The Cinderella Murder

80

Laurie had assumed that her next visit to Cedars-Sinai hospital would be to escort Jerry from the ICU. But she was back in the lobby again, Alex at her side. Once the doctors pronounced Laurie in good health after the collision, Grace had taken Timmy back to the house. Now she was waiting to hear about Richard Hathaway’s injuries.

“I was so afraid,” Alex said, “and then when your cell phone stopped moving, it was unbearable.”

“I didn’t think I’d make it,” Laurie said. “I counted on you to pick up the phone.” She managed a laugh. “Thank God you didn’t put me on hold!”

Leo appeared from the ICU, his expression ambiguous. “Hathaway’s got two broken legs but he’ll make a full recovery.”

“You sound disappointed,” she said.

“He killed two people in cold blood, then came after my only daughter tonight,” Leo said. “I wouldn’t have lost sleep if he’d broken every bone in his body.”

“He’s only fifty-seven years old,” Laurie said. “There’s plenty of time for karma.”

“The prosecution has a slam-dunk case against him,” Alex said. “Kidnapping and attempted murder for tonight. Plus he confessed to killing both Susan Dempsey and Dwight Cook.”

“And,” Leo added, “Reilly says his techs found the camera feed from Dwight Cook’s scuba boat. When Hathaway showed up to dive with Dwight, Dwight confronted him about Susan’s murder. He’d figured out that Susan went to the lab after arguing with Nicole and overheard them talking about REACH. Hathaway admitted catching up to her and driving her up to the hills, but he tried to make her death sound like an accident. When Dwight didn’t believe him, Hathaway smothered him and then faked the supposed ‘scuba accident.’ ”

“And the police have the whole thing on film?” Laurie asked.

“In living color.”