The officer was there beside him, kneeling down. Vaguely, Hal heard the officer call for an ambulance.
Behind the officer, Miriam glared, disappointment and hatred in her eyes as she looked down upon Hal.
Chapter 44: Decisions Made
Tuesday, 7:30 PM
Shane was mentally fatigued and not in the best of moods as he entered his home. He had spent hours searching Manchester after his unsuccessful attempt to find Marty Feldman in the man’s workspace.
I hope like hell the cops are gone from the Fallon house, he thought, walking toward the kitchen. I need to get Miriam out of there before she causes any more damage. If they’re not, I’m going to have to push the issue. It doesn’t matter what Jack has to say about it.
Shane entered the kitchen, got a bottle of water out of the refrigerator, and drank almost half of it before he sat down at the table. He rubbed his face. Maybe a shower will help me get my act together.
“Shane?” Carl asked from the doorway.
Shane looked up and smiled wearily. “Hey, Carl.”
Then, noticing the expression of worry on the dead man’s face, Shane asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Miriam Shaw was here,” Carl stated, coming into the kitchen and sitting at the table.
“What?” Shane asked, cold, hard anger settling over him.
“Yes,” Carl nodded. “She was quite angry.”
Shane was about to ask how she had been able to when he realized he knew exactly how.
The Fallon house was less than a mile from his. I’m definitely within range.
“Was anyone hurt?”
The smile that appeared on Carl’s face was harsh. “Only herself. She attempted to engage in combat with me.”
Despite the severity of the situation, Shane burst out laughing. “Damn.”
Finishing his water, he stood and looked at Carl. “Did she say why she was here?”
“For you. I sent Eloise and Thaddeus to follow her, but they lost sight of her before too long. I apologize, my friend.”
Shane nodded. “Of course. Don’t worry about it. Listen, I’m headed to the Fallon house.”
“Should you not wait for Captain Thompson?” Carl asked.
“No,” Shane replied, lighting a cigarette. “If she’s brazen enough to come here looking for me, I won’t risk any more lives by playing it safe.”
Shane took his phone out and placed it on the table. “All I need is a container for her damned sunglasses, and then I’m out the door.”
“Will you not take one of us?” Carl’s voice had a note of eagerness.
Shane shook his head. “No, Carl. Besides, you said she was injured. I should be able to handle her on my own. And, as much as I know you want to be with me, I need you here. If something does happen to me, you’re the one who has to protect the others. I’m sorry to burden you with this.”
Carl straightened up, saluted, and then grinned. “My friend, it is an honor, not a burden.”
Shane returned the salute and left the kitchen to find a prison for Miriam Shaw.
***
Tuesday, 7:45 PM
Jack Thompson hated that he was still shaken by what had occurred in the Fallon house. He made himself another mug of hot chocolate and added a dose of brandy to it.
I need to slow down on the brandy, he scolded himself. It’s not going to help anything.
His computer pinged, and he frowned as he glanced at his email. There was a new message from one of the detectives at the Nashua Police Department.
Man dead of aneurysm at Fallon residence after attempting to run past officer. Attempt to reach deceased’s wife resulted in the discovery of a double homicide.
Jack sat there for a moment, rereading the brief email. With a shake of his head, he sent back a short response and then picked up his phone to call Shane Ryan. It went to voicemail.
“Shane, it’s Jack Thompson. We’ll need to go to the Fallon house tomorrow, regardless. I think she’s been influential in another murder. I tried to get us in there tonight, but the Nashua chief and the State Police colonel, well, they don’t like each other all that much. There aren’t any favors I can call in to get access to another active crime scene.”
Jack hesitated, wondering if he should add anything else, then decided against it and ended the call.
Well, here’s to tomorrow, and whatever hell we find in that damned house, Jack thought grimly and raised his mug to his lips.
Chapter 45: Closing In
Tuesday, 8:00 PM
There was still one officer on duty outside the Fallon House, and Shane had no difficulty slipping past the man who appeared to be in an animated phone conversation.
Shane went to the back of the house and wasn’t surprised to find the door unlocked.
She wants company, he thought, entering the home. She needs it.
He closed the door behind him. Retreat was not an option. Not after she had dared to enter his home.
The blinds were open, allowing light from the streetlamps to illuminate the room. Shane sat down in a chair and resisted the urge to light a cigarette.
She’ll be here soon enough, and no sooner had the thought finished than she appeared by the back door, as though that would stop him from leaving if he so chose to.
She gave him a smile that he was sure was meant to weaken his knees.
It did not.
There was a curious aura around her, one he hadn’t noticed before. Is this what she meant about wanting only weak men, men she could control? Is that why she doesn’t like strong ones?
She seemed to sense he was immune to her, and her smile faded away.
“Hell, it was worth a shot,” she grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. “Wish I could get a fella like you. I’d be able to get outta this dump.”
“Yeah?” Shane asked. He hesitated, then took out his cigarettes and tucked an unlit one into the corner of his mouth.
“Yeah,” she complained. “I’ve been trying for days to get outta here, but I got bupkis. I mean, come on. Every guy I meet, he wants to take me someplace, but then, he dies, or he does something stupid to get killed. I don’t get it. I haven’t had a run of bad luck like this in… well, I can’t remember when.”
She eyed him for a moment. “Why are you here? You come to take me on a trip?”
Shane grinned. “Sure, that’s it.”
He lit the cigarette.
“You’re lying,” she sneered.
Shane shook his head, exhaling as he did so. “No.”
“Then where are you going to take me?”
“The ocean,” he told her. “At first, I thought maybe I’d spin some nice little lie for you. Something to trick you, get you out of here. But you broke into my house. You attacked my oldest friend. So, no, I’m going to be straight up with you. I’m going to put you in a little prison lined with lead, and then I’m going to dump you in the damned ocean.”
Anger swept over her features, and her body tensed as she glared at him. “You actually think you can do that?” she demanded.
“I know I can,” he answered. Shane stood up, and the dead woman charged at him. He smiled, planted his feet, concentrated, and lashed out with his fist. The blow was solid, striking her in the center of the forehead, causing her eyes to widen a split-second before she vanished. When she did, a terrible thought crossed Shane’s mind.