Love on the Edge: Nine Shades of Romantic Suspense, page 99
She’d made it easy for him. Almost too easy. No challenge. Of course she hadn’t appreciated his efforts. No, she’d screamed at him something fierce. He grinned. The fighting spirit might keep her alive longer than his other victims. None of them had presented a challenge. Melanie had been docile and David, well, he’d gone out like a light after that blow to the head, never even whimpered. He frowned. Unexpected, that. Something must have been wrong with David in the first place. The guy had really let himself go.
At least it made it easy to send him home. If he’d been conscious and in a fighting mood, David had been wiry and strong enough to have caused him hell. Instead, he’d collapsed after one blow.
Not like Julie. She was a fighter.
He picked up the large PVC pipe sitting off to one side. At six feet long, the pipe would deliver air from the surface directly inside the box to Julie. The bottom of the pipe had been cut off at a long angle to let in lots of air at the bottom.
Turning his attention back to where Julie lay unconscious and trussed like a Thanksgiving turkey, he repositioned her head where she’d have instant access to the fresh air. Closing the heavy lid, he snapped the interlocking tabs in place then used the commercial staple gun to secure them closed. With the pipe positioned inside, he cut a hole on the top of the box. Perfect. He secured the pipe to the box with duct tape, letting it stand straight. Julie moaned from inside her makeshift coffin. He grinned. Her voice was barely audible now and with a hill of dirt on top she’d never be heard.
That ought to give them some time together. And give Kali a chance to figure this one out. Not too long though. Maybe, a day or two? Julie would hold for that long. He could even ‘up the ante.’ Another phone call maybe? How about a letter? Or another gift? He doubted that she appreciated his last one.
With one last look around, he started shoveling dirt on top of the box. Julie moaned again. He smirked. A perfect time for her to wake up. She’d understand what was happening. On cue, the box shifted slightly as Julie struggled inside. A kick resounded at the bottom end then another. But with both hands and feet tied, her attempts weren’t doing much. He laughed.
What was that old saying, ‘do what you love and love what you are doing?’ Yes. He’d finally found a service that he could enjoy.
Perfect.
With a light-hearted whistle, he lifted the next load of dirt.
Chapter Eighteen
“Too close? As in more than friends close?” she asked cautiously, trying to wrap her thinking around Dan’s words.
Dan’s wrinkles scrunched before relaxing in defeat. “Yeah.”
“But we weren’t…we never…I mean…It wasn’t like that between us.” Outrage sparked. “Dan, we were friends and coworkers but nothing more.”
He held up his hands. “Kali, I believe you. But I doubt you’ll convince Susan.”
“But why? We were never…never…” She leaned forward and emphasized the next word. “Lovers.”
He squinted, considering her words. “Did you really not know how Brad felt?”
Memories crowded in on her. Brad finishing her sentences. Brad delivering coffee when she’d hit exhaustion. The caring hugs during emotional, overwrought times. The constant comforting presence at her side.
“I loved him,” she whispered, hating the paradigm shift in her world. “Like a brother.”
“And he loved you.”
Dan said it simply, eloquently, and Kali accepted the truth. How could she not have known? How well had she known him, really, on the inside where it counted? Her chest hit lockdown. She couldn’t breathe. Brad had cared; he’d wanted more from her and she hadn’t noticed. She closed her eyes against the tears threatening to fall and slumped back. “I didn’t know. Oh, God. I’m so sorry, Brad.”
For several moments, Kali couldn’t speak as regrets clogged her throat. Finally, Kali leveled her gaze at Dan. “How did Susan find out?”
“I think she probably suspected something for a while, but Brad asked for a divorce before leaving for Sacramento.”
“He what?” Kali straightened in her seat. She needed the shocks to stop. “He never said a word to me. I knew they had some trouble but not divorce-sized trouble.”
“He wanted to wait until everything had been finalized. Susan had said no, not wanting to change the status quo in her life.”
“Status quo?” Kali blinked. What an odd thing to say. “Didn’t she love him? Want her marriage to work?”
“Brad told me before he left that he needed time away and his wife needed time to think, to decide what to do. She’d asked him to stay home this trip and work things out. But he left—with you.”
“Poor Susan. Oh, Dan. I never wanted to break up their marriage. I was happy for them. Proud to know someone in this day and age who could make marriage work.”
“That’s why you felt safe getting close to him.”
Confused, Kali glanced at him. “What do you mean?”
“Kali, you haven’t had a serious relationship in—what, five, six years—or dated for at least eight months. You’ve been emotionally locked down since Mexico,” he said, talking right over her spluttering, “Brad shot to the top of your best friend list years ago because he was married and you thought he wanted nothing more from you. He was safe.”
Kali winced. “Ouch.”
“Brad understood, particularly how you’d changed these last six months. He felt that, once freed of Susan, he’d slide into a ‘more than friend’ relationship with you.”
“Crap.” Kali’s mind bordered on overload. Safe and complacent, yup that was her motto. Except in Brad’s case, she’d been blind and stupid.
“No wonder Susan won’t talk to me.” Kali struggled to compartmentalize the new onslaught of guilt. She’d failed everyone lately.
“Right.”
Silence ensued. Hurting, Kali whispered. “I didn’t know. Honest.”
Dan placed a hand on her shoulder. “I believe you.”
Kali offered him a wan smile, more exhausted than if she’d come from a three-day rescue with no rest. Done in. “Do I say something to her? Do I leave her alone? What?” And why was she asking him?
Because she no longer trusted her own judgment.
“Let her alone. Give her time to heal.”
A common sense attitude, but one that offered no closure for Kali. She wasn’t sure how to live with that.
“You might want to consider your relationship with Grant for the same reason.”
“I’m not going to think about Grant.” Not now. Maybe never—considering Dan’s latest bombshell.
“Do you want a relationship?”
Kali quirked her lips and slunk lower. “I hadn’t thought so. My life is chaotic enough.”
Dan’s steady gaze showed years of wise living. “And now?” He raised one eyebrow at her. “Grant is seriously interested. I’ve known him for years. I know how his job has changed him. But being around you takes years off his face.”
“No.” Dan was just being sweet. Then again, Grant’s energy reinforced Dan’s words. There’d be no blending of their energies if Grant wasn’t interested, if being together wasn’t right on some deep level. That didn’t make this the right time or place. “He and I are all about the victims.”
“No,” he corrected. “That is your relationship. You see things the same way, think the same way and do the same work. With so much in common, you haven’t realized you’re working and growing together. Growing together. Did you hear it the second time or do I need to say it again?”
Kali hated the squirming child inside, as if she’d been caught in a lie. He was right. She knew it, but…she didn’t know what she wanted to do about it. And what did Grant want with her?
“Right.” Dan stood up. “I’m going to head to the center. I want to be on hand in case some of this news sneaks out so I can put a stop to the talk. I doubt they’ll release Melanie’s name yet. It’s going to be hard to keep a lid on this for long. And you, well you need to think about what I said.”
Kali gave Dan a goodbye hug at the front door. The phone rang. Hurrying into the kitchen, Kali answered it.
“Hello.”
“Found another one, did you? Too late, again. Here, I’d hoped you’d be a decent challenge. Instead, you can’t even get into the game.”
Fury and pain exploded through her. “What have you done with Julie?”
An ugly silence filled the phone line.
“Julie is fine—for the moment. I’ve given her a fighting chance as you appear to need the extra time.” The voice cackled once before ringing off.
Fingers shaking, Kali struggled to dial Grant’s number. Her words tripped over each other as she tried to explain. “He just called… He has Julie…something about a fighting chance… I don’t know; he said something about I needed the help?”
Grant fired several questions at her. “Think. Did he say anything specific to help us find her? It’s been recorded but give me what you remember right now.”
Kali repeated the conversation the best she could.
“I hate to ask, but Julie’s life is at stake. Will you please sit with your sketchpad and try to get another picture?”
“There’s no guarantee,” she warned.
“No. I know. But everything helps and at this moment, you’re the best hope Julie has.”
*
Ha. Stumped them this round. Damn straight.
A breeze slipped through the branches. He adjusted his stolen jacket, grateful for his foresight in lifting it off the neighbor’s back deck. Anything to throw Shiloh off his scent.
Leaning forward, he adjusted the focus on his binoculars to peer through his heavily treed bower directly at Kali’s deck. Kali leaned over the railing, her face, a picture of pain. Perfect. Let her stew.
The killer opened up his granola bar, ripped off a piece and popped it into his mouth. This was better than dinner and a show. He vaguely remembered evenings long past, spent in theatres. At a time when he believed in ever-lasting love. Right, those were his young and stupid years. His face puckered. He washed the granola bar down with lukewarm coffee from the thermos. Not a great meal. Still he wasn’t ready to leave yet. The sun would be hot soon. Here in the trees, with a breeze blowing in off the ocean, the heat had yet to penetrate.
A great day, which promised an even better evening. He chortled. Later, once darkness fell, he’d go visit Julie.
She’d be waiting for him.
He didn’t want to disappoint her.
*
Kali reached for the sketchbook and turned to the sketch that was supposedly of Julie. In the drawing, a pipe brought fresh air in for the victim, extending the person’s chances of being found alive. Julie, therefore, had to be restrained in some way that prevented her from digging herself out. The fresh air supply meant the killer assumed she’d be buried for a while. If, and it was a big if, regardless of what had happened so far, the picture was viable, this could be the fighting chance the killer had talked about.
Or he wanted to lull her into thinking Julie was still alive.
“Who exists in Julie’s world? Friends? Lovers? And who would know?” she muttered out loud. She laid the sketchbook on the table. “Brenda might.” Brenda held a unique position at the center. Not a dog owner or a rescuer, she neither worked nor volunteered but she knew so many that did, she’d become a regular herself.
Picking up her cell, Kali called her. “Hey, it’s Kali. Brenda, I have a weird question for you. Do you know if Julie has a current boyfriend?”
“Hi, Kali, how are you? Nice to hear from you. Aren’t you wonderful about returning your calls. And why don’t you ask Julie yourself.”
Kali forced a snicker at her friend’s sarcasm. “I would if I could, but she’s not answering her phone. And maybe I’m arranging a party for the center and want to know if she has a ‘partner’ she might like to bring.” Kali rolled her eyes at the lame excuse but it’s all she could create on the spur of the moment.
“Oooohhh. Am I invited?”
Exasperated, Kali said, “Of course. I’m hardly going to call you about this and then not invite you, too.”
“Oh, in that case. As far as I know, Julie does have a new man, but a married one. So I don’t think they go out in public.”
Not good. A married man meant a clandestine affair. No one would know the details. “That’s too bad. I guess I’ll have to wait until I get a chance to speak with her then.”
And how else could she find out?
“So are you going to ask me?” Brenda’s bubbly voice piped up.
Kali rolled her eyes. “So, Brenda, do you have a new man in your life?”
“I dated one guy off and on last month, but that fizzed out.” Brenda giggled, obviously not terribly upset over that relationship. “Speaking of losers, I stopped in at the center early last week hoping to find you. Instead, I met a real weirdo. I never did get his name. He called me a couple of days later but I wasn’t home. Thankfully.”
The hair on Kali’s neck quivered. Casually, she asked, “What made him weird?”
Brenda’s voice dropped to an eerie whisper, “Fanatically religious.”
Religious. Now the hairs on her neck bristled. Taking a deep breath, Kali tried to inject a casual tone to her voice. “How could you tell?”
Brenda’s tone sharpened with disgust. “He kept arguing with himself, for God’s sake, about how God meted out His own justice.” She huffed. “You know me. Any talk of justice and I break out in hives.”
Kali knew it well. Brenda avoided all conversations on morals and any mention of right and wrong. She’d enjoyed more than a few married men herself.
“He called and left a message on my machine, suggesting a date with a heavenly experience—a date with destiny.” Brenda giggled. “Isn’t that the corniest line ever?”
Kali’s eyes widened. This guy had possibilities. “Did you erase his message?”
“Absolutely. Think I wanted to keep that?”
“How old is this guy?”
“Who knows—who cares?”
Kali understood. Brenda loved men. All ages, races, and normally, religions. “This guy must have spooked you?”
“It was weird. He called me at home even though I hadn’t given him my number. Where’d he get it?” Brenda’s voice dropped again. “He had a weird accent—like a bastardized French or Portuguese or something. Who can tell anymore?” A sigh worked through the phone. “The message kinda freaked me out.”
“Would you recognize him again?”
“Absolutely.”
“Brenda, I’m going to call you right back. Sit tight for five minutes.”
“Wai—”
Kali didn’t give her a chance to argue, shutting her off mid-sentence. She immediately called Grant. At this rate, the poor man wouldn’t get any sleep.
“Grant,” she said without preamble when he answered. “I just spoke with a friend of mine from Second Chance. She met an odd religious guy at the center who called her at her home when he shouldn’t have had the number.”
“Who?” His voice sharpened, cutting through the line like a knife.
“She doesn’t know his name. We can ask Dan, but I don’t know if he’ll know him from her description either, Grant. I’m wondering about a police artist?”
“I’ll call you back.”
Kali clicked off the phone. Five minutes later, Grant called back.
“Can you two meet me at the office on Waterston Street?”
“Sure. When?”
“About half an hour. There’s an excellent artist who works out of that office. Do you need the address?” Without waiting, he rattled it off. Kali grabbed for a pen, then stopped as she recognized the address. “I know where it is.”
Kali hoped Brenda didn’t have plans. A half hour didn’t give either of them much preparation time. But Julie had no time. She dialed, relieved when her friend picked up on the first ring. “Brenda, I can’t explain right now, but I need you to trust me on this. I need you to go with me to the police station and work with a police artist. I can come and pick you up and drive you home again afterwards.”
Brenda’s gasp came through loud and clear. “The police?”
“Yes, I need you to help me with this.”
With a groan, Brenda said. “We’ve been friends for a long time, but this is just weird.”
Kali chewed her bottom lip. “Please, trust me. I have a good reason.”
“But why can’t you tell me what’s going on?” Worry fussed through Brenda’s voice. “All right. I don’t like it, but I’ll do it.”
Kali closed her eyes in relief. “Thank you.”
Chapter Nineteen
The heat in the small room at the police station made Kali melt. She sent Shiloh to a corner to lie down. After being away most of last night, she hadn’t wanted to leave the poor dog alone today. Or maybe Kali didn’t want to be without Shiloh. Today had already been hell. Thank God it had been a fast trip to the station. Brenda had peppered her with questions the whole way. Kali stalled her until she could confirm with Grant what she was allowed to say.
Kali removed her light sweater, draping it over one of the chairs before sitting down. “Hi, I’m Kali. This is Brenda. She’s the one you’ll be working with.”
“Hi, I’m Nancy. Brenda, take a seat and let’s get started.”
Kali hid her grin at the trepidation on Brenda’s face. Still, her friend willingly turned to Nancy’s fancy computer program.
Once seated, Nancy got straight to work. “Brenda, start by closing your eyes and think back to when you saw this person. Block out all else and focus on his face. Do you see him in your mind’s eye?”
“Yes.”
“Good. With your eyes closed, give me your impression on the shape of his face? Don’t focus on the details, let his face blur into giving you the shape. Round face? Squared off? Perhaps it’s more triangular or maybe a heart shape?”
