Deadly Dance by Dee Davis Page B

grim.
    “Yes,” Avery acknowledged. “Just be careful.”
    Harrison nodded and then reached for the knob. Hannah held her breath as the door squeaked open, the smell emanating from the opening drawing bile into her throat.
    “Oh, my God,” she whispered, fighting her rising nausea. “Is that…” she trailed off, not able to form the words.
    Harrison nodded, his mouth drawn into a thin, tight line as he stepped through the doorway into the room. Sucking in a breath, Hannah followed, mentally steeling herself for what she already knew they’d find.
    Sara was strung by her arms from the wall. Naked. Blood pooling at her feet. Precision cuts and slashes snaked across her body like some kind of macabre tattoo.
    Hannah fought against another wave of nausea. “Is she—”
    “Dead?” Harrison finished for her, as the rest of the team made their way into the room. “Yes. From the looks of the blood on the floor, I’d say she’s been that way for quite a while.”
    “So we couldn’t have—” Again Hannah had trouble finding the words, tears filling her eyes as the horror enveloped her.
    “Saved her?” Drake finished, his voice echoing in the eerily lit room. “No way. We never had a chance.”
    “Neither did she,” Harrison said, his voice hushed, his face tight with emotion.
    “How did you know?” Hannah asked, the words coming of their own volition. “To look for a cellar, I mean?” She lifted her gaze to his, and the pain she saw reflected there almost took her breath away.
    He shook his head, his eyes moving back to Sara, hanging on the wall. “Because that’s where they found my sister.”

CHAPTER 7
     
    H arrison sat on the front porch steps of the house by the lake, his thoughts rioting. Despite the fact that nine years had passed since his sister’s death, it might as well have been yesterday. Especially in light of the body they’d found inside. The forensics people were at work in the basement and bedroom. And the rest of the team was either inside helping or back at Sunderland trying to run interference.
    There was no avoiding publicity now. And that meant that Avery would have his hands full dealing with the fallout. Parents, students, even professors—all with legitimate concerns—who’d be bombarding the college with questions and fears. Harrison was glad he wasn’t the one who had to cope.
    “You okay?” Hannah asked, sitting down beside him on the steps, her voice laced with concern.
    “Hey, this isn’t about me,” he said, lifting his hands. “Sara’s family members are the ones who are going to have to deal with all of this.”
    “I know that. But you were already thinking about your sister, and now this. It can’t be easy.”
    “It is what it is, Hannah. And talking about it isn’t going to help.”
    “Okay,” she said, her face shuttering. “I guess I just thought that…” She trailed off, staring down at her hands, and he hated himself for being so short with her, but right now, more than anything, he needed to maintain control.
    “I know you mean well,” he said, “but we need to focus on Sara’s murder, not my sister’s.”
    She nodded and stood up, but not before he saw a flicker of hurt in her eyes.
    This was why he didn’t do relationships. But with Hannah somehow it was different. He just couldn’t stand the idea that he’d caused her pain.
    “I’m sorry. I’m not exactly at my best.” He stood up, reaching out to take her hand, the action surprising him almost as much as it surprised her. “But I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
    “I understand. But you need to know that I… that we all care about you. And whatever you need—even if it’s just space—we’re here to give it to you.”
    “That means a lot to me.”
    He was standing on the bottom step and Hannah was on the top, so for once they were almost eye level. “I value our friendship, Hannah.” More than he was ready to tell her actually. Hell, more than he wanted to admit.