“I know that. I tried to tell him that. He’s a man who is used to getting what he wants. I am a man who follows his orders. I have no choice.” Thomas bent his head in shame.
“We all have choices, Thomas. We shouldn’t let one person dictate them. I’m starting to realize that myself. I’m a grown woman and I deserve to live the way I want. So do you.” Rina leaned across the table, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Look at me.” He slowly lifted his head and held her gaze as she sat back down. “Now please tell me what you did. What did you have no choice about?
“All the problems Detective Stoyer had, his job, his family issues, those were because of me.” Thomas held his head high as he looked at him. “I’m sorry, Detective.”
“Me, too. You obviously did it on Reginald’s order, correct?” Ben asked, even though he knew the answer. Confirmation was always nice.
“Yes.”
“Was it always you?” Rina asked. The pain in her voice made Ben want to wrap her up in his arms and whisk her away until nothing but the two of them existed.
“I’m sorry, Rina.”
“I forgive you. You work for my father and you didn’t want to lose your job. I don’t see how this is worth getting arrested for. Let him go, Ben,” Rina said as she stood up and almost lost her balance.
Ben caught her, wrapping a strong arm around her waist. He would always help support her in any way he could. Even if he hurt her in the process. “I can’t let him go. He tried to break into your house. Didn’t you, Thomas?”
“That’s ridiculous, Ben. Thomas would never do something like that. You said the man who tried to break in is related to the murder cases you’re working on. Thomas would never murder someone. Tell him, Thomas,” Rina demanded in her soft voice.
“How can you forgive me so easily? Do you really think my job is that important?” Thomas asked, the surprise lacing each word.
Rina moved out of Ben’s embrace, circling the table. She grabbed Thomas’s hands and pulled him to his feet. “You are family. I love you like a father. I forgive my real father every day. Why wouldn’t I forgive you? Tell Ben you would never break into my house.”
“I can’t do that.”
Ben watched as Rina let Thomas’s hands go and back away from him with slow steps. He couldn’t tell if it was fear or shock pounding into each step. Triumph that Thomas basically confessed didn’t hit Ben like he wanted it to. The only thing he wanted right now was to pull Rina into his arms and comfort her.
“You came over to the house that morning with a fierce determination. That made your father more determined than ever to make Ben go away. He didn’t like that Ben had more sway with you than he did. He’s your father. He just expects you to do as he says.”
“You hurt those other women?” Rina asked in a harsh whisper.
“No!” Thomas took a step toward her, but stopped when she took a step further away from him. “He told me to do more damage to Ben. To get the point across that he wasn’t welcome in your life. He didn’t tell me what to do, just to go do it. He trusts me to make it all right. I heard you talking to him. I know what Ben means to you. For once, I decided to try something different.”
“Different?” Rina asked, confused, her body suddenly pressed against the wall.
Thomas looked at Ben. “I followed you, Detective. I saw you meet with that woman at the coffee shop. I talked with her after. She was quite open about the conversation and her attraction to you. I thought Reginald would like another report to the chief about inappropriate behavior by you. But I couldn’t. You weren’t inappropriate. Not once. If anything, that woman was.”
“I guess you’re losing me now, Thomas. What does that have to do with trying to break into Rina’s house?” Ben asked.
“I bought one of those scarves that you talked about with her. I figured they must be of some importance. I just wanted Rina to be happy for once. So I thought, instead of pushing you away, I should push you towards her. I never had any intention of coming inside the house. I left that scarf on purpose so you would think it was related to those murders. So you wouldn’t leave Rina alone.”
“Did you really think that was the best plan? Because right now, that scarf alone makes you a prime suspect in three murders.” Dumbfounded. Confusion. And still anger. How could this man do something like this?
“I am a lot of things, Detective, but I’m not a murderer,” Thomas said with quiet certainty. “Give me a pen. I will write my confession to the break-in. I admit full guilt about that, but I did not harm anybody.”
“Why do you do as Reginald says?” Ben asked.
“The reason why I do everything for him. The reason why I would never hurt another woman, or even look at another woman. The reason why I would hate to lose my job…I love Reginald Chastain. He’s a difficult man. He’s a proud man. And I love him like I’ve never loved another man.”
For some reason, that didn’t surprise Ben. He could see the love in Thomas’s eyes, hear the desperation in his voice. He walked over to the table and pushed the pen and paper that sat on his side over to Thomas’s side. “Write your statement on the attempted burglary. That’s all I’ll be charging you with for right now. I believe you.”
“Thank you, Detective.” Thomas glimpsed at Rina, who stared at both of them, but wasn’t really seeing them. He sat down. “Please take care of Rina. She’ll need you. I never meant to hurt her. I love her like my own daughter. For once in my life, I had a family. I was only looking out for my family. And now I’ve lost them both.”
“I will,” Ben replied quietly.
Thomas pressed the pen to the paper. Before one word could be written, Rina grabbed the pen from his grasp. He looked up at her, the pen clutched tightly to her chest.
“I’m hurt. That may take a while to overcome, but you’re still my family. What you said about my father doesn’t change that fact. It’s okay you feel that way about him. I don’t want you writing any confession.” Rina walked over to Ben and held out the pen. “Don’t make him write that.”
“I can’t ignore what he did. Like the time you called me about what Mark did to Zoe, we didn’t ignore that, and it’s not happening now. I know you’ll be mad at me, probably even hate me for it, but I can’t look the other way.” Ben brushed her cheek, wiping away a tear that fell. “I’m sorry. I won’t ignore what he did, even if I understand the crazy reason behind it.”
“Rina, let him do his job. I accept my punishment, whatever it may be. Go home and get some rest. I’ll be fine,” Thomas said, his voice cracking a bit. “And thank you. You have no idea what your words mean to me. I’ve always loved you as well, like you were my own daughter.”
“You’re all testing my emotions to the brink. Don’t be surprised when I finally let loose.” She threw the pen at him. He caught it with ease and watched as the love of his life walked out of the room without another word.
“I’ll take the pen, Detective. Take her home. I don’t want her here anymore.” Thomas held out his hand.
Ben handed Thomas the pen. “I’ll put in a good word to the DA, for Rina’s sake. Do you want to make a phone call? Maybe call Reginald.”
Thomas looked up. “No. I think it’s best I cut my ties clean with him. He won’t want anything to do with me when he finds out the truth.”
Ben smiled, for the first time that night. “And who’s going to tell him? I highly doubt Rina will say a word. And my lips are sealed.”
“You’re a good man, Ben Stoyer.”
“In your own odd way, so are you, Thomas.”
Chapter 16
Ben locked the door and gently laid the suitcase down before setting the alarm. Clueless. Scared. Terrified, even. Rina was still very angry and he had no idea how to make it all better. He took a moment to watch Rina look around his house, appreciating the fact she let him pack a bag and bring her to his home for the night. How long would it last? That was a very good question. One he couldn’t seem to voice. Taking it day by day would ha
ve to do.
Thomas wasn’t their killer. He believed every word that came out of the man’s mouth. There was no way he faked that kind of emotion. He saw the torture in his eyes for the love he had for Reginald. For going against his wishes. Reginald wanted Thomas to ruin his life. Instead, Thomas tried to help.
Although, Ben thought he could’ve helped in a better way. Trying to break into Rina’s house didn’t seem like the best way at all. He understood the message. Thomas didn’t want to see him leave Rina. The next possible victim related to his murder cases would ensure that. That’s for damn sure.
Regardless, Ben didn’t plan on leaving Rina ever. Unless she had something to say about it. And she might. Especially with the way she gave him the silent treatment the entire ride from the precinct to her house. After a brief conversation that she come home with him, she continued that silence as she packed. The drive to his house was painful. She still hadn’t said a word as she roamed his living room.
“I can see you’re still mad at me. Your father paid his bail. He won’t be spending the night in jail, if that has you worried.” He took a few steps in her direction.
“I told you my father would take care of it. He’ll get the charges dropped.”
“So now you want him using his influence. You can’t have it both ways, Rina.”
“Thomas didn’t mean to do it. He was just looking out for me.”
“Oh, I get it. Just like how he didn’t mean to try and take Isabella away from Erin. Is that what you’re saying? I might understand what was going through his mind, but that doesn’t mean I forgive him. I’m not the law. You’re not the law. Thomas sure in the hell isn’t the law. He broke the law. I won’t apologize for doing my job. You’d think you’d know me by now that I take my job seriously.”
“Why am I here?” Rina threw her arms out wide. “You think Thomas killed those women. You think I’m not safe in my house because of him.”
“No, I actually believed him when he said he didn’t hurt those women. What can I say? I did ask you to move in with me.” He shrugged, glancing around the room. Her things would fit right in. “You have no idea the worry, the stress I dealt with in the beginning. You look so much like those women that I just have this intense fear you could be next. When I found that scarf outside your house, I almost went into a full-blown panic. I won’t let anyone hurt you. I just need you to stay here with me until I solve this case. Please.”
She walked up to him. Then shocked him completely when she placed her hand on his cheek. “I won’t move in with you. Notice I said won’t, not can’t. I will stay with you until you solve this case. To help stop your worry. I’m not mad at you. I know what sort of man you are. You’re an honest man. You have integrity. I do know what your job means to you. I’m sorry for asking you to look the other way. I know better than to think you would. I honestly don’t know what I’m feeling right now. I just feel empty, Ben. I don’t know how you can fix that. I don’t know how I can fix it. I’m tired. Of everything.”
She dropped her hand and walked around him. She grabbed her suitcase by the door and carried it down the hallway.
What just happened there? Because it didn’t feel like anything good.
He turned out the lights and followed her path. She had no idea what room was his, considering she had only been to his house once. It wouldn’t matter what room she decided to walk into. So would he. He knew he should give her some space, some time to deal with everything that happened, but he was afraid that he’d lose the connection he had with her. That she’d turn her heart away from the great relationship they could have. He wouldn’t let her distance herself.
He popped his head into the spare room. No Rina. Taking that as a good sign, he walked to his bedroom and closed the door when he saw her suitcase by the bed. He glanced over to his bathroom, the light spilling out from underneath the door. Maybe he hadn’t lost her after all. She chose to sleep in his room and not the spare room. He would’ve slept on the twin mattress in the spare room with her. He would’ve scooped her up against his body and held on tightly to her all night. He still might do that in this room.
He undressed, tossing all of his clothes into the hamper, then climbed into bed and waited for her to finish in the bathroom. As soon as she walked out, he waited patiently for her to join him. She only hesitated once. The moment she crawled into bed, he didn’t give her a chance to wonder what would happen. He pulled her against his chest, spooning her body perfectly to his, and wrapped his arm tightly around her waist.
“I love you, Rina.”
Silence. Nothing but silence echoed. He closed his eyes, giving up. She wasn’t pulling away physically, but clearly she planned to emotionally. A little piece of his heart withered away when he didn’t hear the words he wanted to. Needed to.
“I love you, Ben.”
Peace settled around him. That’s all he needed at the moment. He’d figure out how to fix everything else tomorrow.
***
“So, how’d it go last night with Rina?” Zeke asked, twirling his pencil with an ease that said he did it way too much.
Ben shrugged, unable to voice how it really went. “I need to make it up to her. I don’t know how, though. I couldn’t let him walk out scot-free.”
“You did the right thing. Even Thomas said so. He knew what he did was wrong. He wants to pay for his mistakes the correct way. I talked to Sherry down in the DA’s office this morning. He had an alibi for the three murders. Based on that, she’s only considering him for the attempted burglary. Which isn’t much, other than his statement. She’s willing to give him one year probation and 30 hours community service. I’m pretty sure he’s going to take the deal based on that.”
“Good. That was quick. Rina will be happy to hear that.” Ben glanced down at the remaining credit card receipts they had left to go through. “I think we’re about to strike out everywhere in this case.”
“Thomas is a no-go. He had an alibi for every murder. His third alibi, my favorite, trying to break into Rina’s house at the same time Carol was brutally murdered. Jones is not looking good after the search warrant we executed at his apartment. We found nothing strange or crazy. His DNA probably won’t match the hair Susan found because he has black hair, not brown. He’s weird and feels really good for the murders, but it just doesn’t fit no matter how much we want it to. And Anthony, I hate that man, but he’s looking to have an alibi for each murder as well. Who in the hell does that leave us with?” Ben said, scratching his head as he continued to look through the receipts.
“Holy shit. I think I might have something.” Zeke held up a piece of paper and started to wave it with vigor.
“I hate it when you keep me in suspense.” Ben rolled his hand in a circle for him to continue.
“Timothy Denson. You know, our first victim’s best friend’s brother.”
“That was a mouthful. Say it again,” Ben said with a laugh. “Why him? That’s like out of left field, the ball just coming from nowhere.”
“Yeah, I know. Maybe I’m stretching. Maybe I’m not. Wanda Denson is on this list. Her credit card record shows she bought a white scarf two months ago.”
“Who’s that? His mother. That’s Sauer’s pile. I don’t think he came across her name before, did he?”
Zeke grabbed Sauer’s notes on the pile next to him. “No, it doesn’t look like it. It’s worth a shot. Let’s go talk to Wanda, see about that scarf. I know it doesn’t make sense, but we have no other suspects. He knew Beth. He was close to her. She would’ve opened her door no questions asked.”
“Okay, I get Beth. How about Ashley and Carol? How did he know them?”
“He looked like a pretty boy. Carol is in the crowd with Anthony. He never said they had a relationship out of the office, but maybe she went to the country club to see him one time and Timothy was there.”
Ben laughed. “That is stretching like you’ve never done before.”
“Okay, dating websites. Maybe he
was on there. Saw Carol’s profile and picked her as his next victim.”
“Why was Beth his first victim?”
Zeke rubbed his chin, then snapped his fingers. “He said he never wanted to date her. Beth was a beautiful woman. She was sweet and friendly. Why wouldn’t he want to date her? He even killed spiders for her. What kind of man does that unless he likes her?”
“Any nice normal man should do that for a woman. Really, Zeke, that’s all you got. Killed spiders for her.” Ben shook his head while grinning. “The part about him wanting to date her sounds good. She doesn’t see him like that and lets him down gently. Except he doesn’t take it gently.”
“God, he told Beth’s parents that she died. If he really killed her then that is one sick son of a bitch.”
“Agreed. Let’s go talk to Wanda and go from there.” Ben stood up and tossed his jacket on.
“Right behind you, buddy.” Zeke grabbed his jacket as well. “Hey, I’d even kill a spider for you. That’s what kind of great guy I am.”
“I can kill my own spiders, thank you.”
“Are you sure? Even the huge black ones with the big sack full of baby spiders? I’d do it for you, man.”
Ben glanced at Zeke, laughing. “Shut up. I like killing my own spiders.”
“If you’re sure. But don’t forget my offer.”
***
Rina clutched the key tighter as she turned around. “Thank you, Officer Spencer, for the ride home.”
“No problem, Ms. Chastain. Detective Stoyer said to make sure you made it inside the house before I left. I’ll just wait for you to do that. Lock the door and set the alarm when you get inside.”
Rina nodded, then inserted the key into the lock without trying to show the shaking in her hand. Anxiety all day. How would the car ride be on the way home with Ben? Would the tension still be there? How awkward would the night go with so much wrong between them? When Officer Spencer showed up instead of Ben, she felt disappointment. She wanted Ben to take her home. The anxiety vanished into thin air like a white whispering fog lifting into a bright early morning. Everything just suddenly made sense.
One Taste of Love (A One Taste Novel Book 2) Page 20
