Monster In The Closet (The Baltimore Series Book 5)

by Karen Rose

  Cordelia’s unease became more intense. ‘I wasn’t talking about me.’

  Stevie looked around the table, much as Cordelia had done, seeing no surprise on any of their faces. ‘You all knew? You knew and didn’t tell me?’

  ‘Stevie,’ Clay murmured once again. ‘Cordelia didn’t want you to worry. Let this go for now. We’ll deal with it later. At home.’

  ‘You’re damn straight we will,’ Stevie shot back acidly, and Clay winced.

  Taylor pressed her fingers to both temples this time. The headache had spread, despite the painkillers Ford had given her. She glanced up at Stevie, sighing when she saw the woman’s lips trembling. ‘This right here, this is why I didn’t want to just walk up and say, “Hey, Pop.” I worried that I’d still be afraid and that would hurt him. I didn’t know until I saw him that I wouldn’t run screaming again. But I also wanted to avoid this. I’ve disrupted his life enough already. I didn’t want to spoil anything more for him.’

  ‘You haven’t,’ Clay said fiercely. ‘You are welcome here.’

  ‘Absolutely.’ Stevie said, the malice gone from her voice. ‘This part isn’t about you.’

  Taylor shook her head. ‘Of course it is. I’ve whipped everyone into a lather.’ She met Stevie’s eyes, now carefully blank. ‘There was another reason I didn’t rush out here after I read the letters in the box. My dad, Frederick Dawson, had had a few TIAs around that time. You know what TIAs are, right?’

  Stevie nodded woodenly. ‘Little strokes.’

  ‘Yes. In his case they didn’t cause any permanent damage, but I wasn’t going to leave him until he’d had a full workup and his doctor said he was okay. I’m still worrying about the effect all this is having on him. The TIAs are one of the reasons he didn’t come to Baltimore with me. He’s supposed to be taking it easy. But then this internship opportunity came up and . . .’ Taylor looked at Clay. ‘I had to know. So I left him home with my sister, Daisy. She’s taking care of him and Julie right now.’

  ‘I understand,’ Stevie said quietly.

  ‘Thank you.’ Taylor turned to give Cordelia an encouraging smile, grateful when the little girl gave her a small smile back. ‘And thank you, Cordelia, for sticking up for me. It’s nice when someone knows how you feel. Makes it not so lonely or scary. But I have to tell you, kid, you’re wrong about one thing. Your mama may be a badass, but you are every bit as brave as she is. To stick up for someone’s feelings when it puts your own at risk . . . that’s courage. I hope we get a chance to talk some more.’

  Maggie gave the girl in her lap a hard hug. ‘I think we can arrange that, eh, Cordy?’

  Cordelia nodded, the small smile fading as she looked at her mother. ‘I’m sorry, Mama. Not for what I said, but for surprising you. I know you don’t like that.’

  Grabbing her cane, Stevie moved from the chair next to Clay down to Maggie’s end of the table and pulled her daughter to her own lap. ‘I love you. I’m not upset with you.’

  ‘Of course you are,’ the girl said, sounding way too grownup. ‘But don’t be. And don’t be mad at Clay. He has nightmares too.’

  ‘So do I,’ Stevie confessed.

  Cordelia’s eyes grew wide. ‘You do?’

  ‘Of course I do.’ Stevie imitated her daughter’s tone, making Cordelia laugh. ‘We’ll talk about this later, okay?’

  ‘Over ice cream?’

  Stevie’s dark brows went up. ‘You just had ice cream with Aunt Izzy.’

  ‘I don’t think you can ever have too much ice cream, Stevie,’ Ford said, giving Cordelia a wink, making her giggle. And just that fast, the mood in the room lifted.

  Taylor turned to Clay. ‘I hear we have an ice-cream date with Jazzie tomorrow after I finish my therapy sessions.’

  Clay’s eyes widened. ‘We do?’

  Maggie coughed. ‘Well, I might have volunteered you to escort Jazzie and Taylor for an off-site therapy session. JD’s coordinating it. I’ll fill you in later.’

  Clay’s eyes met Taylor’s, and for the first time since he’d entered the room, joy outweighed his sadness. ‘That’s fine with me,’ he said. ‘Any way I can spend time with you. There’s so much I want to know.’

  She smiled at him. ‘I guess we have a lot of catching up to do.’

  ‘I will be asking about the new name,’ he warned lightly. ‘Mostly because I need to know how Dawson got it past me. It’s a professional embarrassment.’

  Dawson. Not your father. Taylor couldn’t blame him, though, and she wouldn’t correct him for it. ‘I’ll tell you all, I promise. I have a lot of questions too.’

  ‘Come by tomorrow morning, Clay,’ Ford said. ‘I’ll make you guys breakfast and leave you alone to talk. Therapy sessions don’t start till ten.’

  Taylor looked over her shoulder at the young man who’d been a quiet rock. ‘I have stalls to clean, too.’

  Ford shook his head. ‘I’ll do it for you. This is a special occasion. Like a birthday.’ He smiled at her and she caught her breath. He’d been handsome before, but now . . . He was a white knight with the shiniest armor.

  ‘Thank you.’ She turned back to Clay and her cheeks heated at the eyebrow he quirked up. ‘Tomorrow, then. I’ll be waiting for you.’

  Baltimore, Maryland,

  Saturday 22 August, 6.10 P.M.

  Gage blinked awake, glaring at the cheap digital clock on his nightstand. It wasn’t set to go off for another forty minutes, but somehow it was ringing already. He’d been up all night dealing with Toby Romano and all that mess. The few lines of Cleon Perry’s coke that he’d snorted had kept him going until mid-afternoon, but once Denny had left, Gage had crashed.

  He had a dinner meeting with his new boss tonight and wanted to be sharp. He needed that extra sleep. He smacked the clock, but the alarm kept ringing.

  Oh. It was his cell phone. He squinted at the caller ID. Denny. Probably calling to apologize. Asshole. Let him try. Let him grovel. Let him beg. Gage hoped his brother begged. Denny needed to know his place.

  ‘What?’ he snapped, cursing the headache behind his eyes and wondering what Cleon had used to cut the coke he’d been selling. Rolling up to sit on the side of the bed, he washed a few ibuprofen down with the bottle of water on his nightstand.

  ‘It’s Denny.’ And he didn’t sound apologetic. He sounded panicked. ‘Ma called, so happy she was almost crying. Jazzie made some kind of breakthrough.’

  Gage pinched the bridge of his nose as his brain slogged through the headache, slowly rebuilding the wall of information that got smashed while he slept off a buzz. Jazzie. His lip curled in a sneer. Valerie’s little bastard. ‘What kind of a breakthrough? What are you blathering about?’

  A beat of tense silence. ‘I’m blathering about you, asshole. You and the kid you left motherless. She hasn’t spoken to anyone since Valerie . . .’ He hesitated. ‘Died.’

  ‘So? So what? I don’t have all night to dick around with this.’

  Denny huffed angrily. ‘I don’t know why I even bother.’

  ‘I don’t know why you bother me either,’ Gage replied, bored. ‘I need to—’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Denny pushed on as if he hadn’t spoken, ‘except that it would kill Ma if you got your ass arrested for murder. So you’d better listen to what I’m telling you. Your kid, who hasn’t talked to a damn soul since you killed her mama, started talking to some damn therapist today.’

  ‘So what?’ But Gage’s heart skipped a beat. This felt important and he didn’t know why. ‘Well, what did she say?’

  ‘I don’t know exactly, but Ma said it was significant.’

  Gage waited for more, then frowned when it was clear no more was coming. ‘That’s it? You called to tell me this?’

  ‘That’s it for now. Jazzie also cried for the first time since she found her mother�
��s body. Ma said that Lilah is praising it as some kind of breakthrough. Jazzie’s gonna meet her therapist tomorrow afternoon for ice cream and a little heart-to-heart.’

  ‘So why’s Ma happy about that?’ Gage demanded.

  ‘Because she really believes you were in Texas and thinks that if the therapist can get Jazzie to talk, she’ll tell everyone who the “real killer” was.’

  Oh for God’s sake. What bullshit. Denny was just yanking Gage’s chain. ‘She doesn’t know anything,’ he said dismissively. ‘Didn’t see anything. Nobody did. Nobody was there when I left Valerie’s apartment.’

  Another long pause. ‘Are you sure? Ma seems to think Jazzie knows something.’

  Gage’s heart began to pound harder. No, it’s not possible. Was it? ‘Well, fucking find out!’ he snarled at his brother.

  ‘I did my part. I got you an alibi. You could have left town. You could have been in Mexico by now.’

  ‘I told you. I have a new job.’

  ‘Yeah,’ Denny said with disgust. ‘With a drug lord. Dammit, Gage, just leave. Run while you still can.’

  Gage frowned. ‘What do you know? Have they named me as a suspect again?’

  ‘Not yet.’ But Denny had hesitated. Just enough to let Gage know he was lying about something.

  ‘I’ll find out for myself,’ Gage said quietly. ‘And if I find out you’ve been lying? Your sons have softball games tomorrow. Back to back, starting at two o’clock. Missy never misses their games, which is so nice for the boys. It would be so sad if she never made it to the game tomorrow.’

  Denny’s gasp was audible. ‘You motherfucker,’ he whispered, his voice shaking. ‘You will not touch her.’

  ‘Or you’ll tell?’ Gage mocked. ‘Go ahead, Denny. We both know you won’t. So why don’t you spare both of us your hysterics and tell me what I need to know.’

  A swallow was followed by a frustrated growl. ‘They’ve cleared you. The case is closed. It’s not official yet. The paperwork has to be signed off.’

  Gage smiled. Excellent. ‘As of when?’

  Another hesitation, but this one had the feel of defeat. ‘I checked Missy’s email right after Ma called to tell me about Jazzie. But if Jazzie saw something, they’ll reopen the case. That’s why you need to leave while you still can.’

  ‘She did not see anything,’ Gage repeated.

  ‘Are you sure?’ Denny asked again.

  ‘I’ll find out from Ma. I was going to call her tonight or tomorrow anyway. You know, to tell her that I’ve been in rehab for the past month. In Texas. Thanks for the alibi, by the way. I really am grateful.’

  Denny drew an angry breath. ‘Yeah, right. Fine. Call Ma. She’s always bought your bullshit – hook, line and sinker.’

  ‘It’s true,’ Gage agreed. His mama wanted to believe he was perfect, so she did.

  ‘Ask her about Jazzie,’ Denny added bitterly. ‘Just know that if you get yourself arrested, I’m washing my hands of you. As you pointed out, this could ruin my career.’

  Sanctimonious prick, Gage thought, but didn’t say it out loud. ‘So noted. Thanks for the call.’ He hung up and tossed the phone onto the nightstand.

  Valerie’s daughter could not have seen anything that day. The apartment wasn’t that big and he’d kept Valerie with him, dragging her to the bedroom to force her to show him where she’d hidden her cash. It was in her jewelry box, a wad of large bills along with the platinum wedding ring that Gage had put on her finger. The ring was in an envelope with an appraisal ticket and a receipt for the sale of the diamond engagement ring. She’d already sold the five-carat ring – that he’d paid for.

  That was when he’d snapped. That was when he’d dragged her back to the living room and beaten her until she was dead.

  He didn’t realize he’d clenched his fists until they spasmed. Someone could have come in when he’d dragged her to the bedroom.

  Or when he’d searched the coat closet for her bank records, still convinced she was lying to him about having no money from the sale of his house. Val had been limp by then. He’d thrown her into the coffee table and she hadn’t moved after that. So he’d left her lying on the floor while he’d searched the closet. And then he’d discovered she was dead . . .

  And I went into the kitchen to wash her blood off my hands.

  Still, he would have heard if anyone had come in. He would have.

  Except that he’d been out of his mind, so damned angry. Valerie’s older daughter had always been a scrawny kid. Timid. Like a squirrel. She’d stuttered and it had irked him to no end – and that was when he’d still thought she was his.

  She’d been very good at hiding back then.

  She could have been hiding in the apartment. His stomach did a slow, sick roll. What if Jazzie had seen something? Right now, nobody knew what the kid had seen because she hadn’t said a word. He needed to get close enough to her to find out exactly how bad this was before she did say something. Lilah wouldn’t let him see Jazzie, but his mother would. And if she asked where he’d been, he’d distract her with the rehab story.

  She’d believe it because she’d want to. He’d tell his mother that he’d seen coverage of Val’s murder on the news. That knowing his little girls needed him was the boot he’d needed to kick him into rehab and make it stick.

  ‘I’ve been clean and sober for thirty-three days, Ma,’ he practiced saying aloud, and smiled. He sounded perfectly sincere. Believable, even. He reached for the phone to call her, but his alarm clock started to beep for real, reminding him that he had an appointment to keep. He needed to shower, trim his stubble, and dress in his new suit. He didn’t want to be late.

  He was getting his life back.

  And if the kid did see something . . . like, maybe me? What then?

  He didn’t want to hurt her. It wasn’t her fault that she was an illegitimate little bastard or that her mother was a calculating, lying, adulterous bitch.

  But it’s not my fault either.

  He wasn’t going to borrow trouble until he’d checked the kid out himself. He had a little time. Denny said she was meeting with the therapist tomorrow afternoon. If she hadn’t said anything yet, she was unlikely to spill her guts in the next few hours.

  And if she had seen something, he’d deal with it. Somehow. Because the only thing he knew was that he wasn’t going to let anyone put him in a cage. He’d do what needed to be done to stay free.

  Nine

  Hunt Valley, Maryland,

  Saturday 22 August, 6.15 P.M.

  Ford and Maggie walked Clay, Stevie and Cordelia out to their truck, giving Taylor a few minutes to herself. Ford hoped she’d still be in the kitchen when he got back. He wanted to make sure she was truly all right.

  There was a fragility to her that made him protective.

  But he saw in her an even greater strength, which made him the tiniest bit horny. Okay, fine. There’s nothing tiny about it. He headed for the driver’s side of Clay’s truck, out of vision of the others so that no one would see him adjust himself. He’d been hard as a rock from the first moment he’d touched her.

  From the moment he’d first seen her in the training ring, if he was being honest.

  ‘So there really wasn’t a problem with the camera?’ Clay asked, coming around the truck.

  ‘No. I wasn’t sure then and I didn’t want to get your hopes up. I was hoping you’d recognize her.’ He smiled at his friend, just so damn happy for him. ‘Just like you did.’

  ‘She just showed up here? Out of the blue?’

  ‘She applied to the program first and got accepted. I’m still floored that Joseph’s background check didn’t raise any flags. If you think you were “professionally embarrassed”, then think about the ring Joseph’s gonna shit when he finds out.’

  Clay’s gr
in was quick and wicked. ‘I’m going to have fun with that.’

  Ford laughed. ‘I’ll bet you will.’ He knew that Clay and Joseph were fast friends, but they had a long history of one-upmanship.

  Clay’s smile faded as Maggie helped Cordelia climb into the back seat and fastened her seat belt. ‘Dammit, Ford, Cordy looks so lost. Just when I think we’ve cleared a hurdle . . .’

  ‘I know. I didn’t know about the nightmares either, if it will make Stevie feel better. I overheard Dillon talking to Taylor this afternoon in the barn and he accidentally spilled the beans. He made her promise not to tell.’

  Clay looked surprised. ‘You were eavesdropping on their conversation?’

  ‘Hell yeah. I thought she might have been a reporter. I didn’t want her getting close to you or anyone else in the family.’

  Clay’s eyes warmed at being called family, then his jaw went taut at the look Stevie gave him as she grabbed the rollbar and swung herself up to sit in the passenger seat. ‘Yeah, well, I don’t think any of that’s gonna make Stevie any less mad.’

  Ford winced. ‘Sorry, man.’

  Clay shrugged as he pulled his door open. ‘Part of a relationship, I guess.’ He looked at the door to Maggie’s kitchen, behind which his daughter sat. ‘I don’t want to let her out of my sight again, you know?’

  ‘I know. You’re worried she’ll take off.’

  A sober nod. ‘She’s good at hiding.’ A hard swallow. ‘I hate that she’s had to be,’ he whispered. ‘Dammit. I hate being the man she was so afraid of for her whole fucking life.’

  Ford clapped him on the shoulder and gave it a fast squeeze. ‘Not your fault, Clay. You did everything humanly possible to find her. You loved her even when it seemed hopeless. I think she got that tonight. I’ll make sure she’s here in the morning.’ If he had to stay up all night and guard the doors.

  ‘Thanks, kid. See you tomorrow.’ Clay took his place behind the wheel and backed out of the driveway.

  Ford and Maggie stood there watching until the truck’s taillights disappeared.