Chapter 19
Susan had taken the kids into town early that morning, and Eric fumed over breakfast while Gerald nursed a cup of coffee at the breakfast counter.
"I should have had her make us something before she left," Eric said as he shoveled darkened scrambled eggs off the plate.
"Did they leave because I'm some felon?" Gerald bit out the words as his brother slid a plate in front of him.
"I've been shot, and my house burnt to the ground because some lunatic had some manic, lustful episode over one of our cousins. You can't blame any of us for being a little careful."
"You don't trust me."
"I don't trust what's happening to you. And if for one second you think that I have even one inkling that you might have done this then you're an asshole. I'm your brother, and I will always have your back."
At that moment the front door of the house opened and in walked his other brothers, and his cousin Todd.
Russell moved in and took the stool next to Gerald. "Susan go on strike? Who made these eggs?" he asked as he took Gerald's fork and took a bite. "Man, didn't you take the shells out?"
Ben snorted out a laugh. "Thank God my wife makes me breakfast. It’s dictated by the two-year-old I now live with, but a bowl of Lucky Charms looks better than this crap."
Dane walked past all of them and straight into the kitchen for a mug, which he promptly filled to the brim with coffee. "You picked a crap week to get arrested and need all this attention. I still have jet lag."
Todd followed his cousin into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee as well. "You're a pansy. Jet lag is a myth."
"My ass," Dane challenged. "Oh, you think you can beat it. You determine when you fly, or when you sleep, and that first day back, you think you've won the challenge. Two days later you can't keep your freaking eyes open."
"I suppose if I ever get the chance even to leave this country for any reason, I'll make those decisions for myself." Todd sipped from his mug and looked up at Gerald. "You look like crap."
"Aren't you full of niceness today," Gerald pushed the plate of burnt eggs toward Russell, who continued to eat them. "I don't need you all out here to babysit me. I'm not going anywhere, as instructed. I don't even have my truck. And Phillip and crew are going through all my personal belongings as we speak. So I'd much rather be left the hell alone."
"Dad is standing guard over Phillip and crew," Russell informed him. "He's talking lawsuit, too, if the name of the ranch and the family get pulled down over all of this."
"It's all bullshit," Gerald picked up his coffee and set it back down. "Each of us has had our own crap to deal with, but this is asinine. I didn't know any of those women. I didn't touch any of those women. And I sure as hell didn't kill any of them. What the hell is an alibi good for if they don't believe it? If I wasn't with Ella when those women were taken and found, then most likely I was with one of you. Hell, I was having a beer with Phillip when he got the call about the first one."
Dane moved to the door when they heard vehicles driving up toward the house. "Dad and Phillip are here."
"Oh great. Someone shoot me if he's here to haul me back.
Gerald said as he spun around to look at the front door as it opened.
Their father walked in without a word, followed by Phillip who promptly took off his hat and ran his fingers over the brim.
"Good morning, gentlemen," he greeted.
"Sure as hell would be if you'd tell them all to let me off my leash and that this nightmare is over," Gerald snarled.
"Not yet. I need to talk to you. Mind stepping outside?" he directed his question to Gerald.
"I don't have anything to say to you that I wouldn't say in front of my family. I have nothing to hide, Smythe."
"Fair enough. Who'd you buy that trailer from?"
"Les Martin. Had never met him before that."
"Where did you find him?"
"Lydia. Who else in this town can match you with a guy who has something if you want it? Maybe you should be asking her to find your man. She knows everyone and what they're doing."
"You can leave Lydia out of this," Phillip's voice grew sharper.
"I'm just saying. I needed a temporary place, and she knew a guy. She arranged the meeting and went with me to meet the guy. He had good things to say about Lydia, because who doesn't?" He made sure to emphasize his feelings about that. "The guy's price was a steal. I paid him in cash. He signed over the title. I pulled it up to my lot of land where it sits right now. Tell me when you tossed all my drawers you put my underwear back where you found it."
Phillip chewed on his bottom lip. "You're a slob. Do you ever clean out your sink after you shave?"
Gerald stood from his stool and Russell was quick to put an arm out to stop his forward motion.
"What the hell does it matter to you?"
"That's where our perpetrator picked up your DNA. Same thing with Steven Cross and Kane Evans. The DNA found on our victims were tiny hairs, just like those you'd have shaved off."
"That's impossible. That would mean he'd had to have been in my trailer."
Phillip nodded. "You said you thought my guys were out here going through your stuff, but I didn't send anyone."
"Don't lie to me in front of my family," he threatened.
"Wouldn't dream of it. We have a few fingerprints we've lifted off of things. I'm sure we're going to find that they are yours and Ella's. Who else have you had out there?"
"Lydia had walked through it with me when I met the guy. Seeing that he'd all but bleached the hell out of it before we got there, I'm going to say Lydia, Ella, myself, oh and you. Those would be the prints you'll lift."
"Steven Cross had a red horse blanket taken from the back of his red pickup. That blanket was found wrapped around Celeste Cordova's body. Your hair is on that blanket."
"I don't know Steven Cross."
"I got that. Stay out here and away from town. Do Ella and Lydia a favor and stay away from them, too, for a few days."
"You don't dictate my life."
Eric moved in to stand between the men. "We'll keep him busy and away from his trailer." He held up his hand when he heard Gerald take the breath to argue. "He's given you all his alibis, so does he get let off a little?"
"When I don't have any more victims, and I have a culprit."
"It doesn't lead to him."
"Does as long as DNA is found there."
"Had he been sleeping in the woman's house and those hairs were on her pillow, fine. You're telling us that the guy responsible for doing this went into his house and collected those hairs. Doesn't that say he's innocent?"
"It says I have DNA confirmation." Phillip said firmly. "I've had my beef with every one of you in this room, and yet I don't wish any harm to any of you," he added.
"Even Gerald? He made moves on your girl," Eric continued.
Gerald shoved his brother. "Are you trying to get me killed?"
"I'm just making sure he doesn't have motive to put you away because he's harboring some feelings over it."
Phillip shook his head. "I got the message loud and clear about what happened between him and Lydia. I want the Walker name cleared as much as you do. And I don't want another dead woman on my hands. If it means I'm an ass to a family that doesn't deserve it, I apologize. I'm here to do my job and do it thoroughly."
"Then you go do your job," Eric said. "We'll keep him out of his truck, his house, and town. Don't let us down."
Phillip put his hat back on his head and pulled it low to his brow. "I wouldn't dream of it."
Chapter 20
Ella felt isolated. Wasn't it funny that she was free to go where she wanted to go, talk to anyone she wanted to talk to, but she was the one feeling down about the situation at hand?
Gerald had warned her away from the ranch, so she'd obliged. She'd spent the weekend with Candi, and now she was spending her lunch break wandering the streets, lonely. She wouldn't have had Gerald standing in
her office on a Monday mid-day anyway, but she couldn't help but miss him so terribly that she was nearly feeling sick over it.
Phillip was keeping her abreast of everything as it happened. He assured her that Gerald was under the watchful eyes of all his brothers, his parents, and his cousin. She knew he'd turned off his phone just to not be bothered. And she knew she was foolish for feeling so pitiful.
As she came to the end of the street, she watched as Lydia passed by the flower store and Bethany walked out the door. Together they both walked into Pearl's bridal store. Audrey and Gia both walked from their stores as well and entered Pearl's store.
What could all of the Walker women be doing?
Quickly she ducked into the coffee shop, ordered herself a latte, and as she walked out, she saw Susan and her children enter the store as well. Yes, this was a meeting of the greater minds of the Walker family. Would it be presumptuous of her to walk in too?
Perhaps they'd turn her right back to the street. But Ella felt as if she were to be there.
Ella walked to the front of the bridal shop just as Chelsea, Russel's wife walked around the corner with her baby on her hip.
"Oh, Ella. It's nice to see you. I didn't get to talk to you at Ben and Nichole's wedding."
"You're looking well."
"Motherhood will keep you running. Russ took Lucas with him out to fix fence this morning. I'm glad. I needed a little break."
"I'm sure it's tiring. Are you going into Pearl's?"
Chelsea's eyes grew wide. "Yes. Are you?"
"I thought I'd peek my head in," she said as she opened the door for the last of the Walker women to enter, and then she followed her inside.
Sunshine, Pearl's assistant, was wrangling the kids into the break room for lunch. She waved as Ella entered behind Chelsea.
Lunch had been set out in the dressing area, and she had noticed that the sign on the door had been turned to closed. Now she was feeling out of place and considered turning around, but Bethany caught her attention and moved in to hug her.
"It's nice to see you. I didn't know you were coming to lunch."
"Oh," Ella sighed. "I just was down the street and, well, I saw you walk in and thought I'd come to say hi. I didn't know you were all meeting for lunch."
At that moment the door opened again, and Missy, Jake's wife, and Gerald's mother walked through the door. Each of them smiled in greeting, but she didn't miss the looks on their faces, their eyes open wide in surprise that she was there.
"Hey, Ella," Missy said as she passed right by them.
Gerald's mother moved to her and hugged her. "What a nice surprise that you're joining us."
"Oh, I'm not. I just…"
"Of course you should join us," Pearl's voice rang from the doorway. "I should have told you to meet us here anyway."
Pearl took her hand and led her to the room where every woman, a Walker or involved with a Walker man on either side of the family, sat around an ornate tray of finger sandwiches, no doubt put together by Susan.
Every one of them hugged her and greeted her as if she'd never left the graces of the family. The thought crossed her might again, had she married Gerald originally, she would have been the first Mrs. Walker of the generation. Though she and Chelsea might have had to vie for that position, they had both taken different paths before getting involved again. There was some comfort in the fact that she hadn't been the only woman to walk away from a Walker man.
"This is lovely," Ella said as they all began to reach for sandwiches and sip on champagne, which was a staple at the bridal boutique. "Do you do this often?"
Lydia reached in for a sandwich. "We're thinking about having a high tea at the reception hall once a week for the retired community. But it has to be just right. Susan is trying out sandwich recipes," she said, and Ella realized that even among Walker women, Lydia belonged.
"So, Ella, what's going on with Gerald and this serial killer?" Missy asked bluntly, and all eyes turned to her. "C'mon, I'm the only one with enough guts to ask. All the men are tied up trying to keep him out of trouble. What's your take?"
No one argued Missy's question verbally. Instead, all eyes turned to Ella, and she swallowed hard.
"Well, I think it's quite unfortunate. There is no way he could do something like this."
"Agreed," his mother said lifting her glass in salute.
"From what I know, the victims are all similar. He started with the youngest but didn't hurt her. Scared her to death. Enough so that I've heard the family is moving out of the area. He worked his way up from just kidnapping, to battery, to sexual assault. I don't think he meant to kill Sara Crow, but it happened. People like that then get that in their blood and continue with the attacks, and they grow in severity."
"You knew Sara, didn't you?" Bethany asked.
"She worked in my building. I did know her."
"What is he looking for in a victim?"
Ella took a long breath and looked around the room. "Each of them had dark hair," she began and noticed Pearl ease back in her seat. "He started with a teenager and has grown in age by a few years each time. As if he's searching for the right age."
Gia shook her head in disgust. "That's horrible."
"They've all been about five-foot-three," she continued and noticed Bethany's shoulders ease.
Nichole sipped from her glass. "There was something else though. I saw it on the news. One more similarity."
"A tattoo on their wrist," Ella said and watched as Lydia threw her hands up in the air.
"Well, fu…" She stopped herself and looked directly at Gerald's mother who smiled sweetly. Lydia turned over her arm and flashed the infinity symbol, interrupted with a tiny heart on one of the lines freshly inked on her wrist.
Bethany grabbed Lydia's wrist. "When did you get that?"
"Last weekend."
"It's quite personal. Infinity and a heart. You have some dishing to do. Spill."
Lydia shook her head, and her short cap of hair moved with the motion. "There is nothing to spill. It's a lovely sentiment that means embrace life to me. That's all."
Bethany sized Lydia up and then laughed. "I think that's sweet."
"Yeah, well I'm going to lock myself in my freaking office until that maniac is caught. I fit his profile."
Pearl crossed one leg over the other and rested her bangled wrist on her knee. "He'd have a death wish of his own if he messed with you. Everyone knows you can handle yourself."
"Damn straight," Lydia agreed as she picked up her flute of champagne and drank it down before the alarm on her phone went off. "Well, this was fun. I have a showing for a couple in twenty minutes. I have to get the final touches on my presentation. If you girls do anymore gossiping, you'd better let me in on it. I don't want to be the missing link."
She stood and hurried toward the door.
"Our secretary will take notes," Missy shouted out, and Lydia raised her middle finger to the room filled with laughter that followed her exit.
Chapter 21
Ella's head felt light as she walked back to her office. She could never have imagined that she'd have fallen into a lunch with all of the Walker women and have enjoyed herself as much as she had.
Abe had called three times looking for her, as her client had been waiting to go over the new information on getting more money out of her ex-husband. Quite frankly, Ella didn't even care. The woman could wait days if it were up to her.
The thought continued to swirl in her head that she should have her own boutique law firm. She could do the things she wanted to do. Hell, maybe she could even do weddings, it was nothing for someone to get ordained. She could have them sign their prenup and then marry them right off.
Laughing, she stepped off the elevator as her phone rang in her pocket.
Her client zeroed in on her and moved to her quickly, so Ella answered her phone quicker.
"Ella Mills here."
"Gerald Walker here," his voice resonated in her already fuzzy he
ad, and it made her heart rate quicken.
"Well, hello, Mr. Walker. How can I assist you today?" she asked as the woman followed her into her office noticeably irritated.
"Phillip is letting me off my leash just a bit. Come out and stay with me. I want to see you. Touch you. Hold you," he said, and every nerve in her body ignited.
"I'll bring something with me, and I'll be there by six."
"It can't come soon enough. Hey, Mom said she had lunch with you and the girls. She's pleased you're back."
And that was the icing on the cake. "I'll see you at six."
"I'll be here," he said before the call disconnected and she stared into the disgusted face of her client.
Gerald was sitting in one of his lawn chairs when she arrived. He looked more relaxed than he had in weeks, she thought. In his hand, he had a beer, and on a turned over bucket, he had a pail of ice and four more beers cooling. He deserved that, she thought, as she climbed from her car and pulled the bag of groceries out of the back seat.
"You look comfortable," she called to him, and he stood to meet her after setting his open beer on his makeshift table.
"Comfortable. I'm not sure that's the word that describes me, but I'll take it. You brought groceries?" he asked as he reached for the first bag.
"Yes. I thought we could cook dinner, and have something for breakfast. I got you a few things for lunch too."
"Well, aren't you maternal," he noted as he walked back and picked up his beer.
"Just helping out. Do I sense some sarcasm? If you don't want me out here then…"
"What I want is to have this damn thing over. I can't do my work. I can't leave my house. I can't drive my damned truck. God forbid, I want to go into town to see you, then I'll get arrested."
"You're not charged. Phillip is trying to keep you safe."
"Well, I've had enough of it. Maybe Phillip is the one killing these girls, and he's just pissed off at me because I kissed Lydia and took her home."
She realized that the bucket of beer wasn't to share, and he'd probably already gotten quite a head start on her arrival. He hadn't sounded so angry when he'd called her earlier.
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