Runs Deeper

by R. D. Brady

  With a grin, Bess disappeared into the living room, and Julie could hear her making her way up the stairs.

  An image of Jack flashed through her mind again. She gripped the counter. He’s locked up. This has nothing to do with him. We’re fine.

  But she still made her way into the closet by the front door. She reached up to the shelf and pulled down the lockbox. Quickly putting in the combination, she opened the lid. Her Beretta lay there, the magazine next to it. She hadn’t shot it in a while, although she was good about cleaning it.

  She pulled it out now and slid the magazine in, making sure that the safety was on. She walked back to the kitchen and tucked it into her pocketbook. Despite the fact that she had a carry permit, she didn’t like walking around with a firearm, especially around Bess.

  But as much as she liked to think that what happened to Miss Minnie was a one-time incident, she knew that bad things did in fact happen to good people. And if whoever had killed Miss Minnie was still around, she was not going to give them a chance to get her daughter.

  “Ready.” Bess appeared, dragging her jacket behind her and holding her boots.

  Julie laughed. “Not quite yet. Let’s put the jacket and the boots on.”

  Bess pouted out her lip. “Do I have to?”

  “Yes, you have to.” She focused on her daughter as she helped her into her jacket. But she felt the weight of the gun in her bag. And she prayed that whatever evil had visited Dover last night was far, far away.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Dover was about as exciting as Phineas expected. He’d arrived fifteen minutes ago, and he was pretty sure he’d seen all of the town already, despite the reduced speed the weather forced on him. He pulled into the driveway of the bed and breakfast. Snow was piled on either side of the driveway, making him feel hemmed in.

  The bed and breakfast, called Dover Arms, was two stories high with a wide, deep porch that ran the length of it. It was a pale green with red shutters and a darker green trim. He could picture the windows and porch lined with flowers in warmer weather.

  Right now, the flower boxes were empty, and the only sign of life was the smoke that curled from the dual chimneys. It was actually a very cute house. In fact, all the buildings in Dover were cute, with an old-fashioned feel to them. But there were very few of them. It was probably nicer in the spring. Right now, with the mounds of snow all over town, it gave it almost an abandoned appearance.

  It had taken him fourteen hours to drive here. One of those hours he’d simply pulled over and taken a nap. He wasn’t sure what it was about driving that was so exhausting. You were sitting the whole time. But this had been a nerve-racking trip. He had white-knuckled the steering wheel for more than a few hours in some of the dicier spots.

  Pulling into Dover had been a bit of relief and also a letdown. This town looked like one of those pass-through towns. Once you drove through it, you never gave it a second thought. You barely gave it a thought as you drove on by.

  For about the dozenth time, Phineas wondered if he’d made a mistake. He’d spent a lot of money on gas, not to mention what it would cost him to stay at the bed and breakfast. It was money he didn’t have. If it paid off, it would be great. But if it didn’t …

  Phineas shook his head. He couldn’t think like that. He was committed. There was a story here. Now he just needed to find it. He grabbed his duffel bag from the passenger seat and hurried inside. A wall of warmth greeted him, and he sighed in response.

  Everything about the bed and breakfast screamed “come in and stay a while.” There were dark wide-plank wooden floors with colorful rugs. The walls were white and covered in quaint scenes of country living. Overstuffed couches beckoned to be sat on from a large room to the left, which was dominated by a large fireplace that was blazing away. To the right was a dining room with four round tables and a second large fireplace, with another fire roaring away. Straight in front of him was a large staircase with a small check-in desk in front. And there was a white-and-orange cat sitting contentedly on top of the desk.

  A man walked in from the hallway which, from the smells, obviously led to the kitchen. He was wiping his hands on a dishtowel. He was tall and slim, with a small pair of glasses perched on the edge of his nose. “Mr. O’Rourke?”

  Phineas stepped forward. “Yes.”

  The man smiled. “You made good time. With the weather I thought it would take much longer. I’m Jared Klein, the proprietor.”

  Jared extended his hand. Phineas shook it, noticing how warm the hand felt in comparison to his own. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “You as well. Are you hungry? I’ve got some beef stew on the stovetop that is just delicious.”

  Phineas was already nodding before Jared could finish speaking. “That would be great. I’ll just drop my bag in my room.”

  Five minutes later, he was sitting in the comfortable dining room with a steaming bowl of beef stew in front of him, along with some thick slices of hearty bread. Dover might not have much going for it, but this bowl of stew was making him deliriously happy.

  Jared took a seat across from him. “So what brings you to Dover?”

  Phineas had thought about how he was going to approach this the whole way up. “I’m actually here to speak with Reggie Tully.”

  “Oh. Are you having him do some work for you?”

  “I’m thinking about it. I still need to make an appointment.”

  “Oh, that shouldn’t be a problem. They really go out of their way for their customers. And if you can’t get an appointment with Reggie, you can always speak with Steve. The two of them are incredibly talented. They really know their business.”

  Phineas’s breath caught. “Steve?”

  Jared nodded. “Steve Davidson. He’s Reggie’s partner.”

  Davidson. The same last name as Jack Kane’s grandmother. Oh my God. “Oh, I didn’t realize he had a partner. It wasn’t mentioned on the website.”

  “Steve likes to stay behind the scenes. But he’s got an incredible work ethic and a real talent with wood. You can’t go wrong with either of them.”

  “Yes, I do believe you’re right.” Phineas smiled. Well, Dover just got a whole lot more interesting.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Julie pulled into the clinic parking lot, where the only other car was a green Volvo, which belonged to the coffee shop owners next door. Laura lived down the street above the hardware store and walked to work. Julie popped the hatchback. “Bess, unbuckle and grab the snack bag, okay?”

  “Okay,” came Bess’s muffled reply. She’d insisted on wearing her father’s scarf, and now her face was wrapped up like a mummy. Julie grabbed two boxes, piling them on top of one another. She placed both boxes under the awning by the front door of the clinic before going back for another two. On her way, she opened the door of the car to let out Bess, who seemed to be moving in slow motion.

  Grabbing the last two boxes, she hit the button to close the hatchback. Bess pushed against her car door with a grunt.

  “Need some help?”

  “I got it.”

  Julie smiled. Over the last year, Bess had become a lot more independent. She didn’t like help unless she absolutely needed it. It made Julie smile to see.

  The car door slammed shut, and Bess ran over to the clinic door.

  “Be careful.” All Julie could picture was Bess sliding and cracking her head on the parking lot or building.

  “I know.” Julie could picture the eyeroll even though Bess had her back to her. Another habit Bess had picked up in the last year. Julie was less enamored with this one.

  Balancing two boxes, Julie opened the door to the clinic and placed them inside. “Honey, can you hold the door?”

  Bess hurried over, her back against the door as she held it wide. Julie bent down and grabbed the last two boxes, then stepped into the warm clinic room. “Thanks, baby.”

  They’d stepped into the small reception area. Ahead of them there were three
rows of chairs, and the one in the middle had chairs back to back. The walls were a light gray, with colorful posters announcing different health initiatives. To the left were the bathrooms, and straight ahead was a long counter. Beyond the counter was a wall with two doors leading to the examination rooms.

  Beyond the doorway was another desk area, followed by a hallway, giving the clinic a T-shape. On the right side of the hallway was Julie’s office and the file room. To the left were four examination areas and a supply room.

  Julie placed the boxes on the floor by the door, unwrapping the scarf around her neck and unzipping her jacket. “Laura?”

  No answer came from the back. Dropping her jacket, Bess sat down and yanked off her boots before starting to run.

  “Get back here,” Julie called as she slipped off her own boots. “That’s not where we leave our stuff.”

  “Okay.” Bess hurried back, picking up her boots.

  “Give me your coat,” Julie said as she hung her own coat on one of the racks by the door.

  Bess handed her jacket over before lining up her boots and Julie’s in the tray on the other side of the door. Julie grabbed the two boxes and skirted around the counter, stepping through the open door to the back. She’d expected Laura to be sitting at the desk just beyond the door. She placed the boxes on the desk with a frown. The clinic was quiet. Maybe Laura fell asleep on the couch in Julie’s office? Technically it was supposed to be “the doctor’s office,” but Julie and Laura shared it pretty equally. It would be unlike Laura to take a nap, but snowy days did seem to encourage them.

  “Boots!” Laura’s cat padded down the hall toward them. Bess knelt down, and Boots made a beeline for her. He left a small trail of paw prints behind him, leading around the corner to the exam rooms.

  Julie leaned forward, trying to see what he’d stepped in.

  “Mom? What is this?” Bess held out her hand. It was stained red.

  Julie gasped, her gaze going to Boots. His white paws now had blood streaked across them. “Don’t touch Boots,” Julie ordered.

  “But—”

  “No.” Julie’s voice came out harsher than she’d intended. Bess flinched.

  Julie reached into her pocketbook, placing her hand on the gun and slipping off the safety. She grabbed onto Bess’s shirt, pulling her behind her. “You do exactly what I say, okay?”

  Bess nodded, her eyes large.

  “Stay behind me and stay quiet.”

  Bess nodded again.

  Julie’s fight-or-flight system was telling her to run, to grab Bess and beat a hasty retreat. But what if Laura was hurt? What if Boots had just gotten into the blood supply somehow? She debated for only a split second before heading down the hall, keeping Bess right behind her with one hand, the other hand firmly clutching the gun in her bag.

  She peered into the exam rooms on either side of the hall, but they were empty. The paw prints led to the supply room at the end of the hall. Swallowing, Julie made her way forward slowly. Bess followed her, not saying a word.

  Two more exam rooms were empty. A tremor had worked its way through Julie’s hand, and the hairs on the back of her neck were standing up. She slid the gun out of her bag, keeping it in front of her, out of Bess’s view.

  The clinic was quiet, or at least she thought it was. Her heart pounded so hard she wasn’t sure if she would hear something above a shout.

  She moved toward the side of the supply room, keeping Bess against the wall. Counting to three, she leaned forward and peeked in. All the breath left her lungs, and her legs weakened.

  Laura was directly across from the door. She’d been impaled on the far wall. Her eyes stared at nothing. Blood dripped, coalescing in a pool beneath her.

  Julie whirled around and grabbed Bess. She dashed down the hall and through the doorway into the waiting room. Her hip clipped the edge of the counter as she sprinted past, but she didn’t slow. She burst through the clinic doors, clutching Bess to her. Her feet sank into the snow. Snow, cold, sharp, and biting, cut through her wool socks. She nearly lost her footing, her socks offering no purchase. She thought of getting in her car, but it would take too long to find her keys and get it started.

  And right now, she needed Bess safe. She sprinted to the end of the parking lot, her feet stinging from the cold. Bess let out a little cry, already starting to shiver. To her right, a couple was just stepping out of the coffee shop. Julie sprinted for them, keeping Bess tucked into her. A gust of ice-cold wind blew, cutting right through her shirt. She splayed her hands wide, as if it could help cover Bess more, the gun nestled just below Bess’s back.

  The couple held the door open for her, apparently not noticing the gun but giving her a strange look at the fact that they were out in their socks and without jackets. “Ma’am, are you all—”

  Julie ducked past them and walked quickly past the other five patrons in the store. Craig Muir was speaking with a customer at the counter. Julie stepped behind the counter and into the back room.

  Evelyn Muir looked up from where she was placing croissants onto a display tray. She smiled as she looked up, pushing her short brown hair streaked with gray away from her eyes with the back of her hand. “Julie. What are you—” Her smile dropped from her face as she took in the gun and Julie’s and Bess’s stocking feet. “What’s going on?”

  Julie’s legs gave out, and she sank to the floor. “The police. I need you to call the police.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Declan took the corner too fast. The back of his SUV fishtailed. He immediately let up on the accelerator, going with the slide and regaining control of the car. But even though the car had slowed down, his heart still raced.

  Laura Schiller was dead.

  And Julie and Bess had found her.

  He’d just finished processing the scene at the library when Nevaeh called. Ahead, Nevaeh’s Jeep sat in the parking lot of the clinic. Julie’s Subaru was right by the door. Declan pulled in and took a breath, trying to calm himself down. The idea of Julie and Bess facing a murder scene had chased away all ability to maintain a professional distance. What if they had arrived a little bit earlier? They would have walked in on the murderer.

  His heart plunged at the thought. He grabbed his phone and dialed Russ.

  Russ answered quickly, a smile in his voice. “Hey there. I’m just wrapping things up here, and hopefully I’ll be on the road in about an hour.”

  “I need you to do something first.” He quickly relayed what happened to Miss Minnie and Laura.

  Russ’s easygoing voice shifted to one full of concern. “Are Julie and Bess all right?”

  “I don’t know. I haven’t seen them yet. I’m still outside. But I need you to get in touch with Southport. I need you to check and make sure that Jack’s still there.”

  Russ paused. “Declan, it’s a supermax. He’s there.”

  Declan ran a hand through his hair. “I know, I know. But I just need you to check, okay?”

  “I’ll check. In fact, I’ll be passing there in about half an hour. I’ll stop in and see with my own eyes that he’s there, okay?”

  Declan let out a breath, relief flowing through him. “Thanks. I know it’s crazy. I know he’s there. But that’s two murders, and I need to be able to assure Steve and Julie that he’s still locked up.”

  “I get it. I know one of the guards that works there. I’ll give him a call and see if I can arrange to get in, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Russ was quiet for a moment. “Are you okay?”

  Declan stared at the snow that even in the short time he’d been sitting in the parking lot had begun to collect on the windshield. Was he okay? He didn’t know how to answer that. “I don’t know. This is just… I don’t know.”

  “I’ll be there in about twelve hours. Stay with Steve and Julie until then, okay? I don’t like the idea of you being alone.”

  “I don’t like the idea of it either.” Declan leaned his head back on the headrest. “I ne
ed to go check on Julie and Bess.”

  “Okay. Give them my love. I’ll call you when I’m leaving Southport.”

  “Okay, thanks. I love you.”

  “Love you too.” Declan disconnected the call and quickly got out of the car.

  Joan Waders, one of Nevaeh’s four full-time deputies, stood at the clinic door. Joan was a transplant from Florida. She’d moved up here when she’d retired from the Tampa Police force. Apparently the summers were just too hot for her. She nodded at Declan. “Chief’s over at the coffee shop with Julie and Bess.”

  “They okay?”

  Joan shook her head. “They weren’t hurt, but they’re real shook up.”

  Declan understood and quickly changed direction. The closed sign was on the coffee shop window, but the door opened as he pulled on it. Evelyn and Craig Muir were setting up a table, putting out mugs and carafes of coffee.

  They both looked up as Declan stepped in the room.

  “Oh, Declan.” Evelyn hurried over. Evelyn was only fifty years old, but a combination of her gray hair and nurturing manner made everyone think of her as a grandma, even though her and Craig had never had any children. The colorful vests she wore only helped enhance that image. Today her vest was red with blue and green flowers covering it. She hugged Declan tight, her head barely reaching his shoulder. “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know, Evelyn. But we’ll find out.”

  Evelyn stepped back, wiping at her eyes.

  Craig extended his hand. “Declan.”

  Declan took the hand and shook it. Craig was Evelyn’s physical opposite, tall and slim, he was almost always dressed in blue jeans and a dark top. Today, his pale-blue eyes looked haunted behind his glasses. Craig cleared his throat and nodded to the buffet table along the back of the shop. “We needed to do something. Figured you guys could use some coffee and maybe a little food, so take whatever you need.”