Murder List

by Julie Garwood

  “What friend?”

  Gil was as intrusive as ever, but Alec didn’t mind as long as the questions didn’t become too personal. “His name’s Henry. He’s moving into my apartment next week. You don’t know him.”

  “He works for Regan Madison, right?”

  Alec laughed. “Is there anything you don’t know?”

  “Yeah. Next week’s lottery numbers.” He looked up at the sky as he added, “And I don’t know if I’m going to make it home before the rain starts up again.”

  “Was there a particular reason you stopped by?”

  “I don’t have a cell phone.”

  Alec nodded. “I know.”

  “I don’t like them,” he said. “Needless expense now that I’m retired. If I did a lot of traveling, then it would make sense, but these days I rarely leave the neighborhood. I can walk to my favorite bars and restaurants. Finnegan’s is just a block away from my house.”

  “I’m not going to argue with you. If you don’t want to carry a cell phone, then don’t.”

  “I tried calling your apartment, but you didn’t answer. Guess you were out here.”

  “Guess I was.”

  “I could have called your cell phone, but the rain had stopped, and so I decided to drive over to say hello. I heard Wincott and Bradshaw arrested Sweeney’s murderer.”

  “That’s right.”

  “I also heard you were giving them trouble. You thought maybe they had the wrong man. Is that true?”

  “Yes, I did give them some trouble, but it didn’t make any difference. They’re convinced Morris is their man.”

  “The evidence backs them up.”

  Alec nodded. Then Gil said, “I heard Wincott thought you were too close to it, if you know what I mean.”

  “No, Gil. Explain it.” Now he was getting irritated.

  Gil didn’t seem to notice. “You know, personally involved. So, were you?”

  Alec didn’t answer. “Why all the questions?”

  “I’m getting to it,” he said. “When I heard about the arrest and all the evidence they had, I thought that maybe you didn’t want me to keep looking into the Madison’s backgrounds, but then I thought, if Alec wanted me to stop looking, he would have called and told me so. You didn’t forget, did you?”

  “No, I didn’t forget.”

  “There’s nothing in her background to raise a flag, but I figured you already knew that.”

  Alec nodded. “Yes, I did. What about the brothers?”

  “None of them have a criminal record, and none of them have ever been arrested.”

  “I already know that, Gil.”

  “Walker’s had some trouble. He’s the most well-known in the family because he’s a big-time race car driver. I hear he’s good too. Anyway, people know he’s got money. He doesn’t keep a low profile like the others, and you know how some people are. They see it; they want it. The money, I mean.”

  “You said he had some trouble?”

  “He’s had his share of fender benders, but there were only two bad accidents, one with fatalities. Walker wasn’t responsible for either one, though. He was luckier than some of the others because he walked away from both without a scratch. Now, the first accident happened up in Wisconsin. I couldn’t find anything there.”

  “What about the other one?”

  “That was the real bad one. It happened down in Florida, but the man who the witnesses say caused the accident died at the scene. His insurance company settled with the families. Like the accident in Wisconsin, lots of people with injuries, some real, some bogus.”

  “But Walker wasn’t responsible for that one either?” “No,” Gil said. “I’m waiting to hear back from the officer who was first on the scene. Maybe he can tell me something I don’t already know. After I talk to him, I’ll hunt you down … unless you want me to stop now. Do you?”

  Alec’s answer was immediate. “No, don’t stop. Keep looking.” Gil took off a minute later, and Alec went back inside to finish up, but his mind wasn’t on what he was doing. He kept thinking about Regan. Was he having trouble letting go? Was that why he wanted Gil to keep searching? Maybe if he had had an active role in the investigation, he wouldn’t feel so frustrated now.

  He picked up a box and carried it down to the car. Why couldn’t he accept that they had arrested the right man? He sighed and shook his head. He knew why. Because it was just too frickin’ easy.

  Chapter Forty-four

  SUNDAY TURNED OUT TO BE A MISERABLE DAY FOR A RACE. THE weather had gone from chilly and damp to beastly hot and damp. The air was as thick and humid as a rain forest.

  Sophie, Cordie, and Regan had been in the park for well over an hour, but had spent most of that time huddled together in a shelter, squeezed in like sardines with at least fifty other people while the rain poured down. There wasn’t any privacy, and it was too crowded to talk anyway.

  As soon as the rain let up, they got into line to sign in and pick up their numbers.

  Sophie had already told them her good news, but Cordie and Regan wanted to hear all the details again. Besides, they knew Sophie was dying to rehash her victory.

  “Come on, Sophie. Start at the beginning,” Regan said.

  She didn’t have to be coaxed. “Okay. So after my article—my exceptionally well-written article—was in the paper, women started coming out of the woodwork. All of them are begging for a chance to testify against Shields. Unfortunately, we’ll never know if he had anything to do with Mary Coolidge’s death. There’s no hard evidence, but the prosecutor told me she has enough to put him in prison for a long time. She’s going after the bodyguards too and thinks she can convince a jury that they were coconspirators in extortion and fraud.”

  “What about the money?” Cordie asked.

  “After Shields is found guilty, and he will be,” she said, “Mary’s daughter will be getting what’s left of her mother’s money.”

  “I’ll bet she’d rather have her mother back,” Cordie said.

  Regan patted Sophie on the shoulder. “Sophie, we’re so proud of you.”

  “And we’re proud of you too, Regan,” Cordie said. “Sophie and I haven’t slept for weeks worrying about you. You kept it together, though.”

  “Not always,” Regan said.

  “Now that the police have arrested the man who killed the detective and Haley Cross, are you able to get back to normal and breathe again?”

  “How can things ever be normal? Because of me, two people are dead.”

  “You can’t blame yourself for Morris’s actions. He’s obviously very disturbed. There was no way for anyone to predict that he would become violent.”

  “Cordie’s right,” Sophie said.

  “We’ve heard all about the man they arrested, and we’ve heard all about the evidence and how they found it, but you haven’t said a word about Alec. Do you miss having him around?”

  Regan didn’t answer. She didn’t really need to. Tears were already gathering in her eyes.

  Cordie handed her a tissue. “What happened?”

  She finally told them about the last time she’d seen Alec and how he’d said good-bye to her. When she finished, her friends were speechless for a good ten seconds or more. Then both of them exploded.

  “He said what?” Sophie all but shouted the question.

  “‘If you’re ever in Boston,’” Regan repeated.

  Cordie was furious. “And that’s it? He didn’t say anything else?”

  “Like what? Thanks for a good time?” She was crying now and strangers were noticing. One woman actually moved closer, no doubt so she could listen in on the conversation. She was staring too. Regan turned her back on the nosy woman. She was embarrassed she couldn’t control her emotions. “My allergies are acting up today.”

  Neither Cordie nor Sophie believed that nonsense—she was crying because her heart was broken.

  Cordie handed her another tissue. “It’s going to be okay.”

  The lie onl
y made things worse. “I did the most horrible thing.”

  Cordie and Sophie stepped closer. “What’d you do?” Cordie whispered.

  “I fell in love with him.”

  “We sort of thought you had,” Cordie said sympathetically.

  “Did you tell him?” Sophie asked.

  “No.”

  “It’s just as well.”

  The woman standing behind Regan was nodding in obvious agreement. Sophie decided to ignore her. “Since he’s leaving …”

  “Come on, it’s our turn,” Cordie said.

  The line had been moving at a quick pace, and they had finally reached the sign-in table. A couple of minutes later they were helping one another pin their numbers on the back of their T-shirts.

  Dark clouds were hanging over them as they made their way to the starting area. The streets surrounding the route were blocked off, and policemen were directing traffic.

  The park was green and lush, the shrubs and bushes all overgrown, much like a wilderness, but paths had been cut out of the woods for biking and jogging. Several men and women were sitting on top of a stone wall alongside the trail while they waited for the race to start.

  Cordie was still fuming. “I can’t believe he said that. Are you sure, Regan? ‘If you’re ever in Boston’? That’s how he said goodbye? Those were his exact words?” Too late, she realized she’d in-advertently opened the floodgates again.

  “Yes,” Regan said through her tears.

  “I can’t believe you didn’t tell him to stick it—”

  “Cordie, for heaven’s sake,” Sophie said.

  “I really don’t want to talk about Alec anymore.” Regan sniffed.

  “Okay,” Sophie said.

  “Not another word about him,” Cordie promised.

  “He isn’t my type anyway. He’s all wrong for me.”

  “All wrong,” Sophie agreed.

  “Why is he all wrong?” Cordie asked.

  “He’s a slob. That’s why. The man’s never quite put together.”

  “He sure looked put together in that tuxedo at the country club,” Sophie commented.

  “Not helping,” Cordie whispered.

  “Yes, he can pull it together when he wants to, but he prefers being a slob. He’s always forgetting to shave, and he never combs his hair.”

  Tears were streaming down her face as she complained about him. She impatiently wiped them away and said, “How sad am I that I can only come up with superficial, unimportant criticisms that are really kind of sexy and endearing anyway? The truth is, I like that he doesn’t have everything tucked in all the time.”

  Cordie handed her yet another tissue. Regan thanked her and then said, “Alec has all the qualities that matter, like honor and integrity. He’s strong and brave …” She paused to dab at her eyes and then added, “He’s just about perfect.”

  “No, he’s not,” Cordie said. “If he were so perfect, why would he walk away from the best thing that will ever happen to him?”

  “I don’t want to talk about him. I mean it. Not another word.”

  “Okay,” Sophie said. “We’ll talk about something else.”

  “If he can move forward, I certainly can,” Regan said. “In fact, that’s exactly what I’m going to do. Move forward.”

  “That’s great,” Cordie said.

  “Could we please change the subject?”

  “We better,” Cordie said. “I’m out of tissues.”

  “And I’m finished crying over him.”

  “That’s good to hear,” Sophie said.

  “I think we should celebrate your promotion,” Regan told Sophie.

  “Let’s do dinner next week,” Cordie suggested. “But before Thursday. I’m starting a new diet then.”

  “Why Thursday?”

  “It’s the day I chose, and I’ve circled it on my calendar. I’m psyching myself up. I start Thursday, no matter what.”

  “Maybe we could do it Wednesday night,” Regan said.

  “The flag’s going up,” Sophie said. “That’s the five-minute signal. I’m going to push my way up front. Are you going to run?” she asked Regan.

  “No, I’m walking. One mile up and one mile back, and then I’m done.”

  “What about you, Cordie?”

  “I’m doing a one-mile combo. Walk and crawl.”

  “I’ve decided I’m going to run, not walk,” Sophie said. “And I’m going the distance too. All six miles.”

  Regan smiled and Cordie began to laugh. Their reaction didn’t sit well with Sophie.

  “You don’t think I can do it, do you?”

  “No, I don’t think you can,” Cordie said.

  “I know you can’t,” Regan said. “Sophie, you’re not a runner.”

  “I am now. Let’s meet at the finish line. See you there.”

  They watched her squeeze her way through the throng oblivious of the glares as she pushed ahead.

  “I’ll bet you ten dollars she doesn’t make it farther than a mile.”

  “Half a mile and she’s finished,” Regan said.

  “Hey, look. That new frozen custard shop is open. See? Across the street. Maybe after, we could stop in.” And then she, too, blended into the crowd.

  Regan had looked across the street when Cordie pointed out the custard shop, but her attention turned to a couple walking out the door. Both of them had ice-cream cones. They were holding hands as they strolled along. The woman was around nineteen or twenty, and the man she was with was at least fifty.

  “Another sleazebag,” Regan muttered.

  Her reaction was instantaneous. She felt disgust. Then she shook her head. Aiden was right. She really did need to get over this ridiculous obsession. Until she walked in their shoes, she couldn’t possibly know what their situation was or what was in their hearts.

  Yes, it was definitely time for a change of attitude. She would start working on that right away. And yet, despite the best intentions, she couldn’t make herself stop watching the couple as they made their way across the street.

  And that’s why she noticed him. He was a big, muscular man, and he was coming up fast behind the couple. He knocked the older man off his feet as he ran past. The young woman shouted something, but the runner never looked back. He was dressed for the race in a black running suit, but with the heat and the humidity, she thought it was odd that he was wearing a jacket. She also noticed he was carrying a pair of binoculars. The man quickly disappeared into the crowd.

  She jumped when the starting gun fired, then turned and joined the people moving onto the trail. She stayed at the back of the crowd and tried to avoid elbows as she walked along.

  The rude man with the binoculars was nowhere in sight. She didn’t give him another thought. She wouldn’t let herself think about Alec either, but that was easier said than done.

  Chapter Forty-five

  ALEC HAD KEPT HER KEYS. NOW, WHY HAD HE DONE THAT? IT wasn’t like him to be so forgetful and not realize he had them in his pocket. Maybe he’d kept them so he would have an excuse to go back to the hotel. That’s what the shrinks would tell him. His subconscious wanted to see her again.

  And so did the rest of him.

  Alec stayed up half the night thinking about his future. About three in the morning he finally figured it all out. His future was with Regan … if she would have him. “Moving forward” took on a whole new meaning to him now. He didn’t want to go anywhere without her.

  He made a couple of decisions about the job too, and he felt pretty good about them, but he fell asleep thinking about Regan and wondering how he would ever be able to convince her to love him.

  The next morning, after he showered, he decided he ought to get cleaned up before he went to the hotel. He shaved and then put on a clean pair of jeans that only had a couple of holes below his knees. He opened one of the packed boxes and found a clean, though wrinkled, short-sleeve T-shirt and even took the time to tuck it in.

  He happened to glance in the mirro
r while he was putting his gun in his holster and realized he should have gotten a haircut. His hair was sticking up all over the place. He shrugged. It was too late to do anything about it now anyway.

  It was raining when he drove to the hotel. He was walking into the lobby when Gil caught up with him.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Didn’t you hear me honking at you when you were crossing Michigan? I got caught at the light,” Gil panted.

  “Sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

  “Alec, I might have something for you.” He glanced around and then said, “Maybe we ought to find someplace private.”

  “I was just going up to Regan’s office. We can talk there.”

  He used Regan’s key to get up to the third floor. Gil started explaining as soon as the elevator doors closed. “I finally heard back from that patrolman down in Florida, and he had some interesting news.”

  The doors opened on the third floor, and both of them stepped into the corridor. It was empty and as quiet as a confessional on Friday night.

  “So what did he tell you?”

  “The accident happened over a year ago, closer to two,” he said. “And it was bad, just like I told you. A five-car pileup. I was worried the patrolman wouldn’t remember much about it, but he told me it was so gruesome he’ll take the memory to his grave.

  “There was this ten-mile stretch of two-lane highway outside of Tampa. Walker Madison was driving a sports car, and the engine had a lot of power. Evidently he was passing this truck, and this late-model sedan pulls out behind him and follows him. A guy named Gage, Eric Gage, was driving, and his wife was in the passenger seat. Walker gets around the truck and back into his lane without any trouble at all, but Gage’s sedan didn’t quite make it. There are some conflicting reports. The patrolman said one witness swore the truck driver wouldn’t let the sedan in, that he deliberately sped up. There was another possibility that the sedan clipped the truck trying to get back in. Anyway, there was a terrible crash,” he explained.

  Alec noticed Gil was talking faster and faster now, and his face was getting red. A knot was forming in Alec’s gut. He had a really bad feeling about what he was going to hear. “Go on,” he urged.