On a Killer's Trail

by Susan Page Davis

  They went to report to Connor in the living room.

  “Strange,” said Connor. “Two old people alone in a house. No sign of an outsider coming in here, yet she’s been shot. No weapon. He says he had none.”

  “You think he did it and stashed the gun?” Neil asked.

  “Where?”

  Neil shrugged.

  “You, Elaine and Joe go over this room again, please. Look for something beyond the obvious. I suppose you checked the fireplace?”

  “Yes, sir, but we’ll check it again,” said Elaine.

  They continued searching the house. Looking out a dining room window, Neil noted that Kate’s red compact car was still parked out front. When he turned, Connor was entering the room.

  “Why is Kate sitting out front?” Neil asked.

  Connor winced. “I should have told her not to come.”

  Neil peered down across the sloping lawn at the car, but from that angle, he couldn’t see the driver.

  “She wants to write the story for the Press Herald,” Connor said.

  Neil stared at him. “She’s working at the paper now?”

  Connor waved one hand in the air. “I know, I know. Conflict of interest and all that. It’s not like I told her about the murder. She heard me when I told Adri why I wouldn’t be home for Christmas dinner. I told you she’d moved to Portland and started working at the paper a few weeks ago.”

  “No. No, you never mentioned it. If you had, I would certainly remember that.”

  “Oh.” Connor gave a contrite shrug. “Sorry. Well, she’s on call for the paper today, and she said if I didn’t let her tag along, she’d just follow me anyway, like any good reporter who accidentally heard a hot tip.”

  “That sounds like Kate.” Neil recalled how Kate could dig her heels in during a disagreement. Still, he wondered how many of the officers working under the captain would have stood up to him like that.

  “I’m afraid she’s going to have a long wait today.”

  “You’re going to brief her, though?”

  “I guess I’ll have to.” Connor sighed. “I don’t like giving an exclusive to a relative.”

  “Maybe some other newspeople will hear about it on the scanner and show up before you tell her, and you can hold a press conference. Then it won’t look like nepotism.”

  “Possible. But it is Christmas Day.” Connor’s face brightened. “Hey, maybe I’ll just make you do a press conference.”

  “Oh, no.” Neil was pretty sure Connor was joking, but the slim chance he wasn’t made him nervous. “I just can’t believe you didn’t tell me she’d moved to Portland.”

  “To be honest, Adri and I weren’t sure how you’d react, so we put off telling you. Let’s take a look outside,” said Connor.

  They went through the kitchen and out the back door. Neil was still mulling over his friend’s actions. At least Connor could have warned him about Kate. The snow on the back steps and the lawn beyond lay in pristine splendor.

  “Nobody came in or out this way,” Connor said. He stepped down into the snow and Neil followed, though it meant getting his shoes wet. On each side of the porch, shrubs draped in snow hugged the house, and dead flower stalks thrust up out of the white expanse.

  Neil looked up at the windows above the porch. “That’s the window that was unlocked, but I’m sure no one stepped on the roof up there.”

  Connor considered the position of the window, the porch roof and the nearest tree. He shook his head. “No way.”

  Neil thought about it and looked all around. “So, Mrs. Riley must have opened the door and let him in.”

  Connor inhaled deeply. “Either that or the professor did it and is lying through his teeth.”

  “I don’t buy that,” Neil said.

  “Me, either. There’s the little question of the disappearing weapon. Pete Downey searched Riley’s luggage and stayed with him while he packed his clothes. There’s no way Gerald Riley took a gun out of this house.”

  “He could have stashed it before Elaine and Joe got here.”

  “Very slim chance, but where?”

  Neil shrugged. “We’ve got to keep looking.”

  Connor nodded. “That’s part of your job this afternoon. And if someone came in from outside, he arrived and left again between 8:40 and 8:55 this morning. Did he come here on foot?”

  Neil followed his reasoning. “So we ask all the neighbors if a car was parked along the street this morning. Also, if they saw anyone walking in the area.”

  “Excuse me. Connor?”

  Neil and Connor whirled around. Kate stood at the edge of the lawn in a red wool coat and high-topped boots. Her deep chestnut hair waved about her rosy cheeks. Neil looked into her deep blue eyes, and his mouth went dry. Why had he been such an idiot last summer? He shot a glance at Connor.

  “Hey, Kate, I thought I asked you to wait in the car,” Connor said.

  “Sorry. I just wondered if you could throw me a bone so I can keep my editor happy. He’s threatened to call in a more experienced reporter, and I’d hate to lose my first chance at a big story.”

  “Sure.” Connor sighed and glanced at his watch. “Listen, I’ve got to check in at the police station. There’s no way I’m going to make it home for dinner. Could you call Adri and tell her?”

  “I just talked to her. She says she and Mom have everything under control, and we’ll have the big dinner this evening. Whenever you can be there.”

  “Thanks.”

  Kate looked deliberately at Neil. “Hi, Neil.”

  “Hi.”

  Ten yards of four-inch-deep snow separated them. For a second, Neil wished they were closer; then he wished they were miles apart. Could they ever feel comfortable in the same universe again? He turned to Connor. “Hey, there’s a deli a couple of blocks from here. Why don’t you and Kate run over and see if they’re open? Get a sandwich and give her enough to start her story with.”

  Connor’s phone rang again and he pulled it out with a sigh as he answered it. “Yeah? Can’t it wait?” He shook his head slightly. “Okay, I’ll be there in a little while.” He stuffed the phone back in his pocket and turned to Neil. “I’ve got to go back to the office. Sergeant Legere needs me for a few minutes. How about you take Kate for a bite and bring her up to speed?”

  “Well…” Neil’s pulse kicked up a notch, and he zipped another glance at Kate. Throwing him and Kate together was the last thing he’d expected from Connor. “Sure, if Kate doesn’t mind.”

  She eyed him cautiously. “Sure. You can tell me about the murder, and…maybe we can clear the air on a few other things.”

  Neil swallowed hard.

  Connor nodded. “You can give her the basics. Nothing sensitive. You understand. And when you come back, you, Joe and Elaine tear this house apart. Figuratively speaking, of course.” He turned toward Kate. “Neil will know what information we can let you publish. If there’s anything new this afternoon, I’ll brief you when I get home.”

  “Really? Thanks.”

  Suddenly Neil wanted to be with Kate again, up close, looking into those vivid blue eyes. But that could never happen. Could it? The last time he’d seen her, she’d made it clear she didn’t want to see him again, and he didn’t really blame her. But things had changed. She must recognize that, too, or she wouldn’t consent to letting him brief her on the case. In that moment, Neil knew he wanted to straighten things out with her. Could he possibly wangle an invitation at the Larson house tonight?

  Remorse struck him. He hadn’t even called his mother to let her know his presence at the traditional dinner at one o’clock was out of the question. He couldn’t duck out on leftover roast beef tonight at his parents’ house, too. Not even for a chance to make things right with Kate. But would their impromptu lunch give them time enough to really talk?

  “Neil!”

  He jumped. “Yeah?”

  Connor scowled at him. “I said, send Elaine and Joe for a lunch when you come back. I’ll be
gone an hour or so.”

  “Right.” Neil looked over at Kate. “I’ll come through the house and meet you out front.”

  She nodded and started walking around the corner of the house.

  Neil realized Connor was watching him.

  “You sure you’re all right with that? Lunch with Kate, I mean?”

  “Yeah. I guess.”

  Connor’s brows drew together. “Maybe I shouldn’t have suggested it. If I weren’t so swamped—”

  “It’s okay.” Neil smiled and tried to believe it.

  Connor glanced at his watch again. “Okay, about that missing weapon.”

  “Yeah?” Neil asked.

  “I can only think of one thing Riley could have done with it, short of stashing it in the house.”

  “What’s that?” It came to Neil in a flash, and he looked up at the window again. “You think he threw it out the window?”

  Connor shrugged. “I don’t, really, but it was the only thing that was unlocked. You’d better examine this area.” He waved his arm to encompass the back lawn. Dozens of divots in the snow showed where melting clumps had fallen from the branches of the one big maple tree in the yard. Any one of them could have been made by a thrown object. “Keep on with the house search, and start questioning the neighbors.”

  “Right,” said Neil. “But we’ll need more men. And metal detectors.”

  TWO

  Kate unwrapped her sandwich as she faced Neil across a small table in the deli. Now, on her first opportunity in months to study him up close, she gave the detective mixed marks. He was still handsome, all right. Dark, wavy hair and chocolate-brown eyes, the hint of a dimple on his firm jaw. But his attractive appearance wasn’t all good in her book. She wanted—needed—a professional relationship with her sources in the police department. She didn’t want to be distracted by his good looks or her own stray thoughts of what had happened between them last summer. She shut down that train of thought in a hurry. This was her big story. Period.

  “So, Connor is requisitioning more uniformed officers for the investigation?”

  “Right,” Neil said. “He and I were the only two detectives available this morning. Christmas is putting a cramp in our usual style of investigating a homicide. We’ll be using patrolmen to help us canvass the neighborhood and take statements. Someone may have seen something this morning that will help us.”

  Kate nodded. Neil was acting professional, and so could she. Still, it would have been much easier if Connor had given her the information she needed himself. “I really appreciate this, Neil. I’m at the bottom of the journalistic ladder, and this story could mean a big boost to my career. But I’ve never covered a criminal case before, so treat me like the most ignorant person you’ve ever seen. No detail is too obvious for me.”

  He laughed nervously, and she took a bite of her sandwich, deliberately not looking at him.

  “Well, I’m happy I can help,” he said. “You have to understand that I can’t tell you everything about the investigation, just—”

  “Oh, I understand perfectly. I’m The Press, and you have to go by the book as to what access you give me.”

  An awkward silence settled between them as they dug in to their sandwiches and chips.

  “Look, this is kind of weird. If you’d rather not—”

  “Kate, I’m sorry.”

  She stared at him.

  Neil clamped his lips together, his cheeks flushed and his eyes forlorn. After a long moment of silence, he said quietly, “I mean it. I didn’t treat you very well. Actually, I treated you horribly. I…I’m sorry.” He blinked and crumpled up his napkin. “I’ve wanted to say that to you for a long time, but I figured you didn’t want to hear from me, so I didn’t try to contact you.”

  Kate reached for her glass of water and took a sip, easing it past the hot lump in her throat. She still didn’t trust her voice.

  Neil eyed her bleakly. “Connor and Adrienne didn’t even tell me you’d moved to Portland.”

  She nodded. “I asked them not to.”

  His lips twitched. He leaned back in his chair and toyed with the napkin. At last he looked up at her. His brown eyes reflected the hurt she still felt.

  “You haven’t been coming to their church.” It was little more than a whisper, but it struck home.

  Kate bowed her head. “They told me you’ve been going with them, and I didn’t want you to feel you had to stay away.” He started to speak, but she held up one hand. “My apartment is on the other side of town, near the university. I’ve found a church over there. It’s all right. Really.”

  He shook his head, frowning. “That doesn’t seem right.”

  She inhaled carefully, choosing her words. “I know you’re close to Connor. I don’t want to interfere with your friendship. I’ve only been in town four weeks, and I’ve been really busy.” She’d known that sooner or later she’d have to face Neil, but the move and her challenging new job had occupied her. Somehow she’d managed to avoid thinking about this moment.

  “Okay,” he said at last. “We can work together if we have to. I promise I won’t get out of line.”

  She couldn’t meet his gaze then. Hot tears hovered, only a blink away. How many nights had she cried herself to sleep after she broke up with Neil? She was certain Connor had raked him over the coals when he learned how deeply she’d been hurt.

  But they’d moved on. They’d both grown up a little. She knew she was tougher now. And she would know better than to let herself fall in love with a man who’d dated half the female population of the city. According to her sister, Neil had come a long way. Good. But she didn’t think she wanted to get too close to the white-hot stove that had burned her before.

  “Kate?”

  She nodded. “Sure. We’re both adults. If I need to contact you for news, treat me like you would any other reporter. I don’t expect any special favors, from Connor or from you.”

  “Okay. We’ll stick to business.”

  “Great.” Somehow, that didn’t make her feel better. She reached for the last bite of her sandwich. Connor was Neil’s boss, and he still considered Neil his friend, even after Kate’s short-lived relationship with Neil and the painful blowup when it ended. She knew they’d had words, but the rift had healed. Apparently Neil had started attending church shortly afterward and had made a profession of faith. They seemed to work well together, and Connor trusted Neil to be in charge of the investigation while he tended to his other duties. Would he think so highly of Neil if he hadn’t truly changed? She would watch and wait before she decided how she felt about Neil now.

  She opened her notebook and clicked her pen. “So…who was the victim? Professor Riley or his wife?”

  Neil stopped chewing and stared at her a moment before swallowing. “How did you know the home owner’s name?”

  “I looked up the address on my laptop. That house was featured in a garden club tour in July. Mrs. Riley’s an active member of the club and a green thumb extraordinaire. Her flower beds must be something when they’re not buried in snow.”

  “I’m impressed. Have you thought about going into law enforcement?”

  “Not really. I love to write. But I do love puzzles, too.”

  “Mmm. Well, this is one I hope we can solve.” Neil took another bite of his sandwich.

  After swallowing, he told her, “The victim is Edna Riley, age sixty-eight. Her body was discovered this morning by her husband. You already know his name, though.”

  “I do.”

  “Well, the medical examiner who responded was Dr. Jacob McIntyre. We’ll be getting a full autopsy report from him in a few days.”

  Kate wrote as fast as she could, saddened that a woman’s life had been taken yet energized as she conducted her first major interview. This was exactly the way she had pictured her life as a reporter.

  By sundown, Neil’s stomach was rumbling. The sandwich he’d had with Kate at the deli was only a distant memory. He tried not to imagine
all the delights he had missed at his mother’s Christmas dinner table. One thing she had made clear when he called her—if he didn’t show up by 7:00 p.m., he would regret it. What that meant, Neil wasn’t exactly sure. Maybe she would return his Christmas gifts for refunds. Or maybe she would disinherit him and leave everything to his sisters, Anneke and Marianne. They had married and provided his mother with grandchildren, as she always reminded him that good children should. Well, if he ever found the woman God wanted him to spend the rest of his life with, maybe he would, too. Until then he believed he was making a difference with his work, helping people. He’d stay focused on that and do the best job he could.

  After lunch, Kate had left and Neil headed back to the crime scene. More uniformed officers arrived, and Connor returned from his trip to the police station. By five o’clock, the Rileys’ entire yard was trampled and gone over with metal detectors, and every inch of the house had been inspected. No gun. No anything.

  The captain sent all the patrolmen home. As he and Neil walked to their vehicles, Connor took out his cell phone, called Adrienne and told her to expect him and Neil in an hour.

  Neil was tempted, but only for a moment. Although he was still attracted to Kate—his racing pulse when they’d met this morning proved that—he figured they’d about said it all during lunch. She didn’t want to be around him unless it was work related. Since receiving Christ a few months before, Neil had gotten off the dating merry-go-round. Before, it was just a game. Now, he realized how many women he had hurt. Women like Kate, who had hoped for a serious relationship when he just wanted to have a good time. Before, he hadn’t taken her faith seriously. Big mistake. He knew she’d been right to break it off before things got out of hand. Now he wasn’t sure how to act around a Christian woman, and he didn’t want to mess things up again. Better just to leave the past in the past.

  He looked at Connor. “My mother will kill me if I don’t show up at home. I’m sorry.”