I want to wish all my fan a very blessed Christmas filled with friends and family.

It's Wednesday late afternoon. McKenzie and Logan have known each other 8 days. LOL


Ending of Previous Post:

"She thinks I should discuss it with you. She said you're a good listener."

"Hmm, wonder why she'd say that."

"Maybe because the time she threw Simon out of the house, you listened and told her to discuss it with Simon, and it saved their marriage."

"Well, I think they talked and realized how much they loved each other and saved their own marriage. I had nothing to do with it." Logan reached over and put his hand on hers. "But if you ever need somebody to listen, I'm available."

"I know. Sometimes, it's just a feeling, and I can't put it into words." McKenzie stared in the side mirror. "Logan, that SUV behind us. I think it's the same one at the warehouse and it went by when Jose was shot. Its license plate starts with an ST-365." She took out her phone and took a picture through the mirror. "I hope this works. I can't see the last two numbers." After she finished, she added, "I'm calling Bill."

"That plate fits the one I saw. Now we have the additional numbers."


TODAY'S POST:

ST. LOUIS CHAPTER 19 PART 2

Once the groceries were inside the house, McKenzie plopped on the couch, hung her head, and held it in her hands. "I really can't go anywhere, can I? Bill hasn't got back to me. I hope he figures out who owns that SUV."

Logan moved Arlo aside and sat beside her. "So do I. They seem to know every time you leave the house."

She avoided eye contact. "What do they want from me? I have no idea what this is about." Tears welled and threatened to roll down her cheeks. She wiped them with the back of her hand. "I'm not going to do this." She stood and paced. "If I could figure out who they are and what they want, I could stop it." Her eyes met Logan's. "I honestly have no idea who wants to harm me."

Logan stepped closerand took her hands in his. "I'm guessing it has something to do with Megan's murder. It seems to be when it all started."

"I know, but why? What do they have in common? Who or what am I getting too close to? We have nothing."

"All we have is a bunch of questions with no answers."

Still holding onto one of Logan's hands and led him into the den. They faced the bulletin board she'd made containing the information they had and pointed to the outstanding questions. "One of these must be important, but which one?"

Reaching out and pointing to Sidney Park's name, Logan said, "My money rests on him. He would have access to the same information we have. Whoever is threatening you seems to be one step ahead of us."

"You're probably right, but how can we prove it? Since he's a police officer, we'd need to catch him in the act. Why would he have Megan killed? I'm sure he didn't do it himself." McKenzie took out her cell phone. "I'm calling Mitch. I have an idea."

After it rang a few times, she asked, "Mitch, is Sidney Parks married?" She listened, and then continued, "Does he have any children?" Again, she listened. "Just looking for motive." She laughed. "Yes, I have an idea. We found a pregnancy kit in Megan's apartment. Still don't know if she's pregnant. You haven't heard when they're releasing the autopsy report have you?" She listened again. "So they're promising it to us the beginning of next week. I still would like to know why it's taking so long. Anyway, if she thought she could be pregnant and Parks was the possible father and she told him, it could be motive. It would mess with his marriage, wouldn't it?"

She hung up and faced Logan. "I'm sure you heard. Parks has two young children and a third on the way. If he was having an affair with Megan, and she told him about the possible baby, that would be motive." She wrote it down and added it to the board.

"I can't believe my sister would be involved with a married man."

"He may not have told her that he was married."

Logan tilted his head. "That's possible and makes a little sense." He glanced at his watch. "I'd better get busy on dinner."

"Remember, I'm helping."

He studied her for a few minutes and chuckled. "You can make the salad."

*****
As they put dinner in a box, a knocked sounded at the door. Arlo beat Logan to it.

He bent over and petted the barking dog. "Hey, it's okay." He opened the door. "Hello. Mark, right?"

"Yes." He attempted to look around Logan. "Is Mac here?"

"I'll get her." Logan turned. "It's your friend from the gym, Mark."

McKenzie walked over to the door. "Hello, come in."

He did and saw the box of food. "Am I interrupting something?"

She pointed to the box. "One of my friends just got out of the hospital, and we're taking him and his wife dinner."

Mark glanced at Logan. "Sorry, I didn't know you were a couple."

At the same time, Logan and McKenzie said, "We're not."

Pink tinged McKenzie's cheeks. "We just spend a lot of time together. We're working on a case."

"I see. I came by to see if you'd like to go to dinner tomorrow night?"

Logan cleared his throat.

McKenzie glanced at him. "I really can't. I'm sure you saw all the security outside. I'm basically being held hostage in my house."

"You're going out tonight."

"You're correct, but my entourage of security will follow."

Mark chuckled. "It seems like it's impossible to get a date with you." He eyed Logan. "Have you had a date with her?"

Logan grinned. "I have not."

Her eyebrows crunched together. "Logan and I are friends. That's all. He'll be returning to Fort Bragg in a few weeks."

Turning toward the door, Mark said, "I guess I'll try another time." He eyed McKenzie. "Any idea when you'll be free?"

"As soon as I solve this case, but it isn't moving very fast. I keep hitting roadblocks. I'm sure you'll be able to read about it in the newspaper when it's solved. It's pretty big."

"Okay. I'll see you then." Mark left.

McKenzie faced Logan. "Why do people assume we're a couple?"

"No clue. Ready to leave?"


Please enjoy Alan Jackson singing "Let It Be Christmas."





Characters:

McKenzie 'Mac' Morgan a 27 year old private investigator
Major Logan Nelson 34 years old and an active duty soldier
Arlo McKenzie's black and tan dachshund
Megan Nelson Logan's younger sister - murdered
The Lou local name for St. Louis
Simon Knight and Sheila Logan's former Army buddy and a Lab technician. Sheila's his wife.
Fan name for the St. Louis Cardinals - a major league
baseball team.
Yadi What Cardinal fans call Tadier Molina - Cardinal's all-star catcher.
Edger McKenzie's black and tan rottweiler
John Benson Man who murdered McKenzie's parents
Bill Abbot A D.A and McKenzie's God-Father; he was a high-
school friend of McKenzie's father. Joanie is his wife.
Jose Lopez his wife is Lucy Chicago Police Department undercover police
department.
Kate Hartford Megan Nelson's friend they taught middle school
together.
Donny Carlton A man Megan Nelson dated.
Mitch Gardner St. Louis Police Department detective who has
partnered with McKenzie's dad.
Ivan Smart A bad guy
Peter and Nancy Nelson Logan's parents
Sidney Parks works for the St. Louis Police Detective with the drug unit.
Mack and Helen Morgan McKenzie's parents - both deceased
Gus Piper McKenzie's abusive grandfather - deceased
Austin Bryant an old boyfriend - McKenzie broke up with him because he's a jerk.
Joshua Davis so far a nobody, but is a neighbor to Donny Carlton
Mark Young an acquaintance of McKenzie, a state trooper, and will become important much later in the novel