All His Pretty Girls

by All His Pretty Girls (retail) (epub)

  She remained silent as he cried himself out, glancing every few seconds at Brock, Holly, and Mabel. Holly had turned into her father’s arms as Mabel wrapped as much of herself around both of them as she could. And though tears fell freely from her mother-in-law’s eyes, the fierce protective look on her face had Alyssa’s heart thawing a bit for the woman who’d so long been a thorn in her side.

  Finally, when Isaac’s tears had subsided into hiccups, Alyssa scooted back enough to give him space, but kept her hands on his shoulders as she said, ‘You have nothing to be sorry for, son. Nothing at all.’ She touched one finger to his cheek to bring his face back to hers when he turned away. She needed him to see she was speaking the truth when she admitted, ‘I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel, either.’

  Isaac pulled back slightly, tilting his head as he absorbed her words. ‘You don’t?’ he murmured.

  She shook her head and swallowed so she could speak past the lump in her throat. ‘No. I’m very confused right now.’ And then she shared another confession. ‘As your mother, I want nothing more than to go in there and…’ she forced back the word ‘strangle,’ and replaced it with, ‘hurt him for what he did to you. And if anything, I’m the one who should be apologizing to you.’ Her voice, like her heart, cracked. ‘If only I’d never gone inside that day, Timmy never would’ve been taken, and none of this would’ve ever happened.’

  Much to everyone’s surprise, it was Mabel who spoke up. ‘No, Alyssa, that’s not true. If you had been outside with Timmy that day, at that time, it’s much more likely both of you would’ve been taken – and then we all would’ve missed out on this beautiful family of ours.’

  Alyssa brushed tears away as they fell down her cheeks, but before she could respond, the conference room door opened again, revealing Captain Hammond. She hadn’t noticed when the others had stepped out, leaving them their privacy. Yet, they hadn’t gone far because she saw her teammates, joined now by Joe and Tony, standing just outside looking in, all of them wearing identical masks of concern. It was Cord’s eyes she caught as he arched one eyebrow and mouthed the words, ‘Are you okay?’ She shrugged and then turned her attention to the captain.

  In a manner very uncharacteristic of his personality, Hammond bounced on the balls of his feet and held his hands stiffly together in front of him, almost as if he were choking an imaginary chicken. He cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable as he observed Alyssa’s family. ‘I’m sorry to interrupt,’ he said. ‘You know that granting your request for this interview was against my better judgement, but I’ve cleared it with the district attorney’s office. Even so, certain conditions will have to be met.’

  From the corner of her eye, Alyssa watched Brock and Holly stiffen. But she ignored that as Hammond continued. ‘There will be cameras recording every second to avoid any conflict of interest issues. And as this might be our one and only chance to find out how many other women there were, I need your reassurance that you’ll remain levelheaded and professional at all times.’ The captain’s eyes shifted to Isaac and back.

  Alyssa bristled that Hammond would question her professionalism, but she also understood the reasons behind the warning, so she held her tongue, feeling the weight of everyone’s stares, but especially her family’s.

  Holly was the first to voice her objection. ‘I don’t like it, Mom. Why do you need to be the one to interview him?’

  She didn’t get a chance to respond before Brock added his two cents. ‘Holly’s right. You need to let someone else do this. You already told Isaac you were confused. Do you really think you’re the best person to question him?’

  Alyssa’s eyes narrowed at that last part, even if she did understand their concerns. ‘I may be the only one who can get him to talk. I’m the one he has a connection with,’ she countered.

  Finally, Isaac offered his input. ‘Mom’s right.’ He looked at his dad, sister, and grandmother before turning to her. ‘You’re a detective. Go do your job. We’ll be waiting for you when you’re finished.’

  Alyssa’s heart swelled with pride for her son, knowing how difficult this must be for him – to be present in the same building with the man who’d not only kidnapped and tortured him, but who had also vowed to kill her. All she wanted to do was go to Isaac, hug him to her, and never let go, but Hammond was already moving to the door.

  ‘As an extra precaution, we’ll have a guard stationed inside with you, as well as one outside,’ he said.

  ‘Wait, won’t he be shackled?’ Brock interrupted, stepping forward with one arm outstretched as if he would yank Alyssa back himself.

  The captain’s head bobbed up and down. ‘Of course, of course. I assure you, the guards are strictly a precautionary measure.’

  ‘And I’ll be in there with her,’ Cord said. When Alyssa opened her mouth to argue, he cut her off before she could begin. ‘Save it. I’ll stand in the corner behind Bishop so I’m as unobtrusive as possible, but you’d better believe I’ll be in that room.’ His gaze was unwavering.

  ‘That’s a fine idea,’ Hammond agreed, clapping his hands as he led the way down the hall.

  ‘Will we be able to watch?’ Brock asked as everyone filed after the captain.

  Alyssa’s head snapped back to stare at her husband even as the captain answered. ‘Unfortunately, no, I can’t allow that.’ He stopped at the door where Evan Bishop was still being held and then looked at Alyssa. ‘At any time you think you need out of there, for whatever reason, say the word, and this ends. You don’t have to be any more of the hero than you already are.’

  She forced a smile she knew didn’t come close to reaching her eyes. ‘I’ll be okay.’ She turned to her family. ‘Why don’t you all go on home now?’ she suggested, knowing it wouldn’t happen but mentioning it just the same.

  ‘We’ll wait right here,’ Brock said, crossing his arms across his chest.

  ‘Well, I’d like something to snack on, so I think Isaac and I are going to go hunt down a vending machine,’ Mabel said. ‘We’ll meet you back here in just a bit.’

  Isaac’s head swiveled back and forth, conflicting emotions flashing across his face as he struggled with his desire to go with his grandmother against the need to know – to see – his mother was safe.

  Alyssa smiled gratefully at her mother-in-law and then pulled Isaac to her one more time. ‘I bet if you talk to Hal, he’ll show you where there’s a secret stash of strawberry pop tarts,’ she whispered softly into his ear. He nodded once and only after he rounded the corner did she allow herself to briefly touch her husband’s face and then finally turn to the officer perched in front of the door. ‘Okay,’ she said. ‘Let’s do this.’ She inhaled deeply, hoping no one noticed her trembling hands. As the guard unlocked and shoved open the door, she steeled herself before stepping forward into a past she thought was dead.

  * * *

  The first thing Alyssa noticed as she and Cord stepped into the room was the coldness of Evan Bishop’s eyes as he followed her movement across the room. It brought to mind the popular saying If looks could kill.

  She refused to allow her eyes to waver as she approached the table where he sat with his hands shackled in front of him. She pulled out a chair across from his, and once she was settled, she began. ‘Evan Bishop, I need to make you aware this interview is being recorded. Your consent is not important, but you do need to understand. Do you?’

  He leaned forward, and Alyssa fought the urge to lean away. ‘Oh, I understand, sister,’ he sneered.

  ‘If you’d like me to stay in here, you’ll address me as Detective,’ she said in return. She was glad no one could see her insides as they seemed to tumble across one another. In so many ways, she wanted to search deep into his soul to see if any part of the little brother she’d loved and missed for so long was still there.

  He laughed, a mirthless sound. ‘I guess some things never change. Your heart is still as cold as it was when Carl kidnapped me.’

  Alyssa wanted to close he
r eyes, to shut out his words as she lost the battle to protect her heart, leaving her feeling raw and exposed. Only decades of practice allowed her to hide her emotions as she forced herself to stare directly at the man who, genetically speaking, was the brother she’d mourned the loss of. She opened her mouth, but he spoke over her.

  ‘Tell me something,’ he said. ‘How did you do it? How did you know I would show up?’

  With each question fired at her, Evan’s voice grew louder and more shrill, but Alyssa kept her gaze steady as she admitted the truth. ‘When the medical examiner called to give me the DNA results, things clicked into place,’ she said even as she thought: crashed into place was more accurate. ‘I called my captain and reassembled my team. We – I – suspected since you weren’t at your house when we arrived to search it, that you may be watching mine.’ She watched his face carefully as she continued.

  ‘So, I had the captain pull the patrol units from the house and come back on foot, so they could watch and wait.’ She shrugged. ‘It was a hunch really. I wasn’t sure you’d act so quickly.’

  Evan tilted his head sideways as he considered what she’d said, and the move sent a rush of memory through her as it reminded her so much of their father. ‘What would you have done if I hadn’t shown up?’ he asked.

  Once again, Alyssa forced herself to hold his gaze. ‘Then I would’ve found another way. But, understand this… I would’ve caught you, if that’s what you’re wondering. I’d hunt you to the ends of the earth if I had to, but you would not have gotten near my family ever again.’

  The seconds ticked by as silence filled the room. And then Evan shocked her by asking, ‘Is it true Mama and Daddy paid him to take me?’

  Alyssa was thankful when her voice came out strong and clear instead of wobbly, the way she felt. How could he think that, even now? ‘Tim… Evan, whatever Carl Freeman told you, they were lies. Our family was forever changed when… Timmy… was ripped from our lives. It changed us.’ This time her voice did crack, but she needed this man in front of her to understand he’d been lied to his entire life.

  She jumped when he suddenly slammed his head against the table once and then glared up at her, spittle flying from his mouth as he growled, ‘Don’t you dare lie to me! You think I don’t know the truth already? You don’t think he told me about your little plan, how you refused to take me back?’ Evan’s face turned a violent shade of red and purple. ‘I didn’t believe him right away. But one night, he locked me in the basement while he went to try to talk to all of you. And when he returned, he told me how you all laughed and closed the door in his face.’ His words broke at the end, and Alyssa wondered if maybe, just maybe, she was seeing a glimpse of the little boy she’d called brother.

  She moved her hands to her lap and clenched them together so she wouldn’t reach across the table and grasp his fingers between hers. ‘Don’t you see? Carl Freeman lied to you. He wanted your cooperation, so he brainwashed you into believing we didn’t want you, that we didn’t love you anymore. But, that’s just it. Nothing he told you was true.’ She stared into his eyes, trying to reach whatever part of him she could. ‘I don’t pretend to understand why people like Freeman exist in the first place. But Timmy’s murder is the reason I became a detective, why I fight to give families the happy ending ours never had.’ She swallowed. ‘And because I blamed myself for so long for leaving Timmy alone.’

  She purposely used Timmy’s name in order to keep the two men separate in her mind. Evan Bishop was a serial killer, someone who had probably murdered at least eight women, and who had tortured her son. Timmy was the brother she’d lost.

  Evan’s voice and eyes went flat as he said, ‘You should’ve blamed yourself. It was your fault.’

  In that moment, Alyssa realized that Carl Freeman’s hold on the man in front of her was strong and deep-seated, and nothing she could say right now would change his mind. In fact, everything she said would be twisted to fit what he already believed. So instead she asked the question that had been niggling at the back of her mind. ‘How did you end up with the name Bishop instead of Freeman?’

  He glared murderously at her, his lips pursed together in a tight line for so long she was surprised when he actually answered.

  ‘Carl opened the phone book one day, ran his finger down the page until I said stop. It landed on Bishop.’ He said it as if that was a completely normal thing for one to do.

  ‘How many others… like you… were there?’ Alyssa asked now, not sure she really wanted to know. But, if there was any way to bring closure to those families whose sons went missing, not knowing what had happened to their loved ones, she needed to find out.

  He shrugged. ‘I lost count. A dozen. Two? More? Who knows? As long as he brought them in, he left me alone.’

  Alyssa’s nails dug deeper into her palms. ‘Did he keep others alive, like he kept you?’ Why didn’t he kill you, too? was the question she really wanted to ask. And maybe some distant time in the future she would, when he was willing to listen to the truth.

  Sounding almost proud, he said, ‘No. I was the only one.’

  ‘Is Freeman dead now?’ she asked.

  Chills ran down her spine when Evan laughed, his eyes bright as he nodded. ‘He got cancer, and when he got too weak to provide for the two of us, I rowed him out into Lake Michigan and watched him drown.’

  Alyssa watched as he closed his eyes for just a moment, and the faintest of smiles flitted over his face, making her realize he was replaying the memory in his mind. ‘You know he begged me to save him? To bring him back into the boat? Of course, I ignored him.’ He opened his eyes again. ‘It wasn’t a quick death, either. Watching him struggle to keep his head above water, watching him gasp for air over and over again made me happy.’ He tilted his head to the side and studied Alyssa. ‘And then I left and ended up here – like it was fate. Destiny.

  ‘When I realized who you were, who I was, when I remembered how you stole everything from me, all I wanted was to return the favor.’ He leaned forward as if he wanted to share a secret. ‘Before the police showed up on my doorstep, I was even going to let you choose who I killed first. But not until you watched me break in your little boy the way Carl did me. And I would’ve made you watch and listen to his screams, made you watch as he begged you to save him. And I would’ve relished in the fact that you couldn’t save him. I would’ve made you beg for your family’s life, and then I would’ve slowly killed them all in front of you. But you? I would’ve kept you alive. Every day, I would’ve forced you to watch the recordings of your perfect little family being tortured, and I would’ve cherished every moment you had to live with the knowledge that it was you who killed them, not me.’

  From the corner of her eye, Alyssa saw Cord stiffen while the guard near the door stepped forward, but she shook her head no, and the man returned to the corner, but kept his eyes glued to Bishop.

  Slowly she moved her hands from her lap to the table. She had to move the subject away from her family because she didn’t trust herself not to leap across the table at him. ‘Is that why you killed Callie McCormick and all those other women?’ she asked. ‘Because you thought you were getting back at me?’ He’d already answered this question, but as an officer of the law, she needed more.

  Evan sat back, a sly grin tugging up the corners of his lips. ‘Why, Detective, I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

  ‘Evelyn Martin, Jill Lawry, Mary Terra, Alice Winslow, Debra Hyatt, Rhonda Dupres, Sandra Jackson.’ She paused. ‘Callie McCormick.’ With each name she watched his eyes narrow and his jaw tighten, and she knew she was finally touching a nerve. ‘Are there…’ She didn’t get a chance to finish her question because Evan broke in.

  ‘I’d like to speak to a lawyer now,’ he said, effectively ending the interview.

  Alyssa kept her emotions in check as she pushed back from the table and stood without saying a word, staring down at Evan Bishop, his eyes as frosty as a winter’s day, an
d then on wooden legs, she walked to the door, Cord close behind her.

  ‘When will you be back?’ he asked, his voice sounding almost panicked, as the guard moved to let them out.

  She didn’t turn around. ‘I won’t,’ she said and left the room.

  * * *

  His face flushed with her rejection, Evan watched Alyssa Wyatt walk out, the door clanging shut with finality as she did, and roared his anger to the room, his howls filling the air until he was hoarse. She had the nerve to come in here and lie to his face and then refuse to return? He vowed then and there that he’d find a way to escape, and when he did, he’d make sure she never turned her back on him again.

  Chapter Sixty

  Friday, April 12

  Alyssa’s heart pounded inside her chest as she concentrated on taking steady breaths in and out. Her legs muscles were on the verge of feeling like melted marshmallows, but she welcomed every throb, every ache, and every sensation because it helped keep her mind off everything else, things that tormented her in the night as well as her waking hours.

  Finding out Timmy had not only been alive all along, but that he’d been living right in her backyard, so to speak, was simply one more checkmark she had to place in her personal box of failures. The list seemed to be growing. How could she not have known? Why hadn’t she felt that he was still out there, just waiting to be rescued? Because you were nine years old, she reminded herself, not that it ever helped.

  To exorcise these demons that clawed at her brain, she’d forced herself out of bed predawn every morning, punishing and pushing herself with vigorous runs through the bosque, replaying her life like a movie reel; from the time Mama and Daddy had brought Timmy home from the hospital, how she remembered staring down at his tiny little body, placing her finger inside his little fist as it flailed in the air, and promising she’d always be there to protect him; to the day he’d been kidnapped, the fear she’d felt when she realized she’d screwed up in the biggest way possible; to the moment she realized her brother was not only alive but a serial killer; and then to that second when she had stood up and walked out of that interrogation room, mentally offering her final goodbye, thinking as she stood that she’d been wrong all along. She’d always told herself to move on from the tragedy of her brother’s murder, that the past could not be changed.