“My feelings exactly,” Flippy agreed.
“But I don’t want you to take any risks. This man is dangerous. Review his file, make sure we have a solid case, and then you and I will go to Chief Bradley and take him down.”
Flippy was going to do better than that. She was going to find out all she needed to know. And she’d have the case all sewn up and presented to Luke on a silver platter, not as a wedding present, but maybe as a peace offering for putting up with her mother, letting her stay in his condo, and for being such an all-around Boy Scout and nice guy. In spite of his touchy-feely tendencies, she hadn’t lost sight of that. He was the real thing. She could make a life with him. But on her terms. He was sweeping her off her feet and she was losing control. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. She wasn’t ready for a new relationship. She had only to look at her parents’ mess of a marriage to see that.
This morning she had taken Jack’s ring out of the box and slipped it back on her finger, just to see how it felt. It felt like a betrayal to Luke, so she slipped it into her skirt pocket. She was going to return it to Jack before the day was out.
“Personally, I prefer a June wedding,” Luke was saying.
“I totally agree, if we can rebook The Atlanta Botanical Garden.”
“Mom,” Flippy protested. She wasn’t seriously proposing to use the same place where she had been scheduled to marry Jack. But Luke didn’t know that. He’d hate it if he knew.
“I’m only saying that Philippa loves flowers. And it’s a beautiful venue.”
“I’d marry Flippy anywhere, even at a campground.”
That brought the conversation to a halt in a hurry.
Barbara glared at Flippy.
“No, I didn’t tell him, Mom. Honest. That’s just a random remark.”
“What?” Luke gave Flippy a puzzled look.
“Don’t ask,” Barbara and Flippy said in unison.
“Well, then The Atlanta Botanical Garden sounds wonderful,” Luke said.
Flippy sighed. Why didn’t her mother just arrange the rest of her life? She’d done that since Flippy was a little girl. Natalie was silly to fight the force that was Barbara. Barbara was like the tide. She kept rolling in, rolling over everything in her path, and there was no use resisting.
“By the way, did you call your sister yet?” Barbara asked.
“No, but I promise I will.”
“Well, hold off on that call, except to congratulate Natalie.”
“Why?”
“Last night I got to thinking that Natalie should have the kind of wedding she wants. I’ll be occupied with your wedding, so if she wants to get married around a campfire, so be it. Who am I to stand in the way of true love?”
“Who are you, and what have you done with my mother?”
Barbara smiled.
“You know, Flippy, I called your father, and he would like me to come home early, so I booked a morning flight. We have just enough time to make it. I won’t be able to see your office.”
Did the relief on Flippy’s face show? She had dreaded the next few hours. Barbara meeting Misty, seeing where her daughter worked, and discovering her involvement with the Homecoming Homicides case. The less her mother knew about her job, the better. And she was focused on only one thing—finding Rodney Willis.
“Why does Dad want you home early?”
There were tears in Barbara’s eyes.
“I think I should make my exit,” said Luke. “I’ll be waiting in the car if you need me.” Luke hugged Barbara. “Barbara, it was wonderful to meet you. I’m looking forward to spending some time with you and your husband in Atlanta, scouting out venues.”
Seriously? When had that happened? Her mother and her pseudo fiancé were bonding, and that spelled disaster for Flippy. Luke was laying it on a bit thick.
Flippy turned her attention to her mother.
“Mom, why are you crying?”
“Well, last night when I told your father about your wedding, things got sentimental. You know, our little girls getting married at the same time, and then we got to talking about our wedding and our life, and one thing led to another and we spoke honestly for the first time in a long time.”
“What do you mean?”
“I know you’ve been at odds with your father because you thought he was cheating on me. And I let you believe that because I wanted you on my side. But what you didn’t know is the reason he’s been cheating on me. I cheated on him first.”
“Mom? No!”
Flippy was flabbergasted. It was the last admission she expected from her mother. As demanding and outrageous as Barbara was, she was not a cheater.
Barbara buried her face in her napkin to soak up her tears.
“I was ashamed to admit that to you. And there’s more. I cheated on him around the time your brother was born. Neil is not your father’s biological son.”
Flippy’s world split open.
“Does Dad know?”
“Of course he does. But he loves your brother as if he were our own. It was a time in our marriage that I was feeling fragile. I thought your father didn’t love me. He was so consumed with work, and I felt I was losing my looks. I know it’s shallow, but I took up with another man. It’s not important who. But I got pregnant, and your father stayed with me.”
Flippy narrowed her eyes.
“Am I?”
“Oh, yes, you are your father’s. That part about the make-up sex, that’s all true. Your father was plenty mad. His pride was hurt, and he had his flings along the way. Who’s to say it wouldn’t have happened anyway? But I poisoned your mind against your father, and for that, I’m truly sorry.”
“I don’t know what to say. Does Neil know?”
“No and I hope to God he never finds out. Neil and your father are joined at the hip. What good would telling Neil about my indiscretion do? He’d hate me forever. Believe me, Philippa, I’m ashamed of what I did, and that’s why I’ve tolerated your father’s dalliances. Because that’s all they were. Your father loves me. I don’t deserve his love, but he loves me. I think he just did it to get back at me. But that’s all changed now. We’re letting our daughters set the example. He’s promised never to stray again. And I believe him.”
“Wow. This is a lot to process.”
“Do you hate me?”
Flippy was at a loss for words. Hate was a strong word.
“All these years, I’ve been blaming Dad,” she began. “That was unfair to me and to him. Turns out he wasn’t such a monster after all. But that doesn’t let him off the hook. Mom, I hate to spoil your homecoming, but the real reason I cut Dad out of my life was because one afternoon I came home from school break and I found Dad and Lissie Hathaway in your bed. Lissie Hathaway is my age, for heaven’s sake. He was sleeping with a girl young enough to be his daughter. Did you know that?”
Barbara didn’t look surprised.
“I suspected it, and then I confronted him. He came clean because he was so sorry for having upset you.”
“Then why didn’t you talk to me about it? I was horrified and I couldn’t tell you.”
“Your father was ashamed of his behavior, and he promised never to betray our marriage again. And honestly, I don’t think he has since. And besides, you earned your own way. He was proud of you. But he knew if he told you the truth you’d turn against me, and he wouldn’t do that to me.”
Flippy and her mother had a good cry and then hugged.
“Mom, I shouldn’t forgive you, but I love you. Tell Dad we’ll talk when I come to Atlanta.”
“You’ll bring Luke, of course.”
“As long as we’re being honest… About Luke…”
“Flippy, that man adores you. It’s written all over his face. And I love him for that. True love is something that’s too precious to discard.”
“Well, you loved Jack, too, Mom. What if Luke turns out to be just like Jack?”
“He won’t. I can tell. He’s solid, Flippy. Don’t
let him get away, if you love him, too.”
Did she love Luke? She didn’t want to admit it to herself, but she was falling in love with him. She knew she wouldn’t have slept with him if she didn’t have deep feelings for him. Being inebriated was just an excuse. She knew exactly what she was doing at all times. Well, most times.
Flippy dried her eyes, and they walked out to meet Luke.
After they dropped Barbara off at the airport, Flippy sat back in the car and relaxed.
“Thanks.”
“For what?”
“For being so great with Barbara, um, my mother.”
“I genuinely like her. You should give her a chance too.”
“You know, you are really a good guy.”
“I’ve been trying to tell you that.”
“I think I could even love you.”
Luke turned to Flippy and pressed her hand against his cheek. “You love me?”
Flippy placed her hand over his. “You’re hard not to love. But we have to take it slower. I have to be sure. I can’t go through another disappointment.”
“Well, you know, the last time you were disappointed, it worked out pretty well for me, so I don’t regret what happened.”
“It’s random the way things work out, isn’t it?”
Luke swung by the doughnut shop and bought a dozen doughnuts. When they arrived at Flippy’s office, he distributed most of them to the homeless men and put the rest of the box on Misty’s desk. Misty held out a fistful of pink slips.
“All these messages for me?” Flippy asked.
“The phone hasn’t stopped ringing since I got in this morning.”
Flippy turned to Luke.
“You know, I really don’t need you to babysit me. I’m fine here. I know you have work and school and a million things you need to be doing. And so do I. So you can leave.”
“I do have to check things back at the station. You promise you won’t leave here without telling me? I’ll be back in a couple of hours.” He couldn’t tell her about the latest dead body, not yet.
“Scout’s honor,” Flippy said, doing the two-finger salute.
“Misty, you make sure your boss doesn’t leave this office—and if she does, you call me,” Luke said, pressing his card into Misty’s hand. “Here’s my number.” Then he planted a big, noisy, wet kiss on Flippy’s lips.
“Will do, Tiger,” Misty replied.
“What is it about you and tigers?” Flippy wondered.
Luke sauntered out the door.
“Wow!” said Misty. “That’s all I can say. You are so lucky. I hope you know that.”
“I’m beginning to realize that,” Flippy said.
Flippy went into her office. After a call to the university attorney and several reminder calls to the personnel office, she went to the fax machine and scanned it as the pages started rolling out.
Rodney Willis’ personnel file. It was all there. He looked good for the crimes. He had applied to NFU and been rejected, but years later they had hired him as a building maintenance man. So he had access to all the sites, could move about the campus without causing alarm. There was a picture of the slime ball. But it wasn’t the man who asked for her autograph at the pageant. She was so sure he had been the one. He sort of looked like the guy she had seen, but no, he wasn’t. The guy she’d seen didn’t have much hair under that baseball cap, and he was heavy set. Rodney Willis had a headful of dark hair and was good looking, at least from his profile. At least he had been a good-looking man at one time. But the left side of his face was scarred. And he had started the fire that burned his house down. He was a fire starter. He worked at the university. His mother was a beauty queen. He still lived at the same address. They must have rebuilt on the same land. There was a connection here, but not all the pieces fit. Maybe Luke could help her sort it out, but Luke would go all cowboy on her and try to bust the door down and ride to the rescue and probably get himself killed.
She could ask him to arrange to have the house watched or tail Rodney Willis. But what if she was wrong? What if Rodney Willis was just a law-abiding citizen and the police came in full force and arrested or shot the wrong man? She had to proceed cautiously. She knew she should call the director with the confirmation. But she had to be absolutely sure.
She needed to check things out, from a safe distance, of course. But how was she going to get away from Misty, Luke’s appointed watchdog?
She couldn’t take her car keys, because if Misty noticed her car missing, she’d alert Luke. She wouldn’t take her purse at all, just a few dollars and some change. The city bus ran right by her office, and she’d check the route. If it went out to the Willis place, she could ride the bus out there, scope out the situation, and call Luke. She wouldn’t do anything hasty or stupid. Flippy called City Transportation and asked some questions about the Number 5 Bus Route. Yes, it went directly to the Willis place. That was the last stop on the route. The universe was cooperating.
Flippy took the file with the university names out of her briefcase and left it on her desk. She unwrinkled the newspaper article from her purse and wrote down the Willis address on a pad of paper. Then she tore off the top sheet and stuck the article and faxed copy of Rodney Willis’ personnel history into the file so she’d have all the proof she needed when she went to Luke. Now that she had everything prepared, she walked into the outer office.
“Uh, Misty, I’m sort of hungry. I’m going to take a break and get a fresh slice from DaVinci’s. I’ll be right back.”
“Tell Riley I said hi.”
“You need to tell him the way you feel, Misty. Honesty is always the best policy. You’d be surprised what can happen.”
Misty looked like she was considering it.
“Hold down the fort.”
Flippy came out of her office and chatted a few minutes with Chuck and the rest of the guys.
“How’s the new job going?”
“Oh, I don’t start till tomorrow,” Chuck reported.
There was a new man in the bushes today. She guessed they were a transient bunch. A new man moved in, another left. She waved to the new guy. He waved back.
“Thanks for the doughnuts,” the man said.
“Actually, you can thank my friend Luke.”
“Well, thank your friend Luke, then. They were much appreciated.”
Flippy wanted to stay and talk, but she had a lot to accomplish.
She walked down the street toward DaVinci’s, but instead of walking into the pizza joint, she turned the corner and sat at the bus stop and waited.
Chapter Eighteen
He was always one step ahead. That’s how he kept the law at bay. That’s what kept him on his toes in this race. This was a marathon, not a sprint, and he had not yet crossed the finish line.
By now, they would have found the body. It was so predictable, it was beginning to be routine. Pick up Number Seven, drop her off, begin the hunt for the next contestant—the lovely Kitty Bailey. She had looked beautiful in Queenie’s wedding dress. And that’s how he’d left her, propped up in the moonlight at the chapel. Two girls in as many days. He was moving up the schedule. That would confound them. The Kitty Cat capture had not gone exactly according to plan. She had tried to escape and had tripped on Queenie’s high heels and fallen face down off the stage. The little hellcat had broken her neck before he’d completed his plans. Before he’d burned her face. Before she’d completed her modeling shots. Before the bathing suit competition. Donny had cried and tried to revive her.
He’d had to calm the sniveling idiot down before he dealt with Kitty. Well, she was already in the wedding gown, so what better place than the chapel.
He didn’t even bother to wrap her body. He instructed Donny to pick her up, and they drove down to the chapel. Donny helped him place the bride. It was lovely, really.
“Now, not a word to anyone about this, big brother.”
Donny sniffled. “It’s our secret. Just like you told me.”
> “That’s right. Now let’s go back and develop the film. I think we got some great shots for my workroom. But first, I have a stop to make.”
Rodney was restless. The Kitty Bailey incident had been totally unsatisfying. His lust for blood had been denied. He and Donny drove around the campus. Not many women out and about. Not when there was a serial killer on the loose. Chancing a visit to any of the sorority houses was out of the question, but some of the contestants had refused protection and insisted on staying off-campus.
He checked the homecoming program. Who was next? Dana something or other. There were almost too many to keep track of. Let them think he was the greatest serial killer of all time. The serial-killing prize goes to Rodney Willis with a total of thirty kills—no, make that thirty-one, if you include Melinda Crawford, thirty-two if you count Philippa Tannenbaum. Obfuscate. Throw them off the trail of his real target, the only girl who mattered.
Rodney flipped on the left-turn signal. “Here it is, Donny. I believe this is the address. Yes, the light’s on, so she must be home. Now, remember how we practiced. You walk up to her door and tell her your car broke down and ask if you can use her phone to call your brother.”
He watched Donny lumber out of the passenger seat, walk up to the house, and knock on the door. In a moment the lovely Dana appeared, and she handed over her phone to Donny. Donny turned around and looked back at the car.
“The handkerchief,” Rodney called out.
Donny turned back to Dana, who was showing signs she was getting suspicious.
“I thought you said you had to call your brother.”
This was almost too easy.
Rodney flew up the steps and took the handkerchief from his brother’s pocket.
“Miss, I’m so sorry about this. My brother is, well, he’s a little slow. Our car did break down, but I’m fixing it. All I need is a jack. You don’t happen to have one of those, do you?”
Dana looked up and down the dark, deserted street.
“Well, no matter,” Rodney said smoothly. I’ll try another house. Sorry to have troubled you, miss.”
Dana breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. Then she turned her back on Rodney to go back inside. That moment of hesitation was all Rodney needed. He grabbed her from behind and held the handkerchief up to her face. She sagged against him.
Homecoming Homicides Page 17