by Virna DePaul
“I asked him to arrest me, Lily. I wanted it to be him.”
Lily stared at her father through the Plexiglas separating them, trying so desperately to hold on to her faith. “I know you couldn’t have done that to her.”
Relief seemed to flash over his face before he wiped his expression clean. “I’m telling you, I did. We fought. I didn’t mean to, but—” His face broke and he stared at his hands. “But it happened. I’ve tried to make up for it. To be a good father to you and Ivy. But when the DNA report showed up, and I knew they’d start questioning you, I had a choice. Use my own daughter again to save myself, or finally prove myself to be the man I’ve tried to be.”
“No,” she whispered.
“Yes,” he insisted, his voice harsh. “Flawed. So flawed I murdered the woman I loved more than anything in the world. I—I know I can’t apologize. But I can do what’s right now. I can protect you, Lily.”
“The police say it was my DNA on her, not yours.”
Her father clenched his teeth. “You lived there. Your DNA probably attached before you ever left. Or it happened afterward. After I found you and took you home. You threw up beside her, just like the police report says. I just changed the timing.”
“Why would you do that? Why would you take me there? To—to find her—”
“I’m sorry, Lily. It was stupid of me. I—I was selfish, only thinking of myself.”
“So you killed her in her own bed? The one you and she—?”
He closed his eyes. “Yes,” he whispered.
“No.”
His eyes opened. “What?”
She smiled sadly, shaking her head. “She wasn’t killed in her bed, Daddy. John told me that.”
“He’s wrong.”
“No. Not about that. It was me, wasn’t it? It really was my fault? I don’t know how, but—” Pain surged through her and she couldn’t breathe.
“Look at me. Look at me,” her father said, tapping on the panel of glass separating them. One of the guards shifted nervously, and her father sat back, leaving his palm pressed up against the glass. “You didn’t do this. Whatever you think you remember isn’t right. It was me. Me.”
But his words sounded weak.
Lily buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking. He slapped the glass again. Yelled for her. But she didn’t respond. Not even when the guards came and took him away.
* * *
John strode down the hospital corridor toward Ivy Cantrell’s room. John needed to ask her some questions. About Ashley’s cell phone. Her social media accounts. Her address book.
He knew Lily wouldn’t be around. She was at the jail visiting her father. And although she didn’t know it, she’d be well protected when she left. Just as she had been since he’d left Ivy’s room. He’d assigned an officer to stay with her, just like he’d told her he would.
Even though he was the last person she wanted to see right now, even though he wasn’t ready to see her just yet, he wasn’t letting anything happen to her. Her words had pierced his soul and done considerable damage, but he’d recover. He couldn’t say the same thing if he lost her.
The door to Ivy’s room was open. Ivy was in bed, alone. John cleared his throat.
Ivy raised her head. She was doing much better and a spark of hope lit her eyes. Gently, John shook his head and watched the spark die. He walked toward her and slowly sat on the bed next to her. “I need to ask you some questions, if it’s okay.”
She closed her eyes, but even though tears seeped out, she nodded. “Okay.”
“Does Ashley have a social media account on the internet?”
“She’s not supposed to. We told her she couldn’t.” Ivy shrugged. “Doesn’t mean she didn’t get one. My daughter’s strong-willed.”
“Just like her mom,” he murmured.
Glancing at him, she said, “And her aunt. Her aunt, who’s hurt and afraid right now. But who’s always known what—who—she wants.”
John gave her a tight smile. “Yeah, well, as I learned a long time ago, you can’t—”
“—always get what you want,” Ivy finished with him. Smiled weakly. “Rolling Stones. Ashley can’t stand them.” Her face crumpled and she began to sob. Helplessly, John watched as she lifted an arm to swipe at her tears.
A sparkle at her wrist caught his eye. “Nice bracelet,” he said, every muscle in his body tensing. “I don’t remember you having that on before. Did someone special give that to you?”
Ivy smiled, but before she could respond, a voice came from the doorway. “I gave it to her,” Aaron stated.
John stood, eyes narrowed, heart beating fast. “Those blue stones are aquamarines, aren’t they?”
“Yes. So—?”
A haze of fury swept over him, making him act before he even thought about it. Ivy screamed and Aaron let out a grunt as John shoved him back against a wall with one hand to his throat. Tension screamed down on them like a shot in the dark, and the raspy sound of John’s breathing echoed in his ears.
“What are you—”
John squeezed tighter. “What’s Lily’s birthstone?”
Under his hand, Aaron’s throat convulsed.
He leaned further into Aaron’s face. “What is it?”
“Aquamarine,” Aaron wheezed out. “Let go. Please.”
John watched as Aaron gasped for breath. Then he abruptly let go. “You gave Ivy that bracelet. A bracelet with Lily’s birthstone?”
Aaron glared at John, straightened his jacket and tie. “Are you crazy? Ivy was born a week before Lily’s birthday. They share the same birthstone.”
In a flash, John remembered Lily telling him that. Damn it. He’d forgotten.
“We think The Razor’s been planting evidence on his victims,” he explained. “Jewelry. All with aquamarine stones. The latest one was a pendant left near the latest victim, Candace Evans. And Tina was wearing a necklace with the birthstones when she was killed.”
For a moment, Aaron looked confused. Then he paled. “And you thought I—? That’s ridiculous. I haven’t killed anyone. I’m just trying to stay sane until someone finds my daughter.”
John stared at Aaron. He believed him, but… “You were dating Ivy back then. You could have done it.”
Aaron shook his head. “So could you, do you forget that?”
“You willing to take a blood draw? Right here, right now?”
Aaron met John’s gaze without flinching. “I will. How about you?”
“I’m a little busy trying to find your daughter. You’re sure you don’t know where she is?”
“A-Aaron.”
At the frightened, female sound, both men turned to Ivy. Aaron rushed to her. “Oh Ivy, don’t listen to him. I’d never hurt Ashley. You know that.” He embraced her, and Ivy didn’t hesitate in putting her arms around him. She glared at John over Aaron’s shoulder.
John gritted his teeth, his muscles clenched so tight he was practically quivering. Grasping his hair, he turned and paced a jagged path in front of Aaron. “This is all crazy. I don’t know where to turn. What to do.”
John’s cell phone rang, and he immediately looked at the screen. He pressed the Talk button. “What have you got, Murdoch?”
“Candace Evans woke up.”
“Did she ID the perp?”
“No, but she was able to tell us he has a daughter. He mentioned her more than once.”
“A daughter?” John glanced at Aaron, who stared back with a heated gaze clear of guilt or fear. “Did he mention her name? How old she is?”
“Not her age specifically, but she said she thinks she’s a teenager. She saw a volleyball uniform in the back of his car, along with softball paraphernalia. She said he called her ‘Tess.’”
The name failed to ring any bells. “Tess? Tess what? How are we going to track down—?”
“Tessa?” Ivy whispered. “What about Tess?”
John stared at her. “Does Ashley know someone named Tess?”
&nb
sp; “That’s one of her best friends,” Aaron interjected.
“Give me her phone number and address. Fast.”
* * *
Lily walked out of the main visiting area and outside the jail doors. She didn’t know how, but she was going to prove her father was innocent. She squinted when the sunlight blinded her, jerking when someone called her name. Disoriented, she blinked rapidly, desperately trying to focus on the dark shape walking toward her. She gasped when she saw who stood in front of her.
“Barb.”
* * *
Pacing the hospital room like a tiger, John waited for Murdoch to come back on the line. Occasionally, he bumped into Aaron and they’d glare at each other. But John didn’t blame the guy. He was frantic with worry about his kid.
It had taken them less than twenty minutes to figure out that Park was The Razor, and was likely the person who’d killed Tina Cantrell. A call to Tess’s mother and a couple of questions and they’d learned that she’d divorced Tess’s biological father, but that Tess still regularly saw him along with her two half siblings, Penny and Miles, the same children John had seen running around in their backyard.
It had been Park the whole time.
He wasn’t just Tina’s killer. He was The Razor. Continuing to kill girls who looked like Tina and Lily. Girls like Ashley.
Now, he could practically hear Aaron and Ivy’s prayers. Hoping against hope Park hadn’t taken Ashley even as part of them hoped he had. After all, knowing something and maintaining hope was better than knowing nothing and speculating the worst. “You got anything for me yet, Murdoch?”
“Give me a minute. Just a minute. El Dorado County records show nothing for a Mason Park.”
“Try derivatives of the name. Parks. Parker.”
“Mason Parks. Mason Parker. No. Damn it. Nothing.”
“He’s got to have a place. Someplace local he’s bringing the victims. We’ve got to talk to Candace Evans. See if she remembers something—”
“Wait! I’ve got it. A Michael Parker. 2583 West Bend in El Dorado County. A house in a secluded area. Looks like he’s had it for years. What do you think?”
“How long will it take you to get there?”
“Ten minutes.”
“Go.”
“I’ll call you.”
Murdoch hung up and John closed his phone. He stared at Aaron and shook his head. “I’m sor—”
“Don’t,” Aaron gritted. “I know you were doing your job. I just want my daughter to be okay.” Aaron gathered a sobbing Ivy into his arms.
John bowed his head and felt tears sting his own eyes.
Please, God, he prayed. Help her. Let Ashley be okay.
Fifteen minutes later, his phone rang.
He and Aaron stared at one another, fear and uncertainty traveling between them like an electric current. John answered the phone.
“This is Tyler.”
“She’s here. She’s okay. She’s scared and has superficial abrasions, but she’s okay. I’ve got Ashley Bancroft right here with me.”
“She’s okay,” John told Aaron. The man’s face collapsed and he fell to his knees in relief.
“What about Mason? Did you catch him?”
“He wasn’t here. But he’s sick, John. More than sick. He beat Ashley. Tried to rape her. Only he couldn’t. He freaked out. Said he needed to go after the real thing. The one who really mattered. And he’s got pictures of Lily all over the place. You need to get to her. Fast.”
Chapter 19
Lily rubbed her arms as she paced her father’s living room. Barb had insisted on coming back here to talk, saying she had something crucial to tell her. Something that would help her understand her father’s actions. As soon as they’d arrived, however, she’d disappeared in search of tea and cookies.
“I’ll be right out,” Barb called.
Lily stifled a scream. All she wanted was to find out what her stepmother had to say and get the hell back to Ivy, who might have news on Ashley.
Lily looked at her watch again and jumped when her cell phone rang. She picked it up. “Hello.”
“Where are you?” John yelled. “We found her. Ashley’s okay.”
Knees giving way, Lily sank onto a couch. Cries of joy escaped her. “Thank God.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m at my father’s house. With Barb. She said she had something to tell me about my father, but I’m on my way—”
“No. Stay there. Stay with Barb.”
“Why?”
“It was Mason Park. The man your mother was dating. He killed your mother, Lily. He’s been leaving jewelry with your birthstone on the victims, only we never put it together. He’s the one who took Ashley.”
Lily could barely believe her ears. “You caught him?”
“Not yet. He’s still on the loose. Which is why I want you to stay there. Lock all the doors. I’ve had an officer with you so he’ll—”
“What? You’ve had someone watching me.”
A tense silence was her only reply. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I was worried—”
She shook her head. “No. I’m not mad. Thank you. That—that means a lot to me. That you would worry.”
“Lily, can we talk? After all this is through? Please, will you give me a chance to explain why I lied.”
She knew why he’d lied. For the same reason he did everything. To protect her. But all she said was, “Yes.” Then, “Thank you, John. Thank you for finding Ashley.”
“I’ll be there soon, babe.”
Lily hung up, then jumped when Barb spoke from behind her. “Who was that?”
She was so happy, she ran to Barb, not thinking about the pot of tea she held. She wrapped her arms around her. “It’s over. Daddy’s going to be coming home soon, Barb.”
Barb screamed in pain, not joy, as hot water soaked the front of her dress.
* * *
John hung up on Tom Raddison, the officer guarding Lily, and walked quickly to his car. She was fine. He’d be there in less than fifteen minutes. No need for the panic and terror coursing through his body.
Park was The Razor. He’d sat across from him and bought into the whole family-man image and because of that Ashley had been terrorized. Doug Cantrell had felt compelled to confess to murder. Candace Evans might still die.
He slammed his hands on the steering wheel and cursed. Despite his deception, Thorn had actually presented John with the opportunity to catch The Razor. Hell, so had Hardesty.
Even as he accelerated around a corner, John frowned. Since Hardesty had told the truth about everything else, he’d probably been telling the truth about the cop hat, too. It had to have been Doug Cantrell. Who else could it—
His blood turned cold. In a flash, he remembered Doug Cantrell’s 911 call the night of the murder. What had he said to the police dispatcher about who he’d been with at the time? “My wife and I” then “My daughter and I.” John had assumed Doug Cantrell had initially misspoken and referred to Tina as his current wife. They’d been married so long and it had seemed a natural mistake given the violent death she’d suffered. But what if he hadn’t meant Tina, at least not at first. What if he’d slipped because Barb had been there, too?
Barb had been a police dispatcher. Everyone in town knew that Doug Cantrell wanted Tina back, which meant Barb had known it, too. That kind of humiliation and pain could have driven her to do something rash. Something desperate.
And now Lily was alone with her.
Cursing, John grabbed his phone and hit redial. “Come on, come on.” He waited for Raddison to pick up. Waited some more. “Damn it.” When he didn’t answer, he dialed Lily’s number. But that just rang, too.
“No, no, no,” he repeated over and over again.
Please let her be all right. Please don’t take her away from me.
Chapter 20
“Thank you again,” Lily told the officer standing guard out front. “I appreciate it.”
The y
oung man with dimples winked at her. “No problem. I just talked to John and he should be here soon. I’ll come in occasionally and check in on you. Just be careful with that hot water, ladies.”
Lily laughed uncomfortably before shutting the door, then glanced at Barb. She sat on the sofa with her jaw set, obviously not finding humor in the fact that the young officer had run in just as she’d been stripping her soaked shirt off… But then Barb’s mouth tilted and a small giggle burst from her chest. Soon, she was full out laughing.
Staring at her, Lily laughed, too.
Barb shook her head and quieted down. “Your father’s been the only man to see me naked in almost twenty years. It felt nice showing a little skin to someone so good-looking.” She smoothed her hair away from her face. “But let’s keep this our little secret, okay?”
“Definitely.”
Barb rose and regarded Lily with a serious expression. “Your father never loved me the way he loved your mother, you know.”
Instinctively, Lily shook her head. “That’s not—”
“Lily. Please. I’m not a fool. But he does love me, nevertheless. Oh, I know if he had it to do over again, he wouldn’t. But we all make choices and have to live with them. I’m the choice he has to live with. And I’ve never been more grateful for anything in my life. Do you understand? Your father would do anything for you because he loves you. And I know he’d do the same for me. That’s why I stay with him.”
Seeing the sad acceptance on Barb’s face, Lily reached out and touched the other woman’s hand. “Yes,” she whispered. “I understand.”
Barb cleared her throat. “I need a shower before your father comes back. Do you mind if I go up for a while?”
“Not at all,” Lily said. “I’ll just stay here and wait for John.”
After Barb left, Lily went to the window, pulled the curtains aside, and stared into the dark night. The street outside was quiet and absent of activity, the only movement being the slight sway of the London Plane trees lining the path leading to a nearby green belt. She squinted, trying to see farther into the distance, to make out shapes in the shadows.
The longer she stared, the more nervous she became. From her vantage point, and without the sound of wind and rustling leaves, the silent dance of greenery seemed disturbing.