On the Scent

by Angela Campbell

  She couldn’t wait to cuddle with her brave little boys.

  A knock at the door startled her. She hesitated then shook her head. Sooner or later, she’d have to get back to normal and stop being so paranoid. Sighing, she looked through the peephole and recognized her neighbor—what was her name? Carolyn?

  Hannah kept the door on the chain but cracked it open. “I’m sorry. I’m getting out of the shower. Did you need something?”

  The woman lifted a casserole dish. Through the opening, Hannah caught a scent of something mouth-watering and enticing. She almost drooled she was so hungry.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Hannah. I wanted to bring this over. I made it especially for you.”

  Should she?

  Peeking at the middle-aged woman who looked like she belonged on one of those real housewives shows, Hannah couldn’t imagine any harm coming from this lady. Besides, it would help pass the time until E.J. returned.

  Unchaining the door, she gestured Carolyn inside. “Like I said, I just got out of the shower. I’m sorry for the way I’m dress—” She lifted her eyes and saw the gun pointed at her. Again.

  “Lock the door, please.”

  Hannah turned and slid both locks into place. Her hands trembled as she touched the chain, but she willed them to steady.

  She was going to kick this woman’s ass as soon as she could figure out the safest way to do it.

  She took a deep breath and turned around, calm. The casserole dish had been placed on the table, too far out of reach to grab and throw as a potential weapon. “What do you want? The diamond? I don’t have it. The police do. Sorry.”

  Carolyn looked her up and down, a twinkling of disgust in her gaze. “I want the other ones.”

  “Other ones, what?”

  “Don’t play dumb. Ellie had to leave them to you. They weren’t in the vault. If they were, I would have heard you talk about them, too.” She backed up to the island separating the kitchen and living room and reached a hand under the edge. Lifting it, she held a small round thing in between her fingers.

  Was that a listening bug?

  Hannah mentally slapped her forehead in a D’oh moment. Carolyn, if that was really her name, must have put it there the day she’d played the nosy neighbor.

  “Peter told me about them. He knew that asshole Polanski would try to doublecross us with such a big payday on the line, so he told only me about it.” She lifted the gun higher. Her hand was a little shaky. “Just tell me where they are, and you’ll never see me again. That’s all I want.”

  Hannah held her hands up. “If I knew what you were talking about, I’d give it to you. Believe me, I want nothing to do with that part of Ellie’s life.” Them. Tell me where they are. Who was they? Hannah struggled to comprehend the strange request. She was tired. Mind-numbing, bone-heavy tired. She wanted this over, and she would have gladly cooperated if she understood. “Do you want money? Is that it?”

  “You know damn well what I want.” The older woman’s eyes bulged as she screamed the declaration. Lifting her free hand to cover her mouth, Carolyn’s entire body seemed to be trembling now. The woman was obviously out of her element. Lowering her hand, in a much softer voice, she pleaded, “Please tell me where they are.”

  Hannah almost felt sorry for her. “I swear. I don’t know what you want.”

  Carolyn shook the gun at her. “The cats.” She yelled the word as if it was supposed to explain everything. “Where are the cats?”

  “What?” Hannah shook her head. The woman was coming unhinged. “He’s at the vet.” Hannah was grateful for that fact. If this lunatic wanted her animals, she wouldn’t get them without a fight.

  “You really don’t have a clue, do you?” She lifted her hand again and pounded her palm against her forehead. “I thought—” She mumbled something incoherent.

  Hannah lifted her hands in a calming gesture. The other woman’s nerves seemed to be getting the better of her. Call her crazy, but Hannah didn’t sense that Carolyn had it in her to pull that trigger. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t by accident or if provoked.

  “Listen to me, Carolyn—or whatever your name is.” Hannah took a slow step to her left. “You didn’t kill anyone. None of this was your idea, was it?” Another step. “If you hand me that gun and leave, I won’t say a word. How can I? I don’t even know who you really are.”

  Hannah kept moving, slowly, until she was standing in front of the entryway table Sarah’s mother had given her. Stepping back, she pretended to bump into it by accident, gasping and dropping her hands behind her, feeling along the edge until she found what she wanted.

  “Stop moving. I can’t think with you moving around.” Carolyn stepped closer. Her gaze shifted to the door. “You won’t tell anyone? How can I be certain?”

  “I promise.” Hannah’s fingers brushed then gripped the ceramic vase behind her.

  Carolyn seemed to consider the idea, and Hannah relaxed a fraction. Maybe this would go in her favor after all. Maybe she wouldn’t have to go on the offensive. But then the gun lifted. “I’m sorry. I really am, but I can’t—”

  The vase was small, but heavy. It flew across the short space separating them and missed its target—Carolyn’s head. Dammit. Carolyn’s cry of frustration mingled with the sound of ceramic shattering against the wall as Hannah ran straight for the patio doors. The other woman dodged it clumsily and stumbled sideways into the sofa. A deafening blast ripped the air as the glass in the door in front of Hannah exploded in a spray of splintered glass.

  Bloody hell. The woman had shot at her. I’m glad her aim is as bad as mine.

  Hannah leapt over the glass, landing on the cold concrete outside, ignoring the stinging prick of pain in her bare right foot as she ran for the gate. She needed a weapon—something she could wield rather than throw, but her yard tools were scattered between the garage and the shed.

  “Come back here!”

  Hannah bent and grabbed the small garden stone that read LOVE and tossed it wildly behind her, hoping to hit Carolyn somewhere debilitating or, at least, distracting. She kept running for the gate, flinching when the sound of glass shattering warned her the rock had sailed through a window instead of into her attacker. As she came to an abrupt halt at the gate, a stabbing pain shot through her foot and up her leg.

  “Come on. Come on.” Hannah jiggled the wooden gate door, trying to get the damn thing open.

  Carolyn’s loud grunt and a muffled thud followed by metal clanging against concrete drew her attention back to the house.

  Alexandra King stood, chest heaving, hands fisted in a fighting stance over Carolyn’s prone body.

  With a self-satisfied smile, the blonde took a deep breath and met Hannah’s confused gaze. “Kickboxing class. That crap really works.” She sounded almost astonished.

  Hannah lifted her eyebrows and sagged against the gate in relief. “What are you doing here?” She winced as the pain in her foot won the battle over adrenaline.

  “Ellie.” Reaching down to pick up the gun between her thumb and index finger, Alexandra stepped around Carolyn to help Hannah stand straight. “Your foot’s bleeding like crazy. Oh, hell. I’ve been known to pass out at the sight of blood.”

  Hannah lifted the foot and examined it. “I stepped on glass. I need tweezers.” She was more interested in what Alexandra had said. “Ellie?”

  Alexandra slid her arm around Hannah and helped her hop around the glass and back into the house. “Damn woman has been pestering me since yesterday. I missed my flight this morning, and I’m pretty sure it’s because she screwed with my alarm clock. She led me here, insisted you were in danger. Guess she was right.”

  “How did you get in?”

  “I heard the shot, and uh—” She pointed at Hannah’s front door, which was hanging off its hinges. “Kickboxing. You should try it.”

  Hannah sighed, not caring about the damage in the least. “I think I will.” She sank onto the sofa. “I need to call the police.” Hannah nodded t
oward the patio. “What if she comes to before the police arrive?”

  “Um.” Alexandra looked around the room. “Do you have rope?”

  Hannah bit her bottom lip. She pointed toward her bedroom. “We could use belts. I have some in my closet.”

  “Sit tight. I’ll take care of it.”

  After Alexandra left the other woman bound to the table in the yard, Hannah instructed her where to find her first aid kit. Alexandra used her mobile to call the police while she searched. Hannah listened to her calmly explaining the situation as drawers were yanked open and slammed shut in the other room. Alexandra finally returned with everything she needed.

  “I was right. The police were already on their way. Should be here any minute.”

  Hannah cried out as she plucked the two tiny shards of glass from her flesh. Relief immediately followed. She noticed Alexandra was looking away.

  “Thank you—for everything.” She could hardly believe Ellie had led Alexandra here, but she didn’t doubt it. Trusting Zach meant she had to trust that what he’d told her about this woman had been true, too. She glanced around at the disaster that was suddenly her house and was comforted by the thought of it. Sweet, dear Ellie. The woman truly had cared for her. “Is Ellie still with you?”

  Alexandra pursed her lips. “Yes. Take her back, please. She’s been driving me nuts.”

  Hannah smiled. “Tell her thank you.”

  “She heard you.” Alexandra stood back and glanced around. “It’s rare for one to follow me home, but this old gal has been something else. Zach’s mom is almost as bad. Geez.”

  Hannah explained what had happened—to Sarah, to Zach, to her—while Alexandra helped apply ointment to her cuts. “I don’t even know what Carolyn wanted from me. All of this, for what?”

  Alexandra looked quickly to the left. She held up a finger, stood and backed away. “Can you walk?”

  Hannah nodded, moving gingerly to her feet. The pain was nothing compared to what it had been.

  “This way.” Alexandra led her into the garage and looked around. She pointed at the stack of boxes in the corner. “Do you mind?”

  Hannah shrugged, fascinated.

  Alexandra shifted some boxes around, focused on one and ripped the lid open. She lifted one of the cat figurines Hannah had packed up—there had been so many.

  “She wanted these.”

  “Those?” Realization hit her fast. The cats. Where are the cats? But why? They were ugly as hell and probably worthless. Hannah still hadn’t figured out what to do with them.

  “Stand back.” Alexandra smashed it against the ground. When the pieces settled, a tiny black bag stood out from the white debris. Alexandra lifted it and dangled the bag in front of her. “This is what she really wanted. Some kind of diamonds, I think. You’ll find others in here too.” She tossed the bag to Hannah. “The old woman is saying sorry. She never meant to cause you trouble. Um, these were the only ones she kept besides the one you already have. She’s showing me Paris. The Eiffel Tower. A museum…maybe in France? I think she wants you to return them for her. She says it’s over now. Holy hell, does any of that make sense to you?”

  Hannah nodded.

  “Good, cause I still don’t know what the hell Collins got me mixed up in here.” Sighing, she placed her hands on her hips. “I could totally use a drink right about now. You?”

  Hannah laughed. “I could probably use a couple.” She had a feeling she was really going to like this woman. “I think I have a bottle of wine somewhere in the kitchen. That’s the strongest I’ve got.”

  “It’ll do. While we wait for the cops to get here, you can explain to me why you’ve got a box full of diamonds stashed in your garage and the skank who tried to kill you tied up in your back yard. Seriously, I’ve got to hear this.”

  Chuckling at the absurdity that was her life, Hannah didn’t protest when the beautiful blonde slid a supportive arm around her waist and urged her forward. Police sirens were already approaching in the distance.

  “What happens to Ellie now?” Hannah whispered. “Will she—you know—hang around here forever?”

  “No, I don’t think so.” Alexandra sighed. “She had unfinished business. Now she can find peace and finally cross over.”

  The thought of it was both sad and wonderful. Sad because Hannah would miss her all over again. Wonderful because, despite her faults, Ellie deserved peace. “I miss her.”

  “I know.” Alexandra snorted. “Although I’m not sure why. She can be a real pain in the ass.” The raised tone of her voice implied she wasn’t directing the comment to Hannah.

  “Yes, she could be.” Hannah snickered. “Oh no.”

  “What?”

  “I’m supposed to pick up my pets from the vet. I can’t bring them home now. Not with this mess.”

  Alexandra shrugged. “We’d better call and have them kenneled for the night. Then you can crash at Collins’ place while he’s in the hospital. Something tells me he’ll be thrilled.”

  “Where are you staying?” Hannah asked.

  “Probably in my rental car. I’m totally zapped out on the money front.”

  “I’ll book us a suite for the night at the Ritz Carlton and help you get a first-class flight home tomorrow. It’s the least I can do.”

  One of Alexandra’s brows arched high. “Woman, exactly how rich are you?”

  Oh yeah, Hannah decided. She and Alexandra King were going to be good friends.

  Epilogue

  “I don’t know, Zach. Do you think it’s too soon for us to be making this big of a commitment?” Hannah toyed with her fingers like an anxious schoolgirl.

  Zach’s hands tightened around her waist from behind. “You aren’t trying to back out already, are you?”

  He couldn’t see her face, but he was pretty sure she rolled her eyes, based on the haughty way she huffed in response. “It was my idea, remember?”

  “It was a great idea.”

  “I don’t want you to feel, you know, overwhelmed or pressured. It’s only been a few weeks since you got out of the hospital.”

  He kissed the top of her head and chuckled. “Stop worrying. I’m fine. The boys are fine. See? Everyone’s getting along.”

  He gestured to the annoyed cat sprawled on the cushion of his sofa, watching Costello run rings around his coffee table faster than he’d ever imagined the dog could run. A gangly pup, leaner and taller than Costello, chased him energetically, only occasionally bumping into furniture in his pursuit.

  I love it here. I love to run and play in my new home. Run. Run. Run. The dog that the shelter had informed them was a retriever mix, and blind because of a former abusive owner, skidded up to the sofa, sniffed furiously around Abbott and then jerked his head back. You smell kinda funny.

  Abbott bristled. I do NOT smell funny. Get away from me unless you want to taste claws for lunch.

  The excitable young canine launched forward and gave the cat a fast and sloppy tongue lick, right across the cat’s face. We’re family now. I won’t ever let anyone hurt you, ’kay? Love you. Gotta run. And then the dog sprinted sideways, chasing a visibly winded Costello who kept thinking I am the leader. I am the leader. Can’t let him get in front of me. No, can’t let him.

  Abbott heaved a sigh and turned his kitty eyes up at Zach for a mere second. Well, maybe the new one won’t be so bad. We’ll see.

  Zach laughed, pleased the three animals were falling in together. Yesterday, Hannah had gone to the local Humane Society to meet with its director about building a new wing in memory of Ellie. She’d been meeting some of the animals too when the cutest, clumsiest mutt had come prancing right up to her in a walk that had reminded her of Charlie Chaplin—and instantly won her heart. She and Zach had rounded up Abbott and Costello and taken them to the shelter this morning to see if they’d all mesh, and now Charlie was an official part of their family.

  Family. Zach liked the sound of that. His family. So what if the cat still threatened to kill him
sometimes? They were working it out. At least the cat talked to him—which was more than he could say about his own brother.

  “I’ve got to go meet with the contractor about the repairs and do a final walk through the house.” Hannah turned and gave him a quick kiss. “You’ll be okay while I’m gone?”

  He nodded. “I don’t understand why you won’t move in with me.”

  Zach was sure he sounded as petulant as a twelve-year-old who’d been refused his favorite gadget, but dammit, he didn’t want Hannah—or her annoying cat and two dogs—to leave. She’d been staying at his place, and it felt right. Like she belonged here.

  “I told you, Zach. I don’t want to rush things too fast. I’m starting my new job at the free clinic on Monday, and maybe we can, I don’t know, go on a date sometime, like a normal couple before we start talking about moving in. Maybe after the trial.”

  They’d been warned it might be a year or more before the separate cases against Carolyn Heckler and Polanski ever came before a jury. Best case scenario, Heckler would accept a plea deal for a lesser sentence and help them see to it the more dangerous Polanski spent the rest of his life beyond bars.

  Zach blew out a breath. He shouldn’t complain about the wait. Things were finally falling into place for him. Hannah had encouraged him to claim the one hundred thousand in euro reward from a French museum for aiding in the return of the famous LeBeau Diamond. One hundred thirty-three thousand American dollars had been wired to the firm’s business account. Instead of being in the red, Collins Security Firm was back in black. Zach sure as hell planned to keep it that way.

  They’d hired some computer hacking genius with purple hair and an unnatural fondness for licorice to set up a suitable computer network for the agency’s new cyber-security initiative. Hannah had smirked and cracked a joke about the young woman fitting right in with the other misfits at the office, and Spider—who the hell called themselves Spider anyway?—had managed to hack into a state agency’s website before his own eyes during her initial interview. Since that agency was now a client, who was he to question anything about the girl? Heaven help them all, Alexandra had also accepted a position with the firm. If anyone wanted to hire them for psychic investigation services, that option was now on the table. The lady’s credentials were already luring in business. Why the hell hadn’t he thought of hiring her sooner?