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“That’s bullshit and you know it. That storm was nothing compared to the storms we usually have. Hell, Hurricane Irene caused more damage than that pathetic storm.”
His shoulders tensed. “That’s the official answer.”
“And what’s the unofficial answer?” I was genuinely curious.
He looked out into the parking lot. “We don’t know.” Tom’s face tensed, and he turned to me with a determined look in his eyes. “But I think you do.”
I rolled my eyes with a groan. “I’m not rehashing this conversation. Ask me what you came to ask.”
He turned serious. “Someone found the body of a young woman this morning, close to the marshes by the condos a little south of here.”
A metallic taste coated my tongue and the screams from my nightmare echoed in my head. I fought a wave of nausea as I waited for what he was going to say, preparing myself not to react. “And?”
“Her abdomen was ripped open and her heart was removed, just like with those dogs.”
“Wow. Have you called Animal Control yet?”
“Goddamn it, Ellie!”
I stood and looked up at him, balling my fists. “What do you want me to say? How did I become the resident expert in all things peculiar?”
“You are putting people’s lives at risk by not telling me what you know!”
A dark sedan pulled into a parking space at the back corner of the restaurant. Two guys got out and I immediately recognized one of them. They were Marino’s men. He and his now-dead partner had tried to abduct me before. They were pretty gutsy to pursue me in a restaurant with several police cars parked out front. Or desperate, which was always a bad sign.
It was time to play my temporary solution to two problems card.
I stood and turned to Tom. “You’re right. I got mixed up in some kind of trouble. I’m scared and don’t know what to do.”
His eyes widened in surprise at my sudden change in attitude. “Okay…” He gave his head a slight shake. “I can protect you, Ellie. Tell me what’s going on.”
“I’d love to give you a full statement, but while we were standing here talking, your two suspects just parked over there.” I pointed to their car.
Tom’s jaw tightened. “If this is some kind of joke—”
“It’s not! I swear!” I grabbed his arm. “The inn was hit pretty hard by the hurricane a few months ago and we lost business. I was desperate for money, so I took a pair of silver candlesticks to Buxton. I hocked them there.”
“What does that have to do with—”
“Listen to me! The guy I hocked them to mistook me for someone else and he thinks I’m involved with some crime deal. Those guys in that car—”I jabbed my finger in its direction“—they’re after me. They tried to kidnap me down in Morehead City and I barely got away. Somehow they tracked me here. I think they’re inside looking for me right now.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”
“I was embarrassed. I thought I could handle it on my own.”
“Could they somehow be responsible for the dog mutilations and the murder this morning?”
I hated to lie, so I came up with a half-truth. “I think they like to intimidate, and you have to admit it’s intimidating. They’ve been searching for me for weeks. I bet they were trying to flush me out.”
Tom pressed the radio attached to his shoulder and called for backup. Given that there were other officers in the restaurant, it seemed unnecessary. All he needed to do to get help was holler through the back door. He turned his attention on me. “What do they look like?”
I saw movement at the side of the building. The guys were opening their car doors. I nodded in their direction. “You can see for yourself.”
Tom’s head jerked up. After taking a moment to study them, he pushed me toward the door. “Go inside, Ellie.”
“Tom, be careful.” I said, hoping he took me seriously. “These guys don’t mess around.”
“Go inside,” he barked, moving toward the car.
