Beverly Barton 3 Book Bundle

“If you want, I can change the tire for you.”

“Oh, that would be great. How can I ever thank you? I was already running late for my night class before the tire blew.”

“Hey, I’ve got a better idea. Just leave your car here and let me drive you over to the college,” he suggested. “I’m sure Mike and I can figure out a way to bring your car over to the college later.”

“That’s a great idea. You’re a lifesaver.” Thomasina turned off the lights, the radio, and the car’s engine, then grabbed her purse before opening the door and getting out. After she locked the car, she handed her rescuer the keys. “You and Mike will need these.”

He placed his hand in the small of her back and escorted her to his vehicle. Before she got in, he lifted the mini-cooler and small grocery sack from the passenger’s side floorboard and carried them with him around to the other side. As soon as she was seated, he tossed the sack in the back before opening the cooler.

“Coke or Dr. Pepper?” he asked. “I’ve got both.”

“Oh, thanks. A Coke’s fine.”

“It’s pretty warm in here,” he said. “It’ll take a couple of minutes for the air to cool things off.” He inserted his key into the ignition and started the engine.

“I’m just so glad you came along when you did. I was already as nervous as I could be before I called Mom, and then she reminded me about that Preston girl who was murdered recently. I started imagining all kinds of things.”

He removed a canned Coke from the cooler, popped the tab and handed the can to her. “I hope you know you’re safe with me.”

“Of course I know that.” Feeling completely secure, Thomasina accepted the cola, lifted it to her lips and took several sips.

“Just sit back and relax. I’ll have you at the college in no time flat.” He winked at her.

She smiled at him, grateful that there were some truly good men left in the world.

He set the cooler between them, shifted the gears into drive, and pulled out onto the road.

Bernie had picked up Jim and Kevin at his rental duplex, then dropped Kevin by her parents’ house where her folks had been waiting. She wasn’t sure how her father had persuaded her mother to leave Robyn’s apartment and go home with him. Perhaps it had been the prospect of playing grandmother that convinced her.

Bernie and Jim had driven over to Verona together to talk to Roy Lee Nichols. The more information the local police chief had shared with them about his conversation with Thomasina Hardy and her sister, the tighter the knots in Bernie’s stomach got. She and Jim had exchanged several oh-God! glances, each of them fearing the worst—that whoever had killed Stephanie Preston and Jacque Reeves was the same person who was now stalking a new victim. If that was the case, then it might be possible to catch this guy, to stop him before he killed again.

“Did Ms. Hardy and her sister go home when they left here?” Jim had asked.

“I don’t think so. I believe she went on in to work. She teaches over at the junior college and said she couldn’t miss tonight’s class. That’s why she’s coming in again tomorrow,” Chief Nichols said. “I cautioned Ms. Hardy to make sure she had somebody with her all the time until we’d had a chance to talk to this Dr. Kelley and see if he’s the guy stalking her or not.”

“Did Ms. Hardy leave a number where she can be reached?” Bernie asked.

“Yep. A home number, work number, and cell number. I wrote all three down right here.” He tapped the notepad lying atop his desk. “Want me to jot them down for you?”

Bernie nodded, then waited while he wrote the numbers on a piece of paper and handed it to her. “I want to speak to Ms. Hardy tonight,” Bernie said. “Why don’t each of us take a number right now and one of us should be able to find out exactly where she is.”

“I’ll call her home number.” Chief Nichols picked up the phone on his desk.

Bernie memorized the cell number, then handed the piece of paper to Jim. “I’ll call her cell. You try the college.”

Jim took the paper, nodded and walked to the other side of the chief’s office. Bernie stepped outside into the station’s central hub and dialed the cell number. It rang repeatedly, then went to voice mail.

“Thomasina, this is Sheriff Bernie Granger. Please give me a call as soon a possible.” Bernie stated her cell number, then repeated it.

When she returned to his office, Chief Nichols’s gaze met hers. “Any luck?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No, I got her voice mail.”

“I got an answering machine,” the chief said. “I left a message.”

They both glanced at Jim, who was talking quietly into his phone, but Bernie couldn’t make out exactly what he was saying. As he clipped his phone to his belt, he looked directly at her. She didn’t like the concerned expression on his face.

“I spoke to a Ms. Everett at the college. She said that Ms. Hardy phoned about half an hour ago to tell them she’d had a flat tire and would be running late for her Thursday evening class. They’re expecting her at any time.”

“Was she alone?” Chief Nichols asked.

“I have no idea,” Jim said. “Ms. Everett didn’t know any details.”

“Let’s go.” Bernie headed for the door, then paused and spoke to the chief. “To get to the college from here, she’d probably have taken County Road One-fifty-seven, right?”

“Yeah, it’s the way I’d go. It takes you across Sunflower Creek and then you turn left onto Forty-four. You can get from here to the college in less than thirty minutes if you take that route.”

Jim followed her outside and straight to her Jeep. Once inside and securely belted, they paused momentarily and looked at each other, a silent understanding passing between them, before Bernie revved the engine.

“Call Ron and have him track down Brandon Kelley,” Bernie said.

Jim nodded, then made the call while Bernie zipped through downtown Verona, which consisted of a couple of blocks that crisscrossed each other. Since they rolled up the streets in Verona around seven, there wasn’t any traffic. When she stopped at the railroad tracks that intersected with the main road, she looked both ways before preceding. In her peripheral vision she saw Jim punching in a number on his cell phone, then heard him call Ron’s name before filling the deputy in on what was going on.

“We’re heading toward the college now. Give us a call as soon as you track down Dr. Kelley. If you find him.” Jim clipped the phone to his belt.

“I don’t like this.” After crossing the railroad tracks, Bernie took a right onto County Road 157. “We’re pretty sure that Stephanie Preston had car trouble the night she was abducted and now Thomasina Hardy has a flat tire. If she’s alone …”

Jim grunted.

“If we have a serial killer on our hands—”

“If?” Jim growled the word. “You keep saying if.”

“I’m saying if because we’re not sure of anything. Yes, there are similarities between the gifts Stephanie received and the things Thomasina said this guy sent her, but maybe it’s just some terrible coincidence.”

“You don’t believe that any more than I do.”

Thoughts of what that psychopath had done to Stephanie Preston raced through Bernie’s mind. What if he already had Thomasina Hardy? What if they were too late to save her? Bernie’s stomach churned and salty bile burned her esophagus. For half a minute, she thought she might actually be sick.

“Are you okay?” Jim asked.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Why did you ask?”

“You look kind of funny, like you might throw up.”

“I said I’m okay.” She practically bit his head off. “Sorry. I’m taking my frustration out on you. It’s just the thought that we are probably dealing with a serial killer scares the crap out of me. And just between the two of us, I’m not sure I’m equipped to handle a situation like this.”

“Take a couple of deep breaths,” he told her. “Then listen to what I’m going to tell you.”