Neil was so distracted that he nearly rear-ended the car in front of them. “Sweetie, I need to concentrate on the road, although I love the direction you were headed in.”
“I’m sorry baby. Turn left up ahead on 55th. Marco’s is just around the corner.”
Neil was quite satisfied with himself that he had gotten his way. Perhaps he could convince her to stay longer than a couple of days once they were together back at his place. He was willing to pull out all of the stops.
“Don’t think that I don’t know what you are thinking, counselor. I know that you are working at getting your way and having me move in with you,” Kate declared. “I’m beginning to realize just how your mind works.”
Neil’s huge smile reached his eyes. “If you only knew, baby. If you only knew.”
Chapter 15
Kate stayed at Neil’s house for three nights. She noticed that Mark wasn’t in class Wednesday or Thursday. On Friday, the police were on campus. Mark’s family had filed a missing person report. No one had seen him since Tuesday after class. The detective went to both of the classes that she shared with Mark and asked if anyone knew of his whereabouts. At first it didn’t register with her that she could have been the last person to see Mark. When she heard Officer Segura’s questions during her second class, she decided to follow him out and talk to him.
“Officer Segura, my name is Kate Simmons,” she said, putting her hand out to shake his.
“What can I do for you, Miss Simmons? Do you have some information about Mark for me?”
“Yes, I do. Mark came over to my apartment after class on Tuesday. We spoke for a few minutes and he left. That was the last I saw him. It dawned on me just now that I might be one of the last people who saw him before he disappeared.”
“I see. What was your relationship with Mark?”
“We were just classmates and friends.”
“Why did he go to your apartment on Tuesday?”
“Well, actually, he followed me home without my knowledge. He was upset that I am dating someone he knows and he wanted to warn me. We talked briefly and he left.”
“Did you see anyone else talk to him or follow him?”
“The only person I can think of is my next-door neighbor, Roger Wilkins. They met each other when we were walking up the stairs.”
“Roger Wilkins, you said?” Officer Segura asked, writing down the name.
“Yes, Roger Wilkins,” she said, shifting her weight from one leg to the other.
“Okay, I need you to write down your name, address, and phone number right here,” he said, handing Kate his clipboard. “We’ll be in touch. I would like for you to come to the station in the next day or so to give a formal statement. Is there anything else that you can remember?”
“No, but I do have one more piece of potentially relevant information. I think that Roger might be obsessed with me. He knows my comings and goings. His door is open all the time and he is always trying to get me to come in and have a drink with him. One night when I didn’t come home, he texted me to see if I was okay. He questions me a lot about what I am doing and with whom I’m doing it with.”
“Okay, has he done anything other than be overly friendly? Tried to force you into anything that you weren’t comfortable with? “
“No, it’s all been verbal communication.”
“Has he threatened you in any way?”
“No, but he has scared me. His interest in me makes me very uncomfortable.”
“I suggest that you be careful around Roger and we’ll be in touch,” he said. “Here’s my card if you think of anything else. Don’t hesitate to call me.”
***
Kate decided to go home on Friday night after work to have some time on her own. Charlie hadn’t seen Roger all week. She assumed that he had gone out of town. But, of course, as she ascended the stairs, Roger’s door was open. Her heart started beating faster. She wasn’t sure if Charlie and Mitch were home.
She reached her door before Roger realized that she was there. She slid the key in the lock and he magically appeared out on the landing before she could get inside. It seemed that he had bionic ears. As she opened the door, she saw that the lights were out, so she knew that she was alone. Charlie must have been out with Mitch having dinner. Roger asked her if she had seen the news lately. She had been so busy between work, school, and her new boyfriend she hadn’t watched it in the last few of days. When he began to explain what happened, she knew she was going to need to sit down.
“Do you mind if I come in?”
She couldn’t come up with a good reason why he couldn’t so she made a welcoming motion with her arm. “Please make yourself comfortable,” she said as she placed her purse and keys on the sofa table. She then sat on the sofa because he had chosen the love seat.
“Rose is dead,” he said matter of factly. “She’s been murdered. Parts of her body were found in a trash bag up north. The police are not sure what happened, but they think that I did it.”
Kate sat on her sofa frozen, trying to assimilate the information in her head. The chills running up and down her spine told her that the police were probably right. But she couldn’t let him know that she thought he was a cold-blooded killer. He had access to her any time he wanted. He knew her schedule. She thought quickly and decided she needed to behave like he was a victim in this whole thing.
“I can’t believe they actually think that you could hurt Rose. That’s impossible,” she said with all the indignation she could muster. “I’m so sorry that you are going through this. I know how much she meant to you,” she said in her most sincere voice.
“Yeah, I know. I am still in shock about the whole thing. It hasn’t sunk in yet what has happened.”
“What do the police think has happened?” she asked gently. “Well, on the day that Rose disappeared, she had taken $2,000 out of her savings account to buy a new refrigerator for her parents. I think someone followed her from the bank, killed her and took her money. The police think that I followed her, stole her money and killed her. The killer tried to hide the evidence by dismembering her. Her parents called the police and reported her missing when she didn’t return home Monday night. Her arm and leg were found in Valley Center by the dogs that were searching with the police,” Roger said like he was discussing the weather forecast.
Kate rested her head in her hand. “I can’t believe that she has been murdered and dismembered. Her poor children. They must be devastated to lose their mom. Especially after all you said they have been through with their dad’s abuse,” she empathized. “Have the police charged you with anything?”
She treaded carefully, knowing that any slip-up could cost her life. Since she had lived her life walking on egg shells with her mom, she was fairly good at tactful communication. “No, they don’t have any evidence linking me to her murder,” Roger shared. “I do need your help though. I was planning on visiting Jacob in Germany in about two weeks. I already bought my airline ticket and have taken money out of the bank for traveling. I am concerned that if the police search my apartment and find the ticket and money they will arrest me or keep me from traveling. I don’t want to miss out on seeing my son. I need you to keep these along with my passport and ATM card here in your apartment until things settle down,” he said, pulling the items out from his back pocket.
Bile rose to the top of her throat. She swallowed hard and clenched her teeth to push it down. Now he wanted to involve her in his despicable scheme. She didn’t want to be pulled into his web. But he wanted her tangled up with him and she didn’t know how to get out of this. His request confirmed her thoughts that there was a strong possibility that he was guilty. He wasn’t even visibly upset over Rose’s death. What was she going to do? Refusing his request could cause problems for her and Charlie. Would the police think that she was somehow involved? In this moment, she had to make a snap decision. It needed to be a decision that wouldn’t send up any red flags.
“Of course I would
be happy to hold onto your ticket and money,” she said calmly. “But I can’t imagine that they are going to search your place. They have no reason to suspect you. They’re not going to be able to charge you with anything. You’re probably just being a little paranoid.”
“I know you’re right,” Roger replied. “It’s just precautionary in case the over-zealous cop on this case gets a warrant to search my apartment. Rose did spend a lot of time with me. It would mean a lot to me if you would hold on to these things until I know that I am no longer a suspect.”
“Well, you have been such a good neighbor to us, I am happy to help you in any way that I can,” she said with a smile. She took the money and the ticket. She figured she would hide them somewhere in her room. Where would be an unsuspecting place she wondered? Then it hit her.
“I’ll put these in a Ziploc bag and store them in the freezer,” she said, trying to keep her voice calm. She got up and walked to the kitchen. She opened the drawer where they kept the Ziploc bags and put the items inside one and sealed it. Then she opened the freezer and put the bag inside. Roger had followed her but was in the dining room watching.
“This seems like a good hiding place, don’t you think?”
“That’s a perfect spot. I knew I could count on you.”
Kate strolled over to Roger. “Again, I’m so sorry for your loss,” she said, placing her hand on his arm. “Rose was a wonderful woman. I’m sure that you miss her terribly.”
In her attempt to act like she believed his innocence, she gave him a hug. As she tried to let go, he held on a little longer than she wanted him to. She was going to have to take a shower after this to wash off her disgust. When he released her, she started moving toward the door, indicating that it was time for him to go.
“Well, I hate to cut things short, but I have a paper due on Monday for one class and an exam in another to prepare for. We’ll talk soon, okay?”
He nodded and left her apartment.
When she closed the door behind him, she slid down the door to the floor as tears streamed down her face. She hugged her knees to her body. This was worse than she could have imagined. He wasn’t just obsessed with her, he was most likely a killer. A killer who had murdered someone that he supposedly loved. He had killed Rose. She could feel it in her heart. Roger was a murderer. Why did he have to kill Rose? She was a kind, sweet, caring woman. There is nothing that she could have done to justify this.
Grief overcame Kate as she realized that his obsession with her might have driven him to hurt Rose. If it wasn’t for her, Rose could still be alive. The guilt over what happened to David rushed back over her like a tidal wave, combining with her guilt about Rose. She not only feared for her own safety, but also Charlie’s safety. This was way too much to process. She was going to need to see Dr. Cox and soon.
She had made it through the most uncomfortable interaction of her life without showing how afraid she was of him. Now the trick was going to be to continue acting normal every time she saw him over the next two weeks. She went to the kitchen to check the date of departure on the airline ticket. He was leaving in exactly twelve days. Twelve extremely long days.
She went to her purse and took out her cell. She called her mom and explained what was going on. Her mom’s first reaction was to have her move home immediately. But Roger knew where she worked and could easily follow her to her mom’s house.
“Mom, moving back home may not be the best solution at the moment. But moving is something I am strongly considering,” she said.
“You need to get in touch with the detective in charge of the case and tell him what’s going on. He will be able to advise you on what to do with the money and ticket,” her mom said, her voice shaky despite her efforts to appear calm.
“You’re right. I will call the police as soon as we hang up and schedule an appointment with the detective in charge of Roger’s case.”
“Okay, honey. I will be praying for God to keep you and Charlie safe. I love you.”
“I love you too, Mom. Thanks for the prayers.”
With that, they said goodnight and their conversation ended.
***
Roger went back to his place with a big grin smeared across his face. Kate not only believed him, she also was willing to help him. He couldn’t help but feel excited at the possibilities of what would happen next between them. He imagined her in his bed. God, how he wanted to run his hands all over her body. She had such big firm breasts he couldn’t wait to suck them. He couldn’t wait to ram his hard cock into her and feel her wet pussy. Yeah, she was about to be his. His fantasy of fucking her was going to come true.
It was too bad about Rose. When she said she was pregnant, she had put a major dent in his plans to be with Kate. He didn’t want a child tying him to Rose forever. He had already been down that road with Paulina. He could have demanded that she have an abortion, but she would have refused. She would have wanted them to get married. She wanted them to be a family.
Initially, he had thought that an abortion would be the simplest way out of this mess, but Rose wouldn’t have gone for it. He could have cried on Kate’s shoulder about what Rose had done. Kate would feel sorry for him and he would be able to make his move. He felt confident that once he started kissing her, she would just melt into his arms and he could have his way with her. Why did Rose have to be so damned difficult? Well, he didn’t want to waste any more time dwelling on that. It was over now. He didn’t have to worry about Rose getting in the way anymore. He would wait a reasonable amount of time and then he would let Kate know how much he liked her, how much he wanted her. But how long was reasonable? He had a hard-on now, just thinking about her. He wanted to have her in his bed now. If he tried to make his move too soon, she would most likely resist. How he hated to wait. He imagined Kate sucking his cock, and decided she was worth the wait. For now, he would just have to keep visiting her late at night and taking a peek at her beautiful body. Soon he would have this perfect woman in his bed.
***
Kate fished out the card that Officer Segura had given her earlier that. She dialed the number and he answered on the third ring. She told him what had transpired in her conversation with Roger. They both agreed that there could be a correlation between Rose’s death and Mark’s disappearance. He entered Roger’s name in the police database and learned that Roger was under investigation by Detective Jameson in another precinct. He told Kate to wait for a call from Detective Jameson. He was in charge of Rose’s case. He was also the lead investigator in Rick Holloway’s missing-person case. They ended the call and she sat there staring into the abyss for a few moments. She began reviewing the interaction she had just experienced with Roger. It seemed surreal that this was happening. She patted her leg to make sure that she wasn’t dreaming something crazy. After David had died, her dreams had been borderline bizarre.
Her phone lit up, delivering her from her thoughts.
“Hello,” she said, not recognizing the number on her screen.
“Hello. This is Detective Jameson calling for Kate Simmons.”
“Hi, detective, I’m Kate Simmons,” she said. “I’m so glad that you called so quickly. Did Officer Segura get a chance to fill you in?”
“Yes, he told me about your conversation this morning and about your interaction with Roger Wilkins this evening. I think it would be a good idea for you to come to the station so that I can get a full statement from you.”
“I’m more than happy to do that. When would you like me to come?”
“Can you be here in an hour?”
She looked at her watch. It was 7:30 right now. “That shouldn’t be a problem. What’s the address to the station?”
As soon as they hung up, she called Neil and filled him in. He was furious that she had been alone with Roger. “That’s it, Kate. You’re staying with me,” he snarled. “I’ll meet you at the station. Pack a bag for the next few days and we’ll go to your apartment when you think he is working and pack u
p the rest of your stuff.”
“Okay, Neil,” she said just as Charlie and Mitch walked through the door. “I’ve got to go. Charlie and Mitch are home and I need to fill them in and pack. I’ll see you at the station.”
“See you there,” he said and they hung up.
“What’s going on?” Charlie asked with great concern. She could see that Kate had been crying. “Did something happen with Neil?”
“No, it has nothing to do with Neil. Rose has been murdered and Roger is a suspect, possibly the only suspect,” Kate exclaimed.
“Oh, my gosh! That poor woman! This is crazy. How did you find out about this?” Charlie asked, her eyes widening.
Kate told Charlie and Mitch all about Roger coming over earlier that evening. By the time she was done, she felt shaken and thoroughly spent. She was drained from the fear and emotional intensity.
“So where’s the money and the rest of his stuff right now?” Charlie asked. “I put it in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. I didn’t know where else to hide it.”
“Clearly my dad was right. Remember he had some gut feeling for us to be careful around Roger?”
“Yes, I remember,” Kate said. “I thought about that a few times in the last hour.”
“I need to get going soon. Will you help me get some of my things together? I’m going to stay at Neil’s for a couple of days. I can’t handle running into Roger.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” asked Mitch.
“Why wouldn’t it be a good idea?” Kate questioned.
“It might make Roger suspicious if you are not here all of a sudden. He might get paranoid and think that you are trying to avoid him. He may even think that you believe he is guilty. Right now, he thinks you’re on his side,” Mitch said. “Now’s not the time to rock the boat.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. I don’t want to make him suspicious of me. This is so overwhelming. I don’t know what to do. I told Neil that I would stay at his place. He’s already going ballistic that I was alone with Roger earlier.”
Fallen for You Page 18
