Chris Redding - Corpse Whisperer

“Good idea. Let’s talk about something else,” Zach said.

Silence ensued as Grace attacked her salad with gusto. Zach leaned back and watched, his sandwich untouched.

“What?” Grace asked, her fork in mid air. “I never know when a call is coming in so I eat when I can.”

“Understood.”

Grace dropped her fork. “I think we have to talk about Dolores.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s right here with us. I’m not sure I want to do this with her here.”

“I talked to her. She knows where I stand.”

“Yes, but I still think that she’s in danger. I can’t pretend she isn’t there. She’s what brought us together.”

Zach took a bite of his sandwich and chewed it as if they were the words Grace had said. Once he swallowed he spoke again. “Okay. Then maybe we need to get this murder out of the way.”

“You believe me?”

No one ever does. She understood what Cassandra in Troy felt.

“Yes.” He said it without flinching. His gaze never left her face.

“I don’t want you to patronize me.”

“I wouldn’t, Grace.”

He reached across and took her hand in his. His warmth settled about her, like a womb. The vision didn’t appear, but the remnants of its memory washed over her. “Okay. So who do you think would want to kill her?”

“If she’s blackmailing someone then that person”

“Not the father of her baby?”

“Could be one and the same, but not if he’s just the father of her baby. That problem is gone now.”

Grace’s pager went off before she could answer. “Duty calls.”

She shoved one more bite into her mouth before she stood. “Thanks for lunch, Zach. And for believing me.”

“What time are you done?”

“Six.”

“I’ll be here.”

She left liking that idea.

Zach held a bouquet of flowers, but he’d bought them out of duty not affection.

“Hey,” she said with more cheer than she had energy.

He gave her a perfunctory peck on the cheek. His heart held little emotion for her anymore. “Hey, Lors. How you feeling?”

“Lots of things.”

“Sorry about the baby.”

And he was. Maybe he would have been a good father. He probably hadn’t been a very good husband. Dolores hadn’t been a good wife. The baby might have made them good parents.

Now he’ll never know.

He regretted the lack of opportunity more than he regretted the loss of the actual child.

“Yeah, me, too,” she said. Her eyes misted over. “You know it wasn’t yours.”

He grimaced. “Yes.”

“Guess I lost my last chance with you now that the baby is gone.”

He snorted. “You lost your chance when you lied to me.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Now isn’t the time to go through this. You need to get better.”

“I’m checking myself out of the hospital, today. I’ve hired a private nurse to take care of me.”

“How can you afford that? You went through all of your parents’ money when you were on drugs.”

“Not all. I saved some for a rainy day.”

She couldn’t look him in the eye. He couldn’t know what she’d done.

“Have you blackmailed anyone?”

His bluntness struck her and she scrunched down in the bed, suddenly exhausted. “Don’t sugarcoat it Zach.”

“Dolores, I think you’re in danger.”

“Oh, Grace has convinced you of that?”

“Why do you think it’s Grace?”

“Because she’s been practically stalking me. I want her to stay away from me.”

“Lors, she saved your life the other night. She’s concerned that you’ve put yourself in danger.”

“Is it love, Zach? You’ve never taken anyone’s side over mine,” she said.

“Do you really want to know that answer or are you just changing the subject.”

“Can’t I know why I’ve been replaced? We’ve been a team for so long, Zach.”

“Don’t. We were never a team. You directed and I danced.”

A chuckled escaped Dolores. “You think I could control what you did?”

“Not all of my actions, but you knew what buttons to push when it was important to you.”

“I’m hurt, Zach.”

“You aren’t, Dolores. You have much thicker skin.”

“But you’re still concerned enough to feel I’m in danger.”

“It’s my job,” he said.

He saw her flinch. “Well, maybe I don’t want to be a case.”

“Just tell me who you’re blackmailing.”

She crossed her arms, the argument at a stalemate.

The end of the day couldn’t have come soon enough for Grace. After several bad calls, no one dying thankfully, a reporter left a message with her boss to contact her.

She’d dealt with this woman before in her last town and Grace wondered how the reporter had found her.

Looking forward to seeing Zach her step was lighter walking to her car. The dread took over when she saw how grim he looked.

At least he’d made it.

She stopped half a foot from him. He hadn’t gotten to know her enough for her to kiss him or go into his arms. Her heart ached for him to get to that point.

“What’s wrong?”

He jammed a hand through his hair. “I talked to Dolores. She’s home now.”

“So soon?”

“Checked herself out of the hospital. She hired a nurse.”

“Oh.”

This was significant, but she didn’t know why.

“She didn’t answer me when I asked her who she was blackmailing.”

Not “if,” but who. He believed her. Her heart leapt into her chest and she forced away a smile. “That’s how she can afford a nurse?”

“I’m guessing.”

She frowned. “Where does that leave us?”

“I don’t know. I can talk to the nurse and have her keep on eye out for anything strange.”

“Guess that’s the best we can do.”

“So, let’s get dinner.”

Grace glanced down at her cut off sweat pants and short t-shirt. “I’m not dressed for going out.”

His gaze raked over her as if seeing her for the first time. “Guess not. I can follow you to your hotel.”

“Sounds good.”

Right then her pager made a noise. “I forgot to leave this.”

Something in the dispatcher’s tone had her paralyzed.”

“Centre County to Glen Hills First Aid Squad and CCMC Unit 682 responding to a gunshot wound at. . “

The address sent chills through Grace.

“That’s Dolores’ address,” Zach said.

“The killer has already struck.”

“We’ll take my car.”

The usual pandemonium ensued in the emergency department of Centre Community Hospital as all hands fought to save Dolores Holten.

Grace wanted them to stop. She was going to die and Grace needed to rewind again.

Despite being unsure why she kept going back, she wanted to get the trip over with. She wanted to get the mystery solved and save Dolores.

Zach paced back in forth in front of Grace’s chair. “Can’t you find out anything?”

Before she could answer someone sat down next to her. She’d seen her before, but couldn’t place her.

Grace’s spine stiffened as if frozen by the chill that raced through her. This person meant her no good.

“I’m Celia Johnson,” the red haired woman said as if Grace would know who that was.

The woman crossed her legs her colorful caftan swishing with the movement. Her fiery hair bounced as she spoke. The brown on her lips reminded Grace of a corpse.

“No comment,” Grace said, then stood. This woman must be a reporter.

“I’m not a reporter.” The woman seemed to find that funny.

Grace whirled, longing to smack off that smirk. “What are you here for?”

“You need to come out. To tell the world about your talent.”