Smoky Mountain Investigation

Okay, maybe a little.

“I’m waiting.” Nick’s gaze sharpened on her face, which she feared was now blushing crimson.

She cleared her throat and spoke. “Well, I attended college at UNC Asheville and graduated with a degree in journalism. And, as you know, I work at the Asheville Daily News.” She folded her hands on the table. “What about you?”

A deep chuckle rumbled from his chest. “Hey, not so fast.”

She blinked and then swallowed. “That’s about it. Really.”

He arched a dark brow. “No wedding bells or kids?”

She shook her head no.

This time both eyebrows lifted. “No special someone in your life?”

Not anymore. “Nope.”

His smoldering gaze warmed her deep inside. Nick hadn’t changed. He never settled for elusive. Always wanted the whole story and never gave in until he got it—well, except after Conrad’s murder. Her heart squeezed. After that he’d seemed to lose interest in everything. Including her. She took another drink of coffee, bitter against her suddenly dry throat.

Nick ran his hands over his close-cropped hair. “Wow, I thought you’d be married by now. A house. A couple kids.”

At one time she would have expected the same. “I’m only twenty-eight. Not quite an old maid. Although my parents might disagree.”

Nick laughed fully this time, a rumble as deep as a chasm, and charming dimples dented his cheeks. Her heart skipped a beat. “No, I wouldn’t put you in the old-maid category yet. By the way, how are your parents?”

“Enjoying retirement in Florida. My sister and her family joined them last year.”

“And you? Any plans to go?”

“No. Asheville is home. I love it here.”

“That’s what I thought.” He grimaced.

An awful coldness seeped through her, filtering out into her extremities. Nick was still running from the past. Ten long years hadn’t changed that.

Breathing deep, Kylie strove not to let her emotions show. She leaned forward, propped her elbow on the edge of the table and rested her chin in her hand. “Now, tell me about you.”

“Well.” He shrugged. “I’m in town to help out with the family hardware store until Steven is back on his feet. He took it over a few years back when my parents retired and moved to Charlotte to care for my grandfather.”

“That’s right. I heard Steven had been in an accident.”

“Yep. Fell off a bicycle. He rode off a trail trying to impress some new girlfriend with his agile riding skills. Tumbled about twenty feet before briar bushes cushioned his fall.”

Kylie winced. “Not much of a cushion.”

Nick shook his head. “No, not hardly. He broke his left femur and ankle, dislocated his shoulder, and worst of all, the girlfriend ditched him.”

“So sorry.”

“Kind of ironic.” He chuckled. “I’ve dodged bullets in the heaviest war zones in the world and he almost kills himself falling off a bike.”

“I’m sure you’re not going to let him forget that.”

Another chuckle. “No way.”

She hated to ask, but she did. “Any special someone in your life?”

When Nick paused, her heart gave an irrational thump. Her rotten day took another nosedive. Kylie picked up her drink and took a sip, feigning nonchalance. She wanted to be apathetic about Nick, distanced from the pain of a teenager’s broken heart. Whatever infatuation they’d shared had died along with Conrad. It was time to grow up and move—

“No one special,” he finally blurted.

Her heart danced in her chest. She looked up and caught him staring at her. His firm mouth twitched into a smile, deepening the glint in his rich dark eyes.

Heat rose up Kylie’s neck. She hoped he couldn’t read her mind. She managed a stiff smile. “Well, there’s still time. You’re not over-the-hill yet, either.” Crazy to even care.

Silence stretched between them.

She set down her cup and leaned a fraction closer, ready to change the conversation to something less personal. “Tell me about the army.”

“The army.” Nick smiled slightly. Settling back in his seat, he linked his hands behind his head. “Let’s see. I served ten years. During that time, I witnessed too much war, too much destruction and too much death.”

Images of recent news-broadcast footage assembled in Kylie’s mind. Her heartbeat stumbled. She couldn’t believe Nick had been in the middle of that. “Delta Forces, I hear. Pretty intense?”

He nodded his head. “Could be. Even brutal at times. But good came out of it. Lives were saved.”

Admiration for his commitment filled her chest. “Will you be going back?”

“Nope. I’ve done my time.”

Kylie smiled; she couldn’t help it. “Well, you’re quite the hero around here.”

“Hero.” Nick straightened in his chair. His jovial expression turned stormy. “Hero is the last thing I’ll ever be around here.”

* * *

“The story is yours, Kylie.” Max shifted his stance and pulled open the file drawer.

“But Doug Landers is ready to jump in.” Kylie fought off a sigh. “At the moment, I can’t even differentiate between facts and emotions.”

Max pulled several folders from the cabinet and shut the drawer with a clink. “Use it to your advantage. Make the story real. Passion, pain, every emotion will bleed through the pages and grip the readers.”

Great. Kylie exhaled, blowing out slowly. “Reporters are supposed to be objective, Max, not part of the story. I’ll be happy to consult, edit Doug’s draft and even give an interview.”

“It’s yours, Kylie.” Max tossed the files on his desk. “Keep it real. Keep it fresh. Keep it coming. Hopefully, the madman will call again.”

“Uh, thanks. But once was plenty.”

“By the way, I contacted the Asheville police this morning. They’ve got some newsworthy facts waiting for you.”

“Wonderful.” Kylie turned and plodded out the door, praying for patience and a speedy resolution to this murder.

She headed outside and into the bright afternoon sunshine. Max was even crazier than usual. Hoping the killer would call again. She shivered at the thought.

Kylie was still wrestling with annoyance when she parked in front of the municipal building. She pulled her notepad from her satchel and got out of the car. Taking a deep breath, she hiked up her chin and squared her shoulders. Okay. She could do this. She segued into reporter mode, forcing her attention from all discomforting thoughts. If she had to do this assignment, she’d give it her best. She hiked her purse higher on her shoulder and walked into the building.

In the main lobby, she checked in with the clerk and wound her way down the first-floor hall, which teemed with attorneys and their clients, catching snatches of agitated conversation on her way to the elevator. She stepped in and punched the button to the fourth floor. The elevator started to rise, lurched, then ground to a halt. The lights blinked off.

Blackness filled Kylie’s view. Okay. She ordered herself to stay calm. She dug into her purse and captured her phone. With the touch of her finger the cell fired up. She used it as a light to locate the panel of buttons on the wall. She punched four. Nothing. Then she flipped the emergency switch. Same.

Drumming her fingers against the side of her thigh, she waited. Auxiliary power should kick on any moment. Several long moments passed.

She punched the floor button again. Gears screeched, the car rattled, no other movement.

If maintenance was affected by the recent city budget cuts, she was quickly becoming a proponent for higher taxes.

Kylie inhaled, the air already stuffy. She fumbled to punch 911 on her phone and held it to her ear. Silence. No service.

With all the people in the building, maintenance had to have been notified by now. Reasonable thoughts, which rapidly deteriorated with each passing second.

“Anytime now.” She spoke to the emptiness around her.

Lights blinked on.

“Thank you.” She drew in a breath of relief.

The elevator edged up one floor before slamming to a halt, knocking Kylie off-balance. With arms flailing, she reached for the handrail to steady herself, but the car lurched again, the force so great that her feet went out from under her. She went down hard, her bare knees smashing into the floor. Darkness blinded her again.

Lord, I’m getting nervous here. Kylie picked herself up. Clenching the handrail with one hand, she used the other to smooth her skirt.

Pain searing through her, she grabbed for a calming breath.

Music trickled into the car and broke the silence. Eerie and empty as the air around her.

Her heartbeat picked up. For a breathless second, the horror of the previous night suffocated all logic. Never more than a heartbeat away...

The caller’s words ripped through her mind. Panic bottled in her chest, making it hard to breathe. Was he close by? Could he be watching her?

Calm down. She forced her breathing to slow. She’d watched too many old episodes of The Twilight Zone with her sister.

A jolt, then emergency lights flickered on, casting a dull glow around her. The elevator started to rise, steadily ascending, passing the third floor, then the fourth. Kylie stared at the glowing numbers, willing the car to stop. It didn’t matter where, she was getting off.

Halfway between the fifth and sixth floors, the elevator stalled.

Patience evaporated, Kylie slammed her fingers into the buttons on the panel. The elevator inched upward.

Please, Lord, help me get out of here.

She pressed her back into the corner of the car, bracing herself and whispering prayers as her fingers white-knuckled the wooden handrail. She held her breath. A second passed. A pulley squealed. The elevator made a rapid descent, whizzing down the shaft. She closed her eyes, teeth gritted, her pulse thumping steadily in her ears.

Just when she thought all hope was gone, the car stopped and bounced. A scream caught in her throat, shock and fear rising as she lurched forward.

For a frozen moment, Kylie regained her breath and flipped the emergency switch again. Lights flashed for a half second before darkness shrouded her.

“Help!” She startled at the shrill echo of her voice.

Stay calm. Short breaths billowed from her lungs. One moment. Two—not working. “Help me!” She pounded on the wall. “Somebody get me out of here!”

Lights flickered on. The elevator started to ascend. She slumped against the wall again and watched as the blinking numbers above the door rose. Two. Three. Four. The lumbering machine finally ground to a jittery stop. As the heavy doors screeched open, she burst out and collided with a broad uniformed chest.

After a stunned moment, Kylie grasped the situation. She inched back and lifted her gaze. A pair of amused blue eyes stared back at her.

“Hello, Kylie. Are you okay?”

“The elevator.” She gestured behind her before slapping a trembling hand against her rapidly beating chest. “I was trapped. No lights. The elevator stalled, then fell—” She ran out of breath before finishing.

A wrinkle formed between Detective Dave Michelson’s eyes. “Security called about someone stuck between floors. You must have been the one screaming.”

Several other officers stood around him. With shrugs and mumbles, the group dispersed.

Half embarrassed, half relieved, Kylie nodded, and a breath flitted between her teeth.

“I’ve never been trapped in an elevator before,” she mumbled, for a lack of anything better to say.

“It happens sometimes.” Dave scratched beside his nose. “Probably just an electrical malfunction. The maintenance crew is already looking into it.”

Just a malfunction? She forced a nod, her heart still racing.

The day was not shaping up as she’d hoped.

THREE

Inside the municipal building, Nick trekked up the last flight of stairs and stepped onto the fourth floor. As he wandered down the hall toward the police department, the sound of a woman’s anxious tone quickened his steps.

A few weeks ago, he’d left the military and vowed to leave his training behind, live a peaceful life and mind his own business.

Too late. His heart rate sped up and his thoughts churned into full investigative mode.

He rounded the corner, his rapid steps heavy against the wood floor as he entered the elevator lobby. To his surprise, Kylie stood in plain view in front of the elevator. Her glossy dark hair, tied in a ponytail, bounced against her slender neck as she pivoted to look at him.

“Nick.”

He wagged his brows. “We have to stop meeting like this.”

An uncertain smile quivered up at him. An unexpected heat filled his chest. She was getting to him, all right.

“Nick Bentley,” the tall, burly officer greeted him, redirecting his thoughts.

Nick shook Dave’s outstretched hand. “It’s been a while, Dave. Hope you’re doing well.”

“Just fine.” Dave canted his head toward Kylie. “I wish I could say the same for her.”

Nick met Kylie’s concerned gaze. “Still a little unnerved about last night?”

She half nodded and then shrugged. “You could say that. Add a heart-racing ride in a possessed elevator and, well...my nerves haven’t settled quite yet.”

“So you were the one stuck in the elevator?”

She bobbed her head, looking dismayed. “Yes, I was. And I wouldn’t recommend a ride like that to anyone.”

He gave a slight chuckle. “Are you okay?”

She pushed hair from her face. “A little frazzled, but fine.”

“I can understand you being on edge after last night’s events. I’ve had a tough time getting the murder off my mind. I came by this morning in hopes of gathering a few details. Apparently you did also.”

“Yes. Sorry to say.”

“Another article?”

Kylie answered his question with a tight smile.

Curiosity brightened Dave’s expression. “Nick, you’re in law enforcement, aren’t you? Part of the military police?”

“Something like that.”

“Delta Force. The army’s most elite top secret task force,” Kylie put in.

Nick still couldn’t believe Kylie had kept up with him. A wave of guilt tightened his chest. To think how hard he had worked to forget this town...and her.

Dave nodded. “You sound like a good resource to have around here. Small town or not, the department stays busy, but mostly due to being understaffed. I’m chief investigator, with only three on my staff. If you have time, any input would be appreciated. We’re not too well versed on murders of this caliber.”

“I don’t know about that.” Nick waved off the compliment. “I’m sure you guys are more than capable, but I’ll be happy to take a look at any evidence you have.”

Dave ushered them into a corner office under the speculative gazes of other law-enforcement personnel.

Nick took a seat beside Kylie. Dave shut the glass door and joined them at the table.

“So, what do you know so far about our John Doe?” Kylie started, flipping open her notepad.

Dave folded his thick fingers on the marred wooden table. “The forensics team is working on the details. What we do know is that robbery wasn’t the motive. The victim’s wallet was discovered in some bushes a block from the homeless shelter on Oakmont. There were eighty-eight dollars in it, along with his ID and Social Security card.”

Nick figured as much. “So who was this unlucky person?”

Dave adjusted his bulky frame in his seat and canted his head. “The victim was Robert Tucker. He lived at the shelter. Showed up here about a month ago. No one there knows much about him. He pretty much kept to himself.”

“Anyone see him the day of the murder?” Nick sorted through some pictures of the victim on the table.

“Actually, earlier in the day Tucker was in an altercation with another patron of the shelter and he was asked to leave.”

Kylie stopped writing and glanced up from her notes. “Do you consider the man Tucker had the altercation with a suspect?”

Dave gave a firm shake of his head. “No, we’ve already ruled him out. He ended up in the hospital with a broken arm and head fracture and is still there.”

“Nice guy, Tucker was.” Nick gave a low whistle.

“Did Tucker have any issues with anyone else at the shelter?” Kylie scratched her temple with the end of her pen.

Dave shrugged. “At the moment we don’t have those details.”

A lump formed in Nick’s throat. His hope for a quick resolution to this case slipped away. “Do you have any suspects at the moment?”

“No. That’s something we’re working on.” A flat coolness blanketed Dave’s tone.

If Nick hadn’t known Dave, he would have thought years on the force had made him callous. A coping strategy Nick had seen often. Hardened to the tragedies of others. One of the reasons he’d left.

“Does anyone at the shelter have information on Tucker’s family members, distant or local?” Kylie’s hopeful tone escalated a bit.

A shrug from Dave. “Not that I’m aware.”

Kylie noted a couple more details on her pad.

Nick’s mind raced with questions. But only one seemed pertinent. “The victim was bleeding from a wound on the neck, correct?”

When Dave nodded, Kylie finished his question. “Is that what he died from?”

“Seems to be. His throat was slit and he bled through his carotid artery.”

Several seconds passed. Nick waited for Dave to elaborate further. When he didn’t, Nick had to ask. “Slit from ear to ear?”

A hesitation, then Dave nodded.

Kylie stopped writing. Her gaze snagged Nick’s and her face paled. “Exactly like Conrad.”

“Afraid so.” Dave’s voice went low. “We’re already looking into a possible link to Conrad’s unsolved murder.”

Nick’s heart dropped like a piece of lead to his stomach.

That was what he was afraid of.

* * *

“He’s back. I know he is.” Kylie’s rapid pace didn’t slow as she headed for her car. “Why would he come back after all these years? And why would he contact me?”

“Nothing’s conclusive yet. He still could be a copycat looking for press. Everything about Conrad’s murder is public knowledge.” Nick lengthened his stride to keep up with her.

At the car, Kylie halted and blinked up at him. “Slit throat, yes. But from ear to ear... Only a few of us knew about that.”

“Kylie, word travels. But even if this was Conrad’s killer, he may not strike again for another ten years.”

She threw up her hands. “Or maybe he’s already picked his next victim?”

Even as Nick tried to console her, to relieve her concerns, the same questions plagued him.

“Just be careful. Okay?”

Kylie narrowed her eyes on him. “So you do think I’m in danger.”

Nick held up his hand. “Kylie, I didn’t say that. Although it’s never a bad idea to play it safe.”

She swung hair back from her face and huffed softly. “This whole situation creeps me out.”

“It should.”

She gave a small laugh. “At least my reaction is appropriate.”

He smiled. That was the Kylie he remembered. Always a trouper. “By the way, do you have a security system at home?”

She brushed a soft brown curl behind her ear with an uneasy gesture. “Not yet. I recently moved into my grandmother’s old house.”

He nodded, recalling the small timber-frame home, nestled in the trees and bordered by national forest. “She had a great view of the Smokies, I recall.”

“Still does. As beautiful as ever. Although rural and isolated. My closest neighbors are two acres away.”

“Yeah. I remember that, too.”

Nick’s conscience would never let him forget how he’d once turned his back on Kylie and walked away. He’d already let her down once when she needed him. And if anything happened to her now...well, he hated to fathom that. “I don’t think it’s a bad idea to err on the side of caution and stay somewhere else for a few days, let things blow over. My brother has an extra room at his house. I’m bunking next door in the apartment above the store.”

She rubbed at the wrinkle that formed between her brows. “Thanks for the offer, Nick. I’m going to try to keep things in perspective, like you said. Besides, Dave had that tracer put on my phone line. If the creep calls again, hopefully, they’ll track him down in short order.”

Optimistic, but not realistic. Nick breathed deep. “Keeping things in perspective doesn’t mean you can’t take precautions.”

“If things get more harried, I’ll consider your offer. How is Steven, anyway?”

“Still in the hospital and going through rehab.”

Kylie curved her lips in a sympathetic smile that any starlet would envy. Lovely curved lips, luscious and full, eminently kissable... Nick blinked. He squared his shoulders and lifted his chin. He wasn’t going there. Once his brother was ready to get back to work again, he’d be on his way. He had no intention of hanging around.

“Speaking of Steven.” Nick cleared his throat. “I should check in on him and get back to the store.”

Her brow creased. For an instant she just stared at him, and then her face relaxed a bit. “Sorry you had to get involved in this mess. But I do appreciate your help and concern.”

Before he had the chance to tell her he was glad to be of assistance, Kylie turned away, pulling open the car door and slipping behind the wheel.

“Say hello to Steven for me,” she called out her open window as she revved up the engine and backed out of the parking spot.

“Be careful and don’t forget about the room offer,” he called after her, his words trailing, carried away by the breeze.

Tension strummed through every muscle, reminding him to keep a close eye on Kylie.

* * *

There was little traffic, so the ride to the hospital took only a few minutes. The woman at the information desk directed Nick to the first set of elevators and told him to get off on the third floor, the rehab unit.

The door to Steven’s room stood ajar. Nick inched it farther open and heard chuckles from the other side of the pulled curtain. Stepping farther into the room, he cleared his throat. A tall blonde dressed in green scrubs yanked the fabric drapery back.

Steven sat in a reclining chair in the corner of the room, his casted leg elevated and his arm in a sling resting on a pillow. His face lit up. “Bro, welcome.”

Nick stepped closer. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“No, no.” Steven waved his good arm toward the woman in scrubs. “This is my physical therapist, Amy. We just had a therapy session and she was helping me get comfortable.”

Nick nodded. “I see.”

“Well, Steven, I’ll check back with you later.” Amy brushed past Nick and slipped out the door.

“See you later, Amy,” Steven called after her. His gaze bounced to Nick. “I was expecting you sooner. I thought you got into town last night.”

“I did. But by the time I got to your place it was too late to call or come by.” Nick moved closer to his brother and extended his hand. “I’d give you a hug, but I’m afraid I don’t have Amy’s gentle touch.”

“No problem.” Steven laughed as he shook Nick’s hand. “Good to see you. I hate that your plane got in late. I know you had a long trip.”

“Actually, we landed on time. I just ran into an old friend.”

“Nice.” Steven chuckled. “I’m laid up in bed and you ditched me for an old friend.”

“I wouldn’t say I ditched you, although it looks like you’ve been in good hands.” Nick lifted a brow.

“Oh, yeah. What can I say? Women love me.” The pleasant smirk on Steven’s face made Nick laugh.

“So who was this old friend you ran into?” Steven winced as he adjusted his sling.

Nick pulled a chair to the side of Steven’s recliner, angling it toward him. “Kylie Harper.”

“Kylie?” Steven eyes rounded. “I would think she’s more than an old friend.”

She had been once, but those days were gone. And at the moment, Nick had no intention of rehashing those memories. “Have you seen the news today?”

With his brow knitted, Steven said, “No, why?”