When the Smoke Clears (Deadly Reunions) (7 page)

“Crosstown!” Disbelief echoed in her ear. “Are you crazy? Most cops don’t even want to go there during the day.”

She shivered. “Yeah, it was a little worse than I remembered.”

Hunter muttered something she missed and she thought she might be better off not knowing what he said. Back to the reason he called. “What kind of questions?”

“Just routine ones. Ones I’d like answers to so I can get some sleep tonight.”

Biting her lip, she scanned the street again. “I’m on the way to the hospital to see my mother. I don’t know how long I’ll be.”

A pause. “Do you mind if I meet you there?”

The questions were that urgent? She frowned. “I guess not. Where are you now?”

“About five minutes from the hospital. I dropped Chad off at his house and I’m on my way back to the station to finish up the paperwork, but that can wait. Where are you going to park?”

“In the garage on the fourth floor if I can find a spot.”

“I’ll look for your car.”

“Fine. I’ll wait for you at the elevator.”

She hung up and tossed the phone onto the seat beside her, his voice still echoing in her ears. Memories of her high school attraction to him flooded her. She was still drawn to the man in spite of the fact that he believed she had something to do with Devin’s death.

Great. Just one more complication in her life she really didn’t need.

Clutching the steering wheel, she suddenly wished she prayed. Wished she felt like she could talk to God about everything, spill it onto his shoulder and let him take care of it. She’d heard of people who did that. She’d even tried church a few times, but it just didn’t seem to work for her.

Alexia simply couldn’t wrap her mind around the concept of a loving God. A father who loved her.

But Serena was right. Alexia wanted to.

With a sigh, she pulled into the hospital parking deck and started for the fourth floor, circling up. A car turned in behind her and headlights tracked her progress. Squinting against the brightness reflected in her rearview mirror, she finally reached the fourth floor.

Pulling in to the nearest vacant space, she cut the engine and chewed on her bottom lip. Staring at the building, she took a fortifying breath and opened her door.

As she headed for the exit door, her senses tuned to her surroundings. Although the deck itself was well-lit, the darkness pressed in from the outside, the emptiness surrounding her.

Footsteps followed her.

She stopped walking. Glancing over her shoulder, she let her eyes probe the shadows.

Her stomach twisted. Was that someone hiding behind the post?

An engine sputtered to life, startling her. She spun and gave a relieved half-laugh as a car pulled out from the space about three yards in front of her. The driver lifted a hand in greeting, and Alexia resumed her trek toward the elevator as silence echoed around her again.

Footsteps sounded a steady rhythm on the concrete, and again she jumped, spun, and looked. They stopped. A car door opened. Shut.

Chill, she told herself. Someone was here to visit a patient, just like she was. Or was getting in the car to leave.

She picked up the pace.

The steps behind her resumed too—at a faster clip, drawing closer.

Her heartbeat thudded and she darted behind the nearest post, pressing her hands to her stomach. She shivered in spite of the heat. Fear clumped in her gut and she took a deep breath.

The footsteps stopped.

Alexia held her breath, waiting to hear a car door open.

Nothing.

No doubt about it. Someone was following her. Adrenaline rushed through her, her hands shook and her knees felt weak.

Pushing the fear aside, she searched for an emergency button.

She spotted one about twenty feet away.

Alexia beelined for it, hand outstretched.

Almost there.

A wicked laugh echoed just behind her.

She whirled.

Blinding white pain streaked through her as something clipped her on the side of the head. Before she had a chance to scream, she found herself facedown on the floor of the parking garage. Terror pounded through her, shortening her breath, making her head spin. “Wh-what do you want?”

No answer. Just breath against her cheek.

Then she felt the cold barrel of a gun kiss her already-aching temple.

10

Monday, 9:24 p.m.

Hunter took a left instead of the right that would take him home. It was late, very late. And he’d taken a chance on catching Alexia. Katie had already taken herself off the clock to grab a few hours of sleep before they would be back at it in the morning. While Devin’s murder had moved to the top of the stack, he and Katie still had other cases they were working on. He should have followed Katie’s example and gone home.

But he felt restless and couldn’t put Alexia Allen from his mind. So, he’d called her. On the pretext of asking her more questions about the murder. That was a new low for him.

His conscience bothered him only slightly. He’d apologize later. Maybe.

Approaching the parking garage, he glanced upward toward the higher levels. From their conversation, he’d gathered that he was only a minute or so behind her. As he swung into the fourth level, his headlights captured a person in a mask standing over something. The masked head snapped up, and for a moment, narrowed eyes locked with Hunter’s.

Then the attacker raced to a nearby car, hopped in, and squealed from the garage. Hunter started to gun his own vehicle and go after the rapidly disappearing taillights when he spied a body lying on the ground, still, unmoving.

A body he recognized.

Slamming on the brakes, he pushed against a surge of panic as his shoulder harness locked into place. He ripped his seat belt off, bolted from the car, and raced toward Alexia.

Alexia reached up to touch her head as she took a mental inventory and double-checked to make sure she was still alive. Her heart pounded in her throat and she swallowed a wave of nausea.

“Alexia!”

Warm hands wrapped around her upper arm and relief flooded her. Hunter.

Tears flooded her eyes, shocking her. Blinking hard, she forced her emotions into a corner of her mind and let Hunter help her to her feet.

His arms went around her and she caved in to her need for comfort. His voice sounded in her ear. “I’ve called for backup and gave a description of the guy and the car.”

“You saw him?” Her tongue felt too heavy for speech, but she managed to get the words out.

“Yeah. He had a mask on, but I was able to give some height and weight details. He’s tall, with a light, athletic build. I got the make and model of the car, but the plate had been removed.”

Pulling out of his arms, she gave herself a shake. His fingers grazed her temple and she winced. “That’s where he hit me before jamming the gun into it.”

“You’ll have a bruise and a headache.”

Two police cruisers pulled onto the fourth floor, lights flashing.

“No kidding.” Alexia grimaced. “It’ll heal.” Her hands still shook. She clenched her fingers into fists to gain control.

One of the officers approached and Alexia recognized him. It was Officer Mays from her mother’s house just a few hours earlier.

He nodded at her and Hunter. “So we meet again.”

Hunter gave the man the rundown on what had happened. Officer Mays took notes in his little book, and Alexia said, “I thought I heard him following me. When I turned around, he knocked me in the head.”

“Did he say anything?”

Did he? “I think he whispered something before Hunter pulled in and scared him off.”

“What was it?”

Alexia closed her eyes and concentrated, but all her stressed mind could come up with was the terror she’d felt. “I don’t know.”

Hunter kept a hand on her back and was rubbing little circles in a spot just below her shoulder blade. His touch set off sparks even in this situation.

Clearing her throat, she ignored the throbbing in her head and said, “I guess I still need to go see my mother. Are we done here?”

“Do you need medical attention?” Hunter asked.

Alexia considered the pain level. “No, I’ll have a few bruises, but I’ll be all right.”

“Okay then.” He looked around. “I see cameras in here.” He pointed to one on the column directly in front of them and another two rows over. “We’ll see what we can see, but even if the cameras caught everything, I’m not sure they’ll tell us anything since he had a mask on.” He ran a hand through his hair, then pinched the bridge of his nose. “But yeah, I would say we’re done here.” He looked at Alexia. “I know you said you didn’t need anyone to look at your head, but I’d feel better if we got it checked.” Without waiting for her to answer, he placed a hand beneath her elbow. “Let’s go get that done, then visit your mother.”

Surprise zinged through her. “You’re coming with me?”

“Is that all right?”

Was it? She shrugged. “I—yes, sure. I guess.”

Hunter signaled the lead officer that they were leaving.

Officer Mays caught her eye. “I’ll be in touch.”

“Thanks.”

Together, Hunter and Alexia headed to the parking garage elevator. Once inside and moving toward the bottom floor, Hunter pushed the first-floor button, then gave her a measured look. “Trouble seems to follow you everywhere, doesn’t it?”

“Excuse me?”

“First your mother’s house, then this personal attack. Looks like you’ve made someone pretty mad. Any ideas who?”

Alexia frowned. “Not that I can think of.” At least not here in Columbia. She sighed. “I just got home, Hunter. As in today, a few hours ago. The only person who knew I was coming was Serena.”

“Would she have told anyone?”

Alexia shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s not like I was keeping it a secret.” She felt the flush rise in her cheeks. But she hadn’t called her mother to let her know either. Every time she picked up the phone, she froze when it came to dialing the number. More guilt pierced her.

The aching in her head didn’t help matters. It hurt to think.

Hunter’s astute gaze noted her discomfort and his sympathy flashed at her. “But Serena could have mentioned it.”

“Sure she could have.”

The elevator doors slid open, but instead of getting off, Alexia reached across Hunter and pushed the fourth-floor button.

Hunter frowned at her as he let the doors close. “This isn’t the way to the ER.”

“I’m not going there.”

“Alexia . . .” He shook his head and sighed.

The doors opened, and as they stepped into the hallway, Hunter touched Alexia’s arm briefly to stop her. “Is there anyone in town who might not appreciate you coming back?”

Alexia bit her lip. “Well, I don’t know that Devin would have appreciated it, but I guess we can rule him out.”

Shockingly enough, she felt tears clog her throat at the memory of Devin on her mother’s basement floor. She’d tried hard to stop the bleeding. His eyes had begged her to help him.

She shuddered and shoved the image from her mind. For now. She had a feeling it might return once she managed to fall asleep.

“Why would he not want you coming back?”

Shoving a strand of hair behind her ear, she said, “I suppose because he was living with my mother. Assuming he even knew I’d decided to come home for the reunion, he may have been concerned he’d be tossed out on his ear.” She frowned. “Because there’s no way I would be sharing the same house with him.”

“Okay, well, if he were still alive, that might give him a motive for not wanting you here. Anyone else come to mind?”

“No, not off the top of my head. I haven’t talked to anyone here other than Serena in about ten years. I’ve talked to my mother a handful of times. Mostly through messages left on voice mail. And before you ask, no, I didn’t tell her I was coming home today. As far as I know, Serena’s the only person who knew.” She shot him a wry look. “And I know she didn’t kill Devin or try to kill me in the parking garage.”

“Well, if she’s the only person who knew, then Devin would have no reason to worry about you coming home.” He squinted in the distance, thinking. “We need to talk to Serena and see who she told about your arrival back in town.”

“Fine. But right now, I’m going to check on my mother.” The words nearly stuck in her throat, but she managed to get them out.

Hunter’s eyes softened. “What about your head?”

“I’ll get someone to look at it later if I think I need to.”

He frowned. “Promise?”

Did he really care? “I promise.”

“All right. I’m going to make a few phone calls.”

“Thanks.” Alexia turned to walk down the hall, looking at the room numbers. She pulled in a deep breath and, for the second time that night, wished she prayed. Frustrated at her cowardice, she ignored the emotions raging through her and schooled her face into a plastic mask. She came to the room, pushed the door open, and stepped inside.

Then stopped short and stared.

Her mother lay on the bed, face pale, heart monitor beeping, oxygen hooked up, IV tube running to the pole beside her. The woman looked completely helpless. Then again, she’d always looked and acted that way. Helpless, without a thought of her own, following her husband’s commands with slumped shoulders and downcast eyes.