Dust to Dust

looked kind of like a broken igloo,” he said. “These look like blocks. Notice that the scales in the snake-like figure are similar to the bricks or ice blocks in the other figure.”
    “Something to sleep on,” said Diane. She finished her pizza and upended her wineglass. “Vanessa will be disappointed we didn’t have Irish whiskey,” she said.
    Diane got ready for bed as Frank went around and checked all the doors and windows in the house. If they were willing to shoot off the locks with a big gun, doors were useless, she thought.
    She was sitting on the bed in her nightshirt when he came into the room.
    “You know, I was really terrified,” she said.
    Frank sat down beside her and took her hand. “It’s completely normal that you were.”
    “No, I mean I was really terrified,” she repeated.
    “And it’s really normal,” he said, grinning at her.
    “You know I’ve been in a lot of dangerous situations. I was never this scared,” she said.
    Frank was silent for several moments. “Over the past few years you have been getting happier,” he said. “It’s taken a while since Ariel’s death, but gradually your grief has made room for other emotions—like love and friendship. You’ve built a lot of that here in Rosewood. I’m not saying your life now means more to you, but you feel like you have a lot to lose, and it scares you. I believe that’s part of it. And there was also the overly violent nature of the attack. It was designed for terror. But you did well. You won.”
    Diane leaned against him. “I’m going to find out who did this to your house,” she said. “And to me.”

Chapter 43
    Diane had hoped to get out to Marcella’s house by late morning, but she had to go to the police station first to make a formal statement. She wrote out an account and signed it before she went to Garnett’s office, hoping it would save time. It didn’t. She had to speak with Internal Affairs. It wasn’t pleasant, mainly because the incident wasn’t pleasant. But it wasn’t that bad either. They weren’t hostile, really. Stern, but not particularly aggressive. The prevailing culture in Rosewood was, if a man shot his way into your house, you had the right to shoot back. After she spoke with IA, she went to Garnett’s office.
    “Sorry about all this,” said Garnett. “You know. Procedure. Hanks will join us shortly. We had a discussion with Emory in the hospital and we thought you would be interested in hearing about it.”
    Diane was relieved that he was still alive. She didn’t want to have killed someone. “How is he?” she asked.
    “Critical but in stable condition,” said Garnett. “Only two of your bullets did any damage. The other two were stopped by his Kevlar vest. One bullet went in the arm opening of the vest and found the radial nerve but managed to miss the artery. Doctor said his right arm’s going to be paralyzed. His right little toe was mangled by the bullet to his foot. They amputated the toe. Still, he’s a lucky guy. Don’t go wasting your time feeling bad for him. You know what he had planned for you. If he had got you to open the front door, he was going to blow your head off.”
    Diane shivered. She did know that.
    Detective Hanks came in and pulled up a chair. He stared at her as if looking for signs of the previous evening, or maybe signs of a nervous breakdown.
    “Are you all right?” he asked.
    “I’m fine,” said Diane. “Just bewildered. Did he say what this was about?” she asked.
    Garnett snorted and nodded to Hanks, who gave her a grim smile.
    “He was talkative,” said Hanks. “Said he had a contract to kill you.”
    “A contract?” said Diane. “Someone put a contract out on me? Why?”
    “We don’t know. He said he doesn’t know who or why.” Hanks smirked and looked at Garnett. Diane had the feeling he was trying not to laugh. “Emory said he received an envelope in the mail with two thousand dollars and your picture and address in it. He thought it was some kind of mistake until he got a call that evening. A man claiming to know his cousin, Ray-Ray, told him he’d sent it as a good faith payment. That he was looking for a good man to do some wet work for him.”
    “Wet work? He actually said that?” said Diane.
    “Yeah,” said Hanks, grinning. “He actually said those words.”
    “The man asked him if he was up to it. If he was, he would get another fifty grand. The man said that he’d tried to use Emory’s cousin,