please step out for a few minutes? This won’t take long.”
Melanie looked beseechingly at Ella, and she knew she wanted her to stay, but there was nothing she could do. Her involvement with the detectives and the case was a secret. She waited until everyone else had filed out before heading towards the door.
Mac grabbed her hand as she moved by him, startling her. “Stay,” he said quietly. “She needs you.”
“You don’t mind?” she asked, surprised.
“Of course not. You’ve made yourself a part of this,” he reminded her.
She nodded and went to sit on the chair next to Melanie’s bed. “Mel, this is Detective Sam McIntyre and Detective Mac Shadetree. They’re the ones in charge of your case.”
“Ms. Whitcomb,” Sam began, “are you aware of what happened to you two weeks ago, after leaving the club, Legends?”
“Call me, Melanie, Detective, and no, I’m not. The last thing I remember was sitting down to drink a cup of tea before going to bed that night. I know I arrived home safely.”
For the next thirty minutes, they grilled her on everything she remembered since leaving home for the club. Who had she danced with or talked to? What did she have to drink, did she use the restroom, what time did she arrive, when, exactly, did she leave?
Finally, exhausted, she sighed in defeat. “I’m sorry. There just isn’t anything else I remember. I have no idea how I got from my apartment to that park. The only thing I remember since that night is hearing my family and friends talking to me, and that was only dimly.”
Each victim had been discovered in a different park, and Melanie had been no different. They had been unable to learn the significance of that, if there even was one. “Thank you, Melanie. You’ve done fine,” Mac assured her.
“As soon as we make the arrangements and your doctor gives the okay, we’re going to move you to a safe house. No one will be allowed to know where you are or to call you until this case is wrapped up. You do understand that, don’t you?” Sam asked gently.
“You think he’s going to come after her?” Ella gasped. She hadn’t had time to even consider that possibility.
“It’s possible. He might think she would have no memory of that night due to the drug, but he would have no way of knowing for sure. We are going to let it leak to the press as an added precaution to keeping him off her radar, but we still can’t take any chances.”
“Can’t I even call Ella, just once in a while?” Melanie complained, tears forming in her big brown eyes.
“We’ll see how things go in a week or two, and if we’re any closer to getting this guy. We can get a disposable phone, if need be. But not for a while.”
Mac stood to leave as Sam left two cards on the bedside table for Melanie. “If you think of anything else, call one of us. There’ll be a policeman posted at your door until you’re released.”
“Thank you. Ella, are you leaving also?”
“I can stay….”
“Actually, you can’t. We need to see you for a few minutes. In private,” Mac added, gesturing to the door.
“Mandy and everyone else can come back in, Mel. I’ll come back this evening.”
Mac and Sam didn’t say anything as they walked her out to her car. Although they didn’t touch her, just having them on either side of her, their hard bodies close, was enough to get her libido going and her desires stirring. They were both casually dressed in jeans and t-shirts, their hair sexily windblown, and she couldn’t believe how badly she wanted them. She was so pathetic, she thought as they stepped outside into the bright sunshine. She needed to get a grip on her escalating obsession and put this relationship into perspective.
Slipping on her sunglasses, she asked with seemingly indifference, “What do you need to see me about? I hope it’s short, I’ve been up all night and I’m tired.”
They had reached her car; and, before she could open the door, they had her
Melanie looked beseechingly at Ella, and she knew she wanted her to stay, but there was nothing she could do. Her involvement with the detectives and the case was a secret. She waited until everyone else had filed out before heading towards the door.
Mac grabbed her hand as she moved by him, startling her. “Stay,” he said quietly. “She needs you.”
“You don’t mind?” she asked, surprised.
“Of course not. You’ve made yourself a part of this,” he reminded her.
She nodded and went to sit on the chair next to Melanie’s bed. “Mel, this is Detective Sam McIntyre and Detective Mac Shadetree. They’re the ones in charge of your case.”
“Ms. Whitcomb,” Sam began, “are you aware of what happened to you two weeks ago, after leaving the club, Legends?”
“Call me, Melanie, Detective, and no, I’m not. The last thing I remember was sitting down to drink a cup of tea before going to bed that night. I know I arrived home safely.”
For the next thirty minutes, they grilled her on everything she remembered since leaving home for the club. Who had she danced with or talked to? What did she have to drink, did she use the restroom, what time did she arrive, when, exactly, did she leave?
Finally, exhausted, she sighed in defeat. “I’m sorry. There just isn’t anything else I remember. I have no idea how I got from my apartment to that park. The only thing I remember since that night is hearing my family and friends talking to me, and that was only dimly.”
Each victim had been discovered in a different park, and Melanie had been no different. They had been unable to learn the significance of that, if there even was one. “Thank you, Melanie. You’ve done fine,” Mac assured her.
“As soon as we make the arrangements and your doctor gives the okay, we’re going to move you to a safe house. No one will be allowed to know where you are or to call you until this case is wrapped up. You do understand that, don’t you?” Sam asked gently.
“You think he’s going to come after her?” Ella gasped. She hadn’t had time to even consider that possibility.
“It’s possible. He might think she would have no memory of that night due to the drug, but he would have no way of knowing for sure. We are going to let it leak to the press as an added precaution to keeping him off her radar, but we still can’t take any chances.”
“Can’t I even call Ella, just once in a while?” Melanie complained, tears forming in her big brown eyes.
“We’ll see how things go in a week or two, and if we’re any closer to getting this guy. We can get a disposable phone, if need be. But not for a while.”
Mac stood to leave as Sam left two cards on the bedside table for Melanie. “If you think of anything else, call one of us. There’ll be a policeman posted at your door until you’re released.”
“Thank you. Ella, are you leaving also?”
“I can stay….”
“Actually, you can’t. We need to see you for a few minutes. In private,” Mac added, gesturing to the door.
“Mandy and everyone else can come back in, Mel. I’ll come back this evening.”
Mac and Sam didn’t say anything as they walked her out to her car. Although they didn’t touch her, just having them on either side of her, their hard bodies close, was enough to get her libido going and her desires stirring. They were both casually dressed in jeans and t-shirts, their hair sexily windblown, and she couldn’t believe how badly she wanted them. She was so pathetic, she thought as they stepped outside into the bright sunshine. She needed to get a grip on her escalating obsession and put this relationship into perspective.
Slipping on her sunglasses, she asked with seemingly indifference, “What do you need to see me about? I hope it’s short, I’ve been up all night and I’m tired.”
They had reached her car; and, before she could open the door, they had her
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