to jump out of her skin.
A half dozen uniformed officers had taken over Sanctuary. One was posted
outside Lindsay's office, two on the front porch, and three in the
kitchen. They spoke in hushed tones laced with nervous excitement.
With each flash of a camera bulb, she knew Sara, the forensic tech, was
in her office shooting pictures, no doubt from every conceivable angle, of the
hand and the boxed flowers. Lindsay lost count how many times the digital
camera had flashed.
News vans now from all three local television stations were parked out
front. She noticed that Kendall Shaw was talking with her cameraman. A frown
furrowed the tall brunette's brow as she jabbed her finger in the air.
Kendall was angry that there was no film of Lindsay running hysterically out of
the shelter toward the unmarked police car. Too bad for Kendall, Lindsay
thought bitterly. That bit of film would have made great news.
This day was churning memories that she'd thought were long
buried. Running out of the shelter today reminded her of a similar July day
twelve years ago when she'd found her mother. She'd bolted from the
house. Screaming, she'd run a half mile to the neighbor's house and
pounded on the door until a befuddled Mr. Jenkins had answered. Words had
rushed from her mouth. Most had been unintelligible. And she'd nearly
hyperventilated. But her neighbor had pieced together enough, figured out what
had happened, and called the sheriff. She never went back in her parents'
house again.
Lindsay shoved a trembling hand through her hair. Rising from the couch,
she moved to the window. She'd been almost as rattled today.
Jesus. Someone had sent her a severed hand.
Ruby came around the corner from the kitchen with a cold soda. She
pushed the can into Lindsay's hand. "Why don't you come into
the kitchen so I can make you something to eat? I've got turkey and
bread."
Food was the last thing on Lindsay's mind. "No thanks,
Ruby."
"Milk shakes don't cut it, honey. You're going to get
sick. I should make you a turkey sandwich."
Lindsay's argument died on her lips when she saw concern in the
older woman's eyes. She knew Ruby wasn't so worried about food, but
the entire situation. She needed something to do. "You know what, turkey
sounds great to me. Extra mustard?"
Ruby nodded. She was obviously relieved. "I'll have it for
you in two shakes. Now, come away from the window and sit down."
"We're going to have to move the shelter," Lindsay
said. "I thought this morning that maybe, just
maybe, we could dig our way out of this, but not now. The press
aren't going to sit on our location much longer."
Ruby planted meaty fists on her wide hips. "Don't borrow
trouble, Lindsay. Let's just take it one step at a time."
"We don't have the cash reserves for a move. And Dana is
going to be furious." She closed her eyes and pictured her boss's
tight angular face. She sensed an invisible tide had turned against her.
Ruby laid a hand on Lindsay's shoulder. "Honey, you're
good at what you do. The board knows that. You'll find a way out of
this."
One way or another, she would fight for this shelter. But she'd
been in enough uphill battles to recognize one. "Thanks for the vote of
confidence, but in the meantime, you'd better see if you can pick up
extra hours at your other job. I know we've never been able to pay you
much, but we may not have much to offer for the near future."
Ruby had a teenage daughter to support. "I hate leaving
you."
She didn't want Ruby to worry. "I'm going to be
fine."
Frown lines formed around her mouth. "I'll be back as soon
as you can have me."
Lindsay squeezed her hand. "I know."
Tears in her eyes, Ruby disappeared into the kitchen as the front door
opened.
Zack strode in the foyer, his stern expression sweeping clockwise until
it landed on Lindsay. Behind him stood a tall, grim-faced man dressed in jeans
and a T-shirt. Even if he'd not been wearing his badge on a chain around
his neck, she'd have guessed by his demeanor he
A half dozen uniformed officers had taken over Sanctuary. One was posted
outside Lindsay's office, two on the front porch, and three in the
kitchen. They spoke in hushed tones laced with nervous excitement.
With each flash of a camera bulb, she knew Sara, the forensic tech, was
in her office shooting pictures, no doubt from every conceivable angle, of the
hand and the boxed flowers. Lindsay lost count how many times the digital
camera had flashed.
News vans now from all three local television stations were parked out
front. She noticed that Kendall Shaw was talking with her cameraman. A frown
furrowed the tall brunette's brow as she jabbed her finger in the air.
Kendall was angry that there was no film of Lindsay running hysterically out of
the shelter toward the unmarked police car. Too bad for Kendall, Lindsay
thought bitterly. That bit of film would have made great news.
This day was churning memories that she'd thought were long
buried. Running out of the shelter today reminded her of a similar July day
twelve years ago when she'd found her mother. She'd bolted from the
house. Screaming, she'd run a half mile to the neighbor's house and
pounded on the door until a befuddled Mr. Jenkins had answered. Words had
rushed from her mouth. Most had been unintelligible. And she'd nearly
hyperventilated. But her neighbor had pieced together enough, figured out what
had happened, and called the sheriff. She never went back in her parents'
house again.
Lindsay shoved a trembling hand through her hair. Rising from the couch,
she moved to the window. She'd been almost as rattled today.
Jesus. Someone had sent her a severed hand.
Ruby came around the corner from the kitchen with a cold soda. She
pushed the can into Lindsay's hand. "Why don't you come into
the kitchen so I can make you something to eat? I've got turkey and
bread."
Food was the last thing on Lindsay's mind. "No thanks,
Ruby."
"Milk shakes don't cut it, honey. You're going to get
sick. I should make you a turkey sandwich."
Lindsay's argument died on her lips when she saw concern in the
older woman's eyes. She knew Ruby wasn't so worried about food, but
the entire situation. She needed something to do. "You know what, turkey
sounds great to me. Extra mustard?"
Ruby nodded. She was obviously relieved. "I'll have it for
you in two shakes. Now, come away from the window and sit down."
"We're going to have to move the shelter," Lindsay
said. "I thought this morning that maybe, just
maybe, we could dig our way out of this, but not now. The press
aren't going to sit on our location much longer."
Ruby planted meaty fists on her wide hips. "Don't borrow
trouble, Lindsay. Let's just take it one step at a time."
"We don't have the cash reserves for a move. And Dana is
going to be furious." She closed her eyes and pictured her boss's
tight angular face. She sensed an invisible tide had turned against her.
Ruby laid a hand on Lindsay's shoulder. "Honey, you're
good at what you do. The board knows that. You'll find a way out of
this."
One way or another, she would fight for this shelter. But she'd
been in enough uphill battles to recognize one. "Thanks for the vote of
confidence, but in the meantime, you'd better see if you can pick up
extra hours at your other job. I know we've never been able to pay you
much, but we may not have much to offer for the near future."
Ruby had a teenage daughter to support. "I hate leaving
you."
She didn't want Ruby to worry. "I'm going to be
fine."
Frown lines formed around her mouth. "I'll be back as soon
as you can have me."
Lindsay squeezed her hand. "I know."
Tears in her eyes, Ruby disappeared into the kitchen as the front door
opened.
Zack strode in the foyer, his stern expression sweeping clockwise until
it landed on Lindsay. Behind him stood a tall, grim-faced man dressed in jeans
and a T-shirt. Even if he'd not been wearing his badge on a chain around
his neck, she'd have guessed by his demeanor he
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