in the face of his brother’s pointless and painful death?
Deep inside her, restless doubts stirred.
Lord, increase my faith, her heart whispered as it did every time uncertainty reared its ugly head.
Parker’s hand slid over hers, the pressure firm as if he needed to hold on. “So you can see why even the mere hint of drugs sets me off.”
“I do understand. I feel the same way. I started the center to honor Daniel’s memory. But my hope is to give kids a chance to find happiness without getting high,” Melody explained. She had to make him see the importance of the youth center. “We’ve done good work here. My vision has always been to keep these kids off the street and out of trouble.”
“I’m sure your sister would be proud of you,” Parker said.
She appreciated his saying so. Now if only he stopped thinking the worst of the center... Maybe if he became more familiar with the center and the teens, he’d see that the rumors about drugs here were unfounded. That they were making a difference. “Why don’t you and Sherlock come in? The teens are starting to arrive, now that school has let out for the day. Take a look around. Meet the teens. See for yourself that the rumors are untrue.”
He seemed to consider her offer and then nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”
She led them inside the basement entrance. “When we took over the building, we renovated and turned the basement into a gym. There’s a full-size basketball court in here,” she said, pushing open the double metal doors to the gym on the right. Several teenage boys were shooting hoops. “Real hardwood floors and regulation-height baskets.”
“That must have cost a pretty penny,” Parker said as he pressed close to look through the open doorway.
The scent of his aftershave teased her senses. Spicy and tangy, like cinnamon and clove. She breathed in deep, liking the smell. Liking him.
Despite saying earlier she could handle Zane, there’d been a moment or two where she’d experienced qualms about the wisdom of questioning him alone. Even though she hadn’t obtained the answers she was looking for, she was grateful Parker had arrived when he did. She’d known the minute Zane had opened his mouth, he was high on some drug. Who knows what he would have done.
Contrition churned in her tummy. “I owe you an apology and a thank-you.”
Amusement danced in his dark eyes. “Okay, I’m listening.”
He wasn’t going to make this easy for her. Served her right.
“I shouldn’t have snapped at you earlier,” she said. “I know you were only doing your job. I appreciate that you came to my aid.”
“You’re welcome. And forgiven.”
She gave him a grateful smile. She led them out of the gym and down the hall. The beagle’s nose was to the ground as he walked a crooked path at the end of his leash.
“The center used to be an office building,” she explained. She stopped in front of a set of gender-marked doors. “We have two full locker rooms down here as well, complete with showers.”
Sherlock pawed at the door to the boy’s locker room. “Mind if we go in?” Parker asked.
“Sure.”
They disappeared through the door. A few moments later they re-emerged. Parker’s expression had turned pensive. The dog sniffed her boot.
She stepped away. “Everything okay?”
He shrugged. “Not sure. Sherlock lost whatever had him going.”
Melody’s stomach muscles squeezed. She had a strict policy against any and all contraband. Any violators would be arrested. If one of the teens had brought drugs into the center, it would only provide more fuel to the rumors circulating about the center. And give Parker more reason to be suspicious of her and the work they did.
“How did you come up with the funds for the center?” he asked.
She started them walking again. “Several patrons gave the center’s initial start-up money. The Athertons, Dante Frears, Mayor Hobbs and several other business owners. We hold an annual fund-raiser in the fall for the community and usually raise our operating expenses for most of the year. There are two paid staff members and the rest volunteer their time, so the overhead is manageable.”
They took the stairs to the main level. Her office was at the far end near the front door. “This floor has all the classrooms. Jim...you know Officer Jim Wheaton, right?”
Parker nodded. “Yes. I know Jim.”
“He teaches woodworking classes. There are also cooking classes and craft classes. We have a game and TV room with all the latest electronic gaming systems. The local high school basketball coach holds clinics on the weekend as well as supervising open gym time.” She took a breath. “A local nurse gives a free basic health-care class and a couple of women from the Sagebrush Christian Church lead a teen Bible study twice a week. On Sunday evenings, the youth pastor holds a teen worship night.”
“Impressive.”
Sherlock started pulling at his leash. Melody raised an eyebrow.
“What is it, boy?” Parker asked and let the leash drop. Sherlock took off with his nose to the ground. He headed straight for the bank of lockers situated against the wall between two classrooms. He started pawing and jumping at the last locker on the left.
Parker’s expression darkened. “Can you open this locker?”
She grimaced and gestured to the combination lock hanging from the lock mechanism. “The key to the lock has been missing for...oh, at least six months. And no one seems to know the combination. I keep meaning to have the locksmith come out to rekey it, but haven’t. There’s nothing in there.”
She hoped. But watching the way Sherlock was attacking the locker, a lump of dread dropped to the pit of her tummy. It occurred to her Sherlock hadn’t smelled anything in the locker this morning so whatever had him agitated now had been placed in it recently. Not good. Not good at all.
The door next to the lockers pushed open and Jim Wheaton walked out. The heavyset officer’s gray eyes narrowed on the dog. “What’s going on?”
Beside her, Melody felt Parker stiffen. “Sherlock smells something,” Parker said in a neutral tone that belied his physical posture.
“We need to get in this locker,” she said, her voice tight with anger.
Jim frowned. “Why? Nobody uses it. Hasn’t for months.”
Several teens crowded around Jim in the doorway.
Melody’s fingers curled with anxiety. “Can you break it open, please?”
Jim sighed heavily. “Yeah. Let me get something.” He turned and groused, “Out of my way.”
The teens scattered, some stepping into the hall, others moving back into the class.
Jim disappeared back inside the room and reappeared
