Читать книгу The Silent Witness - Dani Sinclair - Страница 15

Her gaze riveted on the gun in his hand. Without taking time to explain, Alex spun around sweeping the alley with his eyes. Nothing and no one moved.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“That depends. Are you planning to shoot me?”

Her voice was tremulous and her face was pale, but Nicki stared at him without flinching. The alley was deathly quiet.

He bent to retrieve her keys. “Come down from there and let’s get inside.”

“Why?”

“Because someone is shooting out here!”

“I noticed.”

Still, she hesitated. Alex realized he’d scared her. Did she think he’d been the one doing the shooting?

“For crying out loud, Nic. Will you come down here and get inside? You’re a sitting duck on those steps. He may still be out here.”

“You’re just full of compliments these days, aren’t you?” But she wasted no more time coming down the steps. Her gaze swept the parking lot and worry lined her forehead. He handed her the keys and waited while she unlocked the back door to her shop. For an instant, he sensed her mental debate, but she didn’t slam the door in his face. He entered behind her and shoved the gun in his waistband.

“Tell me what happened.”

“Don’t you know?”

She flicked on an overhead light. The room was neatly organized with worktables and shelves. A bank of kilns stood against the outside wall.

“Did you think I was the one firing at you?” he asked.

She turned to regard him. “Were you?”

Alex sighed. “If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead, Nicki.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“Nicki!”

“You’re the only one around here I’ve seen holding a gun, Alex.”

“What about the person you saw the other night?”

Her eyes darted away.

“Tell me what’s going on, Nicki.”

“You tell me. You’re the one with the gun.”

“Forget the gun, will you?” Exasperated, he glared at her.

The scream of an approaching siren halted her response. Alex swore softly. If Osher caught him in here with a weapon, he wouldn’t be given a chance to explain.

“Here.” He pulled the gun from his waistband and tried to hand it to Nicki. She backed right into a shelving unit filled with bisque. One piece fell to the ground and shattered.

“I don’t want it!”

“Hide it for me. If Osher catches me with it, he’ll throw me in jail and toss away the key. I don’t have time for that right now.”

“Of course not. How inconvenient. But as it happens, I don’t want to go to jail either.”

“Nic…”

The police car came to a stop out back.

“Are you going to help me or not?”

For a second, he thought she was going to refuse. Then she took the gun gingerly, holding it by the barrel. With a glance around, she walked over to a kiln and lifted the lid. Without ceremony, set the gun inside.

“Try to remember to pull it out before you fire that kiln,” he warned. “It’ll make a heck of an explosion otherwise.”

A loud rap on the door made them both jump.

Nicki stared in consternation.

“Take it easy. Answer it,” he whispered, “but don’t mention me, okay?”

“No. It is not okay.”

He kissed her forehead. “Thanks, Nic. I owe you.” He moved past her office and into the large bathroom. Leaving the door mostly open.

“Officer Jackstone!” she greeted.

Alex relaxed. He liked Derek Jackstone. The man was a good cop.

“We got a report of more gunshots here in the alley.”

“Oh no!”

“You didn’t hear anything?”

“I just came down. I must have been in the bathroom.”

Why did he keep forgetting how spunky she was, Alex mused.

“So you didn’t see anything?” Jackstone asked.

“I’m sorry. No.”

“Okay. Stay inside, Ms. Michaels. Away from the windows. I’m going to check around. Hold off opening the store for a few minutes, all right?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Lock the door behind me.”

“I will.”

Alex heard the sound of the deadbolt being turned in place. He stepped out to meet her. “Thanks, Nicki. You okay?”

“No!” She glared at him. “What are you doing here, Alex? Why are you carrying a gun? Who was firing at me? And why?”

“I wish I knew, Nicki.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the best I can do right now. I heard the shots, but I didn’t see who was doing the shooting.”

He rubbed his eyes, more tired than he could remember being in a long time. He was getting too old to stay up all night.

“Officer Jackstone wants me to wait before I open the store.”

“I heard.”

“That means he’ll be coming back.”

“Are you worried about me, Nicki?” He took a step closer, liking the sudden nervous awareness in her eyes.

“Take your gun and go, Alex.”

He reached out to stroke a tendril of hair. Her lashes fluttered closed in reaction. Such long, pretty lashes.

“I can’t do that, Nicki. They’ll arrest me.”

She stared at him, her concern palpable. She moistened her lips, reminding him of how sweet they could taste. He could smell the faintest hint of gardenias on her skin and he took another step closer, wanting to inhale the scent of her.

Remembered passion shimmered in her eyes, stirring to life each exciting memory of how it felt to hold her, to kiss her, to touch all those hidden—

“What sort of trouble are you in, Alex?”

She stepped to one side, opening the distance between them. A distance that should be a chasm, he thought ruefully.

“Nothing that concerns you. Go ahead and get your store ready to open. Pretend I’m not here.”

“My pleasure.”

He realized his curt answer had hurt her again. He didn’t want her hurt.

Nicki swallowed hard and managed a glare. How dare he send out such mixed signals? One minute he was devouring her with his eyes and the next he acted like she didn’t mean a thing to him and never had.

“I must have been really stupid at sixteen.” It would have made a terrific exit line. Too bad she couldn’t fade to black. Instead, she walked up front where he couldn’t follow without the risk of being seen by someone outside.

Alex made a sound of frustration. Good. Did he think she’d stand by and let him toy with her emotions? She hadn’t been pining all these years for Alex Coughlin.

“Why a craft store, Nicki?” he called softly from the shadows of the hall.

“Why not a craft store?” She picked up a duster and pretended to be busy. She did not want him to know how badly she’d wanted to taste his kiss again.

“I thought you wanted to go to college and become a teacher.”

“Yeah, well, we don’t always get what we want in life, do we, Alex.”

“What happened?”

She thought about telling him it was none of his business, but decided that was childish.

“My stepmother died in a car crash. I had to leave school and come home and help Dad. Hope was only fourteen and Brent and Gavin were still in high school. Someone had to run the house while Dad ran the business.”

“I’m sorry.”

“So was I, at the time. But things worked out okay. There was a financial settlement from the accident and Dad gave each of us a share. Mine was enough to buy into Millie’s Craft Shop before Millie retired. Millie taught me what I needed to know about running the store and eventually I bought her out. So I teach crafts instead of reading. How come you didn’t go to college like you planned?”

“Who says I didn’t?”

She turned and regarded him, letting her slow perusal express what she wanted to say. Nicki would have sworn he blushed.

He crossed his legs at the ankles and leaned against the wall. It bothered her that he could look so sexy and so at ease when she was so desperately aware of him on every level.

“Life may not have turned out like either of us thought it would,” he said, “but you could still go to school now.”

“So could you.”

“Nicki…” he sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

Alex had great hair. She remembered how much she’d liked running her fingers through his thick waves.

“You’re still very beautiful,” he told her.

The unexpected compliment left her speechless. Especially since he sounded so sincere. His eyes watched her with a hooded expression as he tucked a thumb into the waistband of his jeans.

“Do you ever think about us?”

The slow drawl of his voice sent remembered shivers of awareness skittering along her nerves.

“No.” The lie tripped off her tongue. He tipped his head to the side in an expression that clearly said he didn’t believe her.

“I have. More than once. You were the only good memory I took with me when I left Fools Point.”

Before she could reply, someone hammered on the rear door. Alex slipped inside the bathroom without a word.

Nicki opened the back door, expecting Officer Jackstone, and came face to face with Thad Osher.

“Ms. Michaels.”

Nicki squelched a shudder of distaste.

“Are you going to let me come in?”

If only she could say no. She stepped aside and Osher entered, sweeping the room with a hard look. The look he gave her was just short of a leer.

“Nice.”

Nicki swallowed a retort. She wouldn’t achieve anything by baiting him. Sergeant Osher lived for conflict. She gave him silence.

Osher scowled. “Tell me what happened out back.”

“I have no idea.”

“You telling me you didn’t hear the shots?” His eyes narrowed.

“I am if you’re asking.”

“Ms. Michaels, someone fired several rounds into your building. Be hard not to hear the shots when one of ’em struck right outside your door.”

“Not if I was in the bathroom with the water running and the door closed.”

“Is that right?”

He moved closer, deliberately violating her space. His eyes dared her to move away. Though he repelled her, she lifted her chin defiantly. “Yes, that’s right. And if you put that hand on me, you’d better be preparing to take me to jail.”

Osher hesitated, his hand raised in midreach.

“Because I guarantee you, I’m going to scream bloody murder.”

He dropped his hand to his side. “Now why would you want to go and do a thing like that, Ms. Michaels?”

“Because I don’t like being touched, Sergeant.”

He squinted at her. Anger added tight lines around his mouth and eyes. He wasn’t going to take this rebuke any better than the others she’d given him on those rare occasions when their paths had crossed. Nicki only prayed that Officer Jackstone was still outside and near enough to hear her if she had to make good on her threat.

“Really? You don’t like being touched, huh?”

“I don’t like her being touched either.”

Alex’s low drawl sent her spinning around. He leaned against the wall in another negligent pose, but Nicki knew him well enough to know that Alex seethed with controlled tension.

“I especially don’t like her being touched by you,” Alex added.

“Well, well, well. Isn’t this cozy?” Osher gave her an evil glare and then turned his entire focus on Alex. “We’ve been looking for you, Coughlin.”

“Looks like you found me.”

“Yeah.” Osher drew his weapon.

Nicki’s mouth dropped open in stunned shock. “What are you doing?”

Osher didn’t look at her. “You’re under arrest, Coughlin.”

“What for?” Nicki demanded. “He didn’t do anything.”

“Suspicion of murder.” He spared Nicki another glare. “I knew there was a reason you didn’t pick him out of the lineup.”

“There was. I couldn’t identify him.”

Osher sneered. “Right. We’ve got hard evidence this time.”

“That’s not possible,” Alex said calmly.

“You shoulda’ been more careful, Coughlin. You tore your shirt on the fence the other night. We matched the fibers.”

“Even if you matched fibers, which I doubt, I could have torn my shirt at any time.” But he had started to go over the fence after the figure running away and his shirt had snagged.

“Tell it to your lawyer. That gave us enough to get a warrant to search your place today.” Osher smiled triumphantly. “And your car, which has been impounded along with your motorcycle. Bet you’ll never guess what we found.”

“Dust bunnies?”

“A gun, smart guy. One with several rounds fired. One that is the same caliber as the one used to kill Thorton Biggs. Want to take bets this will turn out to be the murder weapon?”

Alex straightened. “Not unless you planted it yourself.”

“Turn around and put your hands on the wall,” Osher snapped, suddenly all business. “You know the drill by now, Coughlin.”

Slowly, Alex turned around. Nicki watched in horror as Thad Osher walked toward him. “But, Alex didn’t do anything!” she protested.

Osher shot her a look of scorn. “I’ll deal with you later, Ms. Michaels. Aiding and abetting is—”

In that moment, Alex erupted in a blur of action. He spun around so fast, Nicki barely saw the foot that caught Osher in the chest. She flattened herself against a shelving unit as the two men grappled. It was quickly apparent that Thad Osher was outmatched. Alex brought his hand down in a blow that sent the gun spinning across the floor, almost at Nicki’s feet. Without hesitation, she kicked the weapon under the shelving unit.

The fight was over in seconds. Osher lay doubled on her floor dry-heaving while Alex ran out the front door.

Nicki hesitated. Osher groaned. A trickle of blood ran from his nose. She ran to the back door and flung it open. Officer Jackstone was talking to the woman who ran the beauty shop two doors down. Nicki motioned him urgently.

“Ms. Michaels?”

“Alex just decked Sergeant Osher.”

“What?” He pushed past her. She followed more slowly, trying to get her emotions under control. She needed to be calm while she decided what to tell them.

Osher was pushing himself to his feet and cursing loudly when she got inside.

“The bastard took my gun,” he told Derek Jackstone.

“He did not!” Immediate anger pushed caution aside. “Your gun went under that shelf over there after you dropped it. And Alex wouldn’t have touched you in the first place if you hadn’t been threatening me.”

Officer Jackstone whipped around. “Thad threatened you?”

“He was leering at me. I warned him if he touched me I’d scream. That’s when Alex came to my rescue.”

“Why you lyin’ little—”

“Shut up, Thad,” Jackstone told him.

“He pulled out his gun and said Alex was under arrest. Then he threatened me so Alex hit him.”

“He threatened you?”

“I did not!”

She glared at Osher. “You said you’d take care of me later. I took that as a threat. So did Alex.” She turned to Jackstone. “I want to press charges of illegal harassment against Sergeant Osher. I’ve had enough of his threats and sexual innuendos.”

Osher swore and took a step in her direction. Derek Jack-stone stepped between them. “Cool it, Thad.”

“She’s lying!”

“Ms. Michaels, what was Alex Coughlin doing here?”

“He came to ask me if I saw or heard anything the night of the murder. He was under the correct impression that Sergeant Osher was trying to pin the crime on him. I think Alex planned to talk to all the shopkeepers along here.”

“Probably to find out who else saw him commit the murder,” Osher said.

Nicki scowled at him. “You appear to have some sort of grudge against Alex. Alex told me he was afraid of being railroaded into jail. The way you act, I can believe it.”

“Why you little tramp.”

“Be quiet, Thad.”

“You kept pushing me to identify him in that farce of a lineup. Don’t you dare deny it,” she insisted.

Derek looked like he wanted to curse. Osher did. Volubly. “Knock it off, Thad. This is a mess.”

“She’s lying. We’ll take her in and get her to tell the truth.”

“No. We won’t.”

Osher turned on him. “In case you forgot, I outrank you.”

“I haven’t forgotten anything, but I think you have. Let’s go outside and discuss this. Now!” Jackstone bent and fished Osher’s gun out from under the shelving unit.

“What about her?”

“Ms. Michaels, I have to ask that you remain here in town.”

“I have a business to run. I’m not going anywhere. But I meant what I said about pressing charges. I’m tired of being harassed by this man.”

Osher started to say something nasty, but Jackstone held up both hands. “Okay. Both of you calm down. I’ll return and take your statement later, Ms. Michaels. Let’s go outside, Thad.”

Thad did, cursing all the way. The glower he cast her way sent alarm racing through her. She’d just made a deadly enemy.

Nicki locked the door behind them, then collapsed in a chair, suddenly so cold she shivered. Maybe she’d made matters worse for herself, but at least she’d given Alex time to get away.

Was it the past, raging hormones, or sheer stupidity that made her want to believe Alex had nothing to do with the murder? Maybe it was just that she disliked Thad Osher so much she found it easy to believe the opposite of anything he said.

Osher could have planted the murder weapon in Alex’s car as Alex alleged, but that would make Osher the murderer. While Nicki could well believe the hotheaded officer might shoot someone, it seemed to her that if he did, he’d pretend it happened in the line of duty.

Still, there was a curious kind of logic if she assumed Thad Osher had killed Thorton Biggs for some reason known only to the two of them. Did she dare suggest this to Officer Jackstone?

No. She couldn’t. She’d told them that she’d seen the murder. Thad Osher was blond, not dark haired. To tell the truth now, she’d have to admit she lied earlier about witnessing the crime. That meant she’d have to tell Officer Jackstone about Ilona.

Oh, why had she agreed to cover for her friend? Stupid. Look where it had gotten her. Ilona was someplace hiding from her boyfriend and as a result, a murderer might go free.

Nicki suddenly sat up straighter. Ilona had said her boyfriend was a cop. A married cop. Thad Osher was married. And even though Nicki thought he was a creep, he wasn’t a bad-looking creep. What if he was Ilona’s cop? And what if Ilona had seen Thad Osher kill Thorton Biggs? That would explain her fear and her refusal to come forward with what she’d seen.

The more Nicki thought about the idea, the more she liked it. But that still left her with a major problem. How could she tell anyone what she suspected?