Davis Aluminum wasn’t any rinky-dink operation, if the elaborateness of its showroom was any indication. A mini screen enclosure stretched along half of one wall, with a glass room completing the span. The opposite wall held samples of awnings, roofing panels and handrails. Several framed photos filled the space behind the counter, showing off completed pool cages, carports and other product offerings.
Alan stood leaning against the end of one of the shelf units holding bins of screws, washers and other parts and pieces. Lexi roamed the room while a difficult customer harassed the harried clerk behind the counter.
The young woman heaved a sigh. “Sir, the warranties on our carports are for one year. Yours was built over five years ago.”
“But it’s got dings in the roof.”
“That’s normal wear and tear. You probably had some hail.” She cast a glance at Lexi before returning her gaze to the old man. “How about if I have Mr. Davis call you?”
“You do that.”
Alan watched him write down his phone number and make his way to the door with indignant steps. The old guy would be able to plead his case with the boss. Not that it would do him any good. Mr. Davis likely didn’t build a successful business by giving away carports.
Lexi approached the counter and Alan stepped up beside her. Technically, she was working the Moorehead stalking case. But there was still that possible link to the murders, something that she would no doubt be pursuing, so he was tagging along.
The young lady flashed them a pleasant smile.
“Sorry about that. That’s how it goes. They all run off to lunch and leave me here by myself, and that’s when the difficult ones show up. What can I do for you?”
Lexi pulled a notepad and pen from her pocket. “We need to ask you some questions about Wendell Moorehead. He works here, right?”
“Yeah, he’s our shop guy. He keeps the floor swept, organizes the materials, helps stage jobs and do inventory, stuff like that. He didn’t show up for work yesterday. I heard he’s in jail. What did he do?”
“He violated a restraining order, for starters. What can you tell me about him?”
“Well, he’s worked for us for four years. He’s single. Pretty much keeps to himself.”
“Have you ever known him to have a girlfriend?”
“No. It’s hard to picture him with a girl.”
“Why?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know, he just seems socially inept in the picking-up-girls department. He doesn’t act very comfortable around women, at least younger, attractive ones.”
Alan leaned against the counter. “Has he ever bothered you in any way?”
“No, not at all.”
He nodded. She was cute, with a small, upturned nose and faint freckles spattered across her cheeks. But based on what Lexi had told him, “cute” didn’t cut it. The girls he stalked were drop-dead gorgeous.
Lexi picked up the line of questioning. “Has he ever asked you out?”
“No.”
“Ever done anything that made you feel uncomfortable?”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. Anything. Any inappropriate comments? The way he looks at you?”
“No, not at all. He’s more shy than anything.”
Lexi tapped her pen on the counter for a moment before continuing, “Davis Aluminum throws a party every October, right?”
“Yeah, a costume party.”
“Does Wendell go to these parties?”
“Always. He comes as a cop, even brings a toy pistol and handcuffs. He seems to really get into the part, especially after he’s had a couple of drinks. It’s as though the costume makes him feel like a ladies’ man.”
“How so?”
“Not in an obnoxious or creepy way. It’s more like it gives him confidence.”
“Anything else you can tell us about him?”
“Not that I can think of.”
After thanking the clerk, Alan pushed open the glass door and let Lexi walk out ahead of him. Gray clouds were beginning to gather on the western horizon, but it would be some time before Lakeland would benefit from the cooling effect. The sun was high in the sky, reflecting off the black asphalt parking lot and making it feel more like summer than midspring. Of course, between the heat and humidity, Florida felt like summer most of the year.
He let the door swing shut and walked with Lexi to her car. “So what do you think?”
“The same as I did before. He’s not our guy.”
“I agree.” The killer was methodical, organized and highly intelligent. Whatever job he had, it probably wasn’t sweeping floors. “So where are you headed off to now?”
“I think I’m going to pay a visit to Jeff Underwood, Moorehead’s roommate. You want to come along? I want to see what kind of light he can shed on Moorehead’s activities. I also want to know what the two of them were doing with a bottle of chloroform.”
“That’s a good question.”
She unlocked her cruiser and he slid into the passenger seat. “So where do we find this Jeff Underwood?”
“Probably at work. Phil’s Tire and Automotive.”
When they pulled into the parking lot, the four bay doors were open, with vehicles occupying three of the four slots. Lexi pointed at the end bay.
“That’s him there, mounting a tire.”
She stepped from the car and headed straight through the bay door, not bothering to use the customer entrance. Two of the mechanics stopped their work to watch them enter. Lexi ignored them and approached Jeff.
“Do you have a few minutes?” She had to shout over the hiss and bang of the tire-changing machine and the high-pitched drone of impact wrenches.
Jeff laid down the crow bar and pulled two foam plugs from his ears, leaving them dangling on the nylon string that circled the back of his neck. “Let’s go outside.”
He led them around the side of the building to a wooden picnic table that sat on a concrete slab. A light breeze rustled the trees. The storm clouds were gaining mass. If he and Lexi didn’t hurry and finish their business, they would probably get wet before the afternoon was over.
Jeff sat on the bench that ran along the back side of the table, and Lexi took a seat opposite him. Alan settled next to her. This was probably where employees sometimes ate their lunches. Or where customers who preferred nature escaped the noise of the television that usually ran from opening to closing in most of these places.
Lexi laid her folded hands on the table. “How long have you and Wendell been roommates?”
“About six months. He’s quiet, minds his own business. And he’s always on time with the rent.”
“I guess you know he’s a pretty avid photographer.”
“Yeah, he’s always heading off somewhere with his camera.”
“Has he ever showed you any of his photos?”
“Some.”
Lexi nodded. “Lots of women, right?”
“What he’s showed me, yeah.”
“They look like candid shots, right? Maybe even shots taken without the women being aware.”
Jeff shrugged. “I guess so. I didn’t pay that much attention.”
“Didn’t you ever find that odd?”
“What?”
“That he takes pictures of all these women without them knowing anything about it.”
“Look, man, I don’t get in his business. He can take pictures of whatever he wants.”
“The chloroform, is that yours or his?” She shifted gears without a hitch.
Jeff’s eyebrows shot up. “Chloroform? Isn’t that the stuff they put people out with?”
“Yeah.”
“You found chloroform in our place?” He was genuinely surprised, or else he was a good actor.
“Yeah. Is it yours?”
“No way, man. I don’t even know where you can buy the stuff.”
“You can’t. At least not legally.” Lexi pushed herself to her feet. “I think that’s it for now.”
Jeff stood and rounded the table to head back into the garage. “So when can I go home?”
“This evening. They’re finishing up this afternoon.”
“Good. My buddy’s couch doesn’t sleep that great.”
Lexi flashed him a sympathetic smile. “Thanks for being understanding about the process.”
As they walked back toward the car, a gust blew through, carrying the musty scent of rain. It captured some strands of hair that had escaped her braid and laid them across her face. He was tempted to reach up and smooth them back. Instead he stuffed both hands into his pockets.
“Do you think he’s lying about the chloroform?”
Lexi shook her head. “I don’t think so. The problem is, Wendell doesn’t seem to be lying, either. But obviously one of them has to be.”
She settled into the driver’s seat and he slid in beside her. The murder case was far from wrapped up. The stalking case... Well, it looked like Moorehead was guilty of just that—stalking. And violating a restraining order. If it was anything more, he had covered his tracks well.
Lexi cranked the car and began to back out from the parking space. “Yesterday afternoon I made some progress in the case, but I’m not sure it was in the right direction.”
“Oh?”
“I talked to two more of Lysandra’s sorority sisters. So that makes a total of four I’ve located. One was killed in a car accident a couple of years ago. The other three weren’t much help. They remember playing tricks on guys, but they don’t remember names or descriptions. And they didn’t keep photographs.”
She braked to a stop at a red light and let her head fall back against the seat. “Now that I’m almost halfway through the list, I’m scared to death that I won’t get any more from the last five than I did the first four. Then we’ll be back to square one.”
She let her head roll to the side, and her gaze slid over to meet his, filled with silent entreaty. A weight had settled over her, its heaviness reflected in her features. His heart clenched.
He lifted a hand to cup her jaw, then caressed her lips with his thumb. “We’re going to catch this guy. Someone’s going to remember something. Something’s going to happen to give us the edge we need. And then we’ll nail him.”
“I hope you’re right. But I just feel like we’re missing something.”
“Yeah, me, too.” He let his fingers linger on her cheek before he lowered his hand.
He had the same gut feeling. They were missing something.
Something important.
* * *
Lexi approached the door leading into the station. She had a little paperwork to do and wanted to touch base with Tomlinson. Then her shift would be over.
She released a sigh. It had been a long day and an even longer week. But Friday had finally arrived and the afternoon was drawing to a close. Tonight was her date with Alan. And she was looking forward to it more than she wanted to admit.
He had given her an out by making it nothing more than a meeting to talk shop. Maybe she should have left it at that. That would have been the safer route. Something told her Alan would be ready to jump back into a relationship. So it was up to her to put the brakes on things.
If that was even what she wanted to do. She wasn’t so sure anymore.
She enjoyed her independence—no one making demands on her time or trying to control her actions. If she felt like having nachos and dip for dinner instead of cooking, that was what she did. She watched what she wanted to watch on TV without having to discuss her choices with anyone else. She read to relax and played the piano because she wanted to, not because she was pushed to try to fulfill someone else’s dream. Independence was great.
It was also lonely.
She swung open the door and navigated her way toward Tomlinson’s office. He was there. So was Greg. She hesitated in the open doorway, but her sergeant motioned her inside.
“Come on in. This involves you, too. At least part of it does.”
She stepped into the room and nodded a greeting at Greg. He wasn’t involved in the murder case. But he was involved in the stalking investigation. And the two cases had become intertwined. At least temporarily.
“Greg was just asking how everything came back on Moorehead.”
She sank into the chair. “We’ve got all kinds of evidence to convict him of stalking.”
“What about murder?” The question came from Greg.
“Zilch. Not a shred of evidence in the house and no prints on the chloroform bottle. The biggest find in the Camry was dried-up food. French fries, to be exact.”
“So that’s it? You’re just letting it go?”
She shrugged. “Besides the fact that I don’t think he did it, there’s nothing linking him to any of the murders.”
“What about the chloroform? That’s not a common household product, you know.”
“No, it’s not. But that alone isn’t enough to convict him. We’ve got a Camry that doesn’t belong to the suspect and a uniform that’s not even the right color. And not a shred of evidence anywhere.”
Greg frowned. He obviously didn’t agree with her assessment. With his tenacity and determination, he would make a good detective someday. He just needed to learn to look past the obvious and not settle for the easy answers.
Tomlinson leaned back in his chair. “So where are you on everything? Anything new to report?”
“I’m working my way through the list of names Lysandra gave me. One is no longer with us, and three don’t remember any details. I think some of these girls did more partying than studying.”
Lexi propped her elbows on the arm of the chair and intertwined her fingers over her stomach. “Anyway, I’ve got five more to talk to. I feel we’re right in our assumption that the killer is one of the guys they played tricks on. And Lysandra’s Gary is my top pick.” Of course, that might not be his name. Lysandra wasn’t sure.
“Well, keep me posted.”
“I will. I’m hoping that one of these last five women will come up with some good pictures. Lysandra has a great one of this Gary, pink tutu and all. Unfortunately, it’s from the back.”
She rose from the chair and when she started to follow Greg out the door, Tomlinson’s voice stopped her.
“Simmons, I hope you’re planning to take the night off.”
She stopped and smiled back at him. Over the years, he had accused her more than once of being like a bloodhound on a scent, driving herself relentlessly, refusing to let up.
“I am. Alan and I are going to dinner.”
He nodded, his widening smile confirming his approval. “Glad to hear that. I’d love to see you two work through whatever’s come between you.”
Heat crept up her neck and into her cheeks. Had Alan discussed his personal life with Tomlinson? Or theirs?
“No one told me anything,” he said, as if he had read her thoughts. “No one needed to. I can see it in your eyes every time you mention him. And I hear it in his voice every time he talks about you. Let it go, Lexi. Life’s too short to not embrace a chance at love when it comes our way.”
She nodded, then escaped down the hall. That was easy for him to say. He had been happily married for thirty years. Most of the people she knew weren’t that lucky.
Like her parents. They must have been wildly in love at some point. But whatever zeal they had experienced in their early years had cooled to mere tolerance.
If that was the kind of life she had to look forward to, she would just stay single.
* * *
Lexi stepped out of the door of Louie Mack’s Steakhouse, her fingers entwined with Alan’s. A live band serenaded the diners seated on the patio, and a barely-there breeze whispered through the trees, bringing cooling relief to what would otherwise be a stuffy evening.
She would have been content with Pappy’s, but Alan had insisted on taking her somewhere special. If he was striving for the ultimate romantic evening, he had succeeded. Everything was perfect. They had eaten inside, served by a tuxedoed waiter and bathed in the soft glow of dimmed wall sconces. A single votive candle burned in the center of each of the linen-draped tables, and orchestral music formed a soothing backdrop to their dinner conversation.
She stopped at the passenger side of Alan’s Mustang and waited for him to open the door. “Thank you for a perfect evening. I’m glad we made it a date instead of a business meeting.”
He smiled down at her. “Me, too.”
All evening long, their conversation had consisted of lighthearted banter and lots of reminiscing, but not one word about the case. It had been a nice reprieve.
“So who are the bad boys of Harmony Grove now?” According to Alan, the troublemakers they had grown up with had finally straightened out. Or were in prison.
Alan slid into the driver’s seat and started the car. “When mischief happens now, Duncan Alcott is usually at the center of it.”
“He’s got it pretty rough at home.”
“I know. So far it’s been minor stuff. You know, skipping school, vandalism, getting into his dad’s liquor stash. The problem is, he’s a leader and an instigator.”
“And you’re trying to keep him from corrupting the other kids.” She smiled over at him. The epitome of the humble public servant, he took a personal interest in all of Harmony Grove’s citizens, especially its troubled youth.
Alan nodded. “I’m holding out hope for him, though. A month or so ago, a new family moved to Harmony Grove. Their sixteen-year-old daughter has caught his eye. She’s a good girl, and I think she’s made him her project. Nothing like a pretty girl to turn a guy’s world upside down.”
He glanced over at her, his gaze filled with meaning. He was no longer thinking about the newcomer. He was thinking about her. Her stomach made a funny little flip before settling into a pool of warmth.
He had certainly turned her world upside down. Several times. Way back when she’d first fallen for him, head over heels, and now, all these years later, every time he looked at her a certain way. In the wake of hours spent working side by side, culminating in a romantic dinner out, all her reasons for maintaining her independence suddenly seemed lame.
When Alan braked to a stop next to her Mazda, she wasn’t ready for the evening to be over.
“It’s probably too late for a movie. And we already had dessert at Louie Mack’s. So I don’t have an excuse to invite you in.”
He grinned over at her. “I think I need to say hi to the cats. I mean, they haven’t seen me in what, four days?”
She returned his smile. “Then you’re definitely overdue.”
Evidently Suki thought so, too. As soon as they stepped inside, she was in the entry, weaving between their legs and hollering up at them. Alan bent to pick her up and the meows instantly turned to purrs.
“Didn’t you feed them before we left?”
“Of course I did. Those weren’t hunger cries. She was letting us know she didn’t appreciate being neglected for almost three hours.”
“A little demanding, isn’t she?” He bent to put her back on the floor. “So when can we do this again?”
“What? Louie Mack’s?” She grinned up at him.
“Louie Mack’s two or three times a week might be a little pricey. I was thinking more along the lines of a movie. Tomorrow night, maybe?”
“Two dates in one weekend?”
“I’ll make it three if you’ll agree to Sunday, too.”
She shook her head, still grinning. “What’s that going to do to your playboy reputation? All your other lady friends are going to feel neglected.”
He stepped toward her and rested both hands on her shoulders. “There’s only one lady I care about. And she’s standing right in front of me.”
His eyes held an earnestness that caught her off guard, and her own teasing smile slid away. She had wanted to take things slow. But with him looking at her that way, she was ready to throw away all her resolutions and fall head over heels in love.
She moistened her lips. A kiss would be the perfect end to a perfect evening. Alan was thinking the same thing. She could see it in his eyes.
He leaned closer, slowly enough to give her ample opportunity to avoid his kiss. But she didn’t turn away. Instead she slid her arms around his neck and tilted her face upward, welcoming his advance. A moment later his lips met hers, gently at first, then with more pressure. She had wondered if the spark would still be there. She needn’t have worried. It was there and then some, as if it had been held on a slow simmer for all those years, ready to ignite when the conditions were right.
And tonight they were right.
Love surged up from within, so powerful it almost made her dizzy. Maybe it had been there all along, buried in some remote corner of her heart, kept under lock and key. Whatever its source, she could no longer deny it. She loved Alan, and regardless of what she might have to give up, she no longer wanted to live her life without him.
All too soon, he ended the kiss and stepped back to put some distance between them. “Tomorrow night, then?”
She forced a casual smile. He didn’t seem nearly as affected as she was. “Tomorrow night.”
“And Sunday?”
“We’ll see. You might be tired of me by then.”
“Never.”
She followed him to the door and watched him walk to his car. Minutes later her cell phone rang. Unavailable stretched across the screen and a seed of uneasiness sprouted inside her. She pressed the phone to her ear and breathed a tentative, “Hello?”
“Alexis.” The hoarse whisper raised the hair on the back of her neck and sent goose bumps cascading over her skin.
“Who is this?”
The caller continued in the same hoarse tone, making the voice impossible to identify. “I’ve warned you before, and I’m warning you one last time. Back off, or you’re next. And don’t think you can evade me. I know where you live.”
The phone clicked dead. A chill swept over her and a knot of fear settled in her gut. How had he found her, and where did he get her phone number?
She marched to the end table and dropped her phone back into her purse. He hadn’t found her. He was bluffing. He’d gotten her name and number from one of the flyers that she and Alan had passed out. As far as he was concerned, she was nothing but a name on a piece of paper. He didn’t know where she lived.
Determination coursed through her. Five women had been murdered, with another living in fear. All six deserved justice. And she wasn’t going to let some idle threats keep her from doing her part to give it to them, as small as that part might be.
At least Alan hadn’t been there to witness the call. And she wouldn’t tell him about it. If she did, it would only end badly.
But maybe she needed to tell him. This wasn’t the first risk she had taken, and it wouldn’t be the last. If they hoped to have any kind of relationship, he was going to have to accept what she did and the danger that went with it.
If he couldn’t, they would have to part ways.
And she would rather it be sooner than later.