Danger in a Small Town. Ginny Aiken

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      “What happened?”

      Tess looked up at the petite police officer, then closed her eyes for a second. Images flew at her, fast and furious. Her heartbeat picked up steam again.

      “I went for a jog,” she said, her voice shaky. “On my way back, some jerk ran out of the woods and knocked me over.” Tess scraped a smear of mud she’d missed on her right knee. “Then I heard a whimper in the woods. I thought the guy might have dumped a pup…” She shuddered. “But I found her instead.”

      The officer pulled a pencil from behind her right ear and a small pad from her breast pocket. “Did you see anyone else come out of the woods? Before you went in? Or through the trees?”

      “No.”

      “Can you describe the man who hit you?”

      Tess shook her head. “I’d been on the phone with Uncle Gordon, and I didn’t notice a thing. All I remember is falling face-first into the mud. Sorry.”

      “And then…?”

      Tess breathed deeply. “Then I went to find who or what I’d heard. As soon as I saw her, I ran to help. She was shaking—a seizure, I think.” She remembered the struggle. “But she fought me…she was strong. And then…then she just quit. That’s when I called 9-1-1.”

      “I’m glad you did.” The officer smiled. “Your name…?”

      With a deep breath, Tess tried to regain her composure. “Tess Graver, Gordon’s niece, great-niece to be precise.”

      “I’m Maggie Lowe.” She sat next to Tess on the scruffy grass at the edge of the road. “New in town?”

      “No. I came to live with Uncle Gordon and Auntie Maude when my parents died—I was thirteen. After high school, I left for college, and then I worked in Charlotte for a few years after that. I’m back for good now, though. My uncle had an accident. He needs help, and he gave me a chance to leave a job that had become difficult.”

      “Did you know her?” Maggie dipped her head toward the woods.

      “Never saw her before today.”

      The police officer put her hand on Tess’s arm. “I know this is hard, but we need to go back over everything you remember. Why don’t you start with your run. Any particular reason you came out this way?”

      “It’s beautiful. I used to run this route when I was on the cross-country team in high school. It’s one of my favorite spots in town.”

      “And you were pushed down by a man you didn’t see. Then you thought you heard a dog.”

      “That’s right. I didn’t want an abandoned puppy to die out here.” Tears filled her eyes. “But instead of the pup—”

      A sob caught in her throat, cutting off her words.

      “It must have been hard.” Maggie Lowe gave her a gentle smile.

      Tess squared her shoulders. “I’ve never seen anything like it. All I wanted was to save a dog. But I never got around to looking for it.”

      “I would have done the same thing.” Then the officer’s gray eyes turned serious again. “I know it’s rotten to make you think about it over and over again, but I need you to describe exactly what you remember when you saw her in the woods.”

      The officer knew her stuff. It was hard, but after a quick prayer, Tess did as she’d asked.

      Speaking with the police officer made the slow-motion sensation go away. Tess had never seen anything so horrible before, and she didn’t know how to process her feelings, her response. She wished there was more she could say, some way she could help, but it was too late; there was nothing further to do. At least she could give as clear a recounting as possible.

      After Tess had related everything she could remember, Maggie told her she’d have to sign a statement that summarized the answers she’d given, and to expect more questions even after that. At the moment, she was free to go home. The PD knew where to find her.

      With the passing of time, Tess’s breath resumed its normal pace. It became even and regular again, as did her heartbeat. Her anguish, however, didn’t change.