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Authors: T. L. Haddix
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washed up and went to get the log.
Chase remembered his lunch and opened the microwave to pull it out. With a sick grimace, he dumped the food in the trash, his appetite gone. “When will you know something?” he asked Stacy as she packed up her evidence kit.
She shrugged. “Depending on how fast Gordon can push this through, and depending on what evidence there is on the package, we could have something as soon as tomorrow. Keep in mind, though, this guy is smart. Chances aren’t great that there will even be anything to find.”
Chase crossed his arms over his chest and shrugged. “All we can do is try, and hope we get lucky. His making contact is more than we’ve had in ten years’ time. Maybe he’s gotten sloppy, and we’ll hit pay dirt with this package.” He walked to the front office with her, and Nellia gave her the information about when the card had come in.
Stacy tucked the note into a pouch on her bag, and stopped at the door with her hand on the doorknob. “I’m driving this down to Louisville now. You’ve got some top-notch investigators working on this, Chase. If anything is there, we’ll find it.”
“I know,” he said. “Are you available tomorrow evening?”
Stacy raised her eyebrows. “Are you asking me out?” Despite the tension, Gina and Nellia both snickered. Chase just looked at Stacy, aware that there was no good response.
She let him off the hook. “I know better, Chase. What are you planning?”
“Dinner at Ethan and Beth’s with the crew,” he said, relieved. “A powwow, of sorts. To discuss all this.”
“Sure, what time?”
“Probably around seven, maybe a little earlier.”
Stacy nodded. “See you then.”
After she left, Chase made sure Nellia and Gina didn’t need anything more from him before he went back to his office. He closed the door and leaned back against the cool wood, his head tipped back, eyes closed. He felt old from the inside out, haunted by a ghost whose reach he couldn’t seem to escape. Not for the first time, he cursed the day he had met Kiely Turner. The rage he felt was a cold, festering fury, and if the killer had been standing in front of him at that moment, he would have strangled him with his bare hands.
Chapter 5
Chase arrived at his parents’ farm shortly before six-thirty that evening. He was surprised to see that his father’s car wasn’t in its usual spot. Ethan had texted him while he was picking up pizza from the take-and-bake place to let him know they’d dropped Annie off, so Chase had assumed his parents would be there. He felt a quick rush of concern and told himself he was overreacting, but at the same time, he knew he wouldn’t feel better until he’d laid eyes on Annie.
As he parked, he saw her come around the corner of the house, water hose in hand. She had apparently been watering some of the profusion of flowers that graced the landscape of the pool area, which separated the main house from the guesthouse. Her hair was pulled back in its usual style, held off her face by a clip. She was dressed in worn denim shorts and a loose tank top, and as Chase watched, she pointed the hose in his direction and gave a quick squirt, the water falling short of his car by several feet. She grinned widely and pushed a curl that had sprung loose back behind her ear, only to have the wind tug it loose again. Chase felt his heart turn over in his chest, and he knew then just how deep he was in emotionally. The idea that a monster could be bearing down on her was almost more than he could bear. Shaking himself free from the thought, he grabbed the food and the folder with the lease and climbed out of the car.
Annie finished rolling up the water hose and walked over to meet him. “Hey,” she said. “Your parents called. They got held up at the office, but they’re on the way.” Richard was a doctor in a small practice in Leroy, and Jackie was his office manager. It was an arrangement most married couples would
Chase remembered his lunch and opened the microwave to pull it out. With a sick grimace, he dumped the food in the trash, his appetite gone. “When will you know something?” he asked Stacy as she packed up her evidence kit.
She shrugged. “Depending on how fast Gordon can push this through, and depending on what evidence there is on the package, we could have something as soon as tomorrow. Keep in mind, though, this guy is smart. Chances aren’t great that there will even be anything to find.”
Chase crossed his arms over his chest and shrugged. “All we can do is try, and hope we get lucky. His making contact is more than we’ve had in ten years’ time. Maybe he’s gotten sloppy, and we’ll hit pay dirt with this package.” He walked to the front office with her, and Nellia gave her the information about when the card had come in.
Stacy tucked the note into a pouch on her bag, and stopped at the door with her hand on the doorknob. “I’m driving this down to Louisville now. You’ve got some top-notch investigators working on this, Chase. If anything is there, we’ll find it.”
“I know,” he said. “Are you available tomorrow evening?”
Stacy raised her eyebrows. “Are you asking me out?” Despite the tension, Gina and Nellia both snickered. Chase just looked at Stacy, aware that there was no good response.
She let him off the hook. “I know better, Chase. What are you planning?”
“Dinner at Ethan and Beth’s with the crew,” he said, relieved. “A powwow, of sorts. To discuss all this.”
“Sure, what time?”
“Probably around seven, maybe a little earlier.”
Stacy nodded. “See you then.”
After she left, Chase made sure Nellia and Gina didn’t need anything more from him before he went back to his office. He closed the door and leaned back against the cool wood, his head tipped back, eyes closed. He felt old from the inside out, haunted by a ghost whose reach he couldn’t seem to escape. Not for the first time, he cursed the day he had met Kiely Turner. The rage he felt was a cold, festering fury, and if the killer had been standing in front of him at that moment, he would have strangled him with his bare hands.
Chapter 5
Chase arrived at his parents’ farm shortly before six-thirty that evening. He was surprised to see that his father’s car wasn’t in its usual spot. Ethan had texted him while he was picking up pizza from the take-and-bake place to let him know they’d dropped Annie off, so Chase had assumed his parents would be there. He felt a quick rush of concern and told himself he was overreacting, but at the same time, he knew he wouldn’t feel better until he’d laid eyes on Annie.
As he parked, he saw her come around the corner of the house, water hose in hand. She had apparently been watering some of the profusion of flowers that graced the landscape of the pool area, which separated the main house from the guesthouse. Her hair was pulled back in its usual style, held off her face by a clip. She was dressed in worn denim shorts and a loose tank top, and as Chase watched, she pointed the hose in his direction and gave a quick squirt, the water falling short of his car by several feet. She grinned widely and pushed a curl that had sprung loose back behind her ear, only to have the wind tug it loose again. Chase felt his heart turn over in his chest, and he knew then just how deep he was in emotionally. The idea that a monster could be bearing down on her was almost more than he could bear. Shaking himself free from the thought, he grabbed the food and the folder with the lease and climbed out of the car.
Annie finished rolling up the water hose and walked over to meet him. “Hey,” she said. “Your parents called. They got held up at the office, but they’re on the way.” Richard was a doctor in a small practice in Leroy, and Jackie was his office manager. It was an arrangement most married couples would
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