“We are going over Mr. Bishop’s phone records right now, and there were plenty of prints at the warehouse. I believe there’s a good reason for Mr. Holmes to be here.”
“Oh, come on, Detective,” Holmes said. “You know I’m interested in these things, in theory. Did we ask Colin to talk to Mr. Darby, yes.”
“Marcus, I’d advise you to be silent.”
“What’s the harm? The detective already knows that we used to talk about Mr. Darby a lot. Does it make us a bit odd? Sure. That’s not the same as planning a murder, right, Detective?”
“Unless you did indeed plan a murder. What was the final goal in all of this? To discuss murder in theory over a few beers, or to figure out how to get away with it? Mr. Darby certainly had the idea you might continue his legacy.”
“With all due respect, that’s ridiculous.”
“You knew about Darby’s death before it was in the press.”
“He was my client,” Donovan told her. “Of course I would be informed…and when Mr. Holmes asked me about it, I saw no reason not to tell, seeing that the story would break within a few hours.”
“Marcus, have you ever been to the warehouse? Your interest went as far as recreating Darby’s crime scenes?”
“That’s outrageous. We’re leaving right now—”
“I don’t believe you will.”
Behind the lieutenant, Casey and A.D.A. Esposito came inside.
“What is this—”
“You’re under arrest for conspiring to murder Colin Buck,” Carroll said to Donovan. “For starters.”
Valerie stayed in the room after Carroll, Casey, and a loudly protesting Donovan were gone.
“It’s time we talk for real, Marcus,” she said. “If Jeffrey talks first, it won’t look good for you, and besides, I think you both want to give up the person who made your club possible in the first place.”
“I wanted to know,” he said. “It was like a movie, okay? I wanted to know what it felt like, but I didn’t think we were going to murder anyone.”
“What about finishing what Darby started?” Jordan asked, feeling her stomach churn. “You didn’t sign up for that either?”
He looked up at her, holding her gaze for a long moment. Then he smiled.
“Words will do, Marcus,” Jordan reminded him after a tense moment of silence, in which she suppressed a shudder. If he had practiced that expression in the mirror, he couldn’t have come closer to his idol. “Colin, obviously, was the pawn in that game. What about your buddies who pretended to film a horror movie? Did they know it was more than that? Who else?”
Holmes was still far too comfortable. “Mr. Darby was by far the most interesting individual we could find, so of course he was the king. He told Colin that you were his all time favorite, so I guess that makes you queen.”
All it made her at the moment, was nauseated, wishing she could get up and leave. But someone had to see this through, and she didn’t want to show him any weakness.
“Whether or not he told Colin anything, we’ll probably never know. But he warned me. I think he was a little fed up with amateurs trying to take his place.”
“We’re no amateurs!”
Gone was the smile and the conversational tone, and this time, Jordan flinched, because the behavioral patterns were so reminiscent. A wannabe, maybe, but he had done his homework.
“I believe you. Go on,” Valerie said. “I’m interested in your side of the story.”
…so it would finally be over.
Chapter Nineteen
In the afternoon, Ellie came to take her to the break room for a quick, improvised meal. Even though the images still running through her head were sickening, Jordan found to her surprise that she was actually hungry.
“Where did you get soup?” she wondered out loud.
“I stopped at the deli down the street. I know neither of us is going home early.”
“Probably not,” Jordan agreed, and with a sigh, Ellie sank into the bench next to her, leaning close.
Jordan didn’t have to ask. She was freaked out enough as it was about the sparsely clothed mannequin tied up with chains. Okay, it would be better to push that image out of her mind for a bit. Otherwise she wouldn’t be able to eat.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Ellie whispered. “We heard…on the phone.”
“Yeah, not the highlight of my day. But it was a good thing you remembered Wheeler and the vandalism case. We got them all, and even Donovan will have a lot to answer for.”
“That’s good.” Ellie straightened. “We’ll have to talk about Ariel, right? I mean…Some more.”
“Yes. And we will.”
Ariel hadn’t used the phone, most likely, because she understood about emergencies, and none had happened yet.
“Let’s talk to Dr. Crane again. She might change her mind on us checking in on Ariel once she’s all settled in.” She took a spoonful of the soup. “You have no idea how much I love you right now.”
If this was out of context, she was lucky that Ellie understood anyway.
“Anytime. I’m afraid I have to go, but we could go by the house tonight…and check when we can have the movers?”
“That would be nice. Thank you. I’ll see you later.”
Ellie kissed her, waved and left.
As Jordan finished her meal, she was going over the subjects they needed to address in the immediate future. Movers. In the chaos of the day, she had forgotten to tell Ellie they’d have to put in the new kitchen first.
She had put most of her own furniture in storage after selling her house, not that there was a lot. She had bought it furnished, and there had never been enough time to add many pieces. They would have to make some purchases. She believed the couch at Ellie and Kate’s belonged to Kate.
There was a lot to do.
Ariel wouldn’t move in with them.
Jordan still had to ask Ellie the all important question, and it was important to do it at the right time.
* * * *
She almost went back to the break room when she saw Rebecca Crane sitting in the visitor’s chair at her desk. A bit of paperwork, make sure she had all the information on today’s bust—that had been the plan.
Jordan made the more mature choice, but barely. The food, while welcome, hadn’t made the headache go away.
“Ms. Crane. How can I help you?”
In an instant, she was struggling with a kaleidoscope of mixed emotions. She wanted Ariel to be well, to be in a good family. But if Rebecca Crane came to see her here, after declaring they shouldn’t contact Ariel, what did that mean?
Jordan hoped she hadn’t found the phone. Not today, she couldn’t deal with this.
“Detective, I was hoping I could talk to you.” She sounded serene, but not exactly disturbed.
“Is Ariel okay?” Jordan took a seat across from the woman who openly studied her.
“Yes, she is. That looks like you had a rough day.”
“I’ve had worse. Why are you here, then?” She took a deep breath, aware of the edge to her voice. “I’m sorry. You were right about the day, but that’s no reason to take it out on you.”
Ms. Crane laughed ruefully. “Oh, I understand that you’re not thrilled to see me. I just think that the last time we met, a few things were left unsaid…and maybe I said too much. I was so excited to find Ariel, trying to deal with my grief at the same time, and…I guess I didn’t deal so well with the fact that she already had someone looking after her. Someone who’d be more than capable.”
“You’re family.”
“Yes. I’m lucky I have that going for me. And you’ll never know how grateful I am that you were ready to become hers in case something had gone wrong.”
Jordan restrained herself, from getting emotional, from wanting to present the many good reasons she and Ellie had for wanting to help Ariel.
“But it didn’t.”
“No, thank God. So much has gone wrong already, Deb, everything she
and Ariel went through. I know you saw some of that up close. I had a talk with my niece, and I told her she could keep the phone.”
“Oh. That’s kind of you. I actually don’t have any excuse for this.”
“Deb and I didn’t always have the best of relationships. I’m aware I have a lot to make up for myself, but I’m willing to do that, and meanwhile…I want Ariel to trust me. I want her to understand I’m not going to leave her behind.”
“That’s good. She needs that stability right now.”
“I agree. I…I overreacted, and I’m sorry about that. Ariel connected with you both, I realize, and you are welcome to visit her. Convince yourself that she’s going to be all right.”
Slowly but surely the day was beginning to take its toll. Jordan realized there might be a limit as to how many emotional subjects she’d be able to handle tonight. “Thank you. I’m grateful you’re not reporting me. I did cross a line.” She hoped the conversation wouldn’t go on much longer.
“We all want what’s best for Ariel.”
“Yes, we do. You were quite surprised to realize there was no husband.” If they were having this heart to heart, Jordan might get that answer as well.
“Believe me, that was not my concern. I love my niece, and she felt safe enough with you to want to be a family. Once that sank in, I couldn’t possibly keep you out of her life. I have to go now, but why don’t you two come for dinner soon? I could call you.”
“Yes, thank you.”
They both got to her feet, and Jordan shook hands with Ariel’s aunt.
Afterwards she texted Ellie.
“I’m ready to call it a day. What about you?”
“I can’t, yet,” came the answer within minutes. “I’ll try to be home in an hour or so?”
All of a sudden, Jordan had an idea about what to do in that hour.
* * * *
Rebecca Crane’s background check had come clean. The church she was involved in did not engage in blatant homophobia, and she and her husband did have the perfect means to care for Ariel. That made it a little easier.
Still, it was with a heavy heart that Jordan pulled up at Jack and Pauline’s house. It was curious that while living with Bethany, she hardly ever made an unannounced visit. Mostly, she didn’t know what to talk about. She’d felt there was nothing much she could tell them about her day to day life, the smaller or bigger arguments, and her own growing worry that this might be all.
Ellie had brought so many new options into her life Jordan hadn’t even considered before. Marriage…Becoming parents. The latter was not something that would happen so soon.
Ariel would be fine.
She and Ellie would be fine. Eventually.
Pauline could have probably read in her face that today hadn’t gone all that well, if the Band-Aid hadn’t been a dead giveaway.
“Jordan! Are you all right? Is Ellie?”
“Yes, everything’s fine. Ellie is still at work.”
“Come on in. What happened?”
“Most of the men from the cult were convicted, everything from reckless child endangerment to assault.”
“That’s a good thing, right?” Pauline sounded surprised for a reason. Jordan could count on one hand the number of occasions she had brought shop talk to her parents.
“Yes, absolutely. We had a good case. And…It turns out that Ariel has living blood relatives after all,” Jordan told her as she took off her coat. “An aunt of hers, her mother’s sister…came forward.”
Pauline’s arms were around her the next moment, as she understood, more than almost anyone else, what that meant.
“Oh honey, I don’t know what to say. It’s a good thing for her, but…I know.”
It didn’t take long for Jordan to be slightly uncomfortable, so when she stepped away and wiped her face, Pauline didn’t try to stop her.
“I’m so sorry,” she said instead. “I know how much you’d hoped this could happen. Will you be able to keep in touch?”
“I think so. They live in the next town.”
“Okay. And there’s this other plan you have…that one is still on the table, right?”
“Of course. It’s been for a while.” Jordan finally followed her into the living room.
“I’m glad to hear that. We really look forward to planning this with you two. Would you like to stay for dinner so we can talk about it?”
“Oh, no. Ellie doesn’t know yet.”
Pauline smiled. “I wouldn’t be so sure, but you’re right, you should talk to her. And I’m sorry for all the hints I gave you about kids. You do it when the time is right, and you’ll be great. This time…it wasn’t right.”
“I guess not. I better go. Ellie will be home soon, and we have to finalize some details about the move.”
“This is an exciting time. Try to enjoy it. It doesn’t mean you’re letting Ariel down, on the contrary.”
Jordan’s doubts must have shown in her face, because she added, “Don’t go there. You were always responsible, and that’s why you’re doing what’s right. Kathryn had to learn a lot, and she needed a long time to get there, not that it’s up to me to judge. This is what I can see: You’re not like her. That’s just a fact.”
“Thank you, Mom.” This time, Jordan initiated the hug. She couldn’t wait to get home.
* * * *
“So, Wheeler, Donovan, Holmes and Bishop where all part of the club,” Ellie surmised as they sat over take-out, looking at couches online. “What a bunch of losers.”
She had tried to get through the day best she could, and knowing Jordan had spent the afternoon safe at the department, had helped—but the display at the warehouse had rattled her.
They had both done their best to move past the serial killer’s basement and everything that had happened there. Men like Holmes and his group were a special kind of evil.
“That sums it up nicely,” Jordan said. “So—what about this couch?” The light grey would fit well with the wall colors.”
“It’s small.”
“It’s big enough for two people, don’t you think?”
“Today really sucked. I don’t know any other way to say it.” Ellie was well aware that her words presented a non-sequitur, but she also knew that the two of them were good at postponing necessary conversations. Right now, though, there was so much happening in their lives that simply couldn’t wait.
Jordan leaned against the back of the couch—Kate’s, which was why they couldn’t take it with them—studying her with amusement. “Where are you going with this?”
“There is so much going on. I didn’t even have the chance to tell you that Carroll asked me into his office today. Waters is retiring and I should interview for the job—”
“What? That is amazing! Congratulations!”
“Yes. Thanks I don’t have the job yet, but it’s great.” Ellie jumped to her feet. “I’m really happy about it, but I also realize…We’ve been taking on a lot. And we would have tried to make it work, but maybe, for some things, we weren’t ready.”
“I know. Please, sit back down. That is part of what I wanted to talk to you about. When Ms. Crane came to the station earlier, she apologized, and she said we could see Ariel. We had a good talk even though…It hurt.”
Ellie could feel that hurt echoing within herself. All her life, she had dealt with road blocks one way: Head on. Her career plans were working out after a small delay, but she’d never expected having to admit there was something she couldn’t do, at least not now.
“I understand. We would have done our best, right? And maybe, now that it’s not going to happen, we have to learn something from this. Start our life together. Just be together for a while.”
“That sounds good to me. I still think the couch is fine.”
“Let’s forget about the couch for a moment. I…There is something else I need to tell you. Actually…ask.”
She felt dizzy for a short moment, wondering if that was a normal reaction. There was
one thing Ellie knew for sure—it was now or never, regardless of everything else they were dealing with at this moment, this was the right time. She stepped out of her heels, got down on one knee and took the ring out of the pocket of her skirt.
She hadn’t spent all evening at work, but instead used some of the time to pick up the ring she’d chosen.
Jordan looked startled, her eyes welling up at the sight. Or maybe Ellie was imagining the latter, because her own vision had become blurry.
“I know we have had a tendency to rush into things—well, I have. But we both agreed that we would be the best family we could be for Ariel, we just didn’t know that something better was going to come along for her. I know you’re sad. I am too, but this is the right thing to do. Regardless of everything else, I want to be with you, wake up with you every day, and I didn’t mean to go off on a tangent. Please marry me?”
“Of course. Yes, I will marry you.” Jordan pulled her up and into her arms for wordless affirmation. It wasn’t until several minutes later that she admitted, “You were braver than I was. I did buy a ring…and then I was waiting for the right moment.”
“What did you think was going to happen? You didn’t think I’d say no?”
“No. No, I guess not.” Jordan laughed self-consciously. “Okay, let’s move on.”
“Sure. It’s all right. You’ll have the first then.”
“The first what?”
“Baby, of course.” Ellie started laughing at Jordan’s perplexed expression. “I’m kidding. Come on, I want to see my ring too.”
Jordan had barely put it on her finger when her cell phone rang.
“It’s Ariel,” she said, her tone somber. As soon as she read the text message, a smile lit up her face, and Ellie could breathe again. Jordan held the screen out to her.
Sorry, this is not an emergency! You probably know by now that we got busted, but Becca is cool with the phone. She said to ask if you wanted to come by for dinner on Sunday.
“This is good news,” Ellie said even though the room was starting to blur again.
“It is. We say yes, right?”
“Yes, we do.”
Jordan answered the message, and they abandoned the search for the perfect couch in favor of celebrating the future, and, because it mattered, mourning what they couldn’t have—not yet.
Intentions (Carpenter/Harding Book 6) Page 16