It slid in easier than Max expected.
Gurgling noises came up from Kelsey’s throat and she collapsed to the ground, falling on a body that must have been Bill’s.
Rose’s eyes met his, and Max wished he could erase the horror from them.
“I don’t know how you got here in time,” she said, her voice scratchy, “but thank you.”
Max stepped over Kelsey’s legs and bent to carefully lift Rose. “When I saw that gun pointed at your head, I thought I was too late.”
She nodded. “Me too. Luckily, she went crazy shooting so much before. Must have used the bullets. Put me on the couch and check Cal. I think he’s...” She bit her lip.
“I’ll check. Where’s your phone? We need to call an ambulance.”
Moving gingerly with apparent pain, she pulled it from her pocket. “I’ll call.”
Kelsey still made gurgling noises.
Max tried to tune her out. He should probably either finish her off or pull out the screwdriver and stop the bleeding, but Rose was firm about him checking on Super Cop.
Bending over the officer, relief flooded through Max when he felt a heartbeat at Calvin’s neck and the man breathed. Not dead. At least not yet. Blood pooled around his torso, and Max located a wound in Calvin’s arm.
He stripped off his belt, tying it in a tourniquet around Calvin’s biceps.
“Max?”
He looked up, meeting Rose’s scared eyes. “He’s alive,” Max confirmed.
“Okay. Can you check Bill? And maybe help Kelsey?”
The rattling wheeze was getting worse, and Max figured Kelsey didn’t have long left. He didn’t yet know what happened tonight, but he didn’t feel inclined to help her.
With a sigh, he looked at the pair. If Kelsey died, he really would be a murderer, even if it was self-defense.
“I’ll be right back.” He raced into the kitchen, grabbing some hand towels from the drawer before running back in.
Uncertain whether removing the screwdriver would be the best option or not, Max simply bunched a towel around it, trying to stop the blood flow without shifting the weapon.
Bill’s chest rose and fell with even breaths, even though the front of his shirt was covered in blood. He looked like he had passed out.
“Did I kill him?” Rose asked, sounding breathless.
She did this? Max shook his head. “He’s alive right now, but maybe not for long if the ambulance doesn’t get here soon.”
Rose closed her eyes and moisture leaked down her cheek. “He killed Sage, and everyone else,” she said softly. “Everyone except Jimmy. Kelsey killed him, hoping to frame you and protect Bill.”
Max stared down at his hands, which were quickly becoming coated in blood. He suddenly had the urge to drive the weapon in further, just to make sure Kelsey could never hurt another person. “Julie too?” he asked, his voice cracking.
Rose sighed. “They did Julie together, again hoping to frame you. They must have found out about the video somehow, but I swear I didn’t tell her.”
“I believe you.”
It seemed like a lot of time had passed, but Kelsey was still breathing when the sound of sirens filled the street. Within seconds, men swarmed the living room, tending to the wounded.
Seeing that Rose was awake and coherent, they ignored her, struggling to keep the other three alive.
Without asking permission, Max lifted Rose from the couch and took her to his car. Whether the others lived or died was no longer his concern. Right now, all that mattered was getting Rose to a hospital and getting her help.
“This all happened because I love you,” he said softly, tearing down the road as fast as he dared. Every jostle along the drive provoked a small cry from Rose, so Max had to go slower than he wanted.
The nearest hospital was back in Madras. After the night he’d had, Max could make it in ten minutes.
The question was, once everything was sorted out, would he and Rose both still be free?
The even bigger question for Max was, would she still want him if Kelsey died and he truly was a murderer?
Chapter Twenty-Six
Rose woke up and stared at the lights overhead. It had been a long few days, and she still hurt terribly when the pain pills wore off.
Someone tapped on the door, and Rose looked over.
Veronica stood just outside.
Rose waved her in. “How’s Cal doing?”
Veronica crossed the room, perching in the chair next to the bed. “He’s tough. Hanging in there. The bulletproof vest stopped one of the bullets. One went through his arm, and the other hit his hip. It’ll be a long time before he’s fit for duty, but he’ll live.”
“Good. He saved my life, you know?” Rose still couldn’t believe it. The whole night felt like a dream—a nightmare. Never in a million years would she have suspected her best friend of being so psychotic.
“I know. He’s a hero.” Veronica flashed a smile. “We’ve decided to move in together. My house is bigger than his, so I’m going to get all his stuff transferred over and ready for him when he comes home.”
Rose tried to hide her surprise, quickly lowering her eyebrows from their raised position. It was fast, but good. “That’s really great. I hope you guys will be happy together.”
She nodded. “He still really cares for you, Rose, but I can make him happy. I love him.”
“I’m glad,” Rose said. “Cal deserves to be really happy.”
“What about you? What are your plans? The cops finished processing your house. Are you going back there when the doctors release you?”
Was she? Max had been busy with the police force the last few days, and every time he came to visit, she was too afraid to ask about the apartment in Beaverton. Especially now. It was like he was waiting to see what happened to Kelsey before making any plans. When he found out the news...
“Did you hear that Kelsey died this morning?” she asked Veronica.
The other woman nodded. “I can hardly believe it was her behind all this. And poor Max. He’s just devastated.”
“He knows already? Have you seen him?”
Veronica covered her mouth and compassion filled her eyes. “I thought he came to see you after he found out.”
Rose shook her head. “I haven’t seen him. Why didn’t he come to me?”
“Want me to go find him?”
“No, no. Don’t worry. Go back to Cal. I’m sure he misses you.”
“Cal says to give you his love. I’ll give him the same from you.” Without waiting for Rose’s response, she disappeared through the doorway.
Rose didn’t bother to wipe the tears that dampened her cheeks. It was so odd. Her very best friend for such a long time was dead, and the only thing Rose could think about was why Max hadn’t come to her.
If Bill passed away, the first thing Rose would want was Max’s arms around her. She’d want him to tell her it wasn’t her fault and that everything would be okay.
So far, Bill stayed strong and the doctors said he improved every day. That was good in Rose’s mind. Not that she would have mourned him had she killed him, but all those girls he raped and murdered—their families deserved closure. They deserved to see him behind bars.
Right now, none of that mattered. All that mattered was she was alone, without the man she loved.
Where the hell was Max? Why didn’t he come to her?
***
Max sat in the small chapel at the hospital, staring at the cross illuminated on the far wall. He didn’t really know why he ended up here, or what he hoped for. The news of Kelsey’s death hurt. Although she got him sent to prison for all that time and then tried to send him back, Max never imagined he would be responsible for someone’s death.
What would Rose think? He killed her best friend. Even though that last night had been horrifying for Rose, she still had lots of good memories. The same worry he’d had the night of the attack ran through his mind. Could Rose love a killer?
He rested his elbows on his knees and cradled his face in his palms, covering his eyes. All the happiness he’d had upon getting the new job was snatched away, just like his happiness had been stolen the day Sage was killed.
Feeling the pressure of someone’s hand on his shoulder, Max looked up.
Veronica stared at him, pity in her gaze. “I thought I might find you here. Rose is asking for you.”
He shook his head. “I can’t face her. I really am a murderer now.”
She sighed and sat next to him, putting her arm around his shoulder. “No one thinks that.”
“Don’t they?”
“Well, speaking for myself, if it was a choice between Kelsey or Rose, you made the right decision. If Kelsey had reached Calvin’s gun, she wouldn’t have hesitated to shoot Rose in the head.” She stood back up. “If you’re sorry for stopping that, by all means, continue calling yourself a murderer.”
Max continued staring at the cross long after Veronica walked out. It was good to hear that someone else thought he did the right thing, but Veronica hadn’t really known Kelsey. Not as more than the waitress who worked at Francine’s. It might be different for Rose.
As scared as he was, there was only one way to find out.
***
Max slunk in through the doorway, and Rose’s heart ached for him. He looked dejected and afraid.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hey yourself.” Rose patted the bed beside her. “Come here.”
Max scuffled across the floor, barely picking up his feet as he walked.
“Are you okay?” she asked. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
He folded his arms and hugged them against his stomach. “I guess you heard about Kelsey?”
“A nurse told me right after. Are you okay?” she repeated.
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I feel horrible. I’m a killer now, just like they always accuse me of being.”
Rose struggled to sit upright, bumping the button on the bed controller to raise her head. “Don’t say that. Please don’t say it.”
“But it’s the truth.”
Rose looked away from him, uncertain how she could convince him that he wasn’t responsible. “Kelsey made the choice to kill people. If you hadn’t shown up when you did, Calvin and I would both be dead, and you’d probably be sitting in jail trying to figure out how she framed you and got away with it. She had everything planned, you know. She dug DNA evidence out of our trash. She wasn’t some innocent girl that her bastard of a husband decided to beat to death like Sage was.”
Max nodded. “I know that, but I can’t help but worry that you...”
Rose reached out despite the pain, capturing his hand. “All I want is to move into that little apartment in Beaverton, move my mom somewhere nice, and put all this behind us. I want you.”
Gently, Max squeezed her fingers. “That’s what I want too, but I worried you’d change your mind. We haven’t even talked about the lease I signed or my job and I was afraid that you...” He broke off again, avoiding eye contact.
“You were afraid I’d change my mind again, just like I did when I decided not to marry you before.”
Max’s chin dropped to his chest, but he didn’t argue.
“I was a teenager. I didn’t understand what’s really important in life yet.” She paused, tugging on his hand until he finally looked up, his blue eyes dancing with emotion. “That’s you, Max. I love you, and nothing will ever change that.”
He collapsed onto the edge of the bed, pressing his head against her stomach. “Oh, Rose. I need you in my life forever. I love you.”
Pain flared at his touch, but Rose blocked it out. She stroked his hair back from his forehead. “Tell me about our apartment. I think you should move all the stuff before I get out of the hospital. After all, you’ll need furniture when you start your job next Monday. I won’t be fit to work for a while, so I may as well be with you.”
“Before we talk about that, let me tell you some good news.” He scooted up the bed, kissing her lips softly, but with so much tenderness and love, that Rose’s heart soared with happiness. He was going to be okay.
“What’s that?” she asked once he pulled away.
“I found Gizmo. He was hiding out in the bushes behind the house. When I went over this morning, there he was, begging to be petted.”
“He’s okay? He must have been starving.” Still, Rose was happy to have him safe. It had been a worry. She hadn’t known if the old tom cat could survive outside.
Max shrugged. “I think he learned to catch mice or found someone to feed him. Sure, he rubbed against my legs and begged for a bowl of that fancy cat chow you insist on giving him, but he wasn’t all that skinny. I think he’s going to be fine.”
Rose grabbed Max’s neck, pulling him down to her for another kiss. “Now there’s the sign of true love.”
Half his mouth hitched up in a smile, but he looked confused. “What is?”
“My baby is now your baby, just like I said would happen.”
Max laughed. “He sure is, love. We’re a true family now.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Six months later
Rose practically skipped down the sidewalk on her way into the apartment. A new job! And a perfect one at that.
When she unlocked the door, Max’s happy humming from the kitchen was the first thing she heard.
Gizmo sat on the cat perch Max had made for him beneath the front window. The cat must have had his dinner already because his ear twitched when she shut the door, but he didn’t jump down to greet her.
That was the bad part about sharing her cat. He loved Max almost more than her these days.
Max stepped into the living room, a spatula in his hand. “Hey, there. I’m making hamburgers. You hungry?”
“Starved,” she said, stepping into him and wrapping her arms around his neck.
Max bent, taking her mouth with his.
Even after living together this past half year, Max’s touch still made her pulse race as if she were a teenager. “I love you, Max.”
He pulled back and winked. “Love you. Did you stop and visit Ginger on your way home? Is she still improving?”
Nodding emphatically, Rose let her happiness break out in a wide smile. “She’s so good. Trinity is the perfect place. She actually knows who I am now, and she no longer carries that doll. The counselor said she’s making a lot of progress about facing reality. I don’t think she’ll be ready to leave there anytime soon, but she’s almost the mom I remember.”
Max grabbed her in a bear hug, pressing his stubbly cheek into hers. “That’s the best news, honey. What about your math test? Did you pass?”
She shrugged. “I think so. Won’t know until next week for sure, but I felt good about it.”
“That’s all great news.” Max released her. “If only I could have gone with you to the group counseling session in Clarkston, everything would have been perfect.” He frowned slightly before turning to walk into the kitchen.
She followed behind him, suppressing a sigh. Ever since Bill’s arrest, once a month the family members of his victims met in Clarkston with a group counselor. It was supposed to be healing, and in a way it was, but it was also terribly depressing. It had been a relief to stop and visit her mom on the way home, just to remember that life was improving, even if she’d never entirely get over losing Sage. “I wish you could have come, too. There are family members attending from almost all Bill’s victims. Everyone except Julie’s family.”
“I’ve talked to her sister on the phone a few times,” Max said, turning the hamburgers over. “She’s holding up pretty well, but is relieved Bill got three consecutive life sentences with no chance of parole.”
The rage Rose always felt thinking about it came to the surface. “If Kelsey had just told the truth, the killings might have ended after Sage.” She blinked back a few tears, not wanting to cry again so soon after group. She’d cried enough there.
<
br /> Max took a step closer, grabbing her hand. “Did you talk in group today or is it still too hard?”
Rose chewed on her bottom lip and leaned her head against his chest. “I talked. It was time. Everyone else has been sharing, and I felt bad not contributing. It was hard rehashing what Bill said happened to Sage, but the counselor thinks it will help everyone in the group if we all tell our stories.”
During Bill’s trial, Rose’s real worry had been he would find a way to turn things and get himself off the hook at Max’s expense. The people in Clarkston were definitely still willing to believe Max was a murderer, even now that they knew better. Thank goodness people in Beaverton didn’t know anything about the past and didn’t seem to care.
The truth of Sage’s last night had come out after Bill made a plea bargain in order to have the death penalty taken off the counter as far as his possible sentence. As part of the deal, he told the details of each of his victims’ deaths. The morning Sage died, Bill had found her walking along the road, headed home, and offered her a ride. She was upset because Max rebuffed her, and told Bill she felt wild and wanted him to take her somewhere private.
As hard as that had been for Rose to hear, at least Sage hadn’t gone through the horror of having him forced on her like the other girls had. But he’d still ended the night by beating her to death.
Rose blinked back more tears.
Max squeezed her hand and then wrapped her in his arms, stroking her back softly.
“It was pretty hard to talk about,” she said, when she finally felt able to speak.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there to support you.”
She breathed in deeply, his scent flooding her senses, which always included a hint of motor oil these days. “You always support me, so don’t worry about it. I know you had to work.”
“The thing that is still unbelievable to me is how Kelsey is the one who killed Jimmy,” Max said. “Not to mention she actually helped with Julie.” His voice came out slightly roughened, choked with emotion.
Murderous Lies Page 18