No Place To Run. Marion Faith Laird
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СКАЧАТЬ right, Vangie. Diss the place where I’d still be living if my world hadn’t collapsed.

      Beeping noises issued from the receiver.

      “I have more calls coming in. One of our more eligible deputies should be there within an hour, unless there’s an emergency. I surely am glad to talk to you again, Loretta. We’ll have to get together real soon, okay? Bye now!”

      Vangie disconnected. Lorie stared at the receiver for a moment before replacing it on the cradle.

      “So?” Jen sounded like an overeager reporter.

      “Vangie Rae.” Lorie rolled her eyes. “Why didn’t you warn me?”

      Jen straightened the free bookmark dump. “I didn’t know you knew the Sutherlands.”

      “I’ve only met the sheriff in passing, but I had several classes with Vangie. Now she’s threatening to set me up with one of the deputies. The last thing I have time for is a romance.” With a lawman, especially.

      Jen clucked her tongue. “Honey, everybody needs love in their life.” Jen started straightening the brochures in the Summer Reading Program display.

      Could her day get any worse? “I didn’t say I didn’t need love. I just don’t need romance.”

      Jen shrugged. “Keep on believing that if you want to. Time to open the doors.” She took the library keys from her pocket and ambled toward the entrance.

      As Lorie got to work, hushed voices discussing the latest offerings on the new-books shelf trickled through the inside return slot. The coiled spring wound around her insides relaxed. At least she was doing one thing right.

      After checking in the returned books and arranging them on their respective shelves, Lorie returned to the office. The impulse to check the door to make certain it was locked almost overwhelmed her, but she squashed it, hoping she and Jen hadn’t already destroyed fingerprint evidence on the handle.

      “Ms. Narramore?”

      Lorie started, turned and collided with a solid mass of muscle in a tan uniform. A crackle of electricity jolted her. Was it that dry in here?

      “Oh, I’m sorry.”

      “Dispatch sent me. Threatening note?” The voice issuing from the strong face was a warm baritone.

      Lorie met his incredibly blue eyes, shaded by a fawn Stetson. Whew. Okay. Calm down. This is the investigating officer. Without meaning to, she checked his left ring finger. Bare. It’s none of your business. He’s the law.

      Lorie cleared her throat. “Yes. It’s right here, Deputy—” she glanced at his name tag “—MacGregor.” Oh, my. Was this the MacGregor boy who’d been the top defensive linebacker for the Daingerville Diamondbacks when she was a lowly freshman? Glancing again at his face confirmed her suspicion. This had to be either Matt or one of his equally handsome brothers.

      As Lorie started to insert the key into the lock, the door swung open of its own accord.

      “What—”

      “Don’t touch it.” Deputy MacGregor drew his sidearm and clicked off the safety as he motioned her away.

      Lorie’s heart threatened to stop. They had locked the door...hadn’t they?

      “Hands up in there. Sheriff’s department.” Deputy MacGregor kicked open the office door and scanned the room for intruders.

      It was empty.

      He glanced over his shoulder at Lorie. “Is there another exit?”

      “Just the window in the bathroom, but it’s a little small.... Although they assured me it does meet fire safety standards—”

      Deputy MacGregor had already moved to the door leading to the minuscule restroom. He nudged it with the toe of his shiny black work boot.

      A breeze fluttered through the open casement and into the office, riffling through the papers on the desk.

      “Was the window open when you arrived?”

      Lorie shook her head. “I don’t think so—but I didn’t really think to look.”

      He took a step into the tiny space, enough to bring him close to the frame inset with frosted glass. Examining it, the deputy frowned.

      “Screen’s been sliced open.” The deputy poked at it and then peered at the area around the lock. “Window’s been jimmied.”

      Lorie could hardly hear him over the pounding in her ears. The harassment was starting again, and this time, she had no place to run.

      “Wow, look at those scratches!”

      Jen’s voice made Lorie jump, as she hadn’t heard her approach. Lorie glanced at Jen’s feet. She would be wearing silent-soled cross-trainers today of all days.

      “You didn’t notice the window before?”

      Lorie shook her head. “We keep that door shut most of the time.” Maybe whoever had left the note had still been inside the bathroom while she was in the office.... Panic welled up inside her, but she managed to swallow the scream.

      “And you’re certain you locked the office door?” Deputy MacGregor sounded as if he wanted to get the whole picture.

      Lorie shook her head, wishing she had a glass of water. Her mouth had gone completely dry. The proximity of the attractive deputy was not helping, either. “No, I’m not completely sure. I meant to, but I was pretty rattled. I might have forgotten.”

      “I locked it.” Jen put her hands on her hips again. “I felt it catch.”

      “Right. Let’s see the note.”

      Lorie moved to the desk and waved a hand at the in-box. “It’s right—wait a minute.”

      “Is something wrong?”

      No. Where was it? “The note. It isn’t here.”

      “Come again?” Deputy MacGregor’s sharp tone could have sliced through granite.

      Lorie faced his unbelieving stare head-on.

      “S-someone must have taken it.”

      * * *

      Great. Just great. Matt’s day was complete. First the lead on the meth-lab investigation dried up, and now this. Missing evidence.

      Matt clicked the safety on and shoved his silver Colt 1991 back into the holster with unnecessary force.

      “Where was it?”

      “Right there.” Lorie waved a pale, fine-boned hand over the in-box. “On top. It looked like a computer printout.”

      “Laser, ink-jet, dot matrix?”

      “Ink-jet, СКАЧАТЬ