Corpse Whisperer (17 page)

“No.”
Because I’m falling in love with you.
She couldn’t utter those words. She couldn’t reveal that much of herself.

“If you say to stop, I will,” he said as he took her into his arms.

“Go.”

It was better than her dreams.

***

Grace snuggled closer to Zach. His breathing steadied and she knew he was asleep.

What seemed like a minute later, she entered the dream world. Someone was chasing her. She knew the person, but couldn’t see him. Her dream self wanted to stop and look, but couldn’t risk being caught.

Her breath, ragged now, caught in her throat. She ran, stumbling in the darkness. She couldn’t figure out where she was.

Then someone called her name, shaking her, but she couldn’t see anyone.

“Grace.”

Zach’s voice invaded her unconscious brain, waking her up.

She buried her head into his chest as his arms enveloped her. They became a haven from her dream. Maybe even a haven from her world. No one could hurt her as long as Zach stayed close. She’d felt this before, but it hadn’t worked. Why would it work this time? Some part of her wanted to stay here warm and secure.

“You screamed.”

“Someone was chasing me. Someone I knew.”

“Who?”

“I couldn’t see them,” she said.

Her heart went back to a normal beat, but sped up as she realized that the colors weren’t dancing in front of her eyes. Dizziness didn’t threaten her. Instead his warmth covered her and she felt safe.

“It’s over now.”

He didn’t let go and her heart leapt at the idea. But she ended up pushing him away. She couldn’t risk getting involved. Not after last time. No good could come of it.

She had a job to do. Her last soul to save before her birthday.

“What?”

His eyes searched her.

“I’m okay. Thanks.”

The covers had slipped down and she pulled them over her. He was freshly showered and fully-dressed.

“Grace, let me help.”

“You are helping.”
“I mean, let me be here for you.”

His eyes pleaded with. It wouldn’t take much to just lean on him. Let him deal with the weight on her shoulders. But part of her couldn’t.

“No.” She spat out the word too fast. He flinched. She didn’t mean to reject him, but she couldn’t get close. She’d just lose him and that would hurt more then keeping him at arm’s length. “Sorry,” she said in a softer tone.

He stood, his gaze now wary, but intent. He was trying to reach into her soul. “They haven’t found Mark.”

“Oh?”

Where would he be? And why had he bailed on her?

“No. Think, Grace. Where would he be?”

“I truly don’t know.”

“He’s supposed to be your best friend.”

He certainly wasn’t acting like one. “I know. He’s been through a tough time.”

“And getting shot at is easy?” He sat back down as if his legs couldn’t hold him anymore. “Grace, let him go. Let this whole thing go.”

“No, I have to save Dolores.”

“She’s going to her mother’s house tonight. They live in a gated community. She’ll be fine.”

“Then what am I supposed to do?”

“Go on with your life. Dolores isn’t going to die.”

“I can’t be so sure. The killer could wait until we least expect him.”

And after tomorrow, If Dolores died again, she’d stay dead. A clock ticked in Grace’s mind. Less than twenty four hours. Barely even eight and she’d never go back in time again.

“Maybe, but Dolores isn’t your problem.”

“You don’t understand. She asked me to save her.”

He ran a hand over his face then put it on hers. The colors came back and her heart beat double time. The vision didn’t obscure him this time and she saw his face come closer to hers. “Give it up, Grace.”

His scent filled her nostrils, soap and aftershave. Her mouth went dry. What would she see if he kissed her?

His lips brushed her forehead. The colors exploded into a cacophony of blues and greens. Her pulse thrummed through her and she knew if he did put his lips on hers, she wouldn’t be able to resist. She might even go up in flames.

She’d had lovers before this, but none had touched her this way. No one caused her vision to blur or her heart to race.

“Grace,” he said, his voice a butterfly in her ear. “I need to go.”

She pulled him to her. “Just a few more minutes.” She’d draw from his strength and warmth. She’d get through this day.

His hands gripped her shoulders. “I can’t.” He pushed her away, then stood. “I need to go to work.” His voice cracked on the last word.

She slumped back into the pillows both relieved and disappointed. “Drop me home.”

“No. I want you to stay here.”

“And what should I do while you’re gone?”

He’d changed from jeans to slacks and a button down shirt. The color wasn’t opened revealing a solid neck. His pulsed bounced through a vein at his throat. So he’d been aroused too.

He hadn’t rejected her outright.

Chapter Nineteen

Zach ran into his ex-boss outside his store front office. Cars whizzed past on Main Street as he stopped to talk to Kent Winger. The man squirmed and Zach wondered what the man had to hide.

Zach stared at his boss’ back before he entered his office. The encounter left him with too many questions. Where did Kent figure into this puzzle? He shook off the nagging feeling that the answers were in front of him. “is HHeOdd.”

Mark, Grace’s friend, sat at his desk. Not phased by his appearance, Zach slid into his chair, then eyed this weasel of a man. He didn’t expect to believe anything he said.

“Shall we add breaking and entering to your list of sins?” Mark gave him a shrug and a sheepish grin. That probably worked on women, but Zach was inured to lame excuses. He’d heard them all. “So what’s your story? The detectives from last night are looking for you.”

Mark licked his lips. His clothes were rumpled, but the man himself was freshly showered. Wherever he spent last night had running water.

Zach’s sympathy level didn’t budge. This man had run out on his alleged best friend and on a criminal investigation. The latter was awful, but the former was unforgivable. Zach only understood loyalty. Probably why Dolores was still in his life.

“Uh.”

Zach held up his hand. “Don’t lie. You’re in some trouble already. You’re the best suspect.”

Mark straightened in his chair, his eyes wider than the prairie. “Me? Why would I try to kill Dolores?”

“Dolores?”

“Wasn’t that who the killer was going for?”

Guess Grace had told him about someone being after Dolores. He’d play along. “You’ve met her?”

“No.”

Mark’s gaze darted away. Why would he not want them to know he met Dolores? Zach leaned back in his chair wishing he’d stopped for coffee on his way over here. This shaggy dog story could have waited another minute.

This rodent might go whining to Grace that he didn’t treat him well. “Coffee?”

“No. Never drink the stuff.”

Not drink coffee? Next he’ll find out he’s a vegetarian or a Mormon. His caffeine craving would have to wait. He eyed the cold, empty pot of his maker then turned his attention back to Mark. “So spill it. Where have you been?”

“I got scared.”

“That you’d be suspected of attempted murder? Got that right. You running didn’t help.”

Mark stared at his shoes. “Probably not.”

“And you running out on your best friend, doesn’t sit well for me. She was scared last night.”

“I came back, after everyone was gone. She wasn’t home.”

“She was with me. I couldn’t let her stay there by herself.”

Mark’s head bobbed. “It’s all clear to me now.”

“What is?”

“You’re after Grace.”

“Whatever my feelings are for Grace don’t concern you.”

“I’m her best friend. I don’t want to see her hurt.”

“The fact that you left to save your own skin when she’d been shot, that damages your credibility with me. I’m not telling you anything.”

Mark showed no reaction, as if he had no remorse.

“You need to turn yourself in. I can call the guys now.”

Mark stood. “I’ll do it, but only for Grace.”

He trudged out the door as if he had weights on his shoulders. Zach felt no pity for the man.

Before Zach could call Grace, his phone rang.

***

“We’ve had another fire. Same MO,” Ed Bauer said as he entered Zach’s office. The man looked around as any cop would to acquaint himself with the surroundings.

“And you want me to do what?” Zach said.

Ed sat. “Don’t know, but I need to blow off steam. We live in one of the most expensive counties in the country.”

“Arson is basically a white collar crime. Why would it surprise you it would happen here?”

“A serial arsonist?”

Zach leaned back in his chair. His old friend had a point. One fire for hire in a year was plenty. But they’d had three of them, including Grace’s apartment building. “Have you rounded up the usual suspects?”

“All have alibis.”

Zach shifted forward and tented his fingers in front of his face. His mind had been on Grace and Dolores most of the day. This was a welcome change. “Good ones?”

“Some of them in prison.”

“That’s pretty solid. Why come to me?”

“Venting. You may look at something differently than I have.”

“Clearly this is someone from somewhere else.”

“No, shit. Your sister have her crystal ball charged up?”

“I’m not sure where Celia is.”

Ed dropped his card on Zach’s desk. “Tell her to call me. I’m out of ideas.”

He left.

Zach turned to his computer intent on doing some research on Mark Handon. Instead his stomach rumbled.

He shut down his computer. It was time to go home and see Grace.

***

Disgusted with daytime television, Grace clicked it off then wandered over to the computer. While she waited for it to boot up she attempted not to read anything on Zach’s desk.

Not hard, since he was a neatnik, but he did have one stack of papers out on his blotter. Grace saw her name on the top one. Any pretense of leaving his privacy intact left her. Why would Zach have papers with her name on them? The sheaves were printouts of newspaper articles. Stories about what happened in her last town. Her last endeavor to save someone.

Her eyes fell shut. Did he still believe her? Or was he humoring her?

She deciphered his handwriting with difficulty. Her butt landed in the chair when she figured it out. He had questions. All of them assuming she was guilty. Her heart dropped to her feet.

As if she’d never read the stories she studied what Zach had printed. The whole tale was there about the last murder she prevented. The reporter had been local, but was bucking for a better job. Mavis Jones had been on her doorstep for the whole time she lived in Jefferson Common. When Grace finally granted her an interview, Mavis accused her of lying.

That was the first time she had ever come close to admitting her talent to a stranger and of course the reporter burned her.

And now Zach knew what this reporter had written. Did he believe Grace or the written word?

The phone rang, startling Grace, but she didn’t bother to pack up the papers.

“Hello?”

“Grace, it’s Zach.”

His voice held a warm intimacy that Grace couldn’t return.

“I’m on my way home. I can cook tonight or we can get take out. Your choice.”

“Whatever.”
I won’t be here anyway.

“You okay? You mad at me?”

“I found some papers of yours. Accidentally.”

“Oh?”

“The ones you printed about me. From my last encounter with the dead.”

“I’ll explain when I get home.”

He hung up, leaving her wondering just what explanation he could give.

She grabbed clothes and began stuffing them back into her back pack. She wouldn’t be here when he arrived.

***

Zach didn’t bother with take out. He wanted to be home as soon as he could. With Grace vulnerable he couldn’t risk her getting the wrong idea. He cursed himself for not shredding those articles.

“Damn,” he said when he realized Grace had left.

He jumped into his car and drove to her apartment. Dolores was arriving home at that same time.

“Oh, Zach. Nice of you to come.”

“Is Grace here?”

“Yes, why?”

She studied him as a lover would study another for signs of cheating. He didn’t look away from her. He owed her no explanations. She lied to him on a regular basis, but he wouldn’t do the same. “I’m looking for her. I’ll drop in when I’m done.”