Random Acts of Murder: A Holly Anna Paladin Mystery, Book 1 (Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries) (10 page)

BOOK: Random Acts of Murder: A Holly Anna Paladin Mystery, Book 1 (Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries)
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“I actually think it’s refreshing,”
a new voice added.

I sucked in a deep breath whe
n I saw Chase step forward. Was he actually defending me? Didn’t he know he might get swallowed by the deceptively sweet sharks known as my family? Of course, Chase was the type who could stand on his own two feet.

“Not only is having sta
ndards good, so is making an effort to see the world in a more positive light. Life is about more than what you accomplish. It’s about who you are. I don’t think Holly should ever settle.”

My family remained quiet. I could hardly breath
e.

I wanted to hug Chase for stepping in a
nd helping defend me. I wanted to cry because he actually sounded like he understood. Instead, I managed to keep my mouth shut, though it wanted to flop open.

Chase and I stared at each other a moment, something unspoken passing between us.

“All right, everyone! Let’s go get that family photo!” Brian charged into the room. He paused and his eyebrows scrunched together. “What? Did I miss something?”

 

***

 

An hour later, I stepped outside, needing to get some air. Maybe being alone outside wasn’t the smartest idea after being shot at twice, but I refused to live in total fear. Partial would have to do.

I pulled my shawl around my shoulders and shivered at the winter chill that hung in the air.

It was hard to imagine this being my last winter. Sometimes, I didn’t feel like the implications of my disease had sunk in. Partly that was because I essentially felt healthy. Occasionally, I got tired, but that came from working and volunteering and staying busy. It was a good tired.

Or maybe it was my disease.

I let out a sigh, and my frosty breath fanned in front of me.

Life felt surprisingly unsimple at the moment. As a girl who always tried to keep things
uncomplicated, I hated this. I just wanted the future to be clear.

I supposed it was. I was going to die. I didn’t have much time to leave my mark on the world, and there was nothing I could do about it.

More timely than those thoughts, and nearly as pressing, was the fact that Brian had slow danced with me. He’d whispered, “You know, I think we could be really good together.”

His statement was the first time he’d ever
directly professed any interest. Before that, we’d just hung out casually and been fill-in dates when neither of us had anyone else. His statement left no questions as to what he thought about the two of us together.

I, of course, had stuttered. Stepped on his feet. Tried to find the right words.

Finally, I’d settled on “Do you?”

Thankfully, my brother had stepped up to the podium and we hadn’t had time to finish our talk.

Now I was out on the street corner, staring at the valets and trying to get a grip.

“Holly! What are you doing out here?”

I looked up and saw Chase charging outside. He didn’t stop walking, only slowed down when he spotted me.

“Just getting a breath.” Something was going on, I realized
with more than a little alarm zinging through me. “Where’s the fire?”

He shook his head,
not slowing down and nearing the curb now. “No fire. But we’ve got another murder.”

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 17

“Chase! Maybe I should go with you.” I wasn’t sur
e where the words had come from or if they were wise. But they’d slipped out. “You know, in case someone needs a shoulder to cry on. I am a social worker.”

He paused for a millisecond before nodding. “Come on, then.”

I temporarily forgot about Brian and about my brother’s fund-raising gala and all the guests inside. All I could think about was the fact that the killer had struck again. I’d call someone later and explain where I’d gone. Maybe I’d do it in the car.

I hurried after
Chase, my shorter legs working twice as hard as his long ones. He’d found a parking space three blocks away on the street, at a meter. Pretty smart thinking, since he was a cop and all. Valet service would have taken way too long.

We reached an unmarked sedan. He opened the door for me and waited while I quickly—but still like a lady—climbed into the passenger seat. He wasted no time slamming the door and hurrying to his side.

I’d had images of asking him questions, finding out more information. But he turned on his lights and siren and we were off. I held onto what Jamie called the “oh crap” bar above the window, trying not to be jostled into Chase.

Five minutes later, we pulled into the same neighborhood where the other two crimes had occurred. I breathed an ever
-so-slight sigh of relief when I didn’t recognize the house.

As soon as we jerked to a stop, Chase turned to me. “
You can’t cross the police line. Got it?”

I nodded. “Got it.”

I had no desire to see what was on the other side of that police line. The images of the dead body in Katrina’s house still haunted me; I didn’t think the pictures could ever be scrubbed from my memory. That was another tragedy in and of itself.

With more than a little hesitation, I opened the door and stepped onto the sidewalk. I pulled my shawl closer, trepidation surrounding me.
There were probably six police cars already at the scene, along with an ambulance and fire truck—standard protocol, I supposed. A woman stood on the lawn, tears streaming down her face and a tissue balled in her hands. Two officers tried to calm her down.

I wanted to give her a hug
and ask her if there was someone I could call.

But she was on the other side of the police line.

I’d been given boundaries, and I really needed to stick with them.

I stood there as minutes ticked past. I watched. I waited. I tried to keep my apprehension at bay.

I saw Chase come out and talk to the woman. He laid a hand on her arm, and the woman seemed to instantly calm down.

Then Chase’s partner,
T.J., charged onto the scene. Whatever he said obviously upset the woman because she began crying harder. Interesting dynamic, I mused. Good cop/bad cop? Or was this just a matter of compassionate versus jerky? I voted for the second option.

Just then, something vibrated under my arm.

My phone.

I quickly fished it out, realizing with panic that I
hadn’t told anyone where I was going. Even worse, I’d been gone probably an hour already.

I put the phone to my ear and rushed out, “Hello?”

“Holly? Where are you?” Brian’s voice sounded across the line.

“I’m so sorry, Brian. I got called to . . . to an emergency, and I meant to
let you guys know.”

“We’ve all been worried sick. Your mom was about to make an announcement at the podium about you.”

“Please! Tell her not to do that. Please.”

“Are you sure everything is okay?”
Brian repeated.

“I’m sorry. I’m doing something as a social worker right now. I’m not sure how long I’ll be.”

“How’d you get there? You don’t even have a car.”

“I got a ride from . . . from the police,” I finally answered.

He paused for a moment. “I see. Well, if you need anything, let me know. I’d be happy to pick you up, if you needed me to.”

“Thanks, Brian.” As I hung up, Chase motioned me over. A uniformed officer let me under the police tape
, and I met Chase halfway. He leaned close and lowered his voice.

“Could you stay with her? She could use someone right now. Says her nearest family is a few hours away still.”

I nodded. “Of course. I’d be more than happy to.”


You’re the best, Holly Anna.” He took his coat off and draped it over my shoulders.

Warm
th surrounded me, as did the scent of leather aftershave. “Just Holly will do,” I finally managed.

He squeezed my arm gently. “Thanks again.”

I hoped he hadn’t noticed the starstruck look in my gaze when he touched me. It was like my body had frozen as adrenaline zapped me. The clash left me feeling light-headed.

I really, really had to get a grip.

 

**
*

 

Three hours later, Chase escorted me back to his car. He didn’t say anything until after the doors were shut and the engine hummed to life.

“Same MO
, Holly. A young guy, shot in the chest, left for dead.”

“So, you think this murder is connected with the earlier ones?”
I tried to remain calm, to stay cool, to act collected even when everything inside me screamed: panic!

“There was a bucket and mop left there, and the kitchen had been cleaned.”

Suddenly, my head started spinning. Someone
was
trying to frame this . . . on me! The real killer obviously knew I’d been to that other crime scene. Was there any better scapegoat? But why not just send an anonymous letter to the police? Why go through all of this trouble to make me out as the guilty party?

“Holly? Are you okay?”

I barely heard him. Wooziness threatened to overtake me, and I grabbed the “oh crap” bar again—for totally different reasons this time.

The next thing I knew, Chase had pulled over and put the car in park. He twisted in his seat until he faced me.
“What’s going on?”

Not now. My disease couldn’t pick this moment to rear its ugly little head.

I raised my hand, trying to gain control of the situation. “I’m fine. I just need a moment.”

“The crime scene was too much for you, wasn’t it?”

Good. That’s what he thought it was. He was going to be sorely disappointed if he found out the truth, though. Maybe I should just tell him. Right here, right now.

But the words wouldn’t leave my lips. “It was a bit much, I suppose. This whole thing has left me feeling uneasy.”

“It’s left the whole city feeling uneasy.” He reached out and rubbed a piece of hair back from my face. “I should have told you that you couldn’t come. But you did work wonders with the victim’s mother back there.”

I forced a slight smile. “I’m glad I was a help.”

His hand dropped. “I should get you home.”

“Probably.”

My entire body felt alive as we drove. There was something about being this close to Chase that made my senses more aware, made my heart pump harder, and made my mind feel more alert.

We pulled in front of my house. He
parked on the street and ran around to open my door. I didn’t object; I liked feeling like a lady, and there was no shame in that.

We started up the sidewalk, his hand on my back, and my brai
n being engulfed with fairy-tale-like endorphins. Feelings that I needed to get under control.

Chase glanced up. “You can actually see some stars tonight.”

I paused and looked toward the nighttime sky. “There are a few out, aren’t there?”

“That was the first time I ever remember talking to you, Holly.” Chase looked at me. “It was about stars.”

“You remember that?” I knew exactly what he was talking about. Which could mean that I still had a little high school crush on him all these years later.

He grinned. “Of
course I do. We were assigned to be partners in our science class. Our project was on constellations.”

My throat burned when I swallowed. That had been the start of my crush on Chase.

“That’s when I realized that you weren’t like the other girls.”

A few days ago, I would have thought he meant that as an insult. But, right now, I wasn’t sure.

“Was that a good thing or a bad thing?” I held my breath as I waited for his answer.

He stepped closer. “Definitely a good thing.”

I raised my face toward him. Was it my imagination or was he leaning closer?

My heart raced,
and my skin tingled as anticipation filled me.

He was going to kiss me.

And I wasn’t going to stop him. The years weren’t rolled out before me with endless possibilities. I didn’t have gobs of time to contemplate true love. I only had the moment.

I closed my eyes.

“Now, that’s true love if I’ve ever seen it!” A horrible, scratchy yet nasal voice filled the air.

My eyes popped open.
Not only had the moment been broken, but it was like the magnetism that drew Chase and me together suddenly reversed and propelled us away from each other.

Mrs. Signet.

She stood on her porch grinning.

In a not-so-ladylike moment, I wanted to throttle her.

Something in that instant changed on Chase’s face. It hardened, and an unknown emotion—I wished I knew what—closed on him. He backed away, all traces of a smile gone.

“I should go.”

I nodded and pulled his jacket off. I instantly missed it—but not as much as I missed the warmth in his eyes. “Here you go.”

The lines on his face still looked tight. “I’ll see you around, Holly.”

BOOK: Random Acts of Murder: A Holly Anna Paladin Mystery, Book 1 (Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries)
2.15Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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