’ll have no peace until she’s found.”
“We’re working on it, Kirsten. I promise you.”
“I know.”
But not fast enough. She’d never say it, not to him, but it was how she felt. Adam and especially her father had no clue of how much this affected her. How much pain and despair she felt inside. Renee Burke was haunting her mind and wouldn’t stop until justice was served.
If she wanted to keep her sanity for much longer, Kirsten had to do something about it.
“This isn’t going to make you feel any better,” Adam started, “But Bill March as an alibi for when your room was trashed.”
He was right, that didn’t make her feel any better. Worse actually.
“Then he must’ve paid some kid to do it.”
“Kirsten…”
“Can you drop me back at the B&B?”
“You should rest. You can crash here all day if you want. There’s food in the fridge, it’s quiet, a comfy bed.” He smiled and kissed her on the side of the head.
“I need to go back and get my stuff together. I don’t want to leave it for Mrs. Turnbull.”
“Okay.” He squeezed her shoulder. “Get dressed and I’ll drop you off before my shift.”
“Thanks Adam.” She gave him a small smile. “For everything.”
“Are you thanking me for the great sex?” He made a face as if he was offended.
She laughed and swatted at him as he stood. “Don’t be an ass.”
“You’re welcome, my lady. Any time.” He winked at her then left the room so she could get dressed.
She watched him go, grateful for everything about him.
After Adam dropped her off, Kirsten found that Mrs. Turnbull had already gathered all her undamaged personal items and clothing and had set her up in another room. She’d looked for the proprietor to thank her but she’d left a note saying she went into town. So Kirsten had gone into her new room, changed her clothes and then headed out to the campground that was on the other side of the lake.
There was a dive shop there, which also served as the small grocery and sundries stop for campers. Kirsten needed to find a boat and some divers.
Old Henry Black Plume ran the shop. Had since she could remember. She didn’t know his true age, but he had to be at least eighty, and still as spry as his great grandsons who usually ran underfoot during the day.
She came in the shop, the little bell at the door announcing her arrival. There were a couple of campers in the store buying sodas and other snacks. Henry was behind the counter reading the Bandit Gazette, the weekly newspaper.
When she approached the counter, he looked up and grinned, his front teeth missing completely. “Well there. Hello, Ms. Morgan.”
She smiled. She’d always liked Henry. He’d always treated her like she belonged to his extended family clan. “Mr. Black Plume. A pleasure to see you again.”
He reached across the counter and took her hand in his, shaking it like they were old friends. “Come for a visit, or for something else?”
“Any divers out on the lake?”
He pursed his lips. “Yup. One boat out on the lake right now. Youngins from the city.” He rubbed at his bulbous nose, peering at her from above it. “Why? I sense there’s going to be some trouble from ya.”
“No trouble, Henry. But, I’m wondering if you have a boat I could use?”
Twenty minutes later, Kirsten was putting across the lake in Henry’s old fishing trolley. It didn’t go very fast, although she would’ve been afraid to go any faster anyway. There were some ominous looking cracks and fissures in the hull of the boat just waiting for an excuse to bust open.
The diver’s boat was near the north end of the lake, where the old town was flooded. They were probably treasure hunters, looking for the mythological riches that the town supposedly still possessed. In her lifetime, she’d only heard of one diver finding something of significance. She supposed that was all it took for the myths and legends to propagate. One person’s tale of gold, for others to come seeking their fame and fortune.
When she spotted the boat, she slowed down even further and waved in greeting. “Ahoy there,” she called out.
There were three young people on board. Two guys and a girl who looked no more than eighteen. They waved as she came alongside.
“You’re not fish and wildlife are you?” one of the men asked. “Because we’re not drinking, I swear.”
“No, I’m not fish and wildlife. I’m wondering if I could acquire your diving services and use of equipment.”
They all looked at each other, unsure.
“I’ll pay you.”
The young guy that spoke before smiled, and said, “Sure. What do you need?”
After she gave Tory, Grant and Kari her spiel, they drove their boat to where she instructed, closer to the southern shore. She followed behind in Henry’s boat. They weighed anchor about ten feet out.
Tory looked at her. “Do you know how to dive?”
“Yeah, been doing it since I was ten.” Kirsten pulled on the wetsuit that belonged to Kari. Thankfully they were roughly the same size, give or take a few pounds and inches in height. “Mind you, I haven’t gone down in over six years and as you can see I don’t have a dive partner.”
Tory helped fit the tank on her back. “I’ll be right beside you. If you don’t feel right just let me know.”
She belted the tank on. “Okay. I’m sure it’ll be just like riding a bike.”
Tory glanced at Grant, who didn’t look at all convinced.
Right before they jumped in, Tory looked at Kirsten. “What are we looking for anyway?”
“You’ll know when and if we see it.”
He shrugged and jumped into the lake. Kirsten followed him in.
The water was cold. The lake was fed by the creek with runoff from the mountains. The lake was deep, so not much sunlight pierced the water to warm it. The surface was pretty clear, though, and not mucked up by silt or algae. She knew the deeper they went the darker it would be. She just hoped they wouldn’t have to go that far to find what she was looking for.
Before she went under, she spat in her face mask and then rinsed it out in the water. It helped to keep it from fogging up when she was under. She settled the nozzle into her mouth, took in some oxygen, then dived down, kicking hard with her fins. Tory waited for her about three feet under.
Together, they swam the length of the southern shore. Kirsten swam in closer to the beach, searching the bed for something, anything. Well, for a body, really, if she wanted to be honest with herself. She was conflicted, though, on if she really wanted to find Renee Burke’s dead bloated body down here. On one hand, she could end Haddy Burke’s anguish and allow her to grieve, but on the other hand, Kirsten didn’t really want to see a dead body. She’d seen her fair share and it never got easier.
For the next hour, she and Tory trolled the southern shore, diving down as far as ten feet to the bottom. They found nothing of interest. Kirsten was getting tired. She waved to Tory and pointed up. He nodded and followed her to the surface.
When they surfaced it was to three boats and not two. Her father glared down at her from his patrol boat. Adam was manning the wheel. He was smart enough to look admonished.
She climbed into Tory’s boat and tore off her mask. “Hey, Dad.”
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Exercising my constitutional right to leisure activities.”
He shook his head. “What is wrong with you?”
“Do you want a catalogued list or just some random stuff off the top of my head?”
“I told you, we had this case under control.”
“And I disagree.”
Adam shook his head now, obviously realizing this was going to get down and dirty and end up one hell of a mess. A mess that would leave him in the middle to clean up.
She looked his way,
as she shrugged off the oxygen tank. “Did Henry call you?”
“He cares about you.”
“And you told Samuel, why? Because you care about me too?”
“Damn it, Kirsten. Don’t be so pigheaded.”
Tory looked from Kirsten to the Sheriff. “Are we in some kind of trouble, Sir?”
