A Killer Among Us

by Lynette Eason

  Her brief spurt of anger faded as fast as it had appeared. She took a deep breath and blew it out. “Um . . . okay. The problem is, I don’t know what I can tell you that will help. Walter was a great guy. He didn’t have any enemies, didn’t do drugs, hated alcohol because of what it did to his older brother . . .” She shrugged and spread her hands. “I just don’t know!”

  “That’s fine, Heather,” Kit soothed. “What about the day before Walter died? The week before? What was he doing?”

  “What we were all doing. Preparing to graduate, participating in the mock trial, registering for the bar exam, just stuff you do before you graduate, you know?”

  “And you can’t think of anyone he may have made mad?”

  “No!”

  “What about someone jealous of your relationship with Walter?”

  At this question, Heather paused, then shook her head. “No, no one.”

  “You hesitated. Did something cross your mind?”

  “Oh, not really. I mean, there’s this girl that’s graduating with Walter. She’s always had a crush on him, but he’s never shown her any interest.”

  “What’s her name?”

  “Stacy. Stacy Hall.”

  Noah wrote the girl’s name down and pulled out his iPhone. He sent a message requesting the schedule and address of Stacy Hall. He looked back at Heather. “Do you know if Walter had a little miniature gavel that he kept in his room?”

  “A minia—” She broke off and frowned. “No. I’ve never seen one there before. Why?”

  “Just wondering.”

  “All right.” Kit stood and shook Heather’s hand. “Thank you for your time. And once again, we’re so sorry for your loss.”

  The girl nodded. “Thank you. I’m really sorry I’m not much help. Please, please find who did this to Walter.” The last word came out on a suppressed sob.

  This time Kit placed a hand on Heather’s arm and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “We will.”

  Noah patted her back as he passed her, then stopped. “Do you have a church family?”

  Surprise lifted her brow. “No. Not really. I’m not from around here.”

  “It might help.” He pulled out a card and handed it to her. “That’s my pastor’s card. He’d be glad to talk to you if you feel like it would help.”

  Her fingers curled around the small piece of paper and she gave a small smile. “Thank you.”

  “Anytime.”

  Noah hated to see the pain she was going through and felt it was his responsibility to offer comfort where he could. Having God on your side would go a long way toward making things better.

  They left her staring at the card, tears making silent tracks down her cheeks.

  Kit climbed in the car and Noah felt her studying him. “What are you thinking?”

  “That was nice.”

  “What?”

  “Offering your pastor’s number to her.”

  “Oh.” He couldn’t control the flush he knew was creeping up the back of his neck. “Yeah. She looked like she might need someone to talk to.”

  Kit was silent for a minute, then asked, “What church do you go to?”

  “The community church that your family goes to.”

  “Hm.”

  “You’re welcome to come sometime, you know.”

  “I know. I’ve been asked.”

  “Ah.” Silence descended once more. Noah took a deep breath and debated. Should he ask her? She said she’d already been asked.

  But not by him. He cleared his throat. “Wanna come this weekend? If we have time, I mean.”

  She looked at him. “Maybe.”

  Noah thought he saw a small smile playing around her lips. “Good. All right. Shall we find this Stacy Hall person and ask her a few questions?”

  “Let’s do it.”

  6

  Six hours later, Kit let herself into her house, kicked off her shoes, and hung her keys on the hook just inside the door. Stacy Hall had been a bust. They’d finally tracked her down and found her in the hospital. She admitted to having a crush on Walter, but knew he had a girlfriend. Plus she had an alibi for his murder. She’d been undergoing an emergency appendectomy when Walter was murdered.

  A knock on her door pulled her back into the foyer. A glance out the side window made her smile. She opened the door. “Hi, Alena.”

  Her duplex-mate smiled. “Hey, the mailman put some of your mail in my box.” She handed over the envelopes.

  “Oh, thanks. You want to come in?”

  “No, I’m meeting some friends at the movies, but thanks anyway.”

  “Sure. Let me know when you want to go running. I need it.”

  Alena laughed. “I will. See you later.”

  She watched the girl jog down the walkway and jump into her car. So full of life. So eager for what the next day would bring. Kit shook her head. Had she ever been that young?

  Yes, once upon a time. Before her father had dropped his bombshell on her.

  Her stomach growled, distracting her. She headed for the kitchen for an apple and gave a disgusted grunt when she realized she’d eaten the last one this morning.

  “Great.” She was starving. An apple wasn’t going to do it anyway.

  When the phone rang, she seriously considered ignoring it.

  But it might be her mother. Her adoptive mother. Even though the woman had said she wasn’t going to call and beg Kit to come home.

  Or it could be work.

  Grabbing the handset from the base, she looked at the caller ID and felt a lift in her spirits. She clicked it on and said, “Hey Jamie, what’s up?”

  “Hey there. Dakota and I are babysitting tonight. Want to join us for supper?”

  Phone in Chinese takeout or have a home-cooked meal with her sister, brother-in-law, and nephew for company?

  A no-brainer.

  “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

  The sound of Jamie laughing rang in her ears and she felt the weariness of the day slide from her shoulders. Grabbing her keys, she practically ran for the car.

  Eight minutes later, she pulled into Jamie’s driveway. Dakota had moved in with her after they’d married, and now the little two-bedroom, two-bathroom cottage-style house was up for sale, but so far there’d been no takers.

  Kit rapped on the door and Jamie opened it with Andy in her arms. Red-faced with tear tracks on his cheeks, he opened his mouth mid-squall and stared at the newcomer. Kit looked at Jamie. “Having a hard time?”

  “I need a negotiator. I’m willing to give him anything he wants, but he’s not talking.”

  Kit grinned and held out her arms.

  Andy studied her for a brief moment, then fell into them, snuggling his head under her chin. Stunned, Jamie turned to look at Dakota, who just shrugged.

  Andy leaned back in Kit’s arms and stared at the sky, his temper tantrum forgotten. She crooned into his ear, “You like the stars, little man?”

  He seemed fascinated by the shining lights so far above him. She looked at Jamie, who still stood in the doorway watching them. “All you’ve got to do is figure out how to capture his attention.”

  “Then talk some sense into him?”

  Kit grinned and nuzzled the now quiet baby who’d jammed a fist into his mouth. Slobber rolled past his pinkie knuckle to land on Kit’s thumb. She laughed and dried it on his bib. “You are just the perfect little baby, Andrew Wolfe.” He babbled something back and Kit smiled. “I totally agree.”

  The hair on her neck spiked and Kit jerked her head to the right. Nothing.

  Then why did she feel like she was being watched? Like she had a great big target on her back?

  “Okay, you two, get in here.” Jamie shook her head. “Honestly, I feel like a terrible aunt.”

  Shoving aside her sudden paranoia, Kit slid past Jamie and carried the baby into the den and sat in the rocker. A gentle push with her toe set the chair in motion, and within minutes little Andy was asleep.

  “U
nbelievable,” Jamie whispered under her breath. “How’d you do that?”

  Kit stood. “Just part of my charming personality. Where do you want him?”

  Jamie led the way into the guest bedroom. “Just lay him on the bed. I’ve already put the rails up.” She spread pillows at the foot of the bed. “That should do it. I’ll check on him every few minutes, but he should be fine with the monitor right here.” She turned on the monitor and the sisters headed into the kitchen.

  Kit asked, “Where’s my food? I’m starved.”

  Laughing, Dakota made her a plate and the three tucked into the spaghetti, talking about nothing of any great importance, just enjoying each other’s company.

  When Kit finally left, she realized more than her stomach was satisfied. Her heart felt full too. She was grateful for the time with her family. The evening just reinforced that she’d done the right thing in seeking them out.

  And yet she felt sad. An inexplicable sadness. Really, her emotions didn’t seem to make sense these days.

  With exasperation, she wondered how it was possible to feel happy and sad at the same time. Happy to have found her biological parents. Happy she had two sisters and brothers-in-law, and a sweet little nephew. And yet, sad. Because she was hurting the woman who had raised her. And no matter how mad she was about her adoptive parents keeping her birth a secret, she truly had no real desire to hurt her mother. Not really.

  As she walked up the steps to her home, she pulled out her cell phone, sat on her porch, and began to dial the number she knew by heart. The number she’d grown up with as a child, then a teen, then an adult. Her mother’s number. Only, the woman wasn’t really her mother.

  And yet . . . she was. Kit sighed and rubbed her forehead. She hung up. Then mad at herself for her indecision, she started punching the numbers again.

  Mid-dial, she stopped. Looked up and frowned. Once again, the hair on the back of her neck tingled and she felt a shiver dance up her spine.

  Her fingers crept to her weapon as she scanned the darkness. The familiar feel of the gun in the holster offered little comfort. She unsnapped the strap that held it in place.

  Was someone there? Watching her?

  She felt exposed and backed up to her door, eyes still probing the night, the house across the street, the cars that appeared vacant and still. A dog barked from behind Alena’s door. Roscoe. Barking at her or something else?

  As her eyes continued to scan her surroundings, her fingers fumbled for the latch, got the storm door open. The doorknob refused to turn. Locked. And her key was in her pocket.

  The door beside her burst open and she gasped. Roscoe ran into the street barking, Alena stumbling after him. “Roscoe!”

  Heart thumping, Kit pressed a hand to her chest. “Alena, what’s wrong?”

  Her neighbor slapped a hand against the wooden railing and stared after her dog, who’d disappeared. “I don’t know. I hurried home from the movies because I knew my mom would be coming in and didn’t want to make her wait on me. About five minutes after I got here, I let Mom in, then Roscoe started going nuts, whining, scratching the door. He was more agitated than I’ve seen him in a long time.”

  “Will he come back?”

  “Yes. Eventually.”

  “What do you think he’s going after?”

  The girl shrugged. “I don’t have a clue. I wonder if someone was sneaking around out here.”

  Kit frowned. “I didn’t see anyone when I drove up.”

  “Maybe around back?” Alena looked nervous now.

  Pulling her weapon, she told the girl, “Go back inside. I’ll check it out.”

  A woman appeared in the doorway. An older version of Alena. “My word, what’s going on out here?”

  Ignoring the woman’s question, Alena backed toward the door. “Should I call 911?”

  “Not yet. Let me just walk the perimeter. If there was someone here, it’s most likely he’s long gone by now. Especially with Roscoe chasing after him.”

  Alena nodded and took the woman by the hand, saying, “It’s all right, Mom, Kit’s a police officer. She’ll handle it.” The women disappeared back into the house.

  Gun held steady, Kit rounded the corner of the house. The floodlights illuminated the small backyard.

  Nothing moved.

  She crossed the yard, following it onto the neighbor’s property directly across from her little duplex. Everything was still. Quiet.

  Then a low whine reached her ears.

  She trotted to the left, across more grass, and finally she reached the road where she found Roscoe sniffing the asphalt.

  “Roscoe, come here, boy.”

  He looked up, then back down, paced a few steps down the street, then came back. Kit reached down and scratched his silky ears.

  “Roscoe, was someone here? Huh? Did they get in a car?”

  He licked her fingers and turned to head toward home.

  Giving the road one last look, Kit followed the dog, staying watchful and alert just in case someone was still out there. Someone who was invisible to her. Someone who might be watching her as she moved. She shuddered and picked up the pace.

  Back on her porch, she rapped on Alena’s door. “It’s me. Kit.”

  The door opened instantly. Roscoe darted inside and Alena’s worried gaze met hers. “Did you find anything? Anyone?”

  “No. False alarm, I guess.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  Kit waved off her concern. “Let me know if you need anything during the night.” Because while she hadn’t found anything suspicious in the midst of the night shadows, she doubted she’d rest easy.

  And she’d forgotten to ask Alena if she knew Walter Davis.

  Excitement thrummed through the Judge. Could it be? Could he have found her, the one he’d been looking for? He’d watched her from afar, watched her carefully. So far, it looked as though she fit the criteria. The perfect woman, the perfect wife—and the perfect mother. All three.

  He’d keep watch for a while longer, but he couldn’t help the kernel of hope that sprung to life. He might have to move sooner than he’d anticipated. But that was all right. He already had the perfect home—or it would be as soon as he got rid of his father. He just needed the perfect people to fill it. And as soon as the opportunity presented itself, he would.

  7

  She was right. Once again a restful sleep eluded her. Tossing and turning all night didn’t make the hours pass any faster, and she finally crawled out of bed at 5:30. As soon as the sun started to peek over the horizon, she took her morning run without Jamie or Alena and Roscoe, her tennis shoes slapping the asphalt with a regular rhythm. Obviously, Alena’s mother was visiting, so Kit didn’t want to disturb them this early.

  She’d almost texted Jamie about running, but she really needed time alone to think. If someone had been watching the house last night, the big question was, why?

  This morning she felt the need to keep looking over her shoulder, her mind replaying the events of last night—then jumping to the case she still needed to solve.

  Footsteps sounded behind her and she whirled, hand reaching for her gun in her shoulder holster.

  The one that wasn’t there.

  She’d put on the ankle holster instead this morning.

  She had just rounded a curve, so she crossed the street and knelt as though to tie her shoe, keeping her eyes peeled for whoever was behind her.

  Her hand hovered above the gun.

  More fast-paced footsteps.

  “Kit!”

  The figure came into sight and Kit let out the breath she’d been holding. Standing, she exclaimed, “Jamie! What are you doing, you crazy girl?”

  Jamie caught up with her, holding a hand to her side. “Do you run like that all the time when you’re not with me?” She gulped air. “I really hold you back, don’t I?”

  Kit smiled. “Not at all. Why didn’t you text or call me if you wanted to meet this morning?”

  “I did.�
��

  Kit’s smile turned into a frown. She snatched her phone from her side and read, “Wanna jog this a.m.?” She looked at Jamie. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see it. I thought I checked it before I left.”

  “It’s all right. I figured I’d go ahead and come on just in case. I like this route. It feels safe.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m not so sure about that,” she muttered. Her eyes flicked from one end of the street to the other. Across the street was the park, where a man walking his dog had just emerged from a wooded trail.

  “What do you mean?”

  Kit forced a smile. “Nothing.”

  Jamie shot her a ferocious look. “Don’t ‘nothing’ me when it’s clear as the nose on your face something’s bothering you. Don’t be afraid to share with me. I’m far from fragile.”

  A pang of remorse shot through her and Kit reached out to squeeze Jamie’s hand. “I know. It’s not that. In fact, it’s probably nothing.”

  “What?”

  “Last night, I think someone was lurking outside my house.”

  Jamie’s eyes went wide. “You think?”

  “Yeah. I couldn’t find any evidence, but my neighbor’s dog went nuts.”

  White teeth came out to clamp down on her lower lip as Jamie breathed in. “You need to take that seriously. I wanted to shrug off my stalker, believe it was just in my mind, but it wasn’t. So don’t ignore last night.”

  Kit nodded. “I know. I won’t.”

  “And you probably shouldn’t jog alone anymore. Will you make sure someone’s with you from now on?”

  Her sister’s concern touched her. “I’ll be fine.” She glanced around and saw nothing to disturb her. “Come on, let’s go.”

  “Tell me what’s new on the case,” Jamie said.

  So she did.

  Walter Davis. A young man cut down before he could put into practice the ideals he held. That was one thing she’d learned about him. He’d wanted to change the world; defend the underdog. He’d been a little cocky, but charming and always willing to lend a hand.

  All of this according to his girlfriend, Heather. His other friends had backed up her assessment.

  Jamie whistled. “So, what’d he do to get this killer’s attention?”