He was working on his second pile of crumbs on the dining room floor when he heard a knock at the door. Rina and the gang had keys so it had to be a student who forgot something. He put down the broom and peered through the living room picture window, the drapes now wide open since Carter was in custody. He stared through the picture window as Marge waved to him. He flung the door open. With her were Will and Erin Young a.k.a. Elena Hardgreeves dressed demurely in a knee-length skirt and a pink blouse with ballet flats on her feet. She was looking at the ground.
“Come in, please,” Decker said.
Will spoke first as he stepped inside. “Since my wife needed to see you, I decided to take you up on the bird-watching invite.” He paused. “Something smells good.”
Decker could barely contain his excitement. He said, “You’re just in time for dinner.”
“That’s good because I’m starved,” Will said.
“Will!” Marge said.
“No, it really is good. We just finished eating two hours ago.”
“And you’re going to eat again?” Will asked.
“He doesn’t understand yet,” Marge said. “I’ll explain it to him.”
“Anyway, you’re all invited.” Decker looked at Elena. “Ms. Hardgreeves. It’s nice to see you again.”
She didn’t answer. Marge said, “I think at some point, it would be truly useful if you let Elena know precisely what’s going on and what charges you have.”
“I’d be happy to do that.” Decker paused. “Right now if you want to.”
“Maybe in an hour or two,” Marge said. “We just got off the plane and had a long car ride over.”
“Of course, of course. What can I get everybody to drink?”
“Martini,” Will said. “Or is that not allowed on the holiday?”
“It’s not only allowed, at times it’s mandatory,” Decker said. “Marge?”
“Glass of white wine.”
“Ms. Hardgreeves?”
“Wine sounds good.” Her voice was soft.
“Right away.” A minute later, Decker came out with the drinks and served them. “Everyone sit and relax.”
Marge sat on the couch. Decker was really glad he had cleaned everything so thoroughly. “Where are you staying?” he asked.
“We booked rooms at the Ramada Inn.”
“That’s great. It’s just a few blocks away.”
“Right. We figured it would be convenient for you. Elena is in the room right next door. I’m assuming the department will pay for the accommodations?”
“Of course. No problem.” Decker smiled. “And again, all of you are invited for dinner.”
“We don’t want to impose.” Marge sipped wine.
“Oh, please. I’m the one who has imposed on all of you.”
Marge said, “You’re just doing your job. So am I. It’s Elena who’s bearing the brunt of all this.”
Decker nodded. “I can only imagine how hard this is for you. Your bravery and your commitment to justice will save lives, Elena. Diaz is a very bad man and your testimony will put him away. It will also add charges to Hank Carter. Serious charges.”
“I thought he was behind bars.”
“He is. He’s already been charged with attempted murder along with a slew of other things.”
“Yeah, how is Rina?” Will asked. Then he turned to Elena. “Rina is Detective Decker’s wife. That Carter guy was stalking her.”
“Oh God.” Elena put her hands to her mouth. “That’s terrible!”
“It worked out,” Will said. “She shot him.”
“Will!” Marge said.
“It’s the truth. And within these four walls, everyone’s happy about it.”
Softly, Elena said, “He’s right.”
“Yes, he is, but we can’t admit things like that out loud,” Marge said.
“I’ll fill you in on everything, Elena,” Decker said. “But right now all I want to do is thank you for coming forward. You’re doing the right thing. You’re preventing this monster from doing something horrible to someone else.”
“That makes me sound very righteous.”
“You are very righteous.”
“The fact is, Detective, I can’t go on living in fear anymore. Detective Dunn and I talked about this and she’s right. If I hope to live a normal life ever again—whatever normal now means—I have to reclaim myself.”
At that moment, the door opened and the family came spilling inside. Rina’s eyes widened when she saw Marge and Will. “My goodness, twice in a month?” She gave them each a hug.
Marge said, “Hey, Jake.”
“Margie . . .” Jacob hugged her and shook Will’s hand. “You guys remember Ilana from the wedding.”
“I remember her,” Will said. “I’m sure she doesn’t remember me.”
“I do,” Ilana said. “You were a cop up in Berkeley and you met Marge and Dad—my father-in-law—on an assignment. Then you came down south to be with her.”
“Whoa,” Will said. “I stand corrected.”
Marge stuck out her hand to McAdams. “You must be the kid.”
Tyler shook hands and smiled. “And you must be the ex-partner that the Old Man is constantly comparing me to—invidiously, I might add.”
“I do not,” Decker said. Tyler cleared his throat. “Well, maybe a little.”
“I should hope so,” Marge said.
“Everyone,” Decker said. “This brave young woman who has come here to help put away a bad guy is Elena Hardgreeves.”
She smiled. “Actually, Detective, my name is Erin Young.”
About the Author
Faye Kellerman lives with her husband, New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman, in Los Angeles, California, and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
Also by Faye Kellerman
The Theory of Death
Murder 101
The Beast
Gun Games
Hangman
Blindman’s Bluff
The Mercedes Coffin
The Burnt House
The Ritual Bath
Sacred and Profane
The Quality of Mercy
Milk and Honey
Day of Atonement
False Prophet
Grievous Sin
Sanctuary
Justice
Prayers for the Dead
Serpent’s Tooth
Moon Music
Jupiter’s Bones
Stalker
The Forgotten
Stone Kiss
Street Dreams
Straight into Darkness
The Garden of Eden and Other Criminal Delights: A Book of Short Stories
With Jonathan Kellerman
Double Homicide
Capital Crimes
With Aliza Kellerman
Prism
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
bone box. Copyright © 2017 by Plot Line, Inc. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins Publishers.
Cover design by Jae Song
Cover photographs: © Dmitriy Raykin/Shutterstock (skull); © Jesada Sabai/Shutterstock (hand); © GalapagosPhoto/Shutterstock (dirt); © Caroline Newton/Shutterstock (wood box); © Jae Song (ribs); cou
rtesy of Science Museum, London, Wellcome Images (femur)
Digital Edition FEBRUARY 2017 ISBN: 9780062425256
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-242496-9
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