No, that was me. I was an idiot for you!
“Look, Sean, I’m busy. Is there something you wanted?” she asked as she heard something on the police band that caught her attention. Some units had been sent to a location on Heritage Road. It didn’t sound like an accident.
“I thought we could get together.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Nikki, I need to see you.”
“Now?” She couldn’t believe her ears. Sean was the one who had wanted out, the one who hadn’t been happy in the relationship. He’d peddled her some crap about her not being his “soul mate,” whatever that meant.
“What about tonight?”
“I can’t.”
“Tomorrow?”
“I…I don’t know.” There had been a time when she would have reveled in hearing him utter just those words. But that had been a while back. “I don’t think so.”
“Nikki.” His voice was low. The timbre the same she remembered. Deep. Sexy. Nearly guttural. “You’re avoiding me.”
“You’re right. Wait a minute,” she added, thinking about the note she’d found in her bed. “Do you still have a key to my apartment.”
“Maybe.” He was teasing her now. Flirting. Oh, for God’s sake.
“I’m serious, Sean.”
“No, babe, you made me give it back, remember?”
Vaguely she remembered him removing the key from the ring that held his own set. They’d been in his old “classic” Jaguar and she’d been fighting not to break down.
“That’s right. But you could have made a copy.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Why do you do anything.”
“Low blow, Gillette.”
“So I’m not ‘babe’ anymore? Good.” More police cars were being directed to Heritage Road. She caught the address, held the phone with her shoulder and found her city map from the overflowing glove box. “I don’t have time for this now,” she said and hung up. Who the hell did he think he was, anyway? He was the one who had dumped her. And now she should drop everything for him?
No way!
But there had been a desperate tone to his voice…Oh, God, he probably wanted money. He already owed her fifteen hundred dollars. He wasn’t going to get another dime.
She thought about the night before. The note in her bed. The note on her car…Could Sean have left them? It really wasn’t his style…and yet…“Don’t think about it now,” she scolded. She couldn’t afford to waste another minute on a free spirit who, she’d learned later, had also been a smalltime hood.
At the next light she stopped and checked the map. Oh, God. Her heart thudded. The address was for Heritage Cemetery. She felt a zing of anticipation.
No doubt the Grave Robber had struck again.
A loud honk alerted her that the light had turned green. She didn’t hesitate, but turned a corner and headed out of town.
Toward her next cover story.
CHAPTER 10
Reed stared down at the open coffin. Not one body, but two were crammed into it. Just like before. Only the naked, bruised body on top was that of an old woman, the one below decomposed, but from the clothing that remained—a man’s dark suit—and from the tufts of gray hair still visible, Reed guessed the other occupant was Thomas Massey.