“Why would he do that?”
Alex grabbed her hand. “The only reason I can think of would be if he needed an alibi.”
Olivia jumped to her feet. “What? Why would Ernie need an alibi?”
Sawyer cleared his throat and looked up from his phone. “Did you know that Ernie’s wife died a few weeks ago?”
Olivia nodded. “That’s what prompted him to retire and travel. He and his wife always planned to do it. She had an accident and was in a care facility. He didn’t like to talk about her, he said it was too painful. Someone told me she’d been in a coma for a while.”
“Do you know what happened to leave her comatose?”
Olivia shook her head. “Like I said, Ernie didn’t like talking about it.”
“They kept this out of the news, but she was mugged. When she refused to let go of her purse, the mugger struck her in the head with a closed fist, causing her to fall and bash her head against the concrete sidewalk.”
Olivia’s hands covered her mouth. “Oh, God. I had no idea.”
“They arrested a man for the crime—a tweaker—and they even found her purse in his apartment, but during the trial, his court-appointed attorney argued that his fourth amendment rights were violated with an illegal search and seizure.”
Dread pooled in her stomach. “So he got away with the crime,” Olivia murmured.
“And now there’s a Vigilante taking justice into his own hands,” Alex said.
She shook her head. “It’s not Ernie. He wouldn’t do something like this. He is not a killer.”
“The woman you love is beaten into a coma and dies a long, slow death.” Sawyer shook his head. “Her passing could be the trigger.”
“But how would he do it? He’s in his late sixties.”
“I’ve been thinking,” Alex said. “Ernie’s famous, a fixture on television for decades. He’s non-threatening. He could walk up to someone and say he wanted to interview him for who knows what reason, and the person would go with him because he’s not a threat.”
“Then he knocks them out with chloroform, ties them up and forces them to confess their crime,” Sawyer added.
“And he wants the confession aired but the only person he trusts to do it justice is his protégé,” Alex said softly
“Me.” Olivia’s eyes filled with tears. “I don’t want it to be Ernie, but he knows my cell number and my address and where I work out.”
“He has to have access to your apartment building, too. He hand-delivered the postcards.”
An image popped into Olivia’s head. “Mr. Dawson, the blind man. He moved in a few weeks ago, but I’ve never gotten a look at his face. He never makes eye-contact.”
Sawyer’s gaze was filled with compassion. “Dawson was his wife’s maiden name.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Olivia leaned against Alex and clung for dear life while they waited for Benson and Kramer to arrive. Ernie was the Vigilante. She couldn’t believe it. She knew his grief was deep, but she had no idea how much it affected him.
The detectives announced their arrival through the intercom and Alex buzzed them in. When they arrived, Alex showed them the postcards and Sawyer gave them the rundown on his research. Soon they were headed to an apartment two floors up.
Olivia convinced them to let her take the lead. Her hand shook as she knocked on the door. “Ernie, it’s me. Olivia.”
Chains slid against metal and locks clicked. Ernie stood in the doorway looking resigned. “I knew you would figure it out eventually. Come in.”
He walked back inside and padded to a table to sit. His guide dog that wasn’t actually a guide dog clicked over to meet them, his tail wagging furiously. She patted him absently. “Where’s Roci?”
“Passed away. A few days after Linda.”
“I’m sorry.”
Ernie shrugged. “Death is inevitable. That’s Roci Two.” He indicated the golden retriever now begging Alex for attention.
“Why did you do it?” Her voice broke as she confronted the man she considered a second father.
He sighed, looking years older. “Decades of reporting on the guilty getting away with their crimes. Bragging about it. A justice system that failed. It festered. Then Linda was attacked and no one was held accountable. She was not only robbed of her purse, but of her life—the life we planned together.”
“How did you do it?” Alex asked.
“It was pretty easy, actually. I approached them, told them I wanted to interview them about people wrongly accused. Every single one took the bait. I altered a small RV into an interrogation room. Set up cameras, pumped them with truth serum and rolled film.”
“You knocked them out with chloroform,” Kramer said. “How did you get them into a chair?”
“Wheeled dollies and pulleys. I actually became really good at the process.”
Olivia’s eyes burned. He was so cavalier about murdering people. Maybe they weren’t innocent, but they were victims none-the-less.
“How did you kill them?” Benson asked. “The coroner couldn’t determine the cause of death.”
“Succinylcholine.”
“Sux,” Alex murmured. “It mimics a heart attack.”
“And is virtually impossible to detect since it breaks down instantly,” Sawyer added.
Ernie smiled sadly. “I was counting on that. They already had a needle mark from the truth serum, so I just used the same one.”
“Mr. Walters, you are under arrest,” Benson said.
He nodded and held up a hand. “I know my rights, Detective, and I waive them. I have two requests for you, Olivia, and one for you, Mr. Mylonas.”
Olivia glanced over to see Alex raise his brows.
The lump in Olivia’s throat prevented her from talking so she simply nodded.
“Before I get to the requests, I want to apologize to you. I never intended for you to become a target and I’m so damn sorry. That’s my only regret in all of this…that you were in danger.” He cleared his throat. “My first request is for you to take care of Roci Two.”
Olivia glanced at the dog, who picked up his head and thumped his tail on the couch. “Of course.” She didn’t know how she would do that in an apartment, but she would figure it out.
“The second request is that you play this after I’m gone.” He held up a flash drive. After he was gone was a strange way to say prison. She nodded again and he smiled, satisfied. Then he turned his gaze to Alex. “Please, take care of her. She brought light and laughter to this old man’s dark days.” He faced her again. “The best move I made after proposing to my wife was to convince the network to hire you.”
Tears were streaming down her cheeks now.
Alex nodded solemnly. “I will, sir.”
Ernie sighed in relief and nodded. “I believe you, son. Goodbye, Olivia. I loved you like a daughter.” Then he pulled an object from his cuff and plunged the needle into his arm.
“Ernie, no!”
“Don’t do it!”
“Freeze Mr. Walters!”
“Drop it!”
“Stop!”
Everyone yelled at once and lunged forward. Roci Two leapt off the couch and barked. It was too late. Ernie slumped over the table and shuddered out his last breath.
“No,” Olivia sobbed. Her knees gave out and she felt herself sliding to the floor. Two strong arms stopped her descent and she was wrapped in Alex’s strong embrace.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Olivia was numb. Ernie, her mentor, her friend, was the Vigilante. She never would have thought he was capable of committing cold-blooded murder. He was gregarious and jovial and everyone loved him.
She hadn’t wanted to wait until any longer to watch the video so Sawyer retrieved his computer from the SUV and they retreated to her former apartment. Alex held her close, but even the warmth of his body couldn’t penetrate the ice encasing her heart. The ordeal was finally over. The threat to her life was gone. That meant Alex’s job was finished
and he would be leaving. She shuddered and he pulled her closer. He misinterpreted her reaction as being cold when in reality she was terrified.
Roddy and Phil were on their way and somehow, Olivia had to find the composure to stand in front of a camera and tell the world that Ernie Walters was a killer.
Sawyer fired up his computer and slid the drive into the USB, pulling her from her thoughts. He opened the file marked, ‘Linda’s Killer’.
A man’s face appeared, his eyes wild. “My name is Mickey Kent. I have a drug problem and I committed a horrible crime. I struck a woman while trying to steal her purse. I didn’t mean to hit her that hard but I needed a fix and she wouldn’t give me her damn purse.” Mickey’s eyes rolled back and his body shook. His head rolled on his shoulders when he faced the camera again. “She never woke up. I’m sorry for what I did.”
The monitor went black and then Ernie’s face filled the screen. “My name is Ernest Walters. Most of you know me as the host of the evening news for years, but my biggest role in life was husband of Linda Dawson Walters. When Mickey Kent attacked my wife and left her more dead than alive, he ended my life, too.
“I’m not a monster, and I hope my legacy is one of truth and justice. What I did as the Vigilante was to bring peace and closure to the families of the victims. I’m not condoning what I’ve done. I know it was wrong. But I never felt an ounce of remorse. Linda can transition to Heaven peacefully, as can the rest of the victims, knowing those responsible paid for their crime. One last time, this is Ernie Walters signing off. Good night New York and stay safe.”
Olivia couldn’t breathe. Hearing his signature sign-off brought a finality to the horrible ordeal. Ernie was the Vigilante and now he was dead.
“Looks like his last act was to avenge his wife’s death,” Alex murmured.
“There’s something else in the envelope.” Sawyer withdrew a small envelope addressed to Olivia and handed it to her. She opened the seal and pulled out the handwritten note.
My dearest Olivia, I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me. Though I didn’t know you long, you became very important to me. I believe that God brought you into my life to show me that there was still light amid the darkness. Linda and I weren’t able to have children, but you were the daughter of my heart. I don’t want you to shed tears for me. Linda can rest easy now in Heaven since the man who put her there has paid for his crime. I’ve worked hard my entire life and now I regret not spending more time with my beloved wife. I made a fortune, but when you don’t have the love of your life to spend it with, it’s pointless. My lawyer will be contacting you about my will. I’ve left everything to you. Take the money and live a good life. Smell the roses. Dance in the rain. Find a man that’s worthy of your love. Have lots of babies. Take nothing for granted. Most importantly, be happy. Love always, Ernie.
#
Alex watched Olivia speak into the camera with composure he knew she didn’t feel. After everything that happened last night with Ernie and his confession, he didn’t know how she would be able to report on a story that was so personal to her, but she was poised and professional and her voice only broke once as she told the details of her former mentor and his crime spree. Jonah had somehow checked himself out of the hospital and he was on site, directing the piece without using his hands.
Olivia blindsided him when she gave the entire credit to solving the Vigilante case to him. She told about the postcards and how he was the one to realize all of the postmarks were the same. She plugged COBRA Securities as often as possible and he knew Luke and Logan would be ecstatic with the publicity. She praised the NYPD and interviewed Detectives Benson and Kramer and then him and Sawyer. He tried to downplay the praise, insisting it was a group effort, but she rolled right over him. Now she was finishing up the report and all he wanted to do was take her back to the apartment and make love to her for days.
While she was preparing for the piece, he took care of the phone calls again. He notified his parents first and then he called Olivia’s mom. He actually enjoyed talking to her and hoped to meet her in person in the near future. Dorian was next since Alex was afraid of what Kendall might do to his manly parts if she found out about this from someone else. BeBe had called to let him know that a major morning show wanted to interview them tomorrow and she had accepted the offer. Along with Alex, Sawyer and Olivia, they were planning on having both NYPD detectives and had requested the owners of COBRA Securities as well. Luke was already on his way so he couldn’t turn it down. He offered to pick Luke up from the airport but BeBe told him that everything was already arranged. Luke would meet them at the set in the morning.
The red light on Phil’s camera finally blinked off. Olivia’s shoulders slumped, whether from exhaustion or sadness, he didn’t know. Before he could get to her, Jonah wrapped her in a hug. It was a little awkward with both of his arms in casts but he managed. Alex waited for Jonah to step back and he held his arms open. Olivia walked into them and he held on for dear life.
“I just want to get far away and forget all about this,” she said against his chest.
“I know, babe, me, too.”
She looked up at him. “We have to be interviewed by the morning show tomorrow.”
He sighed. “Yeah, BeBe told me.”
“It’s probably going to be like this for a while. This is a pretty big story. And Jonah wants me to do a feature piece for a special edition report on everything that’s happened.”
“You’ll do an amazing job.”
“I want it to be all over but now that it is, I’m scared to death.”
He tipped her chin with his finger. “Why are you scared?”
“Because that means your job is over and you’ll leave.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Layla Brooks watched the promotional message about the interview on the morning show with news anchor Olivia Larrson and Alex Mylonas, the security agent who uncovered the Vigilante. This particular program was the one where people lined up outside the studio and the weatherman gave live reports while mingling with the crowd. They often invited artists to entertain on an outside stage and she’d actually performed there once. If she could get close enough, maybe she could speak to Mr. Mylonas and ask for his advice. Maybe that wasn’t the answer to her problem, but she had to find one, and fast.
Her siblings were watching television with her. They’d been fascinated by the Vigilante case, too, but for very different reasons than her. They’d engaged in some lively debates about whether the Vigilante should be caught or not. Tiff thought he should since he was killing people, but Sean thought he should be left alone to get rid of the bad guys.
She hadn’t told them that their father had ramped up efforts to find them. He couldn’t petition the court to declare them dead for three more years—four was the legal time frame in Georgia—but if he wanted to make a run for the presidency, he needed Layla’s fortune that he assumed was sitting in a bank with Sean and Tiff’s name on it. If he did succeed in finding them, she had no doubt he’d kill them, too.
“Hey Sean, Tiff, want to take a trip down to the city tonight? We could go to the taping of the show tomorrow. Wouldn’t it be cool to meet the people who took down the Vigilante?” At their excited shouts of agreement, she shooed them to their rooms to pack an overnight bag. They didn’t have much in the way of possessions—everything needed to be compact in case they needed to flee in the middle of the night—so they were ready to go in minutes.
The drive down from the Catskills took a couple of hours and soon, she was pulling up to a hotel on the outskirts of Manhattan. “You two stay here while I get us a room.” With her disguise firmly in place she entered the lobby and paid cash for a room for the night. The next morning, they got up early and drove to a parking lot close to Rockefeller Center.
They were early enough to get a good spot along the fences. She bounced on the balls of her feet, unable to stand still. She was excited for the opportunity to talk to someone who might be ab
le to help them. She glanced around the area, smiling at some of the signs people had made hoping to get on TV. One woman held a placard that said all she wanted for her thirtieth birthday was to meet the host. Layla’s smile slipped and panic struck as she read one about a girl from Tennessee celebrating her tenth birthday. It hadn’t even crossed her mind that the crowd would be filmed. Why hadn’t she thought about that? Even though they all wore disguises, what if her stepfather saw them? He would most definitely recognize his own children. She frantically searched the area to see if any cameras were rolling yet. Her gaze passed by a man in dark sunglasses and snapped back. He was scanning the crowd, obviously looking for someone. Her heart banged against her ribs. He looked familiar. Was he one of her stepfather’s employees? How did he know they were here? Had he tracked them and now he would try to kill them?
“Leo, Ariel, I want you to go back to the car right now.” She always used their fake names in public. “I’ll be right behind you.” They knew better than to argue so they took off without question. She wanted to get a closer look at the man to see if she did recognize him. If she could come up behind him, she could check him out without being seen. She kept her gaze on him instead of where she was going and promptly slammed into a brick wall. Apparently brick walls had arms because this one reached out and grabbed her before she fell on her behind. Her head rang and she felt disoriented.
“Ma’am, are you okay?”
The deep rumble filtered through her brain and she blinked her eyes open. She looked up…and up into the face of the brick wall and gasped. She felt as if she’d crashed into him again. He literally took her breath away. Light blue eyes gazed at her from the most handsome face she’d ever seen. He had to be at least six four or five, with shoulders a mile wide. His jet black hair was cut short and he had a square jaw that had been recently shaved, since there wasn’t a hint of a shadow. His black brows were creased with concern. When his eyes narrowed, she realized she was staring at him…and he was still holding her.
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