by Robin Mahle
Katie rushed to her father, wrapping her arms around him. She loved him so much; loved both her parents so very much. All the time she wasted being angry, pulling away from them; wasted years. Keeping the secret from her was hard to forgive, but in their minds, they were trying to protect her. She was beginning to see that now. The harsh realities of her own loss had set in and she wouldn’t waste any more time being angry.
Soon, with the bag tossed over her shoulder, Katie moved down the staircase, sliding her hand along the railing to steady herself from the extra weight. As she reached the bottom, John and Deborah said their goodbyes and helped her to the door.
“I’ll make sure they keep you updated, okay? Please don’t worry. I’ll be fine and I’ll contact you as soon as they let me.”
John did his best to sooth his anxious wife.
Katie opened the door and said goodbye one last time.
Officer Miller was still talking to the patrolman out front. “You ready to go, Ms. Reid?”
“Yes.”
20
It had been three hours and no word from Marshall. An agent was posted outside her hotel room door and Katie was starting to feel like a prisoner, but it was still better than the alternative. The worst part, though, was that it was the first time the case was moving forward without her and it wasn’t sitting well.
She had already paced the room countless times, wondering where he was, what was happening. Again, she walked to the sliding glass door that led to a small balcony in this fourth-floor room. Two weathered chairs and a side table were all that could fit in the confines of the deck. The agent out front advised her against going outside and since they were there to protect her, she resisted the urge. If they couldn’t control her here, she knew what would come next.
The hotel was decent enough; not the Ritz, but what was around here? They were letting her stay on and that was what mattered. She peered through the curtains, beyond the balcony and sparsely populated parking lot to the river on the horizon. The highway was opposite the hotel’s front entrance and she wouldn’t be able to see Marshall coming from where her room was situated. So she watched the river flow, its dark waters heading downstream, eventually leading to the coast, and waited.
Meandering her way to a chair that had been crammed in the corner of the room, Katie grabbed the remote control and turned on the television. Nothing new; about Sam, or anyone else, for that matter. They kept playing snippets of the news conference from this morning, repeating the same thing. Everyone should be vigilant, but no one was in any danger. Easy for you to say.
The knock on the door startled her away from the television.
“Kate, it’s Marshall.” The sound of a key card sliding in the lock; click, and the door opened. “Thank you, agent,” he said to the man outside.
“Why haven’t you called? I’ve been waiting here for hours.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t plan on taking as long as I did. But, we’ve got a match.”
She stepped back. “A match?” A glimmer of hope sounded in her words.
“The man who killed Sam is the same one who killed Angela Richards. We got a hit.”
“What does this mean?” she asked.
“It confirms our suspicions that we’re dealing with a serial killer, one who’s spanned decades. This is going to allow us a hell of a lot more leeway on this investigation. The FBI will send more agents. More agents mean the ability to follow up on more leads. We’re about to ramp this thing up, Kate.”
“I’m just sorry it took the death of my best friend to make it happen.” She sat down on the edge of the bed, the images of Sam’s body still in the forefront of her mind. “I snuck into the chief’s office today, after I left the warehouse.” She looked up at Marshall to gauge his reaction, but he had the same deadpan expression he always had when he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“I saw the crime scene photos of Sam.” Her emotions were rising, but she steadied herself.
Marshall moved next to her. “Why would you look at those? What were you doing in his office?”
“They were just there, strewn out all over the desk. I saw what he did to her; how he left her.” She turned away and stared through the window. “I want to kill him, Marshall. I swear to God, I want to kill him.”
“Come here.” He pulled her close. “You’ve been so strong through all of this. I honestly don’t know how you manage to keep it together some days, but your strength; it scares me sometimes. Staying here, not wanting to go into protective custody; it worries me that you’re in this deeper than I am. And why were you in the chief’s office? Is this about what he said to you, about not realizing what you’d done?”
“You didn’t see his face when he said that, Marshall. He was afraid.”
“Of course he was. We all are; afraid for you, for your family, and for all of us trying to solve this case.”
“No, it was more than that. It was like he knew something that we didn’t.”
“Like what?”
Frustrated, she pulled away from his embrace and stood. “I don’t know. I can’t explain it, but something’s not right.”
“No, none of this is right, but you have to know that we’ve got the full force of the FBI on our side now. The chief? He’s not a player in this any more, not to any real degree. Hell, I’m only hanging on because Scarborough feels for us, for you and what you’ve been through.”
“The funeral’s tomorrow. I can go, right?” Katie asked.
“Of course. I’ll come with you. I’m concerned your presence will be a distraction, though. This is all over the news now, Kate. So it’s probably best to stay in the background; let the family grieve in peace.”
“He’s going to take that away from me too? I can’t say goodbye to her?”
“You already did. That will have to be enough.”
The morning of the funeral brought with it dark skies that threatened to unleash a downpour. The lightly woven cardigan Katie draped over her shoulders was scarcely enough to keep her warm and the chill grew more intense the closer they got to the gravesite.
Earlier, Katie stood in the church where Sam had been married, attending her funeral. It didn’t seem possible. Marshall advised her to stay at the back of the church and she did. She listened to the same pastor who married Sam and Jarrod talk of her untimely death. No media was allowed in the service, but a few hung around outside, waiting to devour the family as they emerged.
Two policemen flanked either side of the entrance and another waited on the street to begin the procession to the cemetery.
They were the third car back. Clouds still filled the morning air, but on the horizon awaited blue sky. A few vague memories of the night before drifted through Katie’s mind. Marshall’s strong arms, which held her bare skin next to his; deep passionate kisses that made her forget, for just a moment, about what lay ahead. With a blink, the memories were gone, only to be replaced with the pain and sickness of her broken heart.
As the procession arrived, the cars lined the winding drive that led to the field of manicured grounds. Fresh flowers lay at the foot of most of the gravestones. They walked along the green grass, Katie’s heels sinking with each step. The ground was soft and still covered in dew.
In the distance, she saw the pastor standing tall, but somber. She was chilled to the bone now; nothing could warm her. Finally, they were there. Katie had never seen an open grave before and hoped never to see one again.
The pastor’s final words were followed by each family member releasing a handful of dirt onto the casket. First, it was Jarrod, then Sam’s parents.
“Please, let me say goodbye,” she whispered to Marshall as they stood in the background.
“Wait until they start to leave. I’m sorry. It has to be this way.”
The mourners were on their way back to their cars when Marshall finally allowed her to toss her handful of dirt onto Sam’s beautiful casket. Its grandeur was meant to complement the beauty it held with
in.
“You have to let her go now, Kate, but she will not be forgotten; not by any of us.” He led her away and back to the waiting car.
Her unsteady legs struggled to carry the heavy burden of Sam’s death. Nothing would ever completely release Katie of that load, but watching the man responsible die at her hands would be a start.
Marshall drove on and made his way back to the hotel. Under the porte-cochere, he opened the passenger door for Katie and she gracefully stepped out in her high heels and calf-length black dress. Before yesterday, the only black dresses she owned were for parties or nightclubs, and they were still at her apartment in San Diego, tucked away for a time when she could think about such things again. She turned her face upward and looked at the sky, watching the rain fall in sheets. Katie was grateful to Mother Nature for waiting until her best friend was buried before she wept for her.
“Let’s get you inside.” Marshall led her through the lobby and up to her room, nodding to the agents stationed at various strategic locations to ensure Katie’s safety.
She flopped onto the bed and fell back, staring at the ceiling. Exhaustion overcame her and all she could think about was sleep.
“Do you want me to order room service?”
“I’m not hungry,” she whispered.
“Please, eat something, Kate. You haven’t eaten all day.”
She turned her head toward him, her face stained with dried tears. “I’m not hungry. I just want to sleep.”
The vibration of her cell phone startled both of them. Katie sat up and opened her purse to find it glowing and rattling the contents around it. She didn’t recognize the number and quickly looked to Marshall.
He sat down next to her and motioned her to answer it.
Raising the phone to her ear, she said nothing. On the other end, she heard the rush of cars passing by, the wind howling through the receiver. Whoever it was had been standing outside.
“You looked beautiful today, little Katie.”
Her heart ceased as the person on the other end needed to say nothing more. She already knew who it was. And, gauging by his quick leap off the bed, Marshall realized it too.
He reached for his cell and dialed Scarborough. “She’s on the phone with him now,” he said, speaking under his breath.
“Why did you kill her? She had nothing to do with this!” Rage at what this monster had done filled her grief-stricken heart. Katie demanded answers.
“I warned you to leave it alone, didn’t I? It’s your fault, you know. You made me do it. And I so hate the grown ones; much harder to control. She put up a hell of a fight.”
Katie grew nauseated by his words and then it dawned on her. “You were there? Today?” She trembled from the rush of adrenaline that shot through her body. “You saw me? You’re such a coward. I swear to God I’ll find you!”
“Calm down, little Katie; I got what I wanted from her and gave her back to you. Why so upset? She had a beautiful trinket that I’ve added to my collection. Now I just need one more and that’ll have to come from you. My set won’t be complete without yours. And if you won’t give it up, then I’ll have to find more to collect until you do.”
The phone went dead. He was gone.
“Did you get it?” Marshall asked Scarborough, who was still on the other end. “Damn it!” He threw his phone on the bed, striking the pillow. “He was using a burner. They can’t as easily track those phones. Even though they’re monitoring your phone, it’s still hard to get a location.” Marshall inhaled a calming breath. “He’s going to send the data to Vance, see what he can do with it.”
Katie sat still, although her heart still raced. She’d been able to confront the monster; let him know he didn’t have control over her. “What are we doing here, Marshall? We’ve got the FBI helping and they can’t even track him down. We just keep letting him screw with us and kill people along the way. He’s not finished. That much he made very clear. Who’s next? My parents? You? Maybe I should just give myself up to him now; save everyone the trouble.”
“Stop. I know you’re suffering, but that’s not going to happen and you know it. We’re finally getting ahead of this now with the new evidence.”
Katie scoffed, knowing what that evidence had cost her, and so many others.
“It won’t be long before we find him. Like I said before, his incredible arrogance is what’s going to get him caught.”
Katie rose from the bed and once again pushed the window curtains to one side to get a wider view of the parking lot below. Outside, she noticed a maintenance man throwing away some trash in the dumpsters that had been walled off from view. But from where she was on the fourth floor, she could see it well enough. A thought occurred to her as she watched him toss each garbage bag into the bin. “Do you think it’s strange that Sam’s body was found behind that rest stop only a day after she went missing?”
“Strange in the fact that the rest stop had been closed for the past two years. Strange that the maintenance crew happened to be out there that day,” he replied.
She turned to catch just a flicker of suspicion in Marshall’s eyes. “You want to rethink what I said about the chief?”
21
Chasing the Dream
It was the pounding on the hotel room door that shook both of them out of their sleep. “Hang on! Hang on!” Marshall yelled as he searched for the time. “It’s 5:30 in the morning, for God’s sake.” He pulled on his pants and ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m coming.”
“Who is that?” Katie asked.
Marshall reached for the door and looked through the peephole. Agent Scarborough stood outside, appearing distorted through the fish-eye lens. He yanked open the door. “What the hell is going on? It’s 5:30.”
Scarborough made his way inside, not waiting for an invitation.
Katie was already sitting up and had only just been able to slip on her robe before he barged in. If their relationship had been a secret before, it wasn’t any longer.
Scarborough, an acutely perceptive man, seemed unmoved at the sight of the two of them having shared a bed. “We need to get Katie out of here.”
“What?” She jumped up, clutching her robe together, although her modesty had gone unnoticed. “Why? What happened? Is my family okay?”
“Yes, they’re fine. I’ve been ordered to get you into protective custody now. Grab your things; we’re leaving in ten minutes.”
“Wait, hold on. What the hell happened?” Marshall asked.
“Chief Wilson arrived at the station about twenty minutes ago. He found a package that was left around the back entrance,” Scarborough replied.
“Oh God.” Katie eased back down onto the bed. It was the dreaded other shoe that was about to hit the floor with a great thud.
“Katie, it was your friend’s wedding ring. There was also a note inside. It said he wanted it to go to you, as a reminder of what happened.”
“We need to get down to the station and run it for prints,” Marshall said.
“We’re already on it. I don’t expect we’ll find prints.” Scarborough turned to Katie. “He’s here and we need for you not to be. This isn’t coming from me, although I concur; it’s coming from the top and you have no choice now.”
She looked to Marshall, her eyes pleading for him to object, but she knew he wouldn’t; not this time. He only started to gather her things. “Where are you going to go?” She’d hoped he would come with her, but that wasn’t who he was. Marshall would see this through to the end.
She waited for him to respond, but he didn’t, or couldn’t. Either way, she knew she wouldn’t see him again until all this was over. “When am I leaving?” she asked Scarborough.
“The arrangements are being made now. We’ll go down to the station as soon as you’re packed and ready. Then, I’m guessing you’ll be leaving sometime this afternoon. I’ll be down in the lobby. Get down there as soon as you can.” Scarborough shot Marshall a judgmental glare and left the room.
>
“What kind of look was that?” Katie asked.
“The kind that says I should know better than to sleep with someone I’m supposed to be protecting.”
“That’s absurd. Everything you’ve done has been to protect me.”
Marshall moved closer, standing just inches in front of her. “He’s right. You should have been put in protective custody weeks ago, after he contacted you again. I’ve been playing a dangerous game because I wanted to keep you close to me. I kept telling myself you were an integral part of the investigation and needed to stay. But in all reality, I’ve been the one putting you at risk. I’m sorry for that.”
She tried to speak, but he raised a hand to stop her. “I’m in love with you, Kate. I realized it a long time ago. I know there’ve been times when I saw the look in your eyes; you wanted more from me, but I stopped myself. I knew it wasn’t right. I didn’t want to take advantage of your vulnerability.”
“What changed?”
“I don’t know. Sam’s death; the pain I saw in your eyes. I wanted so badly to make it go away.”
“That was the only reason? To make me feel better?”
“No, of course not; I love you and I knew you cared for me too. I wanted to be with you.”
“You know I don’t just care for you, Marshall. After everything we’ve been through? I love you too.”
Scarborough pounded on the door again, destroying all momentum that was about to lead them somewhere she desperately wanted to go.
“Let’s get a move on!” he shouted.
The fantasy they were living in was about to end. She would be hidden somewhere, God only knew, and he would stay and help the FBI until they found the killer.
“Will you know where I’ll be?” she asked.