Kitty put a hand on Buzz’s shoulder. “We need you to help us,” she said. “If you tell Ryan everything you know, he’ll take care of you and your grandma. You don’t need to be scared of your dad or your granddad. We can protect you.”
“I’m not sure you’ll be able to persuade Grandma to turn on Granddad,” he said, his red-rimmed eyes filled with tears. “She’s been obeying his orders forever.”
“We can try.”
At that moment, Ryan entered the room, approached Kitty and enveloped her in a hug.
“I’m sorry, but I lost Tommy,” he said when he released her. “He vanished right under my nose.”
“Dad knows these woods like the back of his hand,” Buzz commented. “He grew up hiding from Granddad in the trees.”
“Buzz and I have been having an interesting conversation,” Kitty said to Ryan. “You should listen to what he has to say.”
Ryan pulled up a chair.
“Okay, Buzz. Start from the beginning and tell me everything.”
* * *
“There’s no sign of either Tommy or Frank at the store or their apartment,” Shane said, entering the house. “I got a cheek swab from Buzz for the DNA test. The lab will have a result for us later this morning.”
He walked through to the living room, eyeing the clock on the mantel. “It’s almost 9:00 a.m. Did you two get any sleep?”
Ryan put a finger to his lips. “Shh, Kitty’s asleep right here.”
Shane mouthed the word sorry and sat in one of the armchairs, smiling at his boss knowingly.
“Don’t say it, Shane,” Ryan whispered, as Kitty stirred gently in his arms, nuzzling her face against his chest.
“I wasn’t going to say anything.” Then he muttered, “Except that you two make a great couple.”
Ryan ignored the comment. As far as he knew, Kitty hadn’t changed her mind about any potential relationship. They hadn’t really had the time to discuss it.
“She’s exhausted,” he said. “But at least we know who’s responsible for all the recent attacks. Now we just need to find Tommy. Did you put out an alert to all officers across the state?”
“Yep, all done.”
“Thank you, Shane. You’ve been picking up a lot of slack while I’ve been taking care of Kitty and I appreciate it.”
“No worries. That’s what I’m here for, right?”
“Did you talk to the sheriff?”
“I spoke to him about an hour ago. He wants to see you at the station this afternoon to talk about things.”
“Talk about what things?”
“He didn’t say.”
“Does he know I’m here with Kitty?”
“Yeah.”
“Is he mad about it?”
Shane shrugged. “I don’t know. The sheriff’s hard to read.”
“He’s a stubborn old goat is what he is,” said Ryan.
Shane laughed. “Well, maybe he wants to apologize. We got Buzz’s statement on record saying that he believes his father killed Molly Thomas.”
“Yeah, but until we get some hard evidence, Sheriff Wilkins might not be willing to accept that.” He shifted position and Kitty roused a little. “It took me long enough to admit that I was wrong.”
“Listen, boss,” Shane said. “Don’t worry about it. You get some sleep and I’ll stay with Kitty while you go see the sheriff.”
“Thanks. I’ll go to the hardware store straight afterward to get a statement from Sheila.”
“Sheila?” Kitty said sleepily, waking up. “Is she okay?”
“Yeah, she’s fine,” Ryan said, rubbing a deep crease on her cheek where the collar of his shirt had left an imprint. “We got someone to put a new lock on the door of the store and apartment. If Tommy or Frank try to get in, she’ll call me.”
Shane rose from his chair. “Looks like you two could use some coffee. I’ll go make a pot.”
Ryan smiled at his deputy, conveying his gratitude. Shane was excusing himself from the room to give the two of them privacy to talk.
“How long have I been asleep?” she asked, stretching her arms up high.
“About three hours.”
“Best three hours’ sleep I’ve had in a long time.”
“Why don’t you go to bed?” he suggested. “Shane will stay with you while I’m gone, and when I return, perhaps I could move my things back in to the apartment?”
She rubbed her eyes. “I don’t know, Ryan. Have you talked to the sheriff about what happened?”
“Not yet.”
“So you don’t know whether he’s changed his mind about you staying here?”
“No.”
She shifted across the sofa. “Then let’s wait awhile.”
He took her hand. “You know it doesn’t matter to me what the sheriff says, right?”
“It matters to me, Ryan.” She stood up and yawned. “I think I will go to bed.”
“Okay. We’ll talk later.”
She walked from the room, leaving the faint trace of her scent behind. Ryan sat quietly for a few moments, wondering what Sheriff Wilkins’s viewpoint would be now that a new suspect for Molly’s murder had emerged.
One thing Ryan couldn’t quite believe was that his future happiness rested in the hands of the craggy-faced old sheriff of Comanche County.
* * *
Sheriff Wilkins stood by the counter in the Bethesda station, leaning against it with a satisfied smile on his face. Ryan was surprised to see him in such an upbeat mood.
“You look pleased with yourself, Jim,” he said.
“I am,” the sheriff replied. “I asked you to solve the murder of the body under the floor of the bar and it looks like you did it in superquick time.”
“Are you talking about Tommy Price?”
“I sure am. Shortly after you put out a warrant for his arrest, he was picked up by a patrol car on the state line. He’s been taken to Lawton and charged with the murder of Elena Karowitz.”
“Do we have the results of the DNA test?”
“Yes. The DNA in the cheek swab from Buzz has a family link to the blood found on Elena’s dress. The blood definitely belongs to Buzz’s father, so we’ve got our smoking gun right there.”
“What about the murder of Molly Thomas? Can we link Tommy to that, as well?”
“I’ve decided to reopen the Molly Thomas case and take another look at the evidence. Based on Buzz’s statement and the similarities of the rope in multiple crime scenes, it would seem that Tommy might not only be responsible for Elena’s and Molly’s murders, but a whole bunch of other women besides.” The sheriff had the decency to look contrite. “I’m sorry, Ryan. I’m man enough to admit when I’m wrong, and it looks like I was wrong on this. We might have a serial killer on our hands.”
“So you accept that Harry Linklater might be innocent, after all?”
“Yes, I do. And If Tommy Price turns out to be a serial killer, then his capture would be a huge case for me to finish my career on. Kind of like going out on a high.”
Ryan suppressed his irritation. Sheriff Wilkins was typically using this awful case to glorify his own standing in the community.
“So this means that Kitty should be safe down there by the lake,” the sheriff continued. “Now that we’ve got Tommy in custody, she can sleep easy.”
“What about Frank? He was aiding and abetting Tommy and he’s not in custody, is he?”
“He can’t hide forever. We put out a warrant for his arrest and I’m sure we’ll pick him up sooner or later.”
“I’m going to take a statement from his wife across the street,” Ryan said. “I want Frank picked up sooner rather than later.”
“Okay, you get on it. I’ll call Shane to come back to work.”
“But he’s agreed to stay with Kitty until I get
back.”
The sheriff picked up the phone. “I already told you we’ve got Tommy in custody. Kitty’s in no danger now.” He punched in the number. “Good work, Ryan.”
Ryan opened his mouth to protest, but the sheriff was already talking on the phone.
He left the station, deciding to hurry Sheila’s statement and return to Kitty as quickly as possible. Frank’s disappearance left him incredibly uneasy.
The door of the hardware store was closed and locked. He saw Sheila and Buzz inside, clearing the shelves, packing items into boxes. He knocked on the door and waved.
“Are you moving?” he asked, when Sheila opened up.
“I’m putting the store up for sale, and Buzz and I will be going to Georgia to live with my sister.” She ushered him inside. “We want to be gone before Frank decides to come back. He’s not welcome to come with us.”
“Where is he? Do you know?”
“I have no idea, but I only hope that he stays away until Tuesday,” she said. “I’ve finally decided to leave him, like I should’ve a long time ago. Now that he’s gone, I feel lighter and stronger.”
Ryan pulled a notepad from his pocket. “I really need to talk to you before you leave. I have a lot of questions.”
“Like what?”
“Did you know that Tommy murdered Elena almost twenty years ago?”
Sheila glanced over her shoulder at Buzz. “Go upstairs, honey,” she said. “And make some tea. I’ll be up in a few minutes.”
“Sure thing, Grandma.”
Sheila waited for Buzz’s footsteps to fade on the stairs and then she leaned in close. “Tommy didn’t murder Elena.”
Ryan put a comforting hand on Sheila’s shoulder. “I know this is difficult for you to hear, but yes, he did. Buzz provided us with a DNA sample and it showed a parental match to the blood on Elena’s dress. The blood belonged to his father.”
Sheila took a big gulp of air, her throat visibly quivering. “The blood does belong to Buzz’s father, but it’s not Tommy’s.”
Ryan was confused for a second or two before he understood what Sheila was telling him. “Are you saying that Tommy isn’t Buzz’s father?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“So who is the father?”
“Frank.”
Ryan felt his mouth drop open in shock. “Frank is Buzz’s father?”
“Shh,” Sheila said, encouraging him to drop his voice. “Buzz doesn’t know. When Tommy started dating Elena, Frank took a big interest in her and they got awfully close. I felt sure something was going on but I couldn’t be certain, so after Buzz was born I sent away for one of those paternity tests. I got a cheek swab from Buzz and some of Frank’s hair from a brush, and when I got the result it showed conclusively that Frank was the father.”
“And did you confront him?”
“I confronted Elena first and she admitted that she’d had an affair with Frank. She said she wanted to leave town and take Buzz with her, but Frank wouldn’t let her go. He was determined that she wouldn’t take Buzz away from him.”
“Was he determined enough to kill her?”
Sheila held the two sides of her cardigan together, as if warding off a chill. “Elena tried to leave in secret. She asked Harvey if she could work one last Saturday afternoon shift in the bar to help pay for her bus fare back to California, but Harvey called up the store and told Frank she was skipping town. He thought we should know.” Her voice wavered. “Frank stormed off to the bar, murdered Elena in a rage and paid Harvey to help hide the body beneath the floor.”
“How do you know this?”
“Tommy went to see her at the bar. When he got there, it was closed, but he looked in through the window and saw Frank and Harvey wrapping Elena’s body in a sheet. He never got over it. He tried to stay strong for Buzz’s sake, but Frank told him during an argument that Buzz wasn’t his son, and after that, Tommy left town and swore he’d never come back.” Sheila clenched her fists. “Frank destroyed our boy’s life.”
“But why didn’t Tommy do something? Why didn’t he go to the police?”
“Frank’s always had a terrible hold over this family,” Sheila said. “He’s a violent bully and he’s kept us in our place for a long time. Tommy always obeyed his father.” She gripped Ryan’s forearm. “Will you please help me find a good lawyer for him? It’s the least I can do after I failed him so badly, never interfering with Frank’s cruelty.”
Ryan’s anxiety levels surged as he thought about Kitty. “Is that why Tommy’s been attacking Kitty? Was it on Frank’s orders?”
She nodded. “Frank tries to hide his actions from me, but I’m not stupid. He got himself a new gun recently and he disappeared after the town meeting, saying he wanted to stretch his legs. Tommy had showed up, right out of the blue, the day before, but I could tell he didn’t want to be here. He was scared. Frank bought him a black car and ordered him to keep it at the warehouse, out of sight. He told Tommy to stay out of sight, too, and not talk to anybody.”
“Tommy ran Kitty off the road.”
“He never wanted to. You have to understand that Tommy is completely controlled by Frank. He’s conditioned to obey.”
“So Tommy didn’t kill Molly?”
She shook her head.
“Who did kill her?”
The elderly woman closed her eyes, squeezing them tightly as if to erase memories from her mind. “I don’t know how many girls Frank has killed in total, but I think it’s a lot. He’s always been drawn to young blonde girls just like Elena and—and...” She stopped for a second. “I just can’t bear to think about it. He’s got some kind of mental sickness that he can’t control, and I’ve never been strong enough to stop him.”
She opened her eyes and fixed them on Ryan. “I’m pretty certain that Frank killed Molly—just grabbed her off the lane, spur of the moment, after he dropped Buzz at the party.” A tear slid down her cheek. “I’m so sorry.”
Ryan turned and ran for the door. “I have to get back to Kitty.”
He raced out into the street, saw that the station was closed, the sheriff gone.
Activating the siren and lights on his truck, he screeched away from the curb, praying that he was simply being overcautious. Frank was bound to have skipped town. He wouldn’t be so stupid as to try and kill Kitty now. Would he?
* * *
Kitty opened the front door with caution. “What are you doing here, Frank?” she asked nervously.
“I hear there’s a warrant out for my arrest so I’m here to give myself up.” Frank appeared disheveled and wide-eyed. “I’d like to speak to Chief Deputy Lawrence if I may. Or Deputy Harmon.”
Kitty kept her senses alert. Frank might not be the killer they were looking for, but he was still dangerous and violent. She took no chances, keeping the door open just a crack.
“They’re not here,” she said. “Ryan had to go see the sheriff, and Shane left a few minutes ago. You’ll probably find one of them at the station.”
“So you’re alone?”
“Why do you want to know?”
Frank placed his foot in the small gap between the door and frame. “I just want to talk, Kitty. I want to apologize for everything I’ve said and done. Won’t you let me in for a minute or two?”
She looked him up and down warily. “It’s too late for apologies. I know that Tommy is a killer and you covered it up. This is a matter for the police now.”
Frank smiled. “Oh, Kitty, you think you’ve got it all figured out, don’t you?”
She swallowed away the lump of anxiety in her throat, pushed there by a rising sickness. Frank’s tone had lost all pretense at being apologetic or nervous. Now it was hard, almost mocking.
“I do have it all figured out,” she said, attempting a brave voice. “Tommy is a murderer and poor Molly was o
ne of his victims.”
“You’ve got it wrong, Kitty. If you let me in, I’ll explain everything.”
“That’s not a good idea. Ryan is anxious to speak with you, so I suggest you head off to the station and see if he’s there.” She pushed on the door, trying to get him to move his foot. “I’m going to close the door now. I want you to go.”
Frank’s foot didn’t budge. “Come on now, Kitty,” he said. “All I’m asking for is a minute of your time and then I’ll head straight to the station and sort this whole mess out.”
“No.”
She began to sense real danger in the air, as Frank stared at her with thinly veiled hostility. She exerted more force, trying to shut him out, with no success. She would not be able to prevent him from entering.
Then her cell phone began to vibrate on the hall stand and she glanced at the display. It was Ryan. She snatched it up and turned to run. If she could just make it to the panic room, she would be safe. It would buy her the time she needed.
Before she knew what was happening, the cell had flown from her hand, knocked to the floor by Frank’s fist as he burst through the doorway. He shoved her and she fell, sliding across the hallway.
“Please don’t do this, Frank,” she said, as he advanced upon her. “It won’t help Tommy if you hurt me.”
“I’m not trying to help Tommy,” he said, producing a length of rope from his pocket, exactly the same kind she’d seen in the pictures Shane had shown them. “He’ll probably spill his guts to the cops and take a plea deal. He’d see his old man die in prison to save his own skin.”
Kitty was confused and terrified. She had no idea what he was talking about. “Why don’t we talk about this, Frank?” She was hyperventilating. “You said you wanted to talk, right?”
He smiled. “I changed my mind. Now I just want to see you die.”
He gripped her wrist tightly, seeming to enjoy overpowering her. She tried to pull away but he slapped her face.
“You’re not my usual type,” he said, forcing her flat to the floor and attempting to wrap the cord around her neck. “I like blondes. But I can make an exception just for the chance to see you suffer. You’ve cost me everything, do you know that? Now I’ll be exposed and it’s all your fault. Why didn’t you just die like you were supposed to?”
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