Rickhesitated before nodding, as he adjusted his glasses. “Ye're right. I was onlyaskin'.”
All ofthe nerves in my bodyexploded as I hurried down the hall. Every emotion I had ever felt was alivenow, fueling every step I took as I ran down the stairs. Anger, excitement,sadness, heartbreak … they all fought for center stage, while I grabbed myjacket from a chair in the foyer and pushed my arms through the sleeves. Rickwas right behind me, retrieving his car keys from a table by the front window,when the sound of a car door slamming shut resounded through the quiet night. Iturned at the sound and looked at Rick, frozen with the keys dangling from hisfingers.
“Whois that?”
Heshook his head at the silly question. Of course, he didn't know, as he pulledback the curtains and peered outside.
“Idinnaeken,” he said, squinting into the darkness.“Hit the light over there, will ye, please?”
Ireached for the switch beside the door, to turn on the stoop light, andinstantaneously, the windows were brightened in an ethereal glow. I went topeer through another window when Rick's audible swallow caught my attention.
“Yesaid Constable Sharp called.”
“Yeah,”I replied, nodding. “He wants me to come down to the station.”
“Right,”he said, quickly closing the curtain. “Then, why is hestandin’outside?”
Thatcurious inkling of knowing something wasn't right pinged at my gut as I shookmy head. “I don't know. He said he would send someone to pick me up,but,” I swallowed, as that little ping turned quickly intonausea, “he doesn't know I'm here.”
Knock,knock, knock.
Neitherof us rushed to answer it, as we stared at the solid slab of wood. I turned toRick, expecting a man of his nature to be more nervous and scared but wassurprised to find him sturdy as stone. I was grateful for that, as my handsbegan to shake once the cop behind the door spoke.
“Rick?Are ye in there, lad?”
Rickturned and gestured for me to leave the room. I hurried through the kitchen andinto the living room, where I closed the door and pressed my ear to it. Mynerves calmed a little, as I reasoned that Constable Sharp hadn't specificallysaidhewould meet me at the station. Just like River Canyon, Fort Crowwas a small town, where I expected everybody knew everyone, and it seemedpossible that Constable Sharp had simply needed Rick for something completelyunrelated. Then, as I listened to the heavy front door opening and thebeginning of casual conversation, my nerves disappeared entirely.
“Sorryto come so late,” Constable Sharp said, his voice booming and friendly. “Iwanted to talk to ye aboutsomethin'.”
Ricklaughed easily. “Yecouldaesent a message, mate.”
“Ah,well,y'know, I was on my way home and thought I'dsee if ye were about.”
“Yecaught me at a good time, then,” Rick replied. “I was just about to run outsideand grabsomethin' from the car. Forgot my mobile.”
Sharpchuckled. “Good thing Ididnaering ye, then.”
Myattention on the conversation dwindled as my phone began to chime. The cheerfulmelody startled me, and I dove quickly into my pocket to retrieve it and shutit up, when I saw Alec's number on the screen.
Movingaway from the door, I answered the phone and put it to my ear, then whispered,“Hey, I heard you got—”
“R-R-Ro-Rosie,are ye atth-th-the h-h-hou-house?”
Hisstuttering was enough to stir my calmed nerves into a full-blown panic, as Ireplied, “Y-yes, why?”
“W-wherei-i-is Rick?”
“Uh,he's in the foyer, talking to—”
“T-t-talkn' towh-wh-who-who?!”
“Um,ConstableSh-Sharp,” I whispered meekly, aware now ofhow suddenly quiet the house had become.
“R-Rosie,l-l-li-listen—”
Aloud crack of thunderous noise came from outside the closed living room door.My brain raced with questions of what it could have been, whether a door wasslammed, or if it could be gunfire, as my heart raced frantically, and myentire body began to shake.
“W-w-w-whatwasth-that?!”
