Last Girls Alive (Detective Katie Scott #4) - Jennifer Chase Page 0,49
problem she was wrestling with, things had a way of working out when she sat there.
She grabbed a blanket from the couch and went outside. The cool clean air helped to clear her head and lungs. The acreage was quiet—no sound of the wildlife, no breeze. It was comforting to sit wrapped in a warm blanket and just be part of the silence.
A cracking noise around the side of her house broke the relaxing quiet. Katie sat up straight, listening to hear it again or to figure out its origin.
It was most likely an animal like a raccoon or skunk milling around after the rains. But, there was something human about the sound. She stood up, peeling away the blanket, still straining to hear.
As with her investigations, Katie always followed through with everything that presented itself, leaving nothing to chance. So her tenaciousness made her check out the unusual noise while most would likely dismiss it.
As she quietly crept around to the other side of her house, she felt the soreness in her back grip, with pain slowing her stride some. With each step, pain radiated downward, stiffening her lower lumbar and causing her to slow even more.
She had the sense that someone was near. “Who’s there?” she said, knowing she would feel a bit silly if a raccoon skittered past.
“Katie?” came a voice.
She moved faster and saw Chad standing in the darkness. “Chad, what the hell are you doing?”
“Are you okay?”
“You didn’t have to come out and check on me. You could’ve just called,” she said, and realized her mistake immediately.
Chad walked into the light; he wasn’t dressed in his official fireman’s uniform but now in his jeans and sweater. “I tried that. I also tried calling McGaven but he wasn’t answering his cell.”
“He probably wouldn’t be. We’ve had so many leads to run down and tonight we had to meet a possible suspect at The Well.”
“The Well?”
“Yeah, nice place. Remind me to never go there again.”
Chad stood close to Katie. “What happened to your face?” He gently touched it.
“Just a bit of a scuffle.”
He didn’t look convinced by her explanation. “I’m sorry to come out here and scare you, but I was going to leave a note. And I wanted to see if you were here.”
“I’m sorry… come sit down with me.” She tried not to walk stiffly or show her pain, but it didn’t get past him.
“You had more than a scuffle,” he said, watching her walk.
They sat on her favorite swing together.
“Here,” he said and began to massage her shoulders and feel down her back. “You didn’t take a hot shower, did you?”
“No. I was so tired I just wanted to go to bed. But… my mind wouldn’t shut off.”
He chuckled. “Know that one. Haven’t had that problem in a while, but the new house is causing a few minor panics.”
“What? How?” she said.
“Oh, it’s just buyer’s remorse. Wondering if I made a mistake. Will I make money on the flip? Will it be a money pit? The usual stuff.”
“Glad it isn’t anything serious.” She took a deep breath as the pain became intermittent. “Ouch… still a bit sore.”
“You know, you need a hot shower and a good massage.” He leaned in and kissed her neck.
Katie missed him so much and wished they were away somewhere where there weren’t killers or demands from work. She turned and returned his affections. “Can you stay?” She didn’t want to talk to him about anything that was bothering her. Her emotions were fragile and she was afraid that she would start crying and not be able to stop when she did.
“Yes. I’m not on again until 2 p.m. tomorrow.”
They went inside. His company was exactly what she needed to end the loop of suspects and evidence running through Katie’s mind. She took a hot shower and received the best body massage she ever had, then made love to Chad into the small hours until she fell into a deep sleep.
Twenty-Six
Friday 0730 hours
Katie was meeting McGaven at the medical examiner’s office to view the body of Mary Rodriguez and to find out the particulars of cause and manner of death. Dr. Dean had called to make an appointment. She thought that she knew what the outcome was going to be, but there were always details you could miss with a naked eye.
She pulled into the sheriff’s department and parked the sedan. As she got out of the vehicle, she noticed how much better she felt after Chad’s magic hands worked