“You could be right, but has he done anything other than been overly friendly? Tried to force you into anything you weren’t comfortable with?”
“No, it’s all been verbal communication.”
“Has he threatened you in any way?”
“No, but he has scared me. His interest in me makes me very uncomfortable.”
“I suggest you be extra careful around Roger. Do you live alone?”
“No, I have a roommate and her boyfriend’s moving in with us.”
“Good, maybe he’ll be a deterrent for Roger. Do you have a deadbolt lock on the door?”
“Yes, but Roger’s the apartment manager. He has the keys.”
“Oh. Start securing the door with a chair underneath the doorknob. It should keep him out if you’re concerned he may enter your apartment.”
“I honestly don’t know what he might do, but I appreciate the advice.”
“I can’t arrest him for being overly friendly. He has to break the law.” He reached into his wallet and pulled out a business card. “Here’s my card if you think of anything else. Don’t hesitate to call me and we will be in touch to have you give a full statement about Mark Baxter.”
***
Kate decided to go home on Friday night after work to have some time on her own. Charlie hadn’t seen Roger all week. She assumed he’d gone out of town. But, of course, as she ascended the stairs, Roger’s door was open. Her heart started beating faster. She wasn’t sure if Charlie and Mitch were home.
She reached her door before Roger realized she was there. She slid the key in the lock and he magically appeared out on the landing before she could get inside. It seemed he had bionic ears. As she opened the door, she saw the lights were out, so she knew she was alone. Charlie must have been out with Mitch having dinner.
“Hey,” Roger said, leaning against the wall. “Have you seen the news lately?”
She shook her head, her mouth going dry. She’d been so busy between work, school, and her new boyfriend she hadn’t watched it in the last few days.
“Oh, well, in that case, we need to talk.” His expression was unreadable. “Do you mind if I come in?”
She couldn’t come up with a good reason why he couldn’t, so she made a welcoming motion with her arm. “Please make yourself comfortable,” she said as she placed her purse and keys on the sofa table. She then sat on the sofa because he’d chosen the loveseat.
“Rose is dead,” he said matter-of-factly. “She’s been murdered. Parts of her body were found in a trash bag up north. The police aren’t sure what happened, but they think I did it.”
Kate sat on her sofa frozen, trying to assimilate the information in her head. The chills running up and down her spine told her the police were probably right. But she couldn’t let him know she thought he was a cold-blooded killer. He had access to her any time he wanted. He knew her schedule. She thought quickly and decided she needed to behave like he was a victim in this whole thing.
“I can’t believe they actually think you could hurt Rose. That’s impossible,” she said with all the indignation she could muster. “I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I know how much she meant to you.” Sincerity soaked her voice.
“Yeah, I know. I’m still in shock about the whole thing. It hasn’t sunk in yet what has happened.”
“What do the police think happened?” she asked gently.
“Well, on the day Rose disappeared, she’d taken two thousand dollars out of her savings account to buy a new refrigerator for her parents. I think someone followed her from the bank, killed her, and took her money. The police think I followed her, stole her money, and killed her. The killer tried to hide the evidence by dismembering her. Her parents called the police and reported her missing when she didn’t return home Monday night. Her arm and leg were found in Valley Center by the police dogs.” Roger’s voice was light, as if he was discussing the weather forecast.
It was eerie. Hearing what had happened to Rose caused Kate’s insides to twist. Inhaling deeply was all she could do to steady herself. Part of her wanted to run away from Roger, and the other part wanted to inflict pain upon him. Keeping up her act was more crucial now than ever. Her life depended on it.
Kate rested her head in her hand. “I can’t believe she’s been murdered and dismembered. Her poor children. They must be devastated to lose their mom. Especially after all you said they’ve been through with their dad’s abuse.” She shook her head, her face pinched with grief. “Have the police charged you with anything?”
She treaded carefully, knowing any slip-up could cost her life. Since she’d lived her life walking on eggshells with her mom, she was fairly good at tactful communication.
“No, they don’t have any evidence linking me to her murder,” Roger said. “I do need your help, though. I was planning on visiting Jacob in Germany in about two weeks. As I already bought my airline ticket and have taken money out of the bank for traveling, I was hoping you could keep these along with my passport and ATM card here in your apartment until things settle down. If the police search my apartment and find the ticket and money, they might arrest me or keep me from traveling. I don’t want to miss out on seeing my son.” He pulled the items out from his back pocket.
Bile rose to the top of Kate’s throat; she swallowed hard and clenched her teeth to push it down. Now he wanted to involve her in his despicable scheme? She didn’t want to be pulled into his web, but he wanted her tangled up with him, and she didn’t know how to get out of this. His request confirmed her thoughts he might be guilty. He wasn’t even visibly upset over Rose’s death. What was she going to do? Refusing his request could cause problems for her and Charlie. Would the police think she was somehow involved? She had to make a snap decision. It needed to be a decision that didn’t launch any red flags.
“Of course, I’d be happy to hold onto your ticket and money,” she said calmly. “But I can’t imagine they’re going to search your place. They have no reason to suspect you. They’re not going to be able to charge you with anything, and perhaps you’re probably being a little paranoid.”
“I know you’re right,” Roger said. “It’s precautionary in case the over-zealous cop on this case gets a warrant to search my apartment. Rose did spend a lot of time with me. It would mean a lot to me if you’d hold on to these things until I know I’m no longer a suspect.”
“Well, you’ve been such a good neighbor to us, I’m happy to help you in any way I can,” she said with a smile. She took the money and the ticket. She figured she’d hide them somewhere in her room. Where would be an unsuspecting place, she wondered? Then it hit her.
“I’ll put these in a Ziploc bag and store them in the freezer,” she said, trying to keep her voice calm. She got up and walked to the kitchen. She opened the drawer where they kept the Ziploc bags and put the items inside one and sealed it, then opened the freezer and put the bag inside. Roger had followed her but was in the dining room watching.
“This seems like a good hiding place, don’t you think?”
“That’s a perfect spot. I knew I could count on you.”
Kate strolled over to Roger. “Again, I’m so sorry for your loss.” She placed her hand on his arm. “Rose was a wonderful woman. I’m sure you miss her terribly.”
In her attempt to act like she believed his innocence, she gave him a hug. As she tried to let go, he held on a little longer than she wanted him to. She was going to have to take a shower after this to wash off her disgust from being touched by him. When he released her, she started moving toward the door, indicating it was time for him to go.
“Well, I hate to cut things short, but I have a paper due on Monday for one class and an exam in another to prepare for. We’ll talk soon, okay?”
He nodded and left her apartment.
When she closed the door behind him, she slid down the door to the floor as tears quietly streamed down her face. She hugged her knees to her body. This was worse than she could have
imagined. He wasn’t just obsessed with her, he was most likely a killer. A killer who had murdered someone he supposedly loved. He’d killed Rose. She could feel it in her heart. Roger was a murderer. Why did he have to kill Rose? She was a kind, sweet, caring woman. There was nothing she could have done to justify this.
Grief overcame Kate as she realized his obsession with her might have driven him to hurt Rose. If it wasn’t for her, Rose could still be alive. The guilt over what happened to David rushed back over her like a tidal wave, combining with her guilt about Rose. She not only feared for her own safety, but also Charlie’s safety. This was way too much to process. She was going to need to see Dr. Cox and soon.
She’d made it through the most uncomfortable interaction of her life without showing how afraid she was of him. Now the trick was going to be to continue acting normal every time she saw him over the next two weeks. She went to the kitchen to check the date of departure on the airline ticket. He was leaving in exactly twelve days—twelve extremely long days.
Kate went to her purse and took out her cell to call her mom. Despite not having a fabulous relationship with her mom, it was times like these, when she felt such distress, where the sound of a mother’s voice was what she needed. Her mom’s first reaction was to have her move home immediately. But Roger knew where she worked and could easily follow her to her mom’s house.
“Mom, moving back home may not be the best solution at the moment. But moving’s something I am strongly considering,” she said.
“You need to get in touch with the detective in charge of the case and tell him what’s going on. He will be able to advise you on what to do with the money and ticket,” her mom said, her voice shaky despite her efforts to appear calm.
“You’re right. I’ll call the police as soon as we hang up and schedule an appointment with the detective in charge of Roger’s case.”
“Okay, honey. I’ll be praying for God to keep you and Charlie safe. I love you.”
“I love you too, Mom. Thanks for the prayers.”
With that, they said good night and their conversation ended.
***
Roger
Roger went back to his place with a big grin smeared across his face. Kate not only believed him, but she also was willing to help him. Excited at the possibilities of what would happen next between them, he imagined her in his bed. God, how he wanted to run his hands all over her body. She had such perfect breasts; he couldn’t wait to suck them. He couldn’t wait to ram his hard cock into her and feel her wet pussy. Yeah, she was about to be his. His fantasy of fucking her was going to come true.
It was too bad about Rose. When she said she was pregnant, she had put a major dent in his plans to be with Kate.
Initially, he’d thought an abortion would be the simplest way out of this mess, but Rose wouldn’t have gone for it. He could have cried on Kate’s shoulder about what Rose had done. Kate would feel sorry for him and he’d be able to make his move, confident once he started kissing her, she’d melt into his arms and he could have his way with her. Why did Rose have to be so damned difficult? Well, he didn’t want to waste any more time dwelling on that. It was over now. He didn’t have to worry about Rose getting in the way anymore. But how long was reasonable to wait until he could let Kate know how much he liked her, how much he wanted her? If he tried to make his move too soon, she’d most likely resist. He hated waiting, but he imagined Kate sucking his cock, and decided she was worth the wait. For now, he’d have to keep visiting her late at night and taking a peek at her beautiful body. Soon he’d have this perfect woman in his bed.
***
Kate
Kate fished out the card Officer Segura had given her earlier. She told him what had transpired in her conversation with Roger and they both agreed there could be a correlation between Rose’s death and Mark’s disappearance. He entered Roger’s name in the police database and learned Roger was under investigation by Detective Jameson in another precinct. As he was also the lead investigator in Rick Holloway’s missing person case, he told Kate to wait for a call from him. They ended the call and she sat there staring into the abyss for a few moments. Reviewing the interaction she had experienced with Roger seemed so surreal, she almost couldn’t believe this was happening. She patted her leg to make sure she wasn’t dreaming something crazy. After David had died, her dreams had been borderline bizarre.
Her phone lit up, delivering her from her thoughts.
“Hello,” she said, not recognizing the number on her screen.
“Hello. This is Detective Jameson calling for Kate Simmons.”
“Hi, detective, I’m Kate Simmons,” she said. “I’m glad you called so quickly. Did Officer Segura get a chance to fill you in?”
“Yes, he told me about your conversation this morning and about your interaction with Roger Wilkins this evening. I think it would be a good idea for you to come to the station so I can get a full statement from you.”
“I’m more than happy to. When would you like me to come?”
“Can you be here in an hour?”
She looked at her watch. It was after seven. “That shouldn’t be a problem. What’s the address to the station?”
As soon as they hung up, she called Neil and filled him in. He was furious she’d been alone with Roger.
“That’s it, Kate. You’re staying with me,” he snarled. “I’ll meet you at the station. Pack a bag for the next few days and we’ll go to your apartment when you think he’s working and pack up the rest of your stuff.”
“Okay, Neil,” she said as Charlie and Mitch walked through the door. At this point, she was in no mood to argue or even come up with a plan. “I’ve got to go. Charlie and Mitch are home and I need to fill them in and pack. I’ll see you at the station.”
“See you there,” he said, and they hung up.
“What’s going on?” Charlie asked with great concern. She could probably tell Kate had been crying. “Did something happen with Neil?”
“No, it has nothing to do with Neil. Rose has been murdered and Roger’s a suspect, possibly the only suspect,” Kate exclaimed.
“What? That poor woman! This is crazy. How did you find out about this?” Charlie asked, her eyes widening.
Kate told Charlie and Mitch all about Roger coming over earlier. By the time she was done, she felt shaken, thoroughly spent and drained from the fear and emotional intensity.
“So where’s the money and the rest of his stuff right now?” Charlie asked.
“I put it in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. I didn’t know where else to hide it.”
“Clearly my dad was right. Remember he had some gut feeling for us to be careful around Roger?”
“Yes, I remember,” Kate said. “I’ve thought about it a few times in the last hour.” She sighed. “I need to get going soon. Will you help me get some of my things together? I’m going to stay at Neil’s for a couple of days. I can’t handle running into Roger.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Mitch asked.
Kate frowned. “Why wouldn’t it be a good idea?”
“It might make Roger suspicious if you’re not here all of a sudden. He might get paranoid and think you’re trying to avoid him. He may even think you believe he’s guilty. Right now, he thinks you’re on his side,” Mitch said. “Now’s not the time to rock the boat.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. I don’t want to make him suspicious of me. This is so overwhelming. I don’t know what to do. I told Neil I’d stay at his place. He’s already going ballistic that I was alone with Roger earlier.”
“Well, the good news is he’s going to Germany to visit his son. I think moving when he’s gone is the best plan of action,” Charlie chimed in.
“I’m concerned he might track us down. He seems to know my schedule very well,” Kate said, shaking her head. “But you’re right, we can’t live here like this. We’re going to have to move and I’m going to have to transfer to another store so he can’
t find me at work.”
“Do you know what else is a problem?” Mitch asked. “Roger knows where Charlie works from her rental application. He could follow Charlie home from her office and find you.”
“Oh, Charlie, that hadn’t occurred to me. I don’t think I’d ever forgive myself if something happened to you. He really could do anything. Hopefully, the police find some evidence so they can arrest him. I’m not sure we’re going to be safe if he’s not put away. All I can do is find out what they know and go from there.”
“Well, we’re going with you and I’ll explain to Neil you should stay put until things settle a little bit,” Mitch said.
“That would be great. I really appreciate it.”
“Of course. You know we’ve got your back.” He put one arm around Kate and the other around Charlie.
***
On the drive to the station, Kate thought about how unaffected Roger seemed about Rose being murdered. Her gut told her he had killed Rose, and as a result, she wanted to find out everything she could about the case. All she had to go on was what Roger had told her—unreliable information at best. Terror gripped her as she wondered about what information the police had.
They pulled into the parking lot at the police station and parked in the first available spot. Neil was waiting outside the door. Even under all of this stress, she still noticed how handsome he was. She wanted him to take her in his arms and make everything go away. He had a knack for doing that. He greeted her with a kiss on the lips and then shook Mitch’s hand and greeted Charlie.
“I’m glad you two came with Kate,” he said, smiling at Mitch and Charlie.
“We thought it was important all of us get the info firsthand,” Charlie responded.
“Well, shall we go in?” Neil replied.
Fallen For You (Killer Next Door #1) Page 17