Hour of Need (Scarlet Falls 1)

But his hands—and his determination—were shaky as he returned the photo to its hiding place.

“Now what?”

“Only one place left to look.” Grant opened the door to the bathroom. His stomach curled at the sight—and smell. The body lay on its side in the bathtub. She was nude, wrapped cocoon-style in a sheet of plastic, the seams thoroughly duct taped. Ice was piled around the shrouded body. Empty plastic bags marked ICE, the kind sold in liquor stores, littered the floor. Her features were blurred by multiple layers of plastic, but Grant could make out a slender shape, long dark hair, and one, wide-open blue eye. Another layer of anger tested his tenuous control.

Mac looked over his shoulder. “I assume that’s the cashier.”

“Seems likely.”

“Now we call the police.”

Grant’s gaze swept over the clutter of hair spray bottles and body lotion, the personal items the cashier would never use again. He glanced back at the body. What a fucking waste. “Yeah. It’s time.”

They slipped out of the trailer and returned to the car. Grant drove to the end of the street and pulled out his cell phone.

“Are you calling the cop?”

“Yes.”

Mac shook his head. “Might be best to deliver this tip anonymously.”

“Good point.” Grant circled to the front of the park, where the office squatted next to a gravel parking area. A pay phone hung on the exterior along the side of the building.

“Let’s see if this works.” Grant parked behind the office. He dug some loose change out of the ashtray. The phone was live. McNamara didn’t answer the call, and Grant left an anonymous message, though the cop might recognize his voice. He wiped his prints off the phone and went back to the car.

“Are we going to sit here and wait?”

“No.” It took all of Grant’s willpower to turn the car toward the exit and drive out of the trailer park. The urge to confront his brother’s killer seethed under Grant’s skin like bits of shrapnel, but deep down, he was afraid he’d lose control, that he’d kill Donnie before he found out who’d hired him. “I don’t want to tip off Donnie.”

“He’d definitely bolt if he saw us.”

“Hopefully, the cops will pick up Donnie, and he’ll tell them who paid him. His stuff was still in the trailer. I assume he was coming back.” But under all the civilized pretense, Grant’s heart and soul were screaming for revenge, and instinct told him that Donnie would cave faster to him than to the police. When put in just the right place, there was no better motivator than a sharp blade.

His fingers tightened on the wheel. “I hope we’re doing the right thing.”

“We are,” Mac said. “I’ve operated outside the law. It’s not a good place to be.”

“No. I imagine not.”

Mac pointed at him. “You know Lee wouldn’t want us to take risks. We can’t take care of the kids if we’re dead or in prison. Plus, if you go all apeshit and kill this guy, how will we find out who hired him?”

It seemed as if Mac was reading his mind.

“I know, but I don’t like it.” At a stop sign, Grant texted Ellie to let her know they were headed home. He could do this, but sitting back and waiting wouldn’t be easy. He’d only be able to hold back for a short time. If the police couldn’t find Donnie, Grant would go hunting.

Chapter Thirty

The hall bathroom of the Barretts’ house needed a serious renovation. Ellie attempted to duplicate an intricate braid in her daughter’s hair, but her mind was redesigning the space.

Could the cast-iron claw-foot tub be restored? The answer depended on how deep the rust had eroded into the finish, but it was a lovely, elegant fixture. The clunky vanity had to go. A pair of pedestal sinks would fit the house far better.

Julia sat in front of her in a desk chair they’d dragged in from the guest room. On an iPad propped on the vanity, a girl demonstrated the hairstyle Julia wanted for her skating routine at the winter carnival.

“If I don’t make practice tonight, I can’t perform in the show. Coach Victor said so.”

“I know.” Ellie folded one piece of hair over another and pulled the strands tight. “I’ll do my best to get you there. Major Barrett said he’d take us later as long as he gets home in time.”

“I like him, even if he did get me and Taylor in trouble.”

“Major Barrett did not get you in trouble. You got you in trouble.” Ellie missed a step with her hairdo and had to backtrack. She unwound two sections, rewound the video, and did it again. Better. Disheveled hair was a no-no on the ice. “What you did was dangerous. What did you expect him to do?”

“I don’t know.” Julia lifted her shoulders.

“Hold still.” Ellie wove and tucked hair, but panic was inching up her esophagus as she thought of Julia sneaking out of the house while Donnie Ehrlich was after her.

“You’re mad.”

“I’m not mad.” Ellie fastened the end of the braid with an elastic band and bobby pinned it into place. “I’m scared. It’s my job to protect you. I can’t do that if you sneak out in the middle of the night. What if that man was watching and waiting for you?”

“I didn’t know about him,” Julia protested.

“No. You had no idea who was out there, but now you do. Close your eyes.” Ellie gave Julia’s hair a good blast of hair spray. She picked up a hand mirror and showed Julia the back of her head. The braid was twisted around and woven into a bun. “What do you think?”

Julia smiled. “It’s pretty. I hope it holds up during practice.”

“That’s why we’re giving it a dry run.” Ellie set the mirror down and stopped the video. “Look, I know I’ve been strict with you. When this is all over, I’ll take the time to get to know Taylor.”

“You’ll let me go out with him?”

“I’m not making any promises. Maybe we’ll start with him coming to our house. He will need to be driving a safe vehicle. I’m sure I’ll have other conditions when I have a chance to really think things through, but yes. Your sixteenth birthday is coming up. I think it’s time.”

“How many conditions?”

“I’ll try to be reasonable and balance my sanity with your safety. But you have to promise you’ll never try to sneak out again.”

“Deal.” Julia stood up and hugged her. Ellie closed her eyes and enjoyed the embrace. With every year that passed in her daughter’s life, hugs became scarcer.

“Now go run around and see how that braid holds up.”

“I promised Carson a game of Candy Land.”

“Thank you for helping out with the kids,” Ellie said. “I know Major Barrett appreciates you pitching in.”

“I like Carson.”

“He likes you, too.”

Julia bounced out into the hallway. How she could be that happy when the man who’d chased her was still on the loose, Ellie had no idea. She tidied up the bathroom, then went to the room she and Julia were sharing. Carson’s and Julia’s voices floated down the hall, childish, innocent, sweet. Who could want to hurt either one of them? A text came in on her phone. Grant was on his way. She ignored the pleasure that knowledge gave her. This was not his home or hers. He would be leaving again in a few weeks, and he didn’t know when he could come back.

Images of their brief and intense lovemaking seared her mind. She’d been near desperate to have him, to connect with him as a physical expression of the feelings she wasn’t ready to acknowledge. But whether she was ready to admit it or not, the possibility of love hovered around her heart.

Her phone vibrated in her hand. A call, not a text. The number on the screen belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton. She closed the bedroom door for privacy and stabbed the green Answer button. “Hello.”

“Is this Ellie Ross?” a woman’s voice asked.

“Yes.”

“This is Aubrey Hamilton.”

“Mrs. Hamilton. Thank you for returning my call.”

“Frankly, I’m disappointed it took your firm this long to contact us.” Mrs. Hamilton’s tone carried her annoyance.

“About that.” Guilt nagged Ellie. Hoping the woman wouldn’t hang up, she said, “this call isn’t exactly about firm business.”

“Excuse me? I don’t understand. We’ve been waiting for a call back from Mr. Peyton. That’s not what you’re calling about?”

“No. I’m sorry. But I need to speak with you. Can we meet? I’d rather explain in person.”

“All right,” Mrs. Hamilton said. “I think it would be better to do this in private. Do you want to come to me or shall I come to you?”

Ellie did not want anyone to come to the house. “Are the media still outside your house?”

“No. Our daughter’s case is no longer exciting news. The press gave up their vigilance when the police declared there wasn’t enough evidence to file charges.” Mrs. Hamilton sounded bitter. “They jumped on that interview, but only because bullying is such a hot-button topic.”