by Robin Mahle
“I wish you’d try to eat just a little, honey. I can see how thin you’ve gotten. Please. You need your strength,” Deborah pleaded with her daughter.
She picked up a forkful and placed it in her mouth.
“Thank you.”
After managing a few more bites, Katie excused herself and landed on the couch, curled up in her usual position. She turned on the television, almost immediately regretting the action.
“Slain veteran officer of the San Diego Police Department, Detective Marshall Avery, was laid to rest today after a full honors service where nearly ten thousand people, including officers from several other California police departments, fire departments, and civilians attended.”
A helicopter had flown over the streets during the service, where people lined up to watch the procession. A few close-up shots showed officers saluting as the cars passed by. A brief shot of Captain Hearn at a podium near the burial site appeared. Fortunately, the cameras didn’t catch her, or if they did, didn’t show her. They did, however, show Vivian accepting the American flag. Katie closed her eyes.
“Detective Avery was gunned down in an altercation with a suspect in the Highway Hunter investigation who we now know was the ring leader of the cult and directed the murders of five innocent women. Their calling card, a roman numeral five carved into their victims’ chests.
Detective Avery leaves behind his mother, brother, two nieces and his girlfriend, Katie Reid, whom you’ll recall was involved in the child abduction case that captured our attention just last year.”
Katie pressed the off button on the remote, tossing it next to her.
“I thought they weren’t supposed to mention you by name?” John asked. “Goddam media.”
“It’s okay, Dad. It’s not like everyone didn’t already know that we were together. I guess I was just hoping they’d let it go this time.”
“Yeah, well, sons of bitches don’t need to keep rehashing old news.” John set his plate down in the kitchen and walked toward Katie. “Do you need anything right now?”
“No, Dad. I’m fine, thank you.”
A knock on the door sounded.
John jumped to attention. “That better not be some damned reporter wanting to ask you questions.” He stepped purposefully toward the door, peering through the peep hole. “Oh.”
“Who is it?” Katie asked.
“It’s that FBI Agent Scarborough. You expecting him?”
“Yeah. I forgot he was stopping by. He was gonna bring dinner. It’s okay to let him in.”
John opened the front door where Nick stood with two plastic bags hanging from his hands.
“Mr. Reid. It’s good to see you again. I’ve come to see Katie and bring her some dinner.” Nick cast a glance around the side of John’s stout figure. “Oh, I see you’ve already eaten.”
“I’m sorry, Nick. I forgot that you were stopping by. My mother made dinner for us. But, please come in.” Katie walked to the breakfast bar, leaning against it. Her mother was right. She’d grown weak and felt very lightheaded from the quick rise to her feet.
“Well, I’m sure this will keep until tomorrow.” Nick set the plastic bags on the table. “It’s Chinese. I hope you like Chinese.”
“I’ll just put this in the fridge,” Deborah said. “Nice to see you, Agent Scarborough.”
“Please. It’s Nick.”
“Come sit down,” Katie said, leading him to the sofa. “You hungry? Wanna eat some of that Chinese you brought?”
“No, no. I’m fine.” Nick hiked up his dress pants and lowered himself down.
“You know,” Deborah began, “I think your father and I will go and walk off this dinner. It’s a lovely evening. We’re not used to it being so warm this close to Thanksgiving.”
Katie turned to her mother, grateful for the suggestion. “You should take your sweater anyway, Mom. It still might be a little chilly.”
Katie and Nick waited for her parents to leave. She had only spoken to him briefly since everything happened. If she was being honest with herself, she’d admit it was because she had held some anger toward him. It was unfair and he didn’t deserve it, but she felt it just the same.
The door closed and Katie returned her attention to Nick. “They said my name.”
“What’s that?”
“On the news. The anchorwoman said my name. They were talking about the funeral and just happened to bring up last year.”
“Dammit.”
“It’s okay. I guess it doesn’t really matter. I’ve been ignoring their calls all week. I’ll just keep ignoring them. I’ve talked to Marc a couple of times, but not once did he ask me about what really happened.”
“Listen, Katie. I—I don’t know really what to say here. I feel responsible for what happened. If we’d just—”
“Don’t. It’s not your fault. Marshall did what he thought he had to do. End of story.” Katie surprised herself with her ability to hold firm. “I’m just glad you took ‘em down. All of them. And I’m glad Shalot’s dead.” She started to feel the stinging in her eyes again, but pressed on. “So when are you and your team heading back to Virginia?”
“Tomorrow.” Nick rested his elbows on his knees and began rubbing his hands together. “Are your parents staying with you for a while?”
“I’m actually going home with them. Taking some time off. The holidays are coming and Captain Hearn thought it’d be a good idea.”
“He’s right. You know, Katie, you’ve been through more than your fair share.”
That was an understatement. “Yeah. I guess you could say that.”
An awkward silence fell between them. What was there left to say? He’d done his job and now he would move on to the next case. As far as she was concerned, her life was as up in the air as it ever was. She couldn’t stay in this apartment, that much she knew. It was just too painful. Too many reminders. Vivian had broached the subject in a roundabout manner, but didn’t say it outright. Katie knew she wanted to keep some of her son’s things.
She began twisting at the ring again.
Nick watched the absentminded gesture, noticing the ring for the first time. “Is that—new?”
Katie hadn’t realized she’d been spinning it again. “Yeah. I guess you could say that. I found it in Marshall’s nightstand a few days ago in a blue velvet box. Guess he was planning on us getting engaged. Imagine that. It’s the ring his dad had given his mother.”
Nick’s shoulders dropped, his face turned down at what should have been wonderful news. “He was going to ask you to marry him?”
“Yes.” Katie drew in a deep breath. “Vivian said I could keep it, if I wanted to. Said Marshall would have wanted it that way.”
“Of course. It’s very beautiful,” Nick replied.
“Did you know his dad was murdered back in Chicago when he was a kid?”
“No. I didn’t,” he whispered.
“Stabbed on the L. Never caught ‘em.” Katie looked Nick straight in the eyes. “That’s why he became a cop.”
Nick reached for Katie and pulled her in close. She began to weep and he stroked her hair to comfort the woman who had lost so much.
The New Year had arrived and Katie prepared to go back home to San Diego. The suitcase lay open on her bed in the room her parents kept for her whenever she came home. The rain still came down as she pulled the curtain back to reveal the great oak trees in front of her family’s home. December had already soaked them through and it seemed January wouldn’t fare much better. She was almost glad to get back to the nice weather she’d left behind.
Katie had been allowed peace and privacy up here and wondered if that would last once she got home. The story, of course, had died down. They always did. Nick sent her a few emails since she’d been away, checking up on her. Only occasionally did she actually sit down and check her emails. A few trickled in from Marc Aguilar. One or two from Marshall’s brother, but that was about it.
Deborah had taken to washing a
nd folding all of Katie’s clothes, placing them neatly on the bed, ready to simply set inside the suitcase. It felt good to have her parents by her side. After the long-time strained relations, she needed them now more than ever.
Katie was not looking forward to walking back into the apartment though. Marshall’s apartment. She’d asked the super to check in on it once in a while to air it out, but it had been empty for almost two months.
Marshall’s will named her to take ownership, but she could not remain there. Instead, on her return, she would put it up for sale, find someplace else to live. A place that held no memories of her past, but the packing remained to be completed. That would be the worst part; putting his things in boxes. Most of it would be donated. She would keep a few things and take some to Vivian. That would be her next task, one she wasn’t quite prepared for.
Katie knocked on the door of the small home where Vivian Avery lived with her sister. The flight into Tampa had been long and the cab ride to St. Petersburg even longer, it seemed. But she was here now, holding a box of Marshall’s belongs she would give to his mother.
The door opened and although Katie couldn’t see through the thick mesh screen door, she knew it was Vivian on the other side.
“Hello, dear.” Vivian pushed open the screen. “Please come in.” Stepping aside, she waited for Katie to enter, watching her drag a suitcase behind her and holding a box against her chest. “How was your flight?”
“It was fine, thank you.” Katie continued through the foyer, waiting for further instruction.
“Here; let me take that from you.” Vivian took hold of the box and placed it on the table against the wall of the entryway. “Come and sit down. Can I get you a coffee, tea?”
“Just some water, please. Thank you.” Katie sat down on the light blue sofa, sinking a little in its oversized cushions.
Vivian returned, handing the glass of water to Katie and taking a seat in the large side chair.
“I’m sorry it’s taken so long for me to bring you his things. It’s just, well, it’s been hard.”
“Of course it has. It’s been very hard.” Vivian reached for Katie’s knee, patting it for a moment. “Have you returned to work?”
“Yes. I got home about three weeks ago and went back to work shortly after that. I guess that was late January.” Her sense of time was all but lost. Each day rolled into the next without much distinction. Each was consumed with grief, guilt, and anger. It was now early February and Katie felt like she’d lost him only yesterday. But that was the thing about losing someone. Time seemed to stand still while everyone else continued on with their lives as if nothing had happened. It made her angry how people could just go on like that. Didn’t they know that he was gone? Didn’t they care?
Captain Hearn did. She knew that. Since she got back, he’d been trailing her around like a shadow. Not letting her go to any homicide scenes. Instead, she was collecting evidence from things like store robberies and the occasional home invasion.
She’d quit her graduate work and went home every day by herself to an empty apartment, not quite ready to put it up for sale. It didn’t matter that the money she would make off of it would set her up pretty well. Marshall had bought it before the boom and bust the first decade of the new millennium saw. It would be enough for her to buy a house, if that was what she wanted.
“Oh.” Katie retrieved the box at the entry and returned, handing it to Vivian. “These are some things I thought you’d want, like we talked about?”
“Thank you, dear. You know, you could have just mailed them to me. You didn’t have to come all this way to deliver it.”
“Yes, I did. I would never risk his things getting lost. I had to be sure you got it.”
Marshall had kept very little from his childhood. In fact, Katie suspected if any of those things still existed, they existed here with his mother. Instead, she brought photos. Mostly of him, but some of the both of them together. The posthumous medal that the Mayor had bestowed on him. Katie felt she should have that too, and a few other trinkets she thought Vivian would want.
It appeared as though Vivian wasn’t ready to open the box. Katie didn’t insist. Instead, the two spent the afternoon together, shopping, walking along the pier, enjoying a time that would probably be their last. Katie would have loved having this woman for a mother-in-law.
And, as they enjoyed one another’s company, Katie could see Marshall in his mother’s eyes. That mix of hazel and green, always shifting with the moods. She was grateful Vivian still had a son who had given her grandchildren. At least she would never be alone.
26
SPRING WAS MOVING in quickly, not that the weather ever shifted with the seasons much in San Diego. But the flower fields in Carlsbad had already opened up, marking the beginning of the season.
Katie stood in the middle of the living room, the tiled floors exposed in the now empty space. The furniture was sold or given away and the keys were due to be turned over to the new owner in just a few hours. She had found another place to live and the moving truck was due there later. The landlady offered to open it up for them since Katie couldn’t make it there in time. Instead, she would arrive to a place already filled with boxes and brand new furniture.
She began her final pass through, walking down the hall, double checking the bathroom, moving to the office; it was empty too. And, finally, she stopped inside the bedroom. Her mind called forth a time when she rested comfortably in his arms. A time when he tackled her and tossed her onto the bed, pinning her down with kisses. She could see it as if it was happening right at this very moment. As if he was right there with her.
Katie closed her eyes, trying to savor the memory, but it vanished too quickly and, upon opening them again, the four grey walls reminded her that he was gone. Katie turned away.
The only thing left to do was turn off the light switch that illuminated the hanging fixture where the dining table used to be. Katie turned it off. A final look around and she closed the door, standing on the landing and locking up the apartment for the last time.
“I’m on my way there now. Will you be there?” Katie asked, calling from the car. “Great. See you soon.”
She pulled up into the single-car driveway, stopping just beyond the garage door. This was it. Her new home. The hedges were neatly trimmed and it appeared to have a fresh coat of paint on the outside. The landlady mentioned she would spruce it up a bit before Katie moved in. The soft yellow color reminded her of Sam’s house and the thought made her smile.
An elderly woman sat in the Adirondack chair on the front porch. A man, whom Katie assumed was the son, sat next to her. He was the first to stand on Katie’s approach.
“Ms. Reid?” he said, walking toward her with a pleasant smile.
“Yes. I’m Kate. Hello.” She shook his hand.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Ron Mitchell and, of course, you know my mother.” Ron moved up the steps toward his mother.
“Nice to see you again, Mrs. Mitchell. Thank you for letting the movers in. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that.”
“That’s quite all right. I’m sure you’ve had a time getting down here, so it was no problem at all. Here are the keys. All the utilities are on, of course.” Mrs. Mitchell took her son’s arm as he helped her down the steps of the porch. “Oh, and I hope you don’t mind, but I picked up some basics for you at the store. Milk and bread and such. Now, you holler if you need anything. Ron will take care of anything that needs fixin’. Glad to have you here, Ms. Reid.”
“Please, call me Kate. Thank you both for everything. Have a good night.”
Ron walked his mother to the car and opened the passenger door for her.
“That girl’s had a rough go of it. I hope she’ll be all right on her own.” Mrs. Mitchell said in a hushed tone so Katie wouldn’t overhear.
“She’ll be fine, Mom. She’s a grown woman.”
It had been a tough night, but Katie got through it. New places were always
difficult to get used to. Not to mention the new bed and furniture. Nothing was the same, except for the pictures she dug out of one of the boxes, setting them on the fireplace mantle last night. Katie needed him to be with her and he was. She knew that, could feel it too. It was the only familiar thing in the whole place.
Her pants were pressed, and the blouse she’d chosen still smelled of her former residence. But she was ready for work. A quick glance at the hour and she quickly realized now was the time to go if she didn’t want to get caught up in traffic. The meeting was scheduled for nine a.m.
The garage door opened. It sounded a little creaky. She would be sure to pick up some WD-40 on the way home and take care of that tonight. As she backed out of the drive, her cell phone rang.
“Hello?”
“You still planning on being here by nine o’clock?”
“Yep. That’s the plan. I’m actually leaving the house right now. I’ll see you soon.” Katie dropped the phone in the center console and continued to reverse onto the street. It was the first time she’d seen the house in the morning light. The sun was almost over the roofline behind it and cast a beautiful orange glow against the green of the hickory and mulberry trees that towered over the home. It looked peaceful, safe.
In the months since Marshall’s passing, Katie had grown to discover that it was possible to feel safe on her own. She’d always needed him for that. She hadn’t realized it at the time of course, but she had. He knew that and took on the burden of ensuring her safety. It had cost him his life.
Even before Marshall, she’d needed Spencer in much the same way. Katie had never lived on her own. In college, she had Sam as a roommate. Then she and Spencer moved in together. Then it was Marshall. They’d practically been inseparable since Hendrickson. Now she was alone and was beginning, just beginning to think that it was okay.
After searching for nearly ten minutes, Katie finally found a parking spot. She checked the time on her phone and had five minutes left before the meeting. The unfamiliar traffic conditions had been worse than she’d expected. That seemed to always be the case, though, when one was in a hurry.
