Page 34 of The Perfect Heart

Before I could get much farther, he bolted, taking advantage of the plowed streets to help him escape. I dropped my backpack and pelted after him, our running bootsteps echoing against the dark storefronts. I wasn’t sure what to do when I caught him, but I didn’t like that the guy was hanging out, watching my bar. Was he looking for me or someone else who worked there? Whatever it was, I would get answers one way or another. Nothing good would come of masked men watching my employees and me—I wasn’t about to let this guy go.

The guy rounded a corner, barely managing to keep his feet on a hidden patch of ice, and was off again down a dark side street. I was close enough behind him that I didn’t see the patch of ice, either. But unlike him, I didn’t manage to keep my balance and crashed down onto the frozen snow and sludge hard. I lay there, trying to catch the breath that the fall had knocked out of me, staring up at the stars in the black sky, wondering if he would come back and finish whatever he had started before I could get to my feet.

Instead, I listened to his footsteps grow fainter until I couldn’t hear them anymore. As I climbed slowly and painfully to my feet, brushing snow and dirt from my coat and pants, I considered following his footprints. But he had run in the direction of the Waterfront Park, which was completely black this time of night, and that seemed like asking for trouble to me.

As I limped back to the car, chilled by the snow that had melted through my pants, I vowed to make sure the security cameras outside the bar were working and see what I could find. I had them, of course, but it was a safe town, and I rarely had a need to check the recordings.

Starting my car, I engaged the locks, wondering what the hell had just happened. With that mask, it was obvious the guy was up to no good—that was no midnight walk through town to see the lights. Who was he watching, and why? I was the last one out tonight so I could finish a few things, and Joseph had offered to take Halle home.

Halle.

Did this have anything to do with whatever was going on with her? Why was she always looking over her shoulder or tensing at loud, sudden sounds? It seemed odd that some random masked man would appear shortly after she did.

But I had no proof—Halle still hadn’t told me what was happening. I didn’t even have evidence that the guy in the mask had been looking for someone in my bar instead of looking for a place to break into, which was far more likely. We’d had a spate of break-ins a few years back, and the guy had never been caught. Maybe he was back to do more damage.

I would have to let the sheriff know tomorrow.

Halfway home, though, I couldn’t get the idea that he had been there for Halle out of my mind. I had no missed calls from her, but that didn’t mean much, and the car tires skidded over the snow as I made a U-turn and headed for her place to check in on her and make sure she was safe.

But the tires didn’t stop skidding—something felt off about the car, enough so that I took the few miles to Halle’s as slowly as I could stand. It was a relief when I finally pulled up outside the garage apartment. I checked that the lights were on and the door was closed before I looked at my car.

It didn’t take long to find what was wrong with it—someone had slashed a tire, and when I bent down to check the underside of the car, I saw a dark puddle leaking onto the snow.

“Fuck,” I muttered.

That certainly answered the question about what that asshole in the mask was doing hanging around watching the bar. It was way too much of a coincidence for it to be anyone else but that guy. My question now was, why? I didn’t have any enemies I knew of, no one trying to buy me out or force me to move and hoping to scare me away.

So what the hell was this about?

My call to Jonas was already ringing when I put the phone to my ear. It was late, but I knew he was up. Working from home meant he kept odd hours.

“Yeah?” As I had expected, he sounded wide awake.

“Can you bring your truck over to Marie Martin’s place? And some towing cables.”

A pause created silence over the line before Jonas asked, “What?”

I had to take a deep breath in through my nose to tamp down on my rising frustration. “I need you to bring your truck to Marie Martin’s place. Halle is renting the apartment above the garage, the one her son used to live in. Something happened to my car, and I need you to take it to Doc’s place.”

The old mechanic had been at it since we were all kids. None of us were even sure how he was still working, but it was the best place in town.

It was the only place in town.

“Wait, hold up.” The sound of the TV in the background quieted, and I imagined Jonas sitting up from where he slouched on the couch. “You’re over at Halle’s, and something is wrong with your car, so you need me to tow it?”

“Isn’t that what I just said?” I asked, unclenching my jaw by force.

A chuckle greeted my annoyance. “Why are you over at Halle’s?”

“Jonas, will you please just bring your fucking truck over here and tow my car? Someone slashed my tires and did something to make an oil leak.”

“Shit, seriously?” The amusement was gone from my friend’s tone, and I heard the TV switch off. “I’ll be there soon. Is Halle okay?”

“That’s what I’m over here to check.”

“Okay. Be there in a few.”

The call ended, and I put it back into my pocket before climbing the steps to Halle’s door. I was half afraid she was asleep, but I needed to see with my own eyes she was okay, and I was relieved when I heard feet crossing the room only a moment later.