Tricia was killed, she smiled what she hoped was an encouraging signal to April. “I’m sorry if I’m overreacting, but I don’t think we can allow any information to go unnoticed. The police want—”
A voice on the line interrupted her. “Jack Denton.”
“Detective Denton, good morning. This is Danielle Tyler at Webster.”
A low chuckle reached her ear. “Good morning. Aren’t you being a little formal? Especially since I’m still trying to recover from your father’s threat last night.”
Danielle’s face warmed, and she turned her back on April. “I have a student with me. She has some information I think you need to hear.”
“Is this about the murder?” The humorous tone vanished to be replaced by his professional no-nonsense attitude.
“Yes.”
“Can you keep her there until I arrive? It should take me about fifteen minutes to get out to the school.”
“We’ll be waiting in my office.”
“Good. See you soon.”
She closed the phone. “Detective Denton’s coming right now. If you have a class, I’ll call your teacher and get you excused.”
April shook her head. “I don’t have anything until after lunch.”
“Good.” Danielle walked back to her chair and eased into it. “Until Detective Denton gets here we might as well make the most of the time and get some work done. Did you finish that mailing list I gave you yesterday?”
April stood up. “I still have a few names to enter in the computer. I’ll work on that while we’re waiting.”
Danielle nodded and faced her computer. “I have a report I’m working on, so that should keep me busy.”
Within minutes April was engrossed in her work, but Danielle found it difficult to concentrate. She stood, walked to the window behind her desk and looked out at the campus.
She stared across the manicured grounds to the mountains that provided a breathtaking backdrop. The first time she visited the school with her parents, she had thought it the most beautiful place she’d ever seen.
She loved this school, and yet it harbored the worst tragedies of her life. The deaths of Jennifer and Tricia would haunt her for the rest of her life. And then there was Stan. Although he didn’t attend school here, he had visited the campus with her once right before his death.
They had walked across the grounds holding hands and laughing as she showed him all the places she’d frequented while a student here. It had been a glorious day, the last fun-filled one they would ever share.
She closed her eyes and concentrated on Stan’s face. His picture blurred in her mind. Through the foggy haze that swirled inside her head, the face of Jack Denton emerged clear in her vision. His lips curled in a half smile. All the haunting memories faded from her mind, only to be replaced by a new thought. It scared her to think Jack Denton might become too important in her life.
Fifteen minutes later Danielle still hadn’t focused on the report due to Jeff by the end of the day. A tap at the door interrupted her thoughts, and she rose from her chair. “I’ll get that. Maybe it’s Detective Denton.”
When she opened the door, Jack stared at her, the slight smile she’d been thinking of earlier on his lips. “Good morning, Dr. Tyler.” A glint in his eye underscored the formal emphasis he put on her name.
“And to you, Detective Denton.” She held the door open and waved him into the room. She closed the door behind them and nodded in April’s direction. “Do you remember April? She’s taking over Flynn’s duties until he comes back to school.”
“I remember.”
April rose and walked around her desk. She held out her hand. “You were here the other day when I came to work. It’s good to see you again, Detective.”
Jack shook her hand, but when he started to pull away, April curled her fingers tighter and covered his hand with her other one. Danielle stifled a smile. She should have warned Jack that April had quite a reputation on
A voice on the line interrupted her. “Jack Denton.”
“Detective Denton, good morning. This is Danielle Tyler at Webster.”
A low chuckle reached her ear. “Good morning. Aren’t you being a little formal? Especially since I’m still trying to recover from your father’s threat last night.”
Danielle’s face warmed, and she turned her back on April. “I have a student with me. She has some information I think you need to hear.”
“Is this about the murder?” The humorous tone vanished to be replaced by his professional no-nonsense attitude.
“Yes.”
“Can you keep her there until I arrive? It should take me about fifteen minutes to get out to the school.”
“We’ll be waiting in my office.”
“Good. See you soon.”
She closed the phone. “Detective Denton’s coming right now. If you have a class, I’ll call your teacher and get you excused.”
April shook her head. “I don’t have anything until after lunch.”
“Good.” Danielle walked back to her chair and eased into it. “Until Detective Denton gets here we might as well make the most of the time and get some work done. Did you finish that mailing list I gave you yesterday?”
April stood up. “I still have a few names to enter in the computer. I’ll work on that while we’re waiting.”
Danielle nodded and faced her computer. “I have a report I’m working on, so that should keep me busy.”
Within minutes April was engrossed in her work, but Danielle found it difficult to concentrate. She stood, walked to the window behind her desk and looked out at the campus.
She stared across the manicured grounds to the mountains that provided a breathtaking backdrop. The first time she visited the school with her parents, she had thought it the most beautiful place she’d ever seen.
She loved this school, and yet it harbored the worst tragedies of her life. The deaths of Jennifer and Tricia would haunt her for the rest of her life. And then there was Stan. Although he didn’t attend school here, he had visited the campus with her once right before his death.
They had walked across the grounds holding hands and laughing as she showed him all the places she’d frequented while a student here. It had been a glorious day, the last fun-filled one they would ever share.
She closed her eyes and concentrated on Stan’s face. His picture blurred in her mind. Through the foggy haze that swirled inside her head, the face of Jack Denton emerged clear in her vision. His lips curled in a half smile. All the haunting memories faded from her mind, only to be replaced by a new thought. It scared her to think Jack Denton might become too important in her life.
Fifteen minutes later Danielle still hadn’t focused on the report due to Jeff by the end of the day. A tap at the door interrupted her thoughts, and she rose from her chair. “I’ll get that. Maybe it’s Detective Denton.”
When she opened the door, Jack stared at her, the slight smile she’d been thinking of earlier on his lips. “Good morning, Dr. Tyler.” A glint in his eye underscored the formal emphasis he put on her name.
“And to you, Detective Denton.” She held the door open and waved him into the room. She closed the door behind them and nodded in April’s direction. “Do you remember April? She’s taking over Flynn’s duties until he comes back to school.”
“I remember.”
April rose and walked around her desk. She held out her hand. “You were here the other day when I came to work. It’s good to see you again, Detective.”
Jack shook her hand, but when he started to pull away, April curled her fingers tighter and covered his hand with her other one. Danielle stifled a smile. She should have warned Jack that April had quite a reputation on
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