~ ~ ~ ~ ~
At the hospital, Luke walked over to the computer to check for any updates about the case. On the screen was the police report from the accident Barry was in near Kate’s condo. Realizing that it must have come up during the celebration of Lucy’s recovery, Luke called Don. “I have bad news, Cheeto.” Luke’s voice was tight. “He has his sights set on Kate now. He got in a fender bender right outside her condo yesterday. His car has very little damage, but the car he hit has a big dent.”
“Trouble.” Don let out a breath. “I can’t get a hold of her. She left me a message that she was Christmas shopping with some friends, but I’ve been calling her for about an hour and it keeps going to voicemail. I’m parking near her condo right now.” Don hung up.
Luke stood there, holding his phone.
Sabrina glanced up at her husband and rubbed Lucy’s shoulder. The others were gone but Esther was still in the room. “Mommy’s going to go talk to Daddy for a minute sweetheart. I’ll be right over there. And your best nurse is right here by you.” Sabrina walked over to Luke and put a hand on her husband’s arm. “What’s up?”
“We know who the killer is and he’s after Kate. Don can’t reach her. He doesn’t know where she is.”
Sabrina bit her lip. She hustled over to the calendar that they’d hung on the wall. “I think today is the day Kate has to take the toys to Regis University. I remember that banner in the church and I heard her talking with her friends about it.”
Luke grabbed Sabrina’s shoulders. “Babe, you’re a genius!”
Sabrina patted Luke on the chest. “One more thing. It’s okay if you go help Don. Lucy’s awake. She knows you’ve been here with her. But honey, it would be terrible if anything happened to Kate. Not only do I like her, but I think it would put Don over the edge.”
Luke frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“Luke, Don is breaking down that wall he’s been behind since Uelle passed. He actually laughs sometimes now. Heck, the man went dancing!” Sabrina grabbed her husband’s arm. “I think he likes Kate. I don’t know if he knows it yet, but I can see it.” She poked her husband in the chest. “Now, you go out there and save that woman. Save her for her, but save her for us too.” She took a step closer. “And be careful, honey. That man is a heartless killer. Lucy and I love you more than anything. You have to come home to us, you hear me?”
“I hear you. I’ll come home.” Luke kissed his wife and walked over to Lucy’s bed.
“Are you going to go help Uncle Don get that bad guy you kept talking about Daddy?”
Luke smiled and nodded. “Girl, how do you read my mind? The two best women on the planet are both in my life and they’re both geniuses.” He kissed his daughter. “I love you baby girl. I’m so happy to see those big brown eyes wide open!” He pointed a finger at her. “And I’m also going to put your letter to Santa in the mail and get it on its way to the North Pole.” He winked at her and strode out of the room.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Don shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he stood at Kate’s door with the manager of the building. The keys jingled as the elderly man fumbled with the lock. The latch finally clicked and Don bolted in. He looked in her bedroom and found the clothes he gave to Kate the night before neatly folded and stacked on the end of the bed. Closing his eyes, he leaned against the doorframe and felt the relief flood through his body. He let out a long breath and looked at the manager. “Okay, her condo is clean.”
He walked around the kitchen and looked at the door. “Whoa. This lock is broken.” He walked out onto the balcony and stared down into the courtyard spotting footprints in the snow. “That was a close one,” he whispered. “He probably broke in late last night or early this morning. What do you want to bet she didn’t even notice when she was here?” He looked back up at the manager. “We’re going to have to get this placed dusted for fingerprints.”
Don’s phone rang. It was Luke. “Kate is supposed to be at Regis University for that toy drive she was doing,” Luke said. “I called St. James and she is at Regis right now. They think she’s in the Alumni building. Or a building near it. They aren’t sure. I’m on my way. I’ll meet you there.”
“Luke, we have to hurry. He broke into her condo, but she wasn’t here. He’s stalking her. She’s next.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Kate finished one table and stepped back to check their work. “I think that takes care of the dolls.” She turned to the priest. “Can you believe how many different kinds there are? It’s crazy!”
“All I care about is that these dolls become good friends for some little girls.” Father Bill’s eyes became wet and he blinked. “Okay, how about we do the books next?”
“My favorite. Wouldn’t it feel good to be curled up in front of a fire reading a good book right now?”
“Mmmmm.”
Kate moved to a pile of books at a far table and started leafing through them.
Barry’s legs cramped as he viewed the two do-gooders. He rubbed the dog in his pocket. How are we going to do this Buddy? I think we should take out the priest first. He smiled to himself. Kate will suffer as she watches him die. He squinted. It would be nice for Kate to go slowly. He patted the knife from Brazil in his pocket. Maybe slice her up a little bit first. Yeah, that’s the ticket. Yelling, he burst out from behind the oak door swinging his axe. Toys went flying. Father Bill hollered and grabbed a nearby hockey stick.
Barry laughed. “That thing is no match for this axe!”
Turning, Kate screamed at Barry as he rushed towards Father Bill. The priest scrambled around the tables of toys. Barry smashed through them with the axe, destroying everything in its path. Kate flung books at him. She found a baseball and hurled it at his head. “Barry, what are you doing? You have to stop this!” She spotted a baseball bat.
Father Bill dodged as Barry swung the axe through the air. The priest swiped a table to clear the toys and lifted it as a shield. The axe broke through. The priest threw the table at Barry, but Barry moved closer and struck his back. Blood poured out of the wound and the priest fell, hitting his head. He was still.
Barry turned to face Kate, growling.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sirens blaring, Don guided the Crown Vic through Denver Christmas season traffic towards Regis University. He flashed his lights and pulled up to the bumper of a brown Toyota in the emergency lane. “Get out of my way!” he howled as he motioned at the driver to move. “The emergency lane is for emergency vehicles!”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Barry was too near the doorway for her to escape outside so she ran into the chapel with her bat. The chapel was as black as ink. Kate crept along the frigid stone walls without breathing. She hoped she could find that little door to get downstairs.
Barry burst in, snarling. “You aren’t getting away from me this time!” He ran right into a pew and fell down but got back up, pummeling the pew with his axe. Blow after blow after blow he chanted, “I hate you! I hate all of you!” Another strike. “I hate my mother!” A thrash. “I hated the cheerleaders!” A strike. “Then, you quit!” A crash. “Then, Patty stole my app!” A swing. “Then, the recession wiped me out!” A smash. “Then, I’m at dinner and you completely ignore me like I’m nothing! And on top of all that, some Brazilian thieves stole my money! That’s it! I’ve had it! No more!” Barry beat the pew until it was pulverized.
Kate inched against the walls, sliding her hands along the stone. Then a smooth surface greeted her fingertips. She turned the door handle and slipped through the door. She stopped and gathered herself. Now she had to make it down the steps in the pitch black without falling or making a noise. She hoped the stairs wouldn’t creak.
Chapter Forty
Don approached Regis and silenced his sirens. As he careened around the driveway in front o
f the Alumni Building, he saw Barry’s car and the church van with the doors open. Gun drawn, he hurtled out of his car towards the Alumni building and dashed around the dark structure, checking all the doors. Every one of them was locked. The windows were dark as well. He peered into them trying to spot movement. Nothing.
Kate sat on her butt and inched her way down each step. So far so good.
Barry found a lantern and roared through the chapel. “You can’t get away from me this time, Kate!”
Don turned around to get a look at the buildings nearby and saw a glimmer of light coming through stained glass windows at an old church. He darted through the trees, towards the light.
Kate counted each step as she made her way down. She was on step seventeen. Three more maybe? The bat slipped out of her hand and clattered to the bottom. Oh no! Her hand flew to her mouth to stifle a scream. Moments later she heard Barry’s heavy footsteps near the door.
Kate made it to the bottom and grabbed the bat. She ran her hands along the wall until she found one of the tiny rooms. Kate slipped into the room and spread her feet out, positioning herself to attack. She gripped the bat and took a deep breath.
Barry tromped down the stairs. “I heard you! Here I come!”
Kate found herself trembling at the sound of his voice. She opened her mouth to get more air.
Don listened at the entrance and pulled out a flashlight. He opened the door and was greeted with frigid air. He sucked in his breath. It reminded him of the cold in Avery’s hospital room.
Laying on the floor in a pool of his own blood, the priest groaned. Don ran to him and called an ambulance. Ripping a dress from a doll, he used it to stem the priest’s bleeding. “An ambulance is on the way.”
“Don’t worry about me. Help Kate. I’ll bet she went downstairs.” The priest pointed towards the little door.
“Here, let’s see if you can reach well enough to stop the flow.”
“I’m good. Go help Kate.”
Don sprinted into the dark chapel.
Barry saw a closed door and ripped it open. There was nothing. Where did she go?
Kate heard Barry outside the tiny room. She held her breath and steadied herself.
Chest heaving for air, Barry held the lantern out. Does she think she can hide against a wall? Then he spotted another door, then another and another.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are!” he taunted. His voice rose along with his hysteria. He splintered each door with his axe.
Kate could hear him getting closer.
Don sprinted past the demolished pew.
Barry lunged at Kate’s door and smashed it, then ripped it open with his axe swinging. Kate flattened her body against the wall, but he hit her leg and blood flowed. “You’re done!” Lifting his axe, he held the axe over his head ready to bring it down. “Drop that bat and get down on the floor!”
Kate swung the bat at his feet and rolled.
Barry caught himself from falling and swore.
Don leapt down the stairs and saw Barry with the axe over his head and Kate crouching, ready to dodge the hit.
Don fired.
Kate watched Barry’s face change before her eyes. Fury was replaced with shock. His jaw opened and he looked at her in disbelief. The axe fell out of his hands as he hit the floor.
Don kicked the axe out of his grasp and checked him; still breathing, but not a threat. He cuffed him then rushed to Kate.
“Boy, am I glad to see you!” Legs shaking, Kate stood up.
Don laughed and felt relief cascade over him like a waterfall when he heard her voice. Without thinking, he reached out and hugged her. After a few moments, he pulled back. “I’m glad to see you too,” he whispered. He closed his eyes and soaked her in as he felt her soft hair against his cheek.
“Are you hurt?”
“Yeah, he hacked me in the leg.”
Don helped Kate sit down, then sat back on his heels, and looked at her leg He took off his shirt and ripped it to make a tourniquet.
Kate’s heart softened as she watched him. It felt really good to have him take care of her. She reached for his face, holding it between her hands. “Thank you for saving my life.”
“I’m so glad I got here in time.” He cleared his throat. “If anything happened to you I don’t know what I would do,” he whispered. He leaned forward, stroked her hair, and drank in her smell. His heart pounded. He gazed in her eyes and touched her soft lips with his own. Don held her as though he would never let her go.
Then the sounds of Luke banging down the stairs were heard. “Ow!” Luke wailed. “There’s no way this room is meant to be for adults,” he said, rubbing his head.
“Looks like Luke’s gonna have a lump.” Don grinned and then looked at Kate. “Here, let me help you to the ambulance.”
“What about Father Bill? Barry sliced him, too.”
“He’s already on his way to the hospital,” Luke responded. “I saw what Barry did to the toys and the pew and called for another. They should be here any minute.” Luke looked at Barry. “Looks like he needs one, too.” Luke made an additional call. “I’ll stay down here with him until they get here.” He looked around. “Man, it’s cold in here.”
A memory flashed in Don’s mind. “Must be the evil wolf.”
“Cheeto, you need a vacation.”
Chapter Forty-One
Hours later, Don found himself holding a vase of flowers and a couple of books while standing at the door of Kate’s hospital room. She had an I.V., bandages around the sliced leg, and her face was the color of new fallen snow. Her eyes, however, were as bright as ever and he could see them flashing in anger as she watched the TV in her room carrying Sarah Snow and the news about the end of the search for the Denver serial killer.
Don stepped in. “Hi.” He held up the vase. “I brought you some flowers.” He held up the books. “I also found a couple of books I thought you might like.” He grinned. “I didn’t think being laid up in a hospital bed would suit you very well without something to do.”
Kate laughed. “Oh Don, the flowers are beautiful! I love them! Thank you!” She held a finger to her lips in thought. “Where shall we put them so that I can see them easily?” She waved her hand at a nearby table. “I know, move this table a little bit down towards my feet and then I’ll be able to see them every minute.”
Don pulled a table over and placed the flowers the way Kate wanted them.
“Perfect!” Kate beamed. “Let me check out those books you brought, Detective.” She scrutinized them and held up her thumb in approval just as a petite African American nurse came bustling into the room. Her dark hair was close cropped, and her big brown eyes twinkled.
She put her hands on her hips. “Rearranging the furniture already?”
Don apologized and she waved her hand. Smiling at Kate, she listened to her heart and took her blood pressure.
Don looked at her name tag. “Thank you for taking care of her, Haley.”
“You’re welcome.”
“How long will Kate need to stay here?”
“Oh, at least two or three days. She needs to regain some strength after losing all of that blood.” The nurse wrote a few things down on Kate’s chart and marched out of the room.
Don moved over to Kate’s bed and sat on the edge of it so that he could hold her hand. “You look pale.” He gently smoothed her hair, and then squeezed her hand. “I’m so glad you’re going to be all right, Kate.” He shook his head. “When I got to Regis I didn’t know where you were. I saw Barry’s car and the van from St. James.” He looked at the floor for a moment. “I knew Barry was after you. And then when I found the chapel and saw what he did to the pew…” His voice trailed off. “It seemed like it took forever to get to that room. And when I saw him ready to bury that
axe into your head…” Don shivered. “I’m just so glad I got there when I did. One second later…”
Kate patted Don’s hand. “He didn’t win, Don, not this time. Thanks to you.” She looked at her flowers and then back at Don. “I knew you’d find me. During the whole nightmare, there was some feeling I had in the back of my mind that you’d be there for me.” She smiled at him. “I might be able to get used to it.”
Don leaned close to Kate. He gazed into her eyes and stroked her lips with his thumb. He cradled her head with his hand and kissed her. Kate circled him with her arms and kissed him back for a long time. Then he leaned his forehead against hers and said in a low voice, “I’m thinking I could get used to this as well.”
The television was still on at low volume. Sarah Snow’s voice came into the room. “Barry Witt passed away in surgery a few minutes ago. We will provide updates as we learn more.”
“Wow. That’s such a shame,” Kate observed. “I actually feel bad for all that happened to him.”
“Yeah, it’s sad. However, there are people who have really tough lives and manage not to commit murder. He didn’t have to go down that road. His own choice.”
“What hospital was he taken to? This one?”
“No, you and Father Bill were brought here. He was taken to Swedish Medical Center. My guess is Sarah camped out there to get the info. Paid off for her.”
Later, after Don left, Haley came back to check on Kate. As she listened with her stethoscope, she moved Kate’s necklace out of the way and raised her eyebrows when she noticed the necklace held an engagement ring. “Interesting necklace.”
Her conversation with Sabrina about the necklace flashed through her mind and Kate chuckled. “Yeah, it is, isn’t it?” She looked at Haley. “By the way, how is Father Bill doing? His name is Bill Crockett.”
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