Brenda Novak - The Perfect Murder

“Are you okay with that?” he asked.

Was she doing the right thing getting involved with him? Had she given herself enough time to heal? What would she do when Sebastian went back to New York? Forget him and move on?

She knew it wouldn’t be that simple. But life was all about taking chances. Somehow she had to learn how to embrace normal risks again.

“Sure. It’s a date,” she said and went into the bathroom.

“Can she give us any indication of where she was kept?” Jane asked. She and Sebastian had bumped into David in the hall on their way to Latisha’s hospital room. They were standing off to one side, speaking in hushed voices-partly in deference to the setting and partly to keep others from overhearing their conversation.

“No,” David said. “She told me he pulled her and her sister over by putting a Kojak light on top of his van.”

“We’d wondered about that,” Sebastian said. He’d showered in Jane’s second bathroom, but not until he’d made breakfast for Kate. By then, he didn’t want to take the time to dry his hair, despite the cold weather. Still damp, it was curling over his ears and the back of his neck.

“I guess Marcie was driving their car,” David went on. “Latisha admits the van didn’t look like a public vehicle. And Wesley Boss, as she knows him, wasn’t wearing a uniform. But when he explained that he was an undercover officer and flashed a badge, she thought that was the point-he wasn’t supposed to look like a cop.”

“Pulling someone over without the proper authority takes a lot of nerve,” Jane said. “I’m afraid I would’ve believed him, too, and I have a lot more experience than they did.”

David raised his eyebrows. “Let’s hope you would’ve checked his badge a lot more closely.”

“Maybe I would have, but we’re talking about two young girls who were probably afraid they were going to be ticketed.”

“That’s exactly what they thought. They had a taillight out. They assumed that was the reason they’d been stopped.”

“Is that why he chose them?”

“Could be. I think he was looking for the kind of target-targets in this case-who’d be unlikely to question his authority. It was a Saturday morning, not late at night. They were together.” David shook his head. “They didn’t see the danger.”

“How’d he get them into the van without anyone noticing?” she asked.

David straightened his tie but the wrinkles in his shirt suggested these were the same clothes he’d worn yesterday. Had he even slept? She knew he’d gone home. He always made a point of it because of the kids. But he wasn’t taking good care of himself. “They went willingly. He told Marcie there was a warrant for her arrest and asked her to step out of the car. When she did, he slapped handcuffs on her.”

“He has balls the size of coconuts,” Sebastian grumbled.

“No kidding,” David agreed. “Anyway, he took Marcie to the van, then told Latisha she could ride to the station with him, that the car couldn’t be driven because of that taillight.”

“So she left the car and got in the van.”

“Without an argument. Before she could figure out what was going on, he threw her in the back and cuffed her to the same metal bar he’d already cuffed her sister to. Next thing Latisha knew, they were at some old house in the country.”

“Another house like the one in Ione?”

“This one’s in Turlock.”

Jane searched for the courage to ask her next question. “Did he rape them?”

“Apparently he didn’t rape Marcie.” She saw a pained expression on David’s handsome face. “What happened with Latisha is less clear. She had a diamond ring on her finger when she arrived here. She claims he bought it for her, that he wanted to marry her.”

“What?” The sudden change in Sebastian’s voice showed how surprised he was. Jane was equally shocked.

“After a few weeks?” she said.

“He got her drunk, slept with her, promised her he’d always take care of her. Had to be pretty damned confusing for the poor kid.”

“Did she know he killed her sister?”

“I don’t think so. She said she believed him when he told her he’d let Marcie go.” David frowned. “But…in the next instant, she burst into tears, saying she’d found Marcie’s blood on his shoes.”

“The poor thing.” Jane felt Sebastian’s hand at her back. She would’ve enjoyed the comfort his touch offered-except that she was afraid David might notice the subtle intimacy of it. She didn’t want to be questioned about their involvement.

“What about Malcolm?” Sebastian asked. “Does anyone have any idea where he might be?”

“Mrs. Stetzel, the woman who brought her in, was driving out to her ranch when she came across Latisha. She said Latisha was in the middle of the road and there was a man with a gun, shooting at them both. Because it was dark and it all happened so fast, she didn’t get a good look at him. But she knows the area and should be able to lead us to the exact spot. She’s in a patrol car now, attempting to do just that. I’m on my way to meet them.”

“So the old lady saved her,” Sebastian said.

David chuckled. “Basically. I don’t know how a seventy-three-year-old woman managed to get Latisha in the car and drive away without wrecking or being shot, but she did.”

“An unlikely hero,” Jane murmured.

“As unlikely as they get. But there’s no question that she saved Latisha’s life.”

Would they finally catch Malcolm, thanks to a Good Samaritan? “What does Gloria have to say?”

“Not much,” David replied. “She’s been at Latisha’s bedside since she got here, crying and listening. If she makes a comment, it’s generally something encouraging like ‘You’ll get through this.’”

“Gloria’s a strong woman. If anyone can help Latisha recover, it’s her.” Jane glanced toward the door she’d seen David walk out of just before they’d encountered him. “Is it okay if we go in?”

David gestured toward the room. “Go ahead. I’ll call you when I reach the place where she escaped, let you know what I find.”

Latisha was a very pretty young lady. She had a bandaged arm and a scrape on one cheek but, physically, she seemed in good shape, especially considering that Sebastian had never expected to see her alive.

Jane had gone into the room ahead of him. “You okay?” she murmured to Gloria and gave her a hug before turning to meet Latisha.

“This is Jane Burke, the woman I told you about,” Gloria said to her sister.

Latisha’s reaction seemed a bit skeptical. “Hello.”

“I’m so glad you’re safe.” Jane looked as if she wanted to embrace Latisha, too. Wisely, she refrained, settling for a slight squeeze of the hand, but her apparent sincerity began to thaw Latisha’s initial reaction.

“Thanks.” She managed a slight smile.

“This is Sebastian Costas from New York.” Jane seemed about to explain his presence, but she didn’t get the chance. Latisha had gasped at the sound of his name.

“You’re the one!”

Sebastian sent a questioning glance at her and then Gloria. He couldn’t imagine what she was talking about. “The one who what?”

“Who killed Wesley’s wife and son! He’s been searching for you!”

Jane’s eyes widened. “What?”

“He told me what you did.”

Jane spoke before Sebastian could respond. “That’s not true, Latisha,” she said, her voice gentle. “Malcolm killed his own wife-for her money. He also killed a fourteen-year-old boy, mostly out of spite. That boy was Sebastian’s son.”

Sebastian curled his hands into fists. Malcolm had tried to blame Colton’s murder on him?

“Who’s Malcolm?” Latisha echoed in apparent confusion.