Page 14

Chapter 14

“So, Nick, where did you say you live?” Alice asked as she sliced into a portion of the steaming chicken cordon bleu she’d served on china.

He swallowed the bite in his mouth, savoring the creamy sauce. “I’ve spent most of my life on the east coast. I have an apartment in Norfolk, Virginia.” He stuffed another piece of the chicken into his mouth and hoped Alice wouldn’t ask him another question while his mouth was full.

Brenna sat at the edge of her seat, pushing the food around her plate and glancing at the clock on the wall every two minutes. She hadn’t said more than two words to Alice or Stan since their initial stilted greetings. Or anyone else for that matter.

“You should be married.” Marian Jensen pointed her fork at Nick for the twentieth time. “Brenna needs a husband. You should be married.”

Brenna’s cheeks reddened, and she sank lower in her chair. How many times had her mother said the exact same thing in the past hour? Nick hid a grin at Brenna’s obvious discomfort.

Alice smiled and patted Nick’s hand. “Don’t pay her any mind. She doesn’t mean anything by it.”

“May we be excused?” asked Brandon, the older of Alice’s two children. He sat with his hands in his lap, his hair combed neatly and his shirt tucked into khaki slacks. He hadn’t wiggled once at the table, and he’d displayed surprising table manners for a six-year-old. If one of Nick’s nephews had sat at the table, he’d have fallen out of his chair at least three times by now, trying to slip scraps to a persistent pooch beneath the chair. Even the younger boy, Luke, was well behaved.

“I don’t know how you do it. I’ve never seen little boys with such good manners,” Nick commented.

Sitting closest to Brandon, Brenna ran a hand through his hair and smiled down at Luke, her love for her nephews obvious in the way she’d hugged them and gotten down on the floor to play with them before dinner.

But little boys needed to let loose, whoop and holler. These guys were too quiet. Must be their company manners, Nick reasoned.

“It’s a matter of expectations,” Stan said. “You let them know their limits and you enforce them. I think too many people allow their children to misbehave.” He glanced at Brandon. “You and Luke may be excused.”

“Thank you, sir.” Brandon climbed down off his chair, gathered his plate and cup and carried them into the kitchen. The smaller child slipped out of his booster seat and followed suit. As soon as they’d deposited their dishes, they left the room and climbed the stairs to their rooms.

“Stan’s been very hands-on with the boys. Everywhere we go, people comment on how well mannered they are.” Alice smiled at her husband. On the surface, Alice Klaus appeared to be a happy, supportive wife to an enterprising, if a little overly rigid, husband. She kept a spotless house and a neat and orderly life. Apparently a life Brenna’s mother wanted for her youngest daughter, regardless of whether it was right for her.

Nick set his fork on the table, his plate clean. “Thank you for an incredible meal, Mrs. Klaus.”

“Please, call me Alice.” She stood and collected his plate. “How about some dessert? I baked a chocolate cake this morning.”

“That would be wonderful.” He patted his belly, wondering where he’d find room for more, but willing to risk the added pound for home baked cake.

Brenna rose from the table. “I’ll help you with the dishes. Then we’ll have to run.”

“You need to be married, Brenna. Have a family like Stan and Alice.”

Brenna leaned over and kissed her mother’s cheek. “Yes, Mom.”

The simple gesture and agreement warmed Nick’s heart. Brenna knew her mother wasn’t in her right mind, but she didn’t hold it against her.

His gaze followed her through the door into the kitchen. When the door swung closed, he realized he was alone with Brenna’s brother-in-law and her mother for the first time.

So far, Nick hadn’t been impressed with Brenna’s brother-in-law. The man didn’t go out of his way to make his guests comfortable. He left it all up to his wife.

“Stan, Brenna tells me you’re in the communication industry.” Nick smiled, reminding himself that he wasn’t supposed to be in interrogation mode; besides, this was just friendly curiosity. “What exactly does that mean?”

Stan pushed his chair back and folded his napkin on the table. “I own a business that supplies sixty percent of Riverton’s cable television, telephone and Internet.”

Nick sat forward. “Do you keep a store of supplies on hand for your customers?”

Stan’s face registered mild surprise. “Well, yes, of course. I have a warehouse full of supplies. My customers trust me to give them efficient and timely support. If their system goes down, I’m there.”

“That kind of work must keep you pretty busy, huh? Seems like my Internet back home is always going down.” Nick lifted his water glass and sipped.

Stan’s chest swelled. “My company prides itself in the backup systems and the redundant servers we have in place to ensure uninterrupted service.” The man was proud of his business and quick to warm to the subject.

“What would you say is the leading cause of a customer’s down-time?” Nick asked, not really caring about the answer, but wanting to fill dead air. Marian Jensen sat silent in her own world.

“Operator error,” Stan said without hesitation. “Most people don’t know any more about their computers than they do about their cars. Some have trouble locating the on-off switch.”

“Ever have any supplies pilfered from your warehouse?”

With a frown, Stan asked, “You going somewhere with this?”

“Just curious. Seems like computer parts can get expensive.”

“Yes they can. That’s why I had a security system installed at the warehouse. Only authorized personnel can enter.”

“How many people are authorized?”

“I and the four repairmen I have on staff. Why do you ask?”

“I guess you’ve heard on television we found Dr. Drummond.”

“Yes, I’d heard.” Stan frowned. “Tragic, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.” Nick laid his napkin on the table beside his plate. “The interesting thing is her hands were bound in Ethernet cable.”

His face paling, Stan leaned back in his chair. “You don’t think I had anything to do with it, do you?”

“Not at all,” Nick hurried to assure him. “I just wondered where a killer could’ve gotten hold of Ethernet cable.”

“You can buy it at any store that carries computer hardware supplies. It’s easily available.” Brenna’s brother-in-law shook his head. “I find it hard to believe this is happening in Riverton.”

“I know. Don’t worry.” Nick gave Brenna’s brother-in-law a reassuring smile. “Like I said, I’m curious.”

“Have you found any of the other missing women?”

“Not yet. We’re still searching.”

“Good God,” Stan said quietly. “We can’t even be safe in our own backyards.”

“Do you know any of the missing women?”

“Only from church. Dr. Drummond occasionally joined our Sunday School class.”

“She was a member of your church?” Nick’s attention perked. “Did you ever have an opportunity to speak with her on a more personal level? Did she mention anyone who might have been bothering her?”

“No.” Stan shook his head. “I should’ve called the other deacons to notify them of a death in our church family when I learned about it. We have a phone chain we use to notify other members when something of this nature occurs. I’ve been remiss.” He stood. “If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll do that now.”

“Certainly.”

Stan left the room and walked into the entrance hall.

Alone now with Marian Jensen in the tastefully decorated dining room, Nick pushed to his feet and walked around the room, studying the framed prints of Victorian settings. Not a frame was crooked or off-centered. He reached up and nudged one and it tilted to the right.

Nick fought a smile. Stan Klaus seemed a bit uptight and would probably go nuts with a tilted picture. Besides, anyone who made Brenna tense couldn’t be all good, despite what her mother thought.

As if on cue, Marian asked, “Are you going to marry my daughter?”

“I don’t know, Mrs. Jensen.” Having been burned by marriage once, Nick wasn’t anxious to jump back into the fire. But the old woman’s question made him think.

“Damaged goods, that’s what she is.”

“Excuse me.” Nick shook his head. Had she said what he thought she’d said? At moments she seemed lucid; at others, it was as if her mind took a hike.

“Can’t get a man because she’s damaged goods.” Marian dug her fork into her food and twirled it around. “What man can love a woman with ugly scars? Damaged goods. Should never have let her play in that barn. It’s all my fault.”

“I’m sure it was an accident.” Nick took his seat next to Mrs. Jensen. “You shouldn’t blame yourself.”

“One of those neighbor kids did it. Damn pyromaniac!”

Nick’s heart skipped a beat, and he leaned forward. Was Mrs. Jensen recalling what had really happened, or had she slipped into the imaginings of her warped mind?

“What neighbor kid?” he asked.

“Had to have been one of the neighbor kids.” Marian set her fork on her plate and rocked back and forth in her chair, tears welling in her tired blue eyes. “My poor baby. So much pain. Now, she can’t be loved.”

Nick didn’t want to add to the woman’s grief, but he couldn’t help asking, “Why can’t she be loved?”

“Damaged goods. All those ugly scars.”

Reaching for Marian’s hands, he held them in his. “Brenna is a beautiful woman, Mrs. Jensen. Any man would be lucky to have her.”

“Damaged. Scars are so ugly. My beautiful baby.” Her fingers clutched at his with a bruising grip.

What could he say to her that would break through her grief? The only thing that might sooth her guilt would be an admission to loving her daughter and regarding her as beautiful despite the scars.

Nick couldn’t do that. He didn’t know what he felt for Brenna and was afraid to ask himself. He did know he admired her for her dedication to her home and family and her abilities as an investigator. But love? After knowing her only a few days?

Not possible.

Why the hell didn’t she come out of the kitchen so they could get going?

Lifting the glass cake cover, Alice asked, “Is Nick your own personal bodyguard now?”

“I wouldn’t call him that. It’s more like he’s guarding a body of evidence.”

“Yeah,” Alice said as if she believed Brenna’s nonchalance. She slid a serrated knife into a beautifully decorated chocolate cake that looked as if it had come from a bakery.

Brenna almost put her hand out to stop Alice from cutting into the work of art.

“And it doesn’t hurt that he’s an absolute babe, huh?”

Brenna shrugged. “He’s okay.”

“Okay?” Alice stared across the island countertop at her sister, her eyes narrowing. “Is there something you want to tell your big sis?”

“No.” Brenna’s face heated, and she could have stomped her own foot for responding too quickly to her sister’s question. With her cheeks burning, she knew she gave herself away.

Alice’s narrowed glance widened, and a grin spread across her face. “You did it! You slept with him, didn’t you?”

By now Brenna’s face burned all the way out to her ears, and she couldn’t help glancing back over her shoulder to make sure the door remained closed between the kitchen and the dining room. “Shhh! It’s not like you think.”

“Oh, come on.” Alice laid the knife on the cake plate and rounded the counter to take Brenna’s hands. “How long has it been since you’ve let someone in your bedroom?”

“Not that long.” Brenna stared down at their hands. Alice’s were slender and manicured, while her own sported short-clipped nails, giving her fingers a masculine appearance in comparison.

“Bull. You haven’t been with anyone since Victor. Am I right?” She squeezed Brenna’s hands gently. “That bastard made a mess of you, didn’t he?”

“No. I did it to myself.”

“And with Nick?”

Brenna pulled her fingers loose and turned away. “I don’t know. We’ve only known each other for a couple of days. I have no idea what I was thinking...why I let him... Oh, hell.” Her shoulders sagged. “What am I doing?”

“You like him, and, from what I can tell, he likes you. Sounds like you’re grabbing for a little happiness.”

Brenna swung back toward her sister. “I’m in the middle of a murder investigation. I have no right to grab for happiness when women are dying.”

“Honey, there will always be another investigation, another murder to solve. When will you make time for you?” She slid her arm around Brenna’s waist and hugged her.

Brenna leaned into her sister, cherishing the comfort of the closeness she’d missed since Alice’s marriage. “It’s not like he’ll stay.”

“You’ll have a little fun while he’s here. Who said you have to marry him?”

Brenna doubted she could be so superficial. She’d taken two years to get over Victor, and he hadn’t been worth shedding a tear over. With Nick... She glanced toward the door standing between him and her. It might as well be a solid rock wall. They could never have more than a quick fling. Once they solved the case, he’d go back to Virginia, and she’d return to Bismarck or move on to Minneapolis. Once again, she’d pick up the pieces and march on. Alone.

“Hey,” Alice stepped back and looked her in the eyes. “You really like him, don’t you?”

More than she wanted to admit. “I’m afraid to fall for him.”

“I know. Love can be a scary thing. You never know if it’ll last.”

“What do you mean?”

Alice shrugged and went back to cutting the cake. “Just that you’ve only known each other a couple of days. It’s hard to tell at this point if the attraction will last.” Her words came out quicker than casual conversation, and her hands shook as she laid a slab of cake on a plate.

Brenna bit into her bottom lip. Now was the time to ask Alice about her marriage. But how, without letting her know she’d seen Dr. Drummond’s records? “Alice, are you happy?”

“Who me?” She didn’t look up but slid the knife into the cake again. “Of course, I’m happy. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Are you and Stan doing okay?”

“Now, don’t try to turn this conversation away from you. I won’t let you.” Alice shook a finger at her sister and jerked a drawer open.

“Sometimes, I worry about you,” Brenna said softly.

“Don’t be silly. Stan and I have a good marriage. He provides for us, and we want for nothing.”

“Nothing, huh?” Brenna almost snorted but held back at the last minute.

“Stop.” Her sister stared across the counter, her smile gone. “I know you and he don’t get along, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still be friends. And stop worrying about me. I’m fine.”

“Do you have any regrets?”

Alice reached up and pushed a lock of her golden-blond hair behind her ear, smearing chocolate icing on her cheek. “No. I can never regret Brandon and Luke. And Stan takes care of us.”

Brenna lifted her chin toward her sister. “You have chocolate on your cheek.”

Alice grabbed a paper towel and wiped the icing off her face.

“Do you love him?” Brenna asked.

Alice gave a shaky laugh and lifted two plates of cake. “Of course, I do. Now, take this out to your man before he thinks we took the cake and ran with it.”

Brenna grabbed the plates but looked into her sister’s eyes as she did. “You know I’m always here if you need someone to talk to.”

“I know, sweetie. I know.” Alice smiled her normal smile. “You shouldn’t be worrying about me. You have a murder to solve.”

“Right.” Her sister didn’t want to talk. Brenna swallowed her disappointment. Now might not be the time, but she would make the effort before she left Riverton. “I hope you won’t be insulted if we cut loose right after dessert. We have to get some sleep before we go on duty tonight.”

“You’re working a night shift?” Alice’s brows rose. “I thought only cops worked all-nighters. You’re an investigator. Why can’t you keep normal hours?”

“Because psycho killers don’t.” Brenna smiled at her sister and backed into the swinging door. “Come on, this cake smells delicious.”

As she laid the cake in front of Nick, she plastered on her best poker face, hoping he hadn’t overheard any of their conversation about him in the kitchen.

Alice looked around the corner of the dining room. “Where’d Stan go?”

“He went to notify the church of Dr. Drummond’s passing... Something about a phone chain,” Nick said, his breath a soft puff against Brenna’s arm.

Her hand jerked, and the plate teetered as she set it on the table's edge.

Nick grabbed her wrist and helped the plate to a safer resting place. “I like to eat my cake, not wear it.” He winked up at her.

Brenna backed away and carried her plate to the other side of the table, her gaze locked on the cake while concentrating on reducing her heartbeat to a normal pace.

How could a man she’d only known for two days turn her into a jittery idiot? Taking her seat, she inhaled and exhaled slowly before she lifted her fork and dug into her cake.

“I saw that about Dr. Drummond,” Alice said between bites. “Very sad news. They also reported a third woman went missing since we last talked, but they won’t release names until the families are notified. Anybody I know? Or are you allowed to discuss this?”

“There’s a total of four now. I don’t know if you know any of the rest of them. They were new to me,” Brenna said. “Dr. Deborah Gomez from the university, a woman who worked at the biolab, Willa Stinson and the real estate lady, Michelle Carmichael.”

Alice’s fork clattered to her plate, and her face blanched. “Deborah Gomez and Willa Stinson?”

“You know them?” Brenna touched her sister’s arm.

“Yes, I do.” Alice pressed a hand to her mouth. “They sat a few pews over from us in church. Dr. Drummond was in my Sunday school class. And come to think of it, Michelle Carmichael was a member of the congregation as well, although she didn’t come as often because of her work.”

“You knew all of them?”

“Yes. I worked with Deborah and Willa on the annual charity auction last spring.” Alice’s brows knit together. “Are they dead?”

Brenna shook her head. “We don’t know. We haven’t found bodies yet.”

“But...you think you will.” Alice stood, pressing her hands to her cheeks. “I need to call someone.”

Seeing her sister’s reaction to the news made Brenna’s stomach clench. She set her fork aside and stood, the cake forgotten. “I’m sorry, Alice. I didn’t know you were friends.”

“We’re not; we were more like acquaintances.” She shook her head again. “Wow, this is getting scary. So close to home.”

“Are you okay?” Brenna put an arm around her sister’s waist.

“I’m okay. Shocked, but okay.” Alice pulled herself up straight. “Do you mind? I feel like I ought to call the pastor or someone. Or maybe the prayer group.”

“It’s okay. Agent Tarver and I have to get back to work, anyway,” Brenna said, sorry she’d even shared the information with Alice. Had she known she’d be so shocked, she’d have waited until another time. As it was, her appetite was spoiled for the beautiful cake, and from Nick’s expression, so was his.

“You ready to go?” she asked him.

“Absolutely.”

Alice, her socially conscious sister, walked out of the room without saying goodbye, as if Brenna and Nick had already left the house.

“Remind me not to talk shop at the dinner table,” Nick said as he slipped into his black leather jacket.

“Me, too.”

“What say we drop by the station before we head to the hotel?”

“I’m game.” Anything to delay being in a hotel suite alone with Agent Tarver.

The trip to the station was accomplished in silence, with Brenna lost in her thoughts.

Most of the victims were members of Alice’s church. Was Robin Rutledge also a member? Could the killer be someone in their church?

Chief Burkholder met them at the door to the war room, his face as gray as the few hairs left on his head. “I’m glad you’re here. We found another body.”

Brenna’s heart bumped against her chest. “Where?”

“A farmer down by the river went out to check his fields because of the flooding and found a body.”

“Gomez?” Brenna asked. “Carmichael?”

The older man shook his head. “Stinson.”