Background
While wanting to place trust in Logan, McKenzie searches for his sister's murderer. McKenzie doesn't believe anyone would harm her, but Logan feels it's his job to protect her from the threat.
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It's very early Thursday morning, probably around 1:00 A.M. McKenzie and Logan have known each other 9 days. LOL
Ending of Previous Post:
She walked partway downstairs. "Logan, are you all right? What's wrong?"
He glanced at her. "Why aren't you asleep?"
"You're pacing."
"I know but I'm not making that much noise."
She continued down the stairs. "I'm worried about you." She put her hand on his arm. "What's bothering you?"
"I can't shake the feeling that something bad has or will happen." He studied her hand touching him. "There's no sense in us both going without sleep. Go on to bed." He gave her a quick hug. "Good night. When you don't get sleep, you're grumpy in the morning," he teased. He watched her walk toward the stairs and sighed.
Before McKenzie got to the top of the stairs, somebody knocked on the door. She turned. "Logan, this can't be good."
"I'll get it. Go back upstairs."
He drew his weapon. "Mitch? What are you doing here?" He paused. "What's happened?" He put his gun away.
Mitch walked inside. "Nobody's hurt, but Bill's car exploded."
"NO!" screamed McKenzie as the tears streamed down her cheeks and she ran down the stairs.
Mitch waited for her to join them. "Joanie needed him to stop at a drug store on the way home. While inside, the car blew up. If he wouldn't have stopped, ..."
Logan took her in his arms.
TODAY'S POST:
ST. LOUIS CHAPTER 20 PART 3
"Was something wrong with the car, or-" Logan hesitated, "was there a bomb?"
"The fire marshal's initial opinion is a bomb. He said we'd get the preliminary report in the morning. The final, in a few days, maybe a week."
McKenzie headed toward the door. "I need to see Bill."
Logan grabbed her arm. "Wait. There are at least two problems with that. The obvious, you aren't dressed. The second, whoever did this is expecting you to show up. He'd know how close you and Bill are."
"Logan's right. Whoever did this is waiting for you." Mitch put his hand over his heart. "It causes this old man's heart to be faster." He grinned. "As cute as you are in that nightshirt, it would cause the men working crime scene to concentrate on you and not on the task at hand. Besides Bill's shook up, but he's fine. Call him."
McKenzie searched her body for her phone. "It's upstairs." She turned.
Logan offered his phone, punched in his security code, and Bill's number. "Here."
Taking the phone, she asked, "Bill, are you all right?" She listened a few moments. "Yes, I promise we'll stay safe and won't go anywhere until you get here tomorrow. We'll talk then." She hung up and handed Logan the phone. "Thank you."
"Well?"
"He says he's fine. We've lost the bug evidence."
"Figures."
Mitch's eyes widened. "What bugs?"
"We couldn't figure out how these guys, or more precisely Parks, was always one step ahead of us. Tonight, we found six bugs planted." She turned with her arms spread out. "Six bugs planted in my home. Can you believe it?"
He took her in his arms. "Mac, I'm sorry. I wish your dad was still with us."
"So do I. He'd know exactly what to do."
"You seem pretty sure it's Parks. Do you have any evidence?"
McKenzie stepped back. "Only circumstantial. Follow me." She led Mitch to the den and showed him the bulletin board.
Logan proceeded to explain the notes while McKenzie wrote down what happened tonight at Jose's, Donny's neighbor, the bugs, and Bill's car blowing up. She added them.
Mitch stood back and read. "Wow! He is the one common denominator. Everything points to him. Why would he have Megan murdered?"
McKenzie pointed to the right. "Here are our theories. The most likely, so far, is the possible pregnancy. Tonight, he made a point of telling us about the happy family he needed to get home to, but he didn't go straight home. This was after I called you and asked about if he was married."
"I see." Mitch answered his ringing phone. After he hung up, he said, "I need to leave." He kissed McKenzie's cheek. "Please don't take any chances."
She glanced at Logan. "I won't. Besides he won't let me."
Mitch grinned. "For that I'm grateful." He shook Logan's hand. "I'm glad you're here." He walked to the door and glanced at his watch. "I'll drop by later today."
Logan shut, locked the door, and studied McKenzie sitting on the couch. "Want to talk?" He sat beside her.
"Not really." Her eyes met his. "I want this to be over."
He put his arm around her. "So do I?"
The silence continued as she cuddled into his chest and fell into a restless sleep.
Logan reached over, grabbed an afghan, and covered McKenzie. If we're going to continue these late night rendezvous, she needs to wear more night clothes. How do I approach that with her?
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
