“THIS CAN’T BE A COINCIDENCE, Wen.” The sick feeling I got in the pit of my stomach when Maegan called me intensified as I stared down at the bloody evidence left behind her shop.
“I don’t think so either, Markham.”
The two of us had donned rubber gloves and blue booties before entering the alley to keep from further contaminating the scene. We squatted down next to the object wrapped in bloody newspaper and did the rock, paper, scissors game. The loser had to open the newspaper to see what was hidden inside. I went with paper and Wen chose scissors.
“Dammit,” I muttered.
“I hope it’s not a severed head, pal.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time,” I said to my temporary partner. I’d seen the absolute worst the world had to offer in my roles as soldier and cop. I reached down and slowly peeled back the sides to reveal a bloody marble bust of a man’s head. “Sort of like a severed head,” I told Wen.
“I think we’re looking at the weapon that was used to bash in Thom Renzo’s skull.” Wen held open the evidence bag, and I gingerly placed the bust and newspaper inside it. Maybe there was something significant about the newspaper that would leave a clue. “I’ll get this to the lab.”
“Thanks, I’ll be there soon,” I told him, but I had already turned my attention to the opening of the alley where I knew a certain blonde bombshell was waiting for me.
A few other officers were still looking for evidence with flashlights since the sun was rapidly setting. Once out of the alley, Wen and I placed our booties in a paper evidence bag and our rubber gloves in a bag designated for the biohazard disposal. The lab could check the booties to see if any viable evidence was found. It wasn’t likely since we were walking in an alley, but it paid to be vigilant.
I found Maegan sitting in her SUV. She was staring off in space and didn’t know that I had approached until I lightly tapped on her window. She jerked in her seat and I felt terrible that I scared her even more than she’d already been that evening. She blew out a relieved breath and unlocked her door. I went around to the passenger side and got in beside her.
“I’m sorry that I scared you.”
“You’d think that I would’ve been more alert after what happened this evening,” she said. “Can you tell me what that was?”
“It was a marble bust of a man’s head. I’m pretty sure it’s my murder weapon.”
“Someone killed Thom on the night I was supposed to meet him then placed the murder weapon in the alley behind my business the very next day. Is that what you’re telling me?” She was struggling to remain calm, but I heard the panic creeping into her voice. “But why?”
“That’s what I’m going to figure out.” I reached over and covered her hands with mine. “I need to go to the station to look at the evidence we collected in a better light. Is there someone you can call to hang out with you until I’m done? Maybe whoever drives that Cadillac I saw in your driveway.”
“That’s my mom’s car,” she told me. “I would like to say that I’m a big girl and don’t need a sitter, but I honestly don’t want to be alone tonight. I think I’ll grab Lulu and go to my parents’ house.”
“Oh.” I sounded as disappointed as I felt. It wasn’t that I expected her to throw me down and fuck me stupid after the night she had, but I just wanted to know that she was okay.
“Unless you still want to go out later. I’m not sure that I’ll be very good company.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to be either,” I replied. “Why don’t you go to your parents’ house for a little bit and I’ll call you when I’m done at the station. I shouldn’t be long because most of our evidence will have to be sent to the state lab. I’ll pick us up something to eat at the diner and we’ll just stay in tonight.”
“That sounds perfect.” She was holding up remarkably well and I was so proud of her. I wanted to pull her into my arms, but it wouldn’t look very professional in front of my fellow officers.
I cupped her face with my hand and brushed my thumb over her cheekbone. “I want to kiss you, Freckles.”
Maegan wrapped her hand around my wrist and leaned her head into my touch before she turned her face and kissed the palm of my hand. “Please,” was her simple reply.
I pulled Maegan toward me slowly, keeping my gaze locked on her mesmerizing green eyes the entire time. The kiss wasn’t about sex, it was about comfort—hers and mine. I think she knocked ten years off my life when I answered her distress call, and I needed to know she was truly okay. She needed to know I was there for her and would do everything in my power to keep her safe. I pressed my lips softly against hers then went back for a second, lingering kiss.
Maegan released a shaky breath when we pulled apart and offered me a crooked smile. At least for the time being, I gave her something to think about other than a crazy killer on the loose planting bloody evidence outside her business. My brain wanted to remain focused on the case, but my body was getting other ideas.
“I’m going to go now.”While I still can.“What do you feel like eating?”
“I think Emma’s beef stew and homemade dinner rolls can fix just about anything,” Maegan told me. That was one item on the menu I still hadn’t tried, and I decided to rectify that immediately.
“I’ll call you when I’m leaving the diner.”
“Thank you, Elijah.”
“You’re welcome, Maegan.”
Getting out of her car and into my truck was harder than it should’ve been. I hardly knew the lady, but she already had a hold on me. I could’ve continued lying to myself that I didn’t want her, or I could take a chance that I might’ve found the girl for me. I knew which one I wanted to be true, but the question was: how badly did I want it?
