Page 7 of Jenna's Threatened Sanctuary

Calvin waved then maneuvered around the cluster of officers and cluttered desks to the front of the building. He pushed open the front door with more force than necessary, inhaling a deep breath of fresh air as he stepped outside.

Wind blasted against him, and he pulled the ends of his black leather jacket together and huddled against the cool breeze. Worry coiled in his core. He trusted the police could do their job well, but Jenna didn’t deserve to be dragged through the mud while they figured out what had happened to her sister. Maybe he could poke around a little. Figure out what details the police were chasing and find a way to clear Jenna’s name.

No, working with Jenna to uncover what happened to Stella was out of the question. Being with her, learning about what her life was like now, was more than he could stomach. He needed to put this entire morning behind him. Dive into something new and get his mind far away from Jenna Simon. The truth would come out sooner or later. Jenna would be fine.

A white gazebo sat in the middle of the town square. He took a minute to appreciate it. Appreciate the well-kept grounds filled with marble benches and elegant lampposts that belonged in a cheesy movie. The trees had started to turn, the leaves a brilliant display of colors. The outline of the Smoky Mountains reigning supreme in the background.

A small smile cracked through his gruff expression. This was what he needed. To take a second and find the pleasures in the simple things around him. Not get caught up in someone else’s disaster. With a little less anger in his stride, he hurried toward his truck.

Making the turn away from the square, he quickened his pace and shoved his hand in his jacket pocket for his keys. He’d wasted enough energy on Jenna. He needed to toss her in the far corner of his mind just like before. Better to forget her.

His truck came into view, and he stopped, confused at what he saw. The corner dipped down in the front, setting him on high alert. He approached slowly, scanning the area for anyone lingering nearby. When no one stood out, he stalked to the front bumper and adrenaline zipped through his veins.

He crouched with his hands at his sides so he wouldn’t touch the small piece of paper trapped against his tire with some sort of knife, the wheel flat. Three words were scrawled across the white space.

Leave it alone.

4

Anger tightened Calvin’s dry throat, and he yanked his phone from his pocket. He snapped pictures of the note then called 911. When the dispatcher answered, he said, “I need an officer on Elm Street, just south of the square. Send Officer Cruz Sawyer if you can. I think the incident is related to the Simon murder.”

“Yes, sir. Are you hurt?”

The only thing hurt was his pride. If he’d been more aware, he wouldn’t have been caught off guard. “I’m fine. Just send someone quick.”

Disconnecting, he searched through his recent calls to find Jenna’s number. He pressed CALL then lifted the phone to his ear. If someone was trying to send him a message, Jenna could be next. As much as his head told him to stay away, he couldn’t help but reach out to make sure she was all right.

“Hello?”

The smooth and familiar cadence of her voice calmed his frayed nerves. And as much as it helped him, it pissed him off. “It’s Calvin. Where are you?”

“Just left the hospital. What’s wrong?”

Returning his keys to his jacket pocket, he used his free hand to rub his collar bone. “I just left the police station in Pine Valley. Someone used some kind of knife to stick a note to my tire. I think it’s one of those surgical knives. I’m going to send you a picture to see if you can verify.”

“Okay,” Jenna said.

He pushed a few buttons then put the phone back to his ear. “You should get it in a second.”

A beat of silence passed before the sound of Jenna sucking in a sharp breath rattled in his ear. “That’s a scalpel. Stella’s throat was slit by a scalpel, Calvin. My boss just told me.”

All the air left his lungs, and he bent over at the waist as if he’d been punched in the gut. “Sonofabitch.”

“Where are you?”

“Parked on Elm Street, right off the square. Maybe someone caught something on a security camera.” He glanced around at the houses lining the street and searched for any cameras close by.

The hum of an approaching engine rang in his ears. An SUV sped toward him, screeching to a halt to park at the side of the road. He squinted to make out the driver of the vehicle before she jumped out of the driver’s seat.

“Jenna?” He’d avoided her for so long only to come face to face with his ex twice in one morning.

Jenna rushed toward him, the wind whipping the ends of her dark hair around her face. Her lips pulled down in a deep frown and a hint of terror clouded her blue eyes.

“What are you doing here?” He couldn’t squash the tiny thrill that screamed inside him at seeing the worry lines wrinkling her forehead.

Worry for him.

She reached out, letting her hand hang awkwardly for a minute before shoving it in her jean’s pockets. “I was close and wanted to make sure you were all right.”

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