Free 5 Conditioner and a Corpse by Cindy Bell Page A

once they are, they can cool their heels for a little while. I asked you to dinner, and I'm not leaving until we're done.”
    Bekki smiled slowly at his determined voice. She loved the way he always made sure she knew how much she meant to him. He was right. This was one encounter that the crime, the chaos, didn't have to ruin. She took his hand in hers again and warmth coursed through her body.
    “This is delicious you know,” Bekki said, breaking the silence. She pulled her hand away and took a bite of the pasta he had prepared. “I don't think I remembered to tell you that.”
    “ Thanks,” Nick smiled. “I guess next time I should try something without red sauce.”
    “ Maybe so,” Bekki laughed a little and shook her head. “No matter what, the company makes the meal.”
    “ Yes it does,” he agreed. When their meal was finished Bekki began to clear the dishes.
    “ Hey, I said no cleaning,” he warned her.
    “ Listen, I'm not going to let you wash the dishes when there are two criminals waiting to be interrogated,” she pointed out and winked at him. “I'll take care of these, just call me when you break them.”
    “ Will do,” he smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist. The soft, slow kiss that followed was one that made Bekki want to forget about the dishes, the crime, and everything but Nick's arms around her. But when he pulled away, the reality came crashing back. Until Jeff Barnes was in handcuffs, she was not going to be safe, no matter how many people wanted to protect her. As Nick left she stepped into the kitchen to wash up the dishes. She hoped that by the time he came back the entire case would be solved.

Chapter Eight
     
    When two hours had passed and Nick still hadn't returned, Bekki decided to head home. She locked up his house and headed to hers. With only a few driveways between them it was a quick walk. Bekki unlocked her door and stepped inside. The moment she did, she paused. Something felt a little off. Maybe it was because there were no lights on. Or maybe her run-in with Jeff had left her more on edge than she realized. Either way she suddenly hesitated to move further into the house. In the shadows she thought she sensed movement. Every creak of the house sounded like a footstep to her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she found herself very uncomfortable.
    “ Pull it together, Bekki,” she whispered to herself and was able to coax herself the few inches to the light switch. When she turned it on the living room blazed into view. Everything was in place. There was nothing that looked abnormal. But Bekki still didn't feel any better. She sat down on the edge of the couch and remained there, watching for any little movement. She kept expecting someone to pop out of the closet, or walk down the stairs, but neither happened. With her cell phone in her hand she braved walking into the kitchen. Again, when she switched on the light, everything appeared to be as it should be. However, that did not alleviate the feeling she had. She had just decided to call Nick when her phone began to ring. It was Nick.
    “ Hello?” she asked in a hushed voice.
    “ Bekki, listen, we're still holding the two suspects in the break in, but I couldn't get them to flip on Barnes. We still have nothing on him. Where are you?”
    “ I'm at home,” Bekki murmured, her heart pounding. “Do you think he could be here?”
    “ I don't know,” Nick replied honestly. “I sent a patrol car out to check on him at the motel, and there's no sign of him.”
    “ What should I do?” Bekki asked, her breath short. “I feel like someone might be in the house with me,” she admitted nervously.
    “ I'm already on my way,” Nick promised her. “Just stay on the phone with me, okay?”
    “ Yes, I will,” Bekki clung to her cell phone tighter than she ever had in the past. There was nothing about the house that indicated anyone else was there, but the message she had read on the phone was