Brad was saved from replying as Alex zipped her suitcase
closed. She took one last look around shuddering slightly as the cool wind slid into the space from the gaping hole in the glass doors. The debris had been removed but blood still stained the walls and floor.
“I’m ready if you two are.”
Brad grabbed his own duffle bag, casually throwing it over his shoulder. “I’m more than ready to get out of this place.” He leaned
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down and lifted Alex’s as well. “I told my father and Maggie we’d stop by before we left. Their room is down the hall.”
The lieutenant walked with them on his way to the elevator,
stopping when Andrew opened the door to Brad’s knock, obviously waiting for them.
“I gather things are settled?” he asked, motioning for them to enter.
“As settled as they can be without answers,” Brad replied dryly.
Andrew’s gaze shifted to Roy Clark. “So what are you doing to get those answers?”
“I’ll leave your son and Alex to tell you that. I’ve got things to attend to.” He focused on the two of them. “I would appreciate you keeping me informed of anything you find worth telling.”
“We will,” Alex said. “And thank you.”
He took the hand she offered and squeezed it. “Just watch your step.” He lifted the card he still held in his hands. “That’s direct from your uncle by the way.”
“So you didn’t take what I said at face value is that it,
Lieutenant?” Alex asked raising a brow.
“Wouldn’t be worth a damn if I didn’t know how to play the
game, young lady.”
“I guess you wouldn’t. At least now you know we aren’t some
kind of Bonnie and Clyde.”
“If I thought that, you wouldn’t be leaving,” he said simply.
“Good luck and stay safe.”
“We intend to,” Brad said firmly.
They waited until he moved down the hall before walking into the room.
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“I have a feeling if anyone can help us with this he can,” Brad said, closing the door.
“I hope so because right now I feel like we’re spinning in
circles,” Alex said, frowning.
Maggie moved toward Brad, her eyes anxiously scanning first
him and then Alex. “I’ve been imagining all sorts of awful things.
It’s good to see the two of you are in one piece.”
“How about those answers,” Andrew said impatiently.
By the time they were done relaying what had happened, both
Maggie and Andrew were visibly concerned.
“Good God, Brad! Whatever this man is hiding it must be big
for him to have planned six murders.” He shook his head in
disbelief. “Granted, I never liked Russell Ferron. Somewhat of a pompous ass if you want the truth. Yet hiring a hit man?”
“What was his wife like?” Alex asked.
Andrew’s eyes grew thoughtful. “Nice lady. Classy. Too classy for him but it was obvious she was head over heels in love with the man. Even when they were first married there were rumors about his extramarital affairs. Either she didn’t know about them or she chose to ignore the innuendoes.”
“Did he come from money?”
Andrew snorted a laugh. “Liked to let people think he did. Anna told Ellie he didn’t want to invite his parents to the wedding. Said the trip was too far for them. She insisted and discovered his father was a postman and his mother an elementary school
teacher. Nice people, according to what she told my sister. She couldn’t understand why he was so ashamed of them.”
“That should have given her a clue as to the kind of man she was marrying,” Brad said dryly.
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“Sometimes people deeply in love aren’t very smart,” Andrew
answered, his eyes locking with Brad’s.
Brad read the message and nodded. “You may be right,” Brad
returned, not missing the message.
“I’m thinking it’s time for all of us to go back home and let the law do what they do,” Maggie insisted.
“We’re not going back,” Brad said, helping himself to a cup of coffee sitting on the dresser.
“I was afraid of that. Love, don’t you think this matter should be left up to the police?”
“Probably, but other than Lieutenant Clark and Alex’s uncle, I doubt anyone is going to jump at assisting us unless we find something concrete evidence wise.”
“How are you going to get evidence even the police don’t believe is there?”
“By following our killer’s path. Backwards.”
Alex nodded. “Next stop is Huntington, West Virginia.”
“The college student?” Andrew asked.
Brad looked up in surprise. “How did you know that?”
A hint of a flush stained Andrew’s cheeks. “I figured if you and Kevin believed so strongly in this then maybe I ought to do a little research on my own.”
Brad felt an unexpected rush of emotion that he wasn’t
altogether happy about. His father was obviously making an effort to forge a relationship between the two of them. He just wasn’t sure he was ready to meet him halfway yet.
“Do me a favor, Andrew,” Alex said. “If you think of anything else that might be helpful, please call my cell phone or Brad’s.
Maggie has both numbers.”
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He nodded. “I’ll do my best, young lady,” he said extending a hand toward her. She ignored it, surprising him by giving him a firm hug, instead. “Keep working at it,” she whispered. “He’ll come around.”
His eyes widened slightly then he smiled. Still keeping an arm around her, he turned to his son.
“It seems we Norton men tend to be drawn toward strong
women. Don’t let her get away,” he finished, his eyes locking with Brad’s.
“I don’t intend to.”
“Good. Just do me a favor and don’t try to play Rambo or
Clyde.”
Brad’s eyes lit with amusement for the first time. “Didn’t even know you knew who Rambo was.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, son, and a hell of a lot I don’t know about you. Guess we’ll just have to work at finding out about each other.”
“Guess we will.”
Maggie hugged him hard and long and then turned to Alex and
did the same. “Watch out for each other, you hear me!”
Alex felt the connection as Maggie embraced her. Felt the link between two women who loved the same man and the sweet
heredity of Ireland in their background. From the expression in Maggie’s eyes she sensed it as well.
“It's fate that my boy found a fine Irish lass to put him in his place,” Maggie said, wiping the moisture from her eyes.
“Especially when his father has the same,” Andrew responded, putting an arm around her shoulders and drawing her back
against him. “Let them be on their way, Maggie.”
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“It's hell isn’t it?” Brad said, noting the fondness in his father’s expression.
“What?” his father asked.
“Having a woman know what you’re going to do before you do
it.”
His father nodded. “Worst part is I don’t mind so much
anymore.”
“Then God help us both,” Brad retorted, opening the door. He let a sharp breath out when Alex shoved an elbow in his stomach going by. “See the two of you later.” He closed the door behind him and caught up with her.
She looked at him, her lips tilting mockingly. “Not so hard to relate to your father after all, is it?”
He shook a finger at her. “You trying to manipulate me?”
“No. I
am
manipulating you. It’s what I do best.”
He rolled his eyes. “Then I repeat, God help me.”
They walked passed the public elevator and the few yawning
guests waiting for it and around the corner to the service one as Roy had instructed them. It let them out in a narrow hallway leading toward the loading dock in the back. A uniformed officer was waiting, opening the door for both of them, his gaze finding Brad’s over Alex’s head.
“The lieutenant said to tell you your ride is waiting and the paperwork is complete.” He handed Brad a clipboard. “Sign on those spots and you’re set to go.” Brad took a few moments to read what he was signing then handed them back to the officer along with a check.
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“Tell the lieutenant thanks,” he said, picking up his suitcase again, stepping aside for Alex to walk down the steps into the bright sunshine.
“By the way,” the young man called, straight faced, “the
lieutenant said to tell you not to break any speed limits.”
Alex glanced at him. “Why on earth would we…” Her voice
trailed off as she stepped onto the parking lot pavement. A brand new cherry red Mustang GT convertible was parked at the curb.
While the officer handed Brad the keys and he stuffed their luggage in the trunk, Alex walked slowly toward the car. She ran a hand along the white leather interior, unexpected tears stinging her eyes.
“You rented this?” she asked.
“Nope. Bought it.”
Her green eyes grew soft, swimming. “Brad, it's beautiful!”
“Then why the tears?” he asked, reaching down to brush one
away.
“Because you’re finally letting yourself go, letting yourself do something big on the spur of the moment and for me. That makes it even more special.”
“Special enough to let me drive first?”
In one swift motion, she palmed the keys he held. “In your
dreams!”
Laughing he slid into the passenger side just as the engine
roared to life with a very satisfying rumble.
She fastened her seat belt and stretched. “I’m not even going to ask what this costs. You can afford it.” She leaned over and kissed him long and hard. “Ready, Clyde?”
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“As ready as I can be, Bonnie,” he murmured, fingering a red curl. “Just watch the speed, okay.”
She put her foot on the gas. “Let them catch me,” she said
wickedly. She sped around the front of the hotel, waving defiantly at the reporters and camera crew who were still standing in the parking lot.
“Eat my dust!” she muttered, gunning the engine. Fortunately it was still early and the roads were relatively quiet as she sped away.
“They’ll follow you know.”
She nodded negotiating a turn. “Won’t matter. They won’t catch us.” She leaned back in the plush leather, spots of color high on her cheeks and eyes glimmering with excitement. “Nothing like the chill of the wind to knock the cobwebs away.”
“Or attract every cop in the area with that hair blowing,” he teased, enjoying the picture she made with her copper hair glinting in the sunlight and just a hint of freckles under her creamy skin. It was well worth the price he had paid for the car, he thought. She was right, just a week ago he never would have thought of buying a vehicle sight unseen, let alone one as impractical as this. She had changed him and he was beginning to like it.
Alex glanced over at him, smiling. “You feeling okay?”
He nodded. “Maggie gave me a couple of aspirin awhile ago.
Headache's almost gone.”
“She’s special, Brad.”
“Yeah, I know. If it hadn’t been for her, growing up in that house would have been more hell than it was.”
She flicked him a look. “You have to meet him halfway you
know.”
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“You sound like Maggie.”
“Maybe that’s because we both love you. Very much.”
The frown eased from his forehead. “Are you manipulating me
again?” He frowned ferociously.
She laughed. “Is it working?”
“Maybe.”
“She’s very much in love with him.”
He raised a brow. “You read her mind?”
“I didn’t have to. It’s written all over her.”
“The man I knew growing up would never consider a
relationship with the staff.”
“The man you grew up with has changed, Brad.” She glanced
over at him. “He hurt you, more than any child deserves to be hurt emotionally. Yet he was smart enough to let first Maggie and then your aunt give you their love and the attention you deserved. That has to mean something to you.”
“It does, but that doesn’t mean I can just forgive and jump into a close father-son relationship. I’ve got enough of the old man in me to take it slowly. Maybe then it’ll mean more.”
She smiled, reaching over to run a hand along his lean cheek.
“You’re pretty smart, you know that?”
“Smart enough to know that unless you slow down we’re going
to get that ticket Roy Clark spoke of,” he warned, glancing at the speedometer.
“Spoilsport,” she grumbled, easing back on the gas pedal.
“Okay, change of subject. Let’s review what we’ve got.”
They spent the next several minutes tossing ideas back and
forth.
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“We’re missing something. It’s right in front of us and we’re missing it,” Alex said, putting a hand up to brush a stray copper curl away from her eyes.
After a quick stop at the hospital to remove Brad’s bandage, they were on their way once again.
“See that wasn’t so painful, was it?” Alex teased.
He touched his newly-bandaged forehead. “Easy for you to
say.”
The teasing light in her eyes vanished. “It could have been a worse. A lot worse. I only wish I had more control over my
clairvoyance. Sometimes everything is crystal clear and other times no matter how hard I concentrate there’s nothing,” she finished in frustration.
“So you don’t trust your instincts enough to do your job
without the added advantage of your inborn talent? Funny, I
thought you were more sure of yourself that that.”
Fire sparked in her eyes just as he knew it would. “If that
comment was supposed to tick me off, you succeeded in spades.”
He met her gaze steadily. “It was.”
The fire changed to startled surprise and then she laughed. “It scares me that you know me so well already.” She changed lanes and relaxed back against the seat again. “Alright, Mr. Smarty, what are
your
instincts telling you?”