Nancy Grace - Death on the D-List

The truth was, Kolker still felt the whole thing was his fault. If Kolker hadn’t fallen for the obvious clues Leonard planted for him to find, and had listened to Hailey, none of it would have happened. Maybe, just maybe, one of Hailey’s patients would have been saved.

He heard a chain being slid across its lock and two separate deadbolts clicking open. The door opened and there she was.

Hailey Dean.

Half of her anyway; her right arm, shoulder, and leg were still behind the heavy door. She said nothing, but didn’t look the least surprised that he was there.

Neither spoke, but neither averted their gaze from the other. After a few moments of silence, Kolker reached into his coat pocket. He took out his wallet. Unfolding it, he pulled a newspaper clipping from behind a layer of cash. Still gazing directly into her eyes, he handed her the yellowed slip of paper.

The article was about the kidnapping of a young girl, twelve at the time. In what appeared to be a school photo, her delicate face shined out, smiling. Hailey looked at the date of the article… it was over twenty years old. The girl’s skeletonized remains had been found that summer so many years ago. The little girl would be middle-aged by now.

The article went on to say the girl had three survivors-parents and one sibling, a younger brother who went unnamed. Hailey assumed the parents hadn’t wanted the boy’s name out there for safety reasons, but the girl… the girl’s name was Susannah Kolker. Kolker’s sister was kidnapped and murdered.

Kolker was looking down at the floor. He couldn’t seen to meet Hailey’s gaze. “I loved her so much. I guess I never got past losing her. That’s why I became a cop. My family hated it, they didn’t want to lose the only child they had left… but I had to. When I arrested you… I thought I was doing the right thing. I was trying so hard… I was blinded by what happened to Susannah. I just didn’t…”

He didn’t seem to know how to finish the sentence.

Hailey still said nothing and now that he’d looked up, she looked him straight in the eyes. How the hell could she look at someone for so long without blinking? It was just plain weird. He’d forgotten that little detail about Hailey Dean, but now that, and so much more, came rushing back.

He knew what he had to do to get in the apartment.

“Hailey. I don’t know what to say…”

She wouldn’t help him at all. He knew she wouldn’t, though. There was no other way. He just had to say it.

“I’m sorry.”

Much to his humiliation, Kolker’s voice cracked when he said it. Damn. He had to say it again.

“Hailey, I’m so sorry.”

He thought it would taste like a dirt sandwich, but when he finally did it, it felt right.

“Come in.” Hailey didn’t need him to say anything more. The article about Susannah Kolker said it all.

She turned her back to him and started walking across the slate-floored entrance hall. Now he knew why she hung back at the door. In her right hand, pointed casually down as she walked, was a shiny, black, snub-nosed.38. She had a black Velcro shoulder holster on her right shoulder. He’d never seen one exactly like it. She must have had it specially made.

She sat down in a big, caramel leather chair slanted to face both the door and one of the windows looking down over Manhattan. She put her bare feet up on a matching ottoman. Setting the gun beside her on a side table to her right, its barrel facing away from them both and back behind her toward an old, upright piano, she looked at him calmly. Now she understood the connection between them, the bond that for so long she couldn’t identify. They had both loved and lost. They were both survivors of brutal crimes and living with the pain, the memories, and, sometimes, the survivor’s guilt at simply being alive. Neither verbalized what they were both thinking; a re-hash would be too painful.

“Please. Sit down. I’ve got some tea brewing. What would you like?”

He still stood.

“Why the gun? Leonard’s dead.”

“Clint Burrell Cruise. He’s still on the run. Parole can’t find him, neither can the best bounty hunters I could dig up. Nobody buzzed you up and I wasn’t expecting anybody this early… I didn’t know it was you.”

“I understand.” Kolker came around the corner of a love seat and sat down in front of her.

“I wanted to come before, but I really didn’t know what to say. But there is nothing else to say other than that. I’m sorry. I was so wrong. I put you through hell. You tried to reason with me, but I was so bull-headed.”

“You were actually worse than bull-headed, but since you did apologize, I won’t bother to go into all the details about what exactly you did wrong.”

“And, you covered for me in the press. They wanted me crucified, strung up in Times Square for what I did… but you never took the bait. You stuck by me and didn’t feed me to the sharks. Why?”

“I’ll keep that to myself for now. But you can also thank me for not filing a wrongful arrest suit. That may have won me a little money and I wouldn’t have to work anymore.”

“I know… I know.”

Kolker was looking down at the hardwood floor of Hailey’s apartment. The anger had melted away. Now she saw things differently.

“And Kolker, I appreciate the flowers and the music. But most of all, thanks for getting my pen back. I know you broke the rules to get it for me. And oh yeah… How’s your nose?”

Kolker let out a short laugh. “It’s fine. That was a pretty good clip. I’m glad you kept the CDs. I got all the other gifts back in the mail. I wondered why, but I think I know.”

Hailey didn’t want to delve into it all. It was just too much for this morning. She shifted gears. “I saw you in the Post a while back. Still on the Prentiss Love case? Any leads?”

“Well, actually, I’m now on Prentiss Love and Leather Stockton.”

“But I thought Stockton was murdered in some mansion out in the Hamptons… Oh, no… you’re on both. That means it’s the same killer?”

Man, she was sharp.

“Let me guess… ballistics match?”

He didn’t have to tell her anything. “Yep. Same killer.”

Hailey stood up, leaving the.38 where it was beside the chair, and heading over to a kitchen island. Her den sort of melted into the kitchen, like one big room, kind of like an artist’s loft, no walls between rooms. She leaned upward into a cabinet to pull out coffee cups.

“So, what do you think about the cases, Hailey?”

“You mean Love and Stockton?”

“Yes, the two dead D-Listers.”

“Hey, they were stars in my book. Wait a minute… Is that why you came here? To get a download on how to proceed on the two murders?”

“No. It’s not. I’ve wanted to come to your doorstep for a long time to apologize, but you stayed in Georgia for so long… Then when I heard you were back… I lost my nerve.”

Hailey smiled and poured the hot water.

He went on. “But the truth is… you’re right. I’m not really sure how to proceed. I haven’t even told headquarters about the ballistics match. I just found out. I don’t want it to leak, and once the press gets ahold of it… God help me.”

“So you want help? Is that it?”

“Hailey… I do. I need help. I can’t afford to bungle this one. Of all people, I can’t believe I’m asking you.” There was a long, quiet pause.

Sensing her silence as a “no,” he stood up, literally holding his hat in his hand. “Hailey, I’m afraid this was too much of an imposition. I realize that now. I’m sorry again. Just accept my apology and I’ll be on my way.” Kolker started edging toward the door.