Deadly Noel

by Margaret Daley

  “She went home, but she wanted you to call her whatever time of the day you find the killer.”

  “Have you heard anything from Chief Shaffer?”

  “He’s at the cabin with Evan Jones the last I heard.”

  She wanted to be there, too. She wanted to interrogate the principal. She was going crazy holed up in her house. Waiting.

  Where is Gabriel? Is he alive?

  As tired as she was, she couldn’t sleep. She prowled the living room. “Why isn’t the police chief calling? Surely he knows something by now.”

  No reply from Wally. He didn’t talk like Larry. Right now she wished the young officer was here keeping her company.

  When her cell phone rang, she grabbed it off the table she’d placed it on. “Any news, Bill?”

  “Not what you want to hear.”

  His first words deflated her hope, and she sank onto the lounge chair. “What did you find at the cabin?”

  “Evidence of a lover’s tryst with some of the toys Evan liked to use. Maybe the wrong word is lover because what Marcie and Evan did here wasn’t what I call love. Domination maybe. Sadistic definitely.”

  “So Marcie’s lover was Evan.”

  “Yes, according to him for several years. At first he would meet her in Oklahoma City away from Pinecrest. Then when he inherited the cabin, they met there.”

  “So he’s our killer? Can he tell us where Gabriel is?”

  “No and no.”

  She nearly crushed her cell phone in her grip. “He’s lying. The evidence points to him.”

  “For now, he has an ironclad alibi for Shirley’s disappearance. He was at a national workshop in Chicago as one of the speakers, and when Marcie went missing, he and his wife were on a long weekend in Denver where her family lives. I’m in the process of verifying each time he was gone. According to Evan, his wife is aware of his—taste and has looked the other way when he indulges in them. He did say one interesting tidbit. Marcie was seeing someone else and not meeting with him much those last six weeks.”

  “Did he know who?” Her shoulders slumped forward, and she rested her elbows on her thighs.

  “No.”

  “He wasn’t jealous or upset about it?”

  “He already had another woman satisfying his weird peccadillo. Rebecca.”

  “Not Shirley or Mary Lou?” Kira’s eyes burned with fatigue. This wasn’t over.

  “No. I’m keeping him at the station until I get all the evidence to clear him.”

  “So there was no sign of Gabriel at the cabin?” She had pinned her hopes on Gabriel being there and alive.

  “No, but I have my officers looking for him, and the sheriff’s deputies are, too.”

  It wasn’t enough. She wanted to be out there scouring the town for him. She was so afraid that he would end up like the women—dead, his body disposed of somewhere to be found later. The very thought sent her hope spiraling downward.

  “I want to keep a police officer guarding you. The killer is linked to you somehow.”

  “Thanks. Call me if you hear anything about Gabriel.”

  “I will. Sorry. I wanted this to be the answer to what’s going on here.”

  “So did I.” Kira disconnected, set her phone on the table, leaned back in the lounge chair, closing her eyes. “It’s not the principal so we’re back to square one.”

  “Ma’am, I suggest you get some rest like your grandmother. You can’t do much when you’re this tired.”

  What Wally said made sense. She didn’t think she could sleep, but maybe at least she would close her eyes and rest on her bed. She needed to if she was going to find the killer. The lead she thought would give her the identity of the murderer didn’t pan out. There was another man Marcie became involved with. But who was he?

  Slowly Kira trudged toward her bedroom, collapsed on her bed, and stretched out to rest for a while before digging into what evidence they had. Gabriel was out there somewhere, and she had to find him. She never wanted to tell Abbey her father was dead, too.

  Tears stung her eyes. Kira shut them and tried to concentrate on calming thoughts…

  A ringing sound penetrated her exhausted mind. She rolled over, her gaze focusing on the red digital numbers on her clock. Ten after eight at night. She must have slept. She fumbled for her cell phone on the bedside table. Nothing. Did she leave it in the living room? Maybe. She’d been so tired she could have.

  She pushed up then swung her legs off the bed and stood. She teetered for a second. Slowly her foggy brain cleared, and she still heard the phone ringing, but this time two different ringtones. Moving faster, she made her way down the hall to the living room. As she crossed to her cell on the table by the lounge chair, she wondered where Wally was. The other ringing was coming from the kitchen.

  She picked the phone up, and it stopped. Probably went to voice mail. She started for the kitchen to find Wally, when that one ceased, too. She entered the room while her ringtone sliced through the silence again.

  As she noticed it was Bill calling, her look fixed on Wally lying on the floor, his throat slit. Before she could do anything, strong arms locked across her chest and pressed her against a tall body.

  Chapter Twelve

  Gabriel hoisted himself through an unlocked window on the side of Kira’s house. It should have been locked. The very sight of it being open when he arrived honed his determination to save Kira. He’d called the police, and they were on the way, but was he too late? The sound of the sirens coming from different directions indicated they were a few minutes away, but a lot could happen in that amount of time.

  In the room, he glimpsed Grams sleeping on the bed. The dim light from the neighbor’s security lamp and her steady breathing showed him that she was unharmed. He hurried into the hallway, listening for any noise.

  The quiet unnerved him.

  * * *

  Kira’s self-defense training kicked in. She slammed her right boot into her attacker’s knee then scraped it down the man’s lower leg and stomped on his foot. His hold loosened enough that she dropped down while she lifted her arms up breaking the hold. She swung around and kicked his groin, her gaze intent on his body, not his face.

  Craig stepped back, clasping himself for a few seconds while swear words spewed from him. Shock rooted her to the floor. She’d let him into her house, left him alone with Grams. What did he do to allow him accessed to her house?

  The sound of sirens nearing fueled her surge of adrenaline. Craig blocked one of two exits from the kitchen. She spun toward the other one and ran for the door that led outside. As she grabbed for the knob, Craig charged her.

  She concentrated on getting outside and around front. She needed to save Grams. She slammed the door open and rushed out of the kitchen.

  A cry of rage shuddered down her length. Craig was gone from the doorway. She couldn’t stop to see what was happening. She pumped her legs as fast as she could go. Her steps pounded against the ground and her heart against her rib cage.

  She reached the front yard as several police officers poured out of their vehicles and raced toward her. She pointed toward the house. “The killer—Craig Addison—is inside—kitchen.”

  Two officers went around the back while more arrived and split off with half approaching the porch.

  * * *

  Gabriel leaped on Craig and dragged him down to the kitchen floor, rolling over and pinning the killer. He lifted a fist and hammered it into the doctor’s face. Over and over.

  When someone put a hand on his shoulder, he shook it away, determined Craig wouldn’t escape.

  “The police are here,” Kira’s voice came from the backdoor.

  The words registered along with the fact that Craig was unconscious, and the kitchen was full of officers with their guns out and trained on them.

  Gabriel threw his arms up in the air and rose.

  Several police swarmed in on Craig. One officer felt for a pulse and rolled him over to handcuff him.

&
nbsp; Gabriel focused on the one nearest him. Bill.

  The police chief nodded at him. “Good job.”

  Gabriel glanced down at his clothes, covered in blood—some his own. If they hadn’t arrived, he might have killed Craig. Cold anger had driven him until he’d trapped Craig. Then rage as he never experienced took over.

  A hand clasped his arm. He looked to the side to see Kira, worry deep in her eyes.

  “I’m okay. How about you?” He turned toward her, wanting to pull her into his arms and kiss her. But he didn’t.

  * * *

  In the past thirty-six hours, Kira had gone from one emotion to another—fear, fury, relief, worry, shock, and grief at another death. Now the overriding feeling consuming her was worry. After Gabriel was seen at the hospital and released, he gave Bill his statement of events from the time he went to the garage to check on his truck. Then he walked out of the police station and disappeared.

  She received a call twelve hours ago from Jessie letting her know that Gabriel was in Florida and bringing Abbey and her home soon. Kira had wanted to talk to him, but his sister had said he was holed up with Ruth Morgan in the library for the past few hours. Kira had hoped he would call when the meeting with Abbey’s grandmother was through, but she couldn’t imagine it lasting this long.

  So now he didn’t need her anymore. He was retrieving Abbey, who was the reason he helped her in the first place. She couldn’t blame him for that.

  But her heart cracked.

  She cared—no—she loved him. She wanted more from him, but then she was the woman who fought so hard to put him in prison. At least the townspeople were safe now, and Craig was in jail.

  Grams rolled her knee walker into her kitchen. “The coffee smells wonderful.”

  “Did you sleep all right?”

  “Yes, how about you?” Her grandmother assessed her. “Never mind. I can tell you didn’t. Gabriel will come back to Pinecrest.”

  “I know. This is his home.”

  “And I’m sure he’ll come see you.”

  Kira wasn’t sure about that. “What do you want me to fix you for breakfast?”

  “The works. I haven’t eaten in days. Then we need to get the Christmas decorations up, especially since you’re going to stay with me for a few weeks.”

  “I’m not sure I ever want to go back to my house.” The one time she went back to pack yesterday afternoon, her stomach roiled at the sight where Wally had been killed in her kitchen. The blood had been cleaned up, and all traces of a fight and his murder were gone, but she didn’t want to live there. It would always remind her of Craig—and Gabriel.

  “You can stay here as long as you need. So will you help me with decorating for Christmas? This year, more than ever before, Pinecrest has a lot to be thankful for. I do. Craig almost killed you—could have me.”

  “Gabriel stopped him from doing that. If he hadn’t escaped from Craig’s basement, managed to find a phone when he reached town, and let Bill know who the killer was, I might have died. The ringing of my phone and Wally’s to warn us is what woke me.” After Kira refilled her mug with coffee and poured one for Grams, she sat at the kitchen table.

  “Maybe we’ll have to do the decorating in stages. I’m exhausted just from getting dressed and maneuvering in here. I have a feeling I’ll be taking frequent breaks.”

  “You’ll get no argument from me. I’m not in the Christmas mood.” Kira gave Grams her mug.

  “Maybe I can change your mind.” Her grandmother took a sip while Kira settled in her chair. “I’m still in shock that the killer is Craig Addison. He’s nothing like his father and grandfather. They were men of integrity. Why did he do it?”

  “I’m not sure we’ll ever know totally. When he was a kid, he was always so quiet and reserved. He didn’t relate to others well. When he entered high school, he excelled in his schoolwork. He seemed to come out of his shyness a little. At his house they found a closet full of photos of Marcie from high school until right before he killed her. One of the photos was of her leaving Evan’s lakeside cabin. The two were kissing. I think he snapped.”

  “But why the others?”

  “I don’t know. Rebecca used to go to the cabin, too, so that might have been the reason for her. But Mary Lou and Shirley didn’t.” Kira cupped her mug, relishing its warmth. For days, she’d been so cold deep in her bones.

  The doorbell chimes resounded through the house.

  “Are you expecting anyone, Grams?”

  “No, unless it’s the ladies from church. They’re bringing some food by today. They think I’m an invalid.”

  When Kira checked out the peephole, she quickly opened the door to Bill. “Is something wrong?”

  “Why does my presence mean there’s something wrong?”

  “Because you’re the police chief. Come in.” She stepped away to allow him inside.

  Only coming in a few feet, Bill faced her. “I need you to come to the station. Craig Addison has agreed to confess to you only. If you don’t come, he won’t say a word.”

  “Does he have a lawyer?”

  “Yes, and the lawyer approached me with this.”

  “He’s going to confess to the murders?”

  “I believe so.”

  “Let me tell Grams I’m leaving. Then I’ll be down at the station.”

  Fifteen minutes later she sat catty-corner from Craig, who was shackled to the table. He dismissed his lawyer. When the man left, Craig turned to Kira and stared at her.

  She wanted to flee and let the evidence alone convict him in court. She didn’t want to be in a room alone with him even though she knew officers were on the other side of the glass, and this interview was being recorded. She was safe.

  “I understand you want to tell me what you did and why.” Suppressed emotions roughened her voice.

  “I wanted you to stop me. Thank you for finally doing it.”

  “Why me?”

  “You were always nice to me. In school, you noticed me. Others didn’t.”

  “Is that why you killed Marcie and the other women?”

  “Marcie betrayed me. Went out with me while she was seeing another man. She didn’t deserve to live. Rebecca did the same thing. Cheated with Evan. She had to die.”

  “How about Shirley?”

  “She was the worst one of them all. She used to make fun of me in high school. I decided to give her a chance to make up for that. Instead, she laughed in my face and said she could never go out with someone like me. That’s when I knew she had to die, too.”

  The monotone of his voice chilled Kira. The marrow deep in her bones iced over.

  * * *

  Gabriel stood on the porch, gazing at his land. He and his family, as well as Ruth and Josh Morgan, had returned late last night. Abbey was still asleep, but he couldn’t. Until he took care of some unfinished business, he wouldn’t get any rest.

  He had to see Kira today. When he’d nearly killed Craig in her kitchen, he hadn’t realized that anger was still deep inside of him. The man had taken so much from him and his family, and Gabriel had been about to lose his humanity if he hadn’t been stopped. That scared him to his core. He’d worked hard to live a life of integrity—still was striding for that. In a moment, he could have lost what he had.

  Kira had shown him he could forgive a lot. His feelings for her were totally different from when they began working together. In a short time, he’d come to care deeply for her. No, that wasn’t totally right. He was falling in love with her. She’d admitted what she’d done and wanted to make amends, and she had. Her life had been in danger the more she delved into the case, but that didn’t stop her. She was going to show the whole town she had been wrong about him, and she did.

  But he didn’t want to pursue a relationship with her if he couldn’t let go totally of his anger at what happened. That was why he had to see Ruth. Part of that fury was wrapped up in his relationship with his daughter’s grandmother. If he could work something out with her f
or Abbey’s sake, then maybe there was a chance to put his past behind him and move forward possibly with Kira in his life.

  It had taken hours of negotiating and putting himself out there for Ruth to see, but she wasn’t going to pursue custody of Abbey. His daughter would visit with her grandmother on a regular basis. He and Abbey were even going to Christmas Eve service with the Morgan family. It was a start.

  Thank you, God. I see Your hand in this.

  The sound of the front door opening reverberated through the cold air. He glanced over his shoulder. “I thought you were asleep.”

  Jessie smiled. “I’ve rested more in the past week than in months. I discovered I don’t like the life of leisure.”

  “I appreciate you going with Abbey. I didn’t have to worry about her with you there.”

  “Are you going to see her?”

  “I have a feeling you’re talking about Kira, not Ruth.”

  “Yes. You’ve changed.”

  He slanted a look at her. “How?”

  “You’re more grounded, accepting. Otherwise the long flight home would have been tension filled. You and Ruth were civil to each other.”

  “I’m learning hostility is tiring.”

  “So you’re expecting me to be civil to the Morgans, too?”

  “It would be nice, but that has to be your decision.”

  “I’ll work on it. That’s all I can promise. Go see Kira. I’m tired of you moping around.”

  He laughed. “I’m thinking, not moping. But I like your advice.”

  “I’m glad your truck was here when we returned. I might take Abbey into town later. We need to get a Christmas tree. We don’t have much time to decorate it. This year we have a lot to be thankful for.”

  “Yes.”

  * * *

  Kira left the interview room, emotionally ripped apart. To have Craig write and sign a confession would make the healing in town easier, but nothing would bring those women back. Once Craig had flipped out, he couldn’t go back, and yet there was a part of him that had wanted to stop.