The Reclusive Widow (The Widow Taker Book 3)

by Kennedy Layne

  Ridge disconnected the line before turning to look over his shoulder. He backed out of the parking spot carefully, turning to find that the radio screen now had an image of his surroundings. The camera was something that he would have to get used to, but that would be for another time. He had somewhere to be, and he wasn’t going to waste time learning how the new features worked on the vehicle.

  It didn’t take him long to pull around the dealership. He surveyed the area as quickly as he could, relieved that no one inside the building had alerted the local media that Lily had been parked outside. He had to motion to her that she shouldn’t get out of the cruiser. Within seconds, he’d lowered his window while gesturing for her to do the same.

  “Is everything okay?” Lily asked, her brow furrowed in concern. Deputy Chen leaned over a bit so that he could see through the passenger side door. “I thought that—”

  “Deputy Chen is going to take you to the gym.” Ridge didn’t mince words, but he could see by the hurt that crossed her features that he’d resorted back to his days in the military where subordinates just did what they were told. He forced himself to explain his reasoning so that she would understand the severity of the situation. “Those firetrucks that just passed us are on their way to my parents’ house. Agent Malone just called me to let me know, but we’re not even sure there’s a correlation between Alan Harrison and the fire. Seeing as the gym is closing for our use alone, you’ll be safe there until I get back. Don’t leave Deputy Chen’s sight. Understood?”

  “I don’t understand why we all can’t go to your parents’ house,” Lily countered, but not because she was concerned for herself. She was clearly worried about him, which had him feeling like an ass for how curt he’d just been. “I’m safer with you, and you know that.”

  Lily seemed to realize that she’d basically just insulted the man sitting next to her, and she closed her eyes in embarrassment. Ridge highly doubted that her cheeks were that red from the cold being let in through the window.

  “I’m sorry, Jonah.” Lily flashed the deputy an apologetic smile. “I didn’t mean for that to come out like…well, you know.”

  “No offense taken,” Deputy Chen said goodheartedly, clearly appreciating that Lily now felt like they were on first name basis. “I’ll make sure that all exits are secure, sir.”

  “Listen, hazelnut. We’re not sure if this has anything to do with Alan Harrison, but I don’t want to take the chance that he’s somewhere close by the scene waiting for an opportunity,” Ridge explained, joining her in preferring there be no distance between them right now. “I won’t be long.”

  Ridge nodded encouragement her way before he began to roll up the passenger side window. He technically shouldn’t have promised her a time limit, but he would adhere to it as much as possible. Even if it meant returning to the gym to collect her should they find that the fire had been nothing more than faulty wiring, not that Ridge thought that to be the case.

  He fully believed that Alan Harrison had taken the last week to heal from his wound and collect his ego that had all but been ground into the dirt. The bastard was now hunting the one victim who’d gotten away. He couldn’t have missed the coverage on Ridge’s career, and it was becoming apparent that he simply didn’t care. That was going to be his downfall.

  Ridge had gotten his stellar reputation by memorizing the playing field, setting up the best advantage point, and always…always…accomplishing his objective. He sure as hell wasn’t going to fail at the pinnacle of his career.

  Chapter Twenty

  Lily had changed into her workout gear that Ridge had collected from her house when he’d gotten her computer the other day. Everything was already in her gym bag by the door. Unfortunately, she was no longer in the mood for a run.

  She should be with Ridge.

  His parents’ house could be burning down to the ground, and here she was about to get on a treadmill as if this were any other ordinary day.

  As she stretched and tried to take her mind off what was going on with Ridge, she surveyed the interior of the building. It was small, intimate, and had just enough equipment to satisfy the needs of its customers. The owner had locked up behind her and Jonah as they’d entered through the front doors, promising that he’d be available in the office during her session. He had clearly recognized her from her picture being splashed all over the news, and he hadn’t been able to hide his surprise that he’d closed the place down just for her. The owner must have really owed Jonah a big favor for him to have pulled this off.

  The gym didn’t smell rancid with sweat the way some had the tendency to after being in business for so long. This place was clearly taken care of and disinfected multiple times a day. It helped that there were separating changing rooms and not a communal locker room. There was a wall of cubbies that were used to stores belongings. The locks had one key on the lanyards. It was usually from those old steel lockers in traditional gyms that developed that strong odor of stale perspiration, which eventually seeped through the cracks and into the entire building.

  “Here,” Jonah said, holding out a bottle of water. “Courtesy of Skip.”

  “Skip?” Lily asked with a smile. “I would never have guessed.”

  The owner was an obvious transplant from somewhere else, because the surfer hairstyle, dark tan, and the bulging muscles from daily workouts in the sun wasn’t usually the appearance of someone from Winter Heights. It was clear that the man spent most of his days pumping iron in his own gym. She really shouldn’t be so judgmental, though. She knew exactly how addictive that rush of endorphins could be from a daily routine.

  “It was very nice of Skip to let me use the gym without anyone else around,” Lily amended, her concern for Ridge causing her to put her leg down from her recent stretch. She should be with him. “Maybe we should head over to—”

  “Both Agent Malone and Mr. Killian were adamant that you not be anywhere near the scene,” Jonah replied regretfully. “I’m sure by the time that you’re done with your run, Mr. Killian will be back here to pick you up.”

  Lily wasn’t so sure that Ridge would return soon, but she began to stretch her right leg anyway. Her side experienced a slight twinge, but it wasn’t enough for her to stop carrying through with her routine. Besides, she wasn’t free to go all out on her run for several weeks, according to the doctor. A light jog would do just fine to expend some of the stress that she’d been under since her attack.

  “I never got the chance to tell you this last year, but I’m really sorry about all the crap that happened to you.” Jonah rested his elbow on the arm of the treadmill. “From my understanding, the hospital needed someone as a scapegoat in order to avoid a public relations nightmare.”

  Lily didn’t want to rehash the worst part of her life, but Jonah seemed so sincere in his support. She didn’t have the heart to stop him, so she remained silent in her hope that he would eventually get the hint.

  “I listened to yesterday’s local podcast that featured Mr. and Mrs. Hudson, and Quinn Simmons was actually able to get them to confess that they had no evidence of any wrongdoing on your behalf, and that their position was based purely on supposition.” Jonah twisted off the cap to his water bottle, but he continued talking without taking a drink. He didn’t notice that he’d caught her off guard. “Quinn is real good people, if you know what I mean. She’s down to earth. Honest, truthful, and will go to bat for someone she believes has been dealt a bad hand. We went to high school together, although we hung out with different crowds. You were already graduating by the time we got into high school.”

  Lily offered a small smile of acknowledgement. She’d stretched enough, and maybe the one-sided conversation would die down once she started her run. It would also give her time to mull over the podcast that she’d missed, while keeping her mind off of Ridge. After her doctor’s visit, they’d made sure to exchange phone numbers. He’d certainly call her if the fire had gotten out of control or there was any sign pointing towar
d arson.

  Right?

  “Anyway, it wouldn’t surprise me if Quinn took a job at one of the major news networks before too long. Has she reached out to you? She knows Agent Roche. They’re real close, if you know what I mean.”

  Quinn Simmons was kind of a celebrity in town. The fact that she’d hosted Parker’s parents didn’t set well with Lily, but the woman had an audience to cater to when it came to investigations. Quinn hosted one of those true crime podcasts. It came along with the job to get different viewpoints, and Lily distinctly remembered turning Quinn down as a guest during Parker’s trial.

  “No, she hasn’t reached out to me,” Lily responded, still wondering what she was doing here when she should be with Ridge. It was hard to concentrate on anything else.

  “Didn’t you go to school with Paul Harrison?” Jonah asked as Lily began a gradual run on the treadmill on zero incline. She wouldn’t use the hill climber feature due to her desire to ease into the workout. “I was younger, so I don’t remember him all that well.”

  “Do you think you could check in with Ridge?” Lily asked, attempting to change the subject. Jonah had been so nice to her, and she didn’t want to appear rude. Besides, she really would feel somewhat better if she could find out what was happening with Ridge. “Or if he doesn’t answer, the station? Just to see if the fire has been contained.”

  Lily was relieved when Jonah acknowledged that he would do as she requested, though he went with the second choice of contact. Instead of utilizing his phone, he used his radio. They both had an answer within seconds—the fire was being contained, but no other information was being provided by the fire department as of yet. Much to her dismay, Jonah went right back to the previous conversation.

  “…and I know how hard it is to lose a father that young,” Jonah said softly, though Lily initially thought that she’d heard wrong over the blood rushing through her ears. One would think that taking a week off of running wouldn’t hurt, but the rapid pace of her heart said otherwise. “Of course, Alan’s mother moved him away from Winter Heights while Paul’s mother eventually remarried. I guess the nature and nurture question was answered in that scenario.”

  Lily remained silent as she continued her light jog, her running shoes echoing off the rubber mat in what was usually a welcoming, rhythmic sound. The familiar shiver of unease that had invaded her body this morning began to reappear as details of the profile that she’d read last week began to weave its way through her mind.

  Those few years separation between her and Jonah certainly made a difference. She had no idea that he’d lost his father at a young age. Technically, it shouldn’t even be a subject that they would discuss in general conversation. But it had come up because of the case, and now cancerous thoughts were invading her mind from every possible angle.

  Jonah had been nothing but kind to her, and she was clearly allowing her imagination to run away with twisted theories and unlikely assumptions. She couldn’t help but glance to her right where the gym’s office was located in the far corner. Skip was sitting at his desk, laughing into the phone as he spoke to someone on the other end of the line.

  “…have to wonder what causes someone to snap like that, right?”

  Jonah didn’t wait for her to reply, but instead continued to question what had happened in Alan Harrison’s life to make him into a serial killer.

  What if they were all wrong?

  What if Alan Harrison had nothing to do with the murders of numerous widows in Winter Heights? Was Paul lying or mistaken?

  Lily breathed a little bit easier when Jonah took a step back to lean against the far wall. She utilized the space to take in her surroundings should she need to escape, while at the same time attempting to get ahold of the irrational thoughts spinning around in her head.

  Jonah didn’t fit the profile. Sure, he was of the right age and apparently had lost his father at some point during his childhood. With that said, Paul Harrison had verified that it had been his own half-brother who stabbed him repeatedly.

  She was imagining things that weren’t there.

  “I didn’t know you lost your dad,” Lily prodded, practically forcing the words through her now uneven breathing. She knew better than to let her body become out of sync when running, so she slowed down the speed of the treadmill so that she could simply walk at a fast pace. “How old were you?”

  An absurd thought skidded forward, and she couldn’t help but wonder if the fire that Ridge had gone to had been nothing but a diversion to separate them. He’d even made such a suggestion before he drove out of the dealership’s parking lot, but that scenario had to be extremely over the top in reality. She found herself holding her breath for Jonah’s reply, which was foolish considering that she was exerting physical energy.

  “Around seven years old,” Jonah replied, his dark eyes meeting hers. It was as if being taken back in time to the night of her attack, when she’d locked gazes with her attacker. She pressed the button on the treadmill to slow the speed even more, wishing that her hand wasn’t shaking. Her breathing had become quite labored, which wasn’t helping her mental state. “It was unexpected and a shock to the entire family.”

  Lily didn’t like that she was in a difficult position to run, if she needed to flee.

  “I think that’s enough for now,” Lily managed to say, receiving a worried glance from Jonah. There was nothing malicious in his expression, but she brought the treadmill to a complete stop, anyway. “I don’t want to overdo it, and my side is still quite sore.”

  Lily stepped off the treadmill on the opposite side of where Jonah was still standing, ensuring there was space between them. She needed a bit of time to collect her thoughts and not react without thinking things through. To separate herself even farther from Jonah, she turned and made her way to where she’d placed her gym bag in one of the cubbies. She grabbed the hand towel and pressed it against the side of her face, even though she wasn’t sweating at all.

  Now that she had a moment to collect herself, she thought back to what Agent Malone had said regarding the DNA of her attacker. Nothing they had found at the crime scenes had been in any of the state or federal databases, which meant that Jonah couldn’t possibly be involved.

  The adrenaline from her initial fear gradually faded as her previous irrational thoughts began to see the light of day. She was actually quite embarrassed at how easily she’d allowed herself to panic and make connections that weren’t really there in reality. It didn’t help that Ridge was dealing with a crisis and she wasn’t allowed to be there to help him cope.

  A bubble of laughter over her mortification would have boiled over had a squawk of Jonah’s radio not echoed throughout the entire gym. She wasn’t self-conscious in the least when her running shoes had practically come an inch off the floor.

  “Looks like we’re leaving to meet Ridge,” Deputy Chen replied after being told that he should make his way back to the station. “Are you sure that you’re done here?”

  Jonah had called in a big favor to have the gym empty so that she could use the treadmill, and she’d basically treated his offer as if it was a waste of time. She’d overreacted and come across rude, and now she wasn’t sure how to fix it. It was obvious that he realized she’d become uncomfortable as he shifted his stance, waiting for her to reply to his inquiry.

  “I really thought that I was ready to get back into my regular routine, but I think I might have pushed myself a bit too far,” Lily murmured as she inwardly cringed at the white lie that fell off her lips in an attempt to smooth things over. “Jonah, I really appreciate what you did today. I hope that Skip isn’t too mad that I—”

  “No, no worries,” Jonah denied with a goodhearted smile. He wasn’t holding a grudge, which only added to her previous guilt. “Don’t say anything to anyone, but I got Skip out of a few parking tickets that he’d racked up. Trust me when I say that he owes me more than just this one favor. Do you want to change back into your jeans and sweater before driv
ing to the station?”

  “Yes, thanks,” Lily murmured, quickly gathering her gym bag and heading to the changing cubicles. Jonah had already checked to make sure that it was clear. Add on the fact that no one had come inside the gym from the front entrance or the rear entrance in the small hallway near Skip’s office, she was safe to go and change back into her jeans. “I won’t be long.”

  Lily didn’t waste time as she headed to the back. She quickly changed clothes, shoving her workout gear and sneakers back into her gym bag once she was dressed. Her one and only goal right now was to reach Ridge and find out what had happened to his parents’ home. Her emotions were a bit all over the place right now, and she needed more than anything to put things into perspective. But there was one overarching need before all the others…she wanted him by her side.

  First and foremost, Lily prayed that they were all a little too on the edge in making the assumption that Alan Harrison had anything to do with the fire. If he had, then what kind of game was he trying to play now?

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Ridge pulled his truck into the parking lot of the police station, searching for a particular cruiser. Sure enough, he caught sight of Deputy Chen’s vehicle parked right in front of the glass front doors. He’d noted the car number earlier this morning when they left for the dealership. Each cruiser had been neatly numbered on the rear right hand side. As he shut off the engine, he took a moment to collect himself.

  This morning hadn’t turned out like he’d thought it would.

  Fortunately, the firefighters had contained the blaze to the back side of the house where the addition had been built. There was no obvious proof that arson was involved, but the department was sending out an arson investigator just to confirm that it had been nothing more than an unfortunate accident or possibly something to do with the wiring.

  Ridge figured word about the fire would reach his parents through one of the numerous neighbors they were friendly with, and he didn’t want them to find out that way. He’d placed the call while watching the firefighters work from afar, all the while keeping an eye on the small crowd. With the cold temperatures, no one was willing to stand outside for too long. It was the reason that he’d switched his focus to the parked cars in the area.