by WL Knightly
She shook her head and smiled like she had known the way it would end all along. “I knew that you bringing me to your house was a bad idea. I’ll leave your key under the mat, and I’ll be at my house in case you’re interested. I can’t stay away forever, and maybe it’s a good idea I get back to my life. If your ex comes calling, then so be it. I will just honor our friendship and make sure I keep you out of it.”
“Be safe, okay?” He didn’t think he could stop her from leaving if he wanted to. “And I mean it. If you need me, don’t hesitate.”
She nodded, but he could tell that it would take more than he had in him to get her back.
Just as he was about to go back inside, his phone rang again. “Yeah?”
“Hey, it’s Corey!”
“Man, why haven’t you answered my calls? I tried three times last night. I thought you might be dead.”
“We’ve been busy,” Corey said. “And I thought you should know that the killer’s phone just showed them in your area.”
Darek shrugged. “In my area? Where?” That could mean so many things.
“The police station,” said Alan, who was listening to him on speaker phone. “The killer has made a lot of calls from the tower nearest to the station.”
Chapter 23
Alan
Being able to work with Corey through the night had been amazing, and he wondered if he didn’t have a future in hacking or at least private investigation.
As Corey hung up the call with Darek Blake, Alan gave a cheer. “Darek sounded shocked that we figured it out.”
Corey nodded. “Yeah, and what’s creepier? I keep getting this feeling like it’s him doing all of this shit.”
Alan couldn’t believe it. “Darek? That’s a stretch. He’s a cop.”
Corey shrugged. “It’s just a wild theory, but think about it. It’s always the person you least expect it to be and let’s face it. What happened with Emily all of those years ago, it took an even bigger toll on him.”
“Because he dumped the body?” Alan sipped on what had to be his tenth soda. Any more caffeine and he’d be able to fly.
Corey got up from behind the computer and stretched. “Yeah, the fact that she died in his arms and because I heard that he’s mental because of it.” It wasn’t a secret that Darek had a few mental problems.
Alan wondered what kind of mental issues. Was he, like, living some kind of double-life? “Damn, man. I didn’t know.”
“Really? Bay told me some time ago. He’s on some strong meds too, to hear Bay talk.”
Alan knew that Bay liked to make people think shit for one reason or another, and though he had no reason to doubt Corey’s word, he had no reason to believe Bay’s either. The guy had always talked about things that one could never be sure of. Like the magical myths surrounding the ritual they’d done. Alan certainly didn’t feel like he’d become a success.
Alan’s phone rang, and he looked down to see it was his wife calling, and that the thing was in serious need of a charge. He hoped the battery didn’t fail on him during the call, but he wasn’t about to not answer it.
“Hey, Jam.”
“Where are you?”
“I drove out to Phoenix to clear my mind; I’m on my way back soon.” She didn’t need to know the why.
“I got a call from the doctor’s. They got the results back from Rory’s blood draw, and it seems she’s improving. She won’t need to undergo any transfusions for a while. They’ll keep monitoring her, but with any luck, if things keep looking up, she’ll be fine.”
“So there is no disease?” He didn’t remember the technical word.
“Not from what they can tell. They were thorough. They said she might have had a weak immune system, but that’s nothing they can’t improve as long as there aren’t signs of disease. I’m so relieved, Alan. Our baby girl is going to be okay.”
“That’s wonderful news, baby. I wish I was there, but I’ll be back sometime tonight.” He hadn’t heard another word from the killer, and as the hours passed, it got easier and easier to see himself home with his family. He couldn’t see anything else now that he knew his little girl was well.
“I miss you, Alan. I want us to work things out, okay? I want us to really think about what you said. We can sell the business and find a new place to live where there’s not any temptation. We’ll have plenty of money if we budget right, and I’m even willing to find a smaller house like we used to have. I want us to be close again, Alan.”
“That sounds like heaven right now. I want to show you that I can do better for you. I’ll let you choose where, and you can even pick the house.” He knew she would like that. She never got to do too much to the house her father built, but then there wasn’t much left to do on it. But he wanted her to have it all. He wanted her to have everything in life.
“I want to do it together, like a team. We always did so well before, remember? I want a small town, somewhere the kids will like, where they’ll be safe. We could start over with our own company, not one your father made, and we’ll watch the business grow into what we make it.”
Alan thought of his family in a small town, living in a smaller house while his kids went to a much smaller school. It would be a nice change, and hopefully, he could escape the fate that was looming over him the longer he listened to his wife’s voice.
The heavy burden of the truth weighed him down, but he wasn’t about to kill Jamie’s dream at that moment with talk of reality. He would never tell her or anyone else what he had done, and he would try to atone and make up for the act any way he could. He would do something nice for Seth’s wife and hope that on the other side of life, when death took him, he’d be granted mercy. But if the only heaven he got was here on earth, he would enjoy every minute of it with his family like a greedy man and bust hell wide open on his way out of the world.
“I love you, Alan.” Jamie’s voice was soft, and he could almost hear the smile in her voice that was like a sweet sound to his ear. She had cried too much, been through too much, and he never wanted her to ever feel like that again. He’d put her through enough.
“I love you too. I’ll be home soon.”
“Hey, do you think that Beau would want to buy the company?”
“Maybe.” He was surprised that she had really given it some thought. More than he’d expected. “He has shown interest in buying in. I know he thinks he can run the damned thing better than me anyway, so I don’t see why we can’t run it by him. He’s a hard worker and a good man. Great idea, Jam.” And just like that, he was sucked into the dream again.
After another I love you and hearing some kissing noises from his girl, she ended the call, and he stared at the phone.
He wasn’t sure if he could go back, but he damned sure had to try.
“That sounded hopeful,” said Corey, who had walked to his bedroom to put his gun away. “I guess she’s going to take you back, huh?”
Alan smiled for the first time in days. “She’s a good woman, my wife. She’s always been so understanding. She’s always been patient. I’ve put her through too much.”
“And to think, you were going to end it all. Killing yourself would have taken you away from it all.” Corey gave him a look that wasn’t too far from an I told you so.
“Thanks for letting me into your home. I guess I should get back to my life and leave you with yours.” He didn’t deserve good people, but he was glad he knew a few and that Corey was one of them. He felt shame for even thinking of murdering the guy, and now, in hindsight, it all seemed surreal. Like the events of the past couple of days hadn’t really happened. Like he’d been walking in a dream world, or a movie where he had to play the worst parts of himself.
Corey walked into the kitchen and threw away another empty can. He had been sucking down as many as Alan. “Aren’t you going to give it a little bit? It’s still early. Maybe this lunatic is a late sleeper.”
“Nah, I don’t think we’ll hear anything more. I think they’v
e moved on to the next or are trying to figure out their next move. I may have surprised them; I think they were hoping to call the police. They could have pinned all of the murders on me.”
“Maybe that was the idea all along?” Corey walked back and joined him at the desk where they’d spent most of the night.
“I don’t know.” Alan stretched his back and yawned.
Corey gave him a look of uncertainty. “Dude, I can’t believe you’re going to drive with no sleep. We’ve been up for hours.”
“I’m good. I feel like I’m getting my second wind. I do need to charge my phone, though.” He yawned again before he could even finish his sentence.
“I can’t let you go out there like that, man. Why don’t you pile up in one of my recliners? They have a charger built in, and you can charge your phone while you sleep.”
He let out a sigh and gave in. “You’re right. I probably wouldn’t make it far. You’re a good man, Corey. Thanks for taking care of me, even when you shouldn’t have.”
Corey extended his hand. “It’s okay, man. I forgive you. Who knows what any of us would do in this situation, right? Now, get some sleep. I’m going to try to do the same, but first, I think I should shower. I’m pretty ripe.” He walked away to his master suite and shut the door behind him.
Alan was grateful that he’d given his forgiveness. He hadn’t deserved it, but he would take it. He sat in the chair and plugged in his phone, then as he lay back and closed his eyes, he thought of Jamie’s voice saying “I love you.”
Chapter 24
Darek
Lizzy was still stewing about the damned sketch when Darek returned to his office. “Tell me her name.”
“It’s Raven. She’s a nice girl. We’re friends. That’s all you need to know.”
“I want to know about her because she looks just like the sketch, not because I give a shit that you’re with her.” Lizzy’s tone was so hard that she reminded him of how she used to be back when he’d first met her. He wished that it didn’t have to be this way between them, but if what she said was true, she had feelings for him that he’d squashed when he ended things for good.
“Yeah, well she’s not staying with me anymore,” he said. “I’d rather not talk about her.”
“Is that even her real name?” asked Lizzy. “Or is Raven an alias from an escort service?”
“You know,” said Darek. “I didn’t ask. And come to think of it, I don’t know what her last name is either anyway. I guess you’re going to have to search records.” Raven’s last name was Bishop, but the escort remark had pissed him off.
Max, who had been taking it all in from his own mound of paperwork, snickered. “Gosh, you two are so full of sexual tension. You know this isn’t going to last, right?”
Lizzy turned her narrowed eyes in his direction like she could shoot lasers. “Detective Maxwell, you’d do best to mind your own business.”
“Excuse me, detectives,” said Louisa from the front desk. She’d stuck her head in, and from the look on her face, she was afraid to enter the room.
The three looked up, and Louisa continued. “There’s a man here to speak to you. His name is PJ Kirk. He said he’s come from Dallas when his daughter failed to check in.”
“I’ll be right out,” said Lizzy. She turned her attention to Darek. “Would you like to join me?” She headed out to the front, and Darek got up and followed her out.
When they made it out to the desk, Louisa pointed to the man. “Mr. Kirk?” she called.
The man, who was older and sharply dressed, looked as if worry had gotten the better of him. His brows were pinched tight, and his forehead was sporting deep-creased wrinkles. “Detectives. I was hoping you’d help me. My daughter was supposed to be here days ago, and the last I spoke to her, she said that she was coming here for an appointment. I haven’t heard from her since. Her name is Kari Lynn Stone.”
Lizzy and Darek exchanged a glance, and then she stepped forward. “Yes, sir. She was supposed to come and talk to me about her husband’s shooting, but she never showed up.”
“Considering the circumstances of her husband’s death, you can see why I have cause for concern. I know that the two of them had visited weeks ago for business, but I’ve no idea what Seth got himself into when he came back. I went to the hotel she was staying in and knocked on the door, but I got no answer. I’m terribly afraid to go in there alone, and the hotel said I could have you go with me.”
Darek nodded. “Of course, sir. We’ll drive you over.” He felt horrible for the man and couldn’t imagine if he had a child that was missing.
Lizzy and Darek led the man to the parking lot, and Lizzy nudged Darek, taking her keys from her blazer pocket. “We’ll take my car, sir; it’s right over here.”
Darek wasn’t even going to argue, and he helped the older man to Lizzy’s Rover and opened the door for him.
Soon, they were on their way, and Darek, who had taken the back seat, listened to Lizzy make conversation with the man.
“We were hoping your daughter could offer some insight to what happened to her husband. We’ve had a couple of calls, and one lady that worked at the hotel even gave us a description of a woman that was seen leaving his room.”
Seth’s father-in-law let out a groan. “I knew that son of a bitch was screwing around on my daughter. I should have never let him marry her. You think you know someone.”
Darek shifted in his seat to face the man. “I take it the two of you didn’t get along.”
He had known that Seth was with other women, but he wondered what the old man would think if he found out that Seth had involved his daughter in sex clubs and orgies. He might be surprised to find out his sweet little girl wasn’t so innocent. Darek wouldn’t be the one to tell him, of course. He knew better than to get in the middle of family drama, and if his suspicions were correct, Kari Stone might have already met her own demise.
“We got along okay. That’s the problem. I trusted him with my company and gave him the benefit of the doubt when it came to my daughter. He’d said that he’d always take care of her and put her needs first, but then he got involved in that damned political run and lost sight of everything. Then that campaign manager of his came around the other day with her hand out, saying Seth owed her a payday. The nerve. I bet he was sleeping with her too.”
For a moment, Darek caught Lizzy peeking at him in the rearview, but a moment after he caught her gaze, she looked away.
She slowed the car down and turned into the hotel lot. “With any luck, she was just out of the room earlier.”
Her father shook his head. “I failed to mention that her phone was ringing on the other side of the door. She never goes anywhere without it.”
Lizzy stopped out front of the hotel, and as they left the car, she placed her had on Darek’s arm. “Could you go ahead with the manager? I’ll stay back with him.”
Darek looked down at her hand on his arm, which tingled with electricity. He had so many feelings inside for her, but it wasn’t the time or place. “Sure, I’ll walk on ahead and let them know we’re here.”
“Thanks.” She walked around the car and took the old man by the hand. “Come on, Mr. Kirk. I’ll take you inside, and we’ll see if we can get her to come to the door.”
“Thank you. With all of the damned privacy laws, it was like pulling teeth even getting them to let me know which room it was, and then they wouldn’t open it unless you came. I must say, I’m glad you’re here. I’m terribly afraid. I don’t know when I’ve ever been so nervous.”
Darek opened the door for them, and once Lizzy and Mr. Kirk were inside, Darek went to meet up with the manager who took him to the elevator while Lizzy waited for the next one.
The manager looked like he would rather not be bothered as Darek followed him to the door. “I’m sure things are okay,” he said. “We get parents in here all the time looking for their kids. They’re usually shocked to find out their angel is a slut or a druggie.”
/>
Darek hated his attitude. “Well, let’s hope that’s our only worry.” He felt the elevator come to a stop, and when the doors opened, he and the manager walked out and went to the door. After a quick swipe, he pushed the door open, and Darek went inside. The TV was on, and Kari’s phone was plugged in and charging. Darek noticed the bathroom door was opened and the light was on.
As he walked into the room, he saw the puddle of blood before anything else. It stained the white tile, and Kari lay slumped and pale in the still red water.
“Shit.” He closed his eyes and called out to the manager. “Don’t come in here.” He turned and walked away, not bothering to check her pulse. She was gone. Her eyes had already set in her head.
“Is she in there?” asked the manager, who had a sudden change of attitude.
Darek nodded. “Yes. She’s dead.”
“Oh, my.” The manager gasped and put his hand over his mouth. “Did she slice her wrists or something?”
“Shut up. Her father is right down the hall, and I’d like to deliver the news in a more sensitive way.”
“Of course, officer. I’m terribly sorry.” He stepped out of the room, and Darek went out behind him to wait in the hall. When Lizzy rounded the corner a step ahead of the older man, Darek gave a nod.
“Is she okay?” asked her father with a crack in his voice.
Darek hated to deliver bad news more than any other part of his job, and he patted the old man on the back and shook his head. “No, sir. I’m afraid she’s dead.”
The old man, who had seemed strong, went weak in the knees. “How?”
“She’s in the tub, sir. She cut her wrists and bled out.”
The horror on his face intensified as he fell to his knees and wept.
