Chasing Shadows (5 page)

“Hey, it's just me,” Gabe said.

Heart beating wildly against her ribs, Kris sagged against the door with relief and pleasure. He had followed her.

The unlatched door swung open, sending her sprawling across the entryway linoleum.

“Kristina!” In a flash Gabe was there, gathering her close. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, fine.” Just a bruised ego.

Once upright, she stepped away from his concerned care. “You shouldn't sneak up on people like that.”

In the dim light of the overhead fluorescent fixture, amusement played across his handsome features. “I didn't sneak up. I followed you to make sure you got home safely.”

“Thank you.” She tried to sound grateful but she was thoroughly irritated at him and herself for being glad to see him. Shivers started running up and down her body, making her aware of the cold swirling inside the building and of the compelling heat emanating from Gabe.

“You should talk to your neighbors about leaving that door open. It's not a safe thing to do.”

“Thank you for stating the obvious,” she snapped, disliking the lecturing tone in his voice.

“Whoa, sorry.” He held up his hands. “Let me walk you upstairs.”

Not a good idea. Not when she wanted to feel his arms wrapped around her again, warming her, protecting her. “That won't be necessary.”

He nodded and stepped back. “You'll call me after you've consulted with Sadie's doctor?”

Annoyed at the reminder, she said, “Yes.”

He saluted before leaving her alone at the foot of the stairs. Slowly she climbed to her floor. As she neared her front door, chills of dread ran roughshod over her shivers.

The moon's glow coming through the skylight splashed across the threatening words written in black on her door just below the wreath.

Stop asking questions. Or else.

Scrabbling with her panic, she fumbled for her phone again and scrolled the address book for Gabe's cell number. It rang.

“Pick up, pick up,” she chanted, her gaze darting up and down the hall, expecting someone terrifying to come jumping out at her.

“This is Burke.”

“It's me. Come back quick!”

“I'll be right there.” He hung up.

Kris raced down the stairs to open the door just as Gabe came running up.

“Are you okay?”

His wild-eyed panic gave her a moment of pause. “Yes. Yes, I'm all right. Come in. You have to see this.”

She led him up the stairs and pointed to her door.

He was silent for a long moment before he flipped open his cell and called the station to report a crime of vandalism.

Kris stared at the ugly words as a violent shudder racked through her body. “Something is going on at the retirement center and someone doesn't want me to find out what.”

Gabe slid his arms around her. “We'll get to the bottom of this.”

She relaxed into the comforting warmth he offered. “Do you believe Sadie now?”

“I'm reserving the right not to pass judgment until we have more information.”

Kris sighed. She would just have to be satisfied with his paltry offer, no matter how frustrating, because she was confident Sadie was telling the truth. And Gabe would come around to that knowledge eventually. She only hoped neither she nor Sadie got hurt in the meantime.

“Did you see anyone when you came upstairs?” Gabe asked.

“No. But the front…” She shuddered. Someone had entered the building. Could they still be inside somewhere waiting to attack? “What if I'd been home when they came here?”

Gabe turned her to face him. “You're all right. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you.”

She blinked back sudden tears. “You can't promise that. What if…what if the person who wrote this somehow broke into my apartment?”

She could tell from the look in his eyes that the thought had occurred to him, as well. Drawing his weapon, he took her keys and unlocked the door. Then using a handkerchief he extracted from his coat pocket, he opened the door. “Stay put,” he said before disappearing inside.

Anxiousness danced in her tummy as she waited for Gabe to return.

A few moments later he came back out. “All clear.”

She let out a relieved breath. “What if whoever did this comes back?”

He pulled her close to his chest with one strong arm wrapped tightly around her while his free hand rested on his holstered weapon. “Don't worry. I'll keep you safe.”

She rested her cheek against the warm fabric of his
dress shirt where his overcoat hung open. His heart beat a rhythmic cadence that eased some of her tension and made her feel secure. Cocooned within his embrace, she did feel safe.

A few minutes later two uniformed officers arrived, followed closely by crime scene technicians.

Once the CSI tech was finished dusting for prints and looking for other obvious evidence, Gabe led Kris inside. “Take a look around and see if anything has been disturbed.”

She did a quick walk-through of the apartment. As far as she could tell, everything was as it should be. Nothing was out of place or missing.

“That's good,” Gabe said and planted her at the dinette table. “I'll be right back.”

She watched him as he talked to the techs and then to the other officers. He listened carefully, then seemed to be giving instructions, in complete control of the situation. She liked that he wasn't afraid to take charge, yet he wasn't domineering with the other officers. And as he'd demonstrated earlier at the retirement center, he was comfortable letting others take the lead.

He'd changed over the years from the brash, almost cocky, young officer she'd known to this capable and confident man. A man who never loved her. And probably never would.

Restless with her thoughts and the situation, she rose to make a pot of coffee. Soon the aromatic scent of a premium French roast curled up through the steam of the coffeemaker. She poured herself a cup and set out another for Gabe. Just in case he chose to stay for a while.

Which she hoped he would, even though she knew she would only be setting herself up for more heartache if she became too attached to him again.

Finally, they were alone.

“Coffee?”

Gabe gave her a grateful smile. “Please.”

“Did they find anything?”

“No.” He took a seat at the table. “No prints on the door or surrounding walls. The ink used to write the message is from a permanent marker. They'd have to take the door to determine the type, but most likely it's a common brand, too difficult to trace. The front entrance door was also wiped clean. Whoever did this was careful.”

“I'll order a new door tomorrow. Then they can come back and take the door.” She cringed to think of her neighbors seeing the message.

“That would be good. And tomorrow I'll come back to interview the other residents, see if anyone saw someone hanging around who didn't belong.”

Kris frowned. “I'm sure if anyone were loitering, the tenants would have called in a complaint.”

“But someone could have slipped in, pretending to be a guest or a delivery person.”

“Great. Now everyone in the building will be alarmed.”

“Can't be helped.”

“I know.” She sipped her coffee, letting the warm liquid slide down to her empty stomach. “You do realize this is another example of God's provision, don't you?”

He peered at her from over the rim of his mug. “Your faith is admirable.”

She'd take that. Maybe one day he'd find faith, too.

“Thank you for the coffee.” He set his empty mug aside and took her hand. “I've got to report in. There's a uniformed officer parked right outside.”

“Of course.” She stood, already feeling lonely. “I'll see you in a few hours.”

He gave her a crooked smile. “Yeah, a few hours. Try to rest, okay?”

“I will.” She walked him to the door.

He reached out to stroke his hand down her cheek, his touch achingly tender, yet her skin felt branded by the contact.

Then he was gone. She shut the door and turned the lock, wishing that locking up her heart came with as much ease.

But with Gabe, nothing was ever easy.

G
abe's cell phone rang, the noise cutting through the early morning quiet of the station house. He liked to get in before the chaos of another day began. He'd just arrived and hadn't even taken his coat off yet. He reached into the side pocket and pulled out his phone. “Burke.”

“It's me. Sadie just called all upset. Another resident has gone missing.”

Dread like a stone dropping through water landed in the pit of his stomach with a dull thud. Maybe Sadie
had
seen something last night…no, that just didn't seem plausible. “Where are you?”

“Home. But I'm heading over there right now.”

“Kristina, stay put. I'll go check this out.” If for no other reason than to prove to Kris nothing was going on.

“Good. That's why I called you.” He could hear the smile in her tone. “But I'll see you there.” She hung up.

Gabe ran a hand through his hair as frustration throbbed at his temples. The woman was too headstrong for her own good.

“Problem?”

Hanging up the phone, he answered his partner, Angie. “Maybe.”

He filled her in on the situation. “I'm not sure there is anything going on but…”

“But we'll check it out.” She retrieved her weapon from the lockbox before shrugging into her short woolen coat.

“I can take this alone,” Gabe said, turning his car keys over in his hand.

Angie arched a dark eyebrow. “We're partners, right? We do this together. If it turns out to be nothing, no harm, no foul.”

“Thanks,” he offered, grateful for her easy attitude.

When they arrived at Miller's Rest in his SUV, he noted Kristina's compact car parked near the entrance. Inside, the place hummed with activity, unlike the previous night. When Gabe and Angie entered the building, the front desk receptionist buzzed the center's director. A few moments later the director came out of her office, her eyes widened behind her glasses.

“Detective Burke, what can I do for you? You did get the fax I sent, didn't you?”

“No.” He made a mental note to check the station's central fax machine. “But I'll take a copy today.”

Her eyebrows puckered. “Fine. If you'll excuse me I'll go pull that now.”

“Later. We had a report that a resident went missing last night,” he replied, watching closely for her reaction.

Her lips pursed tight for a moment. “You were wrongly informed. All of our residents are accounted for.”

Relief should have poured in, but Gabe couldn't shake
the message written on Kris's door. Stop asking questions or else. Obviously, someone had something to hide.

“Then you won't mind if we take a look around,” Angie declared, her voice making it clear the statement wasn't a request.

The director's gaze shifted from him to Angie. “Do you have a warrant?”

“Do we need one?” Angie interjected.

“Of course not.” Annoyance and a flash of—was that panic?—entered her gaze. “I suppose you may ‘look around' as long as you don't upset the residents. Especially after last night's episode.” She glared at Gabe.

“We'll be discreet,” Gabe assured her. “I'd like to speak with your medical director.”

Ms. Faust turned toward the pretty brunette woman at the desk. “Sharon, would you show these officers to Dr. Crowley's office, please?”

Sharon glanced up, her dark mocha eyes regarding Ms. Faust a bit warily. “Uh, Dr. Crowley's out today. Dr. Sheffield is filling in.”

“Just take them to the doctor,” Ms. Faust barked.

Sharon scrambled out of her seat, catching the heel of her shoe on the edge of the desk. She righted herself, smoothing a hand down the front of her red skirt. She was taller than she appeared while sitting behind the desk. “This way.”

He could feel Angie's questioning gaze as they followed Sharon down the hall.

“Last night?” Angie finally asked.

“Kristina visited her grandmother,” he stated.

“And?”

“It was after visiting hours.”

“I see.”

He doubted that, but he didn't want to explain. Because if he did, then he'd have to examine why he'd come running when Kris called in the middle of the night.

“Gabe!”

Kristina waved at him from the doorway of an apartment.

His footsteps faltered. He hesitated, torn between his duty and the need to go to Kris.

Angie laid a hand on his arm. Her gaze flickered to Kris and back. He could read the speculation in her warm brown eyes. “Do you want me to interview the doc?”

“That would be great.” He gave her a grateful smile. “Ask about the two people we know are missing and see if anyone has recently expired. And,” he added as he lowered his voice, “ask about Sadie Arnold's mental health.”

“You know he can't tell me anything,” she countered with a frown.

“True. But I trust you to get his assessment off the record.”

Again her focus flickered to Kris and back. She searched his face before heaving a sigh. “Will do.”

Angie walked away, her dark ponytail swaying with each step. He hated disappointing her, but nothing was going to happen between them. Especially not with Kris in the picture. Even though he had no idea where that relationship was headed. He hurried to where Kris stood waiting.

“I'm so glad you came. Grams is all agitated,” she
said in a rush, clearly agitated as well. “The director told her that Denise Jamesen went to visit her relatives in Rhode Island for the holiday. But Grams insists that Denise wouldn't do that. She's certain the body last night was Denise's.”

If not for the threatening note on Kris's door, Gabe would have argued that only Sadie had seen a body, which didn't mean there had been one. But now…Something was going on. Still he wasn't sure it had to do with dead bodies. That was a little far-fetched.

He took Kris's hand. “I'll talk to Ms. Faust and find out more about Ms. Jamesen's whereabouts.”

Sadie appeared next to Kris. Her wrinkled face lit up with pleasure. “Detective. So good of you to come see us.”

“Ma'am,” he replied. Did she remember why he was here?

“I was just telling Gabe about your friend Denise,” Kris said.

Sadie's brow furrowed with concern. “She wouldn't have gone to see her nephew and his family. They didn't get along. She'd cut them out of her will years ago.”

“Do you know where this nephew lives?” Gabe asked.

Sadie's pale lips puckered in thought. “Well, I can't recall.”

Gabe smiled. “No worries. I'll ask Ms. Faust.”

Sadie's eyes darkened. “That one's up to no good, I tell you.”

Gabe exchanged a glance with Kris. Was Sadie right? Was the director up to no good? Or were they following the ramblings of a slipping mind?

The words written across Kris's door wouldn't release
their tight grip in his consciousness. Somehow the warning and Sadie's suspicions had to merge. But how?

 

Kris could see the questions and doubts flittering through Gabe's green eyes. On the one hand Sadie's claims could appear to be the ravings of a failing mind, but that awful threat last night on her door had been all too real.

She was just so glad he'd come to the retirement center even with his doubts. “Let us know what you find out, okay?”

Gabe touched her hand, the contact sending little tingles marching up her arm to settle near her heart. “Of course I will.”

A movement in Kris's peripheral vision gave her a start, and she clutched at Gabe's sleeve.

An elegant, elderly woman appeared in the doorway of Sadie's studio apartment. “Hello, would anyone like a spot of tea?”

Okay, she was way too jumpy. She forced a smile. “Hello, Mrs. Tipple.”

Evelyn Tipple's face creased into an answering smile. She had her silver hair swept back into a classic chignon. She looked coolly chic in khaki slacks with a sweater set complete with a string of pearls around her slender neck. An English rose personified. Her lively hazel eyes danced as her gaze roamed over Gabe. “Who's this handsome bloke?”

Kris suppressed a grin at the red creeping up Gabe's neck. “This is Detective Burke from the Boston P.D.”

Mrs. Tipple winked at Gabe. “Oh, has someone done something wicked?”

If they only knew for sure. “We're—”

“I'm just visiting,” Gabe interjected, darting a meaningful glance at Kris.

She sobered. These wonderful ladies very well might be in danger.

“I'd love some soothing tea, Evelyn, thank you,” Sadie said. To Kris, she whispered, “Let me know what you find out.”

With a kiss to Sadie's check, Kris answered, “Of course.”

As Sadie passed Gabe, she touched his arm. His soft smile and nod made Kris's heart constrict. She loved that he was so good to her grandmother.

“I'll go talk to Ms. Faust again,” he commented.

“I'll go with you.”

They found her conversing with Frank, the janitor, in a small alcove at the end of the hall. Frank's eyes widened as they approached. “I ain't done nothing.”

Kris wasn't surprised that Frank would think Gabe was here for him. The man made her nervous. There was something about him that was off.

“We're not here to see you,” Gabe declared in a calm tone.

With a quick look at Ms. Faust, Frank scurried away, pushing his cleaning cart.

“Ms. Faust, can you tell me exactly where Denise Jamesen's relative lives?” Gabe asked, taking a notebook out of his pocket.

“Are you conducting an official investigation?” Ms. Faust inquired.

Gabe hesitated a moment before answering. “Yes.”

Ms. Faust's mouth pressed into a thin disapproving line. “Then come back when you have a warrant. I'm sure if Mrs. Jamesen wished for Sadie to know where she was, she'd have left her the address herself,” Ms. Faust argued with a glare directed at Kris.

“Sadie is upset and worried about her,” Kris replied, trying to appeal to the woman's emotions.

Ms. Faust raised an eyebrow. “You should be more worried about your grandmother.”

“Is that a threat?” Gabe asked, taking a menacing step closer.

Ms. Faust flushed. “Of course not. I only meant that Sadie has shown increasing signs of dementia. It's natural at her age.” She turned her piercing gaze back on Kris. “And since you've been coming to visit her more regularly these past few months, her blood pressure has risen significantly.”

The admonishment in Ms. Faust's tone strummed a chord of guilt in Kris. Were her visits too much for Sadie? Causing her too much excitement, raising her blood pressure and creating paranoia? Sadie
had
been more agitated the past few days. “Can you bring her blood pressure down?”

Ms. Faust gave her a patient look. “The doctors are doing what they can.”

Implying that Kris was the source of Sadie's agitation. Kris glanced at Gabe. The tender concern and compassion filling his green eyes both pleased and irritated her. The man she'd known so many years ago wouldn't have shown such understanding, but dealing with the atrocities of police work had obviously given him an empathetic side.

And now he empathized with her.

He'd tried to tell her that maybe Sadie wasn't as healthy as she'd thought. So, okay, Sadie was eighty and Kris had probably been too enthusiastic in taking Grams out for ice cream, the theatre and dinner at Sadie's favorite restaurants. But Sadie's blood pressure didn't explain the warning slashed across Kris's apartment door.

As if reading her mind, Gabe spoke, his voice crisp and authoritative. “I'd still like the address and phone number of Denise Jamesen's relatives. And I really would suggest you cooperate rather than demanding I come back with a warrant. Makes me wonder what you're hiding.”

Ms. Faust heaved a beleaguered sigh. “Follow me.”

Kris slipped her arm through Gabe's. Gratefulness spread through her like a blanket against the chill of doubts Ms. Faust tried to instill. Gabe had enough of his own, Kris didn't need the other woman adding fuel to this particular fire.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

He covered her hand, warmth seeping in and curling up her arm.

His voice dropped in volume. “Let's concede the fact that Sadie's imagination may be running rampant.”

Indignation roared like a hungry bear through Kris. She didn't want to concede anything. Acknowledging Sadie's deteriorating health would be too upsetting. She tried to withdraw her hand. He wouldn't release her.

“And,” he continued, his voice low, his gaze intense, “someone feels threatened enough by her ramblings to send you a warning to back off. So in one way or
another, she's hit a nerve. We just have to find out with who and why.”