A Reason To Breathe Read Free Page A

two desks over, as I stomped towards the front door. As I was pulling the door open, I felt a hand at my elbow stopping me.
    “You need to stay out of this Mrs. Stewart. Two women have died. Think of your husband, your kids if you have them. You nose around in this, and you could end up hurt or worse.”
    “I’ll take that into consideration Sheriff, I wouldn’t want to worry anyone. Now again, if you’ll excuse me, I’m sure I have a pot roast I need to put in the oven.”
    Sucking in my breath to ward off the tears his words caused, I pushed through the door and tried to keep myself from running. Stupid, so stupid, I couldn’t remember the last time I made a pot roast… its funny the things you miss?
     
     
    *                             *                            *
     
    Jack
     
     
             I watched the little spitfire hurry down the block, and then turned to Bob and gave him a chin lift. As I opened the door, Lorraine, who was as old as time and a fixture of the Gunnison Times, stopped me in my tracks.
    “I’m guessing you’ve never met Ms. Stewart before today, boy?”
    “Nope, haven’t had the displeasure till today.”
    “Word of advice, go easy on her, she just moved here four months ago after selling her house she couldn’t afford, due to a drunk driver killing her husband.”
    Christ.
    I closed my eyes, and then hung my head.
    “She acts tough, but she’s got a soft spot, and a heart of gold. Got married out of high school to the guy and had a baby not soon after. Baby’s all grown up and out of the house.”
    I turned my head and looked back down the street, then turned back to Lorraine and mumble, “Fuck.”
    “That about covers it, now what’cha gonna do about it, boy?”
    I stared at the old woman for a few seconds, then turned on my heels and went out the door in the direction Jenn went.
     
     
    *                             *                            *
     
    Jenn
     
     
          So killers collect trophies? Hmmm, I wonder if the police have discovered the victims were missing anything? I pulled out my note pad and made a notation to ask Barry for the names of the first victim’s family. Tapping my pen against the paper, trying to remember the first victim and what I knew about her. I looked around the park and saw mothers with strollers had emerged to enjoy the last few weeks of warmer weather.
    In the fall, weather changes quickly here. You could have seventy degrees and sunny in the morning, and by nightfall snow could be threatening. Breathing in the fresh air, and thinking I’d better get my tires changed to all-weather for the upcoming winter; I felt the bench beside me shift with the weight of someone sitting. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the large frame of the Sheriff. Damn.
    “I didn’t know.” Great, sympathy from this already fascinating man would do me in, so I steeled myself against his pity.
    “How could you?” I replied, letting him off the hook.
    “Lorraine said you moved here on your own?” Making a notation never to unload my problems on the clearly “Chatty Cathy,” I turned to those blue eyes and shrugged.
    “I had a dream when I was a kid to live in the mountains with the bears.”  He raised his eyebrows and grinned.
    “What?”
     “Never met a woman who wanted to live with bears.”
      “Never met a man as bossy as you.”
    I watched as his grin turn into a smile that could melt butter, and found myself looking at his lips. I forced my eyes back to the park, and watched a mother with her hands held out to her son, as he let go of the top of the slide and slid to the bottom.
    “Jack Gunnison.”
    “Pardon?”
    “Let’s start over. My name is Jack Gunnison.” I studied his face; saw he was sincere, and nodded.
    “Ok, Sheriff, Jennifer Stewart.”
    “Just Jack.”
    “Sorry?”
    “No, Sheriff, just Jack.” I smiled at