Blaze (A Stone Mountain Mystery Book 2)

by Kristina Stanley

“Are you going to text him back?” Tessa asked.

  “Nope. I never do.”

  “It’s good that you’re staying with Ian and Nora.” Kalin joined the conversation. “You need to be careful.”

  “Ian’s been great about it,” Melanie said.

  “I wish I could meet someone nice like your brother.” Tessa laughed. “Except he’s too young for me.”

  Melanie took a sip of cola and looked at Tessa over the top of her glass. “And in love with Nora.”

  “You think so?” For some reason, the thought made Kalin happy.

  “He just doesn’t know it yet.”

  Kalin glanced at Nora to check if she’d overheard, and by the tiny smile Nora was trying to hide, she guessed she had.

  “Let’s go outside for a cigarette,” Tessa said to Melanie. “I want to talk to you about something.”

  Melanie picked up a black lighter off the coffee table.

  Gold twisted around the lighter’s outer edge, just like the one Miller had shown Kalin. A shiver ran the length of Kalin’s spine. She watched the women leave and wondered if the lighter belonged to Tessa or to Melanie.

  * * *

  Miller stood beside his partner on Connor Olsen’s doorstep. He held a warrant for Connor’s arrest and was looking forward to taking the man in. The rest of his team was on the road behind him, waiting for the go ahead to search Connor’s home.

  “How did you get a warrant?” Wagner asked.

  It had been a busy afternoon, and Miller hadn’t had time to fill Wagner in. “The geo-tech report came in this morning. It describes the condition of the site where Jason Tober died.”

  “And?” Wagner asked.

  “The collapse of the trench weakened the surrounding land. The jack wouldn’t have sunk if the land could support it.”

  “Why is that enough?”

  “We have statements from two employees that Connor was the one who instructed the other workers not to brace the trench after Chambers put in the work order for the day. One of the workers kept a copy and gave it to us. The order states the trench needed to be braced.”

  After several knocks, Miller gave up and motioned to his team to enter the house and start the search.

  “Damn,” Wagner said. “Of all the times for him not to be home.”

  “Be patient. We’ll get him. It’s a small town, and he’ll show up somewhere.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Melanie left the Pampered Chef party and sat in her car. She placed her hands between her thighs to stop them from shaking. All that talk about Connor. She left the party early saying she was meeting friends in town, but she’d just needed to get out of there and think.

  Her insides raged. God she hated him. He’d raped Tessa too. Tessa was too soft to deal with him, but not her. He had to be stopped. She thought she had stopped him. Who the fuck had identical trucks?

  During the worst of her drug addicted stupor, she might have asked for it. But not when she’d been with Connor. She thought about her hideous crack habit, how she’d degraded herself by licking flecks of the shit off the floor when she couldn’t wait any longer for her dealer to show and how she thought that had been the worst moment of her life.

  She’d been wrong. The worst came later, and it all came rushing back to her now. The memory was sharp. Every detail burned her.

  She’d woken with a hangover. She’d been clean for twelve months, then one sip of beer had turned her around. She didn’t know why she’d taken it. Connor seemed so pleased when she sipped the beer, and she wanted to please him. She deserved every throb that pounded inside her head.

  She rolled over, and Connor’s beer stained breath blew its way into her nose. She turned back the other way and listened to him snore.

  Her furry teeth and dry mouth disgusted her. Maybe if she threw up on Connor, he’d kick her out and that would be the end of their relationship. She sat on the edge of the bed, pulling the sheet around her bare shoulders. She needed to get out of there.

  She shuffled to the bathroom. On her way she grabbed her cell. She locked the door, sat on the toilet seat lid and called Ian.

  She flushed the toilet and washed her hands. The sink was stained black, toothpaste dotted the mirror and the garbage can was overflowing with snotty tissues. The filth made her gag.

  When she opened the door, Connor blocked her exit. She stepped away from him, curbing the urge to slap the sneer off his face.

  “Calling the Cavalry?”

  Melanie forced a smile. “No. I asked Ian to come get me. I didn’t want to bother you about driving me home.”

  “Bullshit. I heard everything you said. Don’t you trust me?”

  Melanie pressed her palm against her forehead, trying to stop the throbbing. “Of course I do, but you know I shouldn’t be drinking.”

  “So we can never party? I don’t want to be saddled with a bore.”

  Melanie bit her bottom lip. “I’ll be fine after I go home and clean up. I’m just not used to drinking that much. It’ll take some practice.” She laughed, trying to show him it was no big deal.

  He had his hands on the top corners of the doorway, his naked body hard in front of her, and said, “How long till he gets here? I’ll clean you up.”

  Melanie felt sick. “No.”

  Connor had stepped into the bathroom and had pushed Melanie into the shower…

  Melanie pressed her fingernails into her palms, breaking the skin and forcing the memory to disappear. She gripped the steering wheel of her car with such pressure her fingers went numb.

  She violently shook her head. Never again. She would not be a victim. She didn’t care what it took. She was going to stop Connor from raping another woman.

  Melanie skidded her car out of the driveway and turned in the direction of home. Driving down the mountain road to Holden in the dark was not her favorite, and now that she was living with Ian and Nora, she didn’t have to. She turned right before reaching the lower village.

  She pulled into the driveway, grabbed her purse off the front seat and approached the front step. She stuck her key in the lock, opened the door and felt a hand on the small of her back. Before she could resist, she was shoved through the door and heard it slam behind her.

  She turned and found Connor. “What the fuck are you doing?”

  He reached behind his back and clicked the bolt in place.

  “Let’s go into the living room,” Connor said.

  “No.”

  Connor shoved the heel of his hand into her chest and pushed her backward. His cowboy boots left muddy footprints in the hallway, and his sinewy muscles flexed underneath his tight shirt.

  Melanie’s heart pounded. “What do you want?”

  “How long are you going to avoid me for?”

  She stepped backward, closer to the coffee table. “I’m not avoiding you.”

  Connor clenched his fists by his sides. “You think you’re too good for me. Is that it?” His expression was mild, but his tone was menacing.

  Melanie took another step back. “I don’t.”

  “You’re a bitch. Just like most girls I know. We had it good, and you had to go and ruin it. You walked out for no reason.”

  “You’re out of your mind. You raped me.”

  Connor laughed. “Oh come on. You enjoyed every second we spent together. You asked for it most of the time.”

  She thought about the knife in her purse. One good thrust.

  He stood between her and the only exit, his wiry body oozing aggression. He spit a wad of tobacco in front of Melanie’s toes, leaving a brown stain on the carpet.

  She wanted to spit in his face. “You’re a pig. I didn’t ask for it. Not the last time. I said no. It’s called rape, you asshole.”

  “Don’t talk to me like that.”

  “Fuck off.”

  Connor grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. “We’re not finished.”

  Melanie squirmed under his grip, but couldn’t break free. “Let go of m
e.”

  “Just tell me you want me, and I’ll go.”

  “I don’t want you. I never will.”

  Connor slapped her cheek.

  Her head snapped sideways, and her skin stung. I should have burned him instead of that house. “That’s the last time.”

  He put his lips within inches of hers. “Oh come on. Don’t be so dramatic. You like it rough. Or are you just playing dress-up with your Goth image?”

  “You make me sick. I set you up. You’re so stupid, you had no idea.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  Connor was so close to her, she felt his heat. Anger built inside of her, and she lashed out. She twisted her hand, aiming the sharp side of her silver rings at his face. He grabbed her wrist before she made contact with his cheek. She wanted to draw blood. He tightened his grasp until she thought her wrist might break. She kicked his shin, and he let go.

  “Bitch.”

  “You don’t know how much of a bitch I can be.” Her mouth had gone dry, but she couldn’t stop the stream of words. She snatched her purse off the floor and clenched her newly purchased knife behind her back. Using her thumb, she slid the protective cardboard off the blade. “I started the fire. It would have worked too, if you and Ben didn’t have the same fucking truck. I took gas cans from the truck thinking your fingerprints would be on them. That’s how much I hate you. I wanted you to go to jail.”

  “You should never have told me that. Now you can’t leave me, or I’ll turn you in.”

  “Based on what? I’ll deny I told you anything, and you’ll look stupid.”

  “Stop. Calling. Me. Stupid.”

  Melanie knew she was being reckless but didn’t care. Everything she’d bottled up since he raped her came bursting to the surface. She aimed her words to piss him off. “You are stupid. You’re so fucking stupid you don’t know what the word ‘no’ means.”

  She whipped the knife from behind her back and aimed for Connor’s heart. His arm flew up and the knife sliced his forearm, cutting a deep gash. He stepped backward, his feet tangled in Ethan’s quilt and his head smashed against the hearth surrounding the fireplace.

  He sat, leaning against the wall, with his chin on his chest. Melanie took a tentative step toward him. She poked his shoulder, and he didn’t move. She bolted to the kitchen and grabbed a roll of duct tape. She wrapped his wrists and ankles and waited for him to wake up.

  She wanted to see his eyes when she terrorized him.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  Kalin left the Pampered Chef party with Nora and Ethan. Melanie had left without Nora, leaving her to find her own way home.

  Kalin was in an odd mood. Pete was out of jail, and she was glad, but she was worried about the lighter. She drove toward home thinking about what it meant.

  “Feel like coming over for a while?” Nora asked. “Ian’s out with some buds tonight.”

  “Sure.”

  “You seem distracted. Is something wrong?”

  “Did you notice when Melanie and Tessa went out for a smoke, they picked up a lighter off the coffee table?”

  “No.”

  “I hate to think this way, but it looks an awful lot like a lighter Miller showed me. One the RCMP think was used to start the fire.”

  “You think Tessa started it? Why would she do that?”

  “What if it was Melanie?”

  “That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “I know. I’m just thinking out loud.”

  Kalin stopped her Jeep in front of Nora’s place. “I thought Melanie said she was going out.”

  “Maybe she wanted to change first.” Nora hoisted Ethan from the Jeep and placed him on her hip. She passed Kalin her keys. “Can you open the door while I get his bag?”

  Kalin reached the front door and heard yelling. “I think Melanie’s arguing with someone.”

  Nora caught up to her and listened. “That sounds bad. Hurry. Open the door.”

  Kalin stepped through the front hall and felt as if she’d stepped into a horror film.

  Connor was bound with duct tape, sitting with his back to the hearth. Blood dripped from one arm. Melanie pulled his hair, bending his head sideways, exposing his neck. She held a knife to his throat.

  Kalin turned on Nora. “Get Ethan out of here and call 911.”

  Nora stared past Kalin into the living room. “Melanie. What are you doing?”

  Ethan wailed but Nora didn’t move.

  “Get him out of here.” Kalin pushed Nora backward. “I’ll take care of this.”

  Nora stepped outside and disappeared.

  “Melanie, put the knife down.”

  “No.” She kept the knife tight against Connor’s skin and shook her head.

  “I don’t know what he’s done to deserve this, but is it worth going to jail over?”

  Melanie sliced the knife slowly sideways, drawing a line of blood across his throat.

  Kalin took a step forward.

  “Get out of here. This has nothing to do with you.”

  One more step. She was almost there. “Melanie, stop.”

  “He was trying to kill me.”

  Connor puffed his chest. “Liar. I didn’t do anything.”

  Melanie kept one hand clenching Connor’s hair and turned the knife toward Kalin. The blade wavered in front of Melanie, shaking in her hand. “He did so. He hit me. I had to defend myself.”

  “She started the fire,” Connor said to Kalin. “She confessed she did it to get at me.”

  “He raped me.”

  “Melanie, think about what you’re doing. It’s murder. The fire’s caused enough damage. This has to stop.”

  Melanie pointed the knife at Kalin, this time without wavering. “Don’t come closer.”

  Kalin kept her eyes on the knife. “I’m not leaving.”

  “Yes, you are. Connor and I can work this out.” Melanie motioned to his arm. “It’s just a little scratch.”

  “I don’t think so. Not with the gobs of blood hitting the floor.” Kalin slowed her breathing. “Please put the knife down.”

  “It’s too late.” Melanie raised her arm to strike.

  Kalin rushed forward and tried to grab the knife before the blade hit Connor’s throat. Melanie turned and slammed the knife into Kalin. The blade pierced her shoulder, and she screamed.

  She crumpled to the ground. That was dumb. Her vision expanded and contracted, making everything seem hazy. Don’t pass out.

  “Shit. Look what you made me do,” Melanie said.

  Kalin lay on the slate tile, panting. “Don’t do this.”

  “I have no choice.” Melanie’s words slurred as if she were drunk.

  Half walking, half crawling, Kalin headed toward the front hall.

  Melanie turned to the living room, carrying the blood-covered knife. She stepped toward Connor. “You won’t hurt another woman. It’s over.”

  In the corner of the front hall closet, Kalin found Nora’s baseball bat.

  Melanie reached Connor and raised her arm. “Good bye, asshole.”

  Kalin grabbed the bat with her uninjured arm and ran at Melanie.

  Melanie swung the blade.

  Kalin swung the bat.

  The blade hit Connor’s neck. The bat hit Melanie’s arm.

  Melanie’s arm jerked sideways, slicing Connor’s skin. Kalin heard the crunch of the bat hitting bone and bone breaking. The impact knocked Melanie into Connor. His head slammed into the stone hearth.

  Melanie rolled off him and leaned her back against the wall. Her legs splayed in front of her, and she inhaled deep, gulping breaths.

  Kalin let the bat hang beside her leg. “Enough.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  Kalin lay in a hospital bed. Her shoulder throbbed, and with relief she wiggled her fingers. Ben slept in the guest chair with his chin resting on his chest. The wrinkles in his jeans and sweatshirt meant he’d spent the night there.

  Sunlight warmed the room. What tim
e was it? How long had she been there? After she’d broken Melanie’s arm, Nora had returned with Ben. Kalin had passed out before the RCMP and the paramedics arrived.

  Kalin touched her left shoulder and felt a thick bandage. The IV in the back of her hand ached, and she was tempted to remove the needle. She was in a semi-private room, not the emergency room she’d been in after the truck hit her, and although quieter, the antiseptic smell was the same.

  If Kalin had known at the Pampered Chef party what was going to happen, she wouldn’t have let Melanie take the knife. She didn’t know how Melanie and Connor had come to be alone at Nora’s place, but was surprised after what Tessa had told Melanie about him.

  Then she remembered Connor said Melanie started the fire, and Melanie hadn’t denied the accusation.

  “You’re awake.” Ben rolled his head and rubbed the back of his neck. “How’re you feeling?”

  “My shoulder hurts.”

  “I bet.” Ben sat on the edge of Kalin’s bed. “You were operated on. The knife tore a tendon in your left shoulder, but the doctor said it will heal. Miller said he’d come by today and give us an update.”

  “She stabbed me. I can’t believe she did that.”

  “She must have been out of her mind.”

  “I know. I should have stayed out of it, but everything happened so fast. They were fighting, and I reacted. Did she kill him?”

  “No. He was unconscious. The cut on his neck missed the artery. I don’t know how he is now, and I don’t care. You weren’t in any state to answer questions last night. Do you know what they were fighting about?”

  “The fire, I think. Connor said Melanie started it.”

  “You’re kidding. Why would she do that?”

  “She hates him enough. She said he raped her. He said she started the fire to set him up for arson.”

  Ben pressed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger, and closed his eyes. “Remember when the gas cans were stolen out of my truck? If she did start the fire, she might have thought she was taking the cans from Connor’s truck. Not mine. Miller agreed it was weird the cans were thrown to the side of the site. Like someone wanted to be caught, or it was a setup.”