by Vella Day
Wait a minute. What was she doing worrying about her looks? Someone had violated her home.
I’m scared, that’s all.
Believing she hadn’t lost her mind after all, Sky finished her drink then tossed the empty soda can in the recycle bin and slipped back into the car. One thing she knew for sure was that the criminals weren’t local. For one, she never locked the back door, much to her dad’s frustration. Everyone in Savory knew her house was open for company any time of day or night. These idiots had to be out-of-towners or they would have walked in instead of breaking the window.
Less than twenty-five minutes later, she arrived at her house. As promised, Mr. Security Guard was outside leaning against his Jeep, wearing shades and looking calm. His demeanor brought her some comfort. At least he’d have a level head. Kane pushed off from the Jeep and kept his focus on her, almost as if he expected her to have some kind of hysterics.
She wouldn’t. Or so she hoped. Now focus. On the outside, the house looked quaint and safe, and the neighborhood appeared deserted. She took a deep breath and grabbed the door handle, but Kane managed to open her car door before she had the chance. Even though he leaned an arm against the roof, he towered over her as she stood. His midsection caught her attention first, and then her gaze traveled over his chest to those intense brown eyes.
Sky blinked. “Thanks for giving me the heads up about the home invasion. If I’d come home and found out someone had broken in, I’d have been too pissed off to investigate.”
“I thought you might need some time to process what happened.” He nodded toward the house. “Harvey’s inside.”
Harvey. Inside. Right. His cruiser must be in the back. “There won’t be any fingerprints you know.”
He cocked a brow. “You psychic?”
Her jaw loosened. “I have no idea why I said that, but I’m thinking they might be the same men who took a shot at me before. They’d be smart enough to wear gloves.”
“Could be,” Kane admitted.
She shot her gaze to the ground before looking at his too handsome face. “We probably should see what Harvey’s found.”
The front door clicked open and her coworker came out, easing down the steps. “You might not want to go inside just yet.” He peeled off his latex gloves. “They emptied drawers, broke glassware, and even smashed the picture of your mom and dad.”
She took a step and faltered, but Kane was there to hold her up. His touch was firm, but strong. Once her legs regained their strength, she straightened. “Sorry.”
“Hey, it happens.” From his quirked brow, she could tell Kane wanted to ask what had caused her to misstep.
She might as well air out her issues. “My parents were murdered when I was eight, and all I have to remember them by is a three by five photo.”
“Jeez, that’s tough. My father died three years ago. It’s not the same thing, but I’m not sure I’ll ever get over his death.” His gaze followed the horizon as if he were reliving the tragedy one more time.
Kane’s outer shell appeared hard, but she suspected he needed the tough persona to hide the inner pain. A thin thread of connection formed.
“I was lucky,” Sky said. “I found a good substitute for a dad, until my adoptive mom died. I don’t think I mentioned it, but Dad’s a member of the City Council.”
“Ah.”
He searched her face for a moment, and the intense scrutiny caused her to swing her gaze to Harvey, forcing her to address the damaged picture and not the man beside her. “What did they take?” They better not have stolen the necklace her mom was wearing when she died.
“You’ll have to let me know.” Harvey shuffled his feet.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
He held up his hands and twisted his mouth. “They left you a message written in lipstick on your bathroom mirror.”
Her heart sunk. “What did it say?”
He pulled out his pad and handed her what he’d copied. GIVE IT BACK BEFORE YOU LOSE YOUR HEAD TOO.
Her throat nearly closed up. “Give it back? I have no idea what they’re talking about.”
Kane leaned closer. “The recent death of the man you were studying might have something to do with what they want. Could they mean they want the body back?”
“I can’t see why since they left him there, although they seemed to have been in the process of burying him when Earl took a shot at them.” She stepped aside knowing she must smell. Besides, his closeness jumbled her thoughts. “What else could they mean?”
“Do you know the man’s identity yet?” Kane asked.
“No, but he had an Air Force tattoo. The men who shot at me could have been military too.” She told him the shooters had been five hundred yards away and hit their mark.
“I see you have your work cut out for you.”
She straightened. “I’m not going to let them win. I’ll figure out what they’re after.”
Kane’s brows rose and fell. “I’m sure you will.”
Too bad she had no idea where to start. “I’ll need help, though.”
Harvey stepped forward. “Just name it.” She’d been facing Kane, but she wasn’t one to turn down an offer. Harvey seemed suddenly alert, more focused.
“Thanks. Have you finished processing the scene?” She didn’t want to deal with anything other than cleaning her house. She found repetitive acts often freed her mind to sort through the small details.
“I did. I’ll write up the report as soon as I return to the station. I called Brady to bring over a new back window, and he said he could install it tomorrow. In the meantime, Kane and I located some wood and tacked it over the window.”
She blew out a breath. “Bless you.” Where had this kindness come from? Maybe she’d misinterpreted his usual sullenness for dislike when, in fact, Harvey was still depressed over his son’s death.
The familiar knocking of an engine coming down the street behind her sent the tension in her shoulders packing. It was Harriet. The friendly dispatcher stopped, cut the engine, and eased out. Harriet waved then moved to the trunk where she dragged out a large bucket and mop.
Kane rushed over to her side. “Let me help you.”
“Thanks, sweetie. I sure could use a strong man to help carry all these cleaning supplies inside.” The moment Kane moved to the passenger side door, Harriet winked at Sky. Oh, boy.
Harvey stepped next to Sky. “Harriet took the call from your neighbor. Knowing her, she’s probably put out a call to a dozen women by now. If those two passed through Savory, I bet someone will have noticed them and come forward with information.”
“I hope so.”
Harvey tapped the folder in his hands. “Best be getting back and log this in.”
As Harvey headed around back where he’d parked his car, Kane carried the cleaning supplies inside then came back out. “I’ll leave you and Harriet to do the cleaning. It’s not really my bag.”
“I don’t blame you. Where are you off to?” She wanted to take her mind off the violation and focus on something positive.
“I’m going to head over to Wildacres RV Park again, in hopes that the Senator has returned.”
“Betty would have called if he had. I’m not sure if you heard, but on my trip over to Page, I heard a news report stating the senator was missing.”
“What?”
She held up her hands. “I thought maybe you had made the call, but then I remembered you had said you wanted to keep this quiet.”
“It wasn’t me. Dammit.”
She wanted to rub his arm, but Kane seemed lost in thought. “Someone might spot the senator. The broadcast could help.”
He looked down at her and nodded. “You might be right. If you need anything, let me know.”
“Thanks,” she said.
The moment Kane’s vehicle disappeared around the corner, unease settled over her. She doubted the thieves would be back, but she’d keep an extra clip by her side just in case.
* * *
For the next two hours, Sky and Harriet swept and cleaned. Feeling violated and angry, it took all of Sky’s control not to break down. Her own body was weary, and she imagined Harriet was beat too.
“I think it looks great, Harriet. I can’t thank you enough. Why don’t you head home?”
“Do you want to stay at my place tonight? No telling if these men will return.”
Sky smiled, loving how Harriet was always looking out for her. “I’m good. I’ll lock my door and keep my weapon on the nightstand.”
“Okay, hon, but call if you change your mind.”
Sky helped carry the supplies back out to Harriet’s car then hugged her goodbye. Once her friend left, Sky stepped inside and dropped onto the sofa. All during the clean up, she tried to imagine what she had that someone would want but kept coming up empty. When her stomach grumbled, she realized she hadn’t eaten much all day.
Not in the mood to cook, she locked all of the doors and headed into town. Wanting nothing more than a quiet hour to eat her meal in peace, Sky headed to her favorite haunt. Other than the ever-present checker players in the corner and one table with a couple sitting at it, EBE’s café was empty, which was perfect since she wasn’t in the mood to socialize tonight.
As if on autopilot, Sky headed to the back of the restaurant to her usual table and sat facing the front entrance. The flashing pink lights sent a warm, comforting glow through the restaurant, and the soft banging of pots and pans in the kitchen created a comforting white noise, allowing her to think.
Cathy, Sky’s favorite waitress, rushed over. “I heard about the break-in. I’m so sorry.” The antennae on her silver tiara bounced wildly.
Good ole Harriet. “I’m just glad I wasn’t there when they broke in.”
“Did they take anything? I mean I’m sure they did, but did they take anything that can’t be replaced?”
“Nothing as far as I can tell. Can I get a decaf, black?” Sky readjusted her sunglasses on top of her head. Discussing the details of the break-in wouldn’t help her melancholia.
“You look like you could use the Comet’s Tail special.”
The Comet’s Tail came with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate. She patted her stomach. “Old fashioned black will do fine.”
“One Martian Minimal coming up. You want the usual Alpha Centauri salad?”
“Sure, but without the tomatoes. My stomach is acting up.” It was nice to have the decision taken out of her hands.
The coffee arrived moments later and Sky nearly melted from the wonderful, rich aroma. She’d taken one sip, when the bell above the café door rang and Dan Joe staggered in, unshaven with bloodshot eyes and his shirt untucked. He made a beeline to her table, and she nearly groaned out loud. All she’d wanted was peace but that didn’t seem to be in the cards today. He was a constituent who clearly needed her help.
Without asking permission, he pulled out the chair across from her. “Am I glad to find you.”
“What can I do for you, Dan?” Her attempt to keep her tone upbeat failed.
“I need to report a crime.”
She set her cup down. That caught her interest. “What happened?”
“I was abducted.”
F-in’ awesome!
Chapter Five
The sound of a plate crashed near the counter, and the restaurant quieted for a moment, but then the two-person table near the entrance applauded. Oh, boy. Someone must have overheard Dan’s alien comment. He’d practically shouted they’d come for him.
One thing was clear: Dan was drunk. Normally, she would have dismissed his comment in a heartbeat, but something was different. He’d always made fun of the alien expert, Earl Chee, so why would Dan claim he’d been taken, if he didn’t believe they existed? She sipped more of her coffee, hoping Dan hadn’t taken any drugs. “How much have you had to drink?”
He swiped a hand across his mouth. “A lot, but that was only after the aliens nabbed me.” He swung a gaze around the room as if he expected little gray men to jump out from behind the counter and nab him once more. She almost couldn’t blame his paranoia. The walls were rimmed with alien artifacts, from E.T. posters, to drawings made by the children at the elementary school that depicted spacecraft and little gray men.
Cathy came over with Sky’s salad, her hands shaking. She must have been the one to drop the plate. “I brought over some bread in case you wanted to share.” She sent a furtive glance at Dan and set a glass of water with lemon in front of him. “Hi, Mr. Joe.”
He looked up and jerked back. Cathy’s uniform had the face of an alien on it, embroidered in silver foil. Maybe he thought she was from outer space, or else he was just plain wasted. Dan blinked a few times. “Oh, it’s you.”
Cathy shot a look at Sky before hightailing it back to the counter, her rubber shoes squeaking against the tile floor.
He wiped his damp brow. “It was the damnedest thing. I lost track of time for two days.”
Sky picked up the Roswell coaster and twirled it, needing something to do with her hands. “You passed out again, didn’t you?” Two days was a really long time to be out of it though.
He straightened and crossed his heart. “I swear I gave up the drink a month ago, after I ran over my dog with the tractor.”
Poor Rufus. She’d attended the dog’s funeral. It had been very sad. “Start from the beginning.” She was starved and dug into her meal. Damn. Tomatoes. She picked them out and set them to the side.
“Well, it was around noon, two days ago, when I was out back working on my truck. I know it sounds corny, but I swear the sun got brighter, so I looked up for a split second, and the next thing I knew, I’m in my bedroom, face down with a mean mother of a headache.” His breathing increased as though he were still in pain.
“Go on.” She could have pulled out her iPad from her purse and taken notes, but this story wasn’t one she was likely to forget.
“With my head pounding, I took a couple of aspirin and had a bite to eat. Then I turned on the television, and that’s when I saw two days had gone by, just like that.” He snapped his fingers. “Scared the crap out of me.”
“I’d be scared too. Did you see anyone hanging around outside? Or a spacecraft flying overhead?” Not that she believed there would be, but she had to ask.
He guzzled down half the glass of water. “No. There wasn’t anyone. I was outside one minute, and in the house the next—only two days had passed.”
“Maybe you passed out and someone carried you inside.” There had to be a logical explanation. He tapped his foot and leaned closer, but the stench of alcohol made her sit back.
“No, I tell you.” He looked right then left before pulling down his collar to expose the side of his neck. “Look here. They stuck me.”
She relaxed at seeing the half-inch diameter red ring. “I think that’s some kind of insect sting. You probably went into some kind of anaphylactic shock. Are you allergic to any stings or bites?”
“No, never have been. Besides, there ain’t any bees or wasps this time of year.”
He had a point. “Maybe when you came to, you were so disoriented you dragged yourself inside and don’t remember.”
“If I’d a passed out, I would a woken up next to my truck—which didn’t happen. It’s almost November, and I would have frozen to death, if I’d slept outside for two days.” He pressed his lips together. “I knew you wouldn’t believe me.”
The temperature hadn’t dropped below freezing since last winter but she didn’t think she needed to comment on that. “I’m sorry, but you need to give me some tangible proof if you want me to do something.” Not that she’d be able to do anything about it even if she had proof.
He fisted his hands and held them out. His knuckles were raw and cut. “I did not have this bruising until I woke up.”
She leaned closer. “Looks like you punched a wall.”
“I thought the same thing, but there’s no damage in the house or on my truck.”<
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“Are you sure there isn’t some guy with a broken nose?”
“He hasn’t come around if there is, but I have a hankering to beat the shit out of someone or something right about now.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “You need to stop drinking. It makes you ornery.”
He shoved back his chair and stood. “I can’t make any promises.”
“How about letting Doc Roberts check you out? Maybe he can tell what the neck injury is.”
“I know what it was. I had a dream about it, only I wasn’t sleeping.”
“You mean like a flashback?”
His shoulders relaxed. “Yeah, like a flashback.” He grasped the top of the chair as if to steady himself. “All I remember is a sting in my neck, and then being in a big room with a lot of people. I swear I was in some kind of ring, only I wasn’t wearing boxing gloves.”
Now he got her curious. “Can you describe the room?”
“Everything is fuzzy, but there were mirrors with flashing lights bouncing off them.”
Okay. This was way out of her league. “What about Earl Chee? He’s an expert on aliens. Maybe he knows what happened.”
“That old coot? You’ve got to be kidding. What happened to me was real. Someone is out to get me.”
She’d play along. “Who?”
“If I knew, I’d find him and show him not to mess with Dan Joe.” He straightened his shoulders and strode out, knocking into one of the tables on his way.
Guilt descended. Sky wanted to help him, but alien abductions weren’t in her job description. All the time she’d worked at the station, she’d never come across a manual for investigating anything alien. As much as she wanted to believe him, he most likely got drunk and stumbled around in his own house. Just in case someone had drugged and beaten him, she’d make sure that she or another officer would take a look into what Dan had said.
For years very little ever happened in Savory that she would consider out of the ordinary. Now, a man had been decapitated, Mary was missing, an incredibly hot security agent came into town looking for a missing Senator, and one of their very own claimed to have made contact with aliens. If that wasn’t enough to spin her head, some guys ransacked her house but stole nothing. It was worse than trying to stop a major jailbreak without a gun.