Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
dani
“When was the last time you saw Jillian?”
My question had Hadley crossing her arms. “That morning. She made breakfast before leaving for work.”
I was back at the police station. Natalie decided she didn’t want to be in the interrogation room, so here I was, with Harry sitting next to me.
Hadley had been Jillian’s roommate since we all arrived in Winterlake.
While I didn’t believe she had anything to do with Jillian’s death, we had to start somewhere.
Hadley brushed her black hair out of her face, looking exhausted. I doubted she’d gotten any sleep since her roommate was found murdered.
I checked my notes even though I already knew the answer. “She worked at the clinic?”
Hadley nodded. “As a nurse.”
“They usually get out of work by five when they work the day shift. She didn’t come home afterward?”
“I don’t know.” Her cheeks flushed slightly. “I wasn’t home.”
“Where were you?” Harry interjected.
I bit my tongue at his accusatory tone. Hadley was here on her own free will to help us get information. Treating her like a suspect could backfire.
“I was…” She paused. “I was spending the night at a friend’s house. I went right after work, so I’m not sure if Jillian was home that night or not.”
“We need to know who you’re sleeping with,” Harry clipped out. “We’ll have to talk to him.”
“Why?” Hadley asked, panic sliding across her face.
“No one is in trouble,” I said softly. “We just need to try to get the whole story from everyone who knew Jillian.”
“They never met.”
“Name,” Harry demanded, tapping his pen on the table. “We have a list of people we need to talk to today.”
“Adella.” Hadley frowned. “I don’t know her last name.”
It took everything to curb my shock. “The woman who works at the bar?”
“Yes.”
Interesting. I had no idea that Adella liked women, especially after she’d admitted that she and Kole hooked up in the past. Harry didn’t bat an eye at her answer, so I guessed it was something he already knew.
“Was Jillian seeing anyone?” I asked.
“Not that I knew of.”
I gave her a warm smile. “Thanks, Hadley. We’ll call if we have any other questions.”
She threw Harry a dark look before standing up and leaving the small room. I leaned back against the uncomfortable metal chair, stretching my arms above my head. After my altercation with Tristin yesterday, I hadn’t been able to fall asleep.
The fact that he knew I was the last one to see Lucas was giving me more anxiety than I’d anticipated.
When I walked into the station today, he didn’t even look at me.
His jaw was bruised from Kole punching him, but when Harry asked him what had happened, he just said it was an accident.
Which I hoped meant he wasn’t going to admit our conversation to anyone.
Not that he had proof of anything, but I didn’t need anyone pointing fingers at me after Jillian was murdered.
Tristin left his own marks on my neck when he grabbed me, but it wasn’t anything that concealer couldn’t cover up.
“Who’s next?” Harry grumbled, scanning the paper in front of him. “We need to fix the damn camera, so I don’t have to sit here all day.”
“Two of her coworkers are coming in,” I answered.
“Remind me again of the medical report,” he ordered, rubbing his temples.
I reined in my annoyance as I looked at the report again. Ever since working here, it was clear that Harry was lazy. Even with this horrible murder, he didn’t want to take any responsibility. He would be absolutely no help in solving this.
“The autopsy isn’t finished yet,” I told him for the second time today.
“We did learn the cause of death was a stab wound to the heart. She wasn’t killed near the statue, since there was no blood other than the words.
No prints on the weapon as of now. No DNA was found on her, but they are still working.
We probably won’t have the official report for a week or so. ”
It didn’t help that the doctor doing the autopsy had never done one before. Apparently murders didn’t happen here, so the medical examiner job had never been filled at the clinic.
“When will the state officials be here?”
My question had Harry’s eyes snapping to mine. “They won’t.”
I frowned in confusion. “What?”
“Why would they?”
“Because you don’t have the resources,” I said slowly. “No medical examiner to do the autopsy thoroughly. No detectives—”
“You’ve never lived in a small town, have you?” he cut me off with a sharp laugh. “We don’t need outside help. We handle our own shit.”
“This isn’t just some random death,” I argued. “This was a calculated murder. With a stolen knife, and a note that has me guessing that it’s going to happen again.”
“That’s why you’re here,” he shot back. “Are you saying you’re not qualified for the job?”
Anger surged through me. “Of course, I am. But I don’t have a doctorate in psychology. This is an internship for a reason.”
“If you help catch the person who did this, then I’m thinking you’ll have no problem finding a job in the real world.”
I raised an eyebrow. “In the real world?”
He stiffened slightly. “This place is cut off for months during the winter. It’s nothing like a normal city.”
A knock at the door halted our conversation, and Natalie stuck her head in. “The interns from the clinic are here. Ready for them?”
“Yes,” Harry answered, not hiding his impatience. “Let’s get this done.”
“Want me to get Kole?”
My eyes shot to Adella as she stepped in my sight from behind the bar. “No. I’m here for a drink, not to see someone I live with.”
She let out a laugh. “What do you want?”
“Just a vodka and cranberry please.”
She reached down to get a glass. “I bet work is crazy right now at the station.”
“It is.” I spent all day in the interrogation room, and we were nowhere closer to even a hint of finding out what happened to Jillian. There were no immediate suspects, and I was worried we wouldn’t find the killer before they did it again.
I would just have to find them on my own.
“I know you talked to Hadley,” she said brightly. “I’m surprised I didn’t get a call.”
“Harry didn’t think it was needed,” I muttered, my eyes darting to her arm when she handed me my drink. “Nice tattoo.”
The four-leaf clover on her forearm was done in black ink with three numbers inside it. I studied it a second longer before she jerked her arm back.
She scoffed. “Don’t be nice if you don’t mean it.”
“No, I’m serious,” I said quickly. “For an…at home tattoo, it’s good.”
“You and I both know where I got this.” She glanced at her arm with a slight frown before shaking her head. “I was stupid when I was younger.”
I’d seen plenty of tattoos like hers. On inmates in jails and prisons. I’d always gotten the vibe that Adella could take care of herself, but I never would have guessed that she did time. What else have I missed about the people in this town?
“Everyone makes stupid mistakes,” I said in a low voice. “Some just never get caught.”
“No one judges pasts here,” she said, her smile back in place. “Anyway, do you have any suspects yet?”
I chuckled. “Even if we did, I couldn’t tell you.”
“Please. It would take less than an hour for news like that to spread around here.”
My gaze drifted toward the hall when Kole appeared. His eyes locked with mine as he strode closer. We hadn’t said a word to each other since Tristin attacked me. Not that I had the time, even if I wanted to. I’d been spending all my time at work.
“Your drink is on the house,” Adella informed me, looking at Kole. “Whoever lives with the owner drinks for free.”
She laughed as she walked away to help someone else. Unlike some others around town, she didn’t seem upset at all about the murder. Or maybe she just hid her emotions better than most.
“Making it a habit?”
Kole’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. I sipped my drink, nearly coughing from how strong it was. The alcohol burned my chest after I swallowed, and I stared at the back of Adella’s head. She had to have added at least three shots in this.
“Making what a habit?” I choked out.
“Coming to my bar.”
I smiled sweetly. “Am I bothering you, Kole? It’s been a really long day, and I needed a drink.”
“You’ll only need one if Adella made it,” he grumbled. “I’m surprised you got here before Harry.”
I refrained from rolling my eyes. “He started early with the bottle of Jack he has in his desk drawer.” I slid off the bar stool. “I’ll leave you alone.”
“Has he bothered you?”
His quiet question about Tristin had me glancing over my shoulder. “No. He hasn’t talked to me.”
“Good.” He rested his palms on the bar counter. “Tell me when you’re leaving.”
“Why?”
“I’ll walk you home.”
Déjà vu hit me, and I blew out a light laugh. “That’s exactly what Tristin said.”
Kole scowled. “You think I’d hurt you?”
“No.” I turned around, stepping closer. “But I can give you the same answer. I’m fine. You said it yourself—I can fight.”
“That was before the bastard was choking you,” he shot back. “Clearly, you can’t handle yourself. You’re not walking alone at night.”
I tilted my head. “Worried about me?”
“Worried enough that I don’t want you dead.” He snapped his mouth closed as if he hadn’t meant to say that. “Don’t leave by yourself.”
I didn’t bother arguing with him. I had no intention of telling him when I was leaving, but for right now I was content to stay here. The little white lie I told Adella earlier rang in my head. I wasn’t here for a drink.
Many people came in here after work, and I wanted to spend more time watching who could be a suspect.
Stirring my drink, I wandered near the tables, pretending to be interested in the football game that was on the large flat screens.
It was nearly impossible to move through the crowd without touching someone, but most didn’t even notice.
Some were drunk, while others were focused on the game.
Both pool tables were being used, along with the dart board.
I’d heard a couple conversations talking about the murder, but for the most part it was almost like a regular night. Was it because she was an intern and none of the locals knew her?
“Dani.” Miles slipped between the two guys who were yelling at the TV, giving me a small smile. “I didn’t know you were coming here tonight.”
“What else is there to do at night here?”
He laughed, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “How are you? Are things crazy at work?”
“I could ask you the same.” I rested against the back wall, near the pool tables, and Miles stood next to me, his arm brushing against mine. “Jillian worked at the clinic.”
He nodded. “I didn’t know her since she worked in a different area, but yeah. Her death was all anyone talked about today. Vern is especially torn up about it.”
That got my attention. “Vern?”
He hesitated, not looking me in the eye. “I shouldn’t have said anything. He was friends with her, that’s all.”
Lies. Other than not meeting my stare, he was fidgeting with his beer and acting like he was interested in the game when I knew for a fact that he didn’t enjoy watching sports. We didn’t have Miles come to the station since he didn’t work in the same department as Jillian. That was a mistake.
“Miles,” I started gently, “we need to talk to everyone that Jillian knew. No one is in trouble, but if Vern was close to her, then we have to talk to him.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t think he saw her out of work.”
Whatever Jillian was doing with Vern, I had a feeling it wasn’t work appropriate. Though, it could be just workplace rumors. But I’d have to bring this up to Natalie tomorrow when I got to the office.
Someone called Miles’ name, and I spotted a table full of interns. Unlike all the locals, most of them had solemn expressions. I recognized a few of them, noticing they all worked at the clinic like Miles.
“Come sit with us,” Miles said, nodding toward the table.
“Thanks, but I’m not staying much longer,” I replied. “I’ll see you later.”
He looked like he was about to argue but just strode away to join his friends.
I stayed leaning against the wall, scanning the crowd.
Loud cheers exploded when a team scored a touchdown.
The group around the pool tables were yelling and jeering as someone lined up a shot.
A shiver ran down my spine as I searched for anyone who seemed out of place.
Someone in here could have been the one who killed Jillian.
I was living proof that someone who looked and acted normal was capable of horrific things.
“Finish it.”
The words were quiet, but clear as day, making me freeze. I snapped my head to the side, and then looked the other way, trying to find where the voice came from. My stomach clenched in knots, and I squeezed my glass tightly.
“No, no, no,” I breathed out as my memories invaded my thoughts.
The black ski masks. The guy’s cruel eyes. The screams from my dying friends. His partner telling him to kill me when he muttered those two words. Finish it. Those images spun around in my mind as terror clawed at my chest.
The bar spun around me, and I closed my eyes, attempting to keep a hold on reality. My chest heaved, my breathing quickly spiraling out of control. My carefully put together demeanor was shattering because of two fucking words.
My ears rang, the noises in the bar becoming nonexistent as I was dragged back to that night. Phantom pain tore through my stomach where I’d been stabbed, and I sagged against the wall, sucking in quick breaths. This wasn’t real. I knew that, yet I still couldn’t pull myself from the nightmare.
“It’s not him,” I muttered to myself. “He’s not here.”
I staggered away from the wall, pushing through the thick crowd. Someone backed into me, and I barely reacted when my drink spilled down my sweater. I set the glass down on the closest table before searching for the exit.
I couldn’t afford to lose it here in front of all these people. I blew out a shaky breath, failing to pull myself from the horror of my past. My chest was tight, my body suddenly so hot I could barely take it. Sweat covered my back, and I choked out breaths, feeling suffocated.
I finally made it to the door, and slammed it open, stumbling outside. The frigid air hit my skin, doing nothing to calm me.
“I’m okay. I’m okay,” I repeated. “It’s not real.”
All the therapy and work I’d done to fix myself over the years still couldn’t touch the deep-rooted horror of that night. Two little words put me in such a panic that I had no control of.
I ran my hands down my face. But it wasn’t just those words. It was being chased in the woods. The people in ski masks I’d seen outside my window. The murder.
The things happening in this town were going to ruin me if I let them.