Pulse Points

by Mary Lynn Baxter

  Like he’d told Jack, keeping both his company and his political career afloat hadn’t been easy. They had consumed him. He was either working or campaigning 24/7. Not a bad thing, he guessed, especially since his wife’s death he had no one to go home to. Work had become a panacea for his loneliness.

  “Have you thought about getting someone to mind the company store, so to speak?” Jack said into the short silence. “I don’t need to remind you what a formidable candidate Buck Butler is.”

  “As in ruthless as hell.”

  “That goes with the territory.”

  When Tanner didn’t respond, Jack went on, “Sometimes I don’t think you have the stomach for politics.”

  Tanner scowled. “Now’s a hell of a time to tell me that.”

  Jack chuckled. “You’re honest to a goddamn fault, Hart.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  “Don’t, because Butler’s sure as hell not. He’s conniving and determined. And in the political arena, that can be a winning combination.”

  Tanner leaned inward and jabbed his friend with brown eyes that had turned black with anger. “So are you trying to tell me something, Jack? That you’re sorry you supported me?”

  “You know better than that,” Jack said, clearly backtracking. “I’m just keeping you on your toes, that’s all. Readying you for the grueling months ahead.”

  “We’ve been friends long enough for you to know that I can punch below the belt with the best of ’em. And will if I have to.”

  That was true. You couldn’t grow up the way he had, in and out of the foster care system because his mother’s love for the bottle far outweighed her love for him, and not learn a few underhanded tricks. He’d done a lot of things he wasn’t proud of, had his share of battle scars, but he’d learned from his mistakes, or so he hoped.

  “Maybe you’re right,” Jack was saying. “Maybe you won’t have to stoop to his level and can hold to the high road. With your good looks, easy smile, razor-sharp mind and iron will to succeed, you just might whip Butler up-front and center instead of in the trenches.”

  “Only time will tell,” Tanner responded in a suddenly tired voice.

  “So do you have another agency in mind? Maybe a local one this time. The Parker firm would’ve been a good choice if that Parker woman hadn’t gotten killed in that parking garage.” Jack paused, his expression turning grim. “I still can’t believe that happened. What could that woman have possibly been involved in that cost her her life?”

  “I have no idea,” Tanner said, “but it’s an awful thing. That’s one funeral I have to attend.”

  “You knew her, huh?”

  “Yeah,” Tanner acknowledged offhandedly, pointedly peering at his watch. “As much as I’d like to stay and shoot the shit, I’ve got to go. I have meetings lined up the rest of the day.”

  Jack reached for the bill. “The coffee’s on me. You keep me posted.”

  Tanner stood. “That goes without saying.”

  The strong smell of coffee still filled his nostrils long after Tanner got back to his office in a plush complex on the west side of town. The affluent side, he reminded himself with a smirk of sorts, thanks in part to Norma Tisdale, his deceased wife.

  When he’d married her his senior year in college, many an eyebrow had raised in that small college town. She’d been ten years his senior and from a very prestigious and wealthy family. He, on the other hand, had been a nobody who’d been raised on the wrong side of the tracks.

  The two weren’t supposed to mix. But they had and very well, too. He knew Norma had died a happy woman despite the pain she had suffered from her heart condition. He had no regrets, having been faithful in his care of her to the day she died. She had rewarded him by leaving him the bulk of her estate. That had been seven years ago.

  During those years, he had used the money wisely, and at the age of forty, he was a wealthy man in his own right. And while he seemed to have it all—looks, wealth, power—there was something missing from his life.

  Love. He loved no one and no one loved him.

  Even so, he didn’t feel sorry for himself. He simply buried himself in his work. For now, and maybe forever, that was enough.

  You’re fucked.

  Those words were like a litany inside his skull. He stopped his pacing and placed his middle fingers against his throbbing temples and pressed. Long after he’d removed the fingers, the pounding continued. He needed a fix badly in order to get hold of himself. Pushing the panic button wouldn’t do him one ounce of good. It would only serve to bring about his downfall.

  He wasn’t sorry he’d killed her. The bitch deserved exactly what she’d gotten and then some.

  He was just sorry he might’ve gotten caught. Might. That was the key word, the word he’d clung to during the hours since he’d committed the act, since he’d bolted from the parking garage and disappeared into the shadows.

  She had seemed to come out of nowhere. If he’d had one more minute, he could’ve made a clean hit and getaway. Everything had been planned down to the smallest detail, only to have her mess it up. He’d entered the garage long before Shirley had made her appearance and waited. Alone and silent, he had been confident his plan would come off without a hitch.

  Dammit, it almost had, too.

  Afterward, with his heart beating out of his chest and his teeth knocking together, he’d driven to his sister’s house instead of his. He’d unlocked the door and walked in, only to pull up short. Flora had rolled her wheelchair to the table and was drinking a glass of milk.

  “Sorry, sis, I thought you’d be in bed,” he said for a lack of a better explanation, “or I would’ve knocked.”

  “No, you wouldn’t have.” She angled her head to one side, her greasy, gray curls bobbing with her. “But it doesn’t matter, or I wouldn’t have given you a key.”

  “Whatever,” he mumbled, feeling his heart settle back in rhythm. He should be kicked for coming here, for perhaps involving her and further endangering himself in the process. He couldn’t remember his mother, and his father was dead. His sister was his only living relative, and following the auto accident that left her chained to a wheelchair, he’d done all he could to better her situation. But he could only go so far and no farther. Some things she would not allow him to do, like move her to a larger, nicer place.

  The house, so tiny it was stifling, was a battlefield between filth and illness. Dusty old newspapers and magazines littered the threadbare linoleum floor. Roaches feasted on the leftovers in the dishes cluttering the cabinets. The smell of stale piss overpowered the air-fresheners he’d placed in the light sockets.

  “What happened?”

  Flora’s scratchy voice pulled him out of his daze. Nothing out of the ordinary, sis. I just shot a woman and killed her. No big deal.

  “You look like shit.”

  Color stung his face at the scorn in her voice. “I had a bad day at work,” he muttered.

  “I have a feeling it’s more than that. Have you been drinking?”

  He took a deep shuddering breath. “I wish.”

  “There’s some beer in the fridge. Help yourself.”

  Beer, hell. He needed something much stronger, but he couldn’t tell her that. “Uh, maybe later.”

  She gave him another odd look. “You sure you’re okay?”

  “Yeah, I’ll be all right. I just stopped by to check on you.”

  “You’re lying,” she said in a cracked voice. “But that’s okay. I’m used to it.”

  His temper sparked, but he didn’t fire back. No matter how much he did for her, it was never enough. She had become an embittered, shriveled up old woman with an ax to grind.

  “I’m going to bed. Lock the door behind you.”

  “Thanks, sis.” His words were coated in sarcasm. “I know I can always count on you.”

  She gave him another long look, then wheeled herself out of the room. He didn’t know how long he stood there, the creak in th
e wheels sending a chill through him.

  It was only after he heard the wailing of a siren in the distance that he moved. He fled Flora’s house and drove down every country road he knew. Finally exhaustion forced him to his rented mobile home.

  Now, as he continued to pace the floor, he peered at the clock on the secretary in the den. If she’d seen him, he would have been arrested by now. The fact that he hadn’t was a good sign. Suddenly he stopped pacing, feeling his muscles uncoil.

  He’d done himself right by waiting, by gambling that she hadn’t seen his face. He threw his head back and laughed. Quite possibly he’d pulled off the perfect murder. His laughter grew in volume. After all, he had an insurance policy.

  He knew her.

  Four

  Following the release of Shirley’s body by the authorities, she was finally being laid to rest. If the number of people attending the funeral was anything to judge by, that was the place to be. It seemed as if half the townfolk had made an appearance at the chapel, perhaps in hopes of viewing Shirley’s bullet-ridden body.

  If that were the case, then they were disappointed as the casket had been closed. And well it should have been, Kasey thought, standing to one side at the grave-side services that had immediately followed the memorial tribute. Though not nearly as congested as the service proper, a goodly number had made the trip to the cemetery.

  Shirley apparently had built herself a fine reputation in the community, both as a civic leader and business-woman. Still, Kasey suspected the majority of attendees were there out of morbid curiosity.

  Kasey had known that Shirley’s parents were deceased and that she had no siblings. Hence, the only two family members in attendance were two cousins. She had met them earlier and expressed her condolences.

  Now, as she forced herself to listen to the final words of the minister, Kasey lowered her gaze, wishing once again that this horrible chapter in her life was behind her.

  When she finally looked up, she saw Detective Gallain among the mourners. Her instinct told her he wouldn’t leave until he spoke to her. She was right.

  “Hello, Mrs. Ellis,” he said a short time later.

  Though a feeling of dread surrounded her, Kasey maintained her composure. “Good afternoon, Detective.”

  “Are you feeling better?” he asked, the uncomfortably warm sun catching the frayed corner of his tie, drawing attention to his disheveled appearance.

  Kasey nodded as she dwelled on that simple flaw while waiting for him to say what was on his mind. This was his show. She had nothing new to contribute to the investigation.

  “I just wanted to let you know I’ll be around to your office soon to interview the employees.”

  “That will be fine, only the agency’s closed for the rest of the week.” Kasey heard the stiffness in her tone, but couldn’t control it. “Out of respect for Shirley.”

  Gallain narrowed his eyes on her. “Speaking of Ms. Parker, have you thought of anything else that might help catch her killer?”

  “I’m sorry, no.”

  “I’m not giving up on you, Mrs. Ellis. You’re still our best hope of solving this brutal crime.”

  “I know you feel that way. And I wish I could be of more help. I feel terrible because I can’t give you the magic words that would nail the creep.”

  “Just so you don’t stop trying.”

  Did he expect her to dwell on that tragedy? Replay it in her mind in hopes something might click? Apparently so. But she refused to do that, though at night when she closed her eyes, Shirley’s body was what she saw. The scene haunted her. If she let it consume her days as well, it would be impossible to maintain her focus and her sanity.

  “No small incidents to report?” Gallain pressed.

  “Detective Spiller’s watching my house.”

  “Right, but there are other ways to scare the hell out of someone.” Gallain’s gaze didn’t waver. “Like phone calls, for instance.”

  “Nothing like that has happened.” Kasey paused and pushed her shades closer on the bridge of her nose, trying to block out the blinding sunlight. “But I have to say, this all has me really spooked.”

  “Well it should. Until the killer is apprehended we won’t know for sure he didn’t see you. It wouldn’t be wise for you to drop your guard.”

  “No one knows that better than me, Detective.”

  “Later, then.”

  Kasey could only nod, her throat suddenly too tight to speak as she watched Gallain make his way to the unmarked car and get in. In that moment, he reminded her of the bumbling, fumbling Detective Colombo. Sly as a fox and persistent as the devil. And never failing to get the bad guy.

  It was after she paid her final condolences to Shirley’s cousins that she saw him. At first she tried to pretend her eyes were playing tricks on her, that the sun’s rays had caused her to misfocus. But when he strode toward her, he filled her vision with solid clarity.

  Tanner Hart.

  The bottom dropped out of her stomach. She had hoped this day would never come. He was the last person she wanted to see. Ever. But the way her luck had gone these past few days and months, she shouldn’t have been surprised. Still, it was unfair. Two major blows to the heart in a matter of days were too much.

  Kasey longed to turn and run like the coward she was. Only it was too late. Also, her dignity was at stake. The fact she hadn’t seen him in almost nineteen years gave her the courage to hold her ground. No longer were they stupid young college students. She certainly wasn’t and from the looks of him, neither was he. Far from it.

  He looked the success she knew him to be. It hadn’t escaped her that he was vying for a Texas senate seat, though she refused to read any of the details of his campaign rhetoric. However, if she’d known he resided in Rushmore proper, and not some other county in the district, she might not have been so quick to take Shirley up on her offer.

  Once she’d realized he was in town, she had assured herself they wouldn’t run into each other, that their lives were on different tracks, both socially and financially. Apparently she’d been naive or had buried her head in the sand. Or both, because he was in front of her, staring at her out of those dark, probing eyes.

  “Hello, Kasey.”

  That deep, sexy voice hadn’t changed. It still had the power to jolt her. Actually, very little about him had changed. He was a mature version of the young man she’d known in college. Maybe his angular features had a few more battle lines, but those were an attraction rather than a detraction. His sun-streaked brown hair remained thick and shiny without any hint of gray, despite the fact that he was forty.

  “It’s been a long time,” he commented into the growing and somewhat hostile silence.

  “Yes, it has.”

  “You’re looking well.”

  “So are you.” Kasey didn’t know when she’d carried on such a stilted conversation.

  “You’re living here now, right?”

  “Yes.” His cologne continued to roll over her in waves. She held her breath for a second, then released it. “How did you know?”

  “Does it matter?”

  “Not really,” she said in a cool tone, not about to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he had disconcerted her.

  “I’m sorry about Mark. I know my condolences are long overdue, but—” He let the rest of his sentence go unsaid.

  “Thanks,” she said in a sharper tone than she intended.

  If he picked up on that sharpness, he didn’t let on. Instead he continued in that same smooth tone, “How’s your son?”

  Her heart wrenched, though she didn’t so much as move. “He’s great.”

  “And in college.”

  Kasey didn’t know if he’d asked a question or stated a fact. “He just finished his freshman year at Baylor.”

  “Good for him.”

  Their eyes met for another millisecond, but that was enough to up the already crackling tension between them. Kasey glanced away from his disturbing gaze, the
n fidgeted under the boiling sun and the intense humidity. Her body seemed on fire, taking a decent breath impossible. In truth, she suspected the climate had little to do with her discomfort.

  “How did you know Shirley?” he asked.

  “You mean you don’t know?”

  Color darkened his face. “No. Regardless of what you think, I haven’t been spying on you, Kasey. I just knew you’d moved back. That’s all.”

  She fidgeted silently and didn’t respond.

  “So did you know the deceased well?”

  “Well enough. She had taken me on as a partner,” she said through tight lips, wanting this conversation to end. She had already told him far too much.

  “My God, I’m so sorry. You must be going through a tough time right now.”

  “I’ve had better days.”

  “Is there anything I can do?”

  She quelled her panic and forced her voice to show none of her conflicting emotions. “No, thanks. I’m going to be all right.”

  “Are you going to remain here and run the agency?”

  Obviously he wasn’t aware that she’d witnessed her partner’s murder. She wasn’t prepared to tell him, either. The less he knew about her and her business, the better.

  “I’m not sure yet.” And she wasn’t. Granted, she and Shirley had a binding partnership agreement, and by law the agency should become hers, but that was nothing to brag about. It appeared she had inherited an albatross instead of an asset. However, she saw no reason to share those thoughts with Tanner, either.

  All that was important to her was putting distance between the two of them. God forbid that another happenstance meeting should occur. As it was, she was barely keeping her head above water.

  “Look, it was good to see you,” she said, anxious to get away. “But I really have to go.” Kasey had taken several steps when he spoke, stopping her.

  “Would you mind if I stopped by the agency?”

  Her heart took a nosedive before she swung around.