Page 18 of Forever Dark
One corner of his mouth lifted.“You know I was never very good at being the silent type.”
Selena slowly crossed the room.Connor came around the desk, and they shook hands like strangers who knew better.
His grip was warm.Familiar and strong in the worst possible way.A strength that had once been a comfort.
“It’s good to see you, Selena,” he said.
“You, too.”
Awkward sat right underneath the words.Both of them heard it.The type of awkward that led directly to mundane chitchat, the last refuge for those wishing to avoid a harsh truth.
Connor let go first.“How was your flight?”
“Fine.A bit bumpier than I remember.”
Connor nodded and put his hands on his hips.“Yeah, it can be like that.Grab a chair.”
He nodded toward the chair opposite his desk and then sat down.“You staying with your dad?”
“No.I’m at the Wilson Motel.”
Connor’s brows rose slightly.“Eric Wilson took over that place from his dad.”
“I know, I met him already.He fixed my shower this morning.Seems quite a bit different from when we were kids.”
“Yeah,” Connor agreed.“He went through the mill when his dad and mom died so close to one another.I guess he had to finally grow up.Speaking of dads, yours will have a fit when he finds out you’re here and he doesn’t know.”
Selena sat.“How do you know I haven’t told him?”
A trace of a smile came and went.“When you’ve been married to someone, you learn a thing or two about their habits.There’s no way in hell he’d be happy with you staying the night in a motel when he’s got that empty house to knock around in.”
Selena had no intention of getting into anything personal.“I’m sure he’ll handle it.Connor, while it’s nice to see you, I’d really like to be briefed so I can get started on the case.”
Connor’s expression shifted at once with a deep breath followed by an “Okay.You’re the boss.”
He picked up the file and opened it wider on the desk between them.“I was glad to hear they sent someone with your expertise.This isn’t the type of thing we usually deal with here.The victim was found in the abandoned St.Bartholomew’s Church in Eagleton.The body had been posed in a chair in the choir loft.Candles lit at the scene.Writing on the walls behind the altar in the main hall and also in the loft near the body.It’s in another language, Latin, I think.We’ve identified the victim as Brenda Colter, thirty-four, single.”
Selena leaned forward slightly.“St.Bart’s…” That place.It felt like fate was mocking them.A place that had meant something to Selena.A place that reminded her of Connor’s broken promises.
She pushed the feeling deep down.“Does the victim have family?”
“No next of kin nearby beyond a distant cousin out in Mercer County.We’ve spoken to her by phone.Didn’t have much for us.Brenda moved to Eagleton about five years ago.”
“Did she have a partner?”
“Yeah,” Connor answered.“An ex, anyway.His name is Dale Mitch.He’s got previous for being a bit rough with his hands.I thought that would be a good place for us to start.”
Us.Selena didn’t like the sound of that.
“Where did she work?”
“Waitressed at Delmar’s Diner off Route 9.Picked up extra shifts cleaning at the feed store sometimes.”
“Any obvious enemies?”
Connor shook his head.“Nothing yet.”
Selena studied the notes, then looked up.“Did you know her?”
