Head Start (Cedar Tree #7)

by Freya Barker

  -

  The afternoon passes slowly. No calls coming in and I’ve managed to compile a list for the four victims, and so far two other missing women who all had a profile up on some dating site at some point. Kendra has turned out to be a great help. Something about the way the female mind works when coming up with passwords. Some of the accounts were easy to get into but there’d been the two I was stuck on. After giving those files to her, she started shooting off possible combinations to try. Damned if I wasn’t able to gain entry to each of their profiles within half an hour. Now it was a matter of finding commonalities other than the ones we’re already aware of that might shed some light.

  That’s what we are doing—pulling e-mails from their online suitors, looking for similarities in name, or writing—when someone starts banging on the front door. Kendra’s out of her chair and halfway to the door by the time I catch up with her. I manage to stop her with my arm around her waist.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I hiss in her ear, as she struggles against my hold. “You don’t just go to open the door.”

  Mal passes us with his weapon drawn but hidden behind his back as he carefully pulls the door open a crack. Only to have it pushed open all the way from the other side, throwing him off-balance. I don’t hesitate to pull Kendra behind me. A cloud of floral perfume assaults me as an immaculately decked out, but extremely agitated older woman comes barging in.

  “Who are all you people? And where is my daughter?”

  I can feel Kendra freeze behind me. “Mom?” With her hands holding on to my waist, she pokes her head under my arm.

  “What’s going on here, Kenny?”

  While her mother and Kendra move in for a hug, Mal quickly tucks the gun back in his ankle holster. When I look back at the women, Kendra’s mom has her arm around her shoulders and is looking back and forth between Mal and I. “Kenny? Introductions?” she says with a hint of seduction now in her voice. Kendra rolls her eyes heavenward in response.

  “Mom! What are you doing here? Why aren’t you on the cruise with Karly?”

  “Honey, didn’t you get my message? I sent it on Thursday ... or maybe it was Friday, I can’t recall. Anyway, I came down with a bug. Had to cancel last minute. Karly was only a little disappointed,” she chuckles. “When I reminded her I just bettered her odds by me staying home, she happily went off on her own. Luckily the bug didn’t last. Now,” she says pointedly, checking Mal out before turning to me. “I think introductions are in order?”

  “Fine,” Kendra grumbles ungraciously. “Mom, this is Malachi Whitetail, he’s a friend ... and just had the cutest little baby with his wife Kim,” she adds with emphasis, forcing me to swallow a chuckle. “And this is Neil James, he’s ... also a friend. They work together with Naomi’s husband, Joe. You remember Joe? Guys this is my mother, Elsa.”

  With Mal clearly declared off-limits, her mom turns a full-wattage smile on me, eliciting a groan from Kendra. “Well hello,” Elsa purrs. She’s holding out her hand for me to take, which I do, but only for a quick squeeze, trying to ignore the suggestive stroke she gives the back of my hand with her thumb. Fuck no. Her hand lingers on my arm, so I quickly throw my arm around Kendra’s shoulders and press my lips to her hair. “What a surprise. Isn’t it, love?” I return a slightly panicked look in response to the slightly irritated one Kendra gives me. Malachi just chuckles and grabs for the door handle.

  “Well, it was nice meeting you Elsa, but as Kendra explained, I have a wife and little baby boy at home I need to get back to. I’ll leave you to your family reunion. Give me a call later, Neil.”

  Traitor. I manage to throw him a deadly glare before he pulls the door shut, but not before he shoots me an amused smirk. He will so pay for that.

  Kendra

  All right. What had already been a pretty crappy Sunday just turned crappier.

  Don’t get me wrong. I love my Mom, but right now I wish she were anywhere else. It’s embarrassing, the way she is ogling Neil.

  “Mom!” I hiss at her. “Can you stop?”

  With a fake look of innocence, she finally turns to me. “As I mentioned in my text, if I felt better, I would pop in to see how the move was coming along. I assume these guys were helping?”

  Right, the text. I vaguely remember one coming in from her but I never went back to read it. “Yes, actually Neil was helping yesterday, today I’m helping him sort through some paperwork.” Mom may be sixty-five, but she has sharp eyes, and I can see the wheels turning when she spots the paperwork on the table. I figure I’ll give her something, if not a full explanation. If she had any idea of what was going on, she’d demand to move in. Or worse, have me move back home with her. Life is confusing as it is right now, having Mom underfoot would constitute chaos and the added joy of migraines.

  “Well then, I guess you’re both due for a break. Why don’t I take you both out for dinner at that lovely restaurant you’ve been telling me about? Gives me a chance to check out the town. I’ve never been here.” Somehow my mother wedges herself between myself and Neil, who’s been alarmingly quiet. A quick look at his face still shows a trace of panic, but also the beginnings of a smirk as he catches me looking. “Grab your bag,” she motions with her free hand waving in the air, the other one already tucked in the crook of Neil’s elbow. Her doing, not his. “This handsome fellah can give me a quick tour of the house in the meantime.”

  I hustle for my purse, knowing my mother won’t take no for an answer, from either of us. A quick turn around the kitchen to make sure the back door is locked and the coffee maker is turned off. Best thing to do is just go with the flow. Her flow, which seems stuck in overdrive all the time. That’s why I’m not surprised to find them coming down the stairs already. Mom has no real interest in the place. Generally, she’s happy with the knowledge I have a roof over my head, but by the sound of their voices, she is interested what Neil is to me.

  “So how long have you known my daughter?”

  “A few years,” he mumbles uncomfortably as they come down the last step.

  “Really?” Mom’s eyes flit between Neil and me until I put an end to it.

  “Yes, Mom. We’ve known each other, but only as friends. Now...” I realize I’ve just blocked myself in and to my chagrin both my mother and Neil’s eyebrows are raised, waiting for me to finish my thought. Damn Neil is looking way too smug. “Now that seems to have shifted a bit.”

  “You’ll have to forgive her, Elsa,” Neil jumps in. “She still can’t quite believe we’re together now.” I could easily slap the look of triumph off his face when he meets my eyes. With a chuckle, he grabs me by the neck, pulls me forward and drops his head for a brief brush of his lips against mine. And just like that, I forgot why I was irritated to begin with.

  Dagnabbit.

  -

  “Oh my,” is Mom’s reaction when we walk into Arlene’s. It would appear everyone is out for an early dinner tonight.

  I’m already scanning the diner for an empty spot when a loud squeal stops me in my tracks.

  “Neil!”

  A tall dark-haired beauty comes barreling through the restaurant, straight for our little group. Or more specifically, Neil, whose face lights up like a Christmas tree when he spots the girl. I barely manage to step aside when she throws herself in his arms, planting a big kiss right on his lips. My stomach instantly turns sour and any appetite I might have had is instantly gone. I’ve never seen Neil with a woman, other than my friends. How’s that for irony? I just basically told my mother that Neil and I are a thing, something I’m sure has given me instant gray hair, and right in front of me is evidence of all the reasons I was steering clear in the first place.

  “Jesus, Kara.” Neil sets the girl back a little. “When did you get here? You look fantastic.”

  Okay, someone shoot me now? This is Emma’s elusive daughter? I’ve heard her name enough and even saw pictures at Emma’s, but I’ve never actually met her, and I have to say, she puts
her pictures to shame. I feel my Mom sidling up to me, slipping her arm through mine.

  “Let’s find a seat, Kenny,” she whispers in my ear, and I realize I’ve been staring. I turn away and blink a few times to clear away the stinging in my eyes that accompanies the sick feeling in my stomach. Neil is blissfully ignorant about all of this, his focus on the chattering woman still in his arms.

  “Okay,” I tell my mom, but my voice comes out hoarse. She leads me to a booth by the table and we pass a booth where Gus is seated, who is watching his stepdaughter with a big smile on his face, and Emma, who is smiling at me. The smile doesn’t mask the look of concern in her eyes. “Hi,” I say stupidly when she slides out of the booth.

  “Hey sweetie, who’s this?” Emma gestures at my Mom.

  “Oh, right. This is my mother, Elsa Schmitt. She just popped in to see my new digs and wanted to grab a bite before heading home.” My not so subtle way of letting Mom know I need to be alone tonight. “Mom,” I turn to her, trying to ignore the injured look she gives me. “This is Emma Flemming, and her husband, Gus. You’ll have to make sure you try some of the pie tonight. Emma is a phenomenal cook; she bakes all the pies and pastries for the diner.”

  “Nonsense,” Emma says, shaking my mom’s hand. “But the food is excellent here. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Likewise,” Mom says, also shaking Gus’s hand who is now standing as well.

  “Kendra,” he says simply, pulling me in for a hug. “You hanging in?” he asks softly enough so only I hear him.

  “I’m okay,” I tell him, with a smile I don’t feel. Mom is chattering away with Emma instantly. So weird to see one of my friends connect with my mother. They’re not even that far apart age-wise. I think Emma is closer to Mom than I am to Emma. Funny how those years between us never seem to have had an impact on our relationship.

  Before I realize what’s going on, Emma is sliding back in the booth, pulling Mom to sit beside her. Gus motions for me to move in across from Emma before he too sits down. Trapped. The sound of laughter has me lift my head, only to see a laughing Kara and smiling Neil walk toward the booth. His arm hanging loosely around her shoulder. I quickly bend my head and feign interest in the menu that stands propped up against the condiment rack. From under my lashes, I see Neil take a seat next to my mother and Kara scoots in across from him, wedging Gus in the middle.

  “Well, damn, will ya look at that?” Arlene walks up to the table with a tray of drinks. “Faces I see too much of,” she says, purposely looking at Gus and then Neil. “Faces I don’t see enough of.” This she directs at Kara with a smile before turning to Emma and me. “Friendly faces I see regularly and one unfamiliar one.” With those last words she turns to Mom, who appears a little dumbstruck. A miracle.

  “Arlene, this is my mom, Elsa. Mom, this is the Arlene.”

  Understanding takes over her expression. “Ohh, Arlene’s Diner. Got it. Nice to meet you.”

  “Kendra?” Emma speaks up. “Since we’re doing introductions, I don’t believe you’ve met my daughter Kara yet?”

  These moments I can do without. It’s been hard enough trying to avoid looking at either Neil or her, but now I’m forced to look at her. Her long brown hair falls in waves around her gorgeous heart-shaped face. Sparkling hazel eyes that look like gemstones, and the widest white smile I’ve seen since the last Colgate commercial. I hate her on sight.

  “Hi,” I nevertheless say, leaning across Gus to offer her my hand which she eagerly grabs.

  “Oh my God. I’m so excited to finally meet you. I thought it was you when I saw you come in with Neil. I’ve heard so much about you! And is this your mom?” With an equally big smile, she turns to my mother, who is looking a bit uncertain when she shakes the proffered hand. “I’m Kara,” she says, and I’m suddenly finding it difficult to hang on to my dislike for her. She seems nice. Really freaking nice. My eyes catch Neil’s and he’s looking a tad confused. What? I ask silently with my eyes bulging. All he does is raise one eyebrow, which I ignore as I turn my attention back to the menu.

  “Well,” Arlene says, breaking an awkward silence, her pen poised on her notepad. “Now that that’s been taken care of, are you folks ready to order? Let’s start with drinks for the latecomers.” When everyone has put in their preferences, she tucks away her notepad and as she walks away, slaps the back of Neil’s head.

  “Hey!” He turns around, and I see Arlene mouth something to him over her shoulder. Looks like “smarten up.”

  -

  Dinner is torture. If not for Emma and Mom discussing everything from raising daughters—who are both right there, by the way—to swapping recipes, and Neil and Kara talking about her work in Boston, with Gus dropping a question every so often, this meal would be excruciatingly painful. As it is, my silence is barely noticed. I’ve just been pushing food around on my plate, trying to ignore the inquiring looks sent both by Mom and Neil.

  Arlene walks up and starts clearing the table. “So are you staying a while?” she asks my mother, who shoots a quick glance my way before answering.

  “Actually, I’m driving back to Durango after dinner. I just came for a quick visit.”

  “Oh, you have to get back to Durango tonight? Not sure if that’s possible,” Arlene says, looking a bit concerned. “Seb just heard over the scanner that the road is flooded just a few miles east of town. McElmo’s Creek apparently breached its banks right before the turn off for the Inn.”

  “What about the west side: County Road J?” Gus asks.

  “From what I hear the creek is cresting there too. Right at the junction with G,” Arlene says. “Just a matter of time before that side of town is closed off too. Best stick around,” she addresses Mom. “It won’t be resolved tonight. That’s for sure.”

  Well, son of a monkey. I mentally sort through the boxes with linen I stuffed in the spare bedroom, trying to think of sheets that might fit that twin bed. I can feel a migraine setting in. Right now I just can’t get my head around the things that are being thrown at me. Creepy blind date, dead women, Neil’s persistent interest that seems to have evaporated the moment Kara came on the scene, and now to top it off, an unexpected overnight guest. Too much. I try to close my eyes against the light that suddenly is overwhelming and nudge Gus beside me.

  “You okay, girl?” he asks as he nudges Kara from the booth, following out after her.

  “Fine,” I manage to grind out between my teeth as I slip past him. Bathroom or fresh air? With my eyes squinted, I make a beeline for the outside door. Don’t want to end up hanging over another toilet bowl today, so fresh air will have to do. The air outside is nice. Mild with a bit of a cool breeze.

  I stumble around the side of the building, trying to find a quiet spot where I can lean with my forehead against the siding. With a sharp tug, I pull the elastic from my ponytail letting my hair fall free. Even my hair hurts and with my fingers, I try to massage the tension from my scalp. Hands land on my shoulders and gently start working the rock hard muscles there and into my neck. Even if I couldn’t tell by his hands, Neil’s scent is distinctive enough to recognize him. No way I would mistake the woodsy musk of his soap, mixed with the honest scent of man, from anyone else. Not anymore. Not since my nose has been dipped in that scent up close and personal a few times now.

  “You should get back to your friend,” I tell him, my voice croaking with the effort. “I’ll be fine.” Okay, so maybe I’m being a bit bitchy, but how much more fucked can my day get?

  “I’m taking you home.” Is all he says, and I’m sucked down too deep in my own misery right now to even care about anyone else.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Neil

  “So Gus tells me you might be staying with Kendra?”

  I just managed to get Kendra home and in bed. I hope to God those pills she took will take the edge off, because she looked like death warmed over. Was barely coherent when I was pulling off her shoes, and she didn’t even react when I unbuttoned and st
ripped her jeans down her legs before tucking her in. I wasn’t going to touch the rest of her clothes. Not like that.

  “I am,” I tell Arlene. My phone started ringing when I walked out of the bedroom, and I was half expecting someone to call, since I never bothered going back into the diner to let anyone know we were leaving. I would’ve called myself, but Arlene beat me to it.

  “What happened?” Her concern is genuine.

  “Migraine I suspect. She was gray by the time I got outside. I got her into the truck and home right away. She has medication, so I’m assuming she has these often.”

  “That’s what Elsa guessed it was. You do know you left her mother stranded here, right?”

  Fuck. Hadn’t even thought about that. Not even when I pulled around her car in the driveway. Too focused on Kendra. “Shit. Now I do,” I tell Arlene, running my hand through my hair. “Would it be possible for someone to drop her off here?”

  “Actually,” Arlene’s voice drops to a whisper. “I was thinking I’d offer her your bed upstairs. Emma doesn’t have room, because Kara has the guest house, and she’s welcome to stay with us in the spare room, but I thought she might be more comfortable in your apartment, since she doesn’t really know us from Adam.”

  “Christ, what fucked-up timing for a road closure.”

  “Is something going on? Something that has Gus standing outside the door urgently talking on his phone, and you watching over Kendra like a hawk? Is she in any danger?” Should’ve known Arlene would be suspicious. The woman has a keen eye and a nose for drama.

  “It’s under control, Arlene. And if you’re worried, talk to Gus. He’d have my balls if I spoke out of turn.”

  I hear her low chuckle on the other side. “Ha. I’ll talk to Emma and let her squeeze her man for info. She’ll get it out of him.”

  I smile. She sure will. Emma may look the cuddly, warm-hearted softy, but when push comes to shove, that woman is someone to reckon with. And she absolutely has a firm grip on Gus’s balls. “To answer your earlier question, yes, by all means, give Elsa my bed. Do me a favor, though? Check the linen closet for clean sheets and make sure I haven’t left a disaster. I don’t think so, but I can’t rightly remember anything more than stumbling out of bed this morning with my eyes still closed.”