As she suited up and began to jog, Lacy tried, really tried, to let her mind go and allow the endorphins to take over. Other people found running to be a stress reliever. Why shouldn’t she? But as she took each step, all she could think was how much her lungs burned, how the cookies now sat like lead in her stomach, how she wanted more cookies as soon as she arrived home, how she must look to passersby in her mismatched spandex that did nothing to stop her from jiggling in all the wrong places. And no matter how hard she tried, she could never seem to find a smooth stride. Instead she ran with a herky-jerky motion as if she were an injured soldier trying to flee from a live grenade. One leg always seemed to drag a half step behind the other, forcing her stomach to twist at an unnatural angle as she tried to bring it even again.
By the time she arrived home, she was exhausted, gross, and ready for another shower. She had just finished applying her mascara when Keegan knocked on the front door. She heard the politely muttered words exchanged between him and her grandparents and exited her room with a smile.
“Wow,” Keegan said, standing with a smile of welcome as she entered the room. “You look awesome, Lacy.”
“Thanks,” she said. She waved a cheerful goodbye to her grandparents as she followed Keegan to his car. “Where are you taking me?”
“Wait and see,” Keegan said, his chipper smile firmly in place.
“What is it with the people in your family, Keegan? Is no one ever in a bad mood?”
Keegan laughed, glancing at her in his peripheral vision. “Sure we are. I suppose we’re too entrenched in our sturdy English Underwood heritage. You know—keeping a stiff upper lip, and all that.” He glanced at her again. “With red hair and green eyes you’re pretty much Irish, huh?”
“I don’t know,” Lacy said. “I recently found out my mother’s adopted. I don’t know much about my biological grandmother’s family. Maybe she was Irish; she had strawberry blond hair and green eyes, too.”
Keegan smiled. “You’re touchy about having red hair. That’s too bad; you’re a beautiful woman, Lacy.”
Lacy blinked through the front windshield, taken aback by his matter of fact tone. “Uh, thanks,” she said.
The drive was short, so there was no time for awkward silence before they arrived at their destination. “Here?” Lacy asked, staring up uncertainly at her new building. Had Keegan not noticed the dirt, grime, and rodent droppings everywhere? She had a hard time not wrinkling her nose in disgust.
“Trust me,” Keegan said. “I’m going to help you make peace with your new living space.”
“That sounds ominous,” Lacy said. She watched as Keegan unloaded an actual picnic basket from the back of his car before she followed him into the building and up the stairs to the roof. “Um, Keegan, I might not have mentioned this before, but heights and I aren’t exactly friends.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Keegan threw over his shoulder, which apparently meant he wasn’t going to worry about it. He held the door of the roof for her, smiling coaxingly when she hesitated. “C’mon, Lacy. You’re with a professional roofer; I won’t let you fall.”
“All right,” Lacy agreed, hesitantly edging away from the door. Keegan spread a blanket on the roof—disconcertingly far from the doorway—and began setting out food containers.
“Did you make all this?” Lacy asked, hunger overcoming her natural reticence at being four stories off the ground.
“I did,” Keegan replied, humming absently as he dug in the basket for utensils and plates.
Lacy sat back, watching. Keegan and Tosh were both happy, settled people, but she felt somehow more at peace with Keegan. Maybe it was because she didn’t have the pending pressure of trying to make a decision about the future of their relationship. Keegan didn’t want anything from her but friendship. Did he? Her anxiety grew as she watched him unload crystal flutes and real silver. What man went to so much trouble for a woman he wasn’t interested in? But he wouldn’t be interested in her if Tosh was interested in her, would he? With a sinking feeling, her thoughts turned to her sister, Riley, always wanting what Lacy had.
Her head tipped to the side, studying Keegan as he worked. He paused in his setup to return her inspection.
“What’s that look for?” he asked. “Are you analyzing me, Lacy?”
“Maybe,” Lacy replied.
“Tell me what you find out. You could save me some time.” At last he sat, unfurling his napkin with a flourish.
“Is this something you do often?” Lacy asked, indicating the elaborate picnic.
“Definitely. Women love picnics. I know all the right moves, Lacy.” Instead of sounding cocky, he sounded sad, and Lacy wondered why. He gave her a wan smile. “Dig in before it gets cold.”
She did as instructed, eating in silence as her mind continued to wander.
“So, what do you think?” Keegan asked after an extended silence.
“About what?” Lacy asked, drawn reluctantly from her meandering thoughts.
“The view.” Fork in hand, he waved toward the horizon. “Isn’t it spectacular?”
For the first time, Lacy really looked over the edge of the roof. Night was descending. She could see the town and beyond to the hillsides dotted with brightly lit houses. Cars snaked through, adding their own small dots of light to the landscape.
“It’s beautiful,” Lacy remarked, taken aback not only by the view but by the fact that it was hers. She had never really owned much more than her computer and a camera before, and now she owned this.
Keegan set aside his empty plate and scooted close to her. “Imagine it on a warm summer night with some wicker furniture, some white lights, and the scent of flowers in the air. I know a guy who’s a commercial landscaper. He specializes in living roofs. I’ll give you his number.”
As he talked, Lacy could picture it; she could see herself here on a summer night, relaxing on a piece of wicker, the scent of wisteria and lavender redolent in the air. The only dim spot in her fantasy was the blurry spot beside her. Who would share the spectacular view with her? Her grandparents?
“You don’t look happy,” Keegan noted.
“I guess it comes back to what I said before,” she said. “This place is too much for me to handle by myself. I don’t want to live here alone.”
Keegan wrapped his arms around his legs, resting his chin on his knees. “There are worse things than being alone, aren’t there?”
“Are there?” Lacy asked. “Worse than never finding that one right person? Worse than never having children?”
“I have to believe that there are,” Keegan said, but he seemed to be talking more to himself than to her.
“Did you break up with someone recently?” Lacy asked. Maybe a bad breakup was the cause of his cryptic remarks and serious thoughts.
“I did,” he said, sighing.
“Painful, huh?”
“Not really,” he said. “We weren’t serious; we were mostly just friends.”
“Oh,” Lacy said, confused.
“This is nice,” Keegan said after a minute of silence. “Peaceful. Thanks.”
Lacy chuckled. “You’re the one responsible for this little piece of paradise,” Lacy said.
Keegan leaned over, bumping her shoulder with his. “So you admit it’s pretty much perfect up here.”
“It could be,” Lacy agreed, her thoughts wandering to her future again.
“Lacy, can I be uncharacteristically deep for a minute?”
Lacy smiled. He sounded so much like Tosh when he was about to tell her something “pastorly.” “Go ahead,” she urged.
“There’s a lot of truth to the statement that you’re not ready to be with anyone until you’re ready to be alone. I sort of picked up on the fact that you’re hurting. I don’t think you’re going to be able to move on until you heal what’s happening inside of you.”
“I don’t disagree, Keegan,” Lacy said, shifting toward him. “But how do you heal when you’re hurting so much?”
Keegan rested his arm on her shoulder. “The age old question. But I think you’re asking the wrong brother. Tosh is the one with all the answers.”
Was it her imagination, or was his tone bitter? The sound of scrambling feet on gravel distracted her, causing them to turn and look behind them.
“Oh, geez,” Jason said. He was in full uniform, one hand fisted on his hip, his flashlight held aloft. “I get a call about people on a roof, and I don’t know why I’m surprised to find you here,” he said, addressing Lacy. “From now on, any time I get a crazy call, I’m going to assume it’s you.” He shined the beam in Keegan’s face. “Who’s he?”
His abrupt tone wasn’t Lacy’s imagination, and it wasn’t lost on Keegan who gave Jason the same infuriating smile that Tosh used whenever the two happened to meet. “I’m Keegan,” he replied, clearly enjoying himself. “Who are you?”
“I’m the guy who’s giving you exactly two minutes to get out of here,” Jason said.
“Jason,” Lacy tried to explain, but he interrupted by shining his flashlight in her face.
“Save the excuses, Lacy. I usually find teenagers up here making out. Imagine my delight to find you and him.” The light bounced back to Keegan’s face.
“But, Jason, you don’t understand,” Lacy said.
“And I don’t want to,” Jason added. “My fuse is this short tonight, Red.” He held up two fingers pinched close together for emphasis. “Please don’t make me do or say anything I regret. And may I remind you that this is the second time I’ve found you breaking and entering? Just grab your stuff and go.” The light bounced back to inspect Keegan. “You from New York?”
“Chicago,” Keegan replied, sounding totally unfazed as he loaded up his basket.
“Keegan is Tosh’s brother,” Lacy explained. She hoped her tone let Jason know that their discussion wasn’t over. He had plenty enough reason to be in a bad mood, but he didn’t have to take it out on her and Keegan, especially when she owned the building in question.
“Figures,” Jason said. “Just so I’m better prepared next time, exactly how many of you remain in Chicago?”
“Three brothers and two sisters, but some of those are married. And, really, not all of them are Lacy’s type.” Keegan finished packing and hefted the basket over his shoulder, giving Jason an impish smile. “This has been an informative meeting, Officer.”
Jason didn’t return his smile. Instead, he looked at Lacy and rolled his eyes. “Just get out and don’t come back.” He waved his flashlight, indicating that they should proceed in front of him.
Lacy swept by him without glancing at him. Tomorrow, when his terrible day was over and he was feeling better, she was really going to let him have it over his imperious attitude. She comforted herself by imagining the remorseful expression on his face when she informed him he had thrown her out of her own building. He held his flashlight for them, lighting the way as they walked down the rickety wooden stairs. Though she would never admit it, Lacy was glad for the light. She wondered if Keegan had thought that far in advance or if, like Tosh, his intentions were sometimes better than his plans.
“Thank you for the escort, Officer,” Keegan said, offering Jason a small salute. Jason didn’t reply and his sober expression didn’t change. Lacy paused in front of him and poked her finger in his chest, meeting the firm resistance of his vest.
“We are so not done talking about this,” she hissed.
“Shocking,” he said in the same dry, grumpy tone he had been using all night.
Lacy would have said more, but Keegan clamped a hand on her shoulder, tugging her toward his car. “C’mon, Lacy,” he said. “No need to add assaulting an officer to your list of crimes tonight.”
Still annoyed by Jason’s blasé expression, she wanted to do something, anything to break through his annoyingly cool reserve, so she stuck her tongue out at him. Instead of making him angry, though, it made him laugh.
“Geez,” he muttered, turning away as he closed and locked the door.
Chapter 9
Morning came too early for Lacy. Though Keegan had gotten her home at a reasonable hour—even after repeatedly trying to worm information from her about her relationship with Jason—she still felt like she had just fallen asleep. At first she couldn’t remember why it was important to wake so early, and then she remembered her meeting with Ed McNeil. She jumped out of bed, throwing her hair in a hasty ponytail. If she thought Ed McNeil was bad, he was nothing compared to his roadblock of a secretary. Lacy wanted to make sure and have the meeting over with before Pearl came back from the dentist.
For that reason, she bypassed breakfast. She would grab something later at the coffeehouse. Maybe the stop-work order would be resolved and she could make a few calls to some roofers to get the ball rolling on her building. Thinking of the calls she needed to make reminded her that she still hadn’t heard from Tosh. She pulled out her phone and pushed the button, not surprised when it once again went to voicemail.
“Tosh, it’s Lacy, that’s L-A-C-Y. Why do I feel like I’m seeing more of your brother than I’m seeing of you? Whatever the reason, I don’t like it, and I miss you. Please call me back.” She closed her phone, stuffing it back in her pocket with a sigh. Would there ever come a time in her life when there was total peace? When she wasn’t in the midst of chaos?
Outside, the morning was brisk and Lacy picked up her pace to a trot—not enough to drench her in sweat, but enough to leave her breathless when she arrived in front of Ed McNeil’s office. She bent over, gasping for air.
“Is that really how you run?”
Startled, she stood straight and encountered Jason. He was still wearing his uniform, though his face was unshaven and his eyes were bloodshot, not his usual clean-cut appearance by a long shot.
“Don’t tell me you’re still on duty,” she said. Was he working a double?
“No, I got off a while ago.” He turned, surveying Ed McNeil’s office again.
“Jason, what are you doing here?” Lacy asked, laying a hand on his arm.
He jumped at her gentle touch, turning to look at her again.
Her heart wrenched as she once again glimpsed his bloodshot eyes. “Did you sleep yesterday before work?”
He shook his head. “There wasn’t a lot of time after court, and I…just couldn’t.” He would have turned back to study Ed McNeil’s office again, but Lacy caught his attention.
“Jason, don’t do this. Don’t confront him, or whatever it is you’re thinking about doing. Just go home and get some rest.”
“That’s probably a good idea,” he said.
She frowned, disturbed by his vague tone and easy agreement. “You want me to drive you?”
That brought him out of his stupor enough to laugh. “No.” His smile faded as they studied each other. Lacy moved her hand up to his bicep and gave it a squeeze.
“I’m worried about you.”
“I’m fine,” he said, and she wondered if he really believed it. He looked anything but fine; in fact, she had never seen him like this.
“What are you doing tonight?” she asked.
“Is this a pickup?” he asked.
“Depends on the answer,” she said.
“I’m free,” he said.
“Then, yes, it’s a pickup. I owe you a meal. Maybe I could come over and cook something. Then we can talk.”
“I don’t want to talk,” Jason said.
“Fine, then, we’ll watch a movie.”
Jason smiled again, touching his fingertips to her waist. “This is sounding better and better.”
Lacy smiled, glad he was starting to sound halfway normal. “Are you working tonight?”
He shook his head. “It’s my weekend.”
“Is six okay?”
“Six is good,” he said. He surprised her by capturing her hand and pressing it to his cheek, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. “Thanks for this, Lacy.”
“Maybe you should save you
r thanks until you taste my food,” Lacy said, aiming for a light tone.
When he opened his eyes, they looked more alive than they had a minute before. “It’s not the food I’m thankful for. Later.” He let go her hand and walked away, looking more exhausted than any person should.
“Be careful,” Lacy called, glad it was only a few blocks to his house. He threw up a hand in recognition of her words, but otherwise didn’t respond. After watching to make sure he got safely to his car without falling asleep, Lacy turned her attention back toward Ed McNeil’s office.
“I’m going to get the stop-work order off my building,” she said out loud, giving herself a little pep talk. “And then I’m going to let him know what he did to Jason was wrong.” She pounded up the steps, gaining momentum along with her anger. “Then maybe I’ll tell him his haircut is ugly. No one wears their hair slicked back like that anymore.” She arrived at his doorstep and knocked briskly on the outer door, hurting her knuckles. Shaking her hand to get rid of the pain, she called through the door.
“Mr. McNeil, it’s Lacy Steele. We had an appointment.”
There was no answer. Undeterred, Lacy tried the handle and found it unlocked. “You can’t ignore me,” she said, though her words were bolder than her actions because her step was tentative as she poked her head around the door, searching for his secretary. Finding the room Pearl-free, she ventured farther inside. “Mr. McNeil,” she tried again. “It’s Lacy Steele.” She knocked again, this time on his inner door. Maybe it was the eerie silence of the office, or maybe it was instinct, but she was suddenly nervous and ready to leave.
“Is this a bad time?” she said, gently pressing on the door so that it slowly squeaked open. He didn’t reply, but she still had her answer; it was definitely a bad time. He sat in his chair, staring straight ahead, a small, neat hole in the middle of his forehead. Her eyes started to travel to the back of the chair, matted with gore, but she quickly turned away, not wanting to see. For a few beats, Lacy remained frozen, staring at his clock, not thinking or feeling anything at all.
Building Blocks of Murder Page 7
