Unmasking The Shadow Man

“It’s just unexpected.”

Kimber patted her hand. “If you don’t want to, no hard feelings. But think about it, okay? And, of course, I’d hire you to do all the decorating. That way, you’ll always have a presence there. Might even entice you to visit Baysville more often if you could spend the night in your old home.”

“You’re the best, Kimber. Let me consider it for a few days, and I’ll let you know.”

“Of course.”

She still wasn’t sold, which made no sense. Her friend’s offer would hasten cutting all ties to her hometown. Wasn’t that what she wanted? More people bustled in the diner, grabbing breakfast or coffee before heading to work. Several uniformed officers entered, and she recognized Liam and Bryce heading to the counter. At the sight of Liam’s tall figure, her heart kicked up its heels.

Kimber’s cell phone buzzed, and she picked it up, a slight frown tugging her face. “Business calls,” she said crisply. “I’ve got an unexpected client meeting. Sorry, I’ve got to run.”

“No problem. Quick question, though. This cleaning crew of yours, can they handle large jobs?”

“They’ve done everything from hauling off old furniture in vacated houses to fire damage renovation. Nothing’s too big or too small.”

Harper dug the spare house key out of her purse and slid it across the table to Kimber. “Consider them hired. I need a good set of muscles to haul off all of Dad’s old tools and benches in the basement. They can donate anything in good condition to charity and dump the rest. Stop by anytime and go down there to assess the fee. I don’t need to be home.”

“I’ll do it today,” Kimber promised. After they made a dinner date for later in the week, she bustled off. Harper watched through the window as she quickly walked to her car and climbed inside. Sell the house to Kimber? She tried to convince herself to accept the offer. It was the rational move to make, and yet…

“Harper?” Liam approached her booth. “May I join you?”

“Please do.” He slid in opposite her, and his gray eyes bored into hers, as if he could read all her secrets.

Bryce stopped by the booth. “Morning, Harper. Any more threatening emails or unexplained noises?”

Several customers shifted their gazes to them, and her face warmed. Did he have to boom out the question within earshot of so many people? “Not in the past twenty-four hours.”

“Good, good. We’re always here if you need us. You coming, Andrews?”

“In a few minutes.”

A look passed between them, a tiny beat of tension. “Don’t stay too long—we’ve got a full load today.” Bryce turned from Liam to her and rapped his hand on the table. “See you around, then. Hopefully not in my official capacity.”

She sipped her drink, relieved to find the other patrons resuming their own conversations. Liam leaned in, keeping his voice low. “You sure you’re going to be okay? You look…weary.”

“I didn’t get much sleep last night,” she admitted. “I kept thinking about that poor guy killed nearby. I tried to tackle a project, to get my mind off the murder, but I read something in Mom’s old papers that disturbed me.”

“Want to talk about it?”

The loud rev of an engine distracted her. Outside, Bryce backed a police cruiser out of his parking place. “Don’t you need to get to the station? What with the full load Bryce mentioned.”

“No hurry.” Liam kept his eyes pinned on her.

Somehow, she found herself telling him about the autopsy report. Strange how she felt so free to confide in him instead of her longtime best friend. Maybe because he never knew her sister, it felt like less of a betrayal to confide about the pregnancy.

“Damn, what a horrible way to find out.”

“I can’t believe Mom never told me.”

“She might have been trying to protect you from more pain.”

“Probably. But I wish she had talked to me. Mom shut down after Presley’s death. Her life became a matter of merely going through the motions of living.”

“Do you think this report has any bearing on your sister’s death—on what you saw that night?”

“No. Her boyfriend, Allen Spencer, looks nothing like whatever I saw on the staircase. Although—I do wonder if Allen knew.” She set down her drink. The sugary sweetness that had tasted so good going down now roiled in her belly.

“I can ask him for you.”

“Seriously? You don’t think that would be presumptuous? I barely know the guy, and you don’t know him at all. Won’t you get into trouble for asking about his teenage behavior—wouldn’t he think you were harassing him?”

“It’s all in the approach. I’ll tell him I’m searching for answers about what happened to Presley since some new information has come up. It’s the truth.”

“He’s a minister now. He’s sure to be taken aback by you questioning him and his reputation. Let me do it. At least I won’t be a stranger.”

“I don’t know…”

“He’s a minister. He knew my sister. Knew of her tragic death. Surely he’ll respond with compassion.”

“All right. But I’ll go with you. Not in an official capacity. I’ll change into my civilian clothes but let you do all the talking.”

His kindness tugged at her heart, yet an ugly suspicion arose inside. Why was he being so helpful? He barely knew her. “Why?” she asked abruptly.

“Why what?”

“Why are you being so nice?”

“Maybe I’m just a decent guy.”

Of course, that was one explanation. Why must she always be so suspicious of people’s motives? If alive, Mom would advise her not to look a gift horse in the mouth. “Okay, let’s do this. When’s a good time for you?”

“When I get off work this evening. Find out the minister’s schedule, and we’ll work something out.” Liam finished the last of his coffee and set it down. “One last word of advice—don’t warn him we’re coming.”

She hadn’t expected that. “Why not?”

“He might not have been the man you saw that night, but say he and your sister argued about the pregnancy. Maybe she wanted to keep the baby, and that infuriated him. Enough so that he hired someone to hurt her.”

“A teenager hiring a hit man? Bit of a stretch, I think.”

“I’ve seen it all in my line of work. Never underestimate what people will do when they’re in a rage or feel cornered. By the way, I filed the report on that truck that came at you. Nothing’s come up yet, but I’ll let you know if something does.” Liam slid out of the booth. “I’ll buzz you later.”