Scarlet Falls: Hour of Need Part 1

Scarlet Falls.

Hour of Need.

Leigh, Melinda.

To Charlie.

My best friend and so much more for the last twenty years.

Chapter One.

Friday 9:00 p.m.

Tonight's celebration felt as hollow as Lee's confidence. Anniversaries were a big deal, especially this one. A little more than a year ago, Lee hadn't thought he and Kate would make it to their ten-year milestone. He should be happier, but he couldn't shake the nag of betrayal.

He should have told her.

Actually, he should have discussed the situation with her before committing. Her stake in the outcome was as large as his, but this wasn't the first decision he'd made solo.

The raw March wind whipped across the stucco facade of La Cusina. Stepping down from the brick stoop of the Italian restaurant to the sidewalk, Lee steered his wife around a patch of ice on the asphalt. Her high heels were s.e.xy but precarious on the slippery spots. Although he probably shouldn't worry. As a former nationally ranked figure skater turned coach, Kate spent as much time on ice as on solid ground. They walked past the bank and the bakery, both closed.

"Maybe next year we can do more than dinner for our anniversary. Wouldn't a cruise be perfect? Aruba, Jamaica . . ." He hummed the first line of the Beach Boys' "Kokomo."

"I'm happy to get out to dinner." Kate leaned closer, using his larger body to block the wind. Spring didn't come early in upstate New York. "How many times have we had dinner out since Faith was born? Oh, yeah. None. If Carson had been this difficult, he'd be an only child."

Their six-year-old had been born easygoing.

"It's her elaborate plan to weaken us into submission so we'll give her anything she wants." Their sweet four-month-old turned into a wailing banshee when the sun set. But they both knew the baby wasn't the only reason they hadn't had a date night lately.

"Sleep deprivation is an established form of psychological torture." Despite her banter, Kate's laugh sounded forced, as if she was just going through the motions of tonight's celebration.

Lee's chicken marsala took a quick spin in his gut. Kate had been quiet all night. Was she simply worried about the baby or was she unhappy for some other reason? He'd logged too many billable hours these last few weeks. They'd barely seen each other. Paranoia dug its fingernails into his heart. He didn't want to lose his wife. Those nights he'd slept in the guest room eighteen months ago were the loneliest of his life. He'd been isolated. Kate wasn't just his wife. She was his best friend.

They turned the corner and set off down the side street where he'd parked the car. Mature trees lined the quiet lane, their branches hanging over the sidewalk. On a bright summer day, the shady canopy was quaint, but on a frigid and dark night, the added shadows shifting with the wind were unwelcome. Lee tripped over a slab of concrete pushed above the sidewalk by shallow tree roots. Kate caught his arm and held on until he sorted his feet under his body. Typical. Even handicapped by three-inch heels, his athletic wife was his supporter.

"Thank G.o.d for Julia." Kate reached into her pocket, pulled out her cell phone, and glanced at the display. In her other gloved hand, the Styrofoam takeout box of lasagna crackled as she shifted her grip.

"Any calls?"

"No, but we'd better get home. The poor girl is probably ready to scream after a couple of hours of Faith's howling." Kate pocketed her phone.

Their teenage neighbor had been a savior as the last few months had pa.s.sed in a sleep-deprived blur.

"I know." Lee sighed. Their big night out was over. Back to the ear-splitting reality of a colicky infant, but he'd take it. Their marriage had gone through a rocky patch. They'd come through it, and if he made partner, everything would be all right. If being the key word. Their entire future rested on him being chosen for partnership, and the weight of the decision he'd made this week sat on his shoulders like an anvil. Had he let ambition ruin his marriage?

He needed to tell Kate soon about the case he'd taken. Refusing the Hamiltons hadn't been an option. He couldn't look those parents in the eye and say no, especially with his gut telling him the situation was more complicated than it appeared. After two days of inquiries into the case, he was even more disturbed. But controversy didn't necessarily translate into popularity. In a small town, there was such a thing as bad press. The lawsuit could affect his chance for partnership, and he wouldn't be the only one in the line of fire. Everyone in Scarlet Falls had a heated opinion. With the investigation centered on the rink where Kate coached, she was sure to be embroiled in the fallout.

He glanced sideways at her profile, her expression unreadable in the darkness. Would she stand by him? Without Kate's steadying presence, Lee feared he couldn't succeed.

On the bright side, a win would all but guarantee him the partnership. Frank Menendez, the new a.s.sociate, wasn't shy about lobbying for the promotion. Lee needed an edge over his ruthless compet.i.tion. The case was a gamble, but given what he'd discovered, the odds of winning were in his favor. He just had to have faith and work hard. Then everything would be all right.

He wasn't going to tell Kate tonight. She was already stressed. He hoped her tension was all about the baby and not a replay of their marital strife. Whatever it was, he wasn't going to ruin their anniversary. He was going to let his wife enjoy as much time as possible before he brought more worries crashing down on their family.

Kate patted his arm. "They'll be grown and gone before we can blink. I can't believe Carson is six already."

"If we can just get past the colic." Among other things.

"Amen. G.o.d, it's cold." Kate zipped her coat higher under her chin. "We should move somewhere warm. It's March. I'm totally over this thing called winter." A sc.r.a.ping sound diverted Lee's attention.

"Me too," he said absently. His ears strained for another odd noise. The wind blew. Clattering, winter-bare tree branches waved overhead.

Head bowed against a sharp gust, Kate quickened her steps. Lee grabbed her arm and pulled her to a halt.

"What's wrong?" She turned to him, the question furrowing her brow.

"I don't know." He scanned the dark street. A dozen vehicles were strung out along the snow-edged curb. The restaurant rode the edge of the commercial section of their quiet, boring town. The other businesses along this side street had closed hours ago. A block ahead, the neighborhood turned residential. The thin air smelled faintly of garlic, wood smoke, and snow.

There was absolutely no reason for the unease brewing in his gut. "Something's wrong."

Kate lifted her head. "The streetlight is out."

"I guess that's it."

They started forward again. Kate slipped, and Lee wrapped a steadying arm around her.

A man stepped out from behind a truck and headed up the sidewalk in their direction. Work boots, jeans, and a black leather jacket were normal attire. Even the baseball cap that shadowed his face was ordinary. But something about the man's posture put Lee on edge. There was readiness in the set of his shoulders, unnatural purpose in the cadence of his stride, and though the man wasn't staring at them, Lee could feel the energy of his focus.

He pushed Kate behind him and veered into the street. They'd cross and continue on the opposite sidewalk. Their car was barely twenty feet away. Lee pulled out his keys, planning to get Kate locked into the vehicle and then deal with the man if necessary.

But the man stepped into the street and cut off their path. He raised his hand. Lee's attention locked on a semiautomatic handgun, the barrel elongated by a silencer. Pointed at Lee and Kate, the muzzle yawned as large as a manhole cover.

"Wallet, keys, purse." Gloved fingers curled in a gimme gesture.

Lee dug his wallet and keys out of his pockets. He reached back, took Kate's handbag, and handed the items over. The man lowered the gun to tuck the purse under his arm and pocket the small items. Lee breathed. Being robbed sucked, but it was the best possible outcome of this scenario.

The gun came up again. Shocked, Lee froze. Moonlight glinted on metal as the muzzle flashed. The bullet tore through his skull with a searing blast of agony. Then his brain disconnected from his body. His knees buckled, and he did a slow-motion face-plant on the frozen blacktop. Liquid dripped into his eyes, obscuring his vision. But he felt nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not the pain from the wound. Not the warmth of the blood flowing into his eyes. The patch of ice beneath his cheek should have been cold. Kate's screams sounded far away, though he knew she stood just two feet behind him.

The gunman said something to Kate, but the ringing in Lee's ears drowned out the words. He strained to hear.

"Stop screaming and answer me," the man said.

But Kate couldn't stop. If anything, her shrieks grew louder, the pitch rising with hysteria, and then faltering with sobs. Lee tried to lift his head to see what was happening, but his muscles wouldn't respond to his commands.

His gaze fixed on a pair of tan work boots. Blood speckled the toe. He moved his eyes. Kate dropped to her knees beside him. The takeout box hit the street. Lasagna spilled out, tomato sauce staining the roadside slush red. No, Kate. Run, was what he wanted to say, but nothing came out of his mouth. Paralyzed, he was unable to react, unable to protect his wife.

Clack psst. The second shot sounded like a pneumatic nail gun firing. Only Lee's eyelids could flinch. In his peripheral vision he saw his wife collapse across his legs like a marionette with snipped strings. Grief crushed his heart.

Kate. I love you.

What had he done?

Ellie smoothed joint compound over the patch in the drywall. Her living room was shaping up. The upstairs renovations were finished. Soon it would be time to tackle the ugliest kitchen ever designed. She could hardly wait. Except then she'd sell the house and move again. That was the whole point, but this was the first neighborhood she'd be sad to leave.

"Do you want some tea?" her grandmother called.

"No, thanks." Ellie stretched a kink in her neck. "What time is it?"

"Almost eleven."

Alarm slipped through Ellie. "Julia isn't back." Her fifteen-year-old daughter was babysitting for the next-door neighbors, the Barretts. Lee Barrett was also an attorney in the firm where Ellie worked as an administrative a.s.sistant.

Nan appeared in the doorway. "What time did they say they'd be home?"

"By ten."

"They're only an hour late. Maybe the restaurant was slow or they got a flat," Nan reasoned, but her voice was tinged with concern. "They could be enjoying themselves. It is their anniversary."

Ellie tossed her trowel on the drop cloth and picked up her cell phone from the top rung of the stepladder. "If they were running late, they would have called." She texted her daughter and waited three minutes. No answer. "I'm going over there."

She washed her hands and snagged her neighbor's key from the drawer. Grabbing her jacket, she went out the front door. Cold, wet wind slapped her face as she hurried across the front lawns. Hoping the dog wouldn't bark, she used the key to let herself in. The Barretts' golden retriever, AnnaBelle, raced down the hall to greet her. Footsteps approached.

In yoga pants and a sweatshirt, Julia carried the four-month-old infant into the foyer on her shoulder. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, well away from grabby baby fists. "I thought you were Mr. and Mrs. Barrett."

"They said they'd be home around ten, right?" Patting the dog, Ellie hung her jacket on the newel post.

"Right." Her daughter bounced lightly on her toes and patted the baby's back. "I was just going to call you, but Faith is getting loud. I was afraid she'd wake Carson."

"I should have come over sooner. I didn't realize how late it was." Ellie lowered her voice, not wanting to disturb the six-year-old boy sleeping upstairs. "Has Mrs. Barrett called?"

"No. I texted her twice. Mr. Barrett, too." The baby fussed and Julia walked back to the kitchen. "I'm getting worried."

Ellie called Kate and then Lee. Both lines went to voice mail. "Here, let me take her for a while."

"Thanks. There's no making her happy once night comes." Julia pa.s.sed the baby over.

"I'm sure they'll be home soon." Taking Faith, Ellie took a turn around the downstairs. She continued to walk, her anxiety growing. Lee and Kate were never late. This was the first time they'd left the baby for a night out. Ellie had expected them to come home early.

At midnight, Julia fell asleep on the sofa, and Ellie reached for the phone. Two hours was long enough. It was time to call the police. Lee and Kate could have been in an accident.

AnnaBelle's ears p.r.i.c.ked forward and the dog headed for the front of the house. Ellie followed, catching the retriever by the collar to stem any barking. She looked out the front window. A police car was parked in the driveway. An officer approached the door.

Ellie's stomach cringed as she held the dog back with her foot and opened the door. Please let them be all right.

"Is this the Barrett residence?"

Ellie swallowed, her throat dry. "Yes."

"May I come inside?"

She stepped back to give him room. The dog broke free and shoved her nose into his hand. He scratched her head absently. "Who are you, ma'am?"

"I'm Ellie Ross. I live next door." Ellie glanced up the stairs. Putting a finger to her lips, she waved the officer toward the kitchen. Behind her, his footsteps were heavy on the hardwood. Facing him in the bright light, she eyed his grim face. The worst of news was coming. Sympathy radiated from the young cop. She braced herself. "Just tell me."

He breathed it out in a quiet voice. "I'm sorry. Lee and Kate Barrett were killed a few hours ago."

"How? Car accident?"

"No, ma'am. They were shot in what appears to be a robbery."

Stunned, Ellie reached for a chair, the news weakening her knees. As soon as she sat, Faith began to cry.

Julia sat up. Her sleepy eyes misted as she met Ellie's gaze. "Mom?"

Ellie got up, wrapped her free arm around her daughter and told her what had happened.

A tearful Julia took the baby. "Should I call Nan?"

Ellie nodded. Shock blanketed her. They couldn't be dead. Not mild-mannered, dependable Lee, whose idea of risky behavior was eating runny egg yolks. And Kate. She could make Ellie laugh without saying a word. Just the other night, Kate had showed up at Ellie's front door with a bottle of wine and the need for adult conversation. She'd helped Ellie patch wallboard-patches Ellie had needed to redo the next night because they'd finished that bottle, but it had been worth it. She called very few people friend. Kate was special.

Ellie closed her eyes and rested her cheek on the baby's head. Her mind swam with all the events Kate and Lee would never experience with their children: first dates, first dances, graduations, weddings, grandchildren. The images overwhelmed her. She opened her eyes, just as Nan let herself into the house. Ellie couldn't fall apart. The children needed her to function.

She pa.s.sed the baby to her grandmother, then did her best to answer the officer's questions about the family. "Kate has no family close by. Lee has a brother who lives locally, plus a sister who is usually traveling and a brother deployed to Afghanistan." Ellie gave the policeman their names. "I'm sorry. I don't know their numbers. I could look in Lee's office. I haven't seen any of them in a while."

"We'll take care of it, ma'am," he said. "Child services will try to locate the local relative."

More cops showed up at the house. The noise woke Carson, who came downstairs crying. Ellie rocked him on her lap. She didn't want to tell him what happened. That kind of news was best left to family.

An hour later, a middle-aged woman bustled through the door. She took the kitchen chair opposite Ellie. "Miss Ross? I'm Dee Willis from child services. I haven't been able to reach anyone on the list you gave us. We need to talk about the children."

Ellie wrapped her arms around Carson tighter. "They can stay with me."

"I'm sorry, that's against policy," the social worker said. "You can complete a form to become an emergency foster. It'll only take a few days."

But to Carson, a few days would be forever. The little boy's silent tears soaked Ellie's shirt. Helplessness flooded her.

"Julia, please take Carson." Ellie shifted the little boy to her daughter's lap and went into the living room for privacy. Whipping out her phone, she dialed her boss. Working for an attorney had a few benefits. But Roger didn't answer his phone. d.a.m.n it. She left a message and returned to the kitchen. She gave Julia a pointed look and nodded toward the doorway. Julia carried Carson out of the room.

Ellie waited until she heard the stair treads creak before addressing the social worker. "The children know us. Can't you make an exception?"

"No, I'm sorry." Mrs. Willis's calm and businesslike voice grated on Ellie's raw nerves. "As soon as the background checks go through, you can ask the judge, but tonight, I have to take them with me."