Murders & Romance: A Psychic Detective Romantic Mystery (Isaac Taylor Mysteries Book 5) by Lashell Collins (ready player one ebook .TXT) 📗

“What do you mean?”

“I mean no one’s seen him.”

“Well, it is technically summer. Maybe he left campus to go home for a few weeks.”

“Home is a dwelling in Fairfax where he lives with his older sister. Seems their mother, a single parent, moved to Akron for her job a year ago, allowing Michael to stay with his sister so that he could continue to go to Cleveland state. I’ve reached out to the sister, who says that Michael actually lives on campus in a dorm and is rarely at the house. I’ve tried contacting his roommate, but I can’t locate him either.”

“Huh. That can’t be good.”

“I’ll keep at it.”

“That’s all we can do, I guess.”

Isaac locked eyes with the strange janitor as the man passed by his desk once more on his way out.

8

At Hope House, Sidney stood up from her desk and began to gather her things. Zoe was already gone for the day, and Julie, a social work graduate student that Zoe employed to stay with the residents in the evenings, was getting settled at her desk in the office.

“Okay, Julie. I’m out. If you need anything during the night you know where to find us.”

Julie looked at her and smiled.

“You say that every evening, Sidney, but calling you or Zoe during the night is always my very last resort.”

“I know. But we’re there if you need us.”

Julie laughed, and Sidney headed out of the office. She stopped by the kitchen, where the residents were having dinner, and popped her head in the door. She smiled as she watched them. There were only three adults right now — Ann, and her two children, Laney and Ben. Beth, and her daughter, Kylee. And Tyneesha, a soft-spoken librarian in her second trimester of pregnancy — and Sidney marveled at how willing the women always were to help one another through what had to be the darkest time in their lives.

“I’m leaving, gang. Julie’s in the office if you need anything.”

They all smiled or waved their goodbyes to her, and Sidney headed for the door to leave.

When she opened it, a man stood on the other side.

He was disheveled, with bloodshot eyes and reeking of alcohol, and Sidney’s heart clawed its way to her throat.

“I want to talk to my wife.”

The heart in her throat dropped to the depths of her stomach.

Flashbacks of the incident from a few weeks ago flew through her mind like a shock reel. She blinked and pulled herself together.

“You’re not supposed to be here.”

“I don’t want any trouble. I just want to see my wife. I need to talk to her.”

How would Zoe handle this?

She formed a barrier with her body, one hand on the door frame and the other firmly on the door itself. Then she looked the man in his eyes.

“I don’t know who your wife is, sir. And If you…”

“Donald?”

From behind her, Sidney heard Ann’s voice, and the woman sounded terrified.

Sidney’s stomach sank even lower.

“Annie!”

The man lurched forward, his beer belly nearly knocking Sidney over. But she refused to budge.

“Honey come here! Let me talk to you for a minute.”

“No!” Ann yelled. “Donald, you’re not supposed to be here.”

“Annie, I just want to see my kids! Where are they?”

“No. Donald, go away!”

“Sir, I’m calling the police if you don’t leave this property immediately!” Sidney hoped her voice sounded more forceful than it had to her own ears.

Donald ignored her and the barrier she created, and pushed his way into the foyer of the house.

“Dammit, Annie, I want to see my kids! You can’t keep them from me.”

A surge of frustration and pent up rage ran through Sidney.

Perfectly executing a hold Pete Vega had taught her in the self-defense class, she grabbed Donald, twisted his arm behind his back, and shoved him into the nearest wall.

“You’re trespassing!” she growled.

Donald was momentarily shocked.

So was Sidney.

But his drunken confusion didn’t last long. He pushed off the wall and backhanded her across the face, knocking her backward into the door.

Ann screamed.

Julie and Tyneesha came running from different directions.

Sidney was hurting, and pissed.

She had no clue where the rage and determination came from, but she was damn sure going to use it to her advantage.

She launched herself at him, punching him three times in the face before she landed a kick square in his chest with her stiletto.

The kick knocked him into the banister of the stairs, and then he flopped to the floor on his ass.

His stunned expression gave her just enough time to pull her .380 Ruger out of her purse and level it at him.

“You’re trespassing. And you’re violating Ann’s restraining order. Julie, call the police!”

“Dialing now!” Julie called out.

“All right, I’m leaving! I’m leaving!”

Donald scrambled to his feet and ran out of the door and down the porch steps.

Adrenaline crashed into Sidney’s chest. She could feel the collective rush of relief that everyone else seemed to expel, but she was shaken.

She’d never pulled her new gun on anyone before, and she noted the shaking of her hands when she lowered it and put it away in her purse.

“Oh, my God. Thank you so much, Sidney! Thank you.”

She tried to accept Ann’s gratitude, but she couldn’t do much more than nod.

Ann’s kids suddenly ran from the kitchen and into their mother’s arms. Sidney watched the woman shoot a grateful smile to Beth.

“Thank you for keeping them in the kitchen with you.”

“Of course,” Beth said.

“The cops are on their way,” Julie announced.

Sidney nodded, still unable to speak. She placed a hand on her chest, silently begging her heart to calm down.

She pulled out her cellphone and sent a text to Ike.

Sidney:

Not an emergency

All ok now

But just pulled my gun on resident’s husband

She put her phone down just as the door opened again, and Dr. Lance Tobey stepped inside. He seemed slightly amused and surprised to find them all congregated at the front door. He glanced around with a smile.

“Hi, everyone. Why