Tucker straightened and nodded. “Let’s go.”
With a grimace, Melanie said goodbye to Aunt Sarah, promising to visit again soon, and then followed him out. She hadn’t realized how tall he was. But now, trying to keep up with his long strides, she realized he was a good eight or nine inches taller than her own five feet four inches. By the time they had reached the parking lot, she was almost jogging to keep up. What was his hurry? She didn’t remember him walking so fast earlier.
Irritated, she stopped. She planted her fists firmly on her slim hips. And waited.
Lieutenant Tucker was about twenty feet ahead of her when he slowed and glanced around. His expression grew as dark as a thundercloud. He fixed the fiercest glare Melanie had ever seen on her, and she resisted the urge to take a step back. Instead, she lifted her chin, and gave him what she hoped was a defiant scowl.
“What are you playing at, Melanie?” he demanded.
“I’m not going to run after you,” she tossed back at him. “My legs are shorter than yours.”
He huffed. “Of all the—”
A sudden squeal of tires cut off whatever he was about to say. A dark four-door sedan came barreling around the corner of the parking lot. It was headed right for her!
Melanie stood, frozen, filled with the certainty that she was going to die.
Lieutenant Tucker rammed into her with enough force to send her flying six feet before she slammed into the pavement. She lay still for a couple of seconds before sitting up, wincing. The lieutenant was already calling the incident in on the radio clipped to his shoulder. He didn’t get a good look at the license plate, she heard him say.
“We need to look over the security tapes before we leave,” he informed her. “Whoever that was almost killed us with their recklessness. There’s no excuse for accidents like that to happen.”
Melanie was silent. Part of her wondered if it really had been an accident.
* * *
“Do we know where we’re going?” Mel inquired. They had been driving in silence for ten minutes.
“Of course I know,” Lieutenant Tucker replied, his expression bordering on smug. After a few seconds, Mel realized he wasn’t planning on saying anything more.
“Well, could you tell me where?”
“I could. Don’t know why I should, though. You’re a civilian.”
Mel sputtered in confusion. “Well, because... Jace!” She nearly yelled the last as she caught his satisfied smirk. Then her face reddened as she realized she had slipped up and called him by his first name. “I mean Lieutenant.”
“Jace is fine.”
She gave him her most mutinous glare.
He relented. “Fine. We’re going to an apartment complex on Sassafras Street. That’s Alayna Brown’s last known address.”
Startled, Melanie couldn’t help asking, “You mean you’re going to let me talk to her?”
He shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“Well,” Melanie said, “if you’re investigating the threats—which you are, right?” Jace nodded. “Then is it okay for me to be there? I mean, it’s not like I’m a police officer.”
Jace’s derisive snort in response irritated her, but she stayed quiet, waiting for him to answer. “You’re right that I usually wouldn’t bring a civilian along while I went to take someone’s statement,” he said at last. “But these are unusual circumstances. You seem to be in danger. I promised my chief I would look after you. I have to question Alayna, and I can’t leave you unsupervised, which means you have to go where I go. And anyway, your aunt said that Alayna was worried about you. She might be more willing to talk if you’re there.”
Satisfied, and more than a little apprehensive, Melanie sat back and allowed the silence to swallow them as Jace turned off the interstate and headed toward the city limits.
“Your voice is incredible.”
Taken aback, her eyes swiveled back to Jace. His expression clearly said he hadn’t meant to tell her that. In fact, he refused to glance her way.
“Thank you.” Really, what else was there to say?
“That was an unusual song choice.”
Jace apparently hated mysteries of any kind.
“My aunt has loved that song forever. I grew up listening to it. It only made sense to learn to sing it.” She shrugged. She had never really given thought to her talent. It was just something she enjoyed doing. Truth be known, she often found herself singing without being aware of it. That habit had gotten her into trouble more than once.
It took them a while to find the exact apartment complex. Some of the buildings were so old and poorly maintained that the apartment numbers had long ago vanished. Negligent landlords had failed to replace them. It was just starting to mist when they finally pulled into the parking lot. Melanie grimaced before exiting the vehicle to join Jace. It wasn’t that she minded the rain. She loved the rain. What she didn’t love was being cold. Who knew how long it would be before she could change into dry clothes?
A snort made her look at her companion. The sardonic twist of his lips told her clearly he knew what she was thinking.
“Deal with it, Melanie. I need you to stay with me.”
Melanie stuck her tongue out as she followed him. Childish. But it made her feel better.
They knocked on Alayna’s door without success. Five minutes later, all levity vanished. An older woman in curlers came out to watch.
“You won’t get an answer,” she mentioned casually.
“Oh?” Jace gave her a professional smile. One that gave nothing away.
“Nah, haven’t seen her around in a week. Super’s getting steamed. She owes him rent.” Her voice rang with relish.
Jace went and got the landlord to let them into the apartment. As soon as the door opened, the stench hit them like a wave. The gag reflex was immediate. Without being told, Melanie knew what they would find.
As it swung inward, she looked inside, then bolted to the stairwell, retching and gasping.
Jace found her there a few minutes later.
“Was that her?” she whimpered.
His face pale and grim, he nodded.
“How?”
He hesitated. “Stabbed. Several times. Come on. The air is fresher outside. I need to call for backup.” It would be the second time that day. Quite a record for a small town in rural Pennsylvania.
* * *
Melanie was waiting for Jace forty-five minutes later when loud footsteps alerted her that someone was coming
