Toxic

by Debra Jupe

  “I’m not disagreeing, although we can’t focus on that now. Our concern should be finding out who killed him.” Krystal gulped. “A lot of people thought Mike a jerk and sometimes I agreed, but he always stood by me. He was family, Gracie. How could somebody do this to him?”

  “Mike was important to me, too.” Gracie rose from her chair, swung her door shut, and paced the small space. “Did the police give you any information?”

  “Not really. The lead detective corralled the entire staff into the main office. The only specifics they told us was how he died, and those details were sparse. They wouldn’t even disclose where the murder took place, but the emergency vehicles had parked near the statuary. Yellow tape is strung around that area, so it’s easy to put two and two together.”

  “You’re not at the nursery, are you?”

  “No, they sent us home after they questioned us.”

  “I hope the cops turn every pebble until they discover who did this.” Gracie walked to a small window, cracked the blinds, and peered outside. “No one’s been arrested, right?”

  “Not yet. I’m scared someone we work with did this.”

  Gracie’s thoughts drifted to Ethan, his near out of control dream, and his odd behavior when he left her yesterday. Did the phone call have something to do with Mike’s death?

  “The police interrogated all of Mike’s employees?”

  “Yes. They spoke with us individually. They queried me on my whereabouts Saturday from six to ten, and asked if anyone might vouch for me during those times. They were also interested in our professional relationship. Our closeness, if we argued. That sort of thing.”

  “Did everyone show up this morning?”

  “Yes—no wait. Ethan…” Krystal stopped. “Gracie, I didn’t see Ethan.”

  Gracie’s fingers tightened, crushing the phone. “Are you sure? Things were probably crazy. You might’ve missed him.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  She sounded certain. Gracie stumbled to her desk and sank into her chair.

  “Strange he wasn’t there. Maybe because he isn’t a hired worker. I’m sure they’ll talk to him later.”

  “Possible.” A smidgen of relief swept over Gracie, but the uncertainty lingered.

  “Still, he wouldn’t have known about Mike’s death. He should’ve been at work this morning. Unless he called in and Vivian forgot to tell us because of all the commotion.”

  Suspicion instantly plagued her again.

  “Gracie, I’ll have to call you back later. This is going to kill me, but I need to go back to the nursery and take care of the plants in the sections I’m allowed in. The investigators gave me special permission to go inside.”

  “Will you be okay? Do you want me to come with you?”

  “I’ll be fine. Charlie should be home soon. He’ll keep me company. And there will be detectives to guide me.”

  “Call later if you need to talk.”

  Gracie remained at her desk. This must be how shock felt. She gazed at her untouched salad still in front of her. The food looked worse than before. She was sure now she couldn’t stomach a bite.

  Thoughts of Ethan and the mysteriousness surrounding him swirled in her head. She couldn’t shake the sensation his phone call and abrupt exit yesterday had something to do with Mike’s death. He wasn’t forthcoming about himself. And then there was his terrifying reaction to his nightmare.

  She tried to remember if he’d mentioned anything during their time together that would give her any insight to who this man was. She pushed away from her desk, rising to her feet, and hurried to the door. She may be making a huge mistake, but it was hers to make.

  “I’ll be gone for a while, Betty. Call my cell for any emergencies, otherwise please take messages, and tell everyone I’ll get back with them tomorrow.”

  “Wait.” Betty laid down her fork. “You’re three shades whiter than a ghost. What happened?”

  Gracie spun back around. “I just found out Mike Manzel has been killed.”

  “Oh no.” Betty’s hands flew to her cheeks. “How did he die?”

  “Someone murdered him.”

  Betty shook her head, her expression grim. “In such a small town, too. This used to be a safe place and now…did they catch the killer? I bet drug dealers had a hand in this. I heard a rumor a group set up a meth lab not too far from his place. Being out in the middle of nowhere, they probably tried to rob him, and he caught them.”

  “No one is talking.”

  Betty gazed suspiciously at Gracie. “You don’t need to get mixed up in this. Let the authorities handle it.”

  “I’m not. Mike and the nursery were a big part of my life for twelve years and then some. I’m upset and want to get out of here for a while.”

  “Makes sense, ’cept I’m not buying what you’re selling, missy. Mike was special to you, I get that, but you don’t act like someone mourning. You’re pale, though not traumatized. You seem determined. And a little scared. If you know anything about Mike’s death, then you should take it to the police.”

  “How would I have any information?”

  Betty’s eyes narrowed. “You tell me.”

  “I can’t because I don’t know anything. And if did, I’d do the right thing.”

  “The right thing can be subjective. Especially when it concerns someone you’re in love with.”

  “What are you trying to say? I have no knowledge about this killing.” She moved to the door. “And stop saying I’m in love. I had sex. That’s it.”

  “Keep telling yourself that.”

  Gracie ignored Betty and stepped out of her office. She rushed to her truck.

  Bright sunshine glimmered across the cloudless sky. The heat index inside her vehicle soared to the brink of suffocation. Air conditioner on full blast, her thoughts drifted to her days working at the plant farm.

  She had many fond memories. Besides the friendships she’d made and a glimmer of a professional dream had begun there, the place had been her refuge when she and Stewart’s situation escalated, and she couldn’t bear to go home. She wondered what would become of the business now Mike was gone. She hoped the family wouldn’t shut it down.

  It occurred to her the police may want to speak with her. Former employees might be on the list if no other suspects emerged, and her association with a presumed missing Ethan could erect some red flags.

  She’d be okay. Though she hadn’t worked for Mike in a long time, the two maintained a friendly business relationship and never shared a cross word. Didn’t matter how far back the authorities went, she had no doubt she’d be in the clear.

  As for Ethan McCarthy, she was not so sure.

  Almost as if the truck guided itself, Gracie drove down the road leading to Ethan’s property. His house wasn’t visible from the street, which produced a dilemma. How could she tell if he was home? Did she have enough nerve to walk up and knock on his door? What would she say if he answered?

  Slowly, she passed his graveled drive, did a turn around, and went by again.

  She searched the lonely street. Houses sat in the distance, sporadically dotting the landscape, many similar to Ethan’s, not evident from the pavement. Only ribbons of gravel revealed their existents.

  She backed into a treed cove located near Ethan’s land and hid her truck. Keys in hand, she hurried across the street. Though late in the afternoon, the sun beat hot down on her head, the scent of dry grass and cow manure drifted in the light wind. A barbed wire fence surrounded his acreage. She crawled between the spiky ropes, and then took off in a run over an exposed gap, ducking into a thicket. Weed stalks brushed against her bare legs, making her itch, and wish she’d worn jeans instead of shorts.

  She followed a weaving trail through the undergrowth until she approached the backside of his house, which was mostly glass. The blinds were open wide. If he stood anywhere near a window, he’d spot her.

  Gracie pressed into the brush, moving closer to the front. No vehicles
were parked in the drive. She could assume no one was home. She stepped from her hiding place and returned to the rear of the house. The windows were low enough for her to view the inside. She crept to the glass, standing on tiptoe, and peeked in.

  An unmade king size mattress on a frame sat in the middle of the room. A long dresser had been placed across from the bed. A set of built-in mirrors faced out, toward her. Probably a closet. Bedroom, obviously. She crouched to duck-walked along the back wall until she reached the next set of windows. She stood and pressed her face to the pane. This room was dark. She wondered where Ethan had disappeared to. His absence this morning didn’t look well, and then him not being home wouldn’t help his cause.

  A flash filled the room. An Ethan-sized shadow crammed the lighted doorway. Gracie dropped to the ground. When did he get here? She didn’t hear him drive up. On her hands and knees, she crawled toward the grove of trees, stopping below the bedroom window.

  His voice boomed from the inside. She gazed up. He stood right above her.

  She hugged the house’s side. A glance down and he’d catch her. Her heartbeat clobbered her ribcage as she held her breath.

  “What do you mean I can’t leave town.”

  His tone carried through the glass, clear enough for her to eavesdrop. She flattened further into the house’s side, ignoring the heated slats burning against her skin.

  “Hell no, I didn’t go to the nursery this morning. I have no desire to be questioned by homicide. And since I was the supposed last person to be with him alive, you can bet they’ll look at me long and hard. I might be the only suspect they consider.” It went quiet. “You need to get me the hell out of here. I must leave town now.”

  Gracie inhaled. So he knew about Mike’s death. But was he involved or just aware?

  A purr of an engine combined with the sound of tires crackling over the gravel came from the front of the house.

  “Shit. Someone’s here.” Ethan’s voice faded like he’d backed off. “I gotta go. Do something to make me disappear and keep my ass out of jail.”

  Gracie inched to the cabin’s edge and stole a glance around the side. She leaped back. Strobes flung a rhythm of color into the surrounding woods. Two men in uniform exited the car, their voices hummed in the wind. A loud knock echoed off the trees.

  Time to make a getaway. She scouted for an escape route. She had only a couple. Either go the way she came in, or leave by way of the drive. Whichever course she took, she stood a good chance of getting caught by Ethan or the police. Neither idea appealed to her.

  She sat back on her knees and sighed. Staying wasn’t an option either. She rose on all fours and peeked around the corner. The officers had moved out of her viewing range. They must be inside the house. She gazed upward to listen. No sound. Hair stood on the back of her neck, her entire body stilled.

  They were behind her. The cops. She had to come up with an excuse as to why she was lurking around Ethan’s house, but her mind went blank.

  An arm snaked around her waist and tightened, jerking her to her feet, pulling her against a rock-hard torso. Her mouth and nose were covered with a large palm. Warm breath stroked against her skin.

  “Ah, Ms. Desoto,” a deep voice whispered. “You have a knack of being where you’re not supposed to at the most perfect time.”

  Chapter 12

  “Don’t make a sound, understand?” Ethan commanded.

  A blast of panic shot through her, but she ignored the terror and nodded slowly.

  “Good.”

  He released her and gently drew her back down to her knees. He maneuvered beside her on all fours to peek around the corner. His shoulder pressed into hers as he leaned in. The simple touch set off a swirl of tiny rockets. Though the circumstances were bleak, Gracie felt ecstatic from his nearness.

  Until she came to her senses. Then she quickly jerked away.

  He sat back and whispered, “They’re coming around from the other side of the house. Time for us to leave.” He stood, grabbed her hand, dragged her to her feet, and took off in a run. “Let’s go.”

  He yanked her into the same cluster of brush she’d fought through earlier, veering from the trail and into a mass of brambles and thorny branches. Overgrown thatches ripped her skin, leaving red scratches over her bare arms and legs. They squatted in the middle of the brushwood to wait.

  Several scrapes bled. She wiped the worst with the hem of her shirt, and then stared at Ethan.

  Why was she here?

  All she’d wanted to do was talk to him. Find out what was going on, and put her suspicions to rest. No matter how much she liked him, she wasn’t interested in going on the run with him. The cop’s appearance and the conversation she’d overheard not only increased her doubts, but almost convinced her he’d been involved in Mike’s death somehow.

  She needed to get away.

  Perhaps she should call for help since the police roamed the grounds. Except if they got caught, she could be inadvertently implicated just from being on his property. She looked at Ethan again. Like he read her mind, he put a forefinger to his lips and slightly shook his head.

  Unfamiliar voices rang out, disturbing the quiet.

  “Told the sheriff he’d be expecting us. I knew he’d run,” one of the deputies remarked.

  “Said the same thing. With this many acres, he could be hiding anywhere,” the other commented.

  “Well, I ain’t trekking through thick brush and crap to search for some no account foreigner.”

  “Me either. This time a year, these fields are full of snakes and fire ants. County don’t pay me enough to get my ass bit or stung.”

  “Trip’s got my stomach growlin’. How ’bout we head on over to the Dairy Cone. Ice cream whiteouts are on sale, two for one.”

  The clap of car doors slamming followed, then a motor revved from behind. A white blaze passed by, rushing down the coiled drive. It quickly disappeared once it turned onto the main road.

  Neither Gracie nor Ethan moved until they were certain the car was far gone.

  “They’re sure in a hurry to get the Cone,” Gracie mumbled.

  Ethan glared at her. “You want to tell me what the hell you’re doing here?”

  “A better question would be why the police are here?”

  “I think you can guess. But that still doesn’t give me a clue as to why you showed up.”

  She didn’t have to take this. She should walk away. Get out of this while she still had time. She gazed at him. A twist of compassion riveted through her. Somewhere deep down she couldn’t believe he murdered his boss. True, his expression appeared angered, but he looked troubled too. He may not admit it, may not even realize, but he needed her. She couldn’t leave. Not yet.

  “I’m saving your ass again,” Gracie snapped.

  Ethan turned away and peered through the bushes, gazing at his house, as if he debated to return inside. “I guess you are. Where did you park?”

  “Across the street. In the tree-lined inlay.”

  “Let’s go.”

  “Where?”

  “To your truck.” He grabbed her hand, urging her to her feet, then he released her and took off in a run. “Hurry,” he shouted over his shoulder. They sprinted across open field, jogging against the hot wind. The uneven land made running difficult and dangerous. Great for an ankle sprain or twisted knee.

  Ethan slid to a halt, a palm behind him.

  Gracie stopped. Overheated from the sprint, she raked her fingers through her hair, holding the strands into a makeshift ponytail. The arid breeze did little to cool the back of her perspiring neck.

  “What’s wrong?”

  The sound of an engine roared down the main road, coming their way.

  Ethan dove to the ground and rolled for a crevice. “Get down.”

  Gracie dropped to the dirt and trailed Ethan, spinning her body into the cranny. They peered over the gap’s edge as a strange vehicle turned into the driveway and swayed down the rocky drive, passing
them without slowing.

  “The same guys?”

  “Someone else.”

  “Cops?”

  “Don’t think so.” He jumped to his feet. “Let’s get out of here before they realize no one’s inside the house and come searching.”

  Gracie scrambled out of the ditch and hurried to catch up with a jogging Ethan. He’d cleared the fence without effort and rushed across the road, disappearing into the hidden outlet before she made it to the barrier. She made it to the barbed wire and hunkered down. A rumble of an engine growled from the short distance.

  “Hurry, Ms. D.,” he shouted. “Enemy’s coming your way.”

  Gracie didn’t bother to try and find him. She scuttled underneath and in a full run, headed for the cluster of trees. She crossed the asphalt with ease. The second her foot hit dirt, she lost her balance. A hand appeared from out of nowhere and grabbed her arm pulling her into a safe hideaway the moment Ethan’s uninvited guest sped by. She plunged against him. They tumbled into a pile of rotten leaves.

  She lay on top of him, her fingers clutching his muscled biceps, her face buried into his powerfully built chest. She inhaled deep, relishing his musk scent.

  He smelled like sweat, dirt and…oh so male.

  The guy may or may not have done anything against the law but what he did to her should be illegal.

  “That’s one.”

  She raised her head. “What’s one?”

  A corner of his mouth lifted, his eyes twinkled. “I owe you. The list of you saving me is ever growing, and it’ll take me a lifetime to catch up, but at least I have a start.”

  Gracie rolled off him, and slowly rose to her feet. She flinched and nearly fell, sitting back down. Ethan eyed her with a frown. “Hurt yourself?”

  “Maybe.” She touched her ankle that now stung. She hissed. “I think I twisted it.”

  He rolled to stand, and swept her up in his arms, drawing her close to him. “What are you doing?” she cried, though not fighting him.

  “Another payback. Where’re your keys?”

  “Back pocket.”

  He maneuvered around the trees, carefully carrying her to the waiting pickup. “Get ready. I’m setting you down.”