She needed more information. She needed to know who died and when. But how could she get all that information? The news only supplied so much of it. It’s not like she could barge into the police station and they’d willingly offer the information either. What she needed to do was talk with Laura again. Get it straight from her.
As the raindrops started falling harder, Cassie’s stomach began to growl. Before going to Laura’s place, she would quickly get a bite to eat at her favorite diner. A satisfied stomach could do wonders!
Cassie was greeted with a friendly smile as soon as she walked through the glass door with a bell jingling against it. She took a seat at one of the bar stools and told the waitress exactly what she wanted.
The evening news was blaring out of the two TVs the diner owned. One was at the left end of the building and one at the right. Cassie occasionally looked at one of the screens to see what was happening in Crimson Shores as of late.
It wasn’t until she heard Laura’s name that her ears perked up and her eyes were glued to a screen. A picture of Laura was on the screen as a male anchor’s voice carried on information about her. She was being acknowledged as The Margaret Killer, responsible for seven deaths so far. The public didn’t need to worry as she was incarcerated as of this afternoon.
WHAT?! Cassie’s shoulders slumped as she continued to listen. This wasn’t right. This wasn’t fair!
Forgetting her order, she left immediately. Things had gone from bad to worse. She couldn’t waste any more time.
* * *
Laura lay still on the stiff bed in her holding cell. It was quiet. Too quiet. She didn’t like being able to hear her own thoughts as if they were a person talking directly to her.
Her head shot up. A new sound. Someone was coming. But were they coming for her? Did the cops realize their mistake after all?
A man in uniform stopped in front of the cell. “There’s someone here to talk with you.”
Laura got up and moved toward the bars. Instinctively, she brushed through her hair and straightened out her clothes. She wondered who wanted to see her. Could it be Marissa? Or maybe Connor heard and rushed over!
To her surprise, as the policeman stepped away, Cassie appeared. Laura looked at her, eyebrows scrunched. “How did you know I was here?”
“It was on the news,” Cassie stated.
Laura closed her eyes and hung her head, sighing. She started to rub her forehead.
“Hey, it’s okay, Ms. Keaton.”
Looking up, she said, “Laura. You can call me Laura, remember?” She was afraid it came out a bit harsher than she intended it to.
Cassie gave a small smile. “Oh, right. Sorry. I’m just used to being in class.”
“Why are you even here, Cassie?”
“Because I need information. I figure the only place I’m going to get enough of it is from you.”
Laura shrugged her shoulders. “Like what? What do you want to know?”
“Well, like when everyone died and what you were doing. There’s got to be at least one of them where someone could back you up. You know, give you an actual alibi.”
“I don’t know, Cassie. I was alone.”
“Just, please, what information can you give me?” she begged.
Laura swallowed, thinking about whether to go over it all again. But if it meant her freedom, maybe it was worth it. After a long pause, she told everything she knew.
Cassie jotted down the name, place, time of death, and what Laura claimed to be doing for each murder. When they had worked their way up to this very day, she closed the notebook. “Thank you.”
Laura smiled at her. It was neat seeing her bloom where she was planted. She knew this type of thing was right up Cassie’s alley, and a part of her truly believed she might be a big help. But she had to be careful. What if her helping led to her demise?
When her belongings were put back in her purse, Cassie said, “And by the way, I’m not buying any of it. I don’t think you’re guilty. Not even for one moment. I want to help. I will help. I just hope I get enough time!”
“Thanks.” Laura leaned forward, her face between the bars she was holding on to. “But, Cassie?”
Cassie stepped closer. “What?”
“I want you to stay away.”
“What? What do you mean?”
Laura put up a hand to silence her. “Cassie, listen. You’re close to graduating. You need to focus on school, getting those good grades you’re used to getting. I don’t want you focusing on me. If you figure out something, great. But don’t take your time away from studying and getting that degree. I’ll be fine. Things will work out. I have to believe that.” She felt bad for lying about the last part, but she’d feel even worse if it was because of her something happened with Cassie graduating.
“I’ll be fine! You’re important to me, and I’m going to do what it takes to get your name cleared.”
She could tell Cassie was serious, but she had to be even more so. “Please. Just stay away. I don’t want you to end up dead!”
With those words, she turned around and went to lie back down on her bed. This time she faced the wall.
* * *
“Laura? Laura?!” Cassie called out a few more times, hitting the bars for good measure. Finally, the policeman who led her over came back to lead her out.
Why was Laura giving her the cold shoulder? She couldn’t have possibly meant everything she said. She might have said she doesn’t want her help, but she was going to help anyway. Nothing was going to stop her until Laura was outside of those bars.
Taking her stuff, Cassie walked out of the police station. She got in her car and left the lot.
As she pulled out, a sports car pulled in. It was a sky-blue color with tinted windows. The hood had a darker blue flame all over it. Cassie loved cars so she studied this one as long as it was safe to do so. From her rearview mirror, she saw two bumper stickers. What a beauty it was.
It wasn’t until two blocks from her apartment that she suddenly remembered she had seen that rare jewel before. It was when she dropped Laura off one afternoon. The same afternoon one of the men were killed. After contemplating it some more, she got the feeling this car might be the key to all these murders! If she could prove Laura was not guilty with this one, that would prove she was not guilty with all of them!
Only one problem remained, however. Without knowing anything else about this vehicle, how could she prove her theory correct?
Chapter 4
S
he paced back and forth. Back and forth. It had become a habit as of late. Thankfully her path wasn’t creating a pit for she would have been well near the earth’s core by now if it had.
But there was no other choice. Nothing was helping her get rid of this itch she couldn’t scratch. Nothing was satisfying this need within her. What she wouldn’t kill to…kill!
That was done and over with, though. What she had set out to accomplish had worked. It was finished. Done. Over with. Never did she imagine she’d want to keep going. But there was something in the way it made her feel. It brought a high that she had never experienced before. She needed to feel that high again. What was she going to do?
A sound disturbed her thoughts. She looked up in the direction it came from.
Someone was here!
* * *
A guard came to unlock Laura’s cell. “You have a visitor. Come with me,” he ordered.
She was brought to a room double the size of her cell and better lit. There were two dividers, creating three sections, each with its own chair. The side she was on was separated from the visitor’s side by what appeared to be a window frame. A phone had to be used to speak.
“It’s the one at the end,” the guard said.
“Thank you.” She made her way forward.
Connor was here! Laura picked up her phone.
“I came as soon as I could,” his deep voice blurted.
Her boyfriend did look like he rushed to see her. Hi
s hair was on the unkempt side. Wrinkles were evident in his shirt. His eyes fatigued. This was not typical of the high-class businessman she had come to know and love.
But though he might have looked serious, she didn’t know what to think. Mentally, she checked off how many nights she had slept and how many meals she had been allowed to eat. That was her only way of telling time these days. There were no clocks within her line of sight. No watches. No phones.
A week. It had been exactly one week since she had been arrested. And much had happened since. She had her hearing, which didn’t go well. The judge felt there was enough evidence for a trial. She was appointed a lawyer. She was moved out of the holding cell and forced to go into an actual prison where inmates wore plain, ugly outfits. She wasn’t allowed to do much but to sit and wait.
And Connor couldn’t have made it before today? That was what Laura was having such a hard time understanding. When he went on his business trip, she was under the impression it was for a week, maybe less. It’s not like Chicago was that far away.
Plus, when she factored in all the times she tried getting a hold of him and it went to voicemail, something gnawed at her. She simply didn’t know if she could trust what he was saying.
Laura’s shoulders slumped as she exhaled heavily. “Where have you been? I’ve tried calling you numerous times!”
Connor leaned closer to the window. “I know, I know, I know!” The words rushed out in a hushed, yet stern, tone. It was almost as if he had been caught and didn’t want the whole world finding out about it.
She shrugged. “Well?”
“Look, every time you called, I was either in a meeting or out. I figured if you didn’t leave a message then it was no big deal.”
Out. Laura didn’t like that word. What did he mean when he said he was out? She needed more clarification on that. “What do you mean by saying, ‘out’?” She looked at him through slit eyes.
His eyebrows scrunched inward. “You know, eating, business dinners. That type of thing.”
Laura sighed. She didn’t want to fight. That was the last thing she wanted to do after being apart from him for so long. She just wished she could have talked to him before this.
“But let me tell you, when Marissa called to let me know where you were, I got here as soon as I could,” Connor said. “I mean, you can imagine my shock when I hear my girlfriend is in prison.” His eyes opened wide, almost demanding an explanation.
“Well, I did try telling you what was going on. I just didn’t want to do it as a one-way conversation with your voicemail.”
“Okay,” he said a little more calmly, more sympathetically. “I’m here now. What’s going on?”
She looked down at her attire, removing a piece of hair that was stuck to her thigh. She hated the outfit. The reddish shade didn’t flatter her, but it’s not like she had a choice. At least it was clean.
Her head came back up, eyes looking at her boyfriend once again. “It’s such a long story,” she sighed.
“I’ve got some time,” he rebutted.
She rubbed her head. “I don’t even know where to start.”
“How about why you’re in here?” His voice was gentle and sweet. But there was a speck of frustration. He didn’t come to play games.
And Laura wasn’t trying to play them. Everything was going fast and it all seemed a blur. It didn’t help that this was all absurd to begin with.
Searching his eyes, she saw him waiting for her to start. “All right. Well, have you heard about The Margaret Killer?”
Connor thought for a moment. Shaking his head, he said, “No, not that I can think of.”
“Well, supposedly, someone is killing people, mostly men, and leaving a card behind with a number, a kiss, and the name Margaret on it.”
“Okay,” he dragged out.
“And, well, the police think it’s me.”
Her boyfriend burst out in laughter.
“What’s so funny?” she asked.
“You.” Connor calmed himself, adding, “Now, seriously, what are you in here for?”
Laura raised her eyebrows, staring into his steel gray eyes. And she didn’t budge. Both pair of eyes were at war with each other, an unspoken conversation taking place.
Finally, he asked, “You’re not kidding?”
“No, I’m not.” Shifting in her seat, she said, “Stupid, right?”
Connor searched for the words to say. “But why…what do they…I don’t…why?”
“Well…” Laura spoke slowly, looking away.
“You mean they actually have evidence?”
“Some. Sort of. I mean, they can’t hold someone in prison for no reason.” Waving her hand in the air away from her, she added, “I mean, it’s all crazy, though.”
With his free hand, Connor crossed his chest. Leaning back in his seat, he asked, “What evidence do they have exactly?”
“Still have some time?”
He checked his gold watch. “Yeah, a little.”
“All right.” Laura started at the beginning, letting her boyfriend know what men have died, when, and where. She explained how she was connected to each one and how she never had an alibi. Each time she brought up another victim’s name, Connor’s face contorted, making it harder and harder for her to want to continue. But she did, nonetheless. Wrapping up her story, she shared with him how the police found certain things in her duplex that coincide with what the murderer used.
Connor exhaled a hearty sigh. “Wow. This is bad.” Each word he spoke came out as if it were a sentence on its own.
“Tell me about it,” she agreed, leaning as far back in her chair as the phone’s cord would allow her.
He scratched his head. “I take it you pleaded not guilty at the hearing?”
This seemed an odd thing to ask. She wasn’t guilty so wasn’t going to plead as if she was. Does he feel otherwise? “Well, of course I did. I had my arraignment Monday morning where I was convicted of seven counts of homicide. I pleaded not guilty to all of them.”
“But…” Connor’s eyes squinted as he looked at Laura. He looked away and his jaw clenched. He never finished his sentence.
She tilted her head to the side, trying to read her boyfriend’s face. “But what, Connor?”
He threw a hand in the air, slapping his knee as it came back down. “I don’t know. It just seems a lot is stacked against you. I can see why the judge wants to bring this to trial.”
“You don’t think I know that?!”
“Shh,” he ordered over the phone, a finger to his lips.
Laura rolled her eyes and shook her head, not caring if anyone else could hear.
Silence filled their space.
Finally, she had to say something. “You do believe me, don’t you? That I’m innocent?”
Connor sighed. “You know I do.” A moment later, he added, “It’s just – I mean, do you have a good lawyer at least?”
Brushing a strand of her chocolate hair behind her ear, she replied, “I don’t know if he’s good. I just took whoever the court appointed for me.”
“Who is he?”
“Jonathan Miller. Ever heard of him?”
His lips pressed tightly together. “I can’t say that I have.”
“Well, anyway, I don’t have any other choice now. Hopefully he’ll help figure everything out.”
“That’s it?” he asked. “You don’t really know anything about him?”
She shook her head.
For what must have been the billionth time, Connor sighed. This time he did so while his free hand rubbed the front of his face.
And again, there was silence. Laura’s eyes were begging for sympathy. Connor’s eyes gave something else. Misery? Or was it regret?
This time he was the one to break the stillness. “Look, I just don’t understand. This is all just way too much.”
“What?” she asked calmly, confused. Where was he going with this?
Shaking his head, he looked down. “It�
��s a lot to process. Work is busy. I just – I think we should…” he began. Wincing, he finally spit the rest of the sentence out. “Take a break.”
“What?!” Laura asked again, this time with surprise and anger. Her eyes widened to reflect her feelings. She sat up in her chair. He’s bailing on me?
Connor quickly clarified. “I mean, slow things down. I don’t mean break up.”
“But why? I thought you loved me!” she hissed in the phone.
“I do, I do.”
“Then why?” Laura’s eyes began to tear up. She didn’t need something else to cry about. This man was supposed to be her rock. Her strength! Instead, when things got tough, he couldn’t handle it. He was nothing more than an earthquake. A dried-up leaf that cracks as soon as it’s stepped on.
“Look, I love you. I do! And I don’t think you’re guilty. I know you too well! But until you get out of here, I should stay away.”
“Wh –”
He held up his hand to stop her. “I have to think about my business. If someone were to find out about you in here and how we’re together, that could ruin everything I’ve worked hard for!”
“But –”
“Hold on a minute!” he said firmly.
Laura moved back a little.
“Look, for now, let me at least talk with your lawyer and get his advice. Please believe me, though, I love you and I’m doing this for us. For our future.”
She didn’t know what to say.
Connor looked down at his watch. “I’ve got to go.”
Before she could even try to convince him to stay, he had already gotten up and left, leaving her dumbfounded, her mouth hanging. How could he do this to her? Oh, that’s right. It was for their future. Thank you! But no thank you. She couldn’t put into words what she was even thinking or feeling. Where was she supposed to go from here?
Shortly after, the guard tapped her on the shoulder, saying it was time to leave. She slowly hung up the phone, gently pushed her chair back so she could get up, and then walked out of the room at a snail’s pace. Did all of this really happen?
A Kiss Revealed Page 3