His eyes sparked with humor. “What makes you think I haven’t?”
“So what happens now?” Kendra asked. “Can I just leave? Or do I need to stay here awhile longer?”
“My boss wants to keep you here for another day or two just to be safe. We’ve already got everything set up for you to meet your designer tomorrow, so we might as well stick to the plan.”
“Do we still need to use all that security now that the FBI caught the guy?”
Charlie nodded and glanced at his watch. “I don’t think my boss is going to want to take you out of protective custody until after they question DeFoe.”
Kendra stepped back and looked up at him, completely stunned. “Steve is the Malibu Stalker?”
“Yeah. It looks that way,” Charlie told her. “In fact, you gave us a lot of the information that helped us figure it out.”
“It can’t be Steve.” Kendra shook her head. “He was a jerk sometimes, but other than the fight with Alan, he never acted like he would hurt anyone. He couldn’t even stand the sight of his own blood.” She looked up at him and shook her head again. “There has to be some mistake. I’m sure there’s some logical reason why he was at my condo.”
Charlie took her hand, realizing that Kendra was still working through her shock. “Kendra, the murder weapon was found in his apartment.”
“But if he was at my place to hurt me, why didn’t he bring his gun?” Kendra asked now. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
“I don’t know why he left it behind.” Charlie shrugged. “Maybe he wasn’t planning on hurting you. He might have hoped to win you back, especially since we believe you are the person he’s been obsessed with all this time.” He hesitated for a moment as he considered the oddity of Steve not bringing his weapon with him. “Regardless, the weapon that was used to kill eight people was in his apartment. He also managed to shake the agent we had tailing him on the night the last murder was committed.”
She stared up at him, a deflated expression on her face. “I can’t believe it’s him. I never would have even thought it could be him.”
“Serial killers aren’t easy to identify,” Charlie said gently.
“More like impossible.”
“I know it’s a lot to take in.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “I do have some good news, though.”
“What’s that?”
“My boss said that since they’ve made an arrest, you can call your family if you want.”
Her face lit with excitement. “Really?”
“Yeah.” Charlie grinned at her. “You can use my phone.”
“That would be great. Thanks, Charlie.”
“No problem.” Charlie pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to her. “Just do me a favor and don’t tell anyone where you’re staying.”
Kendra’s eyebrows lifted. “You don’t want me to tell my dad that we’ve been living together for the past month?”
Charlie winced. “Definitely don’t tell him that. He might not be active in the Church, but I don’t think that’s the kind of news any father would want to hear.”
Kendra laughed. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I’m afraid he’s already suffered enough while I’ve been gone.”
Chapter 31
“Honey, I can’t tell you how glad I am to hear your voice,” Sterling Blake said as he sank into his favorite chair and let the stress of the past month melt away. His baby girl was safe, and she was coming home.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t call you, Dad. Everything has been so crazy since my last concert.”
“I know, but at least you’ll be home soon.”
“Kind of,” Kendra said, and he could hear the hesitation in her voice.
“What do you mean ‘kind of’?”
“I’m coming home for the St. Jude’s benefit, but then I’m going to come back and stay at my condo in Phoenix for a while.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Because I want to take some more time to write,” she told him. “Even though this month has been incredibly stressful, I’ve gotten so much work done.”
“You can write here in California.”
“It’s not the same, Dad. I’m never really alone when I’m in Malibu.”
He caught it then, something in her voice that told him she wasn’t telling him everything. “Is your music the only reason you want to stay in Arizona?”
“It’s the main reason,” Kendra said. “And there’s someone I started dating here. I’d like the chance to spend more time with him.”
“You’re staying there because of a boy? How did you start dating someone while you’ve been in protective custody?” Sterling demanded. “Who is he?”
“If all goes well, you’ll meet him when I come home for the benefit. I’m hoping he can come with me.”
“At least come home and spend the week here with us.”
“Dad, I’ll be home next week,” Kendra told him. “Henrico is flying over tomorrow morning to do a fitting for my gown, and my sound check for the benefit isn’t until the day before the concert.”
“I’ll still feel better when you’re home and I can see for myself that you’re okay.”
“I know,” Kendra said. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” Sterling hung up the phone and looked up at Bruce and Alan Parsons, who were both standing beside him. “You were right. She’s fine.”
“What was that about her dating someone?” Bruce asked.
“She didn’t say who, but she’s planning on bringing him with her to the benefit.” Sterling let out a sigh.
Alan spoke now. “When is she coming home?”
“A week from Friday.” Sterling shook his head. “She made arrangements for Henrico to fly out tomorrow to do her fitting. I have half a mind to fly over there myself and camp out at her condo until she’s ready to come back to Malibu.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Bruce said. “I’m sure she’ll be home soon enough.”
Sterling rubbed a hand wearily over his face. “I’m sure you’re right, but boy am I glad all of this is finally over.”
* * *
“I’m sorry I won’t be able to come with you today, but Angie is a good agent. She’ll make sure you stay safe,” Charlie told Kendra as he knotted his tie.
“I’m sure I’ll be fine,” Kendra assured him. She gave him a wry grin. “Of course, Angie and the agent driving Henrico to the resort will get to see my new dress before you do.”
“Maybe I’ll just have to convince you to try it on for me tonight.”
Her eyebrows went up. “Do we have plans tonight?”
“Do you want to?”
“I think I do.”
“Good.” Charlie slid his tie into place and straightened his collar. “This protection detail should be called off by tonight, and I think it’s about time I take you out to a nice dinner.”
“That sounds great.” She smiled at him, but a trace of nerves danced in her eyes. “I was also hoping you could work out your schedule to come to that benefit with me.”
“In California?”
She nodded. “I’ll understand if you can’t make it, but I’d really love for you to take me. It gets pretty old always being the only person there without an escort.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” He leaned forward and kissed her. “I’ll call you as soon as I finish at the office.”
“Okay. Be safe.”
His grin flashed. “Always.”
* * *
“Hey, Charlie. Welcome back,” Sam Pressman called out to Charlie as he stepped off the elevator. Sam was only a year older than Charlie, and they occasionally got together to shoot some basketball after hours. “How does it feel to be back among the normal people?”
“You consider yourself normal?” Charlie asked jokingly.
“Close enough.” Sam fell into step with him as Charlie headed toward Elias’s office. “Seriously though, how was it living with Kendra Blake? You were with h
er for what? A month?”
“More or less.” Charlie answered the easier of the two questions and then quickly changed the subject. “Has DeFoe been questioned yet?”
“He’s down in interrogation with Elias right now.”
“I’d better get down there,” Charlie said, changing directions. He walked into the viewing room and saw Elias sitting across the table from a slender, dark-haired man in his mid-twenties. Charlie turned to Neal, who was watching through the one-way glass. “Has he confessed?”
“Not yet. He hasn’t asked for a lawyer either. Says he didn’t do it.”
“Don’t they all?” Charlie muttered.
“Elias said to send you in as soon as you got here. He thought you might want to take a shot at this guy.”
Charlie’s mouth pressed into a hard line. “I think I would like that.”
He walked out of the viewing room and then moved down the hall a few yards to the door of the interrogation room. Charlie pushed the door open just as Steve insisted once more that he didn’t kill anyone. Rather than interrupt, Charlie simply closed the door behind him and leaned back against it.
Elias glanced up at Charlie briefly before firing another question at DeFoe. “Where did you go last week after the charity dinner?”
“One of the guys I work with was catering a private party in Beverly Hills. Afterward, a bunch of us drove up to Mammoth Mountain to do some skiing.”
“Why didn’t you take your car?”
“My car wouldn’t start.”
“What about the gun we found in your apartment?”
“I don’t even own a gun.”
“Really? Then how do you explain that the gun used to kill eight people was tucked away in your swimsuit drawer?”
“I didn’t kill anyone,” Steve insisted again. “I don’t even know any of these people, except for Joslyn, but everyone knows her.”
Elias glanced up at Charlie, sending a silent signal for Charlie to take over.
Charlie pushed away from the door and took a step toward the table. “How did you get the key to Kendra Blake’s condo here in Phoenix?”
“She gave it to me.”
“She gave it to you?” Charlie asked doubtfully.
“Yeah.” Pride and ego filled his eyes when he added smugly, “We were close once.”
Charlie ignored the way his stomach twisted at Steve’s words and pressed on. “Why were you at her condo today? I understand that the two of you broke up more than three years ago.”
“Yeah, we broke up. That bodyguard of hers wouldn’t give us two seconds of privacy.”
“So you knocked him out and planted a bomb backstage at her concert.”
“I didn’t do the bomb, and it’s not like Alan didn’t have it coming.”
Charlie and Elias exchanged looks.
“Alan?”
“Yeah, Alan Parsons.” Steve blew out a breath. “He must really have it in for me to set me up like this.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s the one who told me that Kendra wanted to see me,” Steve told them. “That’s how I knew about her condo here in town.”
Charlie looked at him, confused. “But you just said Kendra gave you a key.”
Steve’s ego deflated a little. “Well, Alan’s the one who gave it to me, but he said she wanted me to have it.”
“When was this?” Elias asked now.
“Yesterday.”
Elias’s eyebrows drew together. “And Alan suggested that you go see Kendra?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “He made it sound like it was pretty important. I thought maybe she’d come to her senses and wanted me back.”
Snippets of conversations flashed through Charlie’s mind. The Parsons have been with us since I was a teenager. The threat against me when I was a teenager.
“It’s Alan.” Charlie’s jaw clenched. “He set up DeFoe so we would back off.”
“Where’s Kendra now?”
Charlie’s face paled. “She’s supposed to have a gown fitting today.”
Urgency filled Elias’s voice. “Who’s the agent with her?”
“Angie Boyter.”
Elias pulled his phone out and called Angie’s number. He looked over at Charlie and shook his head. “Angie’s not answering. Try Kendra.”
Charlie pulled his phone free of his pocket and hit speed dial. The phone went straight to voice mail. “Her phone isn’t on.”
A sense of urgency seized him, and a single command flashed through his mind. Go now! Charlie didn’t hesitate. He sprinted from the room and out to the parking lot. Fewer than two minutes later, he peeled onto the road as he offered up a constant litany of prayers.
Chapter 32
“It’s perfect, Henrico,” Kendra said, running her hand down the silky gold fabric. “Thank you for going to so much trouble for me.”
“For you, it is no trouble at all,” Henrico said with his thick Italian accent. He looked down at his watch, “But now I have to catch my flight.”
“Thanks again.” Kendra took a step toward the door to walk him out of the bungalow that was nearly as large as her condo.
“I can see myself out. You go change out of that dress. It needs to be perfect for the benefit.”
“I know.” She smiled at him. “I’ll go change right now.”
Kendra turned toward the bedroom, knowing she didn’t have long before Angie would come inside to take her back to the safe house. She had insisted on taking up position outside the bungalow, and Kendra could only imagine that after an hour of waiting, she would be ready to leave.
A set of French doors on the side of the room led to a patio and the swimming pool beyond it. From the bits and pieces of information she had picked up, the FBI had arranged with the Biltmore to keep the bungalows near hers unoccupied during her fitting. She thought the effort was overkill, especially now that an arrest had been made, but she could admit that the solitude was comforting.
Turning away from the picturesque view, she stepped in front of the full-length mirror on the far wall. She studied her reflection, wondering what Charlie would think. She scooped her hair up with her hands, imagining she would wear it up for the benefit—and for the cameras, because if she had her way, it would be her first public appearance with Charlie Whitmore.
She wondered if he had thought of that, of the fact that the paparazzi would be out in force at the benefit and that his name would undoubtedly be linked with hers long before the weekend was over. Of course, the press could make a story out of so many things. Besides the possibility of her name being linked with the capture of the Malibu Stalker, she imagined some fashion magazine would notice her deviation from her signature color.
“Your dress isn’t blue.”
Kendra whirled around, her hand lifting to her pounding heart. She relaxed marginally when she saw Alan behind her. She supposed she should have known her father would send her a bodyguard even though she insisted she was fine. Briefly, she wondered how Alan had found her then quickly realized that he’d probably used his contacts with the FBI. Either that or he’d followed Henrico.
Knowing that Charlie would be taking her out tonight chased away her typical annoyance that such a ploy would have evoked, and she managed to smile at Alan. “No. I thought it was time for a change.”
She turned now to face him fully, and her eyebrows drew together. “How did you get in here?”
“I always imagined you would be wearing blue,” he said as though he hadn’t heard her question.
She took a step back as she wondered why Angie had let him come inside the bungalow alone. “What are you doing here, Alan?”
“I came for you,” he said, his voice eerily calm as he held up a single red rose.
The alarms in her head nearly exploded, and Kendra took another step back. She’d known Alan as her protector for years, but this wasn’t right. When he took another step forward, a horrifying thought flashed into her mind. Imagined me wearing blue? Could Alan be
the person responsible for killing all those women? Her blood ran cold at the possibility. The odd expression on his face only amplified the panic skittering through her.
“Does my father know you’re here?” She glanced at the French doors on the opposite side of the bed. She took another step back and toward the phone by the bed. Alan was standing a few feet inside the doorway, effectively blocking her path to the front door and to where her cell phone was tucked away in her purse in the living area.
He laughed softly. “Your father is the one who brought us together.”
“What do you mean?” Kendra asked.
He edged forward, and Kendra took the last few steps to the phone. She picked it up, sickened to find there wasn’t a dial tone.
“I’ve known since you were sixteen years old that we were meant to be together. A few letters, a few suggestions to my father, and then, there you were.” He waved a hand absently toward the telephone as though her efforts didn’t bother him in the least. “The phone doesn’t work anymore.”
Kendra’s heart pounded, terror and panic shooting through her. Silent prayers ran through her mind as she begged her Heavenly Father to help her find a way out. She swallowed hard and tried to keep her voice steady. “My father trusted you to protect me.”
“And I have,” Alan insisted, moving another step into the room. “I’ve been close by, even when you didn’t know it.” He shook his head as though suddenly confused. “Why couldn’t you see me? Why didn’t you know that I was there watching out for you?”
Think! Kendra demanded of herself. Had he really been following her around all these years? She thought of the women he’d killed—the women he’d pretended were her. But they weren’t her.
“What about the other women?”
“The others?”
“You weren’t watching out for me when you were with them.”
He shook his head quickly as though suddenly agitated. Then his placid expression returned. “There’s never been anyone else. It’s always been you.” His voice turned wistful. “I tried to talk to you at the party your parents threw for you to celebrate your first Grammy.”
Confusion filled her.
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