Karen Rose - Silent Scream

“And said nothing.” Then David frowned. “But he warned Eve that she was being stalked by that guy posing as a reporter. That helped save her life.”

“I don’t know why,” Noah admitted. “Maybe we’ll figure him out through his files.”

“I know enough.” Olivia’s jaw was clenched. “He killed Kane. Killed Weems. Killed Tomlinson and Blunt. Crawford and Mary. And he would have killed you.”

David shuddered, the memory of Kirby’s gun in his face all too clear. “But he didn’t.”

“No.” She looked at her hands, then back up to meet his eyes. “Abbott had the parents of Tracey Mullen in yesterday, while we were searching for your mother. He showed them the autopsy report-the abuse. The parents pointed fingers at each other, but finally her mother confessed. She’d been angry with Tracey for refusing to use her cochlear implant. Tracey had been purposely leaving it in a drawer. The mother’s new husband was annoyed that he’d spent money on the surgery and that Tracey ‘wasn’t even trying’ to learn to use it. Mom got mad and twisted her arm, told Tracey that if she couldn’t sign, she’d have to try harder with the implant. Mom’s been living with the guilt.”

“Will she be charged?” David asked.

“Oh yes. She’s being handed over to the Florida authorities.”

“So Tracey ran away, to Austin Dent,” David said. “Why not tell her father?”

“Because she was sixteen and scared. And thought she was in love with Austin. Austin told the same story, that Tracey was running from her mother, afraid her father would do something foolish if she told him the truth. I keep wondering what Kirby would have done if Tracey hadn’t been there that night. If he’d have pushed Mary and the others to set more fires. He wouldn’t have been searching for Kenny at the school had Tracey and Austin not been involved. Val would still be alive. And so would Kane.”

“You can’t think like that, Olivia,” David said gently. “You can’t lay what happened to Kane on Tracey’s mother’s shoulders. The incidents are linked, but so many other factors came into play.”

“I know. But it’s hard not to.”

“I know. You, uh, had a visitor while you were in the meeting. Jennie was here.”

She sat up straighter in her chair. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because she really didn’t want to talk. She brought you this.” He put the box in front of her and watched as she stared at it, recognition in her eyes.

“I can’t take it,” she whispered.

“Olivia. She wanted you to have it.”

Her hands trembled as she lifted the hat from the box. “This was his favorite.”

“Jennie said you were, too.”

Her eyes filled. “What do I do with it?”

David took her fedora from the head of the goddess bust on her desk. “Wear yours and keep his there.”

Her mouth opened, then closed before she found her voice. “And look at it every day?”

He said nothing, letting her make the decision.

It didn’t take her long. She carefully put Kane’s hat on the goddess head. “Where we can all see it every day. It’s good.” She met David’s eyes. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Your hat needs to be cleaned. It’s got blood on the brim.”

“It’s Crawford’s.” She put her hat in the box. “Kane presented this fedora when I cleared my first homicide. Said ‘Nice job.’” She smiled at the memory. “From Kane that was high praise.”

Noah cleared his throat. “His burial is Saturday. Full honors, brass in dress, bagpipes-Kane’ll get the works.”

Olivia looked at Kane’s hat, her expression sadly fond. “He’d like that. Especially the brass in their dress uniforms and tight shoes. He’d be happy that their feet hurt. Come on. Dr. Donahue called while we were in meeting. Lincoln is awake and asking to talk to you.” Olivia patted Noah’s shoulder as she passed by. “Tomorrow, partner.”

“It’s official?” David asked. Noah would be a good partner. He’d watch her back. And Olivia would watch his. “That means both Evie and I will sleep better at night.” Noah lifted his brows and David chuckled. “In our respective places. You knew that.”

Noah smiled. “I knew. How’s your partner? Zell?”

“He’s got a little feeling in his toes, so that’s good news. Nobody’s sure how much better it’ll get. However it ends up, he’ll be on disability for a long time. Which means I’ll get a new partner after these damn stitches come out. Hey, my mother’s planning a big dinner at my loft tonight, since the family’s here. You’re coming?”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Noah said. “Your mom’s a good cook. I guess she taught you.”

“Everything I know. All the good things anyway.” He put his arm around Olivia’s shoulders. “Let’s see Lincoln, then I want to get back and see my brothers and sisters.”

Thursday, September 23, 3:15 p.m.

David had to blink as he sat down across the table from Lincoln Jefferson. Lucid and cleaned up, he looked like a different man. In one corner of the interview room stood Special Agent John Temple, who seemed rational. Always a good thing. David knew that on the other side of the glass a small army watched-FBI agents, Lincoln ’s psychiatrist, Truman, and Olivia. Sitting next to Lincoln was his attorney.

“Hi, Lincoln. How are you?”

For a moment, Lincoln said nothing. He simply sat and studied David, his eyes sharp. Piercing, even. “I’m fine,” he said finally. “How are you?”

“A bit banged up, but I’ll live.”

“I’m glad. I asked to see you. I wanted to thank you. I broke into your place and threatened you, but you were kind to me. Kinder than you should have been.”

“It’s okay.”

Emotion flickered in Lincoln ’s eyes. “They told me Mary is dead.”

“Her brother killed her. I’m sorry. Your brother told me that you two were friends.”

“I loved her. I stayed on my meds for her. But I found out she had someone else.”

“Joel.”

“Yeah. I saw them together, at the university, two weeks ago. She didn’t know I was there. I got depressed, went off my meds. When I heard a glass ball had been found at those fires, where people had been shot to death… I lost it and I don’t even remember doing it.”

“You don’t remember my friend’s cabin?”

“No. I read the police report. Read how you’d been kind. Read what I said.”

“Always there,” David murmured and Lincoln briefly closed his eyes.

“I lived with that guilt for so long. I’d go off my meds so I couldn’t see her face, but it never helped. She was always there. I’ve given a full confession about that night we set the fire twelve years ago. It’s time to face what I did. I can’t make amends, though.”

David thought about how hollowed out he’d felt after telling Olivia his own secret. There had been peace, but also the knowledge that the clock could never be turned back. “I understand. How did you meet Mary?”

“She sent e-mails to me through the webmaster address on my site. She seemed so sincere. She was a believer, or so I thought. Now I hear she was only using me to get back at her stepfather, and Truman says the police are reopening the case of his old receptionist as a possible homicide. I never saw that side of her. But she killed people. On purpose.”

“If it helps, she told my mother she wouldn’t have let Crawford kill you. ‘I won’t let him kill him,’ she said. She’d planned to kill Crawford herself.”

“That helps. Thank you. I fell for her, like a rock. I’d never told a soul about Moss, but I told her.”

“You trusted her.”

“I was a fool.”

“No, Lincoln. You weren’t a fool to trust. She deceived you.”