Kissing Trouble (25 page)

She frowned. “That’s a lot of trouble to go through.”

“Exactly.” He shifted his rail thin body. “Now, what sort of person would go through that kind of trouble?”

Julie shrugged. “Psychopaths?”

“Yes, but why? Why here when they could have easily tossed the body into the lake or buried it?”

“It’s hard to determine the mind of a psychopath. There are a great number of reasons why—”

Sheriff Reynolds chuckled. “You’re talking like a book, Ms. Brewer.”

Her tongue snuck out to dampen her lips. “To prove a point? To frighten us? To warn us?”

“Correct, now can you tell me why someone would want to do any of those things to you?”

Julie shook her head. “I don’t know.”

Maybe he believed her, or maybe he didn’t. It was hard to tell when he said nothing as he pushed past her into the house.

Julie stayed with her shoulder against the frame as the officer interrogating Mason pulled back and started towards the house. The two with Shaun and Luis remained, looking none too pleased by Shaun’s defiant muteness and whatever they’re getting from Luis.

“You should sleep.” Mason reached her.

Julie’s laugh was hollow. “I don’t think I’ll ever sleep.”

His gentle fingers closed over hers and he drew her into the warmth of the kitchen. He continued to hold her hand, gently massaging blood through the stiffness.

“I’ll keep you safe, Julie,” he murmured quietly.

“Mason, I—” His fingers ghosted over her lips, pinning her words to her lips.

“Get some sleep,” he urged softly. “I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”

“I’m just...” She scratched furiously at her brow, trying to peel away the furrow that wouldn’t lift. “Why, Mason? Why is someone doing this?” She pressed her lips together, holding them firm to restrain their tremble before speaking again. “You can’t tell me this is all because of you and something you did when you were a kid. This goes beyond ... they killed someone.”

“I don’t know what to tell you, Jewels.” The frustration was blinding behind his eyes. “I know I did some pretty shitty things as a kid, but...” He forced his fingers back through his hair and stole a glance in the direction of the yard. “I never hurt anyone. I
never
killed anyone. People hate me, but not this much. I don’t know anyone who would do this.”

She believed him even as part of her wanted to hate him for putting her and the kids through this. And while she knew it was irrational, that he had nothing to do with the girl hanging from the basketball hoop, she needed to hate someone.

Shaun and Luis climbed the steps to the back porch with the two officers at their heels. Mason and Julie stepped aside as the group entered the kitchen.

One of the officers closed the door and turned to face them. “Sheriff Reynolds asks that you don’t leave town until this matter is dealt with.”

Julie’s jaw dropped. “What? No! I’m taking the kids home tomorrow and I’m not coming back to this place—”

The officer was unmoved by her outburst. “This is a murder investigation, ma’am. No one is leaving town until we’ve caught the person responsible.”

“Well, this is clearly a hit on us,” she expressed hotly. “If we stay, who’s to say the psychopath won’t come back and do the same to us? We are in danger.”

“For all we know, one of you is responsible,” the second officer supplied, without heat.

“What officer Brennon is trying to say is that we might have further questions for you,” the first officer explained.

“I’m not letting the kids stay here another day,” Julie said sharply.

“Then perhaps you should call someone to come get them,” Officer Brennon suggested. “Staying in town is not a suggestion. You will get arrested if you leave.”

“You can’t do that!” She looked to Mason. “Can he do that?”

“We can.” Sheriff Reynolds returned. “We will also need the keys to your cars.”

“Our cars? Why—”

Sheriff Reynolds closed the distance with long, slow strides. “Someone moved that body here. They would need a car to accomplish that.”

“We didn’t do this,” Julie protested.

“Then you won’t mind surrendering your keys,” Officer Brennen retorted with a smugness that made Julie want to hit him.

“No.” Shaun widened his stance. He folded his arms over his chest and glowered at the officers. “You need a warrant for that.”

“Actually, we don’t,” Sheriff Reynolds replied. “This property is our crime scene and we have rights to everything on it. If you get in our way, you’re disrupting an ongoing investigation and I will arrest you. Now keys, please.”

Not for the first time, Julie wished she’d gone into law rather than forensics. One didn’t teach the other. It wasn’t her job to know the loops that was the intricately woven system, only what she saw when she looked at a crime scene.

After exchanging apprehensive glances with Mason, Julie left to grab her keys from her room. Mason was handing over his own set when she returned. Sheriff Reynolds passed his to Officer Brennen. Her set went to the second officer. He pocketed it almost immediately, like he was afraid she might lunge after him and snatch them back.

“Get Moe here,” Sheriff Reynolds instructed. “Tell him there’s two cars that need picking up.”

“When can we get them back?” Julie interrupted.

The sheriff turned to look at her. “As long as it takes to examine them and find the son of a bitch who did this.”

“But—”

“Ms. Brewer, please let us do our job.” Then, just like that, he dismissed her by turning his back on her and addressing his men once more. “I want this entire house searched, dusted and printed, and get him,” he jabbed a finger towards Shaun, “to submit his fingerprints. If he resists, arrest him.”

Having said what needed to be said, the sheriff left his officers to get to work as he stalked through the backdoor and moved effortlessly to the basketball court, now void of a body. The officers moved to the front door, pulling out their phones, and Julie had a feeling they were about to get very crowded.

“I have to call Maureen,” she said. “She won’t like it, but she has to come get the kids. I don’t want them here another night.”

Leaving the men behind, Julie stormed from the kitchen and hurried to the stairs. She caught sight of the officers standing on the porch, ordering someone to come tow the cars away, and prayed they got their job done quickly. The thought of them remaining there for longer than necessary made her want to weep.

In the seclusion of her room, she marched to the phone on the nightstand and phoned Maureen.

“Julie, is something wrong?”
the question was asked around a loud yawn.

“Hello Maureen,” Julie said calmly. “The kids are fine, but there was another incident today.”

She told Maureen about the body and needing her to come down and get the children.

“I can’t,”
Maureen said before Julie could finish.
“I have appointments all this week.”

Julie ignored the tickle of impatience. “They can’t stay here, Maureen. It’s too dangerous.”

Maureen sighed.
“I’ll call Dean. Maybe he can swing by to get them. He’s telling his lawyers that I’m not giving him enough time with them.”

Having had a long day and in no mood for bullshit, Julie growled deep in her throat. “Maureen, I don’t care who gets the kids so long as they’re not here.”

“Julie?”
Maureen hesitated.
“This has nothing to do with you wanting to spend time with Mason, is it?”

For a whole second, Julie had absolutely nothing to say to that. It was so ludicrous that for a moment, she didn’t event to justify it with an answer.

“Julie?”

“No!” she shot back. “Of course not. This is about the children and keeping them safe.”

“All right, but if it is, you can tell me.”

Julie pinched the bridge of her nose. “It’s not. Do you want me to call Dean?”

“Yes, that might be a good idea. I’m not allowed to call him without my lawyer.”

Needing to set a plan into motion, Julie hung up with Maureen and called her soon to be ex-husband. Dean, unlike his wife, was more concerned about the children spending the night.

“I’ll be there first thing in the morning.”

T
rue to his word, he arrived at the crack of dawn the next day. Julie was already awake and the children were dressed and ready in the sitting room. Dustin seemed to be the only one happy about being sent home. Wendy and Rick had thrown tantrums unlike anything Julie had ever witnessed. They didn’t understand why they were being sent home after only a week of vacation.

“Is this because of the carnival?” Wendy whined. “Because I didn’t listen?”

“No, of course not,” Julie tried to reassure her, but it was a tricky matter when she couldn’t tell them why they were leaving, only that their father was on his way to get them.

It had been nearly impossible to console the pair, even with bribery. It wasn’t until Mason stumbled downstairs, rubbing at his sleepy eyes that they quieted.

“What is all the racket?” He yawned loudly.

“Julie is sending us home,” Rick said at once.

“Tell her not to, Mason,” Wendy pleaded.

Mason squinted at the figures in the room. “Don’t you want to spend time with your dad?”

“But we like it here!” Wendy said.

“It’s still summer,” Rick added.

Mason listened and nodded, but his attention was caught by Dustin, who sat at the counter, elbows on the table with his head bent over his game system. He hadn’t said a word since the news.

“Hey.” Mason went over and ruffled Dustin’s hair. “Where do you stand on all this?”

Dustin shrugged. “I hate it here.”

“Then maybe you can talk to your siblings,” Mason suggested.

“Why?” Dustin looked up at him. “It’s not like they have a choice.”

Mason smacked him on the shoulder. “True, but as an older brother it’s your job to comfort them and keep them safe.”

Dustin’s eyes narrowed behind his glasses as he tried to understand the logic behind the words. “What if I don’t want to?”

Biting the inside of her cheek, Julie watched as Mason fumbled with a response. Luckily for him, he didn’t have to think of one.

The front door opened and a moment later, Dean Vance strode into the room as though he were entering a court room. His suit was crisp and as dark as his wavy locks, which were swept back from a strong brow. Warm, brown eyes swept over the room. They lit up when they landed on the children.

“Hey guys!”

Wendy and Rick continued to sulk. Dustin just stared with absolute blankness for someone anxious to leave.

Julie quickly stepped forward. “Mr. Vance, you made it. Hello.”

Dean looked away from his kids to smile kindly at her. “Hello Julie. I hope I’m not late.”

Shaking her head, Julie motioned him deeper into the kitchen. “No, you’re right on time. I have everything packed and the kids have been fed...” She glanced at the kids in question. “Why don’t you guys use the bathroom before you leave?”

No one moved.

“Dad, do we have to go?” Wendy whined. “Why can’t we stay?”

Dean stole a glance towards Julie before facing his daughter. “Because I thought we could do some stuff together.”

“Like what?” Rick prodded, not convinced. 

“Well, if I tell you that then what will happen to the surprise I have planned?”

Wendy and Rick exchanged glances with a mixture of suspicion and barely concealed excitement.

“So why don’t you hit the bathroom and we can get on the way?” Dean suggested when no further arguments were made.

“Okay, but it better be a really good surprise,” Wendy warned as she hurried after Rick to the door.

“Dust?” Dean glanced at his eldest. “Need the can?”

“Nope,” Dustin replied without glancing up from his game.

Nodding, Dean turned to Julie and Mason. “Why don’t you two help me get the bags into the car?”

Knowing an excuse when she saw one, Julie followed without comment. They stepped into the foyer and each grabbed a duffle.

“So I know we discussed what was happening over the phone, but I just want to be clear.” Dean popped the trunk on his Range Rover and stuffed one of the bags inside. “The police have no leads?”

Mason passed his uncle the bag in his hand. “No, but they want us to stick around in case they have any more questions.”

“Plus they took our cars so we can’t even go to the store if we need to,” Julie added.

Dean shook his head. “I just can’t believe someone would do something like this.” He took the duffle from Julie’s hand. “It’s seems so fictional.”

“And yet...” Mason mumbled.

Head still rocking steadily from side to side, Dean dumped both bags into the trunk next to the first and slammed the door shut. He turned to them.

“Will you guys be all right up here alone?” He glanced from Mason to Julie, his expression endearingly concerned. “I don’t like leaving, knowing some psycho is leaving bodies in my backyard.”

“We’ll be fine,” Mason assured him almost immediately.

“Actually,” Julie interjected. “You’re a criminal lawyer, Mr. Vance. Do you think you could talk to the law enforcement here and see if they’ve learned anything new and ask when we can get our cars back and go home?”