Shards: Book One of the Anderian Series

Chapter 6: Coincidences

It happened the next morning while I was in the shower. One minute, I was humming tunelessly while washing my hair, and the next minute, I was on my knees screaming in pain. Skin peeled off and stuck beneath my nails as I clawed at the spot just above my heart. Twenty-six was too young to have a heart attack, but I didn't know what else would cause this level of agony.

Fiery cramps pulsed beneath my breast, mounting in intensity until I prayed to pass out, only to go away so quickly I almost passed out from the relief. On and on they came in waves until I woke on the bottom of the shower, the water pelting my face cold as ice, and a tenderness in my chest was the only evidence that I hadn't imagined the entire thing.

Legs wobbling like a newborn foal, I dried off and dressed. It took several tries to pull my jeans up, and a cold sweat covered my body by the time I dragged a pale pink cable-knit sweater over my head. Staring at my disheveled face in the mirror, I rubbed the sore spot beneath my breast with the heel of my palm and debated going back to bed.

But then Jac would win.

The thought was enough to put a spark back in my green eyes, and I applied a little extra makeup to hide the worst of my exhaustion and pain. It didn't matter how I felt as long as I could convince everyone else I was a badass.

Still, I couldn't help but wonder what the hell had happened. It plagued me the entire drive across Stone City. In reality, it could be a heart issue. Dumped at a fire station with my umbilical cord still attached, I knew nothing about my family's health history. Dear old Mom could have kicked the bucket while giving birth to me thanks to a weak heart, or maybe it was my father who died young, leaving her unwilling to raise a child alone. Both scenarios were unlikely and a far nicer story than I'd painted for myself over the years, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to schedule a physical just in case.

Laura Kincaid lived in a gated community on the east side of town. The guard didn't hide his disdain for me when he buzzed me through. I tossed him a cheeky grin that he didn't return and told myself I had every right to be in this neighborhood, even if some of these people made more in an hour than the entire value of my car.

I parked in Laura's driveway and ran a critical eye over the information I'd pulled on my client. Thirty-three. Unmarried. Highly successful tax attorney—bet Daddy dearest loved that. From what I could tell, her place in this neighborhood had come from a lot of hard work and sacrifice, but none of that information really helped me. I was more interested in the fact that Molly adopted her thirty years ago when she married Harold after the untimely death of his first wife.

"Exsanguination," I read aloud with a shudder.

The first Mrs. Kincaid was found in her bathtub, drained of all her blood. Coroner ruled it a suicide despite compelling evidence to the contrary, and Harold had an alibi—he was in Hawaii on a business trip. News outlets were divided on the story—some suggesting the Kincaid's old money was enough to hide the truth. It was no wonder the police were so keen to paint him as the murderer. One wife dying was a tragedy. Two suggested foul play.

Ringing the doorbell, I leaned against the wall and steadied my breathing. The ache in my chest was nearly gone, but I remained fatigued. If Cian popped out of the bushes right now, I would probably ask him to make it quick, but until then, I needed to put on a good show for Laura. Maybe the weakness would go away as quickly as the ache.

"Ms. Smith," Laura said as she opened the door. Her pale face was pinched as she stepped aside to let me enter, and she didn't say another word until we were seated in her parlor. "I didn't expect a visit from you so soon. Does this mean you've found something?"

"I actually have a few questions," I told her, looking around the room with interest. There wouldn't be many echoes—everything was too new and pristine. I imagined Laura rarely used this room, and if she did, it was for strangers, not close friends and family.