Читать книгу Deadly Exposure - Cara Putman - Страница 10

Dani blinked to adjust to the dim lighting and pull her attention back from the nightmare of her past. The curtains brushed against her back, but she refused to turn and see who was there. Note to self: don’t run into a closed room when trying to avoid someone. Several people filled the box. She worked her way toward a young coed.

A hand gripped her arm. Even though she knew it was Caleb, she jumped.

“Dani, we need to talk.” His voice reached deep inside her. She stiffened. “But it’ll wait. Right now you need to get out of this box. Wait for me in the lobby.”

“Let go of me.” Dani hissed and tried to shake free.

“I will when you start to obey.”

“That worked so well for me last time.” She snorted, stepping back. “Excuse me. I have a job to do.”

She turned and ignored his soft chuckle. She didn’t even want to know what amused him. She could imagine. None of the options merited turning around.

“Everyone out.” Caleb’s voice sank lower and easily filled the small space.

Dani kept her back to him as the crowd dispersed along with her interviews. She spun on her heel and followed everyone to the foyer. A burly security guard moved to the top step. He crossed his arms and stood legs apart, a barrier to reentry.

Caleb directed the group toward a small room, acting every bit the police officer. How could the young man who’d had no qualms about drinking underage and partying end up as an investigator with the Lincoln Police Department? And why was he with a beautiful woman?

Dani eased a coed and her date to the side. The twenty-something young man looked like a player for the university’s renowned football team. Their holey jeans and T-shirts stood out in the well-dressed crowd.

The girl clung to her date, wide-eyed. “This is wild. How could this happen here?”

“Yeah,” the young man said. “I heard the excitement and rushed over. Wonder where her date is?” He tucked the girl under his arm.

Dani smiled at him. “Did either of you see her with anyone tonight?”

“Nope, but she wasn’t dressed to be alone.” He glanced toward the box. “Seems like a strange place for this to happen.”

“Why would you say that? I’ve heard of stranger things.”

“Maybe on CSI. But the theater is packed. Not a place I’d pick.”

Dani shook her head. “Maybe not. Here’s my card. If either of you think of anything, call.”

She stepped back as Caleb waved the couple into the room. She scanned the foyer looking for others to talk to. No way was she stepping into a small space with him. It didn’t matter how many other people were there.

Dani headed to her box and left the curtain open so she could watch the lobby. Maybe she’d be able to talk to someone other than Caleb when the other cops arrived. Her toes tapped the wall in front of her as she sat next to Aunt Jayne, her mind racing with everything she should do. Her aunt reached across the empty seat and placed her hand on Dani’s knee.

“It’ll be okay, child. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

Based on the jolt of electricity that hit her each time she saw Caleb, Dani doubted anything would be okay until she returned home and left the madness. The faint sound of sirens pierced the night. The sound sharpened until it stopped altogether. Rotating blue and red lights reflected off the foyer’s floor-to-ceiling windows. She braced herself for the whirlwind the next few minutes would bring. Especially after the police learned a reporter discovered the body.

Those left in the lobby pressed against the windows, watching the police vehicles. What on earth were they doing outside?

Finally, a man in a dark suit, probably a theater employee, marched up the broad staircase. He wiped a few strands of hair across the top of his head as he looked behind him. Several uniformed policemen trailed at a determined pace.

“This way, Officers.” The man pointed toward the box with a jerk of one arm while he wiped his brow with the other.

“We’ve never had anything like this happen before. Excuse me. I must announce the show won’t continue.” Without waiting for an answer, he hurried off, mumbling under his breath. He wrung his hands in despair like the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland.

Caleb walked toward the officers, his dark hair standing at odd angles, as if he’d raked his fingers through it. Dani slipped from the box to watch.

“Glad you guys could make it. The body’s in that box.” Caleb stepped around the security guard and poked his head past the curtain. He turned to the guard. “Anyone else been in here since you arrived?”

“Nope. I’ve kept it cleared.” He puffed out his chest.

Caleb turned to his men. “Ford, see if there’s anyone still around to interview.” He turned to another officer. “Get the box taped off. Denimore and Westmont, I’ve got a room with several people for you to interview. It doesn’t look like they know anything, but we can hope. Let’s see if we can piece together what happened while we wait for the crime scene techs.”

Caleb squared his shoulders as his calm gaze landed on Dani.

“I’ll come talk to you in a few minutes.” His voice was deeper than she remembered with a timbre that made her quiver even as her stomach clenched. “Where’s your seat?”

She nodded toward the open doorway. He considered her a moment, then turned away.

Dani fought relief. “My aunt is with me, and I really need to get her home. Can’t we talk now?”

“You’ll have to wait a few minutes. Besides, I doubt you’ll leave until after we do. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He didn’t wait for an answer before turning his back. “Maybe Tricia can help.”

Tricia? His sister? Was she the woman he’d brought? Her traitorous stomach eased at the thought that he hadn’t brought a date after all. She stared at Caleb’s back, hands clenched, and then turned as movement caught her eye.

“Hi, Dani.” A young, willowy woman approached. “Remember me? Caleb’s kid sister who wouldn’t leave you two alone? How can I help?”

How could she forget? They’d even been friends. “Aunt Jayne’s with me, and I’m sure she’d appreciate company.” Dani led Tricia to box B. In no time, Tricia and Aunt Jayne were chatting like old friends. Dani tried to ignore them in favor of the foyer and Renee’s box.

“Everything okay, Dani?” Aunt Jayne’s eyes reflected concern.

“It will be.” As soon as she didn’t have to see Caleb anymore. She eased into a plush chair to dig through her evening bag in her lap for her cell phone. Dani glanced at the screen and this time saw bars of service. She dialed the station.

“Hey, LeAnn. I need Andy pronto.” Andy Garrison produced the ten o’clock news and demanded the details of any news event fifteen minutes ago.

“Hey, kid. Exciting night at the theater.” Andy’s raspy voice scratched her ear.

“You have no idea.” Dani twisted the purse strap in her lap with restless fingers.

“The news of a body hit the scanner. You still there?”

“Yep. The police won’t let me leave.”

“Just tell ’em you’re media. They’ll be more than glad to see you go.”

“Not this time.” She squinted at the techs working in the victim’s box.

“What happened? You didn’t kill her, did you?” Andy’s rapid questions made Dani smile.

“Of course I didn’t kill her. But I found her.”

“Okay.” He quieted, and Dani imagined him processing the information. “You holding up?”

“I’m fine. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen a body. Just the first time I’ve seen one first.”

“What can you tell me?”

“I had a brief conversation with her before the show started.” Dani walked Andy through the night. “Nobody heard or saw anything. And the police won’t like the fact that so many people invaded the box. It’ll make evidence collection a nightmare.”

“Hmm.” Rapid-fire tapping on a keyboard echoed in the background. “As soon as the police let you go, find our truck. It should be there now. If the police harass you, give me a call. We’ll get the station’s attorney there ASAP.”

Dani fiddled with a knot in her purse strap. If she did her job right, the attorney wouldn’t be necessary. “I’ll keep you posted.”

“Talk to people and make sure you connect with Logan. We’ve got a story to prepare.”

Dani closed her phone, returned it to her purse and looked toward the other box. She rubbed the back of her neck. How could she take care of Aunt Jayne and deliver the story Andy expected? So much for a night off.

Investigators bent over the body in the taped-off box. A bright flash lit the scene as one photographed it. Another scribbled in a notebook. She wanted to look over his shoulder, see what required careful notes.

Caleb stood in the corner and anchored the controlled chaos. He looked even better than he had as an eighteen-year-old kid, and that thought rankled. Maybe if he wasn’t so jaw-dropping, she’d have moved on.

No, she couldn’t move on because of the lines they’d crossed. Color flooded her cheeks at the memory of what she’d willingly given him. And then he’d left. Without a backward glance. She’d prayed he’d call, show any indication he remembered her. Then she’d spent years trying to forget and move on. With one glance, all of that was swept aside.

The emptiness she’d fought flooded back in. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and doubled over, fighting memories of the baby being ripped from her arms. Did the baby have his green eyes? Did she have Dani’s blond hair? Only Aunt Jayne had held her as her heart broke. She’d fled Lincoln and avoided Caleb since. Only Aunt Jayne had brought her back. And now he’d collided into her world. She took a deep breath, then another.

She looked up and caught him watching her. Heat climbed her cheeks and she glanced away. When she looked again, he’d disappeared from the box.

A moment later, a soft knock clicked against the doorframe.

“Ready to talk?” Caleb stood in the doorway, concern filling his eyes.

Dani bristled and glanced at Tricia and Aunt Jayne. “It’s about time. I don’t know anything that’ll help, so let’s get started.”

He motioned for her to follow him to a bench across the foyer. He cocked his head and slipped a slim notebook from his inside jacket pocket. “Tell me what happened.”

Dani told him about the rush to the theater. Finding the box. Trying to talk to the woman in the neighboring box at intermission. Walking into the box when she didn’t respond.

“Why did you go in there?”

Dani closed her eyes, images of how vibrant Renee Thomas had been during the interview filling her mind. “I interviewed her last week. And she seemed so different tonight. She was worried about something. Maybe fearful.”

“Why fearful?”

“Last week she couldn’t talk enough about her research project. She vibrated with life. Tonight, well, she looked everywhere but at me. If I remembered her, I know she remembered me. It isn’t every day that a grad student gets interviewed.”

“Did you notice any changes between your first visit to her box and the second?”

“The air was spicy the second time. Maybe from cologne or aftershave.” Dani paused a moment. Even though he might think her suspicious, she had to mention her concern now.

“The only other strange thing was the usher.”

Caleb looked up from his notes. “An usher?”

“After I discovered the body, a man in a navy blazer kept me corralled next to the box. He insisted I stay in the foyer until you arrived. But others going into the box didn’t bother him.”

“Do you know his name?”

“No. He didn’t tell me and didn’t wear a name tag.”

“Could you describe him?”

Though she complied readily, Caleb searched her eyes as if she was concealing more about the case. She fought the urge to squirm under the intensity. Her gaze darted to his left hand. It was bare of a ring, not even a shadow of one. “Looks like you’re still single.”

That ended the scrutiny. “What?”

“Nothing.” Dani tightened her lips. How could she have said that? The last thing she wanted to do was relive the past.

“Okay.” Caleb dragged the word out. “That’s all. Where can I reach you?”

She slipped a card from her purse. “Channel 17. Otherwise, I’m at Aunt Jayne’s house.” Her cheeks flushed with the memory of their good-night kisses on the back step.

“Is Logan meeting you here?”

“Huh?” She startled, then stilled. “Yes. Why?”

“Could you take Tricia with you? He can drop her off for me. Otherwise, she’ll be stranded here for a long time.”

“Ever heard of cabs?” Dani bit her lip the moment the words escaped. “That’s not what I meant. If she doesn’t mind waiting, we can get her home.”

“Thanks. Her house is on the way to the station.”

Dani shrugged and rolled her eyes. She roused Aunt Jayne from her chair while Caleb told Tricia of the change in plans. In moments she led the others from the box. When she stepped outside, Logan’s wave hailed her from a line of trucks.

“Hey, Logan. Hope you brought some coffee.”

“Got a café mocha just for you. I’m sorry I didn’t bring a couple extras.” He’d tucked his polo into rumpled khakis, with a Channel 17 baseball cap covering his buzzed hair.

“Aunt Jayne, this is Logan Collins, the best photographer in town. And I take it you already know Tricia.”

“Nice to meet you, ma’am. Good to see you again, Tricia.”

Aunt Jayne tilted her head toward Logan. “Is there somewhere I can sit?”

The area around her aunt’s eyes was tightening, a reflection of the confusion that intruded. “Logan, I have to get her home as soon as I can. Can she rest in the Jeep until we’re done?”

“Sure.” They quickly had Aunt Jayne tucked into the front passenger seat with Logan’s jacket tucked around her like a blanket. Tricia slipped in behind her and settled in for a chat. Dani heard the murmur of their voices as she focused on the Lied Center.

“Thanks.” A smile touched her lips, and she sipped her coffee. “Grab that camera. We’ve got a lot to do before we call it a night.”

Half an hour later, Dani watched people from the medical examiner’s office wheel a gurney out the front door of the theater. Hearing footsteps behind her, Dani turned to see Phil Baker, one of Channel 17’s evening anchors, walk up. “What are you doing here? The newscast ended a long time ago.”

“I was on my way home. Just thought I’d swing by for a minute. See what happened.”

Logan crossed his arms and scrutinized Phil. At his closed posture, Dani wondered what Phil had said in those few words to set Logan on edge.

“Well, looks like you kids have it under control. See you tomorrow.” He turned on his heel and left them staring at his back. The gathered media followed his progress to his car as if controlled by one puppet master.

“What on earth was that about?” Dani fumed. “Mr. High-and-Mighty thinks we can’t handle the story?”

“The theater is not on his way home,” Logan said.