Page 8 of Last Seen Alive
Amanda dropped her keys in the bowl inside her entry. She had gotten out a quick goodbye to Logan and told him to call if he needed anything. She had hated leaving him there to Graves, who was eager to impress in her new position with the PWCPD. Yet even with all the woman’s efforts, Amanda hadn’t found reason to respect her. She had held some top post within the New York City Police Department, but so what? Surely, she’d experienced a fall from grace to bring her to Prince William County. Not that it wasn’t a nice place to live, but it wouldn’t come close to competing with the excitement of the city.
Amanda brewed herself a decaf coffee, to make it possible to salvage a few hours’ sleep before sunrise, and settled at the kitchen peninsula with her ancient relic of a laptop. As long as it continued to power up and let her log on to the internet, it had a home.
She’d just hit enter on her Google search when there was a knock at the door. Guess intel-gathering on Graves would have to wait. She shut the lid on her computer and got up to answer.
She sure as hell hoped Graves hadn’t changed her mind and wanted to talk now. She had said Amanda’s statement would be taken in the morning. Saturday too, of all days. She could think of a thousand better ways to spend it other than going into the station for that purpose. Next time Becky asked her out for a girls’ night, she’d opt to stay in.
She opened the door, not too fearful of who she might find on the other side, as her neighborhood was a relatively safe one. She backed up when she saw it was Trent on her doorstep. He walked in and shut the door.
“What you doing here?” She would love to put this night behind her, forget it even happened would be nicer still. Upon seeing him, she realized she hadn’t even said a word to him before leaving Logan’s. She was too angry to see straight. Honestly, it was amazing she had enough wherewithal to say parting words to Logan.
“I thought you might want to talk.”
“Not really.”
“They took him in,” Trent said anyway. “Logan.”
“Yeah, I figured they would. Do you know if he requested a lawyer?”
“He did. Graves is livid, by the way.”
“Good for her.”
“I heard you suggested the lawyer?”
“It is his constitutional right.” She headed for the kitchen.
“Sure, but it’s just… It’s not something we usually encourage suspects to do.”
“He deserves to be protected. Graves is going to come after him. Hard. All because I was there. She’ll want to make sure she’s really coming across as handling this by the book.Better thanthe book.” She looked over a shoulder at Trent. “Want something to drink?”
“A beer would be great if you have any.”
“I do.” Go back a few months even, and Amanda wouldn’t have had any alcohol in her house, but she had started to crave it again. She’d given it up after her husband, Kevin, and their six-year-old daughter, Lindsey, had been killed by a drunk driver. Amanda had barely walked away with her life, but she’d also found out she’d been pregnant and that child had been lost too. And due to her injuries, Amanda could never have a baby again. It was hard to believe the accident was seven years ago next month—July eighteenth. She’d been beyond devastated by all the blows, but by the grace of some good fortune, Zoe Parker had entered her life and Amanda had adopted her last year.
She grabbed two Coors Lights, their mountains blue, from the fridge.
“Thanks.” Trent lifted his in a toast gesture before putting the bottle to his lips and taking a long draw.
She drank hers too, but much slower. “Want to go outside?”
“Sure.” He smiled at her and in that instant, she could almost imagine him adding that it was a nice night, if a bit humid. But there was nothingniceabout tonight at all. And Amanda had a sickening feeling that the ride to hell had just begun, like a roller coaster clicking up that first hill.
She flicked the back light on and got the patio door for them, and Trent led the way out. There was just a modest slab of concrete that served as her patio. She and Kevin had it put in the year before he died. The barbecue was practically growing rust before her eyes, but she never used the thing. It was a remnant of her past, far more Kevin’s thing than hers. While she’d been forced to clear out some of his things and Lindsey’s to make room for Zoe, there was still a lot around the house that spoke to her former life.
Trent set his bottle on the barbecue and grabbed two of the four gravity chairs she had folded and leaning against the house.
“Oh, what do we have here?” Trent moved toward his chair and drew back with something in the palm of his hand. “Mr.Spider.” He held it toward her, possibly expecting a reaction, but she grew up with an older brother and had been put through a lot worse.
“How do you know it isn’tMrs.Spider?”
He smiled. “Guess it could be.” He set it free on the lawn and grabbed his beer before sitting.
She dropped down, letting out a deep breath as she did. Neither of them said anything for several minutes. The night sky was clear and there was a blanket of diamonds overhead. The moon was up there somewhere, but it must have been on the other side of the house.
She sipped her beer, enjoying the flavor, surprised by how much she had missed it in the years that had passed.Nothing like it on a hot day, Kevin would often say. She used to agree.
“So why are you here?” She looked over at Trent, her question not intended to insult him or make him feel unwelcome, but she hadn’t exactly been that nice to him at Logan’s place. She could justify it, of course. Trent’s questions about Logan made her uncomfortable. Not because she was shy about admitting to the rendezvous, so much as she was embarrassed that she knew so little about the man she was going to sleep with—and who she had dated.
