Murder in Roseville

by Denise McGee

  "Ambulance is on the way."

  His eyes fluttered. "Laurel?"

  "I'm here, love. Just relax. The ambulance is on the way"

  He smiled. "Love. I like the sound of that." He lapsed once more into unconsciousness.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Beginnings

  AARON

  I awoke to a now familiar room. I was back at Kyle's house.

  Laurel! My eyes popped all the way open. A small figure was asleep at my side. I let out the breath I hadn't realized I'd held.

  "I don't offer a discount for frequent surgeries, you know," Andy said from the shadows of the chair in the corner. "So you can stop reinjuring yourself."

  "What happened?"

  "The bullet grazed your damaged arm. As tender as that arm is, I'm sure it hurt like hell. Landing on it didn't help either."

  "Laurel?" I reached out and moved a tendril of hair away from her face. I vaguely remembered her calling me love. At least I hoped I remembered it and it wasn't just a dream.

  "She's fine. Exhausted, but fine. I gave her something to help her sleep." He added. "She should be waking up soon, though."

  "What time is it?" I asked, looking at the gray sky outside the bedroom window.

  "About 10 am."

  "What a dreary day."

  "You're still alive."

  "True enough. How'd we get away? And how'd we get here?"

  "As for that, perhaps you'd better talk to Nicole or Kyle."

  I looked around. "Are they here?"

  "They're waiting outside. Just a sec." He walked to the door and motioned to someone. Nicki appeared in the doorframe, followed closely by Kyle. I smiled, glad to see them.

  "So how'd we get away? Andy won't say."

  They shared a look. Something had happened between them. They were at once easier with each other while at the same time on edge. Kyle kept watching Nicki from the corner of his eye. She pretended she didn't notice but she couldn't quite suppress a smirk.

  "Well?" I prodded. Their mystery would have to wait until I'd gotten some answers.

  "We don't know. When we got there he was dead, you were out cold and Laurel was trapped under you."

  "Dead? How?"

  "There was a big ole nail driven into his skull. Smack dab in the center of his forehead."

  "A what?"

  "You heard me."

  "How'd that happen?"

  "We were hoping you could tell us."

  I shrugged. "I haven't a clue. The only thing I remember is the wind whipping up and excruciating pain in my arm. Everything after that is blank. What did Laurel say happened?"

  "She didn't know either. Just said it must have been the wind." Nicki said.

  "The wind killed a guy?" I thought about her story about the wind helping her get away from the thug in the alley. About how the outhouse door kept banging on its own and the glimmer of an idea percolated in the back of my mind. "That just might be the least crazy thing about this case. What was in the packet we found?"

  "Only the accounting records for Nathan's firm showing longterm embezzlement. The legal guys say millions were siphoned off and only Nathan and Hamilton had the access to do it. Nathan was trying to get proof it wasn't him before going to the authorities." Kyle cleared his throat. "There was also a letter for Laurel. It explained a lot."

  "Has she seen it yet?"

  "No. There's a copy on her nightstand, though." Kyle said.

  I nodded. "Now, what's going on between you two? And don't tell me it's nothing."

  "Well, we nabbed the Brit and the other guy at the airport. They were headed to Brazil. And then we hightailed it to meet you and Laurel. It took us a little longer than we expected to get there." I nodded again.

  "That's not what I meant, though. Something else is going on."

  "Nicki showed Kyle her talent and he's a little freaked out by it," Laurel said, her eyes still closed. "But it also excites him."

  Kyle stared at her a moment, while Nicki tried to hide a broad smile. Laurel appeared to still be asleep. "I guess Nathan's hunch was right."

  "What hunch?"

  He gestured to the paper on the nightstand. "It's all right there. Nicki? I think we have some things to discuss."

  “Wait! Don’t I get to know? You know my secret.”

  Nicki smiled and held up a bare arm.

  “Okay?”

  “Wait for it.”

  The hair on her arm darkened, thickened, grew longer. Her fingernails grew sharper and lengthened into claws as her fingers shortened. My eyes grew wide and I stared up at her.

  “I’m a werecat. Black Panther to be exact.”

  I took a deep breath, held it a moment, and then let it out.

  “Okay.”

  “Okay?”

  “Yeah,” I smiled. “Okay.”

  “Good” Her smile was victorious as she grabbed Kyle’s hand and they exited the room. I saw Kyle petting her arm as the door closed and grinned. Excited and freaked out indeed.

  I watched Laurel for a couple minutes then reached over and snagged Nathan’s letter.

  Laurel,

  If you're reading this then things haven't played out like I would have wished. You need to know certain things, though.

  I've long suspected your talent wasn't limited to merely sensing emotions or lies. You proved that with A Fraud in Fort Worth. You plucked that plot straight from my mind while we were talking about the Jenkins painting. You even got the names. Grant Hampton is very close to Graham Hamilton. Close enough to panic him, anyway.

  I don't tell you this so you can blame yourself for whatever has happened. This is no one's fault but my own. I'm the one that decided to wait until I had proof I wasn't involved. And I'm the one that stupidly left a copy of your book on my desk. It was the signed one you'd given me to give to Gina and I forgot.

  I tell you all this so you'll know any danger you find yourself in is completely my fault. I'll do what I can to keep you safe but my greatest fear is whatever measures I take will fall short.

  I wasn't much of a husband and for that I'm sorry. Still, you seemed content so our lives couldn't have been that bad.

  I hope you don't think too badly of me.

  Nathan

  I whistled softly and replaced the letter on the nightstand. Laurel would want to read it later.

  I thought about Nathan's words. "I'll do what I can to keep you safe but my greatest fear is whatever measures I take will fall short." Had this fear enabled him to reach beyond the grave to help Laurel when she needed it most? Had Nathan been the wind that had saved her twice?

  "Nathan?" I said to the quiet room, glad Kyle and Nicki had left. "She's safe now. You've seen to that."

  A small waft of air touched Laurel, fluttering her hair.

  "I can take it from here." The breeze whirled around me, it smelled of expensive aftershave, and then it was gone.

  The sun emerged and light bathed the room. I smiled as I pulled Laurel into my arms and whispered into her ear. "Wake up, love. It promises to be a beautiful day."

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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