When Silence Falls

Jake left, too, following Lieutenant Bradley across the parking lot to a short, balding man.

Which meant it was time to call Grayson. Piper braced herself and dialed his number.

He picked up on the first ring. “Sinclair, here.”

“Gray. It’s me.”

“Piper! Are you all right? I’ve been worried sick.”

“I’m fine.”

“Then maybe you can tell me what’s going on. A friend of mine called to say you were on the seven o’clock news. Something about a kidnapping.”

“I was at a weight-loss meeting—”

“You don’t need to lose weight,” Gray cut in, the impatience in his voice obvious.

“Gabby—”

“Why am I not surprised? She’s been pulling you into her schemes for…”

“Grayson, can I get a word in, here?”

“Sorry. Go ahead.”

Piper took a deep breath, forcing back frustration. “Gabby and I were at a weight-loss seminar and some maniac decided to kidnap one of the women. She escaped, but during the scuffle, candles fell into a curtain and set the place on fire.”

“Nice condensed version, sis. Now, why don’t you tell me the rest?”

“This isn’t my phone. I don’t want to run up a stranger’s bill.”

“I don’t mind.” How the stranger had heard her when he seemed completely engrossed in photographing the scene, Piper didn’t know.

She flashed a smile, then turned away, facing the back of the ambulance she’d been leaning against and lowering her voice. “Look, Gray, we’ll talk more later. I’ve got to go.”

“Is Jake there?”

“He’s talking to one of the officers.”

“Can you ask him to call me when he’s done?”

“Gray—”

“Piper, Mom and Dad are enjoying the first vacation they’ve had in years. I’d hate to ruin it by telling them you’re in some kind of trouble.”

“That’s blackmail.”

“Whatever works.”

“Fine. I’ll tell him.” She hung up and thrust the phone back at its owner. “Here you go. Thanks again for letting me use it.”

He nodded, his gaze too knowing to be comfortable. “I guess Grayson hasn’t changed.”

“You know Gray?” No wonder his eyes had seemed familiar.

“Knew. But not as well as I knew Seth. He and I were too young to hang with Grayson and his buddies.”

He grinned and held out a hand. “Cade Macalister.”

“Cade? Cade who used to tie my shoelaces together and laugh when I tripped?” Piper squinted, trying to see the scrawny kid with glasses in the scruffily attractive man who stood before her.

“I guess you remember.”

“How could I forget? You and my brother spent hours coming up with ways to torture me.”

“Self-defense. You followed us around everywhere. It’s hard to look cool when you’ve got a little girl hanging out with you.”

Piper laughed, relaxing for the first time in what seemed like hours. “I guess that’s true.”

“It’s definitely true. How is Seth?”

“Good. He’s out of the country. We should hear from him early next month. Aren’t you a military guy, too?”

“I was. Dad had a stroke a year and a half ago, and I’m helping him out for a while.”

“I’d heard about his stroke. How’s he doing?”

“Better.” Cade’s grimace made a lie of the words.

“Ms. Sinclair?” A short, balding man hurried toward Piper, Jake close behind him, their arrival cutting off the questions she wanted to ask.

“Yes?” She turned toward them, her tension suddenly back.

“I’m Chief Russell. Lieutenant Bradley said you gave him your statement. We’ll need you to come by the station tomorrow morning and sign it. Other than that, we’re all set. You can stop by at your convenience.”

“Thanks.”

He nodded, gave her a brief smile and moved away.

“I guess I’m free to go. Thanks, Jake. Nice seeing you again, Cade.”

“You, too.”

She hurried away, feeling the weight of both men’s stares as she slid into Gabby’s car.

“Finally! I thought they’d never let you go.” Gabby’s eyes were dark and filled with worry as she put the car in gear and pulled out of the lot. “Are you okay?”

“I haven’t decided yet. How about you?”

“Still shaking.”

“Me, too.”

“I can’t believe I talked you into coming tonight. We both could have been killed.”

“But we weren’t.”

“Thanks to you.” Gabby turned into the university’s parking lot and pulled up next to Piper’s GTO. Then turned to face her. “You’re a hero. You know that, don’t you?”

Piper laughed and pushed the door open. “The only twenty-nine-year-old hero whose brother sends the cavalry to save her.”

“Is that what Sheriff Reed was doing there?”

“Yep.”

“And the guy that was with him? The cute one with the camera?”

“Cute? Cade Macalister is not cute. He’s a menace. Or at least he was when we were kids.”

“He’s cute.”

“To each her own.” But even as she said it, Piper silently agreed with Gabby’s assessment. “Have a safe trip tomorrow, and have fun in Florida.” Piper leaned over and hugged her friend.

“Me and my parents are sharing a two-bedroom condo. I don’t think fun is going to be possible.”

“At least you won’t be teaching. That’s got to be worth something.” Piper stepped out of the car, hitched her purse up on her shoulder. “See you in a month.”

She waved as Gabby drove away, then slid into her own car and started the engine. Usually she enjoyed the forty-minute drive to Lakeview, but tonight she felt anxious and worried, each shadow by the side of the road, every car swooping up from behind, a sinister reminder of the attempted kidnapping.

The outcome could have been so much worse. The gun could have discharged as it fell. Someone could have been hurt in the fire. Or killed. The thought brought a wave of nausea, and a cold, clammy sweat to Piper’s brow. Gabby had called her a hero, but there was a fine line between heroism and foolishness. Piper had yet to decide if she’d crossed it.

She swiped a shaky hand across her forehead and forced tense muscles to relax. By God’s grace no one had been hurt. Piper wouldn’t have to live with regrets or recriminations. She needed to be thankful for that, and move on.

Mozart’s Fantasy in D Minor was playing on the radio and she cranked up the volume, trying to lose herself in the music, but the images of the kidnapper and his intended victim were etched deep in her mind and she couldn’t shake them, no matter how loud the music or moving the score.

By the time she pulled into her driveway, Piper’s nerves were on edge, her hands in a death grip around the steering wheel. She sat in the car, eyes fixed on the front door and the golden glow of the porch light.

A tiny bungalow at the end of a dead-end street, the house had once been her great-uncle Marcus’s music studio. Now it was Piper’s home. In the three months since she’d moved in, she’d never felt anything but comfortable. Now she felt nervous, afraid to leave the safety of the car and step across the shadowy yard.

She scanned the area, looking for a reason for her unease. The house was the same as it had always been—the wide stoop and steeply slanted roof, the portico and bowed windows. But, to the right, thick woods created a sinister blackness. To the left, Mr. Thomas’s hulking Victorian spread its excess across a huge, unkempt yard, its hedges and trees overgrown and wild. So many places for someone to hide.

Unfortunately, Piper couldn’t sit in the car all night. She shivered, grabbed her purse and stepped out of the GTO, hurrying across the dark yard and up the steps, her heart thundering in her chest.

The living room was to her left as she entered the house. She walked through it into the dining room, setting her purse on the pine table; listening to the silence, feeling the stillness. Everything was as it should be—the soft hum of the refrigerator, the small pile of mail that sat on the table. Yet Piper couldn’t shake the feeling that something was different. She turned on her heels, eyeing the room again and still finding nothing out of place.

Leftover nerves from the day’s events. That had to be the reason for her unease. Piper walked through the house anyway, checking the morning room that housed the Chickering piano she’d inherited. Then the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and office. Everything was as she’d left it, and the too-fast tempo of her heart finally eased as she put on a Bach CD and settled in front of her computer. She had term papers to correct for the music theory class she was teaching at Lynchburg University, music scores to choose for her piano students. Both were tasks she usually enjoyed, though tonight neither appealed to her. Instead, her mind returned again and again to the gunman, the pale face of the woman he’d tried to kidnap, the hysterical screams of the other women, the fire.

The shrill ring of the phone offered a welcome distraction from her thoughts, and Piper grabbed the receiver. “Hello?”

“Piper? It’s Wayne.”

“Hey. What’s up?” Surprised, Piper fiddled with a pencil, wondering what had prompted the call. Though Wayne Marshall was a cousin of sorts, they’d been closest during Uncle Marcus’s battle with ALS. Since Marcus’s death, Wayne had reverted to the more solitary ways he’d exhibited since his mother had married Marcus fifteen years ago.

“I heard the news. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. How’d you hear?”

“Channel Seven ran a clip about the kidnapping and fire. I saw you standing near an ambulance.”

“How did I look?”

“Good, all things considered. Now can we be serious? You could have been killed.”

Piper rolled her eyes. After so many years of knowing one another, Wayne still didn’t understand her need to make light of difficult situations. “I know, but I’m fine. And so is everyone else who was there.”

“And some guy with a gun is on the loose.”

“Hopefully not for long.”

“‘Hopefully’ doesn’t do a whole lot for me. What are the police saying?”

“They’re investigating. As soon as they know something, I will, too.”

“I guess that will have to be good enough. We still on for Saturday?”

“Yes. Mrs. James is expecting us at eleven. It sounds like her husband compiled quite a bit of information about Music Makers. She wants me to use whatever I can.” Which was good, as Piper planned to make the book she was writing about her uncle’s charitable organization the best it could be.

“It’s a shame the guy never got to use it himself.”

“It is. Mrs. James is devastated by his death. She broke down twice while we were on the phone.”

“It’s never easy when someone we love dies.”

Wayne’s words hung between them, the reminder of the loss they’d suffered making them both pause.

Finally, Piper cleared her throat. “Marcus would be so happy about the book.”

“He’d be even happier knowing that you were the one putting it together.”

“I just hope I do it justice. Miriam is putting an awful lot of money into this—”

“Has anyone ever told you you worry too much?”

“About a million times.”

“So stop worrying. The book will be great. I’ll see you Saturday.” He hung up and Piper leaned back in the chair, staring up at the ceiling. She should have asked Wayne about the antiques again. Three weeks ago he’d promised to go through Marcus’s paperwork, see if there were any sales records for three items that were missing from the collection Piper had inherited from Marcus. He had yet to do it, despite the fact that she’d reminded him several times.

She’d have to ask him when she saw him Saturday. For now, she’d do what he had suggested and try to stop worrying. The caramel cheesecake in her refrigerator would go a long way to help with that. She pushed away from the desk, sighing when the phone rang again.

Grayson’s number flashed across the caller ID and Piper let the machine pick up.

“Piper, I know you’re there.”

That didn’t mean she wanted to listen to her oldest brother’s lecture.

“I’m home. I can be at your house in fifteen minutes.”

Piper grabbed the phone. “I’m sorry, so you can skip any lecture you might have planned.”

“No lecture, even though you didn’t ask Jake to call me and I had to track him down to get the whole story. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I am.”

“Good. Now, go check the windows and doors so we can make sure you stay that way.”

She mumbled a complaint, but went anyway, knowing Gray was even more of a worrier than she was. “So, why’d you send Jake? I thought for sure you’d be the one running to my rescue.”

“I would have been, but Maria and I were in Richmond registering for wedding presents at some swanky place.”

“I can’t believe you both managed to find the time. What’d you register for?”

“Plates. Forks. A bunch of kitchen stuff I don’t even know how to use.”

“Does Maria?” The bedroom windows were locked, and Piper stepped out into the hall.

“She says our chef will know what to do with them.”

“A chef? I hope I’m invited to dinner often.” Piper didn’t switch on the light as she moved through the kitchen and into the morning room.

“As often as you like. Not that Maria and I will be there to enjoy the food with you. She works more hours than I do.”

“Is that possible?” She reached for the last window in the room, ready to check the lock. Saw something dark move to block the moonlight. Large. A head. Black. No. A mask. She could see the eyes gleaming. Something slammed into the glass, rattling the window.

Piper screamed. Jumped back, tumbling over the piano bench, righting herself. Grayson’s voice shouted for her attention, but she was too busy running from the room to listen. There was another jarring thud. She imagined glass shattering, the dark figure climbing through the broken window. Coming after her.

She screamed again. Grabbed a steak knife from the kitchen counter as she flew past. The bedroom. She’d climb out the window if the intruder made it inside the house. She held the phone under her chin as she locked the door, her hands shaking so hard it took three tries. Her palm was slick with sweat and the knife slipped from her grasp, falling to the wood floor with a sharp thud. She didn’t bother picking it up. Just hung up on Grayson and dialed 911, her mouth so dry she was afraid she wouldn’t be able speak.

THREE

Cade sped down Main Street, took a hard right onto Fifth, his sirens blaring, adrenaline pumping through him and waking him more than the strong, bitter coffee he’d been drinking. He barely braked as he turned left onto Apple Orchard Lane. Dark and lined with large, lush trees, the street offered plenty of hiding places. He searched the area as he pulled up in front of the tiny bungalow at the end of the road. Flanked by woods on one side and an oversize Victorian on the other, it looked like a fairy-tale cottage. Soft light spilled from the front window, illuminating the yard and the vintage GTO that sat in the driveway.

The front door of the house flew open as Cade stepped out of his car, and a woman tumbled out. Five foot three, maybe a hundred and ten pounds, wearing baggy sweats and a bright pink T-shirt. Cade didn’t need to see the color of her hair and eyes to know the woman.

He strode forward, caught Piper’s arm as she raced off the last step. “Are you okay? Is he inside?”

“Yes and no.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.” Her eyes were wide with fear, her teeth chattering.

“Then go back inside. I’ll knock when I’m finished out here.”

“But what if he’s out here?”

“Let’s hope he is. I want to have a little chat with him. Go on. Inside.” He nudged her toward the three steps that led to the front door, waited until she was locked inside and made his way around to the back of the property. There was no light here, only the silvery glow of the moon reflected on grass and trees. The yard was empty, but he walked the perimeter anyway, flashing his light into the woods, searching for signs that someone had hidden there. Closer to the house he found a patch of matted down grass, but nothing more. He’d dust the windows and siding for prints, though he doubted he’d find anything. Whoever had been here had fled, leaving little of himself behind.

Was it a coincidence that Piper had stopped a kidnapping attempt three hours ago and was now the victim of an attempted break-in? Cade didn’t think so. He radioed for dispatch to locate Jake Reed, and then strode back around to the front of the house.

An engine roared through the darkness and headlights illuminated the street. Cade’s hand dropped to his gun, then fell away as a silver Jaguar pulled in behind his cruiser, and a lean, hard-built man stepped out. Grayson Sinclair. Even if Cade hadn’t known him years ago, he would have recognized the deputy commonwealth’s attorney. Well-known by the community and well-loved by the media, his was a face often in the news.

He strode toward Cade, calm, but for the hot anger that shot from his eyes. “Is my sister okay?”

“Yes.”

“What happened?”

“Someone was at her back window.”

“You’ve checked out the backyard?”

“Yes.”

“Dusted for prints?”

“Doing it now.”

“Have you called—”

“How about you go inside and talk to Piper and leave me out here to do my job, Gray?”

Grayson’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing. “I know you, don’t I?”

“Used to. Cade Macalister.”

“Seth’s friend. Last I heard you were an MP.”

“Now I’m a freelance photographer.”

“And part-time cop?”

“Reserves.”

“I guess Jake needs the help. Things get busy around here when the summer crowd arrives.”

“Grayson?” Piper peeked out the front door, her pale face just visible.

“We’ll catch up later, Macalister. You okay, Piper?” Grayson’s attention turned to his sister, the anger and frustration Cade had noticed well-hidden as he walked up the front steps and disappeared into the house.

Twenty minutes later, Piper’s hands were still shaking. She grabbed cups from the cupboard and tried to pour coffee for the three men sitting in her living room. It splattered over the rim, and she muttered under her breath, wiping the spill up and trying again.

“Need some help?”

Her hand jerked. More coffee spilled. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and turned to face Cade. “Only if you’re better at pouring coffee than I am.”

“I can give it a try.” He stepped beside her, eased the coffeepot from her hand, a half smile showing off a deep dimple in his cheek. Had it been there when they were kids? If so, Piper hadn’t been mature enough to appreciate it.

“You’re staring.”

Her cheeks heated, but she didn’t turn away. “I’m just trying to match who you are now with who you used to be.”

“Don’t bother. There’s not much of the kid left.” His words were light, but something in his eyes made her wonder where he’d traveled in the past years, what he’d seen.

Now wasn’t the time to ask. Maybe there wouldn’t be a time. Four years her senior, Cade had been Seth’s best friend. The last time Piper had seen him, he’d been eighteen and getting ready to enlist. Now he was thirty-three. A man who was nothing like the teenager he’d once been.

“You have a tray for these?” He gestured to the cups he’d filled.

“Right here.” She set the cups on the tray, then pulled out a package of chocolate chip cookies and piled some on a plate. Before she could lift the tray, it was in Cade’s hands and he was leading the way back into the living room where both Grayson and Jake were waiting.

Piper stepped into the room behind him and sensed a tension that hadn’t been there when she’d left to make the coffee. She glanced at Jake Reed, who’d arrived soon after Grayson. He looked frustrated and angry, his mouth set in a firm line.

Grayson looked just as angry and just as frustrated. Jaw lined with dark stubble, his short hair slightly mussed, he was as close to unkempt as Piper had ever seen him. He looked up as Piper approached, some of the anger seeping from his gaze. “Coffee. Just what I needed.”

Piper grabbed a cup and handed it to him. “Why don’t you take it to go? You look like you’ve had a long day.”

“I have. But I’m not going anywhere until I hear what Jake plans to do to keep you safe.”

“What do you expect him to do? Put a guard on me twenty-four hours a day?”

“If that’s what it takes.”

“You know that isn’t possible, Gray.” Jake’s words were calm, with just an undertone of irritation. Obviously, they’d been discussing this while Piper was in the kitchen.

“Possible or not, it’s what I want.”

“And I wish I could give it to you, but I can’t. We don’t have enough evidence that Piper’s in danger to justify the manpower.”

“Evidence? She got knocked around at that weight-loss class. Now someone’s tried to break into her house—”

“If he’d wanted to get into the house he would have. Old single-pane glass. Flimsy doors. It wouldn’t take much effort to get inside,” Cade said, his words interrupting the argument. Piper was sure he’d planned it that way.

She glanced at the door and windows, pictured a masked person breaking in, and shivered.

Grayson nodded. “I think you should come stay with me for a while.”

“You’ve got a one bedroom condo. I’d be sleeping in the living room, and I’d have to come back here to teach piano lessons.”

“Then I’ll stay here.”

“Gray, I’ll be fine.”

“Maybe. But your brother’s right to be worried about you,” Cade said, his gaze traveling the room, touching on the windows and the front door. “You don’t have a security system, do you?”

“No, I never thought—”

“A dog’s a better idea, anyway.” Grayson stood and began pacing the room.

“A dog?”

“Sure. They’re more effective than a security system when it comes to scaring people away.”

“I don’t think a dog will fit my lifestyle.”

“One of my men brought a German shepherd to the SPCA a few days ago,” Jake added, completely ignoring Piper’s protest. “Female. Maybe two years old. She was wandering around near the lake. If she hasn’t been claimed she’d be perfect.”

“Why don’t I pick you up after work tomorrow? We can go to the SPCA, see if the shepherd’s still there.” Grayson paused, his brow furrowed. “Wait. I can’t. I’ve got a dinner meeting.”

“That’s all right. I’ll go myself.” Maybe. Though as far as Piper was concerned, Grayson’s unavailability was the perfect excuse to not get a dog.

“Do you know anything about dogs?” Cade’s question caught her off guard, and she shook her head, recognizing the mistake immediately.

She tried to backtrack, think of a good reason why she’d be capable of picking out the perfect guard dog, but came up blank. “I’m sure someone at the shelter will be able to help me.”

Apparently Cade wasn’t. He leaned forward, his steady, reassuring gaze almost masking the humor that danced in his eyes. “Maybe it would be a good idea for one of us to go with you.”

“I wouldn’t want to put anyone out.”

“You wouldn’t be. I’m doing a photo shoot at the new medical clinic tomorrow. It’s ten minutes away. Why don’t I stop by when I’m finished? We’ll go to the shelter together.”

“I’m giving a final exam tomorrow. I can’t be out.”

“It’s your early day isn’t it, Piper?” Grayson knew it was. Just as he knew she wasn’t gung ho about the dog idea. Of course, being Grayson, he focused on the part that coincided with his plans and completely ignored the rest.

“Yes, but I’m not sure—”

“Then it’s settled.” Cade set his coffee cup down on the tray and pulled a business card from his pocket, flashing his dimple and acting like he had no idea Piper would rather not go to the shelter. “Here’s my card, Piper. Call if something comes up. Otherwise I’ll be here at two. I’d better get back on patrol.” He stepped past Grayson and disappeared into the darkness. Jake followed close on his heels.

“I’m staying the night, and don’t even bother trying to talk me out of it,” Grayson said as he stepped out onto the front stoop. “I need to talk to Jake. I’ve got the key. Lock the door. I’ll let myself in when we’re finished.” With that, he was gone, too.