Page 12 of Mine to Share

But nothing happened.

No one knocked, not a single thump of a fist or shoulder against the wood to break down the barrier between me and the threat.

My muscles were locked from holding the rigid position too long, and I had to force myself to lower the bat. Keeping a hold on my weapon, I backed away from the door, gaze still locked on the handle, watching for the smallest movement. When the rubber heel of my shoe hit the first step that would take me to the main living area, I slowly backed up the steep stairs, never looking away from the door. At the top landing, I peeled my fingers free, setting the Louisville Slugger against the wall that led to the living room and kitchen.

As I glanced around the large open space, the tight tension slowly eased, allowing my shoulders to drop from around my ears and the first full breath since I felt eyes on me outside to fill my lungs. I dug through my bag for my phone as I made my way to the kitchen. With it clenched tight in my fist, I dropped the large carry-all bag onto a tall clear plastic counter stool and immediately opened the fridge.

Various take-out food boxes lined the shelves from the past week, but nothing grabbed my attention except for the few beer bottles on the door shelf. After snagging one dark bottle, I popped the lid off and slid a thumb across my phone screen, desperate to figure out dinner and move on from the terrible night. Smooth glass pressed to my lips, I tipped the bottle back. Cool liquid slipped down my throat, erasing any lingering fear as I scrolled through my favorite delivery options for dinner.

Before I could confirm the delicious sushi order, the screen flashed with an incoming call.

“Hey, Mom,” I said, my voice echoing around me as I pressed the phone to my ear.

“How did the date go?”

“My day was great, thank you for asking,” I responded sarcastically, rolling my eyes, though a crooked smile pulled at my lips.

“Rain Day Evans.” Yep, that was my full name. My parents were hippies. When I got old enough, I thanked them for abstaining from naming me Rainy Day. Which, per my “uncle,” was his call. “I’ve waited months for you to get back out there and live your life. Don’t make us waste our valuable time with common pleasantries.”

“So, you don’t want to hear that I was right about those cases being linked?” I arched a brow as I took a slow sip of my beer.

Silence filtered from her end of the line, making my smile grow. It wasn’t every day that I could stun my mother into silence. I relished the moment, knowing all hell was about to break loose once she came to her senses. We had a great relationship. My dad and uncle too. Maybe because I was an only child, and with that, I was their world.

“Really? Rain, that’s… amazing sounds like a terrible word, but it is. You pieced together the clues. I’m so proud of you. James,” Mom yelled into the receiver. I grimaced and pulled the phone away from my ear to save my eardrums. “Rain has a serial killer case!”

“Oh hell,” I grumbled. Walking around the large marble-top island, I pulled out a stool and plopped down, knowing this call would take a while.

“Honey,” my dad’s voice joined Mom’s. “I know you can’t discuss specifics of the case.” As the police chief of a small town outside Dallas, he understood the rules I had to follow. “But are you safe?”

The beer bottle hovered halfway between my lips and the counter. I slid my gaze to the baseball bat. “Why do you ask?”

“You’re a single woman and the ME who just connected several homicides. If this suspect wanted to take out the person who identified his killing spree, you’re an easy target.”

“Wow,” I mouthed, then spoke into the phone. “Thanks for the confidence boost, Dad. I’m not an easy target.”

“One karate class when you were six does not mean you’re capable of—”

“Get your facts straight. I was eight, and it was two classes.” He didn’t need to know about the self-defense classes I’d taken since leaving Josh. He’d question why I needed to feel strong and safe again. Dad didn’t need anything else on his plate.

“The date, Rain. How did it go?” Mom pleaded.

Not sure what it said about me that I would rather talk about homicide than how the date went. It was just hard. They wanted me to be happy like they were. All three were successful in their careers and living life to the fullest. And I meant full. Despite being crazy busy, they maintained a healthy marriage, still disgustingly happy.

All three of them.

“Not great, Mom.” After taking a swig, I twirled the bottle along the smooth marble. Neither said a word, and I knew they were doing that silent conversation thing on the other end of the line. “It’s fine. I’m only thirty-two. I have plenty of time to keep looking.”

“I just want you to be happy,” Mom sighed.

“Who says I’m not?”

“Your tone, for one. The fact that all you have is work, no friends, and no family out there is another—”

“You guys, I’m fine. I’m building my career, enjoying my freedom from that soul-devouring marriage. I’ll figure out the happily ever after thing some other time.”

Right now, I had a serial killer to help catch.

And no clue how to do it.

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