I’m Watching You

Chapter Twenty

Thursday, February 26,

10:20 p.m.

Debra’s parents had begged forgiveness. It was the one thing he hadn’t expected. Abe rested his arms across the top of his steering wheel and stared at the bright lights of the Navy Pier’s Ferris wheel. It was the one place where he could still see Debra smiling. They’d come here on that first blind date, set up by Sean and Ruth. He’d brought her here the night he proposed, bribing the Ferris wheel attendant to stop the wheel when their car was on the very top so that he could ask her to marry him with all Chicago at their feet. She’d brought him here the night she told him he’d be a father, bribing the attendant in the exact same way. So he came here tonight to think, to remember his wife as the happy woman she’d been. To try and find in his heart the forgiveness her parents had asked for.

He’d lost all track of time when a knock on his window nearly scared him to death.

Sean stood there scowling. „What the hell are you doing here? You had us worried sick.“

Abe glanced at his watch in amazement. „I didn’t realize I’d been here so long.“

„Where’s your damn phone? We’ve been calling you for an hour and a half.“

Abe fished it out of his pocket and frowned. „No battery bars.“ It was the first time he’d been so careless. He plugged it into his cigarette lighter.

„Kristen’s in the car.“

His gaze snapped to Sean’s car where Kristen sat staring at her hands. „Why?“

„She’s been climbing the walls, afraid you’d been hurt by Conti’s men.“

Suddenly so weary, Abe dropped his head back against the seat „I didn’t think.“

„Well, tell it to her yourself. I got to get back to my own woman.“

A minute later Sean roared away and Kristen climbed up into the cab. She immediately dropped her eyes and he felt the pang of guilt. He’d been thoughtless.

„I’m sorry, Kristen. I didn’t think you’d be worried.“

„Well, I was, but it’s all right.“ Her chin was practically digging into her chest.

„Can you look at me?“

She complied, twisting her neck at an odd angle and looking up from the corner of her eye, but still not meeting his gaze. She looked… strange.

„What’s wrong?“

She closed her eyes, drew a strangled breath. „Can you please take me home?“

„Not until you tell me what this is all about. Open your eyes.“

She shrank back in the seat, her eyes clenched shut „Abe, please.“

Suddenly alarmed, he pulled the SUV out of the parking place. „What’s happened? Dammit, Kristen, if you’re trying to get back at me for scaring you, it’s working.“

„I’m not. Just drive.“

He started driving. „Is it Vincent?“

„No, he’s unchanged. Owen called to tell me when I was in the car with Sean.“

„Has that Timothy come back to see Vincent?“

„I didn’t ask. I was too worried about you.“ He saw her open one eye, look in the passenger-side mirror, then shut her eyes again.

He looked in the rearview mirror and saw nothing but the blazing lights of the Navy Pier’s Ferris wheel. „When we get to your house, you’ll tell me?“

She nodded once. „Yes.“

Thursday, February 26,

10:45 P.M.

He was relieved when Reagan’s SUV pulled into her driveway. He could see between the houses from his position on the next block and watched as Reagan got out and crossed around to her side of the vehicle. Reagan was a gentleman. He approved.

He was glad they were home safely. He couldn’t have forgiven himself if anything had happened to anyone else she cared about. He hadn’t meant it to spiral out of control this way. He’d meant her to be comforted, knowing he was eliminating evil from the world, but instead her life had been turned upside down. She’d been threatened in her own home. He would have to find a way to make sure everyone knew she was uninvolved, that she knew nothing. He would write her no more letters.

He frowned. She should have been out of the car a long time ago. It was cold tonight. She’d get sick. Reagan needed to get her into the house, but he just stood there. Something was wrong. Finally, she climbed down and Reagan put his arm around her and walked her into the house through the kitchen door. She appeared unhurt. But he needed to be certain.

Thursday, February 26,

10:45 p.m.

Kristen stopped short at the sight of her kitchen, visions of Ferris wheels temporarily dismissed. „It’s clean. All the plaster dust is gone.“ So was the far wall. She and Abe hadn’t finished ripping it down the night before, but now it was totally gone. As was the refrigerator, the sink, and the linoleum. The only thing remaining was her table, which was covered with magazines opened to layouts of beautiful kitchens. „Annie’s magazines,“ she said, then understood. „Aidan and Annie were here. Did you know they were going to do this?“

Abe was grinning. „Where do you think they got the key?“

„Where did you get the key?“

„Mia stole it from your purse and I had a copy made. Are you surprised?“

She sank down into a chair and covered her mouth with her hand. Tears sprang to her eyes as Abe knelt beside her on one knee and pulled her into his arms.

„They wanted to do something for you. It was Aidan’s idea.“

„It’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me. Oh, Abe.“

His hands rubbed her back, great soothing circles. „Are you ready to talk now?“

She wiped her eyes on his coat. „I think so.“

He pulled away, lifted her chin, kissed her mouth. Then took the chair next to her and unbuttoned his coat. „I’m ready whenever you are.“

It was time, she knew. Time to tell the story she’d told only once before. This time she’d be believed. Still… She’d harbored the secret for so long. Too long. It was time to let it go.

„I was twenty,“ she began with a sigh. „A sophomore at the University of Kansas. I’d spent a year in Italy and I was behind, so I was taking some summer classes so I could catch up. He was a guy in my statistics class. I was an art major, so he helped me with my homework. I didn’t have a head for statistics.“ She smiled sadly. „And then I became one.“

Abe’s face was calm, but his blue eyes were turbulent. „You knew him, then.“

„I thought I did. We’d gone out a few times, burger joints, pizza places. He’d have a few beers, I’d abstain. He’d tease me about being a prude, I’d just smile. Then one night we went to the county fair. It was a summer night. He wanted to walk, so we left the group we’d come with and walked out past the livestock barns. He kissed me, not for the first time. But then he wanted to…“ She faltered, her throat closing.

„He wanted sex,“ Abe said flatly.

She nodded, relieved he’d said it for her. „Which was the first time.“

„The first time he’d wanted to or the first time for you?“

„Both.“

His eyes closed, his throat working behind the knotted tie. „You were a virgin.“

„Probably the only one in my class. My father forbade drinking, dancing, rock and roll, card-playing, but sex was the epitome of sin. So I was waiting, but not for this guy.“

„But he didn’t take no for an answer.“

„No. I fought and scratched, but he was too big. He overpowered me like I was nothing. Told me I wanted it, that I’d been asking for it. I told him I’d never… but he laughed. Said I’d been to Italy, I was a woman of the world. He pushed me to the ground and covered my mouth…“ She lifted her eyes to the ceiling, unable to look at him as she said the words. „He raped me. I just kept thinking it would be over soon, it had to be over soon. I looked up and saw the Ferris wheel in the sky and watched it spin, counted the cars. And finally it was over.“ She dropped her eyes back to him and saw his hands fisted on the table. She covered one of his fists with her hand, realizing for all his insistence on hearing the truth, it might be harder for him to hear than for her to tell. „He left me there, in the dirt behind the barns.“

„Did you tell anyone?“

„Eventually.“

„The police?“ he asked tightly.

„No.“ She sighed. „We tell these girls to come forward, to tell the authorities, but they’re scared. I was scared. I was afraid nobody would believe me. He told me he’d say it was consensual. We’d been dating for two months. Nobody would have doubted him. He wasn’t a jock. He was a normal regular guy who always went to class and turned his homework in on time. He was no womanizer. That was the reason I trusted him in the first place.“

„So who did you tell?“

„My parents.“

„And?“

She could see her father’s face as if it were yesterday, scarlet and quivering in rage. She could still hear the sound of his palm whizzing through the air, just seconds before he slapped her to the ground. Where she lay, trembling and nauseous. And pregnant.

„He didn’t believe me.“

„What?“ Abe lurched to his feet on the outraged cry. „He didn’t believe you?“

„No. He accused me of being like my sister. Sinful and wild.“

She watched as Abe paced the floor. „Is that why you left home?“ he asked.

„I didn’t leave home. He threw me out.“ Terrified, penniless, and pregnant.

Abe froze, then turned, his face a mask of disbelief. „He threw you out?“

„Yes.“

„And your mother?“ he demanded. „What did she do?“

„Nothing. She just looked at me. Maybe if Kara had still been alive, she might have had the strength to stand up to him, but by then, she just went through the motions. Anyway, it didn’t matter. By mat time the boy had told all his friends what had happened. They all thought I was easy.“ And I knew by fall term I’d be showing. „So at the end of the summer term, I left KU. One of my sister’s old friends had moved to Chicago, so I came here to live with her. I transferred to University of Chicago and finished my degree.“

Abe’s hands were shaking and he shoved them in his pockets. „In art?“

She shook her head. „No, I couldn’t paint after that. I majored in business and decided to go to law school.“ And I had a baby. And I gave her away. But when she opened her mouth to finish the story, all she could see was the photo of Abe and Debra, pregnant with the child that was stolen from them. And I gave mine away.

Abe sat down heavily and buried his face in his hands. „God.“

„When I saw that Ferris wheel tonight…“ She shuddered. „I can’t look at Ferris wheels.“

He said nothing, just kept his head bowed. She reached out and stroked his hair. „It’s done, Abe. I went on with my life.“

He lifted his head, his eyes piercing. „Alone.“

She met his gaze, held it „For a time.“

„What happened to him?“

Kristen shook her head. „No, I won’t tell you that“

He glared at her. „Tell me.“

„Or what?“ she asked calmly.

His shoulders sagged and his face suddenly looked haggard. „Please.“

She should have known he’d need to know. She knew, after all. She’d kept tabs on him, even after all these years. „As irony would have it, he went to law school, too. He went into politics and is now the mayor of a small Kansas town.“ Her lips twisted. „He’s running for a seat in the state legislature. Polls show he’s ahead by ten points.“

Abe’s stomach churned. That the monster would prosper, never pay for his crime, never feel a fraction of her pain was more than he could take. „You could ruin him.“

She sat very still. „But I won’t. I didn’t say anything then and I won’t say anything now.“ She looked away, but not before he saw the glint of tears in her eyes. „Because the truth of it is, I’m a coward.“

Abe stared, not believing the words coming out of her mouth. „You are not a coward.“

She blinked, sending the tears down her face. „Yes, I am. These women that come forward, they’re the brave ones. I make them live through it again and again, publicly humiliate themselves again, and most of the time it’s for nothing.“

He gripped her arms and urged her to her feet „I don’t ever want to hear you say that.“ She’d told him her story with a clinical detachment, but she was weeping now and while her rape filled him with helpless rage, her tears broke his heart. He pulled her into his arms and held her tight. „There are all kinds of courage, Kristen. You go into work every day and relive your own experience. You make it possible for these women to get justice. You’re the bravest woman I’ve ever known.“ He kissed the top of her head, rocking her gently, feeling her wave of emotion subside. „After Debra was shot, I lived a day at a time. I volunteered for all the most dangerous jobs because living didn’t matter anymore. I was afraid of the future, Kristen. I was afraid to think about being happy again.“

She’d gone very still in his arms. „Are you happy now, Abe?“

He tugged on her chin until she lifted her face. „Yes.“ He lowered his head and brushed a kiss against her lips. „Are you?“

„Happier than ever in my life.“ She said it so gravely, it squeezed his heart.

He needed to see her smile again. „I bet I could make you happier,“ he teased lightly.

Her lips curved. „I bet you could.“

Thursday, February 26,

11:15 p.m.

He waited until they’d left the kitchen before making his way through her backyard to his van. At first he’d been shocked, shaken, and unsure, but now he was filled with cold rage and certainty. He’d hunted and bagged his quarry. Three men now lay moaning in his basement, waiting for him to mete out justice. He was ahead of schedule. He had time to right one more wrong.

Friday, February 27,

8:45 A.M.

It was Friday, but nobody was thanking anybody, Abe thought. Spinnelli looked haggard after last night’s press conference, like he’d rather be anywhere but leading their morning meeting, but he was there, marker in hand. There truly were all kinds of courage.

„What do we know, people?“

„I checked with the men you assigned to tail the six defendants common to Judge Hillman and Simpson,“ Abe said. „Four are accounted for, two can’t be found. The two we can’t find might be alive and kicking, but we don’t know, so they’ll keep looking.“

„They found Simpson’s car last night,“ Jack said. „The driver’s window was smashed in from the outside, like maybe he locked himself in and our guy broke the glass to get him. Nine-one-one got a call from his cell phone about six yesterday morning, but the caller never said anything and ten seconds into the call they were disconnected. They tried to call back, but no luck. We found the phone smashed into pieces on the floorboard of Simpson’s car. Apparently our boy is wising up to the danger of GPS.“

„Where did you find the car, Jack?“ Abe asked.

„Parked outside his health club. One of those twenty-four-hour places.“

„His wife said he liked to work out before the morning rush,“ Spinnelli said. „Did you find anything on the health club’s security tape?“

Jack’s eyes gleamed. „White van. Plates registered to an Oldsmobile owned by Paul Worth.“

A collective breath was drawn. „Finally,“ Mia said. „Something we can use.“

„But we didn’t get him on film,“ Jack said, disgusted. „The van blocked the camera.“

Spinnelli rubbed his hands together. „Let’s get a warrant for Paul Worth’s house. Kristen, do you have the name of the accountant who’s got his power of attorney?“

„No, I do,“ Abe said. From his notebook he pulled the piece of paper she’d given him the day before. „I’ll call for a warrant“

The door to the conference room opened and Murphy came in, bags under his eyes and Mia winced. „You don’t look so good, Todd.“

„Thank you for noticing,“ Murphy returned dryly. „I found June Erickson, the girl who filed the attempted rape charge against Aaron Jenkins. She’s a college student in Colorado.“

Spinnelli stood a little straighten „When did you find her?“

„This morning at about four a.m.“

Mia whistled. „You called people at four a.m.? I bet you made some lifelong friends.“

Murphy grimaced. „You could say that.“

„Thanks, Todd,“ Spinnelli said. „I appreciate you sticking with it.“

„Couldn’t stomach being called incompetent,“ Murphy frowned. „Anyway, June’s parents didn’t want to talk to us, but when they found out Jenkins was dead, and woke up a little more, they changed their minds. I’ve got numbers for June’s dorm and her parents’ house. They’re all expecting us to call at seven-thirty Mountain time so that June won’t miss her first class. I thought a three-way call would be most efficient. It’s almost time.“

Spinnelli placed the speakerphone in the middle of the table. „Let’s go.“

Kristen reached under the table for Abe’s hand and squeezed as Murphy dialed one number, then the other, then made the introductions.

„Thank you for taking the time to talk with us,“ Abe said. „I’m Detective Reagan. Detective Mitchell and I have been working a serial homicide case for the last week.“

There was silence on the other end. Then, a bewildered, „What does that have to do with us?“ from Mr. Erickson.

„Aaron Jenkins was killed as a consequence of the other murders. After his death, we were able to look in his old record and your name came up. We’re hoping you can give us some information that will let us figure out what connection Jenkins had to the killer.“

„Is this the vigilante case we saw on CNN?“ Mrs. Erickson asked.

„Yes, ma’am, it is,“ Abe said. „The record we opened showed your daughter filed a complaint against Jenkins for sexual misconduct.“

Again silence, then a younger voice. „He cornered me under the stairs when I was in middle school.“ Her voice faltered. „I’m sorry. I don’t like to remember it.“

Kristen leaned toward the speaker. „I understand, June,“ she said. „I’m the prosecuting attorney working with the police. My name is Kristen. I meet lots of young women like you and it is hard to remember, but we really need your help. Can you tell us what happened?“

„He pushed me under the stairwell,“ June said and there was clear hesitation in her voice. „He tried to get… fresh.“

„I understand. What did you do then, June? How did you get away?“

This time the silence was prolonged. Kristen frowned at the speaker. „June, it’s Kristen. Are you still there?“

„Yes, I’m here.“ She sighed. „There was another girl who came along just then. I was screaming, but everybody was afraid of Aaron. This other girl was the only one who tried to help. She first tried to pull him off me, but she was small and he was big.“

„They usually are, June,“ Kristen said. Abe nearly winced when her grip on his hand tightened. But her voice was steady and he was proud as hell. „What happened then?“

„She ran to get a teacher. They were… just in time. Nothing happened.“

Abe knew from the report that something had indeed happened. Jenkins had ripped the girl’s clothes off and was about ten seconds from rape when help arrived. But he said nothing to dispute the girl’s words. Kristen was doing beautifully on her own.

„Well, I don’t really agree with that,“ Kristen said pragmatically. „You were frightened and assaulted. That was something.“

„Yeah, well, the teacher reported it. She said she had to. There were cops everywhere. It was terrible. Aaron was so popular. Anyone that crossed him… well, let’s just say my life wasn’t the same after that“

Mia passed her a note. Ask her the name of the girl and why she wasn’t in the report?

Kristen nodded. „Believe me, June, I understand. One of the detectives here has a question. Who was the other girl, and why wasn’t her name in the report?“

„Her name was Leah,“ June answered and Kristen closed her eyes briefly, clearly recognizing the name. „After the teacher came and Aaron ran, she begged us not to tell she’d been involved. She got made fun of so much anyway, she didn’t want to be singled out.“

„You never told us this, honey,“ Mrs. Erickson said.

„She asked me not to, Mom. She begged me not to. It was the least I could do. She put herself at risk to help me.“

Kristen made a big circle on one of her lists and shoved the paper into the middle of the table. Leah Broderick. One of the victims. They looked at one another with excitement. Finally.

„I’ve met Leah,“ Kristen said. „She grew up to be a remarkable young woman.“

„I figured she would.“ June’s voice faltered. „If you see her, tell her I said thank you.“

A shadow passed over Kristen’s face. „I will. Tell me one more thing, June, and then we’ll let you go. What happened to you and to Leah after this incident?“

June sighed. „I never said a word to the police and neither did the teacher, but it didn’t matter. Aaron made Leah’s life a living hell. Her mother pulled her out of our school and put her somewhere else. My parents pulled me out and we came here.“

„That’s kind of what I thought. You’ve been an amazing help, June. Thank you.“

„That’s what you needed?“ Mr. Erickson asked.

Abe looked around the table. There was an energy level higher than they’d had since this whole nightmare began. „Yes, it’s exactly what we needed. Thank you.“

„Kristen?“ June’s voice quavered a little.

„Yes, June?“

„I was really scared to talk about this again. But you made it easier.“

Kristen bit her lips hard, but her eyes filled anyway. „I’m glad, June. Sometimes it helps to talk to somebody who’s been there, too. Take care of yourself.“

In stunned silence Murphy blindly disconnected the line. For several long beats, all eyes were on Kristen, then she stood up. „Excuse me. I need a few minutes.“

Shaken, Mia started to follow, but Abe gently stopped her. „Let her go. She’ll be all right.“

Friday, February 27,

8:55 A.M.

They were waiting quietly when she came back. There was nothing makeup could do to fix her puffy face and red eyes, but she tried anyway. Abe met her eyes, his filled with pride. She took the seat next to him and looked around the table. Mia’s face was quietly supportive, Jack’s and Murphy’s still shocked. Spinnelli looked torn between grief and rage. Miles Westphalen had joined them. She wasn’t sure if this was because of the new information about Leah or because they were worried she was going to crack. She didn’t plan to ask.

„I had Lois send over Leah’s case file by courier.“ She placed the folder on the table and took a moment to collect her thoughts. „Leah Broderick was raped almost five years ago. She was one of my first sexual assault cases, but that’s not why I remember her so clearly. Leah was cognitively challenged. She functioned at the level of about a twelve- or thirteen-year-old. She knew she was slow and hated it. She was a very proud young woman.“

„You say ‘was,’ Kristen,“ Miles observed.

Kristen placed her palms flat on the table to control their trembling. „You were the one who suspected a trauma triggered this whole thing, Miles. I tried to call Leah yesterday, but her phone was disconnected. I called the supermarket where she worked and they hadn’t seen her in over a year.“ She glanced up at Abe. „I don’t like coincidences, either.“

„It doesn’t sound good,“ he murmured.

„So, about Leah. She had a job, she took the bus. She was active in her church. She helped teach Sunday school. Everybody who knew her loved her. Anyway, she’d been walking home from the bus stop when she was accosted by Clarence Terrill.“

„One of the two men the plainclothes tails couldn’t find,“ Abe said.

„Your package,“ Miles said. „Judge, defense, and accused, just like you thought.“

Kristen wiped her damp palms on her slacks. „Clarence Terrill was a two-time offender already. Just one of those guys who slipped through the system. He raped her. Leah was able to give a good description and there was a witness who saw him pull her into his car. He’d bragged to his friends about the ‘retard’ he’d done. We had a good case. We had DNA. Simpson’s strategy in rape cases was usually to have his client admit to the sex, but claim it was consensual. It clearly wasn’t. Despite her handicap, Leah made a very credible witness. Until Simpson began his cross. He was ruthless. He broke every rule in the book and Judge Hillman let him get away with it. I objected so much that Hillman called me into chambers and told me if I didn’t stop being so disruptive, he would hold me in contempt.“ She narrowed her eyes balefully. „I was green then. I’d like to see him try that now.“

„If he’s still alive,“ Abe said.

„One can only hope,“ Mia muttered.

„Simpson brought in witnesses who said they knew Leah from high school and everybody there knew she was easy. That she’d probably come on to Clarence Terrill, strengthening his claim that the sex was consensual.“ She opened the folder. „Tyrone Yates was one of the thirty names on his witness list. So was the last delivery boy, the one you have in protective custody.“

„I say let him loose,“ Jack said, and didn’t look apologetic in the least.

„They weren’t in my database, because Simpson never called them to testify. I objected after three of the little bastards and it was only one of a handful of objections Hillman sustained. Then Simpson started in on Leah’s appearance. She wore revealing clothes, which she didn’t. Did she like boys? She was under oath, so she said yes. Did she want to get married some day, was she curious about sex? Had she had sex? Did she like sex? I objected and objected, and Hillman fined me. Anyway, the jury found Terrill guilty. Hillman thanked the jury, told them they could leave and when they were gone, he said Leah’s testimony clearly showed she consented and that he was setting aside the jury’s verdict.“

Mia’s jaw dropped. „Sonofabitch.“

Kristen paused, remembering the day. „I was stunned. I remember Terrill high-fiving Simpson and giving Leah a wink as he left the courtroom. He winked at her. I couldn’t believe it. Leah was devastated.“ She sighed and leafed though the documents in the folder. „Leah’s only relative was her mother, but she had lots of friends. If one of them is our vigilante, we’re going to have a very difficult search.“

Friday, February 27,

11:30 a.m.

Drake closed the door to his office. „They’re getting closer.“

Jacob leaned back in his chair. „How do you know?“

„Spinnelli left the mayor’s office without getting chewed out.“

„Ah, yes. Your niece in the mayor’s office. How is she?“

„As lovely and as loyal as ever.“

Jacob fidgeted with his cuff link. Elaine had roused herself enough to lay out his clothes for him this morning before she’d gone back to bed. His wife was in a constant drug-induced stupor these days. Sometimes he envied her. But someone had to run the household.

„The Medical Examiner released Angelo’s body this morning,“ he said.

Drake’s shoulders sagged. „Jacob.“

Jacob looked away, unable to bear the pain on his friend’s face, knowing it was a reflection of his own. „There can be no viewing.“ There wasn’t enough of Angelo’s face left. The thought of it made him nauseous all over again. My son. „We’ll have a closed casket ceremony tomorrow.“ But on the heels of his sorrow came blessed rage, cold and exacting. „I want Angelo’s killer before then, Drake.“

Drake stood up. „I’ll call you when I know something.“

„How is Miss Mayhew?“

„Scared. She’s never without a bodyguard. Her circle’s closed ranks, too. We almost got the little girl from the school, but one of the Reagans got there before we did.“

„Disappointing.“

„There’s a family christening tomorrow.“

„Better. Keep up your watch of Mayhew and Reagan. I want you to get to this parasite before they do. I don’t want him to stand trial. Juries are terribly unreliable. Oh, and Drake?“

Drake stopped at the door. „Yes, Jacob?“

„What have we done with the Richardson woman?“

A slight pause. „She’s no longer a problem.“

Jacob regarded the defensive set of his friend’s back, knew his… appetites. He’d always overlooked this side of Drake, because it was a man’s own business how he found gratification. But perhaps now it could be put to good use. „You have her, then?“

„I do.“

„Will she be missed?“

„She told her boss she needed time to let the Alden scandal die down because it was affecting her ability to get good interviews.“

„Was she convincing?“

Drake half turned, a wolfish gleam in his eye. „Very.“

„It’s a closed casket, Drake.“ Jacob let the statement hover between them, then watched as Drake caught his meaning.

„She wanted an interview with a Conti,“ Drake murmured. „I’ll see she gets one.“

Jacob watched the door close behind Drake, knowing his oldest friend would see that business was done, then turned his mind to the matter of the investigation at hand. As soon as they knew the identity of Angelo’s killer, Miss Mayhew would no longer be required. He hoped Drake’s appetites extended to redheads.

Friday, February 27,

4:30 p.m.

„Detective Reagan.“

On their way back into the station, Abe looked over his shoulder to see Richardson’s cameraman hurrying behind him. „Haven’t they done enough?“ he gritted.

The cameraman jogged up to meet them, no camera in his hands. „I’m Scott Lowell.“

Abe narrowed his eyes. „I know who you are. What do you want?“

„I know you hate me and I don’t blame you. I just wanted you to know that Zoe’s gone.“

Abe and Mia exchanged a quick glance. „What do you mean, gone?“ Mia asked.

„She went to request an interview with Jacob Conti yesterday.“

„God, the woman’s got balls,“ Mia marveled.

„She went alone,“ Scott said.

„More like rocks in her head,“ Mia amended. „So she didn’t come back?“

„No, she came back. Mad as hell and muttering about how she’d nail Conti to the wall. Then this morning she calls in to say she’s taking a leave of absence until this thing with John Alden blows over.“

„And you don’t believe her,“ Abe said.

„She would never walk away from a story. She wanted Conti, but she wanted Mayhew even more.“

„You mean she wanted the vigilante story,“ Mia said.

„Sure she wanted the story. It was her ticket. She was getting calls from CNN and NBC, for God’s sake. But she really hated Mayhew. She never would have just walked away.“

„Why does she hate Kristen so much?“ Mia asked.

Scott shook his head. „Don’t know. Don’t want to know. It was bad enough having to capture it all on film. I could say I was only doing my job, but I know that’s no excuse. Please tell Miss Mayhew that I’m sorry.“

Abe clenched his teeth and Mia continued. „I’ll give her the message, Mr. Lowell. Did you report Richardson’s disappearance?“

Scott shrugged. „Didn’t seem to be any point. She made the call herself. I just wanted you to know in case it becomes important. I have to go. I got reassigned to a different reporter today. Good luck.“

He walked away and Mia sighed. „A killer who takes out scum. Wealthy scum like Conti beat up old men, then take out Richardson. I’m not sure who the good guys are anymore.“

Friday, February 27,

4:45 p.m.

„Leah’s mother is dead,“ Abe announced when they’d gathered in the conference room. „She died of cancer three years ago.“

„Leah hasn’t been seen for a year by anyone we talked to,“ Mia went on. „Her pastor said she’d become more and more depressed, then one day she didn’t come to church. They found she’d moved and left no forwarding address. I’m sorry, Kristen.“

Kristen tried to push aside the sadness, but it was hard. „Poor Leah.“

„We searched Paul Worth’s house,“ Jack said. „Found a bunch of different prints, but still none that match the partial Julia found on Conti’s body, which she released to the family today, by the way. In Worth’s garage we found the Oldsmobile without its plates and between a table saw and a rolling tool chest there was an empty space just the right size for that Craftsman vise that was used on Skinner. The house itself was deserted. They have a cleaning service come in every other week. Nobody saw anything.“

„Well, I can tell you Paul Worth himself is not involved,“ Miles said. „He’s not lucid and hasn’t been since his stroke last year. I saw him at the nursing home myself.“

„Any visitors?“ Abe said.

„None.“ Miles looked sad. „Hell of a way to spend the end of your life.“

„Oh,“ Mia said, „and Zoe Richardson is missing.“

This caused a bit of a buzz until Spinnelli raised his hand for silence. „Nothing we can do until she’s declared a missing person. Let’s not get sidetracked from our goal here, people. We know that Robert Barnett is the illegitimate son of Hank Worth and Genny O’Reilly, and that Barnett is Paul Worth’s nephew, but what is the connection between the Worth family and Leah Broderick?“

„We haven’t been able to find any yet,“ Abe said tightly.

„There were no pictures of her anywhere in Worth’s house,“ Jack added. „Sorry.“

Spinnelli sighed. „What’s next?“

„Murphy and I started checking area death certificates for Leah,“ Kristen said quietly. „Murphy sent out her picture to the State Police before I sent him home to sleep and Julia helped by sending copies to ME and county coroner’s offices in Illinois. She was thinking there might have been an unclaimed Jane Doe.“ Kristen’s throat closed. Such a waste.

Friday, February 27,

6:00 p.m.

„Looks like the gang’s all here. Mom’s having a little family party tonight There’s a big party following the christening tomorrow,“ Abe said, squeezing the SUV between Sean’s minivan and Aidan’s Camaro. Then he sighed. „This should be interesting.“

There was a high-end Lexus parked in front of the mini-van, and instinctively Kristen knew to whom it belonged. „Debra’s parents?“

„Yeah.“

„You never did tell me what happened last night,“ she said gently.

Abe rested his chin on the steering wheel. „They asked me to forgive them.“

„Really?“

„Yeah, really. I about fell out of my chair. Said they’d been wrong. In everything. That they’d realized the day Debra finally died that they couldn’t have ended her life either, even if I’d allowed them to. But that they couldn’t get in touch with me to let me know because my parents weren’t telling anybody where I was.“

„So what did you say?“

„I said I’d have to think it over.“

„And have you?“

He looked over to find her green eyes filled with gentle understanding and unrelenting support and something shifted inside him. He’d known it was coming from the start, from the moment she’d tried to fell him with a pathetic can of pepper spray.

He loved her. He watched her face heat and he knew what he was feeling was written on his face for her to see. „Yeah.“

She reached out, letting her fingers trail down his cheek. „And?“

„Of course I will. Life’s too short, Kristen. I’m ready to move on. With you.“

Her mouth curved. „Are you now?“

„I am.“ He caught her behind her neck and pulled her closer. „Will you come?“

Her eyes danced. „Not in front of your parents’ house. But maybe later.“

Laughing, he kissed her hard. „Tart. Let’s go in and join the others.“

The kitchen was controlled chaos, as usual. Sean’s kids ran circles around the floor, while his mother was smacking Aidan away from the pie she’d just pulled out of the oven. Annie was standing at the sink peeling potatoes and the television blared ESPN from the living room. The pie was cherry. All was right with the world.

„Hi, Mom,“ Abe said. „Got enough for two more?“

„We can’t cook in my kitchen,“ Kristen added wryly. „Somebody stole it.“

Aidan and Annie looked at each other, coconspirators, and Kristen surprised them all by walking right up to Aidan and pulling his head down to kiss his cheek.

„Thank you,“ she said. She put her arm around Annie’s shoulders and hugged. „That was the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me.“

Annie beamed and quickly recovering, Aidan grinned wickedly. „If that’s the nicest thing anyone’s done for you, then I really do need to have that talk with Abe.“

Her cheeks crimson, Kristen looked at his mother. „Hit him, please.“

Becca arched her brows. „You’re no longer a guest. Hit him yourself.“ Sobering, she turned to Abe. „You’ve got company in the living room.“

„Yeah, I know. I’ll be back later.“

Kristen watched him walk away. He was ready to put aside the last ugly remnants of his past so that he could get on with his future. A future he wanted to share. With her. Will you come? he’d asked. She knew where this was leading. A man like Abe Reagan didn’t have affairs. He wanted a wife. A family. How desperately she’d wanted to say yes. But there were things he had to know first. Things that might change his mind. So she’d made light of his beautiful offer. She needed to tell him. Soon. And men, if he still wanted her, she’d give him the answer her heart was screaming.

Shaking herself, she turned to Annie. „So what do you think about the kitchen? Country hearth or French Provincial?“

Friday, February 27,

6:30 P.M.

Finding him had been no trouble at all. Few mayors of small Kansas towns were running for the state legislature and only one of them had gone to the University of Kansas. Figuring out that Geoffrey Kaplan was the man who had hurt Kristen had taken all of one hour. Getting from Chicago to Kansas, unfortunately, had taken fourteen. He’d managed to catch a few hours of sleep while Kaplan was in town tending his mayoral duties.

He now waited for the man to come home to his pretty house which sat isolated on ten acres of land. An old barn made a handy cover for his van. Kaplan’s trusting wife left the garage door wide-open all day, so it was no problem to slip inside and wait. It was a basement garage, like his own, so there were lots of places to hide. At least two televisions blared upstairs, and his gun had a silencer. There would be no noise of consequence.

He felt a tightening in his chest when the bastard drove in. In a few seconds, he’d see the face of the man who had raped a young woman and left her in the dirt at the county fair. The headlights switched off, leaving them in darkness. The car door opened, the dome light illuminating the interior and Kaplan climbed out. And his first thought on seeing Kaplan was that Kristen had been right. He was a totally ordinary-looking man. Five-ten, average build, slight paunch. He was balding. Badly.

He waited until Kaplan had leaned into the backseat to retrieve his briefcase, then emerged from his hiding place, his revolver drawn. In his other hand he held Kaplan’s own tire iron. Soundlessly he approached.

„Stand up, Mr. Kaplan. Put your hands in the air.“

Kaplan froze, then slowly straightened, his hands coming up. „Who are you?“

„Turn around, Mr. Kaplan. Slowly.“

Kaplan obeyed and even in the dim light of the dome light, he could see terror in the man’s eyes. Terror was good.

„Who the hell are you?“ Kaplan hissed. Kaplan’s terrified eyes dropped to the gun in his hand and then took a quick trip up to the ceiling to where Mrs. Kaplan moved about above.

For an instant he wavered, then stiffened. The wife would be better off in the end. Being a widow would be far better than to be the wife of a monster.

„Kristen Mayhew,“ he said, and waited.

„What?“ Kaplan shook his head in bewildered panic. „Who is Kristen Mayhew?“

He didn’t even remember. He stole the innocence of a beautiful young woman who trusted him and he didn’t even remember her name. „Think back, Mr. Kaplan. College. Summer. The county fair.“

He watched Kaplan desperately processing the information. „Kristen May – “ His head came up, ever so slightly. „Oh, yeah. I remember her. She was just a girl I dated in college. So what?“

Just a girl? So what? „You raped her.“

Kaplan’s eyes widened, then narrowed. „She said that? That little bitch.“

The tire iron swung up out of the darkness, hitting Kaplan just above the right temple. Kaplan sank to his knees, moaning.

„Watch your language, Mr. Kaplan.“

Kaplan held his head and in the dim light he could see blood oozing between his fingers. „I didn’t rape anybody. I swear it. She’s trying to ruin my career. That’s all.“

That’s all. „And why would she do a thing like mat?“ he asked tightly.

Kaplan looked up, furious. „Because I’m leading in the polls, that’s why. Every bimbo I’ve ever fucked is comin’ out of the damn woodwork.“

Bimbo. Kristen’s face crystallized in front of his face, then everything faded to red and the tire iron swung again and again and again.

„Daddy?“

He paused, the weapon above his head. His vision slowly cleared. And he heard the little voice again. „Daddy? There’s a van parked behind the barn.“

Panicked, he lurched to his feet, the gun and the tire iron dangling from his hands.

And over the car he looked into the horrified eyes of a child.

He looked down at himself. He was covered in blood. Her father’s blood. She’d seen him covered in her father’s blood.

She’d seen him. She’d run. She’d tell. He’d be caught.

I can’t be caught. I’m not finished yet. Leah.

Slowly, he raised the gun.