Free A Deep and Dark December by Beth Yarnall

either.”
    He could smell his shower gel on her skin and it brought back the images of her he’d had in his office. He leaned in. “I’m on your side.”
    “Are you?” She seemed a little out of breath or angry. He couldn’t tell.
    “I—” One of the tech guys came out of the house and bumped his shoulder, making him realize where he was. He backed away from her. “Stay here. I’ll go find your cell phone.” He went into the house, concentrating on keeping his steps even and unhurried.
    The more time he spent with her, the more he wanted to put his hands on her. Either in an embrace or around her neck, he wasn’t sure which. She’d somehow gotten in his head and messed with it. He had to find a way to get her out of it before he forgot why getting involved with her in any way was a bad idea.
    The techs had set up their lights, illuminating every corner of the house. Graham found Erin’s phone on the floor against the wall outside the kitchen door. He grabbed one of the techs to photograph and catalog it, then took it out to Erin waiting on the porch.
    “Here you go.”
    “Thanks.”
    “Be at the station by eight tomorrow morning to give your statement.”
    She went down the steps of the house to Keith without a backwards glance. He thought about calling out a goodbye to her, but figured he’d hit his sarcastic limit with her and would only dig himself in deeper.
    So he stood there and watched as Keith came around to open the car door for her. Keith, the high school track star. Keith, the hometown boy who’d stayed. Keith, who didn’t say stupid shit to piss her off. Keith, who offered her comfort instead of aggravation. Keith, with the smug look as he got back into his car and drove away with Erin.
    Graham wished there was a law against being a self-righteous prick just so he could throw Keith in a cell. He had to remind himself that it was a good thing she had a boyfriend. She was also a witness in this case, the only witness. And he had no business starting something with her when what had happened in L.A. wasn’t completely over.
    He watched their taillights until the night swallowed them. A few hearty souls were still camped across the street. The coroner would be bringing the bodies out soon. Graham was sure that’s what they were waiting for. He recognized his cousin Willie and lifted a hand in reluctant acknowledgement.
    God, he couldn’t wait to get out of this town.
    He walked into the false florescent nightmare created by the lights the tech guys had set up. Night crime scenes were the worst. Everything was lit up like a movie sound stage, giving it an eerie dreamlike quality. The butcher shop stench of death, mingled with the coppery tang of blood, anchored the scene, ensuring no one present would mistake this for anything other than the horror it was.
    He found Pax talking to the coroner in the kitchen. He walked in just as Greg’s body bag was being zipped closed. The sudden tightness in his chest caught him off guard. He rubbed at it with the palm of his hand. When he’d left San Rey he’d left everything and everyone behind. Including friends like Greg. Good friends. Somehow taking those friendships with him had seemed impossible at the time. Now it seemed stupid and childish.
    He wondered who was left to make Greg’s funeral arrangements before turning his attention to what the coroner was saying to Pax.
    “—to the lab, but I can tell you that Na-tabs are prenatal vitamins. My wife took them. If Mrs. Lasiter was prescribed them, she was most likely pregnant. We’ll know for sure after the autopsy.”
    “Can you check paternity against the husband?” Graham asked.
    Pax swiveled his head in Graham’s direction. “You don’t think Greg’s the father? Why?”
    “I don’t know anything for sure,” Graham said. “Just covering all the bases.”
    “We’ll check paternity against the husband,” the coroner said. “I’ll let you know our findings.”
    “Thanks.”
    Graham