Distortion Control (A Makayla Rose Mystery Book 3) (13 page)

“Now then,” Pete began.

“I’m staying here,” Spencer insisted.

“You’re not,” Pete said. “I’m conducting an ongoing investigation, and I personally haven’t cleared your name. I don’t care who you know.”

“Oh, it’s about the fact that I got out, is it?”

Pete’s cheeks burned. “Why you’re free has nothing to do with it. I’m just saying you’re not an officer anymore. It’s my job to protect Makayla.”

“Try your wife.” Spencer sneered.

“Enough!” I pushed between them before the knock down punching started as much as I wanted to be entertained with lack of proper rest. “It’s my decision. Period.”

Pete opened his mouth, but I raised a finger, and he snapped it closed. I got a fuzzy feeling commanding a policeman with a finger. I hoped I didn’t abuse my power later.

Suppressing my humor, I recalled the situation I found myself in.

“Spencer can sleep on my couch.” I pointed at him but didn’t feel the same response to my disappointment. “That doesn’t mean I trust you.”

He nodded. “Fair enough.”

“Where is your brother?” Pete asked Spencer.

He frowned. “What does my brother have to do with anything?”

“I’m questioning everybody new in town.”

“That didn’t help Zoe, did it?”

Again the hostile crescendo. I returned to the coffeemaker and poured myself a cup. A few sips gave me a small buzz, and I offered some to the others. All three men were takers. The caffeine probably wasn’t a good thing for either Spencer or Pete. I didn’t like seeing how the sweet and respectful attitude Pete had shown to Spencer had disappeared.

“What do you mean by it didn’t help Zoe?” Pete asked.

I froze, thinking Spencer would reveal the connection, but it seemed Pete had annoyed him too much to help. He shrugged and then turned to me. “Why are you convinced this is revenge against me?”

The question snapped Pete out of his focus on Spencer, and he waited to take notes on what I told them. I explained the parts of my dream I remembered. “He said he was going to destroy Spencer.”

“Can you identify him by his voice?” both Spencer and Pete asked at the same time.

“No, I was so scared even in the dream, it was like it came from a long way away or through water. I’m sorry. I’m trying to remember.”

Spencer laid a hand against my lower back. “Easy. Don’t strain your mind. Let it come on its own.”

“We need her to remember,” Pete growled. “No matter
who
it implicates.”

“I don’t know what you’re insinuating,” Spencer shot back, “but you’re not going to push her until she hurts herself.”

Jeff, who had remained quiet the entire time, stepped forward. “Easy, guys. Look, we know it’s someone from Spencer’s past. We know he’s here in town. Except it’s not that far a drive from North Carolina and Virginia, so he could be going back and forth.”

Pete and Spencer acknowledged this.

“I suggest you go over all the people you’ve come across, Spencer, starting with the criminals.” Jeff gave Spencer a hard look. “And the fact is, the person might be someone even closer to you. So don’t be a stubborn idiot and overlook it.”

Spencer bristled, and Jeff smiled.

“Goodnight. I think we’re done here, don’t you, sheriff?”

Pete seemed about to deny it, but he gave in. “Fine. If I think of anything else to ask you, Makayla, I’ll call. Please stay safe.”

“I’ll keep her safe,” Spencer said.

“Yeah, well, find your brother, and don’t leave town!”

Pete and Jeff left, and I was alone with Spencer. My little apartment grew tinier by the second. In an attempt to get my mind off bad ideas, I said, “So did you mention Zoe on purpose, or are you slipping?”

His lips twitched, probably not in amusement though. “He’s getting too big for his britches.”

I laughed. “You sound like an old man.”

“It’s true.”

“Be that as it may…” I sank down on the couch. Now that we were alone, my limbs felt even wobblier, and what little energy I’d gained from the coffee seeped away. Spencer sat beside me and pulled my feet to his lap. Affection for him rose in me, but I pushed it away to broach what I had left out of the conversation while Pete and Jeff were there. “Spencer, I know you had nothing to do with my kidnapping.”

He had started massaging my feet, but at my words, his hands stilled. “I hear a but.”

“In my dream, I was in your basement.”

“Yes, you said so.”

“Before I got there, I was in a van. Penelope was there, too.”

Spencer leaned forward and grasped my arms. “What color, Makayla? What was the make and model?”

I winced, and he loosened his grip, apologizing. “I don’t know. I recall the back doors opening—two of them—the taillights, the inside. It’s possible when he drugged me I never got to see the outside. When I looked out the doors, I saw your house. He was bold enough to come to your house to set up his plan. He’s really got it in for you. Can you think of anyone who hates you enough to do this?”

Spencer leaned back. “If I could, his neck would be in my hands right now.”

I shivered. Spencer appeared dead serious about the threat.

“He’s not driving back and forth.”

I looked in his face, but he had turned his head, his eyes glazed as if the scenario played out in his head.

“He’s still here. He wants to be close so he can grab any opportunity to finish the job, but when he tries, I’ll be there. I’m going to stick to you, Makayla, so don’t try to shake me off until we have this guy in custody.”

“Stick to me,” I repeated. “As nice as that sounds, I’m going to have to turn you down. I’m a very busy woman. In fact, we have Talia and Ollie’s rehearsal.”

“Surely, it’s too soon. I heard she’s not getting married until February.”

“How did you hear that in jail?”

He shrugged, and I shook my head.

“Changed again. I might not live through Talia’s drama.”

“Don’t talk like that!”

I smiled, all warm and cozy feeling. If I didn’t know better, I’d say the former sheriff had a crush on me. Good. I didn’t want to actually face it, but it was still nice to suspect. I pulled my feet from his reach and stood up.

“I’ll get you some covers, and you can sleep if you want. Personally, I need a few more hours.”

He frowned. “Are you really going to make me sleep out here?”

“Bet your bum I am. Good night, Spencer.”

Chapter Thirteen

I stood at the back of the church, assessing the lighting, the structure, where the couple would stand, and if there were any obstructions. Afterward, I would go down to the basement, where I already knew the windows were tiny, and the lighting was questionable. How the elderly enjoyed bingo down there, some of them having poor eyesight, I would never know. For my purposes, soft lighting to set a romantic overtone was one thing. Dark, uninspired pictures another.

Talia stood at the front of the church with Ollie. He had deigned to shower and change out of his usual coveralls. A simple dress shirt and slacks made him look almost dashing. Talia wore another dress designed to strike the viewer blind with vivid color.

“Didn’t anyone tell them they don’t have to dress up?” Susan said at my side. I hadn’t heard her walk up.

Edna, who had just whisked through the entrance, must have heard the comment. She grinned and hurried over to us. “Oh, those aren’t their wedding clothes. Talia’s dress is a traditional gown. She wouldn’t wear it for Ollie to see before the ceremony.”

I blinked in surprise and then turned to look back at Talia. Okay, anything was better than what she currently wore.

Susan balked. “A traditional dress? Hasn’t she been married before? And she is old as dirt. Why go through this big production? How much attention does she need?”

“I don’t know.” This was Louisa, who had joined us. “How much do
you
need?”

Louisa and Susan glared daggers at each other. Then Louisa hooked her arm through Susan’s, and the two of them wandered off. I was at a loss for words, but Edna cackled in amusement.

“Poor Susan’s jealous over an old lady like Talia.”

I looked after the woman who had more money than all of us put together now that her husband was gone. “Doubtful.”

“Sweetheart, there’s more to life than a big house and money.”

“That I know, Edna.” I thought of Penelope and her manipulations to try to get her husband back. After hearing of her schemes, I realized she had maybe divorced Spencer in the first place as a way to get him to notice her. Susan too had participated in certain activities for her husband. “I’m not sure about love and marriage, Edna. However, I will produce a masterpiece package for the happy couple up front.”

Edna patted my arm. “I’m certain you will, dear.”

At that moment, Talia spun around and spotted Edna. The heat of her annoyance could be felt from where I stood. Edna chortled again. I began to wonder if all the laughter was because she was a little delirious seeing the reality of Ollie marrying another. On second thought, I decided I was being unfair to my sweet adopted grandmother.

“I think I’m being summoned,” Edna said. “We’ll have lunch soon, dear.”

I watched as Edna strode away and had to give her credit. She had rushed in, obviously being late, but when Talia spotted her, she walked at a comfortable pace to reach the front of the church. Edna wouldn’t allow herself to be bullied no matter how Talia behaved.

Leaving the happy couple and Edna, I turned my attention to those in attendance at the church. I thought half the faces were there out of curiosity because Talia had selected Edna as her matron of honor. She had also lined up the other elderly ladies in her group to join the processional.

Spencer sat across the room looking rather impatient and bored. I had told him he didn’t need to come along that morning, but he had insisted, claiming if he didn’t I was liable to get into all kinds of trouble. How rude.

Talia called and signaled with waving arms to Opal, who occupied a spot on the fifth row of pews. Opal, oblivious and unable to hear, stared at the stained glass windows on her right.

“Doesn’t she have any peripheral vision?” Talia demanded with a booming voice that echoed throughout the building. “Opal!”

More flapping of arms, and now Spencer had lost the bored expression on his face. He raised a hand to his mouth, affecting a cough to cover the bark of laughter. I was not so lucky and laughed out right. My own rudeness earned me a sharp glare from Talia.

At last, Edna left the front of the church to go and bring Opal forward. The small group began lining up and deciding on order. Talia ruled with an iron will about who stood where and who walked in first. She ignored all suggestions.

“This is my day, and I say I walk in first,” Talia snapped.

“Your day or not,” Edna argued. “You’re the bride, so you’re last.”

The emphasis Edna put on last seemed to indicate so much more. Goodness they were like teenagers, but darn if they didn’t entertain everyone around them. Too soon for my amusement, though, they settled down, and I let my attention wander again.

My focus returned—as it often did—to Spencer. He was still sleeping on my couch, and I was still rebuffing his advances. Sure, I could give in because he wasn’t offering anything we hadn’t shared before. Yet, now that I knew I loved him, I couldn’t take him casually. Doing so would be dangerous.

If I wasn’t going to see Spencer, what about dating someone else? Then my thoughts stopped me cold. Thinking of being with anyone else while my feelings were unresolved put a pain in my chest. In addition to that, would Spencer come along on the date if it happened before the case was resolved? I was not looking for that type of drama, thank you very much.

Sighing, I pulled myself out of my reverie and moved to the far left aisle. As I made my way toward the front, I took pictures in my mind and lined up more shots. To be sure I wouldn’t forget anything, I made notes in a notebook I had brought along and added information like close-up and long shot.

When I was in position for where I would capture Ollie’s reaction to seeing Talia enter the church, I turned toward the door. From where I stood at the front of the church, I could use a zoom lens to capture Talia’s entrance. However, I would use an assistant in this spot for Ollie and move more freely and closer for Talia.

I was so caught up with my plans that I almost missed seeing the man who had entered the church. Khaki slacks and a dark brown coat, he didn’t stand out, but it was the fact that he didn’t remove his hat nor look up that made me go on alert. Everyone that I had ever met respected the church enough to remove their hat when they entered. Was he trying to hide his identity?

I squinted against the brighter light in the lobby. The illumination came in through the wide window above the double doors. Then there were more doors leading into the main sanctuary, which cut off much of the light in the entryway. All I could tell was the man was tall. He may or may not have been broad-shouldered. I couldn’t see his hair color or any other distinguishing features.

The man’s hands were in his pockets, and he held still just beyond the doors. My heart leaped as if it would jump out of my chest. I took a step forward and faltered. Fear closed my throat. Thinking it better to alert Spencer, I shifted my gaze to him. He leaned against the opposite wall, arms folded over his chest as he spoke with Susan.

Calling out to Spencer might be a mistake because if I was wrong and this was just a friend of Ollie’s I didn’t know, not only would I be embarrassed but I might cause unnecessary panic. Better to signal Spencer while moving to where he stood. I looked back toward the doorway. The man was gone!

I decided it didn’t matter what anyone thought. If there was a chance I could identify the killer, I had to try. He might be in the parking lot right now, pulling out in his van. I ran down the aisle toward the exit. From the corner of my eye, I saw Spencer stir. He was coming after me, but I kept moving.

When I hit the lobby, it was empty, so I pushed through the doors there. A quick scan of the lot produced nothing. No one lurked anywhere. I started toward end of the building but found myself yanked backward. I shrieked and looked up. Spencer towered above me, frowning.

“What’s going on, Makayla?”

“I saw someone.” My breath came out in short puffs. Spencer’s hold didn’t lessen although I pulled. He wasn’t letting me go anywhere without him.

“What did he look like?” His narrowed eyes scanned the lot as I had done, and then he released me. “Stay there. I’m going to check around back.”

“You didn’t give me a chance to answer your question,” I shouted after him. He kept walking and disappeared from sight. A few moments later, he reappeared, and I jogged over to him. “Anything?”

“No. He might have used the woods to get away.”

I hugged myself, and Spencer rubbed my arms. The door to the church burst open, and several people hurried out. Leading them was Talia. “What happened? Did you catch a pervert peeking in?”

I rolled my eyes, but Spencer just dropped his hands to his sides and moved back from me.

“No, Talia,” I said. “I’m sorry to have disturbed your rehearsal. I think I have everything I need as far as photography. Edna, I’ll call you.”

Edna nodded without a word, but I saw speculation in her gaze. I had no idea if it was that she had seen Spencer’s affection or that she knew we had both avoided answering Talia’s question. Spencer waited until we were in the car before he questioned me.

“Nothing stood out,” I said in answer. “He was tall.”

“You sound like Talia,” he grumbled.

“Well, I don’t have much more to go on than she did. So sort through all your tall acquaintances,” I teased. “Select the one liable to be guilty, and that’s him.”

Spencer didn’t appear to be amused. “Anything would help, Makayla.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry. Just him being so close again has me on edge, and the only way I can relieve the tension and fear is to joke.”

He reached for my hand. “I’m not going to let him near you.”

“I know.” There went my plans for finding another lover. This wasn’t the time, not when Spencer kept touching me in the most innocent of ways. I could tell him to back off, but I didn’t want to. I relished the comfort, and I know I was being selfish.

“How about his stance?” Spencer suggested.

“No, he was like a statue when I saw him, almost like he wanted me to see him to scare me. Boy did it ever work.”

He squeezed my hand.

“I couldn’t even tell if his arm was hurting. He kept his hands in his pockets, and when I looked away to find you, he disappeared.”

Spencer snarled. “He’s bold, and it sounds like he wants to push me. I need to talk to Ash. Where the heck is he? He could be my legs in Virginia since I’m not allowed to leave the state.” Spencer slammed a fist into the steering wheel.

I covered his hand to keep him from doing it again. “You don’t think he’s involved in this, do you?”

He took too long to answer. The tightness in his jaw, the way his knuckles turned white, I knew it hurt him to suspect his brother. Ash was missing, and he wouldn’t answer calls. Spencer no doubt believed in him more than anyone else, yet he had nothing to back it up. “No, I don’t believe he had anything to do with it.”

I looked at him doubtfully, but he kept his attention on the road. We reached my studio, where I intended to work the rest of the day. When I stepped past the threshold, I turned to block Spencer with a hand to his chest. “Why don’t you go get us lunch?”

“Then come along,” he said.

“I can work better with no one around, Spencer.”

“Too bad that’s not an option.”

I sighed. “Fine. We’ll go to Zekey’s, and you can buy me lunch and a donut.”

His eyebrow rose. “You’re still addicted to them?”

“You, sir, are not allowed to comment on my habits. Now let’s get going. I have a client in an hour.”