Presumed Guilty. Dana R. Lynn
being aware of it. That habit had gotten her into trouble more than once.
It took them a while to find the exact apartment complex. Some of the buildings were so old and poorly maintained that the apartment numbers had long ago vanished. Negligent landlords had failed to replace them. It was just starting to mist when they finally pulled into the parking lot. Melanie grimaced before exiting the vehicle to join Jace. It wasn’t that she minded the rain. She loved the rain. What she didn’t love was being cold. Who knew how long it would be before she could change into dry clothes?
A snort made her look at her companion. The sardonic twist of his lips told her clearly he knew what she was thinking.
“Deal with it, Melanie. I need you to stay with me.”
Melanie stuck her tongue out as she followed him. Childish. But it made her feel better.
They knocked on Alayna’s door without success. Five minutes later, all levity vanished. An older woman in curlers came out to watch.
“You won’t get an answer,” she mentioned casually.
“Oh?” Jace gave her a professional smile. One that gave nothing away.
“Nah, haven’t seen her around in a week. Super’s getting steamed. She owes him rent.” Her voice rang with relish.
Jace went and got the landlord to let them into the apartment. As soon as the door opened, the stench hit them like a wave. The gag reflex was immediate. Without being told, Melanie knew what they would find.
As it swung inward, she looked inside, then bolted to the stairwell, retching and gasping.
Jace found her there a few minutes later.
“Was that her?” she whimpered.
His face pale and grim, he nodded.
“How?”
He hesitated. “Stabbed. Several times. Come on. The air is fresher outside. I need to call for backup.” It would be the second time that day. Quite a record for a small town in rural Pennsylvania.
* * *
Melanie was waiting for Jace forty-five minutes later when loud footsteps alerted her that someone was coming toward her. She knew it wasn’t Jace. His footsteps were quieter. Brisker. Jace did everything with purpose. These footsteps sounded as though whoever was coming over was stomping. Almost as if he were angry.
She turned her head as another lieutenant approached her. Yep. He looked angry. He had a sneer on his face. Uh-oh. She could sense trouble. Where was Jace?
“So, Miss Melanie Swanson. Funny finding you at yet another crime scene.” Contempt dripped from his voice.
“I had nothing to do with this.”
He curled his lip and gave her the once-over, making her skin crawl.
“I just think it’s odd that one of the jurors who put you behind bars is dead, and you just happen to be the one to find her.” He narrowed his eyes at her, challenging her.
Lord Jesus, please not again, she prayed. I don’t have the strength to do this again.
“Leave her alone, Dan.” Jace approached them, focusing his ice-blue eyes on the younger lieutenant. “I’m the one who found the body, not her. And she was nowhere near here when Miss Brown was murdered.”
The lieutenant reddened, flashing an angry stare at Mel.
“She could’ve still been involved. You know things like that happen.”
Jace scoffed. “Do you really think someone who’s smart enough to pull off an inside job would be dumb enough to show up at the crime scene?”
“I still say it’s suspicious.”
“I know you’ve only been with us for a couple of months, Lieutenant Willis, but you need to understand how things are done here. We don’t harass civilians, no matter what they have in their past. I don’t care what they would have done in Pittsburgh.”
Dan’s face hardened into an ugly mask. “At least in Pittsburgh we don’t let known criminals tag along on investigations.”
Jace narrowed his cold eyes at the belligerent man. “Have you got a problem with me, Lieutenant? Because I can send you back to the station for desk duty anytime you want.”
Dan straightened.
“No, sir.”
“Glad to hear it. Now, we need to process this crime scene with objectivity. If you can’t handle that, I’ll have the chief send me someone who can.” Jace folded his arms and waited. His stance made it plain to all that he meant what he said.
Dan lowered his eyes. “Yes, sir. I mean. I can do it, sir.”
“Good.” Jace nodded briskly. “I want you to return to the scene and start interviewing other residents. Find out if anyone saw or heard anything. The apartment was trashed, like a robbery gone bad, but I’m not buying it.”
Dan turned to follow his orders. Before he walked away, he glared at Melanie. She shivered at the sheer malevolence in his stare.
With very real fear, she knew that things had gotten a whole lot worse.
Jace pulled the cruiser into the driveway of Sarah Swanson’s house and shut off the engine. The silence surrounding them was eerie. The day had started out cold and wet. Now that it was late afternoon, the wind had picked up with a definite bite. The landscape that had appeared so peaceful and charming just hours before now took on a sinister look as the sun lowered and the shadows lengthened. Tension shimmered in the air between Jace and Melanie, the day’s events hanging heavy in their minds.
Jace turned to face Melanie. He frowned. Even though the light was fading, he could see that her face was pale and drawn. She had proved herself to be stronger than her fragile appearance suggested, but the rough day she’d experienced had to be taking its toll. Unbidden, the image of her using her inhaler that morning popped into his head.
“I don’t like this.” His fierce words shattered the silence. Melanie’s eyes snapped to his, surprise in their depths.
“Don’t like what?” she queried anxiously.
His eyes narrowed as he surveyed their surroundings with suspicion. He blew out a fierce breath. Though he could see nothing worrisome, his instincts told him to be careful.
“I don’t like leaving you here alone. This house is completely isolated. Anything could happen and no one would know.” He threw a concerned glance her way. “Come back to town with me. We’ll put you up in a hotel room for the night.”
She was already shaking her head. He should have known this wouldn’t be easy.
“I know you mean well, but I can’t go into town. All those people watching me, judging me as if they know me. I couldn’t stand it, Jace.” Melanie looked down at her lap. Jace couldn’t be sure, but he thought there were tears in her eyes. He could hear them in her trembling voice.
“Melanie, please be sensible,” he reasoned. “Someone dangerous is out to get you. One juror is dead, and your aunt came this close to sharing her fate.”
A strangled sound escaped from her quivering lips. It might have been a muffled sob. Jace peered closer at her face. His chest tightened when he saw a single tear trace down her pale cheek. It shimmered in the waning light.
“I so wanted to believe that what happened to Aunt Sarah was an accident.”
“You know it wasn’t, though, right?”
She nodded slowly. Then stiffened. Her eyes flew to his, wide with horror.
“Jace,” she gasped, “people will think I tried