by Cindy Bell
A faint shiver crept along Nikki’s spine as she looked between the three men. Each one appeared to be in his twenties, which meant she should have an idea of who they were, but she didn’t. From the sound of the man’s voice, he wasn’t a local, and she guessed the two men with him weren’t either.
“I’ve got a friend looking for work, are you hiring?” She looked between the three.
“Nope.” The man in the very back smirked. “Full up.”
“He’s really handy.” Nikki skimmed her gaze across each face, and again confirmed that she had never seen them before. “Where do you work?”
“None of your business, lady.” The man who stood in the middle of the other two chuckled. “Move on, would you? We have work to get to.”
“Watch it.” Gerald frowned as he eyed them. “That’s not how you talk to a lady around here.”
“Whatever.” The man in front slapped down a five-dollar bill. “That should cover it.” He shifted his gaze back to Nikki and his jaw rippled. He continued to look into her eyes as he stepped past her and down the narrow aisle towards the door. The two other men followed right behind him, each with a sneer in Nikki’s direction.
“Not very friendly, are they?” Nikki raised an eyebrow.
“No, not at all.” Gerald sighed as he picked up the five-dollar bill. “Sorry about that, Nikki.”
“It’s all right, I was being nosy.” She gave him a small smile then headed out the door. As she watched, the three men piled into the cab of a truck. She casually walked towards her car and managed to start it just as they were pulling out of the parking lot. Eager to find out what they were up to she followed after the truck. It was unmarked and looked to be at least fifteen years old. The scratches and wear on it indicated it might be used for farm work or construction of some kind. The fact that they had been so evasive about their work, and downright rude to her, indicated they might have something to hide.
The truck led her through a few neighborhoods. It was difficult to stay far enough behind not to be noticed, but close enough not to lose track of them. When she expected them to take a right to head towards the large farms in the area, she was surprised to see them take a left, which led towards the wealthier neighborhood. She trailed even further behind them as she knew her presence would be even more noticeable on the mostly quiet streets.
A few miles down the road, they veered off onto a side street. She barely even noticed the street on her usual walks as it was set back in some brush and didn’t lead to any houses or buildings that she knew about. At this point she was sure they would notice if she turned in after them. Instead she drove up another block, then parked along the street. She jumped out of the car and broke into a run. They had quite a good head start.
As Nikki began down the side street she caught sight of the truck just as it made a left, directly into the woods. Stunned, she ran as fast as she could to catch up. The truck was already gone by the time she reached the point where it had turned. She realized that they hadn’t just turned into the woods. There was a narrow dirt road that she had never seen before. It led through the woods in the direction of the mansions.
Nikki’s heart pounded against her chest from how fast she ran. She leaned against a nearby tree to catch her breath and tried to guess where the road led. As large as the properties in the area were, it didn’t surprise her that some would have entrances other than the front gates, however she couldn’t help but wonder why those men chose to use the dirt road instead of one of the main entrances. The road was too long for her to travel on foot, and she knew that by the time she reached the end the truck would be long gone. She decided she would come back to explore it after she tried to locate Mike. She felt like he was the best lead at the moment.
Chapter 11
As Nikki returned to her car, she tried to shake the feeling that something very strange was going on in her town. Could it all be connected to Chelsea’s death? She wasn’t sure how. But she was determined to find out. Once back in her car she decided to go to Gina’s café. She hoped to find out some more information about Mike there. As she drove towards it she wondered how Quinn’s interview with Betty would go. She didn’t know Betty at all, other than in passing, but each time she’d seen her, the woman had been rather standoffish. She guessed that it had to be hard for her to try to fit into a family that didn’t exactly welcome her. It was hard for her to believe that she could have murdered Chelsea over something as trivial as a painting, but she knew that it was possible. Murder rarely had a good explanation.
The café was not as busy as usual when Nikki arrived. She had hit the quiet time between the lunch rush and the dinner rush. As soon as she stepped inside she was assaulted by spicy and savory aromas. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten in quite some time. With all the chaos going on she hadn’t had much of an appetite. But now she felt as if she could eat everything on the menu.
“Hey, Nikki.” Gina waved to her from behind the counter. “Give me a second and I’ll be right over.”
“Great.” Nikki flashed her a smile, then sat down at an empty table. Her mind flipped back over everything that had happened at the District Attorney’s Office. She wasn’t sure whether to believe his claim that he wasn’t involved in Chelsea’s murder. He had quite a bit to lose if the truth came out, and probably plenty of resources to make Chelsea disappear. But she hadn’t disappeared. She’d been murdered and left for anyone to find. Wouldn’t a district attorney have cleaner ways of fixing his problems? As far as she knew Mike was the best suspect. He had obviously followed Chelsea there, and that had to mean that he was out to get her. Didn’t it?
“You’re a sight for sore eyes.” Gina sighed as she sat down in the chair beside her. “No one has wanted to chat today.”
“No?” Nikki smiled as Gina pushed a glass of iced tea towards her. “Thanks.”
“I guess all this tension over Chelsea’s death has really had an impact on everyone.” Gina frowned as she glanced around the nearly empty café. “I sure hope they figure out what happened soon.”
“Me, too.” She nodded as her gaze flitted over the few people seated around her.
“Are you hungry?” Gina pulled out a notepad to take her order.
“Starving.” Nikki sighed as she began to flip through the menu, then shook her head. “You know what? I’d love to have a nice, juicy cheeseburger with a huge side of fries.” She gave her stomach a light rub. “I need some major fuel.”
“Ah, to be young again.” Gina laughed, winked at her, then shouted the order to the cook. “I feel like I’m counting every calorie these days.”
“I might be stress eating.” Nikki quirked an eyebrow. “I’ve had a wild day.”
“So I heard.” Gina nodded as she looked at her. Her eyes lit up with a hint of laughter, and perhaps admiration.
“You did?” Nikki’s cheeks grew hot as she wondered just how many people had heard about her encounter with Rick Parker.
“Sure, Joanna, Rick Parker’s secretary, is quite talkative. She blasted you all over the local online bulletin board. She said you are what’s wrong with the youth today.” She laughed so forcefully that she couldn’t hold back a small snort. “When I read that, I honestly couldn’t have felt more proud of you. You really know how to ruffle feathers, don’t you?”
“Honestly, I just want the murder solved and it seems like some people might be more interested in covering up and forgetting about Chelsea’s death.”
Nikki nodded to the cook as he brought her plate to her personally.
“Hey there, Nikki.” He adjusted his paper hat as he smiled at her. “Do you want extra pickles with that?”
“No thanks, Allen.” Nikki eyed him for a moment. He could be a bit flirtatious and she wasn’t in the mood.
“All right, enjoy.” He winked at her, then walked away.
“I don’t know why you never give him a chance. That poor man is lovesick over you, and you know it.” Gina clucked her to
ngue.
“That may be true, but I don’t feel the same way about him.” She took a bite of her burger, then moaned. “Okay, maybe I was wrong. I mean, right now I think I could marry him.”
“I heard that!” Allen called from the kitchen. “Just pick the date and the place and I’ll be there!”
“Ugh.” She sighed and took another big bite of her cheeseburger. Now it tasted like commitment and dread.
“You are quite picky, aren’t you? I keep thinking that you’re going to fall head-over-heels for someone, but here you are, still single.” Gina tilted her head to the side as she surveyed her. “But then you’re pretty enough to be picky. Just keep in mind, I was young once, too, and now I’m old and alone.” She wiped her hands on the apron she wore, then chuckled. “Which honestly isn’t all that bad.”
Nikki frowned as she considered her friend’s words. She never thought too much about being single. Life was easier that way, and she had plenty of time to figure out what she wanted. But Gina was right, she hadn’t found anyone that interested her since school. As for being pretty, she’d never considered herself that. Plain perhaps, but not pretty. She’d always been the skinny, short girl. In her last two years of high school she gained a few inches and filled out a little, but compared to the other students in her class she was still the runt. Even now, at twenty-three she didn’t have the curves or looks that she thought beautiful women had. She didn’t think she looked much different than she had in high school. She also didn’t have that much interest in pairing up. It wouldn’t hurt to have a date now and then, someone to spend time with, but marriage wasn’t even on her radar.
Nikki appreciated her friend’s advice, but she was much more focused on who she might run into now, than what the future held. In the meantime, she had a delicious burger to devour, at least until more people began to arrive who she could question about Mike. She made a brief note on her phone about the three men she had seen, only because they stood out as if they didn’t belong. As she polished off the last bite of her burger she realized that no one else had entered the café. She decided that she would show the staff a picture of Mike to see if they had seen him, and if they hadn’t she might be better off returning at dinner rush.
As Nikki was about to stand up from the table the front door of the café swung open, and a man walked in. He looked exactly like the picture that she had found on the internet. Her breath caught in her throat as she froze for a second. Mike looked directly at her, and their eyes locked.
Mike continued to stare at Nikki for a moment, then he glanced towards one of the waitresses.
“Can I get a table?”
“Sit anywhere you like.” The waitress smiled at him.
Nikki sank back down into her chair as Mike walked past her towards one of the empty tables. She had no idea what to do for a split-second, then she recalled Quinn’s request for her to let him know if she saw him. She pulled out her phone to type out a text to him when she heard Mike address her.
“Have they got anything good here?” Mike flashed a smile at her. Was he flirting? Her heart skipped a beat.
“Everything is delicious. But the cheesecake is the best.” Nikki forced her voice into a cheerful tone. As long as he engaged with her she might be able to find out something about what happened to Chelsea.
“Great, I could use something sweet.” His smile grew even wider. “I mean, other than you.”
Yes, he was definitely flirting, and very poorly at that. She certainly wasn’t interested in him, but she decided to use it as an invitation to find out more about him.
“Well, maybe we could each have a slice.” Nikki raised an eyebrow.
“I’d like that.” He nodded as he nudged the other chair at his table out with the toe of his boot. “Come and join me, please.”
“Sure.” Nikki stood up from the table, and tucked her phone back into her pocket. She’d let Quinn know he was there once she was done speaking to him a bit herself. She sat down across from him, and ignored the flutter of nervousness that awakened within her. “I’m Nikki.” She offered him her hand.
“It’s nice to meet you, Nikki.” He took her hand in his and held it for a long moment before he released it. “I’m Mike.”
“You’re not from around here, are you, Mike?” Nikki met his eyes.
“What makes you think that?”
“I know just about everyone in this town, and I don’t know you, and it’s pretty clear that you don’t know me.”
“Everyone?” He grinned. “You must be a social butterfly.”
“Something like that. So, where are you from?”
“Not here,” Mike replied. “I’m passing through.”
“What brought you here?” She held his gaze.
“You’re quite the curious one, aren’t you?” He chuckled. “I was visiting someone.”
“Visiting?” Nikki’s lip curled before she could stop it.
“Yes.” Mike glanced over at the waitress who had walked over to them. “Can we get two slices of cheesecake, please?”
“Actually, just make that one. I just had a burger, I’m not very hungry. But I don’t mind keeping you company while you eat.” Nikki’s stomach churned at the thought of having a meal with Chelsea’s killer. She could see what Chelsea saw in him. He was handsome in a rough way, his skin ruddy from the elements, and his nose broad beneath thick eyebrows. He resembled a gladiator in some ways with his broad shoulders and wide-set eyes. All that meant he was likely very strong.
“Now, now. You can’t back out on me like that.” Mike’s expression darkened. “I need something to cheer me up.”
“Cheer you up?” Nikki’s chest tightened. “Why? Has something bad happened?”
“The person I came here to visit disappeared on me.” Mike shook his head. “I thought maybe she’d want to rekindle things, but apparently she took off as soon as I showed up. You wouldn’t ever be so cruel, would you?”
Mike’s words hung in the air before her. Could it be possible that he didn’t even know that Chelsea was dead? She glanced around the café which was filling up with locals. Yes, maybe it was possible. Though everyone in town loved to gossip, they also weren’t too quick to welcome newcomers. It was possible that the rumors hadn’t reached his ears.
“Well, maybe if you told me who it was you came here to visit, I could give you an idea of where she might be.” She crossed her arms to hide a shiver. “In the interest of romance of course.”
“Romance.” Mike scoffed. “Not much chance of that anymore. She hates me. But I thought maybe I could prove to her that I’d changed.”
“Who is she, what’s her name?” Nikki asked.
“Oh sure, you might know her.” Mike sat back as the waitress walked over with a piece of cheesecake. “She’s an artist. Her name is Chelsea.” Mike smiled the moment he said her name.
The plate clattered to the table between them.
“Watch it!” Mike frowned as he looked up at the waitress.
“I’m sorry.” She flushed, glanced at Nikki, then hurried away from the table.
“What was that about?” He shook his head. “Butter fingers, I guess.”
“Must be.” Nikki cleared her throat.
“So, do you know her? Chelsea? You can’t miss her, she’s drop-dead gorgeous.” Mike’s eyes shone.
“Uh, well.” His choice of words made her uneasy. Did he really not know about the murder? “I’m not sure. I may have met her.” She lowered her eyes as she realized that she had talked herself into a corner. “When did you say you arrived in town?”
“Just a couple of days ago. A guy at the convenience store directed me to a spot where she usually paints, but when I went there that day, there was no sign of her. I guess someone must have tipped her off that I was around.”
“She must really want to avoid you.” Nikki’s lips tightened.
“Aw, don’t be like that. You know how it is, things get out of hand so easily. She didn’t like how much
I loved her. So, I was a little jealous, I wanted to know where she was and when, I don’t see what’s so wrong with that. If you care about someone, you keep tabs on them, right?” He cut the piece of cake in half then picked up a fork and took a bite. “Mm, you were right, this is delicious.”
As she watched him chew on the cake, it dawned on her that he might not be the killer. Maybe he was telling the truth, and was just a lovesick fool that arrived in town to win back his wife. Was that even possible? The thought made her head spin. What were the chances that he would arrive in town just in time for someone else to kill Chelsea? As she studied every inch of his face she waited for her instincts to tell her one way or the other. But he continued to just be a man sitting across from her, chewing cheesecake. Was it her place to tell him the truth?
No, it wasn’t. Her muscles tensed. She realized she’d already gone too far in the conversation and that she needed to contact Quinn right away. He was the one with the training to figure out if Mike was honest or lying through his teeth.
She pulled her phone out of her pocket and began to text him.
“Am I boring you?” Mike’s eyes narrowed. He set his fork down on his plate with a clatter. The sharp sound made her jump.
“No, I just remembered something I needed to tell a friend of mine.” Nikki smiled. “Sorry, I know it’s rude of me.”
“Very.” Mike continued to stare at her in a way that made sweat break out along her forehead. He could be very intimidating. Had the emotion he displayed for Chelsea just been a show?
“All done.” Nikki sent the text then tucked her phone back into her pocket.
Despite her friendly tone, his expression didn’t shift. Her stomach twisted as she felt as if his gaze was a spotlight shining directly into her thoughts. Could he tell that she suspected him?
Chapter 12
Was Mike a killer beyond that handsome face?
“So, how do you like the cake?” Nikki asked.
“It’s fine. You should try a bite.” Mike pushed the plate towards Nikki with enough force that it scraped across the table.