Revive Me (Say Something Book 3) (9 page)

“It's beautiful, Matt,” I say, and I mean it. I offer him a smile. It's a beautiful sun but the face in the middle kind of looks like mine. Around the sun are the words You are my Sunshine. Matt used to sing that song to me saying I was his sunshine. Cheesy? Maybe, but I loved it when he sang to me, and I love his tattoo. He's right. We are stuck together forever, but only as friends, and I'm okay with that.

“Did you hear they found another body?” He asked, and I could hear the strain in his voice. He tried to keep it light while he held Danica. “Looks like we have another murder on our hands,” he said, smiling at Danica but not looking at me. He was trying to keep me from freaking out by showing me he was calm. In control. I knew him though, and this was weighing heavily on his mind. The murder stuff happens in the city not in our little town of Lincoln. Our town is a small, quiet, and quaint town just outside the city of Portland, Oregon. We were nestled at the base of Mt. Hood with a population of maybe 15,000 people. At least that's what it used to be. The past few years had brought the occasional city dweller to our town, looking to escape the fast life city living offered. About six months ago a big city developer bought some of the land at the edge of town and was preparing to bulldoze the trees to build one of those cookie cutter subdivisions. The people in Lincoln were pissed and let everyone who's everyone who’s anyone know about it. In the end, it didn't matter, money wins.

The first murder was about four months ago and was, so far, considered an isolated incident. They had no suspect or lead to go on so the case had been put to the side. Maybe now with another supposed murder they wouldn’t consider it isolated any longer.

“Really? Who is it? Someone from Lincoln?”  I asked, and almost didn't want to hear his answer. I knew he was being awfully nice with the whole coffee thing today. Matt was generally nice to me, but he seemed to be trying extra hard. Now I knew why.

“Yeah, it's someone from Lincoln.” He sucked in a deep breath and kissed Danica on her forehead and gently placed her back in her stroller. She'd fallen asleep in his arms. No one put that girl to sleep better than her daddy.

“Who?”

“Keely,” he finally answers, his eyes never leaving mine. His dark stare was intense and spoke words that his mouth could never say. He hadn't had contact with Keely since their affair. I wasn't keeping tabs on him, but other people were and felt it was their duty to report to me. It was unnecessary, and I told them repeatedly that I didn't need to be informed of his every move, but they didn't listen. Dade and Trish, who are brother and sister and our best friends, tried to convince me to go back to Matt, unsuccessfully. Regardless of the affair and the reason behind it, I knew Matt's heart. It's a huge heart. Keely being murdered tore him up inside, his eyes told me so, and I understood.

“Holy fuck, Matt.” I turned away from his stare and took some deep breaths of my own. Granted, I hated Keely, since she was our town whore and the woman who fucked my husband but murdered? Even I wasn't bitch enough to wish that on her, or anyone for that matter.

“How? When? Do you have a suspect?” My words were flying from my mouth. I wanted to hold him. Comfort him, but I didn't. I just sat, shocked.

“Well, it was done in a very disturbing way. I don't want to go into details. According to the coroner she's been dead no more than forty eight hours. A hunter found her body just outside of town in the woods. No, we don't have a suspect yet, but the way she died, Jesus, Sunshine, it's just like Amanda.”

Amanda and Keely were best friends, had been since high school. She was Keely's only friend. I worked with Amanda at the bar. She was little and cute and the complete opposite of Keely. Once, not long after Matt and I split up, he and Amanda were drinking at the same bar. Apparently, she had a little too much to drink so Matt took her home. Rumors swirled, and it didn't take long for word to get to me that Matt was sleeping with Amanda. It wasn't my place to care or be angry, but I did care, and I was angry. However, they both denied it and something inside told me they were telling the truth, not to mention my two informers who seemed to know Matt's every move. I actually really liked Amanda. We could never be great friends, but I liked her, and I think she liked me. I was truly upset when they'd found her body. This was getting too coincidental and scary.

“Matt, do you think it's someone we know? Someone from Lincoln?” My mind began compiling a list of suspects but none of them fit.

“I don't know but we will find the bastard.” His voice was hard, and I could hear the determination in it. While I had all the confidence in the world in him, this was dangerous, and I worried about him.

“I hope so,” I replied in the most encouraging voice I could muster.

“I think you and the kids should come stay with me until we find the sick bastard.” I wasn't surprised he wanted the kids and me at his house. In all honesty, he'd been trying very hard to get the kids and me back, but I just couldn't do it.

“That's sweet, Matt, but my property borders my parents’ property, remember? Plus my dad taught me how to handle a gun. The kids and I are fine. I can take care of us.”

“Sunshine, maybe you're not putting it together but both women are women whom I've been linked to.” His voice wavered, and I knew it was hard for him to say that to me. We typically didn't discuss his affair with Keely.

“You think this has something to do with you?”

“I don't know but I can't ignore that fact and you shouldn't either. Their deaths are probably totally coincidental but we can't be sure. Please just come stay with me. I promise not to push anything and I'll keep my hands to myself. I'd just feel better if you and the kids were with me.”

I leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I love you, Matt, and I know you're concerned but the kids and I are safe. I have to get to work. You good here with the kids?” He sighed deeply in defeat.

“Yeah, we're fine.”

“I get off at ten. I'll pick them up a little after.” I stood and kissed my sleeping angel. “Elijah,” I called to my rambunctious little boy. For the first time since Matt arrived, Elijah spotted his dad and came running. “Daddy,” he yelled gleefully before running into his daddy’s arms.

“Hey, buddy. Ready to come hang out with me while Mommy works?” Our son smiled big. He loved hanging out with Matt and I was thankful Matt was such a good father.

“Come give me a hug.” I squeezed Elijah tight. “Be good for Daddy. I love you,” I said and kissed his head.

“I'm always a good boy. Bye, Mommy,” my little man said, his little nose crinkled when he smiled.

“Bye, baby. See you later, Matt. Have fun with the kids.”

“Always do,” he responded and kissed my cheek. To anyone that may have been watching we probably looked like a happy family, and we were, just not your typical family.