Life in Death (8 page)

She went into the kitchen to start dinner. When the calls first started, she’d put the liquid they’d given her into the kids’ drinks. They’d acted pretty loopy afterward. Andrea wasn’t sure what went on at the parties in the red barn, but she had an idea. Her ulcer acted up every time she got the call.

This isn’t right.

“What’s for dinner?” Scott opened the fridge and took out a beer.

She jumped. “Just enchiladas.”

“Where’s my kiss?” He frowned. “What’s up?”

“
She
called.” She wiped her hands on a dishtowel. “We’re supposed to drop the kids off at eight tonight.”

“Okay.” He removed the bottle cap and took a swig of the beer.

“I don’t think I can do this anymore.” Her voice quivered.

“Not this shit again. Stick to the plan.” He slammed his bottle on the counter and beer foam erupted from its neck.

“They’re kids. God knows what they’re doing to them.” Tears filled her eyes.

“Stop it.”

She walked over to him and tugged at his arm. “Please, let’s just leave. We have enough money.”

Scott said nothing for a few minutes. He pulled her to him in a hug. They were silent together for a while.

“Okay, okay,” he said softly. “Pack light.”

“What about the kids?”

“We’ll drop them off at the police station. They’ll be safe there.”

***

Kari drove to Mina’s for dinner. But instead of joining her friend for a meal, she watched as clouds of black smoke snaked out of Mina’s apartment windows. Firemen worked feverishly to put the fire out.

When Kari first got there, she phoned and texted Mina, but her friend never responded. Kari searched for Mina in the crowd of onlookers, but there was no sign of her. One of Mina’s neighbors, Mrs. Reynolds, stood outside in the elements in a purple silk bathrobe with matching slippers, her cat clutched tightly to her chest.

“Mrs. Reynolds, what happened? Where’s Mina?”

“Oh, thank God, you’re here. I need you to call my daughter.”

“I will. But first, where’s Mina?”

“I don’t know, dear. That’s what’s so scary. Me and Mr. Daniels in 7E beat on her door when the fire alarms sounded. No one answered. We thought she’d already gone downstairs.”

Mrs. Reynolds shivered and her teeth chattered.

Kari took off her jacket and draped it over the woman’s shoulders. She handed Mrs. Reynolds her phone. “Here. You call your daughter and let her know you’re safe. I’ll look for Mina.”

Kari’s heart sunk as she continued to search for Mina.

“Kari,” Mina’s father, Keith, called to her as he pushed through onlookers. “What happened? Where’s Mina?"

“I’m sorry, Keith. I don’t know.”

A police officer stood at the yellow tape perimeter. Kari took Keith’s arm and escorted him to the officer.

“Officer, can you tell us if Mina Steele got out okay?” she asked.

“Stay behind the yellow tape,” the officer said. He looked young, like he’d just graduated from the academy.

“Did everyone make it out okay?” Kari tried again.

“I can’t say.” The officer kept his gaze on the crowd.

“Listen.” Kari touched his arm and got his undivided attention. She pointed to Mina’s apartment. “That’s my friend’s apartment and this is her dad. Can you
please
find out if she made it out okay?”

She didn't care if she sounded desperate and had to beg to get an answer. Mina meant a lot to her.

“
Please
,” Keith added.

The officer nodded. “I’ll check.”

As he walked away, Kari rubbed Keith’s arm. “I’m sure she’s fine. Maybe she’s at the market or with Veta.”

The police officer returned with another man. “This is Detective Watkins. He’ll be able to answer your questions.”

The detective, a tall man with a very stiff gait, reminded her of Herman from the TV show,
The Munsters
.

“Your name, sir?” The detective took out his notepad and pen.

“Keith Steele. My daughter is Mina Steele.” Keith raised his hand as he motioned to Mina’s place. “That’s her apartment…. ”

“Ma’am, what’s your name?” the officer asked as he scribbled Keith’s information onto his paper.

“Kari Marchant.”

“What’s your relationship to Mina Steele?”

“I’m a friend of hers. We work together. Where is she?” She’d had enough.

“Sir, I need to speak to you over here,” Herman Munster said to Keith and dismissed her completely.

“It’s okay,” Mina said. “I’ll wait right here.”

Herman Munster and Keith walked a short distance away. She couldn’t hear what he said. She couldn’t handle much more of this. A wave of dizziness took her mind hostage. All the murders pilling up at her feet, a child, a co-worker, a man she once loved… images of her best friend burning alive in her apartment… Black dots floated in front of her eyes, then darkness. She opened her eyes to the blackened sky. Paramedics hovered above her. They helped her sit, flashed lights in her eyes, and had her follow their finger with her gaze. They must not have been satisfied with the results because they placed her on a gurney and started an IV.

She felt lightheaded and laid back on the gurney and closed her eyes.

“Kari.”

She opened her eyes to find Keith there. She sat up. He tried to speak, but couldn’t. He hugged her as he sobbed.

Behind him, coroner personnel hoisted a gurney with a black body bag on it into their van.

Mina was dead.

***

A nurse helped Kari, exhausted and numb, onto an examination table at the hospital. The doctor, a Pakistani man with a thick accent, came into the room ten minutes later. She had elevated blood pressure from the events of the day. He said she needed to rest and prescribed a strong sedative.

“Stay here. Detectives will be right in to speak with you,” he said as he left the room.

She sought some kind of distraction in the small room, finally settling on the only distraction… the television. The screen blared to life.

This just in: Fire crews have contained the blaze at the Windsor Arms Apartments located at 1892 Spruce Street. The fire damaged one apartment. There was one fatality. Police suspect arson.

Detectives Nicolet and Cobb entered after a tap on the door. No big surprise they were there.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Nicolet actually sounded sincere.

“Four deaths and you’re the common denominator. What do you say to that?” Cobb asked.

Good cop, bad cop.

“Are you serious? One of my best friends is dead.” Kari hopped off the exam table and stood nose-to-nose with him. She felt a little dizzy and grabbed the table for support.

“Cobb, that’s enough,” Nicolet stood between them.

“No, it’s not enough." He focused his eyes back on Kari. "I think you’re somehow involved in all this. You may have Nicolet fooled, but not me.” He stormed out of the room.

Kari plopped into a chair and Nicolet sat beside her.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that. I’ll talk to him, but I’ve got to ask you some questions.” He thumbed through his notebook. “You went to see Mina tonight, right?”

Kari nodded.

“What were your plans?”

“Just to have dinner and talk.

“Talk about what?”

“Just talk. Things have been strained between us since Patience’s murder.” She cringed inwardly at that admission, knowing how must sound to someone who already suspected her involvement.

“When did you get to Mina’s?”

“About 6:15. The fire trucks were already there.”

“Did anyone see you when you arrived?”

Now she needed an alibi for this?
Anger boiled in the pit of her stomach. She took a deep breath. “I ran into Mina’s neighbor, Mrs. Reynolds, and lent her my phone.”

Had Mrs. Reynolds given her cell back?
Had she gotten it back before the paramedics brought her to the hospital?
She’d have to go through her things after Nicolet left.

“How long did you know Mina?”

“Since college.” She tried to stifle a yawn. “Can we finish this later?”

“I’m sorry, I know you’re tired. I just have a couple more questions. Did Mina date?”

“Yes, she dated Veta Simpson.”

“Isn’t she a lawyer?”

She nodded.

“Mina gave us her business card.” He scribbled some notes down.

“Anyone else supposed to be at dinner with you two?”

“No, just us.”

“Thanks. I’ll let you rest now.”

Their eyes locked. She glared at him, their last encounter still fresh in her mind.

“I’m sorry about before. I had no right to treat you that way.” He placed his hand on hers. “Let me drive you home.”

She pulled away.

“Please. The doctor said you can’t drive right now.”

She finally nodded in agreement. She just wanted to get home and into bed.

Outside the hospital, the rain came down in torrents. Nicolet left to get the car while Kari took shelter near the front door of the hospital. Jazz played softly as she sunk into the leather seat. A weather alert interrupted the music, a tornado watch had been issued. “Great. Like I haven’t had a bad enough day,” she said.

“I don’t ever remember a tornado in this county. It’ll be fine. I promise.” He looked at her and smiled.

The intensity of his gaze made her fidget in her seat. She hoped he didn’t notice. Damn it. She wouldn’t let him get to her like that again.

When he got to her house, he turned the car off. “I’d like to come in and look around, if you don’t mind.”

“Why?”

“The murderer is still out there.”

“Does that mean you don’t believe I’m involved?

“I guess it does.”

She studied his eyes for any hint of doubt.

“Anyway, it’d make me feel better to know you’re safe.”

With so much tragedy settling around her like a plague, believing in the detective felt safe. She didn’t want to be alone just now, anyway.

They entered the house to pitch darkness. The tinkle of a bell sounded far off, then grew closer. Kari found the light switch and turned it on. Tucker jumped on Kari’s leg. She picked him into her arms and enjoyed his wet kisses.

“Nicolet, this is my dog, Tucker.”

She put Tucker down. He ran over to Nicolet. The detective bent low to pet him, but Tucker sniffed him, barked, and backed away with his head low and his tail tucked under his legs.

“I’m sorry.” She picked Tucker up and scratched behind his ears. His bark turned into a low growl. “I don’t know what’s wrong with him. You’re the second man he’s treated this way.”

“Second?” He chuckled. “I guess I don’t feel so bad now. Who was the first?”

“Grey from work.”

“He’s been to your house?” He raised his eyebrows.

“I had car trouble one night, and he brought me home.” The defensiveness in her voice rankled her. She had nothing to feel guitly about. She locked Tucker in his little kennel.

“Why don’t you show me around?” he asked.

Did he just want to snoop or truly look for intruders? He made her feel safe—whatever the reason.

After the house tour, they sat on the couch.

“I have a few things to tell you,” he said as he leaned forward. “You need to talk to me before you leave town. This is an open investigation and, technically, you’re still a person of interest.”

“Wonderful.”

“Don’t worry. That’s just a formality.”

She felt warm and fuzzy.

“You need to change your routine. Don’t drive home the same way every night. And stay vigilant. The murderer may be interested in you, too.”

What?
Her back muscles tightened. If he meant to scare her, he succeeded.

He pulled out a business card, wrote on the back of it, and handed it to her. “Here’s my cell number. Call me any time. I mean it.”

“Thanks.” She took his card. “Would you like a cup of coffee?”

“That would be great.” He leaned back on the sofa.

She shivered, partly because her hair was still damp and partly because of what Nicolet said—how the murderer may be interested in her. She flipped on the switch to the gas fireplace as she headed to the kitchen to make the coffee. Rain and gale winds viciously attacked the house. A few minutes later, she placed a tray with two cups of milk and sugar on the coffee table.

A loud clacking sound on the roof brought them both to their feet. They went to the window. Pea-sized hail pelted houses, cars and streetlights. They watched for a moment, transfixed by nature’s fury.