Slate

by Stella Marie Alden

  I don’t drink alone for a very good reason, which I remember after downing another.

  A couple hours pass and I sober. I don’t need a woman in my life and Lilac certainly doesn’t need me. Some men have a track record of bad relationships but I win in that category, hands down.

  I can’t be all that sober because I start thinking about my dead wife. What could I have done differently? Sure, not getting her knocked up in the first place is number one on the hit parade. She told me she was on the pill but just like everything else, that was a lie, too.

  Maybe if I’d have let her tap into more of my family’s money, she would’ve been happier and my kid would still be alive. I’ve gone over so many scenarios so many times it makes my head spin. It all comes down to this. She killed my kid and I have no one to blame but myself. I knew she was drinking too much, I knew she was cheating on me. At some point, I should’ve realized she’d take to the road when she was incapable of driving.

  Fuck.

  That gorgeous med student in my guest house has me thinking too much and I wish to hell I could go to work. I sure as hell need something else to think about.

  I go back on the computer and search some more for missing dogs.

  Chapter 10

  Lilac

  He kissed me.

  All night long, I tossed and turned, lost in the moment.

  He apologized? What the fuck, Sherlock?

  I Googled what it means and it’s not good. He’s either overly polite or it’s a nice way of saying he’s not into me.

  In that I haven’t found him to be well-mannered, it leaves door number two.

  Shit. I suppose it’s a good thing he doesn’t really like me because I don’t need a man in my life right now. I got too much going on. As soon as I finish this last class, I’ll have my residency, then, I’ll be working eighty hours a week.

  There’s just something about that over-the-top kiss. I’ve never felt anything so consuming, so mind-blowing.

  Cool air pours through my bedroom window and I shiver as I don my sports top and shorts. Looking in the mirror, I add on a dab of lipstick, tug my hair into a neat pony tail, and brush my teeth. It’s not for Mr. Sexy. It’s just time I started worrying a little bit more about my appearance. Pretty soon, I’ll be a professional, not a college kid.

  I find my sweatshirt, jog across the paving stone path, and onto the longish wet grass around the building. Ten steps and I’m on the front porch, about to knock when the door opens.

  Slate steps out, frowning. If body language could speak, his would be a neon sign saying I am so not into you.

  “Listen, Slate.” I reach out to touch his arm and he jumps as if I was a poisonous snake. My stupid heart crumbles. How had my heart become so invested in so short a time?

  “I’m really sorry about the kiss yesterday. Let’s pretend it didn’t happen, okay? We can still be friends, right?” I’ve read that guys hate the phrase but there doesn’t seem to be anything else. We’re going to be seeing each other every day, all summer long… unless he fires me.

  Dark eyes meet mine as he hands me Dog’s leash. “Friends is fine by me. Be careful with the pup. There’s been quite a few dogs stolen around the neighborhood. Don’t let him run lose.”

  “Right.” What a jerk. The only time Dog got lose was when Mr. So-Not-Into-You left the door ajar, not me. “We’ll be gone for a while.”

  “Fine. I’m going into the city.” He gives me a key to his house. “There’s food in the pantry and there’s eggs and bacon in the fridge. Take whatever you want. No fucking noodles.”

  I open my mouth to object but he adds, “I read Edna’s contract. It says I am to provide room and board. Board, in case you are unaware, means food. So, eat or get fired. I won’t be in breach of contract.”

  He mutters something about stubborn females as he heads for the garage, jingling his keys. Then he backs up a jeep and peels out, small stones flying.

  “Well, Dog, at least you’re in a good mood.”

  “Woof.” He does the puppy-quiver thing, legs dying to start running.

  We head down the stairs and run the length of the curvy driveway until we reach the road with no sidewalk. It’s early, so there’s not much in the way of traffic and it only takes about five minutes to arrive at the park entrance. Once there, we jog across the lot and up the main path. There’s a small pond to the right with six white geese.

  Like it’s his duty, Dog bounds to the edge of the water with ears flopping and barks until they swim away. His puppy job complete, he sniffs around a few tree trunks until he finds the perfect place and raises a leg to pee.

  “You’re a good boy.”

  There’s a trickle of others who walk their dogs at this hour and I’m beginning to recognize them. This one guy I’ve never seen before stops to let our two animals sniff butts. His is a white lab puppy, about the same size as Dog.

  The silver-haired fox shoots me a white toothy smile. “You look new. You from around here?

  “Yeah, I’m the dog walker.” I smile and step out of the tangled leashes.

  “Isn’t his name Buddy?” He reaches out a hand to steady me and I recall what Slate said about the night Dog was found.

  I get a bit worried and glance about the empty path. “Ah, the agency didn’t give me a name, just a key and an address. Why, do you know the owner?”

  Smooth, girlfriend, very smooth.

  “Where’d Charles go this time? Bolivia?”

  “Not sure. Like I said-”

  “Right, key and address.” Something about the man is giving me the creeps.

  Maybe he’s going to mention to Charles he saw his lost dog in the park. I should let Slate know.

  “Okay, see you later.” I let out my breath and slowly follow the guy to the parking lot. ZQ88B, I memorize his license plate when he gets in his car. Afraid I might forget, I snap a picture, as well.

  Suddenly, he looks up, his face in a fierce scowl, not at all like the polite man I’d just met. Even the puppy growls but I pretend I don’t notice, wave, and point. Then, I snap a picture of a hawk, soaring overhead. Maybe he’ll just think I’m a bird watcher. My God, people are so touchy. I wait until he drives off before heading home. I got some homework to do and maybe later, I’ll take a swim.

  On the way home, I keep looking over my shoulder, hoping the weird guy doesn’t follow. Dog pulls on his leash and heads through some hedges into someone else’s property.

  “No, Dog. Stay.”

  In his puppy mind, apparently, that means, play. So, he drags me up a small knoll by a shallow stream. By the edge, he digs in the dirt, and I freak.

  Maybe part of my brain wants him to find the hand so I can tell the police. The more sensible lobe prays to never see the damned appendage again. When he finishes, I make a mental note of the surroundings and vow to come back with a shovel.

  I don’t go more than a hundred feet before I see something shiny on the path. I pick up a heavy orb, rub it on my shirt, and dirt falls out of the center.

  It’s a college or high school ring. What if it belongs to the hand? Should I drop it on the ground? I’ve watched plenty of police dramas. The ring’s got my fingerprints all over it and now I’m a suspect. I start rubbing it madly with my shirt, making sure my prints are completely gone.

  Damn. No matter what the cost to my ego, I need to let the police know what I found.

  “911. What’s your emergency?” A woman’s no-nonsense voice emits from my phone as I continue to toe the dirt for other evidence.

  “I ah, I was walking my dog and found a gold class ring.” Even as it comes out of my mouth, I realize how lame that sounds.

  “This line is for emergencies only, Miss. Please hang up and call 966-the-cops.”

  “No, you don’t understand. My dog found a human hand and brought it home.” The puppy whines and I push on his hiney. “Sit.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Not you. I mean unless you want to. Can I assume you
’re already sitting?” Ah shit, I never do well when I’m nervous which doesn’t bode well for my residency.

  “Did you say you have a human hand?” The voice sounds colder, if possible.

  “Uh, no. Not actually. You see, Dog ran off with it but he’s digging around a spot in the dirt where I found this ring and-”

  The puppy woofs at a squirrel and struggles against the leash.

  “Did you say you found a body, ma’am?”

  “Ah, that would be a no.”

  “Is there a hand?”

  “That’s a negative but there was one.”

  She sighs heavily. “What’s your address? I’ll send someone to investigate.”

  After I give it to her, she hangs up.

  When the cruiser shows up around noon, I put my advanced anatomy book down and answer the door. Two officers, hardly older than me, stand on the doormat, faces grim.

  The taller of the two with dark hair and hooded eyes speaks first. “I’m Officer Shane and that’s my partner, Officer Willis. We understand you may have found a human body part?”

  Dog comes out of the bedroom, takes a look at the two officers, and whimpers. His chin goes on my foot and I reach down and pat his head.

  “It’s okay, pup. They’re friendly.”

  However, if I could, I’d take Dog and hide in the bedroom with him. These two men have guns with the snaps off their holsters. They stand with legs hip width apart. The taller has his arms crossed and the other looks like he’s ready to shoot it out at the OK Corral, fingers twitching.

  Maybe calling them wasn’t such a good idea. “Please, come in.”

  They duck under my threshold and crowd the area in front of kitchen appliances, heads almost touching the ceiling fan. “Would you like to sit? Water? Coffee.”

  “If you don’t mind, we’ll stand.” Officer Shane takes an iPad out of his bulletproof vest and smiles without humor. “Let’s start with something easy. Name and address?”

  “Lilac Starbird.”

  “Lilac, like the flower?”

  “Yes. And star as in twinkle-twinkle, bird as in those things with feathers.”

  His stony features don’t even twitch at my amazingly clever humor.

  “Your accent says New England. Boston?”

  “Kennebunkport.”

  He nods like he knows where that is which I’m sure he doesn’t. “Still reside there?

  Seriously? Yeah, I’m out for my morning run all the way to New Jersey. Be back in a couple days. “I’m finishing up my studies in the city. Right now, this is my address.”

  “What’re you studying?”

  “Medicine. Internal. I start my residency in the fall.”

  “Date of birth?”

  “Ah, what has this got to do with finding a hand?” I stand up straighter and glare at my inquisitor.

  The shorter of the two, with piercing blue eyes and a short beard shoots me a snarky look but says nothing. The other tap taps his tiny plastic pencil on the screen waiting for me to speak.

  “Sorry. I’m a little nervous. I’m twenty-six. Birthday is June 6th.”

  Officer Willis works his iPad while Officer Shane does that tight smile thing. “So, tell us what you think you saw.”

  I take a deep breath. “The night before last, Dog dropped a human hand on my doorstep. I went to follow, he thought it was a game, and ran off. By the time I found him, the hand was gone.”

  Willis looks up. “Why didn’t you call us, then?”

  “Because, with no evidence, I didn’t think you would believe me.”

  Officer Shane exchanges a glance with Willis and I roll my eyes. God damn it. They’ve already researched me and have jumped to the conclusion I’m off my rocker. “I’m not lying. If you want to see where the dog was digging this morning, I’ll show you. If not, fine.”

  I’m done with these two morons. Dammit. I was just trying to do my civic duty.

  I squeeze between them and open my door. Neither of them budges but then again, neither do I. The glare I give them as I lean against the screen door could send them straight to hell. I could give a flying fuck.

  Dog follows, gives a little woof, and nudges at the officer’s thighs, trying to get them to leave. Finished herding, he returns to me.

  “Good dog.” I pat his head.

  Willis puts his iPad into his pocket and nods at Shane. “Let’s check it out. Lead the way, Miss Starbird.”

  “Let’s go, Dog.” We walk down the path toward the main house.

  “Is Mr. Slate aware of the incident?”

  “No.”

  They exchange another one of their looks and I sigh heavily. “I just started working for him. I’m his dog walker. I didn’t want to jeopardize my job and have him look at me with the same look you’re giving me, now.”

  “Where is he?”

  “How the hell would I know? He said he had to go out. It’s not my place to ask.”

  “How did you find your position here?”

  “Oh, for God’s sake. Edna Weinstein. You can check with her. She lives in Upper Saddle River.” I hand him my phone. “Her number’s here.”

  While they check that out, I walk further into the woods. It’s warm this afternoon and the air swarms with little black flies.

  Closer to the hill, Dog barks three times, and dashes forward on his leash. He digs in the black dirt beside the stream and I almost faint when he retrieves a bone and drops it at my feet. One of the officers picks it up with a gloved hand and drops it into a bag. “I’m pretty sure it’s beef, but we’ll check.”

  Willis puts some soil samples into a bag. “We can get this tested, as well.”

  They dig with their toes and search for a while but it’s clear they aren’t going to find anything, not like that.

  The ring in my pocket burns a hole but damned if I’m going to show it to them. We walk to the house, those two raising their eyebrows at each other like I’m some kind of nutcase.

  “If we find anything, we’ll let you know.” Officer Willis nods at Officer Shane, they both don sunglasses, get in the cruiser, and slam their doors.

  When they’re gone, I heave a sigh of relief. I should study but it’s late and I missed my lunch. A bit light headed, I make Ramen noodles. I know Slate insisted I eat his food, but after this morning, I’m not going into his house.

  He can pay me if he wants and I’ll buy groceries.

  “C’mon Pup. Let’s cool off.” There’s a reservoir at the top of the hill where I’ve seen people swim, even though there’s a sign that says not to.

  After what we just endured, me and Dog deserve a carefree afternoon of swimming and sunning on a warm rock.

  On the way, I swear I see the older man whose picture I took but can’t be sure. I’m not sure why that creeps me out but it does. Regardless, I spend a long afternoon, swimming and laying in the sun on a rock by the quarry.

  “Woof.”

  “Ready to go home, boy?” I attach his leash and laugh as he gives me sloppy face kisses.

  I dry him as best I can and head down the steep path. It’s about two miles to my doorstep and by the time I get home, all I got energy for is a quick shower.

  The bed welcomes me as I drop.

  Chapter 11

  Slate

  The puppy barks, announcing Lilac’s arrival. Heaving out a sigh, I stop pacing by the kitchen window. I thought I was quite clear she was to be more careful but obviously, she didn’t take me seriously. Her hair and running clothes are dripping, a damp towel tied around her waist. Swimming all alone in the quarry does not constitute being careful nor even good sense. It’s illegal and hell, dangerous. She probably wouldn’t know a water moccasin if it bit her.

  I should march right down there and tell her she’s fired. Better yet, fold her in my arms and kiss her like I mean it. This time without a goddamned apology.

  Shit.

  I missed her today but obviously, she was a busy little bee. After I got home from the city, I went t
o her door, hoping to make things right between us and assure her she had a job for the summer. I couldn’t help but notice the tire marks in the muddy drive by her door. It’s none of my business who visited her. I mean, she has a right to her private life.

  However, not while living in my guest house, eating Ramen noodles, and being so damned clueless.

  The footprints in the drive tell me she had two male visitors, one about six-foot, the other shorter. They entered the house and all three went off into the woods, along with the dog. I followed the tracks and they stopped near a small stream that flows from the quarry. Some black dirt looked disturbed, where they apparently dug.

  Then, they all returned to the car and the visitors left. I don’t like mysteries, especially on my own damn property. From the monitor-bedroom, I play the security footage.

  Ha! Just as I suspected, the tires were from the local police. Lilac doesn’t look too happy when she opens the door. I get that. Their body language reads they think she’s crazy.

  Shit.

  I jump down the porch stairs, wander across the grass, and pound on her door for a full minute before she answers.

  “Huh?” Sleepy, her eyes are half-closed and she’s got a sunburn all over her body. In just a t-shirt and undies, she has no idea how fucking sexy she looks or she’d never have opened the door.

  All thoughts of telling her off vanish. “Sorry, I woke you. Are you in some kind of trouble?”

  “You were spying on me?” Big brown eyes clear and lush lips turn down.

  “Security is what I do, Lilac. I have cameras all over my property.” With my arms crossed over my chest, I wait for her to invite me in.

  Her gaze lowers to her pretty toes and her fingers clutch the crystal doorknob, as if ready to shut the door in my face.

  Seriously? In a heartbeat I could push on the screens and climb in the window.

  Overly patient, I gentle my voice and press the door open another inch. “Can I come in and we’ll talk?”

  “Ah, yeah, sure. Coffee? Iced Tea?” She takes a step, top teeth biting into her lower lip.