Race Against Time

by Christy Barritt

  “You’re wrong. People will be thrilled to see you. Pastor Ray would love to meet you. I don’t know what you’ve done in the past, but there’s nothing that God can’t forgive.”

  He stared at her a moment, and Madison tried to read the emotions that passed through his eyes. Finally, he kissed her forehead and pulled her toward him again. “Thank you, Madison.”

  Madison wasn’t exactly sure what he meant, but her heart soared. Maybe he would finally let go of his past and embrace God.

  * * *

  After the crime-scene unit left, Madison turned to Brody. “I need to go get Lincoln. Kayla’s been an angel throughout all of this, and I’m so thankful to her. It helps that Lincoln adores her.”

  Brody leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “How about if we drop the soup off at Mr. Steinbeck’s on the way there?”

  “That would be perfect.”

  Madison divided the soup into two large containers—one for them and one for Mr. Steinbeck. She hoped he liked chicken noodle. Soup always made her feel better. She placed the containers in two bags and added crackers and brownie squares.

  They locked up the house and Brody helped her to carry the containers to the car. The wind had picked up since they were outside earlier, a sure sign of the coming storm. The forecast said that Hurricane Gabe was headed up the coast at the moment. It would probably diminish some by the time it reached Virginia’s coast, but the storm was sure to saturate everything, maybe even down some trees.

  Mr. Steinbeck’s house wasn’t far from Madison’s—just down the lane where she lived and three blocks over. It was smallish with only a kitchen, living room and one bedroom. Madison had stopped by once before, right after she’d moved in, to let Mr. Steinbeck know that he could still use her pier.

  Brody’s cell phone rang as they traveled. Madison waited until he’d hung up to ask about the hardened looked on his face. “Everything okay?”

  “That was Daniel.”

  “What did he want?”

  “He read the article your reporter friend Mark wrote for the newspaper. As he was reading, something occurred to him that he thought could help us.”

  “What was that?”

  “He said that all of the crimes took place at a time when school was out. One over Memorial Day weekend, another on a teacher work day and the rest during the summer.”

  “So he thinks the killer might be an employee of the school system?” she mused.

  “It’s something worth exploring.”

  “Mr. Steinbeck…”

  Brody glanced over at her and nodded. “I know. He drives a school bus.”

  As they pulled into the driveway of Mr. Steinbeck’s rundown home, Madison shivered. She spotted a car in the driveway. Good, Mr. Steinbeck might still enjoy the soup while it was fresh and warm. But was he guilty? Could he really be the killer?

  Brody stepped out of the car with her. He was never far away and Madison had to admit that she appreciated it. Having him close felt good. It felt good to feel protected and cared for, even if she had no business feeling that way about him. She wished she wasn’t drawn to the man, but she had to admit that she was, like it or not.

  At the moment, she liked it.

  She picked up a copy of today’s newspaper from Mr. Steinbeck’s porch and rapped at the door. Several minutes passed with no answer. Madison glanced at Brody. “What do you think?”

  “Maybe he’s around back. Can’t hurt to check.”

  Carefully Madison stepped over the broken bricks on his front steps and walked across the cracked sidewalk to the chain-link fence at the side of his house. “Mr. Steinbeck?” she called.

  Still no response.

  His backyard looked just as neglected as the front. Despite all of the junk, Madison still didn’t see the fisherman.

  “You could always leave the food on the front porch. I’m sure he’ll be back soon. Maybe he just went on a walk or something. The food should be okay for a couple of hours.”

  As they walked back toward the front door, Madison glanced up at the window at the side of the house. She screamed and dropped the food. The container opened and soup splashed everywhere.

  It didn’t matter. Mr. Steinbeck wouldn’t be eating anything tonight.

  He was hanging from the ceiling fan in his living room.

  * * *

  Despite the heat, Brody slipped a blanket around Madison’s shoulders. The killer wasn’t even bothering to try and disguise the crimes through different suicide methods. He’d killed Mr. Steinbeck the way he’d tried to kill Madison.

  She leaned against his sedan and stared at Mr. Steinbeck’s house, her skin pale and lifeless. He rubbed her arms a moment before pulling her into a hug.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I don’t know,” she answered, her voice listless.

  “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

  “I’m sorry Mr. Steinbeck is dead.”

  “Everyone called him Fillet,” he pointed out. “No one thought of him as ‘William.’”

  Her gaze met Brody’s, life suddenly returning to her eyes. “What did this note say?”

  Brody swallowed, his throat dry. “The usual.”

  “That’s not what I mean. What name did it spell?”

  “It’s not important.”

  Fire flashed in her eyes. “Of course it is. Brody, what aren’t you telling me?”

  He pulled back and drew in a deep breath. “You don’t want to know, Madison.”

  “Brody…”

  He drew his lips together in a tight line. “Madison, the note spelled my name. It spelled ‘Brody.’”

  * * *

  The next morning as Madison sang about “Amazing Grace,” all she could think about was the suicide note left at Mr. Steinbeck’s house. She felt herself go pale every time she thought about the message left within the note.

  Brody.

  Her heart squeezed at the thought. Not Brody. Please, Lord, not Brody.

  Brody stood beside her as they sang. He looked surprisingly comfortable considering everything he’d told Madison about never being a regular churchgoer. Lincoln stood on the other side of her, occasionally finding the right word to sing but mostly staring at everyone around him. Before they sat down, the boy scooted around Madison and plopped himself between her and Brody. Madison couldn’t help but smile, thrilled that her son liked Brody. Nobody could ever replace Reid, but Lincoln certainly needed some male role models in his life. Brody seemed to be that person.

  Or could he be a father figure to Lincoln? Madison chewed on her lip at the thought. The idea was gradually becoming one that she could grow to like. God was changing her heart because there was a time when she’d been totally closed to the notion of filling the void in her life. She’d thought she could never love again. But what if she could?

  At the end of the song they all took their seats as Pastor Ray started his sermon. Madison’s gaze roamed the congregation. It didn’t seem to matter where she was—she never felt safe anymore, not even at church. Would she ever feel safe again?

  She thought about Kayla and Daniel. The two of them seemed happy and content and settling into couple mode. Seeing them together made Madison’s he
art flutter with the reminder of what new love was like.

  Brody stretched his arm behind Lincoln, glancing down to grin at the boy in the process. Madison didn’t miss how Brody’s gaze swept over her also. He seemed to approve of the blue-striped sundress she’d picked for this morning. Against her will, pleasure warmed her cheeks.

  She didn’t want to admit it, but Kayla and Daniel weren’t the only couple on the verge of a blossoming relationship. Madison knew that she felt those stirrings with Brody also. She pushed aside the thoughts to concentrate on the sermon. But between her confusion about her feelings and her fear for Brody’s life, she barely heard a word the pastor said.

  * * *

  “You’ve got to try some of Mildred’s fried catfish. It’s a classic at church picnics. Best in Seaford. Hands down.”

  Brody raised his brows. “You’ve convinced me. I don’t normally like seafood, but will have to try some today.”

  Madison pointed into the distance. “Look, Lincoln just challenged Daniel to cornhole. He thinks that since he beat you that he can beat anyone now.”

  “The boy does have a good arm.”

  Madison smiled up at Brody. “I think he had a great time playing with you.”

  “He’s a great kid.”

  Sheriff Carl and Pastor Ray approached them. Pastor Ray extended his hand. “Detective Philips. Sheriff Carl here has told me a lot about you. Glad to see you found a reason to join us here at church.”

  Brody glanced at Madison. “Madison’s a good reason, but I think I’m going to start coming here for other reasons. Better reasons, like working on my relationship with God.”

  A grin broke across Pastor Ray’s face. “That’s great news.”

  Sheriff Carl slapped Brody’s arm in male affection. “I knew you’d come around. Been praying for it since we met.”

  Sheriff Carl had really been praying for him? That was a first.

  He glanced down at Madison and saw her eyes glowing as she looked up at him. She placed her hand on his arm.

  “That is great news. The Christian path isn’t always the easiest for the journey. In fact, sometimes it’s harder. But it’s deeper, more rewarding and richer.”

  Sheriff Carl extended his hand. “Welcome again. I just had to grab some of this food before heading back into work.”

  “Any updates?”

  Sheriff Carl’s face turned grim. “No, none yet. But he’ll mess up. No one can commit the perfect crime. They only think they can.”

  Just as Sheriff Carl walked away, Brody’s cell phone rang. Detective Blackston, he noted. He had to take it.

  “It looks like we have another lead on the medicine missing from the hospital. There’s a nurse who moonlights here on weekends and works for the school system during the year. And yes, the nurse is a male. I wondered if you wanted to meet me at the hospital while I question him.”

  Brody glanced at the crowd at the church. Madison was surrounded by people here who loved her and looked out for her. He didn’t want to leave her, but if he had to, then this would be the most opportune time. Besides, maybe this was the break they’d been hoping for.

  “I’ll be right there.”

  When Madison looked up at him expectantly, he said, “There’s a lead I need to follow up on. Can I talk you into staying here until I get back?”

  “Sure thing.”

  “And save me some of that catfish.”

  She smiled. “Now that I can’t promise.”

  “And if you need anything, call me. Okay?”

  “I will.”

  Brody jogged toward his car. Maybe this would be the lead that would help them close in on the Suicide Bandit.

  The sheriff was right—the killer would screw up sometime, and Brody wanted to be there when he did.

  EIGHTEEN

  The wind slapped the tablecloth, sending it flying into Madison’s face. She caught the flimsy plastic and balled it up. The hurricane was on its way. She could feel it in the air. Even nature seemed to know, she mused, noticing how the birds were feisty today, flying here and there.

  Madison helped a group of church members clean up after the picnic while Lincoln and Kayla had gone to children’s choir practice inside the sanctuary. As soon as choir practice was over, Madison hoped that Brody would be back. She had promised to stay here until he returned.

  The thought of Brody made her smile and hum to herself as she threw away piles of paper plates and plasticware. Brody had realized his need for God. Her heart pounded with contentment every time she thought about it. There was no bigger decision he could make. Did this mean they could have a future together?

  She looked across the green lawn of the church and saw Kayla charging toward her, cell phone in hand. Immediately Madison’s guard went up. She hurried toward Kayla. Lincoln? Had something happened to Lincoln?

  “Kayla? What’s wrong?”

  “Madison, you need to go to the hospital.” Kayla’s voice sounded urgent and her eyes looked strained.

  “What do you mean? What happened? Is Lincoln okay?”

  “No, no. Sorry, Lincoln is fine.” Kayla sucked in a breath. “It’s Brody. Someone cut the brake line in his car. He’s in the hospital now.”

  Panic squeezed Madison’s throat. She remembered the last call she’d gotten like this. The urgent, “Come to the hospital now. Your husband has been in a car accident.”

  Images from that day flashed into her mind, taunting her, causing an uncontrollable ache to hammer her heart.

  Now Brody. What had happened to him? Was he okay?

  “Brody’s going to be all right, Madison. I just thought someone should go out there and be with him. He would say he doesn’t want that, but he shouldn’t be alone. Besides, he’ll need a ride home. I have a choir full of preschoolers or I’d go out there myself.”

  “I’ll be right there. Can I borrow your car?”

  “Of course. Lincoln and I can catch a ride with someone else. We’re close enough to even walk if we have to.”

  Madison grabbed Kayla’s outstretched keys and ran toward the parking lot. Her hands trembled as she started her car.

  The day she’d been called to the hospital for Reid had been similar to today. Overcast, hot, seemingly normal. They’d had an afternoon thunderstorm. His car had hydroplaned on the way home from work and he’d hit a tree. When the EMTs had brought him to the hospital, Reid had been put into a medically induced coma. He’d remained in the coma for three days until he died.

  Lincoln had only been a year old, barely able to walk. Before that fateful accident Madison and Reid had talked about all the dreams they had for their son. Taking him to Disney World, Reid coaching his T-ball team, teaching him to ride a bike. Suddenly those dreams didn’t matter. Only keeping Reid alive did.

  She often thought back to that last conversation she’d had with her husband. It had been so uneventful. It had just been an ordinary day. She’d kissed him goodbye for work, said she’d see him in time for dinner. She still remembered that she’d made roast beef and mashed potatoes that evening. It was one of Reid’s favorite meals. In her rush to get to the hospital she’d forgotten to turn the oven off. The house had been filled with smoke when she had returned. She’d been lucky it hadn’t burned down.

  Today, Madison crouched over the steering wheel for the entire drive to the hospital. Tension wouldn’t leave her body, even if Kayla had said Brody was okay. Finally the hospital appeared. She found a parking spot and hurr
ied toward the entrance.

  As soon as she stepped back inside, she felt like she’d been punched in the gut. The smells, the sounds, the sights. When she’d been attacked, the rescue squad had taken her to a different hospital, as the area had several. This was the very same hospital where Reid had been taken after his accident.

  Reid—it had hurt so much when she’d lost him. She couldn’t bear to think about going through that again. Loving someone was great. But losing them was such a raw wound, one that never completely healed. She blanched at the memories as she rushed toward the information desk.

  “I’m here to see Brody Philips.”

  The nurse gave her instructions to his room. Madison knew by the beating of her heart that she’d allowed herself to open up too much for Brody already. She’d made herself vulnerable in ways she shouldn’t have. She had to distance herself from him. Her heart ached to think about it, but that ache was nothing compared to the ache of losing someone and having to start life over—alone.

  She knocked at Brody’s door until she heard him say, “Come in.” She hesitantly pushed open the heavy door in time to see him close his cell phone. He grinned when he saw Madison, but she hardly saw the smile. Instead, she soaked in the scratches across his face, his busted lip, his bandaged shoulder.

  “You didn’t have to come.”

  She wrapped her arms over her chest. “I know. I wanted to.”

  The nurse scurried out of the way and Madison stepped closer. “What happened? How are you?”

  “Someone cut my brake line. I tried to exit the highway but couldn’t stop. I ended up colliding with another car. We all walked away with some scrapes and bruises, but we’re okay.”

  “I’m glad.”

  He reached his hand out. She stared at it a moment before taking it. He pulled her toward him. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing’s wrong. I was just worried.”

  “I appreciate you worrying about me, but I’m fine.” Brody leaned closer. “Hey.” He nudged up her chin. “Come here.” He pulled her toward him and wrapped his arms around her. The action should have felt comforting. But instead Madison kept having flashes from that day she came to see her husband in the hospital. He’d never left. They had so many unfinished conversations, unrealized dreams.