Sound of Darkness

Colleen couldn’t help thinking about the tragedy that had marred his life. But she knew he wouldn’t want her pity, or even her condolences at this point. Maybe one day she could talk to him and tell him how very sorry she was.

“Have you moved?” Mark asked him.

Ragnar grinned. “Yes, I’ve checked in with both couples. They decided to release Dierdre in the morning rather than tonight, and I think they’ll release Sally the day after tomorrow. From what I gleaned from the doctor, both are doing well physically. However, he strongly suggested therapy for both women, and I concur.”

“Never hurts that I know of,” Mark said. He grimaced to Colleen. “Ragnar and I have been through it. We need to be cleared anytime we fire a weapon.”

“And you’ve learned how to do therapy—without making yourselves look crazier than it’s suspected you might be?”

“Huh?” Ragnar and Mark said together.

She laughed softly. “You don’t explain a dead man’s spirit told you how to find someone, I take it?”

“No,” Mark said. “Right, got it. But I think we all learn how to talk around the truth—once we’ve been stared at or called crazy a few times.”

She glanced at the screens. Little had changed in the hours she and Mark had been gone.

Both men were seated at the hospital bedsides.

Both were holding the hands of their loved ones.

“Have they moved at all?” Mark asked Ragnar.

“Yep. But not far. Gary gobbled some food down in the cafeteria. Brant picked up a sandwich and brought it back with him to Sally’s room,” Ragnar said.

“We thought you might want to run down and get something,” Colleen told him.

“And I’m assuming you have someone coming in?”

“Axel Tiger.”

“Great. But if you want—” Mark said.

Ragnar shook his head. “Go. Axel will be here soon. By the way—anything today?”

Mark gritted his teeth with aggravation. “Carver was...totally evil. He pulled all kinds of crass sexual innuendo on Colleen.”

“Pig,” Ragnar muttered.

“We decided that would be an insult to swine,” Colleen told him. “He was obnoxious.”

“But Colleen handled him,” Mark said. “And,” he added, “her conversation with him did prove to me, beyond a doubt, he was the one who killed Emily and Lainie. But I still don’t think he was the one who kidnapped and buried Dierdre Ayers.”

Ragnar nodded. “I pulled some paperwork, and I talked to Mr. and Mrs. Ayers when they were here. I got them talking about the ex-boyfriend they didn’t like who managed to make Gary Boynton look like the last Boy Scout. His name is Vince Monroe. He’s a musician—unemployed half the time. He is working now, though. Has a gig in a club called A Little Night Music near the Smithsonian.” He swung around to the computer and brought up a social media page. “He calls himself ‘The Second Piano Man,’ in reference to Billy Joel, I imagine. Anyway, I’ve left a message on his voice mail—a nice friendly one—telling him that we need to speak with him.”

Colleen leaned around Mark to study the computer screen. Vince Monroe’s profile picture showed him holding his guitar and smiling. He had a really nice headful of dirty blond hair, friendly brown eyes, and a great smile.

She realized she was leaning against Mark. And he wasn’t protesting. Of course, that would be rude on his part. She also realized she liked leaning there. And she also liked the scent of his soap and himself and the fabric she leaned against.

She straightened quickly. As she did, her eyes met his. And she knew he knew that...she’d felt something. There was amusement in his glance.

But something else too, she thought. And she couldn’t help but wonder if their initial friction was turning into something else.

“No reply yet, I take it?” Mark asked Ragnar.

Ragnar shook his head.

Mark turned to Colleen. “Change of plans for the night? Want to go clubbing?”

“Sure.” She already had her phone out, looking up the club. “Hey,” she told him, “it looks good. I just read a few of the reviews on the club. ‘Great food and the perfect entertainment. You can sit and have a nice meal without being drowned out.’”

“So, no heavy metal concerts, huh?” Ragnar asked.

“There’s nothing wrong with a heavy metal concert,” Mark said, smiling. “Except when you’re trying to enjoy date night or a night out to catch up with a few friends. Sounds good. Are we all going?”

Ragnar shook his head. “I’m going to hang out until reinforcements arrive. Then, I’m going to sleep. Happy you two are headed out. But hey, maybe leave Red with me. You won’t look so much like a pair of cops without the dog. No offense, but the two of you scream law enforcement when you’ve got Red with his tags.”