His quick steps behind her eased at least one knot in her stomach. He opened the door for her and followed her out, scanning the parking lot. When they reached their cars, he drilled her with those intense dark eyes.
“We need to talk about this, Meredith.”
“I know. Coffee first.”
Opening her car door, she turned the key with a shaking hand. He was not getting rid of her. She didn’t care about the warning. They were in this together.
Congratulations, you’ve finally admitted you don’t want to stop seeing him.
She hit the gas, cranked up the radio, and didn’t respond. When she arrived in the downtown area, she parked and waited for Tanner. He approached her like a boxer preparing for a fight, and she took his hand.
He immediately froze. “What are you doing?”
She gripped it when he tried to shrug free. “Holding your hand.”
The wind ruffled his hair. “Why? You never do that.”
“Because that’s what people going steady do.”
“We’re pretending.”
Without answering, she tugged him after her. He followed since he was too nice to dislocate her shoulder. Don’t Soy with Me was quiet for a Monday. Seconds after they walked in, Jill raced across the room, tears running down her face.
Meredith dropped Tanner’s hand. “What’s the matter?”
Her sister practically leapt into her arms. “Larry Barlow was just here. There was an accident.” She pulled back and sniffed. “Another college student. He lost control of his car in Sardine Canyon and went over the side. Died on impact.”
Tanner swore under his breath.
Jill wrung her hands, her black fingernails glittering in the morning light. “I knew him.”
The hair on Meredith’s arms stood up straight. Tanner closed his eyes, the skin stretching tight over his cheekbones. His pain radiated out like a homing beacon.
“That’s horrible,” she managed to say over her dry throat. “His poor family. Is he from here?”
“No, he’s from the Northwest. Tanner, I think he was a student of yours. He told me how much he liked your class when he came in for coffee.”
His whole body jerked as if pulled by a string. “What was his name?”
Meredith could tell that he already had the answer—and how much it cost him to ask.
“Ray Pollack. He was into some stuff, but he was a good kid. Smart. You know? I just can’t believe it!” She pressed her hands to her face. “We haven’t had this much tragedy since those winter campers were killed in the avalanche in Killer Pass four years ago. Remember, Mere?”
“I’ve heard about Killer Pass. Thought about hiking it,” Tanner commented with utter detachment. “I need to go. I forgot to let the dog out this morning. You’ll have to have your coffee without me, Meredith. See you later, Jill.” He turned and strode out, his back rigid.
Still holding onto Meredith, Jill said, “He seems upset. I didn’t know he had a dog.”
“Yes,” she replied in a tight voice. “Get me our regulars. I’ll take it to him.”
Jill waved off the new barista. “I’ll make them. Mere, I still can’t believe it. I mean, some people say bad things happen in threes. What could be next?”
“I don’t know, Jill.”
She was suddenly afraid they were going to find out. She felt like she’d landed in one of Nora’s suspense novels, the darker, edgier kind in which the bad guys killed people.
Chapter 30
Hugo bounded away, barking his displeasure as wood splinters sliced through the air.
“I told you to stay back!” Tanner yelled. “Why didn’t you listen?”
He knew his anger wasn’t directed at the dog. He cracked the axe through the wood with enough force to make his shoulder throb. His arm was going to regret this venting later, but he needed to pound something.
Ray was dead—exactly as he’d feared.
And it was no accident.
It was all his fault.
Hugo barked again, then took off. Tanner wiped his brow as Meredith’s Audi pulled into the driveway. Christ, why couldn’t she just leave him alone? He didn’t want to see anyone right now. He wasn’t in control of himself. He picked up the axe and swung, shredding bark and wood.
“We didn’t finish our conversation.” She said as she followed the icy flagstone path leading to his chopping block.
“Yes, we did,” he snarled, anchoring the next log. “Now, go away.”
She clenched her arms more tightly to her body when the wind blew. “Ray was your source, wasn’t he?”
He swung the axe. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
She stepped closer. “Well, I do! Since he’s dead, we have a problem.”