Cincinnati, Ohio,
Saturday 19 December, 11.15 P.M.
So much for getting to Meredith very, very soon, Adam thought as he parked in front of Pies & Fries, a hole-in-the-wall pizza joint near the college. Because Isenberg had called Adam as he and Trip had been leaving Candace Voss’s sister’s house. The owner of Pies & Fries had contacted Isenberg’s office to identify the shooting victim.
The young man’s name was Andy Gold. He’d been twenty years old and had waited tables at Pies & Fries. Hell, he might have even waited on me. Adam was no stranger to this pizza dive.
Adam got out of his Jeep, his heavy sigh lingering in the air. Trip met him on the sidewalk, his sigh equally heavy.
‘Andy Gold got any priors?’ Trip asked.
‘Not even a parking ticket. Let’s see if we can find out why he’s dead.’
Trip breathed deeply when they were inside. ‘You ever eat here?’
‘Had my eighth birthday here and I’ve been a fan ever since. I recommend the meat lovers.’ Adam pointed to the back corner where the owner was coming through the kitchen door. ‘Shorty Redman. Been the boss since I was in high school. It was his dad’s place before his. They’re good folk. Active in the community. He’s a good boss.’
Trip looked surprised. ‘You worked here, Kimble?’
‘I did.’ He smiled fondly at Shorty. ‘I washed dishes for three summers to earn the money for my first car.’ He waved and Shorty gestured them toward another door in the back. It was the office and looked just like it did when Adam had been in high school, down to the supersized cans of tomatoes that were stacked against one wall.
He shook Shorty’s hand, slapping the man’s back when he pulled him into a fast hug.
Shorty swallowed hard. ‘I didn’t expect it would be you to show up for this. But I’m really glad you did.’
Adam pointed to Trip. ‘Special Agent Triplett, FBI.’
‘Sit, sit.’ Shorty gestured to the folding chairs, grabbing one for himself so that he sat with them rather than sitting behind the desk. ‘I still can’t believe this. I didn’t see the news until after the dinner rush was finished. I’d heard about what happened, but I didn’t see the report. And then . . .’ His eyes closed and his throat worked. ‘God. That poor kid.’
‘Andy Gold,’ Adam said. ‘What can you tell us about him?’
‘He wouldn’t hurt a fly, that’s what I can tell you. Real nice kid, working hard to put himself through college. Wanted to be somebody.’ His eyes welled up and he looked away until he’d regained control. ‘He was the skinniest kid, but never asked for food. One day he nearly passed out. He finally admitted that he hadn’t eaten in two days. Dammit, Adam. A kid starving here? In my place? I never would have let that happen.’
‘I know, Shorty,’ Adam said quietly. ‘You fed him.’ It wasn’t even a question.
‘Yeah. Tried to fatten him up. Kid was finally looking healthy. I saw him on that video clip. He was . . .’ A strangled sob tried to escape, but Shorty pushed it back with a visible effort. ‘He was so damn scared in that video,’ he whispered. ‘He didn’t want to hurt anyone. Ever. He was a gentle kid.’
‘We believe that,’ Adam said. ‘We’re trying to reconstruct his movements leading up to what happened today. Somebody killed him and we want to find that person.’
‘Good,’ Shorty said roughly. ‘Hope you put him away in a dark pit. A bomb? God. He strapped a bomb to that sweet kid. Sent Andy in to do his own dirty work.’
‘How do you know that?’ Trip asked.
Shorty’s angry gaze jerked to Trip’s face. ‘Because that kid did not want to be there. Any fool could see that from the picture you guys gave the media.’ He sucked in a breath, pursed his lips hard. ‘I’m sorry, Agent Triplett. I’m not saying you guys are fools. It’s just that Andy Gold worked for me for a year and he was always on time, always respectful, honest, good-hearted. All the things you want to see. I saw his photo on the news – the one the couple getting engaged got on their video. He was pale, shaking. That wasn’t Andy.’
‘I understand,’ Trip rumbled and the immediate drop in Shorty’s tension was palpable. ‘I thought maybe you knew someone who’d be able to force him. Who’d have that kind of control over him.’
‘No,’ Shorty said, shaking his head. ‘I didn’t know much more than that he had no family. He lived in a shitty apartment in somebody’s basement. I’ll get you the address.’
‘He mentioned concern over a girl,’ Adam said. ‘Do you know who that could be?’
‘Ah. Could have been Linnie.’ Shorty frowned, thinking. ‘If I ever heard her last name, I can’t remember it. I only saw her a few times. Seemed shy. Half the time Andy’d use his meal allowance for her. Took care of her.’
‘Did she live with him?’ Trip asked.
‘No. He said that she went to a different school than him. Lived in the dorm.’ He made a sad sound. ‘I think he was into her more than she was into him, if you know what I mean. She was . . . touchy. No, that’s the wrong word. Skittish, that’s it. Like if you touched her, she’d bolt.’
Trip’s mouth tightened. ‘Like someone had hurt her in the past?’
‘Maybe. I don’t know. I only saw her a few times. But . . . yeah. I think it’s fair.’
Trip took out his notepad. ‘Can you describe her?’
‘Dark hair. Dark eyes with dark shadows under them. Her hair was shaved to the skin on one side and kind of uneven on the other, like she’d taken shears to it herself. Once she came in with a lot of makeup on. Looked a little . . . hard. She had a really quiet voice. Husky, as I recall. She looked young. Andy swore they were the same age, but she looked sixteen.’
Trip wrote it all down. ‘Height? Weight? Clothing style?’
‘Um . . . well she was about five-four, maybe. Skinny as a beanpole, just like Andy was when he first started working for me. She wore jeans and combat boots every time I saw her. One of her ears was pierced all the way up and around.’
‘Where did she and Andy meet?’ Adam asked.
‘He said they knew each other in high school. That’s how he knew she was his age.’
‘Where was that?’ Trip asked.
‘He never said where he grew up or anything about his family except that he didn’t have any. Andy was kind of tight-lipped about his past.’ Another sad shake of his head. ‘I got the impression it hadn’t been so good.’
‘When did you last see Andy?’ Trip asked.
‘Friday, about nine? He took a break to smoke out back.’ He met Adam’s eyes. ‘You know, out on the loading dock.’
Adam nodded ruefully. ‘Oh, I know.’
‘You smoked?’ Trip asked in surprise.
‘Only once. Thought I’d choke to death.’ Although he’d nearly tried again more times than he could count over the last year. So many of the folks he knew at AA smoked to fight the cravings. Adam just chewed gum. He’d chewed a buttload of gum this year. ‘Of course Shorty caught me that one time.’ Adam returned his gaze to the older man. ‘And you never told my dad. Thanks for that, by the way.’
‘That’s because he’s an as—’ Shorty broke off, shaking his head. ‘Never mind.’
Adam knew exactly what he’d been about to say. He’s an asshole. And Shorty would be right. ‘So Andy was smoking. And then what?’
‘He never came back. I called his phone, but he never answered. I even sent somebody to his apartment in case he’d gotten sick, but he wasn’t there either.’
Adam grimaced at the prospect of getting anything decent from the loading dock. ‘It’s been over twenty-four hours. We’ll need to get a forensic team to the dock, but . . .’
‘How many deliveries did you take today?’ Trip asked.
Shorty looked miserable. ‘Three. And it’s where all my employees take breaks. Anything usable will be destroyed, won’t it?’
‘We’ve got really good forensic guys,’ Adam told him. ‘Do you know what brand he smoked? We can at least separate his butts from all the others.’
‘No,’ Shorty said sadly.
‘We’ll need a list of everyone who was working last night,’ Trip said. ‘Names and addresses, please. And anyone who got along with Andy.’
‘Everyone got along with Andy, but he didn’t have any close friends. He used to joke that he’d have time for friends when he graduated.’
‘What was he studying?’ Adam asked.
Shorty’s eye roll was sadly fond. ‘English Lit. He wanted to be a teacher or a writer. Kid loved poetry.’ He got up and went to the door. ‘Johnny! Need you in here.’ He looked over his shoulder at Adam and Trip. ‘Johnny is our other smoker. Sometimes he and Andy would take breaks together. I’m going to get Andy’s address and the other employees on shift last night. They’re in my computer.’ He pointed at his desk. ‘Should I leave while you talk to Johnny? I can take my laptop out into the dining room.’
‘If you would,’ Adam said. ‘I can’t visualize you on a laptop, Shorty.’
A snort. ‘I never said I was good with it, but my daughter-in-law made it about as foolproof as possible. She’s got everything backed up so I can’t do anything irreversible.’
He was leaving with his laptop when a young man came in, wiping his hands nervously on the rag hanging from the apron tie that wound around his waist. ‘You rang, boss?’
‘Yeah. These detectives want to talk to you about Andy.’
A shaky nod. ‘I figured.’
Shorty gave the guy’s shoulder a supportive squeeze. ‘This is Johnny. He’s real smart, but talks slow. Give him space and let him get the words out. Nothing wrong with that, son,’ he murmured to the boy. ‘Just smoothing your way.’
‘Thanks.’ Johnny pointed to the door once Shorty was gone. ‘Should I close it?’
‘Please,’ Adam said. ‘I’m Detective Kimble. This is Special Agent Triplett. Have a seat and try to relax. We’re just asking questions.’
The boy sat nervously. ‘I know. I . . . can’t believe this. Andy was a good guy, honest.’
Adam’s smile was sad. ‘That’s what we hear from Shorty.’
‘And that man don’t lie,’ Johnny declared.
‘I know. I used to work here, a million years ago.’ It certainly felt like it.
Johnny nodded. ‘I seen you here before, eatin’. Shorty said you had my job once, but now you’re a cop.’
‘That I am,’ Adam said. ‘You and Andy were friends?’
Johnny shrugged. ‘We were friendly, but we didn’t hang out. We asked him a bunch of times, me and the other guys, but Andy always was studying. He was smart, but he never treated the rest of us like we weren’t, you know?’
Adam nodded. ‘Were you working with him last night?’
‘No. Shorty let me go home early. It was my girl’s birthday.’
‘Did you ever meet Andy’s girl?’ Trip asked. ‘Linnie?’
‘Twice, maybe three times. She was pretty enough. But . . . off. Like . . .’ He frowned again and went silent for a full minute. ‘Like a prickly porcupine. They’ve got cute faces, but you don’t want to touch. She had this stay-away vibe going on. Some of the guys would give Andy a hard time about her. Nothin’ mean, y’understand, just teasing. Andy would always insist they were just friends, but he wasn’t foolin’ us. He had it bad for the girl.’
Adam felt bad for the boy he’d never met. The boy who’d told Meredith to run. ‘Did he ever mention anyone else besides Linnie?’
Johnny went still, the frown of concentration reappearing. ‘Once he mentioned a guy named Shane. Said he and Linnie and Shane were friends before.’
‘Before what?’ Trip asked.
Johnny shrugged. ‘Just before. I’d said my dad would kick my ass if he found me smoking and Andy said he had to answer to nobody. Then he changed his mind. “Maybe Shane,” was what he said. When I asked, he said they were in high school together, but his friend got a full ride to some school up north. Andy said it was a good one. Said they hadn’t talked much since Shane left. He sounded really sad about that, so I let him be. Sorry. Wish I’d pried more now.’
‘Don’t blame yourself,’ Trip said. ‘Did Andy ever say Shane’s last name?’
Johnny considered it for several seconds. ‘No. Sorry. Wish I’d asked.’
Adam gave him an encouraging smile. ‘You couldn’t have known to. Agent Triplett is right. You shouldn’t blame yourself. Can you tell us what brand of cigarettes he smoked?’
Johnny relaxed a little. ‘Camels.’
‘Great, thank you.’ Adam said, then he and Trip gave him their cards. ‘You’ve been a big help. If you remember anything more, please call.’
The door suddenly flew open, revealing a stunned Shorty. ‘Come here.’ He led them to the TV over the bar where the news was reporting a fire. ‘That’s the house Andy was living in.’ He showed them his laptop, Andy Gold’s employee information filling the screen. ‘It’s the same place.’
Fucking shit! Adam wanted to scream, but he kept his calm. ‘Thanks, Shorty. We’ll check it out.’ He gave him one of his cards. ‘Can you email me the addresses of the staff who were last working with Andy? We gotta run.’
‘Sure. Hey, Adam,’ Shorty called when he and Trip had turned for the door. ‘Be careful, okay? Just . . . be careful.’
The tremble in Shorty’s voice had Adam walking back to his old boss, clasping his shoulder. ‘Absolutely. I have a lot to live for, Shorty.’
Shorty shuddered. ‘I’m so glad to hear that. I was afraid for a long time that . . . Well. I’m glad to hear you say that now.’
Adam gave Shorty’s shoulder a hard squeeze. ‘Thanks. See you tomorrow.’
‘Shit,’ Trip said when they were outside. ‘A bomb attempt and now a fire? Somebody doesn’t want any trace of this kid to remain.’
‘You’re right,’ Adam agreed. ‘It also means Voss is either not connected or he had someone else set the fire.’
Trip’s nod was grim. ‘Because he’s trapped in his house.’
‘Yeah.’ Adam bit back his frustration. Voss was connected to Meredith, but he might not be who they were looking for. He needed to keep his mind open. ‘See you there.’
But first . . . He climbed in his Jeep and started it to get the heater going. Then texted Meredith. Something came up. B another hour. Maybe 2. Can come tmw if u r tired.
Her reply buzzed seconds later. Am awake. Waiting to talk to u. He drew an easier breath, but his next hitched in his chest at her next text. Be careful. Be safe. I’m waiting.
He wanted to whoop even as his eyes stung. She was waiting. He didn’t deserve it, but he was thankful just the same. Blinking hard, he pulled out of the Pies & Fries lot and headed for the house currently burning down.
Chicago, Illinois,
Sunday 20 December, 12.35 A.M. CST (1.35 A.M. EST)
Tiffany Curtis checked her cell phone when it buzzed, sighing in relief. A text from Kyle. Finally. She’d been frantic since handing him her keys at the Burger King.
Actually, the text wasn’t from Kyle, but from Shane. K driving now. We r ok. He says we r abt 2 hr away from Cinci. He will call you when we stop. Snowing hard now. Needs to focus on road. Eye-roll emoji. Srsly.
Tiffany had to roll her own eyes at the ‘seriously’ addition because Kyle was an awful driver. She’d thought twice about lending him her car, but he’d sounded so unnerved, so worried about Shane, that she’d agreed.
A second text had her sighing again, this time in pity. Thank you. Srsly. U don’t know what this means to me. – SB
Shane Baird was always so serious. It had become Kyle’s mission to make the guy smile and Tiffany was on board with that. She made a mental note to ask her mother to pack an extra box of Christmas cookies for her to take back to campus for Shane. His friend was dead – killed in that shooting, which had to be the worst thing ever. Cookies wouldn’t make it better, but it would at least show him that he wasn’t alone.
Because in all her life, she’d never met anyone as alone as Shane Baird.
NP, she texted back. Here for u. Hugs. She added a heart emoji and hit SEND.
A creak in the floorboard was the only warning she got before strong hands grabbed her from behind. Her phone clattered to the floor.
No! She opened her mouth to scream it, but a rag was shoved into her mouth and it came out a muffled . . . nothing.
Nothing her mom could hear, especially with her CPAP machine going.
Fight. Tiffany twisted wildly, catching her foot on a hard knee, but he didn’t even make a grunt. She continued to twist, trying not to sob, not to panic, but he yanked her to her bed and forced her face into her pillow, shoved his hard knee into her lower back.
Breathe. She couldn’t breathe. He was suffocating her on the pillow. She struggled, lashing one arm back to grab him, grab something. Scream. But her protests were barely a whimper.
He caught her wrists in one of his hands, dug his other into her hair, yanking her head back. ‘Fight me,’ he taunted in a low voice. ‘I like it.’
He flipped her to her back, one wrist in each hand now, trapping her hands on either side of her head. A sob caught in her throat and her eyes filled with tears, blurring the dark form now hovering above her.
She blinked hard. Keep it together. Be able to describe him. He wore a ski mask that showed his mouth and his eyes. His eyes . . . Even in the dark they scared her shitless too.
‘I’m going to ask you a few questions,’ he said and she flinched back. His breath was foul. ‘How you answer me will determine how bad it will be for you. Tell me what I want to know and I promise not to hurt you. Much. Blink if you understand.’
She blinked, too terrified to do anything else. More tears filled her eyes, replacing the ones she’d blinked away.
Catching her wrists in one hand again, he plucked the rag from her mouth, making her cough loudly. Mama, please hear me.
But don’t come! she wanted to scream. Just call 911. Don’t come. He’ll hurt you too.
‘Where did your boyfriend go?’
She blinked rapidly, the answer on the tip of her tongue. Something kept the words frozen there. ‘I don’t know,’ she said, pushing the words out loudly with a great huff of air. Hear me, Mom. Please.
She cried out when his fist slammed into her face.
‘Don’t you lie to me, bitch,’ he growled, yanking her hair hard and shaking her head until she thought she’d vomit.
Vomit. Yes. That’s what you were supposed to do. Vomit on them and they’d leave you alone. But he held her hands. She couldn’t get her fingers near her mouth.
Help me. Somebody. She sucked in a breath and let out a loud scream, but he cut it off by clamping his hand over her mouth. Latex. He was wearing gloves.
‘Shut up,’ he hissed, smashing his palm into her teeth until she whimpered again, ‘or I will permanently shut you up.’ His eyes suddenly gleamed, his mouth curving cruelly. ‘Your mama can’t hear you.’ He leaned in closer. ‘Because Mama is dead.’
Her breaths grew shallow. Faster. Until her vision swam. He’d killed her mother.
No. She shook her head, denying it. He was lying. He had to be lying.
‘Oh, it’s true,’ he mocked. ‘Found her sleeping in her bed, that mask over her face. She didn’t wake up when I slit her throat. She didn’t suffer. But if you don’t start telling me the truth, you will. Where did your boyfriend go?’
Fury blazed through her, giving her strength. Baring her teeth, she sank them into his hand and he roared, trying to yank his hand free, but she bit down harder. He jerked his hand free and flicked it, trying to shake off the pain.
‘You fucking cunt.’ But she’d tuned out his words because she’d felt the pressure on her wrists lessen. He was going to hit her again.
She jerked out of his grasp in the moment he let her go. She tried to roll out from under him, but he grabbed her by the throat with the hand she’d bitten. She grabbed for his wrist, trying to pull him off her, the pressure on her windpipe cutting off her air.
All she did was manage to rip the glove. He flung it aside.
Then he smiled and she knew. She was going to die.
‘Yeah,’ he muttered. ‘You’re gonna die. And it’s gonna hurt.’
He abruptly went rigidly still, head cocked, listening.
A police siren. Getting louder. Help. Someone is coming to help. His hand tightened on her throat and black spots began to speckle her vision. Getting bigger until blackness was all she could see.
Hurry, she wanted to scream. Please hurry.
‘Fuck,’ he snarled and pulled his hand away.
Leaving. She gasped, the air scraping her lungs as she took it in. He’s leaving. She heard a rustle, felt the bed give as he got off. It’s going to be okay. I’m going to be okay.
She started to roll, to get to her mother. Mama. Opening her eyes, she looked up in time to see the knife in his hand.
Cincinnati, Ohio,
Sunday 20 December, 3.15 A.M.
He’s coming. He’s coming. The words beat in Meredith’s mind in time to the racing of her heart. Adam had texted he was on his way. She stared down at her phone again, checking the time. It was less than a minute later than the last time she’d looked.
‘Try to relax,’ Kate murmured from the living room sofa where she sat knitting, the old dog at her feet. But Meredith knew that Kate was aware of every creak of the house. Fully armed, she was ready to defend. ‘Adam will be here when he gets here. Go clean something. That always calms you down.’
Meredith did as she was told, but Bailey and Delores had done a thorough job earlier and there was nothing left to be done. With a sigh, she put on the kettle and sat down to wait.
At least her house was relatively empty. Diesel was sleeping in the basement bedroom and her grandfather was upstairs in the room that had once been her father’s.
They’d sent Kendra to stay with Wendi at Mariposa House. The old mansion was far bigger and required more eyes and ears than Meredith’s little house. That had been Kate’s idea and Meredith was grateful.
She loved Kendra like a sister, but the woman did not like Adam Kimble. Kate, on the other hand, seemed to know something that made her softer toward him, but all she’d tell Meredith was that she knew he was ‘working shit out’ and that he was stressed. Which made him no different than any of the law enforcement officers she knew.
The stress and strain of their jobs was more wearing than any of them let on.
She jumped when her phone buzzed in the pocket of her jeans, reading the incoming text with a calmness she did not feel. At the door downstairs. U awake?
Her fingers trembled as she typed her reply. Yes. Coming down now.
She turned off the stove, stuck her head in the living room to let Kate know that she was going downstairs, then took the stairs two at a time to let him in.
To hear his explanation. And hopefully to kiss him again.
He was standing with his back to the door when she got there, studying the backyard and the houses surrounding hers. Always vigilant, she thought.
She tapped the window, her breath catching when he turned. In the moonlight he was utterly beautiful, hard jaw, soft mouth, and dark eyes that made her desperate to know all his secrets. Quietly she opened the outside door, her finger over her lips.
‘Diesel’s asleep,’ she whispered, pointing at the closed bedroom door. She stepped back to let him in, all six-feet-two-inches of broad-shouldered . . . mine. He closed the door behind him and she caught the scent on his coat.
‘Fire?’ she whispered. Gripping his shoulders, she turned him so that she could study his face. He was grim. ‘What happened?’
He pointed down the hall to the TV room where she and her friends gathered for their wine and movie nights. ‘Let’s talk there.’
He took her elbow and walked her forward as her brain scrambled to make sense of his mood shift. There was no tenderness. No want. Just hard . . . business.
Once they were in the TV room and away from the room where Diesel slept, she switched on the overhead light. The shoulders of his black wool overcoat were covered in a light layer of snow. She brushed it off, then reached for the top button of his coat.
Then stopped, her hands stilling. ‘Are you staying?’
He nodded once. Swallowed hard. ‘Yeah. For a little while.’
Frowning, she unbuttoned his coat and slipped it from his shoulders while he stood like a statue. She sniffed at his coat and blinked hard, her eyes watering at the harsh burnt odor. ‘What happened?’
He’d tugged at his tie at some point, loosening it enough to undo the top button of his shirt. He looked exhausted.
Warily she lifted her hands to his face, cupping his cheeks. ‘Adam?’
He shuddered out a harsh breath and dragged her against him, his arms tightening so hard that it almost hurt. But relief kept her from protesting. This was where she’d wanted to be. Right here, in his arms.
Lifting on her toes, she wrapped her arms around his neck and stroked his hair, not saying a word. He buried his face against her neck, his breaths ragged. He was shaking.
Just like the last time he’d come to her.
Finally, he loosened his arms enough for her to catch her breath. Then he took it away again when his mouth took hers in a kiss that was nothing like the one in the kitchen. It was hard. Bruising. Almost punishing. Full of anger? No, she realized. Not anger.
It was fear. What the hell happened, Adam?
Abruptly he pulled away. ‘Dammit. I’m sorry. I didn’t want to hurt you.’
‘You didn’t,’ she murmured, brushing her fingertips over his lips. ‘You wouldn’t.’
He closed his eyes. ‘I’d die first.’
‘Adam.’ She pressed her palms to his cheeks, his stubble prickling her skin. ‘What happened? You have to talk to me, baby.’
He stiffened, then dropped his head to her shoulder, his body sagging. ‘I like that.’
She frowned, but then realized what he meant. ‘When I call you baby?’ It made her smile. Gently she went back to stroking his hair.
‘When you call me anything other than a selfish jerk.’
She kissed his ear. ‘Sit down before you fall down. You look exhausted.’ He obeyed, dropping onto the sofa like he was a puppet whose strings had just been cut. She was happy she’d purchased well-made furniture for this room, because the man was as solid as a rock. ‘Can I make you some tea?’
He grabbed her hand and tugged her to sit beside him. ‘No. I need to tell you some things before I get called away again. I’m going to do case stuff first because I need you to understand what’s happening there. So you’ll keep yourself safe. If I have time, I’ll tell you what I’d originally planned to discuss.’
‘All right.’ Still holding his hand, she twisted so that she could see his face. ‘I’m listening.’
‘The boy. We know his name now. Andy Gold.’
Meredith’s heart hurt for the boy whose last act was to try to save her life. ‘Oh. Poor Andy.’
‘He worked at Pies & Fries.’
‘I love that place,’ she said. ‘Shorty’s a good man. He must be devastated.’
Adam’s forehead creased in a frown. ‘You know Shorty?’
‘I grew up here too, Adam. My dad absolutely loved Shorty’s pizza. We went there every chance we got. What did Shorty say about Andy Gold?’
‘That he was a good person. Hard working. What we kind of figured, considering he told you to run and pulled the wires on the bomb before he even walked into the restaurant.’
Meredith blinked. ‘He did? I didn’t know that. Wasn’t that dangerous?’
Adam nodded. ‘He might have blown himself up. But I’m guessing he didn’t want anyone else to get hurt. We got a lead on the woman he was worried about, but that’s less important to your safety at the moment.’ He took a deep breath. ‘While we were talking to Shorty’s staff, he got us Andy’s address.’
A piece of the puzzle fell into place in Meredith’s mind with an almost audible clink. ‘His house was burned down.’
He stared at her for a few seconds. ‘I always forget how smart you are because you’re so damn pretty.’ He pursed his lips. ‘Dammit. I wasn’t supposed to say it that way.’
She smiled at him. ‘I still liked hearing it, so thank you.’ She lifted his hand to her lips for a soft kiss, then held it on her knee. ‘It was arson?’ she asked, stroking his hand.
He nodded. ‘Andy rented a basement apartment from a family.’ He rubbed his free hand over his eyes. ‘It was a bad fire. The firefighters ran into a house that nobody should have entered, but . . .’ He shrugged. ‘Those guys are insane.’
‘I know. I’m glad you’re not a firefighter. Cop is bad enough.’
He shook his head hard. ‘No. I mean . . . Shit, Meredith.’
She slid her hand over his cheek and turned his head so that he looked at her. ‘Adam, this is just me. Take your time. I’m not going anywhere.’ She smiled ruefully. ‘First, because I live here, and second, because none of you will let me leave.’
‘That’s the goddamn truth.’ He let his head drop to the sofa back, the picture of weariness. ‘I’m not saying this right.’ He turned his head so that he met her gaze head on, and what she saw there made her heart break. So much pain. ‘Trip and I got there as they . . .’ Another deep breath. ‘We got there as they were bringing out the bodies. The family died, Meredith. All of them. Mother, father.’ He swallowed hard. ‘And two children. One was a baby in a crib.’
Her lungs went suddenly flat, as if she’d been hit by a truck. She shoved the heel of her hand to her breastbone, trying to relieve the pressure on her chest. ‘Oh God. Adam. I’m so sorry. How horrible for them. How horrible for you to have to see.’ More horror that he’d never be able to unsee.
‘Goddammit, Meredith.’ He jerked his gaze to the ceiling, then back at her. His eyes were so dark they bored into her. ‘Listen to me. He tried to get Andy Gold to kill you and then Andy was supposed to blow up. There would have been nothing left. No evidence.’
Her lungs froze again. ‘And now Andy’s home is gone.’
‘Nothing’s left. It was intense and fast-burning. Use of an accelerant was clear. Whoever killed Andy today does not want any ties back to him. And you were his target. He’s killed five innocent people now, Meredith. Five.’
Meredith stared back at him, horrified. ‘To get to me?’
‘Yes.’ His voice dropped, grew gruffer. ‘I am so fucking terrified right now. If anything happened to you . . . I can’t . . . I just can’t. Do you understand now?’
She covered her mouth. ‘My God. Five people. Five people.’
‘Their deaths are not your fault.’
‘I know that,’ she snapped. ‘It doesn’t matter. They’re still dead. Because somebody hates me enough to kill me.’ Five people. God. Dear God.
Adam lifted her chin with his forefinger. ‘Don’t cry,’ he whispered. ‘Please.’
I’m not, she started to say, but he was wiping tears from her cheeks. And then he was lifting her to his lap, his arms tight around her, rocking her where they sat.
She slid her hand to the back of his neck, turned her face into his chest, and wept.
He held her close, murmuring comfort into her ear, stroking her hair, her back, all while rocking her like she was a baby. ‘Sweetheart, it’s not your fault,’ he kept saying.
Somewhere behind her she heard Diesel’s voice, sounding pissed and sleepy. ‘What did you do to her, Kimble?’
Meredith shook her head and continued to cry. ‘Nothing.’
She heard Adam tell Diesel about Andy Gold and the fire and the big man swore like a sailor. ‘Did you get anywhere with Voss?’
‘Yes, but we need more information before we bring him in. We have him under surveillance, so he’s not going anywhere. Don’t worry.’
‘Sonofabitch.’ Kate’s voice came from the top of the stairs, where she’d apparently heard it all. Meredith should have known Kate wouldn’t have let her come downstairs all alone. Kate told Cap to stay, then came down far enough to lean on the banister to see them. ‘Mer needs a safe house.’
Meredith jerked back, looking at Adam with panic. ‘No. Please don’t shut me away from everyone.’ Not now. I can’t do this now. I need you. All of you.
He stroked her face, his sigh pained. ‘Your poor eyes are swollen. Kate, can you get her some ice or something?’
‘Sure thing.’
‘You didn’t promise me,’ Meredith said, hearing her voice go shrill, but unable to stop herself. ‘I can’t . . . I can’t go to a place where I can’t leave. I can’t. I won’t.’
‘Shhh,’ Adam soothed. ‘We’re not going to make any decisions right now.’
Nodding, Meredith relaxed a fraction. ‘Okay.’
Diesel was not convinced. ‘Bullshit, Adam. What’s to stop Voss or whoever’s behind this from setting this place on fire?’
‘We’ve got the place under surveillance,’ Adam said sharply. ‘He’s got to know that.’
Diesel’s indrawn breath was loud in the ensuing silence. ‘And if his plan is to blow her up? Or start a fire and wait with a high-powered rifle so that he can pick her off when she runs out of a burning house?’
Adam’s jaw was hard as granite. ‘Don’t you think I haven’t thought of that already?’
Diesel sighed. ‘I’m sorry. I know you’re good at your job.’
‘It’s okay,’ Adam said. ‘I know that you’re good at yours too. And I do appreciate your fear, because it’s well founded. I’m thinking the condo. That’s no stuffy one-room safe house. Would you go there? Until we find this asshole?’
The condo was the penthouse of a very secure building in Eden Park. Meredith had never been there, but she knew about it because Faith had used it last year, as had Kate’s fiancé, Decker, over the summer. She had no idea who it belonged to or why CPD was allowed to use it as a safe house, but it seemed like an ideal solution. ‘My grandfather too?’
Adam’s nod was definite. ‘Yes. Absolutely.’
‘And people can . . . visit me?’ Because Christmas was coming and Alex was coming and Meredith did not want to be alone.
Adam was studying her face, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. ‘Of course.’
Diesel’s laugh scraped out of him. ‘You had that already set up, didn’t you?’
Adam’s lips tilted. ‘Well, yeah.’ He held Meredith’s gaze. ‘You okay with that?’
She let out a breath. Felt her calm return. ‘Which, that you made the decision when you said we didn’t have to make a decision, or that you cared enough to give me an option that would keep me and my grandfather safe without giving me a panic attack?’
‘Both. I think. But I’m way too tired to parse what you just said.’
‘Take the bed, man,’ Diesel offered. ‘You really look like shit. Smell like it too.’
Adam let go of her long enough to flip Diesel the bird. ‘But thank you for the kind offer,’ he added graciously. ‘I will take a shower. Do you have any more of your cousin’s husband’s clothes, Meredith?’
‘Yes, but I also have the suit you were wearing when you were here the last time. I had it cleaned. It’s hanging in the closet in the room where Diesel was sleeping.’
Adam’s expression softened. ‘Thank you.’
She ran her thumb over his lower lip. ‘It was no trouble.’
‘It was still kind,’ he said quietly.
Diesel cleared his throat loudly. ‘I am obviously in the way here. Give me a second to pull my shit together and I’ll go . . . Well, where do you want me to go? I can stay with them until you’re ready to take them to the condo.’
Adam lifted his gaze to Diesel. ‘If you can, I’d really appreciate it.’
‘Me too,’ Kate said, returning from upstairs with a cold pack. She winced when she got close enough to see Meredith’s face. ‘Oh, honey. You look awful.’
She laughed, but it was a hollow sound. ‘Adam and I both look like shit then.’
Kate’s smile was satisfied. ‘But you laughed, so my job is done. I’ll stay with you, Diesel. Decker’s out of town for the weekend and I’m not on call.’
‘Where did he go?’ Diesel asked, because he and Kate’s fiancé had become strong friends since the summer.
Kate flitted her hand. ‘Seminar. Florida.’
Meredith turned on Adam’s lap so that she could study Kate’s face, things making sense now. ‘You were with him. You were in Florida and you came home because of me.’
Kate gave her a wide-eyed look of innocence. ‘Moi? No way.’
Adam leaned in to whisper in her ear. ‘She’s got sunburn on her nose.’
The tickle of breath on her ear made her shiver. She tried to ignore it, narrowing her eyes at her friend. Adam was right. The tip of Kate’s nose was a red brighter than the woman’s sunrise-red hair. She’d noticed it earlier, but thought Kate had been cold. The red nose had not subsided. ‘You’re so busted, Kate.’
Kate put the ice on Meredith’s face, then kissed the top of her head. ‘We were scared, Decker and me. We saw the shooting on the news and . . . I had to make sure you were all right. Decker had to stay, but I didn’t, so I came home. You take care of us all the time, Mer. It’s your turn. Let us take care of you.’
She went back up the stairs, leaving Meredith staring after her.
‘She’s right,’ Adam murmured. ‘Let us take care of you.’ His shoulders relaxed a fraction when she nodded. ‘I need to tell you about Broderick Voss. Trip and I interviewed his wife tonight and met his daughter.’
‘Penny.’
‘Yeah. We want to question Voss, but we want more information before we bring him in. We need to know what Penny saw that her father doesn’t want her to tell you.’
‘You think Penny knows something that her father finds damaging enough to try to kill me? That sounds so . . . paranoid.’
‘It’s not paranoid if they’re really trying to kill you,’ he said dryly.
True. ‘Did Candace agree to allow Penny to continue seeing me? If not, we can find another therapist for her.’
‘She was afraid you’d turn Penny away. I told her that’s not who you were.’
A flood of tenderness had her eyes filling again. ‘Thank you,’ she whispered.
‘It’s true.’ He leaned closer until their foreheads touched. ‘If you could talk to her, it could give us a clue as to why he’s so keen on keeping her away from therapists. You’re apparently number three. The other two quit.’
Meredith frowned. ‘I know. Fuckers.’
Adam snorted a laugh, then smiled down at her. ‘Did you really just curse?’
She shrugged. ‘I curse. A lot. I’m just selective where and when I let go.’
He really smiled then, a dimple appearing in his cheek, and Meredith realized she’d never really seen him smile like that before. ‘That makes me happy,’ he said, but then he was back to business once again. ‘Can you be ready to leave in an hour or so? I want to close my eyes for a bit and then I’ll escort you to the condo.’
‘So . . . when Faith hid there, Deacon hid with her. And when Decker hid there, Kate hid with him. Are you going to hide with me?’
‘Yes. As much as I can anyway. But when I’m not there, I’ll make sure you’re safe.’