“Hi. It’s Anna.” I reported all details, and he was on the move before I’d finished. “See you soon.”
Aiden emerged fully dressed and headed back out into the lightly falling snow, his gun still in his hand.
I moved into my bedroom and pulled on jeans and a white knit sweater, yanking a Smiley’s Diner ball cap over my head and tucking my hair behind my ears. Then I drew on my jacket and gloves again, walking out into the frigid air as the police began arriving.
Aiden had disappeared into the woods.
Pierce arrived after the first uniformed officers, who were tying off the area with yellow crime-scene tape. “Inside,” he said, gesturing with his notebook.
I turned and went right back inside, wondering if any of the men in my life knew how to ask nicely. I tore off my jacket and gloves, heading into the kitchen to make us both some coffee.
“Tell me what happened,” Pierce said, glancing at the mess on my table and turning to sit on my guest chair by the fireplace. Today he wore a long-sleeved green shirt, black jeans, and black snow boots. He fumbled for a pen in his pocket, drew it out, and clicked the roller free. Then he started making notes before I even began speaking.
“Say please,” I snapped, handing him his mug.
His eyebrows rose. “You’re in a mood.”
“There’s a dead body on my lawn, and none of the people in my life have manners.” I sat on the sofa and drew a leg up beneath me.
He frowned. “Where’s Devlin?”
“Out scouting in the woods for the killer,” I retorted. “The footprints were all gone, so I’m not too worried. But who knows. He might find something.”
Pierce took more notes. “Tell me everything.” Then he looked up at me. “Please.”
There we go. I told him everything, including all about Violet, feeling comforted that she was now safe with my aunt and uncle. When I wound down, Pierce was just staring at me. “What?” I asked.
“How? How do these things always happen to you?” He sounded genuinely curious.
I drank more of my coffee, wishing for my huckleberry pie, but my appetite had disappeared. “I have no idea.”
He tucked his notebook back into his pocket. “I don’t suppose I could talk you into taking a long vacation?”
“Sure, but why? If it’s Jareth Davey, he’s proven he can track fairly well. If it isn’t him, then we have no clue who it is, and the problem will be waiting for me when I get home,” I said reasonably, keeping it together on the outside. On the inside, I could feel the mother of all panic attacks headed my way when I had a chance to breathe.
Pierce pressed his lips together, looking like an irritated surfer. “I’d suggest you find another line of work, but frankly, you’d just find more interesting ways to court trouble.”
That was almost exactly what Aiden had said the night before. I glared at Pierce. “None of this is my fault.” I’d been reasonable and safe for as long as I could remember.
“I know,” Pierce said. “Stay here.” He shook his head. “Tell me Devlin is planning on staying in town for a while, at least until we catch this guy.”
“You can count on it,” Aiden said, walking through the front door and brushing snow off his thick hair.
Chapter 31
Idropped Tessa’s car off outside Smiley’s Diner and then got into Bud’s cop car, wanting to somehow reassure him that I wouldn’t get him shot this time. Today he was even more silent than usual after having seen the dead body on my lawn. “So, I think I’ll wrap up the cases I can, give the rest to Clark, and maybe take a week or so off,” I said. “For the holidays, you know?”
Bud grunted.
I held my hands out to the heater. Even though I was wearing gloves, my fingers hadn’t warmed up after my early trek outside that morning. “Thank you for covering me again.”
He drove around my building to park in the back alley where I usually parked. “You’re good job security for me.” He stopped the engine.
I looked at him. “Did you just make a joke? Like a real joke?”
He rolled his eyes and opened his door. “The holidays bring out my fanciful side.”
I opened my door and stepped out, slashed immediately by the maniacal wind. His fanciful side? “All right,” I said doubtfully. “How’s it going with the wife?” I stepped over a chunk of ice toward the private rear door to the two-story building.
