by Mary Burton
Irene Shaw had been one of the most levelheaded, practical people she’d ever known. Picking up and moving wouldn’t have been like her.
‘Do you have any idea what rattled Mom so badly?’
Jenny leaned forward. ‘I was sitting on the back porch. It was winter, but I was having hot flashes back then.’ She smiled. ‘You’re too young to know about that yet. Anyway, your mom and dad were on their back porch. They didn’t see me. I heard them talking about you. Your mom had gotten a call that day and it scared her. She was worried for your safety. Your dad was worried too.’
‘Did they say anything else?’
‘No. But they weren’t the kind of people who spooked easily.’
Kendall’s frustration showed on her face.
Jenny nodded. ‘I got the impression that the call was about your family. Your other family.’
She eased forward on her chair. ‘My birth family?’
‘Yes.’
‘Do you know who called?’
‘No. Irene never mentioned the call to me. But she kept talking about him. Whoever that is.’
Kendall glanced down at the photo taken of her as a child. What had scared Mom so badly?
It was nearly midnight when Kendall pulled into her garage.
Earlier, she’d made it to the station with time to spare, but her thoughts had been distracted. She’d mispronounced a name on air and fumbled as she’d struggled to get it right. Kendall had never messed up a name before.
She blamed the mistake on her own wandering thoughts. She kept replaying her conversation with Jenny and found with each rewind she grew more frustrated.
Brett, thankfully, was cordial and there was no mention of their fight. Of course, he was too much of a professional to upset her before a broadcast. He’d lower the boom later, when it suited him.
But now, she didn’t care about that. She was physically and emotionally exhausted. The air was bitter cold and thick clouds blocked the stars and moon. She shut off the car engine and grabbed her purse.
Despite the late hour, her mind was spinning, not with the eleven o’clock broadcast but with her visits to Carnie and Jenny. She was no closer to finding her birth family.
She got out and shuddered against the cold. She couldn’t wait to get out of her heels and make a cup of tea. She clicked the keyless entry and the car beeped, signaling it was locked.
Kendall’s heels clicked against the garage’s concrete floor as she moved toward the door. A motion sensor light mounted in the garage clicked on and cast a circle of light fifteen feet around her.
Normally, she closed the alley door from the inside and left through the door that connected to her backyard, but it was recycling day and Nicole had promised to leave the bin out. Now, she needed to grab the bin. Honestly, she didn’t want to fool with it but the last time she’d left one out overnight, it had gotten pinched. City living.
A cold wind sliced down the alley and she braced against the blast as she reached down and picked up the green bin.
As she turned to cut back through the garage, gravel behind her crunched. Footsteps sounded. She whirled around, annoyed that she’d not bothered to pull out her mace.
Standing in the alleyway was a tall man, well over six feet. He wore a heavy coat, faded jeans, and work boots. His hands were thrust into his pockets. Shadows covered his face.
He moved toward her.
Kendall’s senses went on overload. She dropped the recycling bin and dug her cell out of her purse. Jacob’s comments about her looking like the victims rattled in her head.
She dialed 911 and put her thumb on SEND. ‘Whoever the hell you are, sport, the cops are on their way.’
The man pulled his hands out of his pockets and held them up in surrender. ‘Hey, lady, don’t freak out.’
She ignored him and hit SEND, pressing the phone to her ear as she backed up. Her heel caught a patch of ice and she slipped. Adrenaline surged as she righted herself. Her heart felt as if it would burst through her chest.
‘Lady, I’m your new neighbor. I live on the other side of the alley.’
Kendall swallowed and listened as the operator picked up and said, ‘Nine-one-one operator. State your emergency.’
The guy inched forward so that she could get a good look at his face. He was a rugged-looking man, not handsome, but his face would have caught her eye in any circumstance. Dark hair brushed his collar. There was an edge about him that whispered danger, but he seemed to be doing his best not to look too frightening. He smiled, baring even, white teeth.
‘I’m your neighbor. Cole Markham. I’ve got ID.’
‘This is Kendall Shaw. I live at one-oh-two Grove Avenue. I’m in the alley and there’s a strange man.’
Markham let out a sigh and shook his head as if he couldn’t believe this. He pulled out his wallet and from that his driver’s license.
The 911 operator said, ‘We will dispatch a car to you right now.’
Kendall kept her gaze on Markham. ‘I’d like to stay on the line until I see the squad car.’
‘I’ll stay on the line,’ the operator said.
Markham held out his hands. ‘Honestly, lady, I’m your neighbor.’
Kendall lowered the phone away from her mouth. ‘Explain yourself to the cops.’
He shook his head. ‘You’re making a mistake.’
She tapped her foot. ‘We’ll see.’
Seconds later the flash of blue lights appeared at the alley’s entrance. A Richmond city police car screeched around the corner and down the unpaved lane toward them. It stopped just feet from Markham.
Kendall thanked the operator and hung up her phone.
Markham held up his hands as if to show he was no threat. He faced the squad car.
The cops got out, hands on their guns, and strode toward Markham.
‘Officers, this is a mistake,’ Markham said. ‘I live right here.’ He nodded his head to the house on the other side of the alley. ‘I have ID in my right hand.’
One of the officers nodded. ‘Slowly, stretch your hand with the ID out to me.’
Kendall glanced at the house behind Markham. Doubt niggled her senses. That house had had a FOR RENT sign on it a few weeks ago. Still, everyone in the area knew it. It would be an easy excuse to toss out. She let the officers do their job.
Markham handed the license to the cop who approached him.
The officer, a short man with powerful arms and a full mustache, shone his light on the identification. ‘What were you doing outside this late, sir?’
‘I was taking out the trash. You can check the bin, if you like. It’s full of moving boxes.’
The second officer was slim with drawn features. He moved to Markham’s bin and peered inside. ‘It’s full of boxes.’
Markham looked smug.
The first officer glanced at Kendall. ‘It’s a Virginia license and it does list his address as the property behind you. Let me just run a quick check.’
Kendall shoved out a breath. Damn. She’d overreacted.
Markham lowered his hands but kept his body relaxed and nonthreatening. He looked at Kendall as if to say, ‘I told you so.’
She lifted her chin, refusing to admit she was wrong until the officer returned.
The officer came back and handed Markham his license. ‘You check out. No warrants or alerts.’
Markham tucked the license into his wallet and shoved it in his back pocket.
‘Sorry to trouble you,’ the officer said.
Markham smiled. ‘No sweat. You’re just doing your job.’
The officer looked at Kendall. ‘Would you like us to escort you inside?’
‘No, I’ve got it from here. Thanks.’
The duo nodded, got in their car, and backed out of the alley.
Kendall glanced at Markham but didn’t apologize. She had every right to look out for her own safety. ‘Welcome to the neighborhood.’
He tossed her a half smile that looked almost boyish. ‘
Is this how you greet all your neighbors?’
She shook her head. ‘Just the tall, scary ones who surprise me in the alley in the middle of the night.’
Markham didn’t look offended. ‘So what are you doing out here?’
The question surprised her. ‘I just got home from work.’
He lifted a brow. ‘Which is?’
Her ego bristled. She was accustomed to being recognized. ‘I’m Kendall Shaw, the Channel Ten News anchor. I report the news at six and eleven o’clock during the week.’
‘Sorry.’ But he didn’t sound sorry at all. ‘I don’t watch television.’
‘Who doesn’t watch television?’
‘People who read.’
‘Some of us manage to do both.’
‘Right.’
The adrenaline had eased from her body and she’d become aware again of the cold and the late hour. ‘Well, you should check out Channel Ten sometime. We’re the best in the city.’
‘I’ve no doubt.’
She picked up her recycling bin. ‘So are you from Richmond?’
He inched closer but still remained at arms’ distance. ‘No. I’m from out West.’
‘Where? I’ve traveled out there quite a bit.’
He shrugged. ‘You name it and I’ve lived there. But Denver was my home originally.’
‘And what brought you East?’
‘Work.’
Asking nosey questions was in her DNA. ‘What do you do?’
‘Insurance.’
That was a letdown. She figured him for something more adventurous. ‘Ah.’
He grinned, clearly reading the tone in her voice. ‘Not as exciting as reporting the news.’
She was being rude. ‘I’m sure it has its moments.’
‘It can.’
‘I would think you’d have more of a nine-to-five schedule.’
‘Oh, I do. I just don’t need much sleep and I’m a night owl.’
A silence settled between them. She needed sleep more than she needed to stand here and chat with a stranger. ‘It’s late and I’ve had a long day. You have a very good evening, Mr Markham.’
‘I’ll do that, Ms Shaw.’ He held her gaze just long enough to make her feel the tiniest bit uncomfortable before he smiled. ‘Sleep tight, Kendall Shaw.’
She called herself Amanda now. But Allen knew her true name. Her real identity. To him she was Rachel. And she would soon be a part of his Family.
He stared up at her apartment window. Her lithe form passed in front of the window shade. He could make out her trim waist and full breasts as she paced back and forth. She appeared to be on the phone. His groin tightened with desire. He wanted to touch her.
His thoughts were sinful. Evil. And yet he couldn’t banish them. Didn’t want to banish them. With Ruth he’d kept his desires at bay and Judith had been so full of fight there’d been no room for lust. But Rachel was different. Sweet, soft Rachel pranced in front of him like a wanton goddess. He knew it would be nearly impossible to restrain his sexual desire.
Normally, he didn’t like the cold. It reminded him of the days he was on the run and hiding. There’d not always been money for food or heat. But tonight he welcomed the cold and prayed it would cool his sinful thoughts. He unzipped his jacket until a fierce shiver passed through him.
And still the temptation to take her boiled his blood. Slowly, Allen started to pace up and down the sidewalk. Thoughts swirled in his head. It wasn’t Sunday yet. It wasn’t time to welcome Rachel into the Family. But waiting four more days felt like forever.
He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a cigarette. With a trembling hand, he raised it to his lips, lit it, and took a drag. Inhaling, he savored the burn of tobacco in his lungs. He held the smoke a moment, then exhaled slowly.
‘Patience is mine,’ he muttered.
Chapter Fourteen
Friday, January 18, 11:00 A.M.
Kendall’s cameraman, Mike, turned on the light above his camera and gave her the nod to start speaking.
She flashed her trademark grin. ‘This is Kendall Shaw reporting from the Central Virginia Women’s Center, a new vocational facility to assist women rebuilding their lives after enduring domestic abuse. The center is the brainchild of Lindsay O’Neil Kier, a noted advocate for women.’
Public appearances were part of a news anchor’s job. Kendall didn’t like it but accepted it. However, this event was a project near and dear to her heart.
Mike panned the camera past Kendall to the facility. The building had originally been a tobacco warehouse when built over 150 years ago. It had also served as a food storage facility. The structure had been abandoned for several years until Lindsay and her board chairman, Dana Miller, had convinced the city to donate the facility to them. The two women had marshaled an army of volunteers and within six months had converted the space into meeting rooms and classrooms.
Once inside the building, Kendall casually walked toward Lindsay, who smiled radiantly into the camera. Lindsay was a tall, slim woman who wore her blond hair loose around her shoulders. Beside her stood Dana. Sleek and sophisticated, Dana wore heavy makeup and her black hair smoothed into a tight ponytail.
‘Ms O’Neil and Ms Miller, congratulations on your grand opening,’ Kendall said. ‘This must be an exciting day for you.’
Lindsay nodded. ‘Thanks, Kendall. We’re very excited about this new place.’
Dana grinned. Not to be outshined, she added, ‘Lindsay has done a phenomenal job pulling this all together. She is a marvel.’
Kendall noted the very slight tension in Lindsay’s gaze. The women’s advocate understood politics and was willing to go along for her facility. ‘I couldn’t have done it without Dana. She rallied the city and business leaders and made this grand opening happen.’
The large front room was filled with local dignitaries who had been invited to the opening. Colorful balloons decorated every corner, a large table laden with food dominated the center of the room, and against an exposed brick wall stood a bar stocked with sodas and nonalcoholic drinks.
Kendall asked Lindsay about the facility and listened as she gave a recap. Dana added her two cents. They’d rehearsed what Lindsay and Dana were going to say moments ago and the interview went precisely as planned. Kendall signed off and Mike cut off the camera.
‘Thanks, Mike. Why don’t you get something to eat,’ Kendall said.
Lindsay nodded. ‘We’ve got enough food to feed an army.’
‘Thanks,’ he said. He patted his tummy. ‘I never say no to food.’
Dana smoothed her hand along the line of her hair. ‘Thanks, Kendall. I think that went great.’
Kendall clicked off her microphone. Her smile was quick and easy but she didn’t like Dana. She would not have personally covered this event if she didn’t admire Lindsay so much. ‘Wonderful job, Dana.’
Dana spotted someone across the room and smiled. ‘I see Adam Alderson. Would you two excuse me?’ Without waiting for an answer, she moved into the crowd.
Kendall’s smile turned genuine. ‘You’ve got yourself a winner here, Lindsay.’
Lindsay grinned and stared around the room proudly. ‘I think I do.’
Kendall dropped her voice a fraction. ‘So how did you snag Dana Miller? I thought she was done with you after last summer.’ Dana had been the board chair of Lindsay’s domestic abuse center. When the Guardian killings had been linked to Lindsay, Dana had fired Lindsay and completely distanced herself from her.
‘Off the record?’
‘Of course,’ she said honestly.
‘She came to me. She wanted to fund a project like this one. I said no at first. Zack was the one who talked me into it. You don’t always have to like the people you do business with. And this center is going to help a lot of people.’ Lindsay smiled and waved to someone. ‘So how are you doing?’
‘Never better.’ That wasn’t true. Sleep was becoming a distant memory, and the lingering questions about her a
doption and her birth mother chewed at her almost constantly now. There’d been no more answers since she’d spoken to Jenny a couple of days ago. But the old woman had promised to search her attic and see if there was anything that might help.
A camera lens flashed and Kendall looked up. Nicole was snapping pictures. Lindsay frowned as she watched her very pregnant friend move across the room. ‘I wish she’d put her feet up and rest.’
Kendall shook her head. ‘I have visions of delivering that baby in the back of a taxi as we race to the hospital. But she shows no sign of slowing down.’
‘Has she made a decision about the adoption?’
‘No.’ Kendall sighed. ‘I hear her rattling around the house a lot at night. She’s narrowed it down to a couple of families but can’t choose.’
Lindsay stared at Kendall with a critical eye. ‘I know what’s keeping Nicole awake. What’s keeping you up?’
‘I sleep like the dead.’
‘I can see the dark circles under your makeup.’
Kendall resisted the urge to check her makeup in the compact in her purse. ‘Don’t worry about me. I’ve never been better.’
A rush of movement by the main entrance caught Kendall’s eye. Ever curious, she turned to see Lindsay’s husband, Zack, appear and seconds behind him Jacob Warwick.
Lindsay’s face softened when she saw her husband and a blush warmed her cheeks. Her face reflected her deep love for the man.
Kendall felt something quite different when her gaze settled on Jacob. Sharp sexual desire shot through her. Her heart beat faster.
Lindsay’s gaze shifted back to Kendall and then followed her distracted friend’s line of vision to Jacob. She grinned. ‘Down, girl.’
David Ayden didn’t like functions like this, even if the cause was the Women’s Center. He understood their place in the world of politics but in his mind they were a waste of time. He had two unsolved murders and yet he and two of his best detectives were making small talk. All the leads on the two women had dried up. They’d learned a great deal and yet nothing that linked the women or could lead them to a killer.