by Karen Rose
‘I didn’t, until right now. I guessed. He was dying. He confessed.’
‘With a little help, yes.’
‘You tortured him.’
‘Oh, yes.’ There was a quiet, gleeful pride in his voice that made her stomach turn.
‘Then you killed him and his wife.’
‘Oh, yes. I did.’
‘I get your kill list. But why the hooker? And why the PI?’ she asked, knowing that JD would want to know. Because he would get her out of here. He would.
‘The hooker stole from me. The PI just pissed me off. Like you do. So shut up.’
He hadn’t planned to kill them, she thought. They were mistakes. Kevin Drummond had probably been a mistake, too. Evan had been more than willing to talk about the successes. His kill list. ‘When did you put the trackers in my purse?’
‘Any time you weren’t looking. Women are remarkably careless about their purses. You asked me to hold it while you looked for your jacket in your suitcase on Sunday night.’
When he and Gwyn had picked her up at the airport. She’d been trying to think of who’d had access to her purse since Monday morning. She’d totally forgotten about Sunday night.
Behind her, Evan shifted his balance, watching outside. Lucy could no longer hear the helicopter. Where were they? Okay, JD. I’m ready to get out of here. Any time would be good.
‘Ileanna had a purse, that night,’ Lucy said. ‘It was never found.’
The gun jerked against her temple. ‘Because your brother took it,’ he spat, emphasizing the word with a sharp jab of the barrel. ‘After he raped my sister.’
‘I think Buck took her purse,’ she said. ‘But I don’t think he raped her.’
‘Because he told you so?’ he asked bitterly.
‘No. You don’t believe me, but he never said a word to me about any of this. I think it because I read Ileanna’s autopsy report last night.’
‘No, I don’t believe you, and who cares about the report? Your mother wrote it.’
Oh. That he would think so made sense. ‘Just because she was the doctor on the scene doesn’t mean she did the autopsy. Maryland had a state ME even then. The autopsy was done by the state, not my mother. That you can check yourself.’ He said nothing but she could sense him listening. ‘The man who raped Ileanna had a different blood type than my brother. It matched Ricky Joyner’s. Ricky did the rape.’
‘So Malcolm and the others were telling the truth.’ She felt him shrug. ‘It doesn’t matter if your brother raped her himself. He let it happen. Stood by and watched while it happened. That’s all I need to know.’
Then she understood. ‘They watched. Malcolm, Russ, James, Ryan, Sonny. And Buck.’
‘They watched. And they laughed. And they cheered him on. And left her to die.’ Pain and rage filled his voice, made it shake. ‘It’s been more than three minutes. Move,’ he barked, dragging her to her feet and down the dimly lit hall.
Her leg buckled beneath her and she went down on her knees. Pain radiated, burning, and a sob tore free. ‘I can’t.’
‘Get up.’ His fingers grabbed at her hair, yanking her up and all she could see was red.
‘No,’ she gritted, then twisted, throwing her elbow into his bandage. He stumbled, snapping her head back, but she threw herself forward in desperation. Her scalp burned as her hair pulled, her eyes teared, and his curses filled her ears.
‘You bi—’
Suddenly free, Lucy shot forward, scrambling on her hands and one knee as Evan jerked, then slumped to the floor. She stared at his head. Much of which was no longer there.
JD. It was the only thought that penetrated the haze.
Footsteps pounded around her and she let herself slide to the floor.
JD ran the length of the hall, which seemed to stretch forever. Lucy was lying on the floor, not moving. She wasn’t moving. I didn’t hit her. I couldn’t have hit her.
One of the state cops who’d come in with him was running from the opposite direction and reached her first. ‘She’s alive.’
Thank God. JD reached her side and set the rifle on the floor, barely casting a look at Evan Reardon. The man’s head looked like a crushed cantaloupe and he deserved far worse.
JD took Lucy’s freezing hands between his, rubbing them vigorously. The state guy radioed the all-clear and called for a medic.
‘Lucy?’ JD leaned closer. ‘Lucy? Open your eyes for me, baby.’
Her eyes opened heavily, filled with pain. ‘Did you kill him?’
‘Yeah, I did.’
‘Good.’
‘Other than your leg, what’s hurt? Did he shoot you?’
‘No,’ she said numbly. ‘He didn’t. Gwyn?’
‘She’s alive.’
Relief shuddered through her and horror filled her eyes. ‘He killed my father.’
‘We know, honey.’
‘He tried to run. Was going to leave me behind. Evan shot him.’
JD had to fight for control. Gwyn had told him that Lucy had forced her to save her mother while she untied her father. It explained the bullet hole in Trask’s back, the coward. JD was fiercely glad Trask was dead, grateful to Reardon for doing what he’d wanted to do himself.
‘I’m sorry you had to see it,’ he said, his hand trembling as he caressed her cheek.
‘My mother?’
‘Alive. Gwyn got her most of the way out. One of the other cops carried her the rest of the way, while I came to find you.’
‘Skinner?’
He hesitated. ‘Still critical.’
A sob choked her. ‘Skinner was trying to make me stop running. I should have listened. If he dies . . . I should have listened. He’s got a baby.’
‘He’s still alive and fighting.’ Thanks to Thorne. ‘Try not to worry about him.’
The paramedics burst through the door, followed by Stevie and Hyatt, who’d been minutes away before JD had gone in. He expected Hyatt to be furious, but his CO just stared at Reardon’s body and gave a little nod.
The medics splinted Lucy’s leg and lifted her to the stretcher, jerking an agonized cry from her throat that made JD want to kill Reardon all over again. Blindly she reached for his hand and squeezed so hard that he grimaced.
Hyatt leaned over the stretcher. ‘Dr Trask, I need a moment.’
One of the paramedics protested, but she waved him silent. ‘Go ahead.’
‘Did he tell you anything?’ Hyatt asked.
‘They watched,’ she said hoarsely. ‘Those boys watched Ileanna get raped and they laughed. Then they left her there to die. Malcolm confessed.’
‘His atonement,’ JD said and she nodded.
‘He gave Evan a list. All the people who participated. He killed someone else. James Cannon.’ She closed her eyes. ‘Sonny Westcott’s inside. I don’t know if he’s still alive.’
Stevie ran to check and a minute later shouted for the medics. Another gurney raced by.
‘I guess that means he is,’ Lucy said. ‘You can go to him if you need to.’ She said the words, but her grip on JD’s hand tightened.
JD pushed her hair away from her face, his hand trembling. He was glad it trembled now and not five minutes before. ‘I won’t leave you.’
Wednesday, May 5, 5.00 P.M.
The smell of roses tickled her nose and she opened her eyes to JD holding a bouquet of large red blooms. He leaned over the hospital bed’s guardrail to place a kiss on her mouth.
‘That didn’t hurt, did it?’ he asked when he’d lifted his head.
‘It’s the only place that doesn’t.’ She buried her face in the flowers. ‘I haven’t had flowers in so long. Thank you.’
He sat in the chair, but he didn’t relax. ‘Have you seen your mother?’
She plucked at one of the roses. ‘Not yet. They won’t let me out of bed.’ It was a fairly clean break, but her leg still throbbed like hell. Her face hurt and her head ached from her broken nose and her fractured ribs made it hurt to breathe. It might have bee
n unbearable but for the narcotic JD had convinced her to take earlier.
True to his word, he’d sat with her, letting her crush his hand when the doctor had set the bone. He hadn’t left her until she’d fallen asleep, still holding his hand.
‘But I asked about her and the nurses said she was stable but resting,’ she added. JD had told her that her mother was alive, but hadn’t mentioned she’d had a mild heart attack as the paramedics had transported her to the hospital. ‘They told me about her heart attack, JD.’
‘I didn’t know about it until I got here with you,’ he said. ‘I figured you had enough to worry about at the time. She’s awake now. Alert. I just came from her room. Stevie was with me. We had to tell her about your father before she heard it on the news or from another patient.’
In her mind she could hear the shots Evan had fired at her father. She could see the blood, smell it. Ruthlessly she pushed the memory aside, just as she’d done dozens of times already. And would likely do many more times until the horror dulled.
‘How did she take it?’
‘She cried. She didn’t ask questions, just thanked us for stopping by.’
Lucy’s shoulders sagged. ‘I know I’m a coward, but I don’t know that I could have been there for that.’
‘You’re not the coward,’ he said roughly. ‘He was. We didn’t tell her what happened. We didn’t think she needed to hear it from us.’
Lucy nodded. On the ambulance ride she’d told JD everything that had happened, including how her father had said, ‘That’s your problem,’ when he’d left her. She’d also forced herself to tell him that Evan had once approached her for help and she’d lashed out, like she’d lashed out at everyone that year. It made her ashamed. And it made her wonder if Evan would have come to hate her had she not hit him.
JD had been quick to point out that had she listened to Evan then, she still would have denied having the necklace, which would have brought about the same end. Evan wouldn’t have believed her and still would have blamed her family for the ruination of his.
‘I don’t plan to tell my mother about my father’s last actions,’ Lucy said. ‘I don’t think she needs to hear it. Although I still need to know what she knew about Buck. And about my father running the Bryans out of town.’ She told him what Evan had accused.
‘The Bennetts told us the same thing. But your mother may have been in the sanitarium by then, so it’s hard to say exactly what she knew. There’s something else we learned from the Bennetts today. Stevie and I thought you needed to know. They didn’t pay for your lawyer. Your mother did.’
Lucy blinked, completely stunned. ‘Excuse me?’
He nodded. ‘That’s what they said. They said your father wouldn’t allow her to get you adequate legal help, so she convinced them to do it for her, with her money.’
Lucy was still staring at him. ‘You’re not kidding. Oh my God. Why didn’t she tell me?’
‘I don’t know. Maybe she was that afraid of your father.’
‘That changes everything.’ She sighed. ‘And nothing. She wouldn’t leave him, even to keep us safe, then she does something like that. I’ll go down and talk to her as soon as they let me. I’m more concerned about Gwyn right now.’
He cleared his throat. ‘I saw her, before I came here. She’s not looking so good.’
‘I know. Thorne came by and said the same thing. He took her back to his place and gave her a sleeping pill. He said he’d bring her by tomorrow to see me. All I could think of when we were in there was getting out alive. Now that it’s over, all I can think is that for Gwyn, it’s not over. I mean, knowing you’ve slept with a man capable of such violence . . .’
‘He fooled a lot of people,’ JD said.
‘I know. But I keep thinking of how easily she could have been like Nicki Fields.’
‘But she wasn’t. She’ll walk this road and come out stronger, just like you did. She’s got good friends to show her the way.’ JD took her hand. ‘Skinner’s awake.’
‘Oh God,’ she breathed, relieved. ‘Does this mean he’s past the worst?’
‘The doctor said he’s out of the immediate woods. Thorne’s first aid made the difference.’
‘He’ll be so glad to know that. What about Sonny Westcott?’
‘Regained consciousness for a few minutes. Stevie questioned him, but she didn’t get anything useful. Barring anything unforeseen, he’ll survive. He won’t have an easy recovery, though. He’s missing four fingers and his knees were smashed.’
‘With the bat.’ Lucy stared down at the cast on her own leg, trying not to remember the sickening crunch of bone when Evan had brought the bat down on her femur. ‘I heard the nurses talking about the “A” on his back. I guess my parents would have been the two “N”s. And I would have been the last “A”.’
‘Has Barb come by?’ he asked, changing the subject and she understood that the horror was still fresh in his mind as well.
She sighed, thinking about the Pughs’ visit. ‘Yes.’
‘Why the sigh? I thought that would have been a happy visit.’
‘It was, somewhat. I mean, she’s happy I’m not dead. But she took one look at my cast and realized it would be a while before I can help her with Mr Pugh. It’ll be a while before I can help myself. She can’t handle his agitation by herself any longer. We have to place him.’ Sadness welled up and she dabbed at her eyes with the tissue JD put in her hand. ‘He was so good to me. I hate to do this. But we can’t have him wandering in the night and breaking mirrors. It’s not safe for either of them.’
He kissed her hand. ‘Now when you play for him, the others will hear your music. Maybe it will give them peace, too.’
‘That’s a nice thought. I’ll hold onto that one.’ And to this one, she thought, gripping JD’s hand tightly. JD Fitzpatrick was a good man. Mr Pugh would have approved. ‘Is Stevie settled down now?’
‘Yeah. But I think poor Cordelia will have an honor guard 24/7 until she’s forty.’ His mouth flattened. ‘When I think that Reardon was watching her too, I get angry all over again.’
‘I’m glad he’s dead,’ Lucy said, an edge creeping into her voice.
‘So am I,’ he said, but wearily.
She brought his hand to her lips. She’d been selfish, not thinking about how taking a life, even a bad one, had affected him. ‘I’m sorry, JD. I’m sorry you had to do it.’
He shrugged. ‘Not a problem. Nothing I haven’t done before. I have a briefing in twenty minutes in Hyatt’s office. I’ll be back after.’ He stood, but didn’t leave. His hands closed over the rail and his knuckles whitened, his chin dropping to his chest and he shuddered out a breath. ‘I was so scared,’ he admitted in a whisper, ‘knowing he had you. Knowing what he could do.’
Sensing he needed to get it out, Lucy said nothing. She brushed the backs of her fingers over his cheek and he grabbed her hand and held it to his lips. ‘I’m glad you fought back,’ he said quietly. ‘I had my scope trained on Reardon for five minutes, waiting for him to move.’ He smiled weakly against her fingers. ‘I was hoping you’d punch him in the nose.’
‘I was trying to buy you time by talking to him. I knew you’d be coming for me. I knew you’d know what to do.’
Something flickered in his eyes. ‘Lucy will know what to do,’ he murmured.
‘What?’
He shook his head. ‘Just something someone said a few days ago.’ He released her hand, giving her the TV remote. ‘I’ll be back later.’
Wednesday, May 5, 5.40 P.M.
‘How is she?’ Hyatt asked when JD joined them for the meeting. Stevie, Elizabeth and Drew were there along with Daphne and Lennie Berman. To JD’s surprise, DA Grayson Smith was also there. Everyone looked as exhausted as JD felt.
‘Lucy’s much better,’ JD said. ‘Thank you.’
‘Good. Let’s begin. Including Ron Trask, the Edwardses, James Cannon, the six victims already in our morgue, and the two victims in Newport News, Evan Rea
rdon murdered twelve people. That we caught him is a testament to your skill, teamwork, and a liberal helping of luck.’
JD couldn’t help but wonder if Hyatt was practicing for his press conference.
‘We still have casualties,’ Hyatt continued. ‘Skinner, Sonny Westcott, Mrs Trask, and Dr Trask herself. All will probably survive.’
Add Gwyn Weaver, JD thought. She’d have psychological scars for some time. Then again, won’t we all?
‘I have a press conference at six. With Dr Berman’s help, I will paint the psychological profile of this multiple murderer. I’d appreciate anything else we’ve managed to dig up today.’
JD told them about Lucy’s father running the Bryans out of town. ‘The Bennetts suspected it, but Evan was there when Ron Trask threatened them. Then a year later, Evan’s father commits suicide and Evan finds his body.’ He held back the detail of Lucy hitting Evan when they were teenagers. That was something that really helped no one at this point.
‘A real reason for him to hate the Trasks,’ Berman murmured. ‘That’s a missing piece. I couldn’t account for so much hate, but now I can see it. We’ll have a more complete profile for your press conference, Lieutenant.’
Hyatt looked pleased by this. ‘Drew?’
‘The tracking devices he placed in Lucy’s purse and Cordelia’s backpack had prints – those of Nicki Fields. We also found devices in Gwyn Weaver’s purse and hidden behind the dashboard of Nicki Fields’s car. All of the devices had her prints on.’
‘Evan stole them from the PI,’ Hyatt mused.
‘And he killed her,’ Stevie said with a thoughtful frown. ‘If he was tracking her, he knew she’d gone to Anderson Ferry, knew she had information about him. I guess he figured when the bodies started to pop up that she’d be able to link him.’
‘Evan told Lucy that the hooker stole from him,’ JD said, ‘but the PI “pissed him off”.’
‘So that fits at least,’ Stevie said, still frowning.
‘What doesn’t?’ Hyatt asked.
‘Oh, just that we never found the file.’ Stevie shrugged. ‘Evan must have destroyed it.’