room, I realized I was in Luke’s office on his leather couch. Zane, Luke, and Officer Tate from this morning, were looking down at me.
Luke pulled up a chair and took my hand.
This was getting weirder by the minute. Why couldn’t they just get it over with? I’d already determined there’d been another murder — a person I knew on a personal level.
“Will ...” Luke looked at Officer Tate.
“Miss, I’m sorry to meet you again under these circumstances, but Will Mills was found stabbed in his bed, about sixty minutes ago.”
“How? Who found him?” Confusion wrapped around me like a thick fog. Fearing I might faint again, I squeezed Luke’s hand.
Not Will. It couldn’t be true. I’d dated him a few times. Nothing serious, but he was a good friend. We worked together. I liked him.
“When he didn’t show up for work, and I couldn’t reach him, I called his brother.” Luke shook his head, but didn’t relax his grip on my hand.
“He never misses work,” I said absently.
“That’s what concerned me,” Luke agreed.
I knew this was difficult for Luke too. He made a point of being concerned about all his employees. As much as we all bickered, we were one big family. Will had been the one that kept us laughing.
“I know you’re all grieving and in shock,” Officer Tate said, lowering his voice. “But, Ms. Carpenter, your boss shared a little more about your special ability. By the way, you were right about Barney.”
I nodded, anticipating his next words. Using my talent for police business wasn’t something I’d ever wanted, or considered. I’d refused my stepdad’s requests for help on cases several times.
“We’d like you to come to Will’s house, hoping you might spend some time with his dog and …”
I groaned. Not a dog! Why couldn’t it be a parrot, maybe a goldfish?
“Are you o —?”
“Go on,” I sighed. Of course I’d have to chat with a dog. Danger and dogs, the two things that I’d sworn off that just kept coming back to torment me.
“He had a dog and cat. Can you communicate with both?”
“Yes. Can we get this over with? I’m pretty overwhelmed right now.” That was an understatement.
“I’ll go with you,” Zane offered, extending his hand.
Stunned by his suggestion, I wasn’t sure how to respond. Last I checked I was furious with him. And now I’d have to delay my heart-to-heart with Luke. Today wasn’t the day for employee quarrels. Under the circumstances, I realized how petty I’d behaved at the restaurant. A man had wanted to pay for my lunch. Like that was a crime.
Aware three men were waiting for my answer, I snapped at Zane, “If you insist.”
Ignoring his hand I stood, my legs trembling. I couldn’t handle a repeat of our earlier electric encounter. Touching was off limits when it came to Zane Marshall, no matter how tempted I was to test whatever it was I felt between us.
I hated to admit, despite the craziness unfolding around us, I was undeniably curious about Zane’s motives for wanting to accompany me and was shocked by what he said next.
“I thought I might offer to care for Will’s pets, if the family doesn’t want them.” He shrugged. “I’ve got a thing for animals.”
Every time I was ready to write Zane off, he said or did something chivalrous. Maybe I’d find a daisy on the way back so I could play the old “he loves me; he loves me not” game with the words changed to: “I love him; I love him not.”
Much to my relief, I rode in the squad car’s front seat with Officer Tate. Zane looked cramped in the back. I was beginning to understand he would look confined just about anywhere. He was an imposing man. I love him not; I reminded myself for the umpteenth time since we’d left work.
We pulled into Will’s gravel driveway about thirty minutes later. I could see his treasured quads parked off to the side of the garage. He’d been a great driver, somewhat of a daredevil, but good enough to convince me into taking a long thrill ride on the dunes last summer. It was almost impossible for me to accept that he was dead — killed — and would never ride again.
The police team swarming over his property like flies on a corpse is what convinced me.
“This way,” Officer Tate directed.
Several colleagues acknowledged him but gave me cautious looks. I wondered if they knew the reason for my presence. If so, they