Chapter 10

 

Hannah knew she’d overreacted last night when Chase kissed her. Her feelings had still been raw from the emotional walk down memory lane while she flipped through her parents’ wedding album. She’d always craved the same kind of love her parents had once shared. And she’d cast a sixteen year old Chase in the role of her soul mate the day she’d fallen off her bike and he’d carried her home in his arms.

So Chase cared about her, of that she was certain. Was it so impossible to believe those feelings had turned into something more? Something romantic? If what he’d said last night was true, then Shar had called it as far as why he’d reacted the way he had when Drew called. And it made sense, she supposed, that whole guy code thing. If Drew had ever slept with either one of the Lowell sisters, Chase would have strung him up from the nearest tree. Though, before meeting Lindy, Drew’s reputation as a playboy had far exceeded Chase’s. And all it took was a good woman to set him on the path of home, hearth, and in a few months, family.

As Hannah delivered three plates of meatloaf and mashed potatoes, the Tuesday Special, to Mrs. Langhardt and two other ladies from the book club, she gazed around the diner in amazement. If yesterday set a record for the diner’s slowest day in its sixty-three year history, today was easily one of the busiest. By the time Hannah got a chance to sit and choke down a quick sandwich, it was close to two o’clock, and she had Kelly waiting tables today as well. She’d just pushed to her feet to return to work when Caleb and Lauren strolled in with Max and Emma. Hannah rushed over to check on Max’s recovery.

“Han-nah!” Emma started clapping when she saw her.

Hannah greeted everyone with a quick smile before giving Max a pat on the arm. “I’m glad to see you out and around. Heard you have a pretty hard noggin?”

Max nodded, though he seemed to lack his usual tough kid bravado. No surprise, she supposed, after what he’d gone through. The fact he’d had the courage to come back into the diner at all said a lot about his character. Hannah gave his arm another quick pat before turning her attention to Emma.

“Hey, cutie patooty, how are you?”

“Good. Momma says I can have ice cream if I eat my lunch.”

“Sounds like a great deal to me.” Hannah gave Emma’s pretty blonde curls a fluff before glancing around the packed diner.

Miles, who’d been giving her a hand all morning, waved them to the last booth on the left. “I just need to wipe it down,” he explained as he carried away the dirty dishes.

“You guys need menus?” Hannah asked.

“I do,” Max said, his gaze moving to the counter as if looking for Hutch. “I’m tired of patty melts.”

A look of astonishment washed over Caleb’s handsome mug. “Tired of patty melts? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you eat anything else here.”

Max shrugged. “That’s cause Hutch makes ‘em the best.”

“Today’s special is meatloaf and mashed potatoes,” Hannah offered, adding, “It’s delicious.”

Max grimaced. “No thanks.”

Hannah, Lauren, and Caleb all laughed.

Miles returned with menus and a wash rag. “Hannah, the chicken dumpling soup is almost gone, and we have about a third pot of minestrone left.”

“I want ma’strone!” Emma exclaimed to no one in particular.

Hannah gave her curls a quick tug. “You got it, sweetie. Anyone else?”

“I’ll take a cup,” Lauren replied as she perused the menu. “And could I have a glass of iced tea, please?”

“I’ll take a large Coke,” Caleb added.

“Me, too,” Max chimed in, casting a quick, assessing look at his mother.

She pursed her lips, never taking her eyes from the menu. “Max will have a medium soda, and Emma will have a small glass of milk.

“Got it.”

Hannah delivered the soup and drinks, then gave them a few minutes to look over the menu while she handed out bills and took care of her other customers.

“Okay,” she said once she returned. “Everyone know what they want?”

Lauren collected the menus and handed them over. “I’ll have a chicken club salad with the dressing on the side, and Miss Emma will have a grilled cheese sandwich.”

“I’ll take a double cheeseburger and fries,” Caleb added. “Max?”

“Is it too late to order breakfast?”

“Nope. You can have anything you’d like.”

“Cool. Can I get pancakes and sausage?”

“You bet. Would you like links or patties?”

“Links.”

“Links, what…?” Lauren reminded.

“Please. Sorry.” Max gave Hannah a sheepish grin.

She returned the smile, thinking what a heartbreaker the kid would be some day.

After Lauren took a sip of her iced tea, she rolled her eyes and said, “I almost forgot the main reason we stopped in. Hutch is being released tomorrow. I’ve got Max’s room all ready for him. I’m sure he’ll be expecting you to stop by.”

“Absolutely. Just let me know once he’s settled, and I’ll swing on by. I’m so relieved. I talked to him last night, but he still wasn’t sure when they were going to spring him.”

“The doctor was happy with his latest test results, so they said as long as he continues to rest at home, he should make a full recovery.”

Hannah knew the old man all too well. “Good luck with that. I predict he’ll be here tomorrow morning ready to take over the kitchen.”

“Not a chance,” Lauren said with a decisive shake of her head. “Caleb will see to that.”

“My mom would have my head if I let him put his health at risk like that,” Caleb concurred.

“Good to hear. That old man is as stubborn as they come.” Not unlike a certain sheriff she could mention.

Hannah had no sooner put in their order than Mr. Speak of the Devil strode through the door, Mike right behind him. Chase waved her over, his grim expression disconcerting.

“Hey, what’s up? You two look so serious.”

He gestured her closer, and Hannah tried to ignore the flutter of her heartbeat. The man was obviously here on police business.

“The DNA tests from Lindy’s attack finally came in,” he said in a low tone. “Looks like Dillon Zelinsky was one of her attackers. And there’s more.”

Holy hell, as if that isn’t enough? She waited for him to explain, which he seemed hesitant to do. A frisson of fear crept up her spine. For Chase to show this much concern, it had to be bad.

“What is it? You’re scaring the hell out of me.”

“I’m sorry, but your safety may be at stake, so I need you to listen to me. John was the only one home when we went to make the arrest. I had a search warrant, and we turned up one of Hutch’s deposit bags in Dillon’s room; more than likely, the one stolen during the robbery.”

Stunned, Hannah could only stare. Then her brain started working again, and she remembered something she’d almost forgotten about until now—the pie box!

“We don’t have him in custody yet, and until we do, my number one concern is making sure you’re safe. I haven’t forgotten one of them threatened you. Will you please head straight to the station after your shift? And ask Miles to walk you to your car. I know it’ll still be light out, but better safe than sorry.”

Truly frightened now, Hannah readily agreed. “Of course.”

She’d always known the guy was a loser, so she had no problem seeing Dillon as one of the robbers. He’d been in trouble with the law since the time he’d spray painted ‘Mr. Mueller is an ass wipe’ across the office window of Redemption Middle school. But attempted rape? The thought chilled her to the core.

“Chase…are you sure he was one of Lindy’s attackers? This is going to kill his mother.”

“Lindy said one of them sneezed right outside her bedroom the night of the attack. Luckily, we were able to get a sample off the wall and have the DNA tested. And yes, the results are conclusive.” He glanced around. “Pretty busy today. You gonna be all right until closing?”

“I’ll be fine. Kelly got here about an hour ago. Oh, and Hutch is being released tomorrow. He’s staying at Lauren’s until he’s fully recovered.”

“I’ll give him twenty-four hours before he shows up here in his apron.”

Hannah couldn’t hold back a small smile. “That’s pretty much what I said.”

They shared an emotionally charged moment before Chase swiftly resumed his professional demeanor. “I’ll see you later. Again, please, come right to the station.”

“I will, promise.”

With one last nod, Chase did a quick scan of the diner, then gestured to Mike and strode out the door.

By the time annahHannah pulled into the parking lot of the police station, she’d nearly worked herself up into a full blown panic. Her best friend’s brother was not only was a prime suspect in Lindy’s attack, but the police also had proof linking him to Friday night’s robbery. And the more she thought about it, the more convinced she became that it had been Dillon who’d threatened her. But had Jimmy been his accomplice? The guy was certainly no angel, and he’d been lying low for months. But he’d always sworn he’d never be anything like his father—a convicted armed robber.

Hannah hurried through the front door and stopped dead in her tracks. Dillon sat handcuffed in booking with Chase standing over him, arms crossed and sporting a scowl the size of Lake Michigan. With reluctance, she forced her feet to keep moving until she could hear the conversation going on.

“How did the deposit bag end up in your room, Dillon? Did it sprout wings and fly there?”

“How the hell am I supposed to know? Maybe you pricks planted it there. Or maybe that bitchy friend of Shar’s planted it. She’s always at the house, and everyone knows you’re fucking her.”

Hannah stopped cold. Her face grew warm and then hot as several pairs of eyes suddenly turned her way. Though Chase didn’t so much as blink over the offensive remark, he did meet her gaze with an almost apologetic lift of his brow. He leaned in and spoke to Mike, who rushed forward and escorted Hannah into Chase’s office.

“Sorry about that. The guy’s a real scumbag.”

Hannah took a seat and set her purse on her lap. She gave a quick nod before looking through the glass partition back at Chase and Dillon.

“That voice—he’s definitely the one who threatened me the night of the diner.” She glanced back at Mike. “Which means…I have to talk to Chase about something. It completely slipped my mind because we’ve both been so busy. But the night of the robbery, one of the thieves stole a strawberry-rhubarb pie. And the last time I was at Shar’s, she shared the last slice of a strawberry-rhubarb pie that was in one of Hutch’s boxes. I’m pretty sure it was the one stolen the night of the robbery.”

“What makes you think so?”

 “We don’t sell many whole pies because you can buy them cheaper at Coffee To Chai For. No whole pies have left the diner on my shift for at least the last couple of weeks. I know it’s a stretch since that leaves several hours a day unaccounted for, but with Dillon now a suspect it makes sense. And there’s something else. It wasn’t Dillon who grabbed the pie Friday night, it was his accomplice.”

Mike digested that bit of news. “Hang tight.” He opened the door and waved Chase into the office.

Once the door shut behind him, Chase knelt before her and asked, “You all right? I’m sorry you had to hear that.”

Hannah tried for—and hopefully managed—a reassuring smile. “I’m fine. I just can’t believe I didn’t recognize Dillon’s voice the night of the robbery.”

“You were frightened and worried about your friends. Plus, he spoke to you in a harsh whisper versus his normal tone, so it would’ve been pretty impressive if you had recognized it.” 

“Tell him what you just told me,” Mike reminded her.

She explained again about the pie box, and the two men exchanged looks.

“Pretty sure John already had his garbage out on the curb when we were there earlier,” Mike said. “It gets picked up in the morning on their side of town, right?”

“I was just thinking the same thing. Would you like the honors?”

“You bet.”

“Good. Take Coop with you, and let me know as soon as you have it. I’ll call the lab and ask them for a rush.”

As soon as Mike left, Chase said, “I’m going to escort you home as soon as Zelinsky’s in lock up. We still don’t know who his accomplice was, and it’ll take at least a couple days before we have a match on any prints. Until they’re both in custody, I have to play it safe where you’re concerned.”

“I think it might’ve been Jimmy.”

“What?”

Hannah took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I think his accomplice may have been Jimmy. When Shar brought the pie box up to her room she told me he was back in town and had been hanging out with Dillon. She said the last time she saw them, Dillon revealed they were heading to a strip club in Green Bay. Since it’s doubtful Jimmy has a job, and I know Dillon doesn’t, it just struck me as odd.”

Chase considered her theory. “How come you didn’t tell me about this sooner?”

Taken aback by the almost suspicious tone in his voice, Hannah’s guard went up. “Because I was angry with you, if you’ll recall. And I didn’t know anything for sure other than Jimmy was back in town. Going to a strip club isn’t a crime, and I’m not psychic, so I had no clue the deposit bag was sitting in Dillon’s room.”

“Did you ask Shar who brought the pie home?”

“Why would I? That’s sort of an odd thing to ask, don’t you think?”

“Maybe,” he conceded. “Okay, you sit tight. As soon as I hear from Mike, I’ll follow you home. Can I get you a soda or something?”

“I’m fine, thanks.”

Chase blew out a hard breath. “Look, I didn’t mean to make it sound like I was accusing you of something. I’ve just got a lot on my mind right now between Lindy’s attack, the robbery and making sure we can build an airtight case against that piece of shit. Knowing he was one of Lindy’s attackers after the threat he made against you is all I can think about. I have to make sure there are no missteps in this investigation or that SOB could go free.”

“I understand; I do.” She leaned back in the chair and let out a delicate yawn. “I guess I’m just tired and a little cranky after such a busy day.”

Chase gave her one last, considering look. “I’ll be back soon. If you’d like to lie back you can sit in my chair and put your feet up on the desk.”

Hannah did exactly that once he left. And must have promptly fallen asleep since the next thing she knew, she was startled awake by a gentle shake.

“Hey, sleepyhead, let’s get you home.”

Hannah stretched, surprised not only by the fact she’d nodded off, but by how fast. Though that power nap must have been just what she needed since she felt much better. She’d make herself a cup of tea when she got home and get some reading done, or maybe spend a few hours online. It had been forever since she’d checked her email.

Chase followed her home, but when she thought he’d wave and head back to the station, he parked behind her and followed her inside.

“I wanted to apologize again.” He took a seat at the kitchen table. “Sometimes, when I’m in police mode, I lose sight of everything but the case I’m working on. And this one is personal to me, for obvious reasons.”

Hannah put a mug of water in the microwave for tea. “I understand, and I’m not mad. I’m just…frustrated. And tired. I want Dillon behind bars for a long, long time. The thought of that creep breaking into Lindy’s house and…” She couldn’t even finish the unspeakable thought.

“That’s exactly why I’m being so careful with this investigation. I don’t want that piece of shit getting off on a technicality. Especially after he threatened you.” Chase propped his elbows on the table and clasped his hands. “Listen, I think there’s a good chance Jimmy not only helped him rob the diner, but that he was Lindy’s second attacker.”

Hannah looked up from the tea bag she’d just unwrapped. “No way. I’m sorry, but there’s just no way. Jimmy is a lot of things, but a rapist? It doesn’t even make sense. He’s good looking, and he had plenty of women before and after me—”

“He had plenty of women while with you, too. And all any of that proves is he’s a lying, cheating idiot who never deserved a good woman like you.” Chase leaned back, a slight frown marring his brow.

Hannah’s skin warmed over his compliment, and though she fully agreed with his assessment of Jimmy’s character, she simply couldn’t believe the same man she’d slept with, the same man she’d cared for, could be capable of such a violent crime. “I appreciate your loyalty, but being a cheater and a bad boyfriend doesn’t make him a would-be rapist.”

“Dimples, I think you’re putting way too much faith in the guy.”

“Believe me, I have no illusions where Jimmy is concerned. But we’re talking about a brutal crime against women. Jimmy loves women. Probably too much. And just because he slept around on me—and probably every other woman he’s been with—doesn’t make him a rapist.”

“Rape has nothing to do with how attractive a person is or how popular they are with the opposite sex. It’s about power and control. Not all rapists are ugly trolls, Hannah.”

“That’s not what I meant. I’m just saying, the man I knew wasn’t violent. Charming to a fault, yes. An unfaithful ass, absolutely. But violent? Never.”

Chase’s jaw clenched. “Sounds like maybe you still have feelings for the guy.”

Hannah’s mouth dropped open at his ridiculous comment. “You know better.”

“Do I?”

Was it just wishful thinking, or did that sound a bit like jealousy? Only Hannah wasn’t exactly in the frame of mind to appreciate it. “Look, I have enough on my mind right now, so I am not having this absurd conversation with you.”

Chase opened his mouth to reply, but his cell phone rang. He shot her a quick, quelling glance before answering it. “Lowell here. Okay, thanks. Yeah, I’ll be right there.” He ended the call and stuck his phone back in his pocket. “I have to head back to the station. You gonna be all right?”

She nodded, a little apprehensive, but not enough to worry him unnecessarily. The man had a job to do, and the sooner they had Dillon behind bars permanently, the better. “I’m just going to soak in the tub and do a little reading.”

“I’ll check the doors before I leave. If you need anything call my cell.”

She saluted him.

He stared at her for a moment, his brow creased in frustration. “We’ll finish our conversation when I get back.”

Hannah watched as he checked the back door, then cast her one last, meaningful look before leaving through the front.

Tea in hand, Hannah headed upstairs to the bathroom. She set her mug on the tub, and once she had the water at just the right temperature, headed into her bedroom for a book and pajamas.

Just as she reached for the handle, the closet door swung open.

“Hey, baby, miss me?”

With a startled yelp, Hannah jumped back.

Jimmy.