On a Killer's Trail

by Susan Page Davis

  “That’s why the houses were locked when the bodies were discovered,” Neil said. “He made copies of their house keys.”

  “Yes. He didn’t really need to go to all that trouble. Both volunteers would probably have let him in anyway, but he wanted to get inside without alerting their families, I guess.”

  “Except Ted Hepburn lived alone.”

  “Right. Just him and the four cats. Roberta insists she didn’t know Burton was going to kill Ted and Edna, didn’t even think he planned to do it. Just a spur-of-the-moment thing, she said.”

  “Oh, I’ve heard that one before,” Neil said. “‘Please, Mr. Detective, I didn’t mean to do it. I just took my gun along to scare him with it.’ Give me a break.”

  “Yeah, well, it might work for one murder, but not two,” said Connor. “And you don’t have your victim’s house keys copied if you only intend to scare him a little. Roberta said he told her afterward that he couldn’t think of any other solution. Roberta said she was appalled.”

  “Naturally.” Neil shook his head. “So appalled she ran right to the police and told them her boyfriend, with whom she was planning to steal upward of a million dollars, had just killed two people.”

  “That’s my take, too,” said Connor. “At least she’s ready to testify against him now.”

  “What if he says she did it?” Neil asked. He’d seen a murder case like that, where two people blamed each other, and they both walked.

  “I think we’ve got him,” Connor said. “Stephen saw him cleaning the gun, and he got Roberta to mail him the cash. He personally emptied the building fund accounts. We’ve got enough to keep him in jail a long, long time.”

  “Well, I hope we can make the murder charges stick.” Neil drove in the front entrance of the pancake house’s parking lot as Tony gunned his Mustang in the side entrance.

  “Green car,” Neil said to Connor. “Where is it?”

  Connor scanned the lot, gritting his teeth. “Not here. We’ve lost them.”

  On the other side of the lot, Tony eased along the row of cars.

  “Stop!” Connor clawed at his seat belt.

  “What?”

  “That’s Kate’s car.” He jerked his chin toward a red compact sedan.

  Neil looked. A wave of sickness tossed his stomach. Connor threw off the belt and yanked his door open. Neil slammed the gearshift into Park and jumped out. Connor was already opening the driver’s door of Kate’s car.

  Tony pulled up and lowered his window. “I thought you said it was a green car.”

  “That’s Kate’s car,” Neil told him. “She didn’t leave when I told her to. Check in the restaurant and see if she’s inside.”

  Tony bounded from his seat, leaving his treasured Mustang idling in the traffic lane of the parking lot.

  Connor straightened and shut the car door. “The passenger door is locked, but this one wasn’t.”

  “She got out on her own.” Neil managed a half smile. “Hey, she’s probably close by.”

  Connor shook his head. “This was on the floor near the gas pedal.”

  He held up Kate’s phone.

  Kate huddled against the door in the backseat of Jim Burton’s car, as far away from him as she could get. Burton sat beside her, pointing the gun at her midsection while his son drove.

  “Too bad you had to be so nosy,” Burton said. “When Stephen told me you were watching us, I couldn’t just drive off and leave you there. You would go to the police. I can’t have that happen until we tie up a few loose ends.”

  “Until you get your money, you mean? I know they blocked your foreign bank account, Mr. Burton. There’s no way you’ll get that building fund money. Ever.”

  He scowled. “Stephen told me you were asking him all kinds of questions about me Friday. He thought he didn’t spill anything important, but I guess he was wrong. Have you been following him, or did he tell you where I was?”

  “Neither.”

  “Right.”

  “It’s true. I took a different route to work this morning, and I just happened to be driving past the pancake house when Stephen got out of your car.”

  “As if I’d believe that.”

  Kate clamped her lips together and looked out the window. Stephen turned onto Forest Avenue, and she wondered where they were going. Not Jim and Claire Burton’s home.

  A few minutes later, Stephen parked on a side street.

  “We’ll wait here,” Burton said, still holding the gun on Kate.

  “You know they won’t give it to me,” Stephen said. “They wouldn’t give it to Sean.”

  “That was Saturday. There’ll be a different clerk on today. Wait until there are several people in line. When it’s busy. You just never know.”

  Stephen got out of the car. Kate watched him cross the street. They waited nearly ten minutes in silence. She wondered if Burton would shoot if she opened the door and ran. Lord, give me wisdom. Her heart sank as she saw Stephen walking down the sidewalk empty-handed.

  He opened the car door and slid into the driver’s seat. “They won’t give it to me. They asked for ID.”

  “Did you show them any?”

  “No. I said my father would come and get the package.”

  Burton swore. “Did you see any cops?”

  “No. But there are a lot of cars in the front parking lot.”

  “I guess it’s the only way.” Burton raised the gun a couple of inches, drawing Kate’s attention to it. “Miss Richards, I’ll have this in my pocket, pointed at you every second. Walk slightly ahead of me and go in the side entrance of the post office. Get in the shortest line. And don’t even think about yelling or trying to run. I won’t hesitate to shoot.”

  Kate began to tremble. “Can’t I stay here with Stephen?”

  “No. I need a guarantee that I’ll leave the post office alive. You are my insurance. Now get out on the sidewalk, and remember—I’m right behind you.”

  Tony ran out of the restaurant. “She’s not in there.”

  “You sure?” Neil called.

  “Positive. Ask the ladies in the restroom how I know.”

  Connor was already on his radio with the dispatcher. “Send four units to Jim and Claire Burton’s house.” He gave the address. “And we’ve got to watch the interstate south.”

  “You think he’s back with the wife?” Tony asked.

  Neil shrugged. “He’s got both his boys running errands for him. And Mrs. B was in deep denial about the murders last week. Maybe he’s convinced her Roberta did it and set him up.”

  Connor yelled, “Come on, let’s move.”

  Tony opened the door of his Mustang. “Burton’s house?”

  “I don’t know where else to look,” Connor said. “You think we should send a unit to the animal shelter?”

  “The post office,” Neil said. “They were getting breakfast while they waited for the window to open at the post office.”

  Connor met his gaze and slowly nodded. “Right. Emily is back on duty this morning. Let’s go.”

  Neil jumped into his truck. Tony slapped a blue light on the top of his Mustang and roared out of the parking lot.

  They were halfway to the post office when the dispatcher called Connor. His features tightened as he took the call.

  “All right, send as many uniforms as you can. Now.” He turned to Neil. “Emily just notified dispatch. Jim Burton is at the post office wearing the Parlin disguise, and there’s a woman with him. He handed in the card for the package, and Emily’s stalling him.”

  Neil flipped on his flashing blue light and siren. Connor grimaced and clapped his hands over his ears, but didn’t complain.

  Kate stood beside Burton before the post office counter, trying to keep her face impassive. Burton’s occasional nudge in her side and his stony expression kept her pulse thundering.

  “Here you go, Mr. Parlin,” said the clerk, setting a white box on the counter. “Sorry about the delay. Just sign right here, please.”
<
br />   “What for?”

  “This package was insured.”

  Burton hesitated. That must not have been in the plan, Kate thought. He scrawled something on the form the clerk handed him and tossed down the pen.

  “Thanks.” He tucked the package under his arm and nodded to Kate. She turned toward the door, her mind racing. Now, if ever, was the time to act, while he was distracted and had the package to deal with. He’d gone to a lot of trouble to get it, and she was pretty sure he wouldn’t want to let go of that, no matter what.

  When she opened the post office door, she heard sirens in the distance and hesitated. Burton swore. He stepped close to her and put his arm around her.

  “My gun is right under your rib, darling. Don’t try anything. Just walk quickly with me to the car.” As they reached the curb, there was a slight break in traffic. “Go now.”

  Kate’s breath came in shallow gasps as she hastened across the street. A few more steps, and she could see the green car, parked around the corner. The volume of the sirens surged, and a dark car pulled in next to the sidewalk, a few feet ahead of them. Burton stopped, and Kate darted another glance toward the car they had arrived in. Stephen started the green car moving, just as a red Mustang turned the corner and swung in front of it. She winced as metal crunched metal.

  Burton’s arm clamped her hard against his side, and he swung her around. The siren volume was painful now. A black pickup drove toward them with a blue strobe flashing on the dashboard. She recognized Neil and Connor as the truck jumped the curb and hit the sidewalk. She opened her mouth to scream. He would never stop in time on the snowy sidewalk.

  Burton jumped back, pulling her with him, and Kate shoved him hard. They both went down into the snowbank that edged the sidewalk. She thrust herself away from him and struggled to stand.

  Strong hands seized her from behind and lifted her.

  “Put you hands up, Burton.”

  She saw Connor reach down and retrieve Burton’s handgun from the snow.

  “Kate, are you all right?”

  She whirled around and realized Neil was the one who had pulled her away from Jim Burton. She stared into his face for a moment, unable to form words. He hauled her in against the front of his jacket and wrapped his arms around her.

  “It’s okay. You’re okay.”

  She closed her eyes and leaned against him, shaking.

  “Come sit in the truck,” Neil said.

  Her knees quivered uncontrollably as they went the few steps, and he opened the door for her.

  “In you go.” He dashed to the driver’s side, got in, killed the siren and turned the heater up as high as it would go.

  Kate drew in a deep breath and tried to stop her lips from trembling. “I’m surprised you’re still speaking to me.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “Kate, how can you—”

  “You said I was stubborn, and you were right.”

  Comprehension dawned in his eyes. “Did I say stubborn? I meant tenacious.” He reached for her and pulled her against his shoulder.

  She closed her eyes and squeezed him. “Do you need to be out there?”

  “We’ve got at least twenty cops on it. I think Connor would want me to keep an eye on you.”

  She opened her eyes and sat up, squinting out at the sun-on-snow glare. Burton was handcuffed, and two uniformed officers held him while Connor read him his rights. Tony Carlisle was frisking Stephen, who stood with his hands on top of his father’s car. The Mustang’s front left fender was melded to that of the green sedan.

  “Poor Tony.”

  “Yeah,” Neil murmured, kissing her hair. “He really shouldn’t drive that Mustang to work.”

  Kate turned toward him, and he kissed her gently but with an underlying hint of passion she knew she no longer wanted to live without.

  SIXTEEN

  On Tuesday, Neil took Kate home after an evening with his parents. This time the lights were still blazing, and he went in with her.

  “Connor and Adri are still up, I guess,” he said.

  “Probably Hailey’s keeping them awake.”

  They went into the living room and found their hosts sitting together on the couch, watching a movie.

  “Well, hi! Did you have a good time?” Adrienne asked as Connor paused the video.

  Neil kept quiet and watched Kate. He was sort of wondering the same thing. He’d already apologized in the truck for his brother-in-law Dennis’s unrestrained drinking.

  Kate’s mile-wide smile had to be genuine. “It was great. I love Neil’s parents. We played games and ate a ton of snacks. I think we’re gezellig now.”

  Neil laughed. “Not quite. We left too early for that. To be really in with a Dutch family, you have to be the last one to leave the game table.” He looked at Connor. “So, any new developments?”

  “Nope. I’m off-duty, and I unplugged the phone.”

  “Do you want some coffee?” Adrienne asked.

  “No, thanks. I’d better get going,” Neil said.

  “Right. You need to be at the courthouse early in the morning for Jim Burton’s arraignment,” Connor reminded him.

  Neil nodded. “Will do.”

  “I don’t understand his wife,” Kate said. “Her husband left her for another woman, robbed his employer and killed two people. But she still agreed to help him skip town and set up a new life somewhere else with their two sons.”

  “I don’t get it, either,” said Connor.

  “It’s very simple,” said Adrienne.

  “It is?” He stared at her.

  “She’s taken him back. Probably made him grovel first.”

  “But the thefts, and the murders,” Neil said.

  “You guys said she won’t admit he did the murders,” Adrienne pointed out.

  “No, but she knows they were committed with his gun,” said Connor.

  “She told me someone else must have used his gun, that Jim wasn’t capable of doing it,” Neil said. “She claimed he was being set up.”

  Adrienne nodded. “Some women will forgive a lot for security.”

  “You wouldn’t,” said Connor.

  “Maybe not something like that,” she agreed. “But if he spun a good enough story, seemed truly penitent and promised her a good life together…”

  “Maybe he’s sworn off other women and told her he’ll take her and the boys someplace where they can live happily ever after,” Kate speculated.

  “Maybe he really thought he could,” Neil said. “Get the money and get his family back, too.”

  Kate walked him back to the entry. “Thanks so much, Neil. I hope your family wasn’t too disappointed in me.”

  “No way. I think Mama was favorably impressed, and Papa obviously adores you.”

  “Well, I like them. But you’ve got to give me some pointers on bluffing.”

  “You did all right at games. I just wondered about the rest of it. I know you’re used to a Christian family.”

  Her smile softened. “Who says they won’t join us one day?”

  He folded her in against his chest. “Thank you. Tonight was…”

  “What?”

  “I want to say perfect, but it wasn’t. I mean, if there hadn’t been any beer, and my papa wouldn’t swear so much…but…Kate, being with you makes me feel like everything’s right in spite of the things that aren’t. You know what I mean?”

  “Yeah, I think I do.” She reached up to his collar and adjusted it. Neil looked deep into her eyes and leaned down to kiss her. She emerged from his embrace with a glowing smile. He’d never looked into a woman’s eyes before and seen such trust and longing and joy.

  “I’ll call you tomorrow.” He squeezed her briefly and went out.

  The next day Neil left the courthouse shortly before noon. He dropped Tony off at the body shop to pick up his gently restored Mustang, grabbed a burger and drove back to the police station.

  “So, was Claire Burton in on it?” Connor asked him after he’d reporte
d on the arraignment.

  “I don’t know. The D.A. is trying to work that one out. Jim Burton’s stacked up enough charges to keep him in prison for life. Stephen has been charged as an accessory to kidnapping Kate and various other counts. Sean, I’m afraid, will have it hard.”

  “He’s not being charged?” Connor asked.

  “No, but it’s possible his mother may be. I’m hoping Sean can go to his grandparents in New Jersey. Otherwise, it’s foster care.”

  “Tough on a kid that age,” Connor said.

  “Yes, I feel bad for him. He’s not a hard kid, really.”

  “He will be after this.”

  Neil’s cell phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket. “Marianne.” He put the phone to his ear. “Hey, sis, what’s up?”

  “It’s Oma. The Pines just called Mama. They think she had a stroke or something. They’re taking her to Maine Medical.”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  “Okay. I’m here with Mama, but I think she and Papa will go over as soon as he gets here from work. And I called Anneke. She may get there before we do.”

  “What is it?” asked Connor as Neil closed his phone.

  “My Oma. They just took her to the hospital.”

  “Go on,” Connor said. “Don’t even think about coming back to work today.”

  At the hospital, Neil found his sister Anneke weeping in the emergency room’s waiting area.