The Reclusive Widow (The Widow Taker Book 3)

by Kennedy Layne

  “That’s not exactly legal,” Ridge replied cautiously. He could see that she did a doubletake on his choice of beverage when she glanced down at the cup in his hand. “Lily, it sounds as if Dean and Linc have a proper handle on this investigation. We have to trust them to do their job as professionals.”

  “Like you trust the state police detectives whose trailer is currently parked in your driveway and freezing their ass off every time they tour the property line?” Lily arched one of her brows, finally giving him one of those smiles he’d seen reserved for Deputy Chen. She had a soft spot for him. “Am I ever going to meet the notorious Townes Calvert?”

  “Yes, but I’d like you to refrain from asking him for copies of federal case files.” Ridge had been keeping an eye on the security monitors located in his office for the last two hours. Calvert was dressed for the dropping temperatures, but he and the technicians were still setting up a high-tech smart perimeter alarm that had just come on the market. The key to personal security systems was layering them to overlap likely avenues of approach. It had cost a pretty penny, but it wasn’t like he had plans to spend his retirement all in one place. Besides, there was no cost for peace of mind and a restful night’s sleep after the twenty years he’d served his country. “I’m pretty sure that’s a felony.”

  “Not if the owner and operator of a legitimate licensed security agency makes a formal request through the appropriate channels,” Lily replied, holding up her phone. It seemed that she’d been doing a bit of research while he’d been making his tea. “What could it hurt to find out more about the man who attacked me?”

  Ridge remained silent, finding that was the best choice in most circumstances. To say this entire situation was uncomfortable was an understatement. Lily didn’t really want to be here, but he just wasn’t sure there were any alternatives that kept her safe until the feds caught their killer.

  Once Lily had relayed the information that she recalled about the knife in the hospital, Dean had quickly left to return upstairs to where another victim lay fighting for his life. Paul Harrison had worked at the local pub with Rhonda Benson, and he was likely the one who would be able to reveal the name of the one responsible for murdering several other women and attacking Lily. The fact that the murder weapon had been procured from a local establishment could have significant meaning—there was a good chance that the other employees could identify the killer.

  “Aren’t you interested in reading over the case file?” Lily asked, not letting her idea go as he’d been hoping.

  “Aren’t you tired and in pain?” Ridge countered, unable to hide his smirk at her frown. She’d already proven to be a very determined individual, but her grit went beyond the normal person’s tolerance for tenacity. He realized that her previous situation had molded her more than he’d originally thought. “Seriously, there’s nothing wrong with turning in early. You’ll find a suitcase in the spare bedroom with more clothes and items that I thought you would need during your stay. Sleep as late as you want. We’ll have that game of Scrabble when you wake up.”

  “Scrabble?”

  Ridge finally took a sip of his tea, grateful that he’d diverted her attention away from the idea of looking more into her attacker. He’d hunted quite a few monsters in his day, but a serial killer of this nature was out of his realm of experience. He might be no more dangerous than one’s run-of-the-mill experienced combatant, but he was far more unpredictable due to his lack of rational thinking.

  “One of my favorite games,” Ridge confessed, taking the freshly pressed English Black teabag out of his cup and setting it down on the saucer littered with sugar packets and creamer cups that he’d set down next to her coffee. She was still staring at him rather speculatively, but he doubted that it was regarding the board game that he’d come to love while serving overseas. It was definitely about his favorite beverage. “I picked up the habit of drinking tea while in Afghanistan. The British Royal Marines had tons of blends to pick from. My mother was thrilled, of course. She signed me up for some tea of the month subscription that I’m relatively certain no one can ever really cancel without a written decree signed by a circuit judge and a special power of attorney from the person who signed you up for it.”

  What sounded like a snort came out of Lily’s nose, which caused her to cover her mouth in a mixture of embarrassment and a twinge of pain. He honestly didn’t think the tea subscription was all that funny. His pantry was overflowing with flavors that he’d never heard of, even with his English compatriots constantly extolling the values of their various choices. He wasn’t going to complain, though. It was a hobby and beverage that both he and his mother shared, and he wouldn’t trade that odd coincidence for the world.

  “What?” Ridge said good-naturedly, going with the flow. It was better than the alternative. “Men can’t drink tea?”

  “Stop,” Lily warned, pointing a finger in his direction as she bubbled over with another round of laughter. “I’m serious. Don’t make me laugh. As for you drinking tea, it has nothing to do with you being the man you are. You just don’t seem to be the average tea-drinking sort.”

  Ridge hadn’t been sure they would ever get to the point of ridding themselves of the underlying tension that had been between them since he’d brought her in through the back door of his home that ominous night. It was a nice change of pace for him, and he settled back in his chair when he figured out that she had no intention of turning in for the night quite yet.

  “Tell me something about yourself that doesn’t fit the obvious status quo,” Ridge prompted, preferring the focus be on her at the moment. “Don’t leave me hanging here.”

  “I’m a fitness nut, but it’s more out of boredom than an overwhelming desire to maintain a certain body image.” Lily shrugged when she recognized that she hadn’t divulged a deep, dark secret. “My average day is pretty monotonous. Now that I think about it, I’m a pretty boring person all around. So boring, in fact, that I recently contemplated taking up knitting.”

  “Knitting?” Ridge pulled a face and nodded his head in commiseration. “It’s official. We’re getting older.”

  Lily groaned when another round of laughter tried to escape, causing him to feel slightly bad for being the reason that she was experiencing pain. He waited while she got herself under control.

  “I’m newly into retirement from a lifetime spent in the service,” Ridge pointed out, proving his argument. “Twenty years in the Marines is hard on the mind, body, and soul. You were pretty out of it when I asked if there was anyone I should call regarding employment. You mumbled something incoherent, but I’m pretty sure I heard the word retirement, as well. Confirmation that we’re easily thirty years our own senior.”

  Ridge actually had a completely different impression when it came to Lily’s finances and employment. The staff at the hospital had been quite forthcoming in their willingness to disclose confidential information in their so-called private conversations. Word had it that Lily had purchased the small New England home in cash. Her husband might have spent their life savings, but she’d been wise enough tuck some cash away ahead of the inevitable life-altering event. Either that, or he had one hell of a life insurance policy.

  “Believe it or not, I used to work for the hospital,” Lily replied softly, her previous spark diminishing before he could reverse tracks. She shrugged a bit, but not enough to cause her pain. “I was in the human resources department, if you can believe that.”

  Ridge was beginning to understand a bit more where the animosity came from in regard to Lily’s role in her husband’s crime. Ridge didn’t cast blame on her for her husband’s choices. Ridge also stood by his claim that the only one responsible for the young woman’s death on the operating table was Parker Hudson, especially after hearing the truth from Lily. She’d witnessed a drinking problem, but he’d never before allowed it to carry over into his professional conduct. He had a gambling problem, and she’d most likely saved money on the side for when things
went south. She’d been protecting herself and her marriage to the best of her ability.

  “Do you miss working in general?” Ridge asked lightly, careful to avoid asking if she missed her job in a hospital environment. He’d witnessed firsthand how much she loathed to stay longer than one night. He did his best to steer the discussion back onto lighter ground. “My mother knits, you know. She sometimes donates mittens, hats, and scarves to a local shelter near here.”

  Ridge lost Lily’s attention completely when something on the television caught her eye. He noticed that she’d turned on the wide-screen television to a twenty-four-hour news channel. It sat tucked away in an old oak hutch in the corner of the room. She must have done so while he was brewing coffee and steeping tea. She’d muted the volume, but her picture was plastered in the top right-hand corner.

  “Lily, the media doesn’t know anything more than—”

  She must have tucked the remote into the seat with her, because her hand came up with the small apparatus. It didn’t take her long to raise the volume enough to hear the commentary.

  “…Hudson is the only known victim to survive an attack from the serial killer dubbed The Widow Taker,” the news anchor stated, reading off some teleprompter. “Ms. Hudson was left a widow after the death of her husband, Dr. Parker Hudson. He died in prison after being attacked by his cellmate, who—”

  One of the perimeter’s sensors had been set off, cutting into the repetitive news alert that had caught Lily’s attention. Ridge should have unplugged the television. It did no good for her to listen in on hearsay and conjecture of the idiotic talking heads who populated most of today’s news. The media knew far less than what they were already privy to, and Ridge knew for a fact that Dean would notify Lily before anyone else caught wind of a development.

  “Stay where you,” Ridge advised, making sure that she was aware he didn’t view the audible notification tone as any sort of threat. At least, for now. “Calvert has been outside, supervising the installation of the new system around the perimeter. He’ll most likely be out there for another hour or two. This will keep happening because of the new system’s integration software. Once they have it all set up, it won’t be tripping the audio queues as much.”

  Ridge stood and then took his tea with him into the office, immediately spotting the reason for the tripped alarm. Calvert was in the process of upgrading the previous security sensors. One by one, the block squares that were being displayed on the monitor began to black out. That could only mean that the east side of the property was now secure with the newer equipment that included higher resolution night vision and animal movement exclusion software.

  “Ridge?” Lily’s soft voice came from behind, letting him know that she’d decided to follow him. He’d been very careful to limit her physical activity, even serving her dinner while she’d sat in the recliner. The only time that she’d moved was if she’d had to use the bathroom. “Was it Mr. Calvert?”

  Lily’s question spoke volumes. She didn’t feel near as safe under his roof as he’d been counting on, but maybe he could show her just how fortified the property was by demonstrating the new system.

  “Come here.” Ridge pulled the rolling desk chair around so that she could make herself comfortable. He waited patiently while she gingerly made her way across the hardwood floor. She’d removed her shoes, but his old habit of keeping his boots on in case of an emergency had him still laced up. “Look at this monitor and tell me what you see.”

  “This is amazing,” Lily exclaimed in awe, reaching out to brush her fingertips across a brand-new monitor that was bigger than the television out in his living room. The display had been blank earlier, but now it was filled with two screens that captured the falling snow as if they could literally reach out and touch the flurries. “Is that…”

  Townes Calvert had his back to the camera as he continued to work on replacing the old system’s motion sensor.

  “Yes, that’s Calvert.” Ridge could see the tension easing from Lily’s shoulders the longer she sat and observed the monitors. “As you can see, nothing is going to get past those overlapping cameras with their array of motion sensors.”

  “There’s a lot of wildlife in those woods,” Lily commented cautiously. “Won’t the alarms be going off continuously?”

  “The new system is set up to distinguish between the native wildlife and humans,” Ridge explained, going into depth about the high-tech sensors that came along with the latest security setup. Once he was finished explaining the ins and outs of the equipment, she seemed even more at ease. “Why don’t we go back into the living room? Calvert is going to be a while, and I’m sure that he’ll be dropping by first thing in the morning to introduce himself.”

  Lily nodded her agreement before standing up from the chair. She stopped beside him, tilting her head to look up at him with soft hazel eyes filled with the apprehension that he’d thought he’d put at ease. She placed a warm hand over his where he’d been leaning on the edge of the desk.

  “Thank you, Ridge. For everything.” Lily cleared her throat and removed her hand to press it against her side. “I think I will turn in now. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Ridge was left alone as she quietly made her way to the opposite side of the house. He stood there, wondering what had been going through that head of hers.

  What had happened in the short amount of time that he’d shown her the security system?

  She’d originally seemed relieved, but now the previous tension had once again settled back into her shoulders. He barely heard the guest bedroom door close with the faintest of clicks. The distant sound left him feeling somewhat hollow, and he couldn’t explain the reason why.

  Ridge was still determined to see that Lily had time to recover in a safe environment. That was his mission. After that, there wasn’t a damn thing he could do if she wanted to leave her hometown behind.

  Chapter Ten

  “It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Hudson.”

  The man standing before Lily looked nothing like the image that she’d created in her mind of some high-powered businessman in a suit. As a matter of fact, she would have sworn that he’d just come from some dive bar that catered solely to bikers.

  Townes Calvert had a very rough edge to him that only seemed magnified by the black tattoo on his neck of an eagle, globe, and anchor. It was easily visible since his long, dark hair was pulled back securely at the base of his neck. No one in their right mind would call it a ponytail. This kind of guy didn’t wear ponytails. The slightly off-centered angle of his nose indicated that he’d been in his fair share of fights, but it was the two-inch jagged scar that traveled the length of his jawline that stuck out the most.

  This man had warrior tattooed on his soul from the day he was born.

  On this rare winter morning, sunlight came through the window facing the backyard. Rays of sunlight highlighted the long scar in all its glory, almost as if to say that it was a badge from battles fought and won in the past. Lily took it as a sign that the man standing in front of her was the real deal, no substitutes accepted. Ridge didn’t strike her as a man to make deals with someone who wasn’t completely one hundred percent authentic.

  One look from a man like this tended to cause anyone with half a grain of common sense to pause.

  “I’m sorry that our first meeting is under these circumstances,” Townes Calvert continued in what could only be described as a rugged voice. He sounded as if he’d been a smoker at some point in his life, but Lily had to wonder if the deep rasp wasn’t due to some mysterious past injury. “I hope that the new system gives you an improved sense of security. I should finish up with the last details of the installation today.”

  “I took time last night to show Lily the new monitor you brought in, along with the crystal-clear imaging,” Ridge said as he set the glass carafe back on its burner. He had poured two cups of coffee and was in the process of making himself a cup of tea. “What’s on today’s agenda?”
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br />   “Your property is closer to the lighthouse than I’d anticipated,” Townes replied, motioning for Lily to take a seat at the kitchen table. He clearly didn’t want to claim a chair himself without having her do so first. “I’m moving the sensor reach to the perimeter on the west side a little closer to the house. The searchlight rotation could cause false alerts by creating moving shadows in the trees.”

  The old lighthouse had hosted a few parties back in the day when Lily had been young and wild. Well, technically not so wild. She’d tag along with some friends, but she had mostly been the designated driver since she hadn’t cared too much for losing control. Who would have thought that irony had a handle on her life from all the way back then?

  It took a moment for Lily to settle in the kitchen chair, searching for a less uncomfortable position. Her stitches were beginning to bother her, and not even the ten percent antibiotic cream with an analgesic that she’d put on them this morning helped take away the irritation.

  “Mr. Calvert, exactly what type of security agency do you own?” Lily asked when there was a break in the conversation. She considered herself an intelligent person, but their tech language was definitely flying over her head. As long as the system worked to alert if anyone was close to the house, then she was satisfied with the product. “Are you still in the military?”

  “No, ma’am. I’m a retired Marine Gunnery Sergeant who is simply repaying a favor,” Townes replied, sending a grateful look Ridge’s way. “And please, call me Townes.”

  Ridge didn’t respond, but instead leaned against the kitchen counter with his cup of tea. Only one half of the counter was exposed and in use, while the other half was covered in a plastic sheet. The renovations didn’t look even close to being finished, but the river rock tiles and wooden planked backsplash that had been piled in the corner proved that he was serious about finishing the project sometime in the near future.