Chapter 23

He reached the side path leading to the cemetery where Ella was buried. He hesitated for a moment. Might he run into Savannah at the grave? No, she had class now. He turned off the main trail, and the crushed oyster shells crunched under his feet as he jogged up the gentle slope to the graveyard. The rusty gate still stood open. He slowed to a walk and went in. His panting dog followed him, tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth.

He had been gripping the past like shards of a broken crystal sculpture, trying to force the shattered pieces back together with bloody fingers. He needed to let go and accept what had happened. The sculpture could never be made whole again, but the pieces held a broken beauty of their own, especially when touched with healing light. Like this place. There was wisdom here.

And he needed to visit Ella's grave more often. A lesson for him resided here.

***

Savannah couldn't seem to shake the dark cloud riding on her shoulder ever since Hez served the divorce papers, and it was already October sixth. Her class this morning didn't start until eight, and she'd hoped an early walk around the pond with Marley would clear her head and help her focus on a different future than she'd envisioned. After notating an even split of their assets, she'd finally signed the papers, made a copy, and brought everything back to Hez yesterday evening. She had also included her engagement ring and wedding band, with a note asking him to sell them and donate the proceeds to the Justice Chamber. She'd had to pray for the strength to do it, and she finally managed to pull the trigger. To her relief, he'd been out, so she had shoved everything through the old-fashioned mail slot in the front door of his condo.

Savannah squinted through the darkness toward the gothic-style building. Was that a light? She shook her head. She'd never seen anyone poking around the old building. Numerous signs warned students to stay out. The place wasn't safe and had been roped off for the past two years after a student crashed through a floor and broke a leg. She'd had to resist the urge to explore herself more than once.

She started up the slope toward the building. "Marley, come!"

"There you are, boy." She squatted beside him and ran her hands over his coat. No blood. "You okay?"

He whined before launching into a full-throated howl again. "What's wrong, boy?" She rose and shone the light around the area.

Marley barked and jerked away again. Even though she'd been prepared for a lunge, he managed to escape again, and he darted through the entry door into the old building. Why was it even open? Probably students again.

The dog whined, and she went toward him. She stumbled over something on the floor and dropped her phone. With the light snuffed out, the room plunged into suffocating darkness. Her phone must have fallen upside down. She knelt and touched the wooden floor, then ran her fingers through the debris. Where was her phone? Her fingers touched something warm and pliable, and she instinctively shuddered and jerked her hand back.

Peter Cardin. His eyes stared up toward the ceiling, but she didn't think he was conscious.

Someone had murdered Peter Cardin.