CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Shae didn’t regret a single touch or kiss from last night, and so far, there hadn’t been any lasting ramifications. She’d like to keep it that way.
Would he understand?
Honestly, making love with Jace had been the most intimate encounter she’d ever experienced. Her sensitive skin still tingled from the memory, and there was no denying she wanted more time with him.
“You’re awfully quiet, Doc.” Jace flipped his turn signal up to indicate that he was taking one of the two available visitor parking spots in front of the police station. They could have used the parking lot around back, but neither one of them expected this to take too long. “Something on your mind?”
Shae still wasn’t sure how to word her request without him taking offense, but wasn’t she always spouting honesty to her patients?
“I don’t think we should publicize our…” Shae waved her hand to encompass whatever they’d started between them, not having a name for something so temporary. “I don’t want you to take that the wrong way. I just don’t want your family getting the wrong idea.”
Jace remained silent as he finished parking his Range Rover, even waiting to speak until he’d shifted the gear into park and shut off the engine. Her stomach clenched that he would twist her request into something it wasn’t.
“I completely understand. No sense in raising their expectations.” Jace palmed his keys, but made no move to open his door. He was watching the front door of the station, his expression causing her to believe he was placating her. “And we can absolutely try it your way. But I’m warning you now, no one knows me better than my family.”
Shae would have said that she’d known Emma better than anyone else, too, but she had a sinking feeling that Mitch was about to destroy her illusion. She swallowed the acid back that had taken up residence in her throat ever since they’d gotten inside Jace’s vehicle. She’d come home seeking answers, fully believing she was ready to uncover the buried secrets of Emma’s past. Now? She wasn’t even remotely sure she could handle what was about to be thrown her way.
“As well they should,” Shae said, more for her benefit than his. Here she was sermonizing honesty to herself, and she was all but asking him to lie to his family. Returning to Blyth Lake was messing with her mind. She covered her face with her hands to give herself a moment. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you to—”
“Hey,” Jace interrupted, but in a soothing manner that made her wish they’d stayed in bed for the remainder of the day. He wrapped his fingers around her wrist and pulled her arm down to garner her attention. “There is nothing that’s going to be said inside that building that you can’t handle. Time to saddle up.”
Shae inhaled and exhaled deeply, just as she asked her patients to do when confronting something that frightened them. She could do this for her parents. They’d already been through enough, and now it was her turn to shield them from the ugliness.
“No one is saying we have to act one way or another. As for everyone else, we’re old friends. I’m giving you a safe place to stay while you’re in town.” Jace squeezed her hand in reassurance. “So let’s get this over with so you can call and give your mom and dad some answers.”
Shae didn’t bother to share with him that they weren’t expecting answers. They’d long ago resigned themselves to the fact that they would never know what happened the night Emma disappeared. Shae couldn’t give up, because doing so would be letting Emma down.
“You didn’t tell them about the boots left for you to find, did you?”
“Nope.” Shae wasn’t in the least apologetic about withholding information from her parents, either. It was in her professional opinion that they’d suffered enough without having to worry about their other daughter. That shot of anger she’d experienced the other night at what this psychopath thought he could get away with returned tenfold. It was time to end his reign of terror, and she’d be glad to offer her help. “I’m ready.”
“I never had any doubt,” Jace said with a wink, letting go of her hand so that he could exit his vehicle. Shae found herself mesmerized by the sight of the firearm he was carrying, holstered to the belt around his waist. Maybe it was time she got some practice in herself. She picked up her purse and had the strap over her shoulder by the time he’d made it around her side to open her door. The chivalrous gesture brought a smile to her lips. “Don’t forget your tea.”
Shae reached back into the Range Rover for the to-go cup he’d made her while she’d finished dressing. He was spoiling her, and that technically wasn’t a good thing. She was used to fending for herself, and she would eventually have to return to her life in Lansing.
“Let’s do this,” Shae said, straightening her shoulders and leading the way to the station’s entrance. His hand reached for the handle before she could, opening the door and allowing the smell of stale coffee and leather to wash over her. At least, she hoped the latter scent was leather. “Jace? Who is that?”
A woman with auburn hair was in a heated argument with Detective Kendrick, though Shae couldn’t hear their exchange. They were on the far side of the large common area that hadn’t been renovated in the twelve years she’d been gone. Four old desks were positioned in twos on either side of the room, with a long table in the back that housed a coffee machine, an outdated fax machine, and what looked to be one of the oldest copiers she’d ever seen. She suspected that it only printed in black and white.
“That’s Charlene Winston,” Jace muttered, his gaze sweeping the immediate area with disbelief. He eventually focused on the angry woman, who Brynn had described in detail, heading their way. “She’s a reporter for one of the local stations. Noah and Lance told me that Brynn all but threw her out of the Cavern one night. Wait. Maybe it was Tiny who had that pleasure. I’m not sure, but I do know she tried connecting the murders to us.”
By us, Shae assumed he meant the Kendall clan. Charlene Winston didn’t even bother to look in their direction as she brushed past them, only to stop short when she realized exactly who had entered the station.
“Shae Irwin?” Charlene pasted a smile on her red lips that resembled the color of blood. “My name is—”
“Not here, Charlene. Please leave.” Detective Kendrick had been following close behind, most likely figuring out that the reporter would recognize Emma Irwin’s sister. “You’ll have to circle around another time.”
The reference to a vulture wasn’t lost on Charlene, who all but bared her teeth to the detective. Shae could see that the woman loved her job, but there was a sadness in her eyes that was unmistakable.
“I’ll do that, Detective.” Charlene was well-prepared, reaching into an outside pocket of her purse and pulling out a business card. She flicked it with her manicured nails, holding the small identification just right so that Shae could take possession of it. “I’d love to sit down with you, Ms. Irwin. I believe our conversation could benefit us both.”
Charlene left behind a trail of perfume, just enough to take away the pungent odor of stale coffee. Shae was enough of a shoe connoisseur to recognize the brand name. The woman did have good taste in heels.
“Ms. Irwin, I’m sorry about that reporter,” Detective Kendrick said on behalf of the department, his eyes lingering on the door longer than necessary. He was holding a mug in his hand that looked older than the detective himself. Shae barely suppressed a shiver of disgust at the stains on the outside of the porcelain. How could he drink out of that pool of bacteria? “The media somehow picked up on what happened to you the other day. I’m fairly certain it will hit the papers tomorrow, but the story will most likely be run on the nightly news tonight.”
Shae winced at the knowledge that she would now have to make that dreaded call to her parents. It was one she wanted to avoid, but it appeared Charlene Winston took that choice out of her hands.
“Does she also know why you called me into the station today?” Shae asked, her gaze landing on Mitch. He was standing in the doorway of his office and observing them from afar. She tried not to shift her stance, but something in his expression made her believe he saw what was truly going on between her and his brother.
“No, and I’d like to keep it that way, if you don’t mind.” Detective Kendrick motioned that she should walk ahead of him toward Mitch’s office. It wasn’t like she had a choice. “It’s best if we exercise some control over the media, at this point.”
“I would agree with that.” Jace lifted a hand toward Patty, who was coming out of the small bathroom in the corner. She gave a small cry of joy as she made her way over, even going so far as to cut off Shae’s destination. “Patty, it’s been a long time. It’s good to see you.”
“Just look at you,” Patty exclaimed, pulling back from the brief hug so that she could rest her hands on either side of his face. “Handsome as ever. Your mama would be so proud of you boys.”
Shae forgot that Patty and Mary Kendall had been friends.
“It’s your job now to watch out for Mitch,” Jace warned with a smile. “You make sure those teenagers raising ruckus up at the lake don’t get the best of him.”
“Oh, trust me,” Patty said with a couple pats to his cheeks. “It isn’t the teens that Mitch is going to have to watch out for. It’s Rose and what she’s going to do to them if she catches them inside those cottages again.”
She hadn’t wanted Patty’s attention to divert away from Jace, but it wasn’t like Shae could become invisible. She gave the older woman a smile of recognition. The embrace was unavoidable.
“Shae Irwin, I don’t believe my eyes. You’ve grown into such a beautiful thing, haven’t you?” Patty didn’t blink twice when Mitch cleared his throat, letting everyone know that the pleasantries were over. “Can I get either one of you a coffee, soda, or water? Mitch has promised me a small kitchen in the near future, but we do have those three beverage choices available.”
“I’m relatively sure I didn’t use the term near.” Mitch shook his head, but it was more than apparent he was fond of Patty and vice versa. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “I have a feeling I’ll end up doing more renovations to this place than my own home. We should start with a shovel.”
“When do I get an invite?” Jace asked, resting his hand on his brother’s shoulder good-naturedly. “It was quite a surprise, huh?”
“Mom always did manage to throw a bombshell or two our way. Looks like she got one in on us, now doesn’t it?”
“Someone said something to me the other day that has me believing Dad was right there along for the ride,” Jace replied, casting a sideways glance toward Shae.
She held up her tea while Jace declined Patty’s offer of coffee. Who could blame him after seeing the stained mug Detective Kendrick was using to drink from? It wasn’t long before they were all crowded in Mitch’s new office. Shae took a seat in one of the two guest chairs, while Jace joined her in the other. Mitch walked around his desk and picked up a pen before allowing Detective Kendrick the floor.
Shae easily read the caution in the detective’s stance, almost as if he were preparing for her to react poorly to his upcoming question. She curtailed her need to reach for Jace and seek his support. The heat of Mitch’s gaze told her that he was still studying her for some type of reaction, and the last thing she needed was an inquiry about her personal life.
“Ms. Irwin, I’ve been very upfront with you regarding my presence in Blyth Lake. I was called in to take over Sophia Morton’s murder when her body was discovered inside Noah Kendall’s house.” Detective Kendrick took a drink out of the mug Shae wanted to rip out of his grip. It was easier to focus on that than the fact that he was prolonging the reason of her visit. “I have no doubt that the subsequent disappearance and murder of Whitney Bell is connected to my initial investigation.”
“Are you saying that you don’t believe Emma’s case is related?” Shae asked in disbelief. “The boots my sister borrowed the night she—”
“I’m not saying anything of the kind,” Detective Kendrick reassured her, leaning back against a wall that looked no better than the mug he was holding in his hand. Sheriff Percy must have been a prevalent smoker. “Sophia and Whitney both had stated numerous times that they wanted to run away from home. Sophia’s father was rather strict and she made it known that she’d rather run away to California to become an actress than stay under his roof. As for Whitney, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you about her home life.”
Whitney was the daughter of the town drunk. She’d lost her mom when she was young, and Jeremy was left to raise a young girl with an independent streak a mile wide. Jeremy wasn’t a bad man, but his lack of guidance had allowed Whitney to spiral out of control. She’d often talked about moving to a big city and becoming famous.
“Emma had no desire to become an actress or to be famous,” Shae responded desolately, finally setting her purse on the floor. She held on to her tea as if it could save her from this conversation. “What about the other missing girls? Do you think that man you’re looking for is posing as some sort of Hollywood agent or something?”
“No, not at all.” Detective Kendrick shared a look with Mitch, indicating that this discussion was about to take a turn. “Ms. Irwin, there’s one common denominator between the victims—and that was their desire to run away from home.”