"When did she pass away?" he asked.

"Believe it or not, five years ago." She gave a small shrug. "She was such an amazing person that both my mom and I still miss her. And it wasnt just the money. Yes, she completely changed our lives in that respect, but more to the point, she was just a woman who loved life. She was kind and funny and always, always game for something new. She showed us kindness, and in doing so, she let us see kindness in the world in a way we hadnt been able to before. She was a remarkable woman."

Not unlike her granddaughter, Dash thought to himself.

She gave him a smile, the kind that said it was time to change the subject. "So, enough about me, what about-" she cut herself off as her eyes went over his shoulder. Her smile widened and she waved. He turned in the same direction to see Carly and Marcus walking in, out of uniform and looking off duty.

"Deputy Chief Brown, Officer Drummond," Matty said as the two approached the table. "How did the rest of your day go? Join us for a drink?"

Marcus cast Carly a look and she responded with a small nod. "Please, call us Marcus and Carly. You dont mind?" Marcus asked, looking more at Dash than Matty. In truth, Dash was kind of glad to have the distraction. Not because he wanted to avoid talking about himself, he didnt have much to hide, but because he was still processing what Matty had just told him. And what she hadnt. A little buffer between him and what she was making him think and feel might not be such a bad thing.

"Please," he said, gesturing with his hand for them to sit. Amy came over and the two placed their drink orders.

"So, what can you tell us?" Matty asked, not needing to elaborate further.

"Not much," Carly answered. "Vivi took the body up to the state lab in Albany and Im not sure when they scheduled the autopsy. But the good news is I think they processed most of the truck this afternoon-Ian thinks you might have it back by tomorrow afternoon."

"I dont really need it but thats good to know," Matty said then hesitated before continuing. "But I was sort of wondering about the cleaning part of it. I mean, Im not all that squeamish or anything, as Im sure you could tell this afternoon, but cleaning human remains out of a truck bed might be a bit much for me."

Marcus and Carly laughed. Dash tried to join in but couldnt quite bring himself to. Matty had glossed over her years in the projects saying nothing more than that theyd been violent. He didnt like the idea of her having to come face-to-face with even more violence now.

"I can clean it," he offered.

"Theres no need," Marcus said. "Even if Ian were inclined to let it come back to you in the state it was in this afternoon, Vivi would never let him. Dont worry about it, I promise you Ian will have it clean as a whistle when the tow truck drops it tomorrow."

Matty smiled. "I dont know them at all, but they seem like good people."

"Yeah, they are," Carly smiled. "Between the two of them, they have more experience in our line of work than probably everyone else in the county put together. But they like it here. Even though we dont usually keep Vivi that busy, the state lab is close, and she still consults with the FBI. Were lucky they stayed."

"Were they thinking about leaving?" Dash found himself asking. He and Ian had known each other in high school and were pretty close then. But theyd both headed off to college then joined different branches of the military. Dash had been back in the area for five years, but Ian had just come back a little less than a year ago and they hadnt really reconnected much except over Ians dog, Rooster.

Marcus gave them a "who-knows?" look before speaking. "I dont think they really considered it, but given what happened earlier this summer, and then Ian and Vic not getting along, it wouldnt have surprised me."

"Vic?" Matty asked.

"Our chief of police. Hes not a bad guy, but he and Ian never got along. I think he felt threatened by Ian, especially when Ian stepped right into the deputy chief position. It was touch and go for a while."

"But now hes the sheriff, right?" she asked.

Marcus and Carly nodded.

"And youre the new deputy chief?"

Carly gave a little knowing laugh and Marcus rolled his eyes upward. "Apparently."

"Id say congratulations, but somehow it doesnt seem youre all that excited about it?" Matty prompted.

"Vic convinced me, as did the mayor. It wasnt something I was looking for or even something I think Im ready for, but they dont want to bring in anyone new. Still, it feels a little sleazy," Marcus said.

"Sleazy?" Matty asked.

"Yeah." His shrug was nonchalant, but even Dash could tell Marcus was uncomfortable. "We had a killer up here," Marcus continued then paused to share a look with Carly. Dash knew all about the killer, everyone did. It had been the talk of the county, of the state, for a good long while.

"He came after Vivi and it was ugly," Carly picked up where Marcus had stopped. "You might have read about it in the news, but the long and short of it is hed killed twenty-one women before we tracked him down here in Windsor, and then he killed himself."

For a moment, Dashs mind flashed back to earlier in the summer. Everyone had known about the two bodies Vivi and Ian had found and the subsequent attack on the young owner of the ice cream store in town. And though the attack on Meghan, the store owner, was later found to be unrelated, the violence and the presence of a killer in their midst had shaken the small community. He glanced at Matty and wondered how Ian had coped with knowing the killer was ultimately after Vivi. He thought about the violence that had touched Mattys life as a young girl and the violence shed seen today. It was more than a person should experience in one lifetime as far as he was concerned. He took another sip of his beer and remained quiet as Matty continued her conversation with Marcus and Carly.

"And that has to do with your promotion how?" she pressed Marcus as she picked up the last French fry on her plate and popped it into her mouth. Dash watched as Carly leaned forward and answered.

"Well, Ian became sheriff, Wyatt, one of our other officers, was recommended by Vivi to participate in a highly competitive one-year training program with the FBI, and Marcus was promoted to deputy chief."

"And it feels like people ended up benefiting from a horrible tragedy," Matty finished. Both Marcus and Carly nodded.

"Well, not to point out the obvious," Matty started, "but no one asked for such a publicized case to land on your doorstep and it sounds like no one really sought to use it to their advantage. It sounds like stuff just happened-new jobs, new relationships-and you had to learn to take the good with the bad. If you like your job, and youre good at it, no one can blame you for trying to branch out and do more. Im sure youll be a great deputy chief, Marcus," she added.

"Hell be fine, its just something he has to get used to," Carly answered.

"Ill drink to that," Marcus said, raising his glass. They clinked and drank and though Dash joined in, he was thinking of Matty as a little girl in the projects, what it must have been like to have been uprooted to DC so suddenly, and the path she took to being here now, in Windsor-taking care of animals shed never been around before, chatting easily with the locals, even cheering them on. There was no doubt she was a remarkable woman and he didnt want to do a thing to change that.

"Excuse me for a moment," Matty said, rising from the table and gesturing toward the restrooms in the back. Dash watched her walk away and wondered if she would want to uproot again. Her friends and what family she had were in DC. The ties to her grandmother were in DC. Would she ever consider moving? If not, did that mean he would have to move if the family curse proved to be real?

"Im not sure you two could be any more obvious," Carly said with a laugh that brought Dash back to the present.

Apparently, he hadnt been the only one to enjoy the spectacle of Matty leaving the room. He cast a glance at Marcus who looked unapologetic in his admiration of Mattys assets.

"Hard not to appreciate the view," Marcus responded with a half smile. Carly rolled her eyes.

"Would you guys mind giving Matty a ride home?" Dash asked, the need for space having suddenly swamped him. Again.

"Didnt she come with you?" Marcus asked.

Dash shook his head. "She walked and I was going to give her a ride home because of the time and the storm, but I need to get home. Would you mind?"

Carly frowned. "Of course not."

After thanking them and ignoring the curious looks they both shot him, he walked to the bar to pay the tab he and Matty had raked up. He was just signing the credit card slip when she walked up to him on her way back to the table.

"Youre leaving," she said. He saw disappointment flash in her eyes but what really cut him was the look on her face that said she should have known better than to think he would stay.

"Marcus and Carly will give you a ride home."

For a moment she simply stared at him. And then, without a word, she started walking away.

"Wait, Matty," he said, putting a hand on her arm to stop her. He looked into her faded brown eyes and let out a long breath. "Look, like I said, its complicated. Its a family thing I cant really explain right now. Youll think Im crazy and Im not sure Im ready for it anyway. And Im pretty sure you arent."

"You arent making any sense, Dash," she answered.

"I know. Believe me, I know. But I will explain it all. I just cant do it now."

Her eyes searched his, looking for something he knew she wouldnt find. And though he didnt expect anything else, it still didnt sit well when she gave a dismissive "whatever" gesture with her hands.

"Thanks for joining me for dinner, Dash. Im going to sit back down now." And she walked away. And he let her.

He took his time signing off on the bill and when he passed the table on his way out Marcus raised a hand in farewell and Carly gave him a nod, but Matty just watched him leave.

CHAPTER 6.

AFTER ANOTHER HOUR AT ANDERSONS that Matty spent getting to know Marcus and Carly-after all, a thriller writer could never know too many cops-the pair dropped her off at home. Shed thought about making her way home on her own, but the storm had cooled the air down and the roads were wet, making a walk in flip-flops less than appealing. Again, she was thankful for the dogs when the taillights disappeared down the drive and darkness engulfed her. Entering the house, she greeted the pups and then pulled her phone out of her purse and dropped it on the kitchen table.

Once the dogs were settled, she dialed Brads number as she poured herself a glass of water. His voice mail picked up, again, and she left a third annoyed message. In the three days shed been at his house, shed had more animals than she knew what to do with, a man who flipped from hot to cold faster than a speeding bullet, and a dead body, literally, fall into her life. And she was beginning to feel a little grumpy. Not that she thought it was all Brads fault. If she cared to admit it, which she didnt, her agitation had more to do with Dash than the other bizarre things that had happened.

Setting her phone down on the kitchen island and resting her hands on the slate top, she simply stood, waiting for fatigue or something else to propel in her one direction or the other. But nothing came. The silence of the night enveloped her and she realized that, for the first time in her life, a man had made her feel unsettled. And it wasnt a very comfortable feeling.

Even though shed left Brad a message not ten minutes ago, she picked up the phone and called him again. Maybe seeing four calls from her would worry him enough that hed call back. Because at the moment she wanted an excuse to leave-an excuse to avoid dealing with Dash and an excuse to go back to something familiar.

Isis nudged her hand and Matty looked down at the beautiful red dog. And let herself smile a bit at what Isis seemed to be saying to her. All she really needed to do while she was here was take care of the animals and write. If she cut out all the rest, all of the noise, and focused on those two things, shed be just fine.

She knelt down and nuzzled the dog, "Thank you for reminding me, girl. Life doesnt have to be so complicated, does it? Dash may think it does, but that doesnt mean I have to let him complicate my life, right?"

Isis bumped her forehead against Mattys chin. "You think its bed time?" At those magic words, all the dogs were on their feet waiting for her to lead them upstairs. She laughed and started toward the stairs. As she walked by the refrigerator, an old newspaper on the counter caught her eye. She paused and picked it up. It had fallen out of the liquor cabinet earlier in the afternoon when shed made herself a much-needed gin and tonic after kicking Dash out. Of course she had told him she was fine, and really she was. But the gin and tonic had definitely helped smooth some of the ruffled edges.

Taking a closer look, she realized it wasnt actually a newspaper, but rather a racing form, and that there were odd bumps running over the name of one of the horses. The form was dated about a year ago and provided information from one of the local, though nationally known, tracks up near Albany. Matty knew very little about horse racing, but thought it a strange thing to find in the cabinet. It was possible it had been put in there to prevent a bottle from leaking onto the bottom of the cabinet. She could see Brad doing that; his house was meticulous. But it was the raised dots that caught her attention.

She traced her finger lightly along the bumps. They didnt mean anything to her, but they looked intentional. Frowning, she held the form up to the light to see if the bumps spelled anything or highlighted anything in particular on the form but found nothing. Not knowing what else she could do with it, certainly not this late at night, she put the racing form back down on the counter and, after one last glance at it, headed off to bed.

Matty stretched in bed then winced. The morning light shone bright through the window. Really bright. She hadnt had that much to drink the night before, a whiskey and two beers over the course of four hours, and a gin and tonic several hours before that, but it was more than what she was used to and her head wasnt being shy about telling her so.

Raising herself up on her elbows, she blinked. Of course, Bob was beside her. Lucy the mutt was at the end of the bed, Isis was on her dog bed in the corner, Rufus was stretched out in all his Great Dane glory on the rug under the window, and Rogers big Newfie-mix body was taking up the doorway. And every set of eyes was staring at her. She glanced at the clock and saw it was close to nine. It was two hours past their breakfast time; apparently they were more flexible than her half brother gave them credit for. Or maybe they were just getting used to her.

Still, feeling guilty, she rose quickly, fed the patient animals, and let them out before getting dressed and getting herself ready for the day. She didnt have much planned, except for writing, so it didnt take long. Heading back downstairs, she let the dogs in that wanted in and then went out to check on the other animals and collect the fresh eggs. She wasnt hungry yet, so she just made coffee, sat down at her computer, and got to work.

At around two oclock, Matty sat back and stretched her back. Her stomach grumbled in protest when she realized she hadnt yet eaten. But it was a small price to pay. Shed done a lot of good work in four hours, and thanks to the insight Chen had shared with her, she was starting to feel that this story was actually coming together.

She was making a salad when she heard a car drive up. She didnt deny the relief that swept through when she realized it wasnt a diesel and so unlikely to be Dash. Her day was going just as planned so far, and it was a balance she wanted to keep. She opened the patio door just as Vivi and another woman were closing their car doors.

"Matty, hi!" Vivi said, walking toward her.

"Vivi, how nice to see you," she responded, smiling at the two women.

Vivi gestured to the other woman. "This is Kit Forrester, another local-"

"Oh my god, the Kit Forrester?" Matty cut Vivi off. The woman looked a little sheepish, but there was no denying it was the very one. Her distinct golden eyes gave her away. "Oh, wow. I had no idea you lived up here, too," Matty said, holding out her hand.

Kit smiled and shook Mattys hand. "I moved up here five years ago and love it. Vivi thought you might like meeting another local writer."

"Youre one of my favorites and Im not just saying that because youre here," Matty was gushing. Again. But, like when she met Vivi, she couldnt have been more surprised to see one of the countrys most prominent, and highly awarded, young writers standing in her driveway. She knew Kit was only a few years younger than she was, but the novels Kit had written had won critical acclaim both nationally and abroad and she was already considered one of the countrys literary vanguards.

"Ill say the same to you, and also not just because youre standing right in front of me. I loved your last book, The Solace, it was amazing," Kit responded.

Matty laughed. "What I write is pure escapist entertainment. Dont get me wrong, I love it, but its nothing compared to your talent. Now," she said, cutting off Kits protest, "before we start comparing ourselves even more, why dont you come inside for a drink? I was just about to make myself some lunch, would you guys like to join me?" Both women had eaten, but they joined her in a glass of iced tea as they all sat.

"I just wanted to stop by, say hi, introduce you to Kit, and let you know that Ian will have your truck delivered by four or five this evening. Clean," Vivi added with a smile.

"You ran into Marcus or Carly, I take it?" Matty asked, taking a bite of the salad shed thrown together.

"This morning at the lab. They said they saw you and Dash Kent at Andersons last night."

She heard the question in Vivis voice and laughed. "Youre not very subtle, you know," she said.

Vivi made a face. "I know, youd think Id be better at it considering what I do for a living, catching bad people who do bad things, but I suck at subterfuge and subtext myself."

"And besides, everyone is curious when Dash is seen out with a woman since it doesnt happen that often," Kit added. "Dont get me wrong, hes far from a monk if the rumors are anything to go by, but hes usually discreet. Its the being out in public with a woman that tends to catch peoples attention. And you can imagine that, looking the way he does, hes a bit of a hot topic of conversation among the ladies."

"Yourself included?" Matty asked Kit.

Kit laughed and shook her head. "Nope. As fine as he is to look at, hes a bit too standoffish for my taste. Nice guy and all, but just not my type."

"He does run hot and cold," Matty conceded.

"Meaning?" Vivi pressed.

"Nosy much?" Matty rejoined, laughing at her new friend.

"I saw the way he was looking at you yesterday. There was nothing standoffish about it," Vivi answered.

Matty shrugged. "He stopped by Andersons last night to check in on me. I walked down on my own and we ended up having dinner together. Marcus and Carly drove me home. Nothing too exciting to report, Im afraid."

"Not your taste either?" Kit asked.

"When I date a man, I prefer that he be certain that he also wants to date me. Not for forever, but for the time were together. Dash cant even be sure, one way or the other, over the course of a dinner. Its too much drama for me," Matty answered.

"He looked pretty certain when I saw you two together yesterday," Vivi said.

"And fifteen minutes later he was running for the hills," Matty responded. "Hes, well, I cant quite figure him out. And then he said the strangest thing to me last night," she said, pausing with her fork in midair as she remembered. "He said something about it being a family thing and that it was complicated and that someday hed tell me but he wasnt ready and neither was I."

"That does sound weird," Kit said.

Mattys brow furrowed. "I know, I cant for the life of me figure out what he meant. And now I find myself wondering if I should even care. All I really want to do while Im up here is write. And take care of the animals," she added.