Dark Passing (The Ella Reynolds Series) (6 page)

I was met with silence.

“Hello, Gabriel? Are you still here?”

“You’re staying in Jackson? How long?” Gabriel’s voice sounded odd, which put me on edge.

“As long as it takes.”

There was another long pause.

“What?” I snapped. He obviously wanted to say something, so his saying
nothing
at all totally infuriated me.

“I don’t like it.”

“Well, I don’t recall asking for your permission.” I cringed as soon as the words left my mouth.

He gave a bitter laugh. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Every time I move one step closer, you run as fast as you can in the other direction. Eventually, I’m going to get tired of chasing you.”

“Is that a threat?” Annoyance clouded any reasoning that might’ve allowed me to see his point. If he wanted to leave, I wasn’t holding him back. I’d manage.

He sighed. “No, not a threat. A frustrating as hell fact.”

“Well, I’m sorry to be such a bother.” My head throbbed. Afternoon naps never sat well with me. I knew I was being irrational and there was nothing he could say that would make me happy right now. I needed to get off the phone before I said something I’d regret.

“Where are you staying?”

“Why?” Absolutely nothing in me wanted to cooperate with him.

“Because I can’t fight with you over the phone.”

“I don’t want to fight with you in person.”

“Damn it, Ella, stop being difficult.”

“I’m tired and my head hurts. I’m eating; then I’m going back to bed. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” I hung up before he could protest. Gabriel wasn’t going to run my life, no matter how well intentioned he was. I left my phone on my bed and went downstairs to have a peaceful dinner with Martha. What I found in the kitchen wasn’t a peaceful dinner, however. It was a dinner party. I was in the process of turning around and retreating to my room when Martha spotted me.

“Ella! I hope you don’t mind, but I invited some friends over to meet you. I thought it would be a nice welcome to Jackson. Maybe you’ll like it here so much we’ll tempt you into staying.”

I forced a smiled and wished for the days when I still would’ve walked away. Believing I was insane gave me a certain latitude where my behavior was concerned. “Great.” I failed my attempt at enthusiasm, but hoped I at least hit the mark for pleasant. Martha had been nice, and I didn’t want to offend her.

“We’re waiting on one more guest—someone you know.” She winked at me.

I scrambled to think of whom I knew in Jackson. She wouldn’t have invited Jennifer, would she? I couldn’t imagine she’d be up for an impromptu dinner party, but maybe. I silently cheered her on. It would be amazing if she could get herself out of the house and conversing with the public. I still didn’t do well at that. The doorbell rang and Martha scurried off to answer it. I stood awkwardly on the edge of the kitchen and watched the people laughing and talking. A fit middle-aged man with thin, wire rimmed glasses turned to me.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ella. I was glad to hear you were in town. I’m a fan.”

“Thank you. What is it that you do?”

“I own a bookstore. My name is Victor, Victor McCoy. Sheriff Fagan said you agreed to do a book signing?”

I must’ve nodded.

“Wonderful! We’ll have to meet to go over the details. People will be so excited to have you here.”

“Um, yeah. That’d be great.”

“Wonderful, wonderful. No talking shop tonight, though. Don’t want to ruin Martha’s dinner party.” He smiled and looked toward the door.

Martha was there, but not with Jennifer. With Fagan.
Could this night get any freaking better?
Martha clasped her hands in front of her and spoke. “I guess we should make some introductions so our guest of honor won’t feel so out of place.”

Holy Jesus, she can’t be serious.
But she was.
I had the distinct impression the universe was getting revenge for the last couple months. Each person in the room turned to stare at me, and I did my best not to squirm. I wished I’d told Gabriel where I was. Fighting with him would’ve been a hundred times better than this. One by one, everyone introduced themselves. Of course there was Fagan—freshly shaven, not a hair out of place, and bright blue eyes taking in every nervous tick I had. Next to Victor were Peggy, the high school principal, and her husband Donald, a manager at a farm equipment plant. The last couple was William and Lola Laurie, some sort of politician and his real estate agent wife. They all watched me expectantly. It took me a moment to realize it was my turn to introduce myself.

“Oh, sorry. I’m Ella Reynolds. Writer, recluse, and not very good at things like this.”

Everyone chuckled and began talking again as we were seated. I managed to speak the bare minimum and forced a smile whenever necessary. When dinner was over, I let the manic smile drop from my face and edged toward the stairs and freedom. I didn’t see Fagan headed in my direction until it was too late. He cut me off and ushered me into the living room.

“I didn’t know you were staying in Jackson.”

“Yeah…”

“You don’t like me very much, do you, Ella?”

“I can’t say that I do, Sheriff.”

He laughed. “Please call me Carter. I could be a very good friend to have on your side.”

“When you aren’t trying to use me to your advantage or keeping evidence from me, you mean?”

“Using you to my advantage is a necessary evil. We’ll both gain from it. You’ll get your new book and become even more famous. I’ll win the election… I don’t see why you’re so bent out of shape.”

“Funny, I thought catching killers was more important.”

Fagan shook his head. “Whoever killed her is a ghost. He’s gone. If we ever had a shot of catching him, we’ve missed it.”

“That’s what they thought about my husband’s killer, too. Maybe you just haven’t looked at it from the right angle.”

He leaned in close enough I could smell his faded aftershave. “You really think you can break this case?”

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Victor lurking in the doorway.

“Do you need something?” My voice was harsher than I intended, unnerved by Fagan’s closeness.

“Um, have either of you seen Martha? I just remembered the funniest story.” Victor seemed nervous and fidgety, but I didn’t know him well enough to know if that was strange.

I shrugged. “Maybe she’s in the kitchen or had to use the restroom.”

“I’ll check.” He waved and walked out.

I looked back to Fagan. “I can solve the case.” I spoke with more bravado than I felt. I had no idea what I could do, but I wasn’t going to admit that to him.

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Care to put your money where your mouth is?”

I perched a hand on my hip. “You want me to bet on a job you should’ve been able to do yourself?”

“Sure. You can have full access to the case report at the police station; I’ll even give you an interview room to work out of. If you solve the case, you’ll get the satisfaction of solving the biggest murder Jackson has ever had. If you can’t solve it, I get editorial privileges on your book. I have a reputation to protect after all.”

“Only where it comes to parts about you?”

“Yes.”

“Fine.” I agreed because I wasn’t planning to include his arrogant ass in my book at all. I was telling Mary’s story, not his.

“Shall we seal the deal with a kiss?” His eyes had a mischievous glint, but I was in no mood to be teased.

“I wouldn’t take another step near me if you value your reputation and your ability to procreate.”

“I’m not scared of you.” He moved closer and brushed a hair off my cheek as I glared at him. I held my ground, clenching my fists until my knuckles ached.

“Am I interrupting?” Gabriel’s voice came from behind me.

I looked at him with mixed feelings: gladness at seeing him, annoyance about our fight.

“Not at all. We were just coming to an arrangement,” Fagan said, ease dripping from his words. “The original deal still stands. I’ll see you in the morning, Ella.” He winked at me before he left, never looking at Gabriel.

Gabriel’s eyes drilled into me until I met his gaze.

I licked my lips. “What are you doing here?”

“I didn’t like the note
you
hung up on, but maybe you had other plans.” He rubbed his hand over his stubble in a tired manner. “What are we doing, Ella?”

“Is that really what you believe? That I had ‘plans’ with that creep?”

He looked at the ceiling. “No.”

I moved closer to him and spoke softly. “Are you trying to start another fight?”

He shook his head. “It’s not like it’s hard to do.”

I sighed.

“I want you to come home where I can watch out for you. Protect you.” His tone matched my own.

“I don’t need protection.”

“I never met anyone in more need of protection.” He tilted up my face. “I care about you.”

My heart fluttered a little, but I beat it down. I was still angry, damn it. “That’s no excuse for smothering me.” I stomped up to my room. Gabriel followed, closing the bedroom door behind me.

Sitting on the bed, I massaged my temples and waited for the inevitable “me or the book” talk, in which I would choose the book and lose Gabriel. The grief that comes with loss was already welling up inside of me.

“I love you, Ella,” Gabriel said, shocking me. “And I’m sorry if that makes me overbearing or protective, but I do. I know you don’t want to hear that. You aren’t ready, but I’ve been patient. I need you to stop pulling away from me. Regardless of what you want, your decisions do affect me, and they always will.” He pointed at the ground and his voice gained intensity. “Your staying in Jackson affects me.”

I blinked. His confession wasn’t at all what I expected. I didn’t know how to react. I stared at his shoes and tried to make my brain work.

“I just thought you should know.” He turned to go, and panic lurched in my stomach at the thought of him walking out of my life.

“Wait,” I managed to say. “Just wait.”

“I’ve been waiting.” His hand was on the doorknob.

Blood roared in my ears and my heart thundered. “Everyone I have ever loved has died.”

He closed the distance between us, and his hands cradled my face. Goosebumps spread over my arms. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“I wish that were true,” I whispered, knowing everything in my past spoke contrary to his promise.

His lips brushed mine.

I wanted so much to give in and believe that, despite the odds, I would be happy—we would be happy. Fear paralyzed my throat and kept the words he wanted to hear from leaving my mouth. Instead, I kissed him without reserve and hoped I could hold on to him for just a little bit longer.

I lay in Gabriel’s arms, his thumb traveling up and down my spine. The hair on his chest tickled my skin with each breath, but it was a pleasant sensation, and my foot rubbed against the inside of his calf as my mind reeled over the fact that we really hadn’t settled anything. I could deal with him being in love with me, but I wasn’t leaving Jackson. I’d committed to helping Jennifer and I wouldn’t crush her. I let the quiet go on until it felt like my head would explode. “I’m staying until this is over.”

His hand paused for a moment, then resumed its motion. “How about a compromise?”

“What?”

“You stay here during the week, but come home on weekends. You’ll need the break. I don’t want this investigation to become your life.”

“What makes you think it will become my life?”

“Ella,”—he kissed the end of my nose—“you obsess over everything.”

“I do not.”

Laughter rumbled in his chest before I heard it. “You’re 40% curiosity, 35% stubbornness, 15% gumption, and 9% mad as a hatter.”

I rolled my eyes. “What about the last 1%?”

He smiled at me. “Perfect.”

I laughed and softened, kissing his chest over his heart. “If I agree, will you teach me to drive?”

“Of course, and I’ll come up as often as I can.”

“It’s a long commute.”

“Not unmanageable.”

“You know, despite my best efforts since I met you, you’re impossible to deter.”

“As are you.”

I laughed, though my mind had moved on to the case. I glanced at the file sitting on the nightstand, but I forced myself to stay still. This wasn’t the time to think about murder. I needed to relax.

Gabriel kissed the top of my head. “Have you looked at the case yet?” he asked, as if reading my mind.

“Not yet.”

“Let’s have a look.”

He climbed out of bed, pulled on his jeans, and headed for the bathroom. I slipped on his shirt and sat cross-legged under the covers with the file on my lap. The white pages inside were redacted and stamped with a blood-red “copy” sign across the top. I scanned the names and home addresses on the first page. On the second page, the incident report began:

“On April 12
^th
, 2011, at approximately 10:45 p.m., the reporting officer received a phone call from Jennifer Nelson who resides at 12181 County Road 154 Jackson, IL 87548. Phone 555-555-5555.

Mrs. Nelson relayed the following information. At approximately 9:15 p.m., her daughter, Mary Nelson, age 19, called her on her way home from her boyfriend’s, Bryan Jenkins, home. At approximately 9:25, the call disconnected and contact was lost. Mrs. Nelson reported she waited approximately fifteen minutes and when Mary Nelson did not arrive home, she drove to Bryan Jenkins home where she questioned Bryan Jenkins about her daughter’s whereabouts.”