Chris Redding - Corpse Whisperer

His strong jaw made short work of the food. Wiping his hands on a napkin, he wandered back to her. Looking down, he said, “So why are you here now?”

“I was catapulted back in time to prevent the murder.”

Zach could tell from her lack of nervousness that Grace truly believed what she said. He couldn’t wrap his brain around it. “You’ve come back in time.”

She nodded. He wandered back to her kitchen for the second piece of pizza. The first one had scalded his mouth so he ate the next one gingerly. As he chewed he mulled over her words.

Sitting on the couch she hugged the pillow to her as if for warmth. What was he to make of her? Her hair still called to him to touch it.

“How? Some machine?”

“This isn’t science fiction.”

“It’s some kind of fiction.”

Her jaw set. “Look you can believe me or not. I actually don’t care. I’m tired from my shift and I have an early one tomorrow. I need my sleep.”

She stood and without ceremony tossed the sofa cushions aside. Then she pulled open her bed. Zach watched her not sure what she expected of him.

“Leave,” she said as if reading his mind. Maybe she could do that too.

“We aren’t finished.”

“We are for now. I’m going to bed.”

A car pulled up to one of the garage bays. “Dolores is here. I’m sure she’ll wonder why you’re up here,” Grace said.

“She might.”

“That might be more explaining than you want to do. She might get jealous.”

“She has no reason to be.”

“We both know that, but she may not and pregnant women are emotional. Go.”

He dropped the crust into her sink and turned to leave. “We are not done.”

“Fine. Find me tomorrow.”

“Come to my office.”

“No.”

She didn’t even look at him. He’d already been dismissed. When had he lost control of this interrogation? “I could have someone bring you in.”

“For what?”

“Questioning. Making threats.”

“Yeah, I look real dangerous.”

Zach didn’t reply. He just left thinking that she could be dangerous, but not in the way she thought.

***

Zach sat alone outside the River Vue Motel the next morning, his camera pointed at room 14. Another slimy place with another cheating spouse. This time the wife cheated out on her husband.

Her FBI agent husband had already done the initial surveillance, but wanted an outside source for when he sued for custody. Two little kids would have a new home soon.

The injustice of it all made Zach cringe, but fair was fair. If you didn’t keep your vows, you had to lose something.

The door opened and the women stepped out, dressed in a different suit than last night when Zach had followed them. The day had dawned bright and he could see her clearly in his telephoto lens.

Click. She looked around, but there was no way she could hear him from across the parking lot.

Click. She unlocked her car, surveying the lot again. She shrugged and slid into her vehicle. Zach took a picture of the license plate, then packed away his camera.

His phone rang just after he started his car. He stretched before answering.

“Holten.”

“Zach.”

“Hey, Ed.”

“Got news. I’m on my way to talk to a Grace Harmony.”

“Why?”

“Because the fire in that apartment was set and she was the last one there.”

Zach sat on the edge of Grace’s bed. He reached out a hand to brush away some hair. His molten gaze saw through to her core.

A rakish grin creased his face. “It’s just me.”

As if she’d been scared. She wasn’t. Her heart fluttered as desire streaked through her.

“Grace.”

Her name tripped off his tongue as if he’d said it a thousand times.

“Zach.”

Her breath hitched as his hand traveled from her face to the top of her t-shirt. A finger dipped below the neckline, but couldn’t reach anything.

She flipped off the shirt, eager for his hands to touch every part of her.

“Ah.”

His gaze poured over her, his grin broadening. He stood and in one practiced motion he dropped his pants and underwear.

She reached out to him and he came into her embrace. Home was the word she thought of.

He must have felt it, too. “Oh, God, Grace.”

He rained kissed down her neck then a small bite. She arched into him. Nothing had ever felt so right to her. Nothing had ever been so right. Nothing.

The room spun. She clung to the sheets as his mouth worked its magic down he stomach then back to her mouth Her breath left as his lips took possession of hers.

Their murmurings and moans mingled as their bodies did the same. Skin to skin she couldn’t touch enough of him.

His hands traveled all over her, igniting fires as they went.

Her breath came in pants and she bit her lip stifling her urge to stop him.

What was she doing?

What was he doing?

Here?

Just when she thought she would shatter the alarm clock shouted with the traffic report. Her body ached as if from ecstasy.

“Damn.”

Grace had never reacted to anyone this way. Certainly not after having known him a short time.

She rose and washed away the dreams with a shower. A sense of anticipation lingered after she turned off the faucet.

Her shift didn’t start for four hours and she planned to use that time getting to know Dolores’ ex-boyfriend. Her most recent one at least.

Kent Winger worked in the Centre County Prosecutor’s Office, but today was his day off.

Masculine legs protruded out of a vintage pony car that looked halfway restored. Grace parked her car on the street, then walked up the short driveway.

With kids in school, the neighborhood resembled a ghost town, with only the drone a distant lawn mower to indicate humans lived here.

The neighborhood had identical ranch houses up and down the street, each painted a different color. Some had flowers planted. This one had the Spartan look of a man’s space. Two shrubs adorned the pathway and nothing more.

“Nice car,” Grace said.

Kent wheeled himself out from under the vehicle. “Thanks.”

He stood, raising himself to be only a handful of inches taller than her. His build was stocky, but solid, like a fireplug. His buzzed hair made her think of the military and he looked older that she expected. “You an admirer?”

His steel blue eyes twinkled as if his words meant more than their superficial meaning. A grin surfaced accentuating more lines on his face.

She waved a hand towards her car. “I like them.”

His face scrunched into a grimace. “That’s too new.”

“Sorry. Can’t afford the vintage ones.”

“Do I know you?”

“No. We have a mutual acquaintance.”

“Oh?”

“Dolores Holten.”

His spine stiffened. His gaze raced to the house as if he didn’t want someone there to hear their conversation. “Did she send you?”

“She has no idea I’m here.”

“Tell her that I don’t believe the baby’s mine. It’s that snake charmer of an ex-husband. She ain’t getting a dime from me.”

Grace blinked. Dolores’ baby could be this guy’s? “Like I said she doesn’t know I’m here.”

“Why’d you come? I’ve got a new life and I don’t wanna screw it up.”

“I think she’s in danger, but I don’t know who from.”

Kent laughed. “I was only the last in the long line of cop lovers she had. Badge bunny through and through that lady. Glad to be rid of her.”

He wasn’t describing the Dolores she knew. “Can you name any others?”

“I can hand you the employee list of every PD around here. Okay, she didn’t date the dispatchers.”

“How long did you date?”