Page 89 of So Right
What the hell had happened? Was this why Kelsey had seemed agitated? Why she’d ignored him last night? He needed to talk to her. Pulling out his phone again, he saw that she still hadn’t responded.Dammit.
He stood up and looked toward the path, where a jogger was running along the water, about to turn uphill toward the parking lot. He nodded in greeting at Luke.
Well, now he had to call the police.
Not that he wouldn’t have, but he’d really hoped to talk to Kelsey first.
Luke dialed 911 and reported what he’d found. What had happened here last night? Suddenly, Kelsey’s odd behavior that morning took on a sinister tone. He didn’t for a moment think she’d killed Noah on purpose. She wasn’t a murderer. If shewasinvolved, Luke knew it had to have been self-defense.
The sound of sirens filled the air as Ribbon Ridge’s police showed up, followed by a county deputy. Luke waved at them from the riverbank, and three officers came down to survey the scene.
Things happened very quickly then as the cops talked on their radios. An officer from Ribbon Ridge spoke to Luke and took notes. “So you knew this guy?” he asked Luke.
Luke nodded. “Yes. I mean, not really. He’s my girlfriend’s ex. He came into The Arch and Vine last night. She has a restraining order against him, and I’m pretty sure his being here violates his parole. He just got out of prison a few weeks ago.”
“I see. This sounds familiar. You called the police last night?”
“Not me. My brother’s fiancé.”
“What happened at the pub last night?”
Shit.They already knew Luke had decked Noah. That wasn’t going to look good. “He got too close to Kelsey—he touched her, actually. I, uh, I hit him.” His knuckles twitched. “He left shortly after.”
“Right. Okay, well, I think we’re good for now. Don’t go too far. I’m sure we’ll have more questions.”
Luke shook his hand. “Sure. I’m just going to head back into town.”
The officer nodded, and Luke walked up to his car. His hands shook as he dug his keys from his pocket. He quickly climbed into his Jeep and drove toward the library, hoping Kelsey’s world wasn’t about to explode.
Stella, the fifty-something owner of one of Ribbon Ridge’s coffee shops, took the book from Kelsey after she’d checked it out. “Thanks for the recommendation.”
Kelsey smiled. “I hope you like it.”
“I’ll let you know if I don’t next time you stop in for a latte.” She winked at Kelsey before turning and leaving.
Kelsey exhaled and glanced around. There were still a few people in the library, but it had been a busy day so far, and Kelsey would gratefully take a lull, even if it was just for a few minutes. After the long day at the vineyard yesterday, Kelsey had given Marci the day off. However, it was becoming clearer that the library needed two people on the weekends. Time to revisit the budget and maybe write a grant proposal.
The sound of the door opening drew Kelsey’s attention. She turned her head and saw Luke coming in. The smile that rose to her lips died almost immediately. His eyes were dark, and his face was creased with worry.
He came right toward her. “We need to talk. Please tell me Marci’s here so we can go upstairs.”
Alarm seared through Kelsey’s chest. “She isn’t. What’s the matter? You’re freaking me out.”
He glanced around, noting the patrons browsing the shelves and the two children sitting in the reading nook. He touched Kelsey’s arm and led her back behind the counter. When he looked into her eyes, she could see the concern running rampant through him, along with something else. Something that made her spine tingle with apprehension.
“I went to the park to look for your bracelet.” His frigid tone stoked her fear.
“Did you find it?”
He shook his head. “No. But I found Noah.” He paused, scaring her even more with the grim set of his mouth. “Kelsey, he’s dead.”
Her knees buckled, and she sank to the floor. Luke helped her up, practically lifting her, and set her in the chair behind her desk. “You didn’t know.”
Noah was dead? She looked at Luke, processing what he’d said. “You thought I did?”
“I wasn’t sure.” The furrows in his brow carved deeper. “You were acting strange this morning. You said he tried to grab you… I wouldn’t blame you.”
Oh God. He thought she’d killed him. “He was fine when I left the park. I swear.” Panic started to rise in her throat. If her own boyfriend thought she could do that, what would the police say? “Did you call the police?”
