by Nora LeDuc
“Let’s check it out before we carry in the supplies I wrestled up from the Moose.”
“Okay.” She climbed out of the pickup. She’d handle the hall. She wasn’t about to faint at the sight of blood again.
Target ran to the side entry and waited for them.
Lucy’s sneakers squeaked on the snow as she tracked Target’s fresh paw prints. “I bet he thinks Ryan is inside,” she said. “We should have left him at the Moose. He’ll be disappointed.”
“He can handle it.”
The dog wagged his tail while Liam unlocked and opened the door.
He barged past them to his bowls, sniffed, and looked up with a why are they empty? expression.
“Did you say Ryan had crackers here? I might as well give him a couple, or he’ll whine the whole time we’re cleaning.” She searched through the cabinets and stopped. “Liam, where did Ryan keep his nonperishable food? The cupboards are bare except for plates and glasses.”
Liam strode across the room and checked the cabinets. “That’s strange. When I came out for Target’s food, I looked through the shelves and I swear I saw a box of saltines, tuna, pasta, and sauce.” He yanked open another cupboard and pulled out a can. “I found a tin of Tasty Canine’s Gourmet I must have missed the other day.”
Lucy filled the bowl and set the meal next to the water dish. A black glove near the base of the cabinet caught her attention.
The memory of Matt pulling on his black gloves flashed through her mind. Her throat closed.
“What’s wrong?” Liam asked, moving to her.
She pointed. “I don’t remember seeing a glove when I was here before. Did you?”
“No, but an officer might have lost it. A lot of law enforcement and emergency workers wandered through these rooms, investigating.”
She took a closer look. It was leather like Matt’s, but Liam’s point made sense, and the size wasn’t right. “It must belong to a woman or a small man.”
“Don’t worry. People lose mittens and gloves every day. I bet it belongs to one of Sullivan’s men.”
“That’s true,” she agreed.
“Let’s find Ryan’s truck keys. He used to keep them in his desk in the den off the hall.”
Okay, time to be realistic. She wasn’t six and going into the haunted house. She knew what was on the front entryway walls and floor. Squaring her shoulders, she walked with Liam into the hallway. Target ran ahead of them, nose to the floor.
“Target.” She couldn’t bear him sniffing around Ryan’s death scene. She hurried after the dog and stopped on the edge of the main entry. The animal raced upstairs, his claws clicking on the wooden steps.
Holding her breath, she waited for the sight of the bloodstains to shake her. The white walls and beige tiles gleamed like new. Huh?
“What do you think?” he asked.
“The hall is…spotless.” She blinked and searched for the signs of the trauma. “You didn’t tell me the cleaning was done. How much was the bill? I know bio companies aren’t cheap.”
He shrugged. “The town paid. The company’s secretary told me they had an opening, and the employees came right up. Since you’d lent me Ryan’s key for the dog food, we were set.”
“Hold on. What do you mean? Barley keeps a fund for homicides?”
“The citizens donated money toward the payment. We take care of our own.”
She inhaled the scent of fresh paint and a cleansing product she didn’t recognize. She let out a breath. “I must thank everyone for fixing Ryan’s house.”
“You will.”
Lucy’’s throat ached with relief and gratitude.
Target trotted down the stairs and sniffed the floor by her feet. He was hunting for Ryan. She swallowed twice before she answered. “Sorry, boy. He’s gone.”
The dog scratched at the front door. The pennies used to form the word cheat had disappeared, too. Of course, the police had those.
“Before I go through Ryan’s desk for the keys, I’ll look around upstairs to make sure nothing’s disturbed. I won’t take long.”
She nodded while taking in the gleaming hallway.
“Hey, I bet that stray glove belonged to an employee of the bio company.”
“You’re right.” Lots of people could have lost it. “Can you bring down a gold locket on Ryan’s bureau? Bella left it and asked me to return it.”
“Will do. Since Target wants to go out, why don’t you take him with you and check the gas gauge on Ryan’s truck?”
“I’ll give it the old Barley try.”
“That’s my girl.” He gave her a conspiratorial wink.
His gaze remained locked on her face, but his amusement faded. She froze as her senses leaped to life. She couldn’t move away from him. Her heart hammered in her ears.
His hand encircled her wrist and tugged her to him as he lowered his mouth over hers.
The touch of his lips sent shock waves through her. The delightful shiver of desire. She leaned into him, and his hands slipped up her arms, holding her locked against his chest. His thigh brushed against her hip. Her body tingled with awareness and the old warning. Back away. You’re not twenty-one and hanging out with your college sweetheart. Get a grip.
Target whined and scratched at the door, grounding her in reality. She stepped out of Liam’s arms.
He ran a hand through his hair. “Are you upset that we kissed? Again?”
She raised her head. “I’m… It was nice. That’s all.” Liar. “But we should remember what year this is and we’re not—”
The dog let out a howl.
“Target says you protest too much.” He sighed. “Go check out Ryan’s pickup.” Liam climbed the stairs while she and Target trotted through the kitchen. The dog paused near the glove on the floor.
Did he recognize the scent? She’d leave it where she’d found it, for now.
Target wagged his tail and kept his eye on his dish.
“Sorry, buddy, we’re not eating any more.” They walked outside to the detached garage. She grabbed the knob and yanked the door upward. Huh? Blinking, she stared into the building. Where was Ryan’s truck?
A moss-green car with Vermont plates sat in front of her. Had he traded his truck? No, no way, Ryan loved his pickup.
Matt Hastings was last seen in Vermont. He was presumed to have stolen a vehicle and abandoned it at the mall.
The truth hit her. Matt had taken another car and driven to Ryan’s home. He was playing with her, letting her know he’d find her where ever she went. When she least expected it or couldn’t escape, he’d pounce.
Target growled at something in the woods.
“Come here, boy. Nothing is out there.” She hoped. Goose bumps popped up on her arms. The dog trotted across the yard and sat at her feet. He seemed uninterested in whatever had caught his attention and leaned against her legs.
She’d no idea why he’d been barking, but now that he’d stopped, the tension in her shoulders lessened.
What was it that bothered her about the glove? Of course, she wanted to find out how the single glove got in the house after the police search. If it belonged to a cleaner, why hadn’t the owner called to claim the lost piece of clothing? Wait. Wouldn’t standard gear for trauma scenes be latex gloves, not leather?
Yes, she was wrong. Something or someone bad lurked out there. She turned to the woods. Was he out there?
Chapter 20
The truck purred along the back road. For an old jalopy, she’d a lot of power. Driving the Vermont car had been getting too dangerous. Never keep the borrowed one longer than a few hours was the old adage. Always change the plates was another. Matt had broken the rules several times on his recent journey.
He pushed the button on the radio. Country music blasted from the speaker. He flinched and twisted the seek knob until classical refrains played out in the cab.
Ah, he loved Mozart. He looked at the numbers on the clock. By now, someone must have noticed she was missing. He im
agined anger warping into fears, and then finally sobs and desperation. Too bad he wouldn’t be there to offer support, false hope, and prayers that she’d wake from her nightmare.
He glanced in the rearview mirror. The sedan in his wake was riding his bumper. Police? Had the word spread already? He’d scooped her right up when he’d found her outside alone. It had been perfect. He’d forever treasure the terror in her eyes as he’d taped her arms and legs.
He dropped the truck’s speed to a crawl when he hit a straight stretch. The vehicle behind him swerved out and zoomed past.
An ordinary car sped past him. He loosened his grip on the steering wheel. His mouth watered as he turned into the clearing near the snowmobile trail.
Squatting in Ryan Watson’s home had been genius. He had plenty of clothing and supplies, thanks to a stocked fridge and cabinet. He’d hit the jackpot. No one had cleaned out the house yet. He’d taken what he needed. God provided.
Chapter 21
“The intruder came through the window.” Standing inside Ryan’s garage, Sullivan gestured in the general direction and then scribbled in his notebook. “These old sill locks often provide access for break-ins.”
Since the window was open, Liam thought Sullivan had made a reasonable guess. “How’d he get in the house?”
“We’ll investigate.” Sullivan turned to Lucy. “Unless you install a twenty-four-hour security system, or live here full-time, people who want in will get in.”
“That’s encouraging.” Lucy scanned the outside.
“Burglars like isolated houses. What was the model and year of your brother’s truck, Miss Watson?”
“I don’t know.” Lucy glanced at Liam, who rattled off the information for the chief.
Sullivan nodded. “Thieves find it easier to hot-wire the oldies. I have a call in to the state of Vermont on the vehicle we found. We’ll find out if anyone reported it stolen.”
“Hastings was seen in Vermont.” Lucy walked toward them. “He did this. He stole Ryan’s truck and left this one to taunt us.”
Her day wasn’t getting any better, Liam mused. “What’ll happen with the black glove we showed you?”
“Not police issued. Generic type. We’ll send it to the lab.” Sullivan rubbed his chin and stared at his officers, who were studying the concrete floor.
What were they doing? Liam wondered. Footprints weren’t visible on the cement pad, and unless the thief had stolen the truck seconds before they’d arrived, the wind would have wiped out the tire tracks. Liam gritted his teeth to keep himself from making a sarcastic remark. “Find a clue or two?”
“When did you last see your brother’s vehicle, Miss Watson?” Sullivan asked over his shoulder.
“Years ago. Today was the first time I glanced in the garage.”
“He drove it to town on the day of the shooting,” Liam said. Now he’d probably reminded the chief of his argument with Ryan.
Sullivan made no comment. He scrolled through the notes on his phone for a second. “The homicide team searched his garage twice— once when we received the original call to the house, and then when we came about the coins on the door.”
Lucy’s shoulders rose with tension. Liam wanted to wrap his arm around her and pull her to his side. He also wished the officers would discover something that gave them a lead.
The chief paused and fixed his gaze on Liam. “Do you know where Ryan kept his set of keys?”
Liam ran a hand through his hair. “I thought he put them in his desk. I looked before you arrived and couldn’t find them. Someone else must have found them first.”
“We’ll search the premises once more. Want to add anything to the missing list?”
“The pantry looked bare,” Lucy said, “but I have no idea what was on the shelves.”
“I went upstairs to make sure everything was okay,” Liam interjected, “and the closet doors were open. Most of Ryan’s clothes are gone. I checked the bureau. The drawers are empty. Neither Lucy nor I emptied them.”
“When was the last time either of you saw his clothing?”
Worry lines formed on her forehead. “For me, years ago. Liam, did you look in Ryan’s room when you came out for Target’s food?”
“I didn’t notice a black glove, and I didn’t go upstairs to the closet. That was a couple of days ago. But I was certain there were cans and boxes of food in the cabinet near the stove. They’re gone now.”
“My men will handle the situation from here.” Sullivan’s phone vibrated in his pocket. “Excuse me.” He walked out to the driveway to take his call.
Lucy frowned. “I can’t believe Matt stole Ryan’s truck and robbed his house. He’s getting more brazen.”
“Why don’t you go inside with Target? I promise to memorize everything Sullivan utters and repeat it without comments.” The crunch of footsteps alerted him to the chief’s return. “Here comes Sullivan. I hope he has news for us.”
“The Vermont DMV gave me an answer right away,” Sullivan said, joining them. “The car in your garage was registered and reported stolen in Burlington, Vermont. We’ll send it to the lab for prints.”
Lucy turned around and searched the surrounding woods.
“What is it?” Liam asked.
She clenched her hands together. “Nothing. I just have a bad feeling I can’t shake.” She gazed out toward the trees and shivered. “It’s like something horrible happened.”
Chapter 22
Lucy’s flat, cold voice sent a chill over Liam. He wanted to take her away from Ryan’s place and erase her fears. “Hastings will mess up and the police will get him.”
“We’ll arrest him,” Sullivan asserted.
“Thanks for trying to make me feel better.” She flicked a nervous glance over the yard and trees. “I’m getting the creepiest feelings. Maybe because I know Matt was here before us.” She curled her fingers into fists clenched stiffly at her sides.
Liam stepped closer to whisper comforting words, but she moved out of reach. Mentally, he shrugged. “I didn’t get Bella’s locket. I guess we’ll have to wait until the next trip.”
“My men will finish up here,” Sullivan said. “Got anything else to report?” His brows knit together in a straight line on his forehead.
“We’re ready to head out, right, Luce? We’re available, Sullivan, when you learn more.”
She held up a finger. “My last question for the chief, did Ali pass the polygraph?”
He twisted his lips as if trying out different answers. “She passed.” Without a further word, he turned on his heel and walked to his vehicle. The SUV took off with the spit of gravel from under its wheels.
“Charmer,” Liam muttered when the vehicle was out of sight. “He must trust his men to do the job on their own.”
“What did he mean when he said Ali passed, Liam? She confessed to an affair, or she didn’t? What about the picture from Ryan’s funeral?”
“He was vague, but I’d interpret his answer to imply Ryan didn’t have sex with Ali. I guess we’ll have to wait on the answer about her photography skills.”
“Now the police can stop investigating the high school rumors and find out the real truth.”
“About time. I’ll get Target.” Liam went inside and held the door open for the dog. He bounded out of the house to the truck.
Lucy opened the door, and the animal jumped inside. She hopped into the passenger side next to Target. Liam climbed in and plugged the key into the ignition. “Okay, posse, we’re off.”
The silence wore on him as they bumped over the frost heaves on the road. Target stared out the front window like a navigator checking their course. He began to bark at the house ahead.
A group of sheep huddled together in the driveway of a red farmhouse.
“Looks like someone’s 4-H project got out of the barn.”
Target growled and settled down once the animals were out of sight.
Lucy slumped in her seat. What could Liam do to ease her fears an
d sadness?
He took a sharp right.
She sat up, blinking. “What are you doing? You’re not pulling over on the shoulder like the first time we left Ryan’s, are you? Really, Liam, we can talk at the Moose.”
“I want to show you something.”
She gazed out the window at the landscape, and then a smile spread across her face. “The castle.” Her features softened with anticipation.
He pressed the gas pedal, and they flew up the mile-high rise. “You remember it.”
“Well, it’s not often a girl’s first date involves driving up in the pitch dark to a fallen-down palace. Then getting chased off the property by the hundred-year-old groundskeeper.”
“I still don’t understand why the guy wanted to live in that run-down cabin on the side of the hill. Honest, I thought the place was empty.”
“I did too. The trip was memorable. For a while, I kept a pebble from my shoe as a souvenir.”
“Luce, you’re so sentimental.”
“Sappy, you mean. I ate up that hogwash you fed me about wishes coming true when you made one in the castle.”
“Hogwash? Is that a new buzzword for cool?”
“Funny, McAllister. If we’d been caught, it would have meant a trip to the police station.”
“What was your wish?”
No way was she telling him. “Who remembers? Tell me yours.”
He shrugged. “It’s like a birthday wish. You can’t tell them if you want them to come true.”
“Too bad there’s not an expiration date. Are you able to drive up, or will the groundskeeper chase us again if you do?”
“The man must be two hundred by now. Besides, the place is for sale. The Barley Conservation Committee hopes to put together a couple of grants to buy the land.”
At the top of the hill, he swerved into a cleared spot and cut the engine. A few yards away sat the graying granite remains. The first-floor windows and doors were boarded up. The roof of the second story was missing, but crumbling walls stood as reminders of separate quarters.
