Good Bones, page 17
Jake snorted. “I won’t shed a tear.”
Chapter 18
As Katherine finished getting ready for work on Monday, she glanced out the window. A familiar truck was parked in front. The intercom buzzed and she answered with a smile. “Hey, Jake. Come on up.”
Jake arrived holding a cardboard carryout container with two cups of coffee and a paper bag. “I stopped by to see how you were.” He shook the bag. “Do you have time for bagels?”
“Always.”
As they ate, Jake filled her in on his talk with Ethan. “I gave him a few details of our investigation.”
Katherine shot him an innocent look. “Even the ghost?”
He chuckled. “I have a remnant of sanity left. Ethan isn’t one hundred percent convinced of our theory of the murders. Even though he knows I’m holding back, he offered to help. For the moment, all I asked him to do was focus his attention the other way while I poke around, and I’ll pass on any leads. Saldana will have a fit if she discovers Ethan wasting time on my wild goose chase. No point in having two of us in the doghouse.”
“So what’s next?”
His distaste was evident. “I have an appointment with Ingalls first thing this morning.”
“You’re snarling.”
“Can’t help it. After that, I’ll take the rest of the day off and finish the demolition. I plan to imagine the wall as Ingalls’ head.” Jake’s pushed back from his seat. “I should get going.”
“Me, too. It’s a nice day. I’ll walk to the office.”
“You want a ride?”
“Not if you snarl at me.”
Jake’s lips twitched in a faint smile. “How about two testy scowls?”
Katherine chuckled. “Nope. I demand only pleasant company.”
“You’re a tough one, Fleming.”
“You’ve no idea.” Katherine grabbed her purse, and they headed to the street. “You’re still snarling,” she said lightly as they got into his truck.
“What? Oh—it’s not you. Meeting with Ingalls always puts me in a bad mood.” Jake glanced at her. “Ingalls heard about Bethany. Ethan said he’s been digging into my background.” He turned the key. “He seems more determined to keep me from my job since you came on the scene.”
Katherine’s eyes widened. “You’re blaming me.”
“No, but maybe you said something unintentionally that gave him doubts about my fitness.”
She bristled. “All I ever said to Jeremy was that Jake Sumner was ready to return to full duty.”
“Hey, I’m sorry, but I’m grasping at straws, trying to find a reason for his actions. I need to get back to work, and Ingalls is the only thing standing in my way.”
“Then take my advice. Agree with everything he says and for heaven’s sake don’t scowl.”
“I’ll try,” Jake grunted, “but it’s not easy.” He pulled into the parking lot at the counseling center and parked the truck. “Want to have dinner tonight? I promise a better mood.”
Katherine smiled. “I’d love to.”
“Great. I’ll pick you up at six.”
****
Tap-tap-tap. Ingalls’ pen beat a tattoo against his notebook. “You’re not talkative today, Detective.”
Jake sprawled in the chair. Only sheer force of will kept him from snatching the pen from Ingalls’ hand and pitching both it and the owner out the window. “There’s not much to say. We’ve gone over the shooting a hundred times.”
“You don’t find these sessions necessary, but I believe what occurred in the past continues to have a detrimental effect on current aspects of your life.”
“I can’t imagine how. My life is fine.”
“And your relationship with Dr. Fleming?”
A sliver of unease crept up Jake’s spine. “Relationship?”
“I saw you drive in together this morning.”
What business was it of his? Jake’s desire soared to shield his feelings for Katherine from Ingalls’ prying eyes. “We’re just friends,” he lied smoothly. “I happened to see her on the street walking to work and offered a ride.”
The tapping stopped. Ingalls scribbled in the notebook. “Have you discussed Pierson’s shooting with her?”
“She knows I have to see you.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Don’t scowl. Don’t scowl. Don’t scowl. “Yes. She was very sympathetic.”
Ingalls looked up from the notebook. “I can see there’s an attraction between you two, Detective, but in my opinion this isn’t a good time to pursue a new relationship.”
Jake stifled a snarly response as Katherine’s advice came back to him—agree with everything. He forced a smile. “I agree.”
Ingalls blinked. “You do?”
Ha! Didn’t see that coming, did you? “Yes. I have too much on my plate now. So does Katherine. Besides, she’s not my type.”
Ingalls leaned in. “How so?”
Jake shrugged. “Well, she’s a nice person, but kind of quiet. A real intellectual. We don’t have a lot in common.”
“So you’re saying you’re not interested?”
“Exactly.”
Ingalls glanced at his watch. “We’re out of time for today. We’re making excellent progress, Detective Sumner.”
Jake rose to his feet, a subtle thaw evident to him in the frosty atmosphere. “Ready to sign off yet?”
“Not quite, but soon now. Perhaps the next session.”
Well how about that? It worked. Jake stifled a display of triumph. One small lie for Jake, one giant step closer to reinstatement.
Ingalls showed him to the door. Jake walked down the hall. A burning sensation crawled up the back of his neck as if Ingalls watched every step. It took all his self-control not to turn around and glare.
Jake unlocked the truck and slid into the driver’s seat. What was the deal with Ingalls? Why did a coworker’s possible relationship with a cop get under his skin? Did he have a thing for Katherine or could it be an entirely different cause? Either way, it’s clear now Ingalls wouldn’t sign off if he suspected his attraction to her.
Jake arrived home still mulling over the session with Ingalls. He called Katherine. “Change of plans for tonight. We can’t be seen together in public if there’s a chance Ingalls will spot us.”
****
Katherine hung up the phone with a puzzled frown. Jake’s description of Jeremy’s behavior unsettled her.
“Bad news?” Jeremy stood at the door.
Katherine heart raced. “You startled me. I thought you’d gone.”
“Just got back.” Jeremy walked into her office and motioned to the phone. “You seem bothered. Can I help?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
“Really?”
“Having to reschedule a dental cleaning doesn’t qualify as a crisis.” The lie slipped out easily with the smile.
“Okay.” Jeremy’s hand lightly rested on her shoulder. “I’m always available to talk. You’re one of the good ones, Katherine. I’d hate to see that change.”
The smile froze on her face. “Good ones?”
Jeremy cleared his throat. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to come out and say that. It’s an old-fashioned term. I meant people who do good for others. This job can be difficult. You come in contact with so much of the dark side of human nature it’s easy to get jaded and burn out especially with no one to talk to.”
“I appreciate the concern,” said Katherine, “but don’t worry about me.” His hand continued to rest on her shoulder. Her smile tightened, and she flinched under his touch. “I’m happy in my work.”
Jeremy removed his hand. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“I never asked why you decided to relocate back to Florida,” she said.
“I came to visit my father who was in poor health. After he died, it seemed as if the time had come to make a permanent change.”
“Didn’t you once mention working at the women’s correctional center for a while?”
Jeremy hesitated slightly before responding. “Yes. Why do you ask?”
“I was considering pro bono work, too. Helping young women in crisis always appealed to me.”
“Me, too, but I wasn’t pro bono. Social services had a grant, and I was only there for a few months until the money ran out.”
“Oh, I see. How many patients did you have?”
“Quite a few, but in group therapy only. There were several counselors under the grant.”
“You don’t run group therapy sessions now.”
“I discovered I prefer a personal connection,” Jeremy said cheerfully. “I can accomplish so much more.”
Jeremy said goodbye and Katherine’s gaze followed him out the door. The sensation of weight still apparent on her shoulder as if his hand left an impression in the skin. She briskly rubbed the spot, and the feeling subsided.
Katherine eyed the computer. She rose from the desk and peered down the hall. Diana was on the phone at the reception desk. Katherine slipped into the ladies’ room. She grabbed all the paper towels and tossed them in the trashcan. With a deep breath to steady her nerves, she ambled to the front and poured a cup of coffee from the pot in the waiting room kept for clients.
Diana hung up the phone and turned to Katherine with a smile. “Do we need a fresh pot yet?”
“No, we’re good…by the way,” she added offhandedly, “I just used the last of the paper towels in the ladies’ room. Do we have any more?”
Diana blinked. “I swear the cleaning service filled the dispenser this morning. Watch the desk for me, will you? I have an extra package in the supply cabinet and will be back in a sec.”
As soon as she disappeared from sight, Katherine slipped into the chair and ran a search of patient records.
She typed in one name…nothing.
Then another…nothing.
Katherine typed in a third. A box popped up: 1 File Found. Her mouth went dry.
The door down the hall shut. Katherine exited the screen and jumped from the seat a second before Diana appeared. “All done…” She regarded the monitor with a puzzled look. “Were you on my computer?”
She took a sip of coffee and tried to quell her shaking hands. “Checking my schedule for tomorrow.”
“Stop messing with my stuff,” Diana joshed. She pulled up the appointment calendar. “Your first patient is at 8:30. Do you need to reschedule?”
“No, it’s fine.” Katherine hurried to her office and shut the door. She leaned against it, comforted by the sense of support at her back. “One name in a patient file. Can’t draw a conclusion from that.”
The phone on her desk rang, and her heart skipped a beat. “Yes, Diana.”
“Your next appointment is here,” she said cheerfully.
Katherine rubbed her clammy hands along the sides of her skirt. “Send her in.”
Chapter 19
After her last appointment, Katherine hurried home, her thoughts in a troubled whirl. One name hardly constituted proof of guilt, but her inner alarms clanged loudly with each step. She stopped twice to glance around. No one seemed to pay any attention to her, but an uneasy feeling of being watched crawled up her spine. She fished her cell from the purse and phoned Jake, but the call went to voicemail. “Get a grip,” Katherine murmured. “You’re on a crowded street in broad daylight. Nothing will happen.” She rounded the corner to her apartment and picked up the pace.
Once inside with the deadbolt secured, Katherine relaxed. She changed into a t-shirt and jeans and fished the cell phone from her purse to call Jake again. Whiskers jumped to his favorite spot at the windowsill and peered intently at the street. Katherine leaned over him, but to her disappointment, Jake’s truck wasn’t there. The intercom buzzed, and her gaze went again to the recess. Jake stepped out and waved. Katherine greeted him at the door with a wide smile.
“I parked around back,” said Jake. “I was on my way here when you called so didn’t pick up. Hope you like Thai.”
“We canceled plans for tonight. What brought on the change of heart?”
“Ingalls pissed me the hell off. He has no right to butt into my private life. I figured if we can’t eat in public, I’ll bring dinner to you.” Jake set the takeout bag on the table and removed the cartons. He shot her a sharp look. “Does Ingalls have a thing for you?”
“Not a chance. He never made a pass and isn’t exactly shy around women.”
“He definitely discouraged any relationship between us. He warned me against seeing you.”
Katherine suppressed a shiver. “He warned me about you, too.”
“What did he say?”
“The gist was you have issues and you’re not good for any woman.”
Jake’s eyes twinkled. “I already told you that.” He put down the carton and peered at her with suspicion. “Something’s wrong. What happened?”
Katherine cleared her throat. “I was about to call again when you arrived. I found Tiffani’s name in the patient files at the clinic.”
Jake sat up straight. “Holy shit, Katherine.”
Katherine held up her hand. “I know what you’re thinking, and this doesn’t prove anything.”
Jake’s expression darkened. “Like hell. Ingalls treated her. They have a connection.”
“So do lots of others. I only saw Tiffani’s name and can’t access the entire file without Jeremy or Diana discovering I’ve been snooping around. Even if I could, there may be nothing suspicious in it. When Jeremy first arrived in Sandy Shoals, he worked under a grant at the women’s prison and held group therapy sessions. Connie told us Tiffani received counseling there.”
Jake slammed a fist on the table. “I knew something was off with this guy.”
“We don’t have anything, except a tenuous connection to one of the victims. Jeremy had already moved from Sandy Shoals when Tina was attacked and Bethany murdered.”
“Yeah, but New York is only a plane ride away. You can’t tell me you don’t feel we’re on the right track.”
Katherine rubbed her forehead with a sigh. “Yes, I do especially after today, but feelings aren’t proof he’s a serial killer. Jeremy wasn’t the only one who worked under that grant at the prison. Tiffani could have been seen by other counselors, too.”
Jake glowered. “After Tiffani’s name was made public, Ingalls didn’t mention to anyone at the station he knew her.”
“No.” Katherine shuddered. “Not to me either.”
“You can’t go back there.”
“I can’t quit my job. Besides, we have nothing to tie Lacey or any of the others to Jeremy. Do the police have any grounds for an arrest or even to obtain a warrant to search his house?”
“No,” sputtered Jake, “but we’re talking about a serial killer.”
“What do you expect me to do?” Katherine said, temper rising. “Leave town because of a hunch?”
“I expect you to listen to me!”
Her jaw tightened. “I won’t turn away from Tiffani and the other women.”
“Katherine, you’re in over your head—”
“Stop shouting.”
“I’m not shouting,” Jake shouted. “I’m arguing loudly to try to force sense into your thick skull.”
The tension slipped from her body. Katherine lips formed a weak smile. “It’s not working.”
“I hear that.” Jake took her hand. “I couldn’t live with the guilt if anything happened to you.”
Her smile widened. “Nothing will. Would it help if I brought my suspicions to Lt. Saldana?”
“Not yet. We don’t have solid evidence and Ingalls is a local boy with a lot of pull. His family has money and connections. Hell, he went to high school with most of the city council. Ethan told me, though, Saldana’s getting fed up with him, too. When we have a story that doesn’t sound crazy, she’ll listen.”
“We need proof.” Katherine regarded him kindly. “Have you seen Bethany today?”
Jake shook his head. “I went into the parlor, but nothing. Not even the sense of a presence. It’s almost as if she’s waiting.”
“For me?”
He shrugged. “You’re her counselor. Could be she’s more comfortable talking to you.” A pained look crossed his face.
Katherine squeezed his hand. “You’re afraid, Bethany hasn’t forgiven you yet.”
“Let’s just say, it would be nice to hear her whisper, ‘It’s not your fault.’ ” His fingers entwined with hers. “We move carefully now. No more sneaking through the files, Katherine. Too much chance of getting caught. Ingalls is smart. The last thing we want to do is arouse his suspicions.” His gaze drifted to their clasped hands. His voice tightened. “I don’t want you to go back there. I can’t think of any way to stop you.”
Color rose to her cheeks. “I have patients depending on me, both alive and dead.”
“Katherine—”
“If Jeremy gets an inkling we suspect him, he can get rid of the jewelry, cover his tracks. The best thing for us to do is to act normal.”
“Normal?” His voice held a bitter edge. “So you continue to smile at him sweetly while I become a mindless bobble head at our sessions and nod enthusiastically at everything he says.”
“Exactly.”
Jake grimaced. “I’ll try, but no guarantees.” He released her hand and pushed back from the table.
“Where are you going?” said Katherine. “You didn’t finish eating.”
“I’m not hungry. I need to get to work, find out what I can about Ingalls—discreetly, of course.”
Katherine swallowed her disappointment. “I’ll walk you to the truck.”
Jake had parked in an out-of-the-way spot next to the trash bin. “Well, goodnight.” He tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. “I mean it, Katherine. Don’t even think of trying to get into those files again. No attention.”
“Sheesh, I heard you, Dad,” she joshed. “Goodnight.”
They gazed at each other. A smile twitched at Jake’s lips. He leaned toward her. Katherine rose on her toes, meeting him halfway. Her hand slid up his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her close.
Their lips met in a long kiss. Jake took a breath and nuzzled her ear sending a shiver of delight through Katherine. “Behind a garbage can reeking of old takeout,” he murmured lightly, “is not exactly my top pick for a romantic rendezvous.”
