Karen Rose - I’m Watching You

„Thanks, Uncle Drake.“ She rose up and kissed his cheek.

Jacob waited until Drake’s niece was out of the limo. „She has promise, that one.“

„She does.“ He smirked. „It’s almost showtime, Jacob.“

Saturday, February 28,

2:45 p.m.

Mia and Spinnelli burst into Kristen’s house. Jack and his men were searching for any clue as to where she’d been taken. The room was a shambles and blood stained her blue-striped wallpaper. Controlling her panic, Mia knelt next to Abe’s brother and pressed her fingers to his throat. His pulse was steady. Thank God .

„Which one of you called me?“ Spinnelli demanded. An officer stepped forward.

„I did, sir. I found Officer Reagan unconscious and called for an ambulance. This other guy has no ID and he’s dead. Reagan’s gun is gone.“

Mia looked up. „And Mclntyre?“

„No sign of him or his cruiser. We’ve searched the house and the shed in the back. He doesn’t respond to radio communication. One of the neighbors saw Miss Mayhew leave in the cruiser. She said there was a big man with her. Hat hid his face. Nobody else saw anything.“

Spinnelli swore. „Did you ask her why she didn’t call the police?“

„She said there’d been so many police around the last week, she didn’t give it a second thought,“ the officer said grimly.

„Did anybody hear a damn gun?“ Mia demanded.

„She said there’d been so much pounding here the last few days, she didn’t think a thing about that either.“

Jack’s face was tight. „I checked with Aidan’s CO. He carries a Glock.38. This guy was killed with a.22.“

„Kristen just bought a.22.“ Mia hit the redial on her phone, with no more success than the last ten times. „Shit, where’s Abe?“

„Did you call the hospital?“ Jack asked as Spinnelli knelt to check the dead body.

„They’re looking for him,“ Spinnelli said. „Apparently this Timothy guy was terrified when he saw Abe and they had to remove him from the ICU. Abe’s got him somewhere else, calming him down so he can talk to him.“

Mia tilted her head, listening. „Quiet. That’s Kristen’s cell phone.“

Spinnelli pulled the dead guy’s coat, tipping him over. „It’s in his pocket.“ He flipped open Kristen’s phone. „Yes?… This is her phone… This is Lieutenant Marc Spinnelli of CPD. Who are you?“ He listened, then jumped to his feet. „Was there anything on the fax machine when you guys came in?“

The officers looked at one another. „No, sir.“

„No,“ Spinnelli said, „she didn’t get it. Can you send it again? Quickly? Thanks.“ He looked at Mia. „That was the Lake County coroner. He called Kristen with the name of the man who ID’d Leah Broderick’s body, then faxed her a photo ID. It was Owen Madden.“

Mia closed her eyes. „Then she knows.“

„Yeah,“ Jack said. „And whoever has her knows, too.“

„And assuming that’s Conti…“ Spinnelli didn’t finish the thought.

He didn’t have to. Conti wanted the killer. Now he had him. And he had Kristen, too.

Saturday, February 28,

3:00 P.M.

„Are you okay now?“

Timothy nodded, but Abe was unconvinced. All he’d been able to learn was that Timothy had seen something that had terrified him. Every time they got close to the truth, Timothy would begin trembling so violently he couldn’t speak. Abe was getting ready to call Miles. But of two things he was certain. This man had a strong affection for Kristen and Vincent, and he was not capable of being their vigilante killer. The nurse’s assessment had been completely accurate. Timothy was a high-functioning man with Down’s.

High-functioning . That was the same phrase Kristen had used to describe Leah Broderick. There were no coincidences.

„Let’s try this again. You used to work at the diner where Kristen eats?“

In agony the young man closed his eyes. „Yes,“ he whispered.

„Timothy, did you know a woman named Leah Broderick?“

Timothy nodded. „Yes. We went to church together. Sometimes we’d go to socials at the community center together.“

„Was she your girlfriend?“

He frowned. „No. Just my friend.“

„Okay. So when did you last see Leah?“

He looked down at his knees. „A long time ago. She’s dead now.“

„Can you tell me how she died?“

Timothy picked at a stray thread on his slacks. „She killed herself.“

They’d been looking for trauma. The suicide of a loved-one was an event traumatic enough to trigger intense emotion. „I’m sorry.“ Timothy said nothing so Abe pressed on. „Did she have family?“

Timothy paled. „Yes.“

„Timothy, look, I know you’re scared, but this is important. It could keep Kristen safe. Did Leah have anyone in her family named Robert Barnett?“

„I don’t know. Her mom died of cancer. It was just her dad, but that’s not his name.“

„Did you know her dad?“

Again Timothy began to tremble. „He was my boss.“

Abe’s heart stopped. „Your boss? At the diner? Owen is Leah’s father?“

Miserably Timothy nodded.

„Timothy, what did you see? Please tell me.“

„The freezer. I’d go to his house and he had ice cream in the freezer, so I went in the freezer.“ He began to rock himself. „Two men. They were dead in the freezer.“

Oh, God . Timothy had seen the two Blade members dead in Owen’s freezer. „Did Owen know you saw the dead people in the freezer?“

„No. I ran, so fast. Ran to the bus.“

„It’s okay, Timothy. It’s okay. He won’t hurt you. Can you tell me where he lives?“

Abe dialed Mia as soon as he hit the hospital lobby.

„Where have you been?“ Mia demanded.

„Talking to Timothy.“ Abe took off at a run for the parking lot. „Mia, Kristen’s friend Owen is Leah Broderick’s father.“

There was a beat of silence. „I know, Abe. Owen is Robert Barnett.“

The connection, finally. But Mia was too quiet, too contained. His heart began to race even faster and it had nothing to do with his sprint. „Mia, what’s happened?“

„Abe, Kristen’s gone. Someone took her from her house.“

He’d reached his SUV and stood frozen, his hand clutching air. „Oh, God.“ Conti .

„She knew it was Owen, Abe. Whoever took her knew it, too, along with Owen’s address. Marc and I are on our way to Owen’s house now.“

Abe made himself take a breath, then another. Made his hands open the SUV door. Conti could have her anywhere, but it would be poetic justice to take her to the place his son had died for his revenge. „I’m closer. I’ll meet you there.“

Saturday, February 28,

3:30 p.m.

Kristen looked around. The warehouse was filled with huge stacks of crates, forty, fifty feet high. Some of the boxes were stacked on themselves, others on silver racks that stretched to the ceiling. The brand names on the boxes were familiar due to the hours of investigating Conti’s business when she was prosecuting Angelo for the murder of Paula Garcia. This was Jacob Conti’s turf. And she was a sitting duck.

They’d driven the cruiser only a few miles before pulling out of sight where Conti’s limo waited. Edwards had left her with the mocking stranger, getting into the limo. A few minutes later, a young woman got out, wearing a satisfied expression. A minute after that Kristen was forced into the limo where Jacob Conti regarded her with a reptilian stare. She hadn’t looked away, which seemed to amuse him.

But now she was here, amid the boxes. It was no use pulling at the ties that bound her wrists and ankles. Drake Edwards had done a thorough job. It was no use trying to scream. The gag kept her silent. Something was going to happen soon. It was clear from the way Edwards chuckled as he left her here.