Love Inspired Suspense December 2013 Bundle: Christmas Cover-UpForce of NatureYuletide JeopardyWilderness Peril

by Lynette Eason

  TWO

  Even with the bright lights on the set, a chill rippled through Grace’s body as she watched the footage from the bridge play on the monitor. She and Derek had reviewed the final cut several times, but her heart still hammered every time she watched her struggle to keep from going over the railing.

  When the footage ended, the camera focused back on the WKIZ News anchor desk. Her coanchor Todd Livingston turned to her and flashed his trademark toothy smile. “Wow, Grace. You had quite a morning. Thank goodness that detective was there to keep you from being pulled over the railing.”

  Grace returned his smile. “Yes, Todd. It was touch-and-go there for a few minutes, but thanks to Detective Crowne, I wasn’t hurt.”

  His gaze dropped to the elastic bandage around her wrist. “What did the doctor say about your arm?”

  She held up her arm. “It’s just a sprain. It should be okay in a few days. I really am lucky.”

  Todd looked into the camera and broadened his smile. “Knowing you, I doubt if you’ll let a little thing like a sprained wrist slow you down.”

  She chuckled. “No, I won’t. Before Mr. Mitchell plunged to his death, I promised him I would look into his son’s death and see what I could find.”

  Todd turned back to her, his eyes wide. “But I thought you said his son committed suicide.”

  “The police suspect suicide, but they can’t be sure. There was blood on the front seat. Mr. Mitchell believed his son was murdered and that the scene was staged to look like a suicide.”

  “So, what happens if you find something that suggests it might have been murder?”

  “That’s a matter for the police, of course. I’ve already talked with Detective Alex Crowne of the Cold Case Unit, and he’s agreed to investigate the case with me.” She looked into the camera. “If there’s anyone who has information about Landon Mitchell’s death or a high school secret society that he might have been a member of, you can contact me here at the station. Even if it’s something that seems inconsequential, get in touch with me. You never can tell what detail might help to solve a crime.”

  Todd picked up the papers in front of him and shuffled them into a neat stack. “Well, that’s all the time we have for today.” He glanced at Grace and gave an exaggerated shiver. “Suicide on the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge? A secret society in one of our high schools? A twelve-year-old unsolved death? It sounds like my busy bee coanchor has enough to keep the newsroom buzzing for a while. Tune in tomorrow and see what she has for us next.”

  Grace plastered a smile on her face and held it until the camera shut down. Then she turned to Todd. “Were you trying to embarrass me on air?”

  His eyes grew wide. “Why should I do that? You do it quite well without any help from me.”

  Her skin warmed, and she scooped up the papers on the desk in front of her. “What is that supposed to mean?”

  Todd pushed to his feet. “Nothing. I just can’t imagine a story about a secret society of high school kids in the most prestigious school in the city going on a killing spree. I have better stories to focus on than something like that.”

  Grace rose and faced him. She tilted her head to one side and smiled. “You know, Todd, I figured out a long time ago what the difference was between the two of us. We both love to report the news. But all I want is to keep the public informed about what’s going on in the world. You, on the other hand, only care how you can use your reports to propel you to a network job.”

  Anger flashed across his face, but it disappeared when he noticed the cameramen were listening to their conversation. He took a deep breath and flashed his smile again. “And maybe it will, Grace. You might have blown your chance with the networks, but I haven’t yet.”

  Grace watched Todd walk away before she turned to leave the set. Derek shook his head and pointed to Todd’s retreating figure. “Don’t let that guy get under your skin, Grace. He’s jealous that you get more fan mail than he does. Everybody here at the station knows the reason you left your job in New York, and they admire you for coming back to help take care of your father after he was wounded in that drive-by shooting. We really respect you for that, Grace.”

  Her heart thudded as it did every time she thought of her active father confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. “Thanks, Derek. My family means a lot to me.”

  “I know that, but you need to watch your back. Todd made life miserable for his last coanchor before you came. He wants to anchor alone, and he wants to be in a bigger market.” He stuck his hands in his pockets, observed Todd as he walked away and chuckled. “I sure do wish he would get a job at another station. Everybody here would be a lot happier.”

  Grace laughed. “Me, too, but I don’t have time to worry about Todd today. We have an interview with the mayor this afternoon. Are you ready to go?”

  “Yeah, do you want to grab a bite of lunch and head on downtown to his office?”

  “I’m going to get my hair cut on my lunch hour today. I’ll meet you there at two. Okay?”

  “Sounds good to me. I’ll see you then.”

  Grace hurried back to her office and had just grabbed her purse when her cell phone rang. Caller ID identified it as a private number, and she frowned. She sat down behind her desk and pulled the phone to her ear. “Hello.”

  “Grace, I saw your broadcast on the noon news. I thought we needed to talk.”

  Although the voice sounded familiar, she couldn’t identify it. The thought crossed her mind that the caller was using some sort of voice distortion. “Who is this?”

  “For personal reasons I’d like my identity to remain a secret. I’m sure you have anonymous callers a lot in your work. Just think of me that way—a nameless caller who wants to help you.”

  Grace took a deep breath. “Okay, but how did you get my private cell phone number?”

  “It really doesn’t matter. I called because I think you need to be careful.”

  Grace’s hand tightened on the phone. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means that there are people who don’t want you to get too close to the truth. Leave the past alone. You’ll only end up getting hurt if you dig into Landon’s death.”

  Grace gasped. “That sounds like a threat. Are you trying to scare me?”

  “No, I’m warning you.”

  “Do you have some information about Landon’s death?”

  “Yes.”

  Grace sat up straighter in her chair and pressed her cell phone harder against her ear. “Was he murdered?”

  “Please, Grace, for your own good, let it go.”

  “I can’t let it go. Landon was my friend, and from the way you’re talking, he was your friend, too. Don’t you want people to know the truth?” He didn’t answer for a moment, and she feared he’d disconnected the call. “Are you still there?”

  She heard a heavy sigh. “All right. I tried to persuade you, but you haven’t listened. If you’re determined to continue, I see there’s nothing I can do to discourage you. I have something I want to give you.”

  Grace’s eyes grew wide. “I’ll meet with you. Just tell me where and when.”

  “No, I don’t want to do that.”

  “Then mail it to me.”

  “I suppose I could….” His voice trailed off. Then he inhaled. “No, I’ll leave it for you somewhere.”

  She frowned. “Where?”

  “I—I don’t know. Somewhere that no one else would find it unless they were specifically looking for it. I’ll think about it and let you know where to look. I’ll call you again.”

  Grace’s heart beat faster. She couldn’t let him hang up before he’d agreed to give her his information. “Wait, don’t go yet. Tell me where to look, and I’ll do it.”

  He was quiet for a moment. “I remember hearing you say once that you are a geocacher.”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “And you said you like puzzle clues that lead to the hidden cache.”

  Grace
frowned. “Yes, but I don’t understand what that—”

  “Has to do with finding Landon’s killer?” Grace’s skin prickled at the sudden change in the caller’s voice. Moments ago it had been soft and reassuring. Suddenly it had become harsh and demanding. “You don’t understand a lot of things, Miss Kincaid. If you want to find Landon’s killer, you’re going to have to solve much more than a geocache puzzle. I’m looking forward to seeing how smart you really are.”

  Grace stood up and gripped the phone tighter. “Don’t threaten me, Mr. Anonymous. You may find out I’m a lot smarter than you thought.”

  “I doubt it.”

  Grace chuckled. “I get it now. You didn’t call to warn me off. You wanted me more intrigued with this investigation than ever. If that was your plan, it seems to have worked. No way am I going to give up until I find out the truth.”

  He laughed, and the piercing tone chilled her. “Aren’t you a little afraid of me?”

  Her breath hitched in her throat, and her hand holding the phone shook. “N-no.”

  A laugh echoed in her ear. “Yes, you are. I can hear it in your voice. You’d be wise to be very afraid of me. You have no idea what’s about to come down on you. Look for my instructions. Game on, Miss Kincaid.”

  Before she could ask another question, the call disconnected. She stared at her phone for a moment and debated whether or not she should call Alex. He’d asked her to let him know if she found out anything. So far the only thing she knew was that someone wanted to play some kind of game with evidence he claimed to have about Landon’s death and he wanted her scared of him.

  If her shaking legs were any indication, being afraid of him wasn’t going to be a problem, but she couldn’t give up now. She might have just talked to Landon’s killer. Alex probably wouldn’t agree, though. He would more likely think she’d received a call from some prankster who pretended to have information, but she wasn’t so sure.

  A cold chill ran up her arm at the memory of the voice on the phone. He said he heard her on the broadcast. Maybe she shouldn’t talk about the investigation on the air. From now on, she’d be careful what she said. There were a lot of crazy people in the world, and the last thing she needed was to become the target of one.

  *

  Alex tossed the file he’d been studying down in front of him, propped his arms on his desk and buried his face in his hands. What was the matter with him? He’d been tense ever since he came into the office. Maybe he hadn’t gotten over watching a man jump to his death, but in his heart he knew that wasn’t true.

  The main reason he’d been distracted all morning was because he couldn’t quit thinking about Grace. He’d put their past behind him years ago, and now she wanted them to work together to investigate Landon Mitchell’s death. Even though he’d agreed, he wasn’t sure he was ready to do that. They would have to see each other from time to time, and that could stir up a lot of old memories that needed to be forgotten.

  He pushed to his feet, let out a ragged breath and ran his hand through his hair. Maybe some lunch would make him feel better. Before he could turn and leave the office, the door opened, and his partners, Brad Austin and Seth Dawtry, walked into the room. Brad held a sack with the name of Alex’s favorite fast food place printed on the side.

  “Seth and I were downtown and had lunch. We stopped and picked something up for you since you were holding the office down.”

  Alex grinned, reached for the sack and sank back into his chair. “Thanks. I was about to go get something. Now I can eat at my desk.”

  Brad nodded. “We thought you might not be in the mood to go out. You’ve had a tough morning.”

  Alex sighed. “Yeah, it’s never easy seeing someone commit suicide.”

  Brad and Seth exchanged glances. “Well, if you need to talk, buddy, we’re here for you.”

  “Thanks, guys, I appreciate it, but I’m okay.”

  Brad opened his mouth to say something but shook his head, walked to his desk and dropped down in his chair. Seth considered Alex for a moment before he ambled over to his desk. When his partners appeared engrossed in what they were doing, Alex relaxed in his chair and pulled the burger and fries from the bag. He picked up a French fry, dredged it in catsup and shoved it in his mouth.

  The thought of the look on Mr. Mitchell’s face as he plummeted toward the river flashed in Alex’s mind, and he frowned. He tried to chew the French fry he’d just put in his mouth, but he might as well have been eating sawdust for all the taste he got out of the piece of potato. He swallowed the fry, picked up the remainder of his lunch and put it back in the bag for later. There was no point in forcing himself to eat when his stomach churned. Maybe he needed to stop by the drugstore on his way home this afternoon and get something for a queasy stomach.

  The problem was he’d had this feeling for years. It recurred every time he saw Grace, and he’d never found any medicine that could cure what ailed him. All he had to do was keep his distance from her, and after a few days he’d feel better.

  After a few minutes he pushed to his feet. “I’m going to the break room for a cup of coffee. Anybody want anything?”

  Brad and Seth shook their heads, and he strode from the room. He’d only taken a few steps down the hall when he heard music drifting from the break room. He stopped, glanced down at his watch and grimaced. Just his luck. It was time for the WKIZ noon news. He hesitated at the door, unsure if he should enter or turn and walk back to his office. He rubbed his hand over his eyes, took a deep breath and walked inside.

  Several officers sat on the couch that faced the television, and their gazes were locked on the picture that filled the screen. Grace sat behind the anchor desk and in her usual professional manner related the events of the morning as she looked into the camera.

  He couldn’t move as she switched to the video the cameraman had filmed on the bridge. He shoved his hands into his pockets, leaned up against the door frame and watched in fascination as she reported the lead-in story for the newscast. His throat tightened, and his heart thudded as he relived each terrifying moment. Perspiration dotted his forehead, and he reached up to wipe it away.

  One of the officers glanced up and saw him standing in the doorway. “Hey, Crowne. That was some rescue you pulled off. I didn’t know you could move that fast.” The officers looked at each other and chuckled.

  Alex pushed to his full height and managed a weak smile. “I just wish I could have saved Mitchell, but at least Grace Kincaid didn’t go over the side, too.”

  He glanced back at the screen as the camera focused on Grace’s face again. Behind her he could see red poinsettias arranged on shelves. As he studied her sitting among the holiday decorations on the set, he was reminded of Christmas their senior year in college. He couldn’t wait for her to get back to Memphis from Philadelphia that year, but it hadn’t turned out to be the happy time he’d anticipated. Instead, it had ended with his heart broken. Every Christmas since then had held little interest for him.

  After a moment he stepped into the room and dropped down in a chair. He sat through the rest of Grace’s newscast, but he didn’t leave when the program was over and the other officers had returned to their desks.

  Suddenly he felt tired. Maybe the morning’s events were just catching up with him. He leaned his head back, closed his eyes and drifted on the edge of sleep. The ringing of his phone jerked him awake, and he sat up straight. He had no idea how long he’d been in the break room.

  He sat up and pulled his phone from his pocket. “Hello.”

  “Alex, this is Grace. Are you all right? You sound groggy.”

  He closed his eyes and rubbed his hand over them. “I’m alone in the break room, and I must have nodded off. The phone woke me. Why are you calling?”

  She hesitated a moment. “I don’t know if it means anything or not, but I just had a strange phone call.”

  He sat up straighter. “What do you mean?”

  “Someone called and wouldn’t tell
me who it was. He said he has something he wants me to see.”

  “So you think he must have some information about Landon’s death?”

  “I do, but as the conversation progressed, he became sinister.”

  Alex rubbed the back of his neck. “Did he say he would call again?”

  “No. He said he was going to hide whatever it is he has and he’ll send me a clue where it is. I thought you should know.”

  He nodded. “I’m glad you called. Did he say anything else?”

  She hesitated a moment. “He said I should be afraid of him.”

  Alex exhaled and shook his head. “I don’t like the sound of that. Be careful, Grace. Don’t go to the parking lot alone when you leave work, and watch for anybody following you. Let me know if you hear from him again or if you receive anything from him.”

  “I will. I’ll talk to you later.”

  He disconnected the call and sighed. This was what he’d been afraid would happen. The calls were already beginning to come. Whether or not this one was legitimate remained to be seen. But no matter, Grace’s first thought had been to call him, and she’d probably do the same the next time something occurred that might affect the investigation.

  The last thing he needed in his life was to spend time with Grace Kincaid, but it seemed that’s where he’d been headed ever since Timothy Mitchell decided to jump off the bridge. All he could do now was guard against renewing any kind of friendship with Grace. He was determined that wasn’t going to happen.

  THREE

  Grace pulled her car into her reserved parking spot at the television station and turned off the engine, but for some reason, she couldn’t make herself get out. She didn’t know if it was driving through the heavy morning traffic or her lack of sleep the night before that had left her feeling exhausted. She rubbed her hands over her eyes and tried to blot out the picture that had flashed in her mind during her sleepless night. Every time she’d closed her eyes, the scene on the bridge had popped into her mind. She saw herself grasping the bridge railing and staring down into Mr. Mitchell’s wild eyes.