Page 30 of Chilled
At the next corner, Nick banged shoulders with her. “Do you think that file will have gone somewhere in the past twenty minutes?”
“I don’t want to take any chances. We waited too long to get into Dr. Drummond’s files. We can’t risk losing the backup.”
“Agreed.” His grip tightened on the handle as he braced himself for the next turn.
Brenna gained a minor amount of enjoyment from shaking up the tough Nick Tarver. Too many times during this incredibly long day, she’d leaned on this man’s broad shoulders. A bad habit she had to curtail, or he’d think she was incapable of doing her job and boot her off the team. Because this case impacted her hometown and the people she loved, she had to work it and find the bastard. She chewed on her bottom lip. If only she’d gotten that information from Dr. Drummond’s office sooner, she might already have a lead on the maniac.
“Stop it,” Nick said.
Brenna took her foot off the accelerator. “What?”
“Stop second-guessing yourself.”
Resuming her speed, she asked, “How did you know?”
His brow descended. “You get that look on your face.”
“What look?” She dared a quick glance at his face.
“You bite your lip and frown.”
“I do not.” She bit her lower lip and frowned. “Okay, so I do. It’s not a crime.”
“Maybe not, but it makes me nervous when you’re driving.”
Her lips lifted on the corner. “So, I’ve found a way to test the great Nick Tarver?”
“Don’t go there.”
“Not to worry. I won’t do a three-sixty with you in the car. Besides, we’re here.” She pulled the Jeep against the curb next to a small cottage tucked beneath a stand of trees. The porch light shone brightly, and all the windows were lit up like a shopping mall.
“Do you think Mrs. Keckler is a bit unsettled by all this?” Nick asked.
“I would be if I were her.” Brenna slid from the Jeep and trudged through the slush and water. Her feet squished in her tennis shoes, reminding her she hadn’t had a chance to change since her jog, and her toes were past numb.
The curtain next to the window twitched, and Mrs. Keckler’s face appeared. Two seconds later she flung the door open. “Oh, thank God you’re here!” The woman embraced Brenna like a long-lost relative, her thick arms crushing the air from her lungs. When she pulled back, she had tears glistening in her eyes.
“Is anything wrong, Mrs. Keckler?” Brenna asked.
Mrs. Keckler dug into her pocket and pulled out a tissue. “No, it’s just all that’s happened, what with Dr. Drummond’s murder and the building burning. I don’t know what to do, and frankly, I’m scared.”
Tears pricked at Brenna’s eyes. This was her hometown, too, and it was terrifying to know there was a killer among the good folk who’d lived here all their lives. She slid an arm around Mrs. Keckler’s shoulders. “We’ll get him.”
“I hope it’s soon. I don’t know if I can live like this. I’ve been so worried I couldn’t sit still for a second.”
Nick handed her the warrant. “Mrs. Keckler, could we relieve you of the backup files?”
“Oh, yes, please!” She fished in her other pocket and yanked out a thumb drive. “Here. Take this before I have a heart attack, or somebody decides he wants it bad enough to kill me, too.”
Nick took the shiny black drive. “Thank you, ma’am.” He nodded at Brenna. “Let’s check this out and see if it’ll give us a clue.”
“The password’s LuLu1948.” Mrs. Keckler gave them a sad smile. “The doctor was born in 1948, and she used to have a beagle named Lulu. It helped her to remember. Call me if you have any trouble getting into the files.”
Brenna pulled a pen from her purse and jotted down the information. “Thanks, Mrs. Keckler.” She said her goodbyes and headed for the Jeep.
Once inside, Nick turned to Brenna. “How long has it been since you’ve eaten?”
Brenna shot a startled look at him. “I don’t remember. This morning, maybe?”
