***
Max turned his car onto the freeway. Rose was going to be upset with him, but he couldn’t sit around anymore. Cloverleaf hadn’t been able to see him tonight, though they moved his appointment to tour the facility up to first thing tomorrow morning. Only problem with that was Max couldn’t shake the feeling of dread he’d suffered from all day.
He had tossed and turned in the hotel room bed for a few hours before deciding he wouldn’t wait. Trinity was probably the place they’d pick to put Ginger anyway as it had all the programs the other facility did, so hopefully Rose wouldn’t be too mad that he didn’t do the second tour. He had to get to her.
Before leaving Beaverton, Max left a message for Calvin Black, asking him if he’d spoken to Rose yet. It was a bit concerning that the officer wasn’t picking up his phone. The last time Max spoke with Rose, she said she’d left a message as well, unable to reach him.
If something happened to Calvin, the killer could be after Rose next. Max didn’t want to think about it, but all the people around him that could be considered a friend or an enemy kept coming up dead. It felt like the killer was trying to destroy Max.
Killing Rose would be the way to do it. Even if Max didn’t go to prison, his life would be over without her to share it.
***
Rose unlocked the back door and opened it, waving at Kelsey who hid along the shadows and bushes at the back of the property.
Kelsey turned toward her own house, the moonlight illuminating her frightened face. Apparently satisfied Bill wasn’t outside watching, she raced across the yard, running full speed into the house.
Rose shut and locked the door, surprised to see her own hands shaking. She wasn’t cut out for this kind of stealth evasion. Her heart felt ready to explode and she sweated terribly. Even though she tried to be the tough girl and take care of everyone else, Rose was afraid of Bill Tanning.
“Thanks again,” Kelsey said, walking to the dining area and slumping into a chair. She tossed her oversized purse onto the table next to her. “I’m sorry to put you in the middle like this, but I don’t really have other friends. Bill and the twins are my whole life.”
“You aren’t putting me in the middle.” Rose crossed to the kitchen, pulling two beers from the fridge and then sitting next to Kelsey.
Gizmo ran into the room and circled around her legs, rubbing her and purring loudly. He wanted dinner, but would have to wait a few minutes.
“You’re welcome to stay here as long as you need,” Rose said. “I just wish we weren’t right next door to him.”
Kelsey cracked open the beer and took a long pull on it. “As long as I need.” A bark of laughter left her. “Yeah, right. I’m only welcome here until Max returns tomorrow.”
Rose ran her finger around the top of the can, not opening it. “Max doesn’t have the same problem with you that you have with him. He’ll want to help you.”
Kelsey cringed back slightly, and Rose immediately felt sorry for the sharpness of her voice.
She sighed and patted Kelsey’s forearm. “Look, I’m here for you, okay? I’ll do whatever you need from me. When you’re ready to go to the cops, I’ll be right by your side.”
Kelsey’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not turning him in. I’ll never be ready. I’ll do whatever I have to in order to protect him. Don’t you get that?”
Kelsey stood abruptly, her chair bouncing back against the wall before clattering down on the linoleum.
“I wasn’t trying to offend you.” Rose found her patience dwindling rapidly. She cared about Kelsey, but there were limits. “I just want to help. Sorry.”
Kelsey leaned in close, and Rose thought she was going to hug her. “And I’m sorry for this,” she whispered.
Without warning, Kelsey’s bony fingers wrapped around Rose’s throat, tightening. It took a moment for it to register, but Rose’s body began struggling for air before she’d come to grips with the fact that her friend was attacking her.
She tried to push Kelsey’s hands away as the woman’s fingers dug in tighter, clawing the skin on Rose’s neck while cutting off the flow of air. Rose jerked and struggled, twisting her whole body in an attempt to get free.
“Oh no you don’t.” Kelsey rammed Rose’s head backward, pinning it over the back of the chair.
The pressure came down from both Kelsey’s hands and the chair top now, and Rose’s need to breath became desperate. She kicked away from the table as hard as she could. The chair tipped backward. Rose’s head bashed into the counter behind her on the way down, but at least it broke Kelsey’s hold.
She sucked in some sweet breaths of air, but didn’t sit around waiting for another attack. Kelsey had gone crazy, and Rose needed to get away.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Rose scrambled to her feet, turning to face Kelsey, but keeping the fallen chair between them. “Why are you doing this?”
Kelsey snarled. “Hopeless. You really haven’t figured it out?”
Rose kept her mouth shut, wondering if she could race to her bedroom and get the door shut and locked before Kelsey could clear the chair.
“Oh, it was horrible, Officer Black,” Kelsey said in a high-pitched voice, batting her eyelashes. “I saw Max at Rose’s house around midnight. I know he says he was in Portland, but he had to be the one who killed her. That monster belongs back in prison.”
Rose’s mouth and throat dried out. “You’re going to kill me? Why?”
Kelsey shrugged. “I’m sure you’ll put up more of a fight than Julie, but won’t be half as hard as Jimmy.”
With her legs feeling weak, Rose stumbled back a few steps. “You killed them?”
“Well, Bill started in on Julie, but I finished her off and then got him cleaned up.” Kelsey rolled her eyes. “The couples that kill together stay together, right? I’ve been drugging him every day, ever since he killed Sage, trying to keep him under control. Then some idiot judge lets Max free? The urge became too strong in Bill once he knew he’d have a scapegoat.”
Bile backed up in Rose’s gut and throat. “You guys killed Sage?” Her eyes burned and itched, and tears began flowing down Rose’s cheeks. “How could you kill my sister and then befriend me?”
Kelsey shrugged again, looking completely unaffected by Rose’s pain. “I didn’t kill your sister. Bill did. But I was eight months pregnant. No way I was letting my man go to prison. I knew all the gossip around town and how bad Jimmy had it in for Max. I persuaded him that there was a way to make sure Max paid for killing Sage, even if the evidence didn’t support it.” Kelsey giggled. “It was so smart of me, and then I made sure Bill would never kill again so I wouldn’t lose him.”
Taking small steps, hoping Kelsey would be so wrapped up in her story she wouldn’t notice, Rose increased the distance between them, getting closer to the bedroom. “You’ve known he killed Sage all this time? Why did you make friends with me?”
Kelsey laughed, sounding happy. “It was fate. You moved in right next door to us after your mom went crazy. Besides, I really do like you. You’re a nice person.”
Rose didn’t want to piss Kelsey off, so didn’t respond to that. She glanced around the room, taking another small step back. If only she had bought any art for the walls or something, she might actually have a weapon to use against Kelsey. As it was, she was barehanded.
All she had was her brain. She had to keep Kelsey talking and distracted. After all, Kelsey would have her all night. She didn’t need to rush things, and didn’t seem to want to. Kelsey wanted to tell Rose what she’d done. Maybe that would give Rose a chance to get away and call the cops.
“So, what, you killed Jimmy hoping to put the blame on Max?”
“Well, the rat on your doorstep was supposed to put the blame on Max. I knew if you decided he was innocent, you’d stop at nothing to help him find the real killer. I couldn’t let that happen, so I threatened you.” Kelsey reached blindly onto the table, picking up her purse. “For some reason, that made you bel
ieve in Max more. You’re twisted in your own way, Rosemary, you know that?”
A murder telling her she was twisted...that was rich. Rose took another pace back. “It was the rat that convinced me Max was innocent. You defeated yourself.”
“What do you mean?” she snapped, no longer sounding happy.
Rose shrugged, pacing back again. Just a few more steps and she’d be able to make a run for it and get to the safety of the room. “Max just got out of prison that day and saw me. We had a small fight. I may have believed him to be a murderer, but I knew he wasn’t stupid. Only an idiot would threaten someone the day after they got free.”
“You calling me an idiot?” Kelsey’s voice had become higher, shrieking in tone. She didn’t like having her intelligence questioned. She plunged her hand into her purse and let it fall to the ground. “Who’s the idiot now?” she asked, pointing a pistol at Rose.
Shit! She didn’t expect that, but she should have. Kelsey always talked about her love of shooting. Rose wondered if this would be the first time she’d shoot an actual person.
“Stop walking toward your room, Rose. You’ll never make it before I pull the trigger.” She jerked her head down, pointing her chin at the chair on the ground. “Come back here and sit, or I’ll kill you now and get it over with.”
Rose was tempted to taunt her, tell her to end it, but Kelsey didn’t seem stable. She might just do that. The best option was to do what she asked and hopefully buy herself more time. If Calvin got her messages and then couldn’t get a hold of her, he was sure to come looking for her. And Max should be calling soon. Rose never called him after getting home like she promised. He’d call the police station if he couldn’t get her. She was sure of that.
What she needed now was time.
She put her hands up and slowly paced forward. “Okay, okay. I’ll do whatever you say, just please don’t kill me. Why do you think I need to die?”
Kelsey slowly bent and picked up the chair, pointing the gun at it.
Obeying the unspoken command, Rose sat. She wished she had stayed in the self-defense classes she started eight years ago. Unfortunately, she had no idea how to disarm a crazy lady.
Once Rose was seated, Kelsey sat back in her own chair, never taking the gun away from Rose. “It’s simple, really. You have to die because Max has to take the fall for this once and for all. I’m sorry, Rose. I really am, but my kids can’t grow up without their father.”
“He’s always drunk anyway,” Rose countered. “What kind of life is that for the kids?”
“He’s not drunk, you twit.” Kelsey gave an exasperated sigh. “I told you, I’ve been drugging him to keep him in the house. Just enough that he’s too messed up to go kill anyone, but not so much that he can’t play with the boys and be a great dad.”
“But he beat you.” Rose countered. If she could get Kelsey to see reason, to see what a bad person Bill was, maybe she could talk her out of this plan. Rose was sure Kelsey didn’t really want to kill her. Why apologize if this was something she looked forward to?
“That wasn’t Bill. He’d never hurt me. We’re in love.” Kelsey sighed. “Jimmy was tougher than he looked, to tell you the truth. I had to beat him to death to keep everything in line with the other murders, so couldn’t use my gun. He was one tough asshole.”
“You beat him to death?” Jimmy was a strong, fit man, able to defend himself from a lot. What chance did Rose have against Kelsey if the woman could best someone like that?
“It took a two by four to the face several times to finally end it,” Kelsey said, her voice as bland as if she talked about the weather. “Staging it to look like a possible rape was harder. I was so torn between actually doing something to him or just tearing his clothing and setting the scene. It was much easier with Julie. Bill did the rape and then I finished her off.”
Unable to control it, Rose turned to the side, vomiting all over the floor.
“Gross,” Kelsey said. “What is wrong with you?” She bent and snatched her purse off the ground. “You’re lucky you didn’t get anything on this. It’s one of my favorite bags.”
From inside it, Kelsey pulled out a long length of rope. “It’s time to get this show on the road.”
***
Max tried Rose’s phone again. Why the hell wasn’t she picking up? The tension he’d felt all day formed a headache between his eyes as he pressed down the accelerator and tried her number again.
As before, it went to voice mail.
He had been trying to reason with himself the past ten minutes. After all, maybe she was in the shower and couldn’t get to the phone. Maybe she and Gizmo curled up on the couch together and fell asleep. Or maybe Bill was waiting inside the house when she got home and was hurting her while the phone rang on.
Max passed a road sign stating he was nearing Madras. About forty more minutes until he reached Rose. Thirty if he pushed the speed a little higher. The highway was empty tonight. The only thing Max needed to worry about was animals.
Fumbling in his recently called contacts on his phone, Max thumbed in Calvin’s number again. If the man was dead, as Max feared, he wouldn’t be able to help. But maybe he had just been busy earlier. If Calvin didn’t answer, Max would pull over and look up the number for the police station itself. He knew Rose wanted to deal with Calvin, but he his tension level was starting to make him feel desperate for anyone to check on her, even if it upset her.
But perhaps he was overreacting. He hoped he was overacting. That wouldn’t stop him from getting someone over to Rose’s house to check on her.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Kelsey no longer seemed in the mood to chat. Rose was torn between sitting docilely while being tied up or to fight. Her biggest problem was, even if she stopped Kelsey from tying her to the chair, Kelsey would just pick up the gun and blow her brains out.
Inside her pocket, her phone began buzzing again. It had to be Max. She prayed he’d realize she needed help and call the cops. It was her only chance. She had to hold Kelsey off until officers arrived to rescue her.
Kelsey yanked hard on the rope, stretching Rose’s arms behind her back painfully while tying her wrists together. Kelsey then tied the rope off onto the legs of the chair, making it difficult for Rose to move at all.
“There.” Kelsey gave a short nod, sliding the chair around so that Rose faced the main part of the kitchen instead of the table. “Now I have to decide how best to stage this one, so give me a second.”
“Sure,” Rose said. “Take all the time you need.”
Kelsey’s eyebrows scrunched down. “Are you trying to be cute?”
“Well, I’m hoping sanity will return and you won’t want to kill your best friend. Barring that miracle, I want you to take your time. I’m not ready to leave this world just yet.”
Leaning against the counter, Kelsey tapped a finger on her lips. “I’m not insane, Rose. I’m desperate. There’s a difference. Wouldn’t you do anything you could to protect the people you love?”
“Of course I would, but you and your husband have been ruining my life and hurting the people I love for a long time. I’ve been able to do nothing to stop it.”
“See, I’m helping you out when you think about it. You no longer have to feel inadequate to protect them all. Once you’re dead, it won’t be a problem for you.”
Kelsey claimed she wasn’t insane, but that was crazy logic. Maybe Rose could get her talking about something besides killing her. “Why did Bill kill Sage? She was a good girl who didn’t ever do anything wrong.”
“I can’t say I’m happy he had sex with all those other women,” Kelsey admitted.
“Had sex?” Rose shook her head violently, which pulled painfully against her shoulders when she slid down a bit in the chair. “He raped them and beat them to death! How can you be so understanding about that?”
“It was my fault,” Kelsey said. “I was about ready to pop out the boys, and I was too scared to have sex anymore. He had to g
et it somehow. If those girls had just given him what he wanted, he wouldn’t have had to kill them.”
“No. You don’t really believe that. You must know he was wrong to do anything. That’s why you’ve been drugging him since and keeping him away from other women.” Rose wasn’t sure if challenging Kelsey this way was the right thing to do, but she had to get her to start thinking about things rationally.
Rose could understand her logic in some ways, even if she didn’t like it. Kelsey had spent so much time protecting Bill from discovery, and obviously she was afraid he’d get caught now and sent to prison. In Kelsey’s mind, over the years, she’d been justifying why Bill did what he did to Sage and the other women, but deep down, she must still know how wrong it was.
“You’re wrong, Rose. I’ve been drugging him so he wouldn’t run off and leave me,” Kelsey clarified. “I don’t care about anyone else. I need him. I can’t live without him.”
Rose closed her eyes. There seemed to be no point, and Rose didn’t know how else she could stop Kelsey. Obviously reasoning with her wasn’t the answer. Even if Kelsey hadn’t tied her up, Rose doubted she could overpower her. If Kelsey beat Jimmy to death, even if the man did get in a couple good punches, Rose didn’t stand a chance.
“What are you going to do to me?” she whispered, tears gathering in her eyes as she realized the helplessness of her situation.
The sound of Kelsey’s shoes pounded quickly on the flooring, and then pain busted out over Rose’s cheeks as Kelsey backhanded her.
“I have to beat you to death, Rose. That’s the only way to make them believe Max did all the murders. With me as an eye witness to his leaving the house early in the morning when you don’t show up for work, the cops will come and find your body, and they’ll know what happened. Unlike with Julie and Jimmy, there’ll be proof that Max did this.”
Though Rose’s face pounded with pain, throbbing with the beat of her heart, she was relieved that Kelsey still wanted to talk. “Proof how?”
Murderous Lies Page 16
