Page 9

EIGHT

Erin looked away from the chief, wondering if he could tell how shocked she was by the awful poem. She swallowed hard and forced a smile.

“That’s rather gruesome,” she said, fighting to appear nonchalant.

The chief’s eyebrows shot up. “Your book wasn’t exactly tame. I’m surprised that silly poem bothers you.”

Erin couldn’t tell him about what she’d heard last night. He’d think she was unbalanced. If she thought it had anything to do with the body in the woods, she would have mentioned it. But the woman was dead before she was dumped in the woods. Besides, what she’d heard was probably an animal. Or the wind. She wasn’t used to being here and had no idea what the sound actually was.

“So, how long will you be staying?” the chief asked.

“A week. Kaely is joining me later today.”

“Brainstorming session?” he asked with a smile.

“No. I just needed some time to chill out. You know, get away.”

“I understand,” the chief said. “We have quite a few people who come here to escape the city. It’s peaceful here. Tuning out the noise helps you see things more clearly.”

“Are you originally from here?”

“Raised here by my grandparents. My mother died when I was three. I never knew my father. I moved to Chicago and joined the police force when I graduated.” He shook his head. “It was too much for me. The crime, the awful things people did to each other. Especially the children. I just couldn’t take it. Found out the job of police chief was open here, so I applied and was hired.”

“Do your grandparents still live here?” Erin asked.

“No, they’ve passed away. It’s just me now. No other family that I know of.”

“I’m sorry. My parents are gone too. I have a sister somewhere, but we’re not in touch.”

“Sounds like we’re both short on family,” he said.

Erin nodded.

“So, when is your next book coming out?” he asked. “You can probably tell that I’m a fan.”

The question. One that she was asked constantly. One she had no answers for. Erin shrugged. “I have no idea. To be honest, I’m not sure I want to write another one. Dark Matters was cathartic. I wrote it because I needed to. But I’ve never seen myself as a novelist.”

“I’d guess there are a lot of authors out there who would like to be in your shoes. You write a book that goes straight to the bestsellers list, but you don’t see yourself as a novelist? Ouch.”

The chief was very perceptive. Other authors had reached out to her on social media, but she hadn’t reached back. She wasn’t comfortable pretending to be something she wasn’t. Some reacted badly to her lack of response, branding her as a snob. Others were very nice—people she’d like to know, if she stayed involved in that community. She didn’t feel comfortable explaining herself to a stranger. True, Adrian Nightengale seemed to be a nice person—someone easy to talk to. But the only human being she really shared her feelings with was Kaely—and that had taken some time. Kaely was... different. She didn’t seem to have an agenda, and she certainly wasn’t impressed with Erin’s celebrity.

She glanced sideways at Adrian. He really was good-looking. He pushed his hair back with his right hand, and she realized he was wearing a hearing aid.

He turned his head and caught her gaze. Without thinking, she blurted out, “You wear hearing aids?”

He smiled. “Yeah. I have noise-induced hearing loss. Sirens, target training, lots of things that can affect police officers.”

“My partner, Scott, suffered from NIHL. He wore hearing aids too. Didn’t affect his job performance at all.”

Most people didn’t realize that police officers couldn’t wear hearing protection. They had to always be aware of their surroundings. The general public had no idea how many in law enforcement had been affected by all the noise they had to endure. Thankfully, Erin’s hearing was okay. Scott had gotten the worst of it.

The chief nodded. “I do fine as long as I’m wearing them.”

“So that’s the noise you wanted to get away from? The streets of Chicago?”

“Well, it’s certainly quieter here.”

The chief slowed down and stopped the Jeep. They were back at the cabin. Erin was surprised they were already here.

“Thanks for the assistance,” he said.

“I hope it really did help. Could you... I mean, would you...”

“Keep you apprised of our progress?” he said.

“I’d like that. If it’s okay.”

“Of course it’s okay,” he said.

Erin got out of the Jeep. Before she closed the door, she said, “I hope you catch him, Chief. And thanks for the story about the cabin. Hopefully, I’ll be able to sleep tonight.”

He laughed heartily. “I hope so too. And it’s Adrian. No one calls me chief except my officers—and only when we’re on duty.”

“Okay, Adrian. It was nice meeting you.”

“You too.”

As Erin walked toward the front door of the cabin, a voice whispered in her head. William Watcher slew his wife. Slit her throat with his butcher knife. Now she wanders Watcher Woods, a ghastly visage in a cloak and hood. If you should hear her mournful cries, you will be the next to die.

Kaely checked the GPS on the rental car. A little over sixteen miles to the cabin. She’d been praying. Praying for the baby she and Noah wanted so badly. But this week was about Erin, not her own problems. It was hard not to think about it, though. It was always there in her mind. She asked God to help her put her own needs on the back burner and concentrate on Erin. Her GPS indicated that a turn was coming, so she focused her attention on the upcoming exit. Once she made it, she relaxed some. Spending a week with Erin had sounded like exactly what she needed. She and Erin had clicked from the beginning, and she felt connected to the woman she’d spent so much time with...online. But now they would be face-to-face. Would the easy relationship they’d created stay the same?

She checked her GPS again. Another twenty minutes, and she’d be there. “God, Erin has had so much pain in her life,” she prayed quietly. “I understand that. Help me to be sensitive and compassionate. You’ve brought me so far, and I really want to see her soul healed too. You’re the only One who can do that. Help me to not think I can do Your job.” She sighed heavily. “And keep reminding me to stay out of Your way, okay?”

This was going to be an interesting week. As she made the last turn toward the cabin, Kaely whispered the same prayer she’d prayed so many times. “Not my will, Lord. Just Yours.”