Authors: Wendy Potocki
“You are 100% correct,” he said grabbing his cup and swallowing the caramel latte. “So is there a motive to this crime spree?”
“Don’t have one shored up conclusively. Best guess at this point is that Larabee was onto Laurie and her group.”
“But what about the two dancers? And Hotchkins?”
“Theory is that Capella and Rohm were opportunistic. That Laurie’s a jealous little bitch. Always was trying to be something she clearly isn’t, but you were right about Barbara Moore in one respect. She did have something to do with this case.”
“How so?”
“Well, according to Jack Harris, he was sort of fascinated with her disappearance. If he was, then other members might have been also.”
“So maybe some of them decided to reenact the old crime. Got it,” Todd said taking a few more sips, “but where does her mother come in?”
“Carol’s obviously co-dependent. If she thought her daughter was in trouble, she’d do anything to cover it up. I mean, she went along with getting a restraining order, all to make Brent look bad if he talked. As for Laurie, she must have thought that Hotchkins was onto her. Don’t know why she thought that, but something he did must have threatened her.”
“And Carol would go along with that?”
“Obviously she would, but there’s still someone out there. Right now, the Feds are satisfied that the main players have been taken out of the game. So the task force is heading back to D.C., while Angela is staying here to try to find the other perpetrator.”
“Well, I’m glad that I’m finally on the same page as everyone else. Definitely agree there’s someone still out there.”
“Oh, and they’re sending some boys back here in the spring so we can properly sweep the woods for bodies. We’re all pretty sure the victims are buried there, but in this snow, it’s pretty useless trying to find them.”
“Thanks. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some crow to eat,” he admitted.
Getting up, he walked red-faced to the office Ace had appropriated. Knocking on the wood frame of the door, Cummings’ face wore a mixture of admiration and surprise.
“Congratulations,” Todd admitted, “nice work and I’m sorry that I was a liability. I was … distracted.”
Ace slapped him on the back, brushing off the self-deprecating remark.
“Hey, it happens to all of us. And she is well worth losing your head over.”
“Yeah, thanks,” he stammered, the image of the doe-eyed girl filling him with happy feelings. He hoped those kisses had only been a beginning. He’d tell her that tonight.
Chapter Fifty-
four
Missy relaxed, letting Todd’s body press into hers. It was the first time she’d visited his bachelor pad, and they were all alone. Taking advantage of the situation, he moved quickly, trying to continue what was started the previous evening under the stars.
Moaning she responded, pulling him tighter to her. His hand traveling under her breast, things were progressing too fast. Pulling back, Todd immediately dropped his hold.
“It’s alright. You’re steering this ship,” he assured.
Tugging her purple turtleneck down, her skeptical side responded.
“Why? Because you’re afraid it’ll affect your job?” Immediately regretting the words, he didn’t deserve to be insulted in that way. The hurt spreading across his face, it was indicative that he took the jab to heart. “I’m sorry,” she apologized, falling into his arms and cuddling. “Sometimes I just can’t control what I say. It’s a long story.”
Patting her glossy hair, he kissed her high forehead, tracing her thick, arched eyebrows with his finger. “You can tell me about it anytime you want. In fact, I’ve been waiting for you to open up.”
“Have you?” she asked in a hush.
“Yes,” he said nuzzling his head against hers. “You seem like you’ve been hurt. I don’t know who did it or why, but I’m not like that. I’d never do anything to harm you. Not on purpose, anyway.”
Yearning to drop her fears and let passion sweep her away, she resisted. It wasn’t the right time. Even though she trusted him, there were too many secrets … too many lies that she’d kept from him. She wanted to make a clean breast of things, but didn’t know where to begin. She remembered Zoe, and the lie she’d told to Cummings.
“Todd?” she whispered, her fingers outlining the lobe of his ear.
“Yeah, Missy?”
“The case is pretty much over, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Melissa. We suspect one more person is involved so it’s active, but with Carol and Laurie out of the loop, things will be quiet from here on out.”
Putting her head on his shoulder, she rubbed his back with sweeping strokes. “Then it wouldn’t matter if I lied about something?”
A sharp extolling of breath was followed by him grasping her slender arms. Pushing himself back, he met her dark eyes that were shifting in confusion.
“What does that mean, Melissa? Please don’t tell me that you lied.”
Not able to answer, she bit her lip, dropping her head down. An insignificant nod sufficed to convey the bad news.
“Oh, dear God, no!” he gasped. Clutching her to him, she started to cry.
“I’m sorry, Todd! I was so scared, and … well, I guess you should know. My mother … she was an alcoholic. You have no idea what it was like. I’d come home and she’d be on the floor … and then there was the constant berating and belittling … and ...”
Overcome with emotion, she couldn’t continue with the blow-by-blow description of the nightmare she’d endured. Hoping that what she’d said had been enough to give him the gist, he responded by hugging her tightly and letting her take her time. Ending the embrace, she sat trying to make herself smaller than she already was. Not daring to look him in the eye, what she’d revealed was too embarrassing. She was such a fool, but she couldn’t stop.
“When I was very young, I started to lie. To cover things … hide things … from her because she would just get so crazy about anything. It’s what I grew up doing, so now if something goes wrong, or I get scared, that side of me just takes over and I lie.”
Pushing her hair back from her face, he wiped her tears away.
“I understand, Missy. I do. It explains so much. It must be that you’re always waiting for the other shoe to drop, but I’m not like that. I’m not. You don’t ever have to lie to me. Do you understand?”
Nodding quickly, her hair shimmered, catching the light.
“Good. Now please tell me what you lied about.”
Taking a deep breath, her hands started to tremble. What if he was lying? What if he started screaming at her? All she could see was her mother’s florid face spitting hateful words at her. She didn’t ever want to feel that way again, but there was just one way to find out.
“It was about why I went downstairs. Cummings asked me and I said it was because I thought I heard somebody, but that’s not the truth.”
“Well, then what is?”
“I went downstairs because I saw someone. It was outside the studio I was using to practice … on the fifth floor … in the hallway. I followed her down and she went into the basement.”
“Her? You mean, Una Velofsky?”
“No, I saw —” she said drawing in a large gulp of air, “Zoe Ryan.”
“Zoe?” he responded, his eyes narrowing. “I thought she …”
“Left? Yes, I thought so, too. I mean, I saw her leave, but she couldn’t have. Anyway, I called to her, and chased her down the stairs because I didn’t know what she was doing there, but I couldn’t catch her. I had my flip-flops on and couldn’t run any faster, but I kept her in view. She went into the basement.”
“You saw her go in?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re sure it was Zoe?”
“I was, but now … no, I’m not sure.”
“And you didn’t say anything because?”
“Because she’d left! On the train! I must have just been imagining things. The guard locked that door! And there was no one down there!”
“Okay, I understand, but you still should have said something.”
“But why? What difference could it make?”
“All the difference in the world. I just told you that another person is involved. So that girl you saw might have been a person of interest. And that person may look like Zoe. It could be the resemblance makes it easy for her to go in and out of the school without being noticed. Think about it, she may even have gotten Brandi to follow her …”
“Because Brandi might have thought she was Zoe, too! Oh, God, Todd! Do you think so? I mean, this girl … she really did look exactly like her!”
“It’s a possibility,” he answered. Taking her hand, he kissed it. “I’m glad you told me though. Something like this might help.”
“Then you’re going to tell them?”
“No, you will, but in the meantime I will file it up in the old brain dumpster. This way if anyone fitting her description pops up on our radar, I’ll be all over it.” Leaning over he kissed her on her cheek. “You’re a good girl, Missy. You really are. I’m sorry if I freaked out. It’s just that this is my job and … well, people withholding evidence can get other people killed.”
“I know, Todd. I’m sorry. I really didn’t think it would affect anything,” she said, swallowing all the other falsehoods she’d told. As much as she wanted to confess all, she didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize their relationship.
The smell in the air alerted Todd that dinner was ready. Going into the kitchen, he slipped on the oven mitt. Melissa rushed over, sticking her head in the open oven.
“You made all that?”
“I did indeed,” he said giving her a quick kiss. “Now you’re going to see what the real advantage is in sticking with me. If you’ll have a seat, my little pretty ballerina, dinner will be served.”
Chapter Fifty-five
Another week swept by assuring Melissa that the worst was over. With no new disappearances reported, she was able to concentrate on her chosen profession and not whether she’d be the next victim.
Sharing a table with Anna and Una, the trio was finishing breakfast. Una had entertained her with hilarious stories of her early training, while Viktor had chosen to separate himself from them. Planting himself at a corner table, his sullen demeanor threatened to throw a wet blanket on her cheerful morning.
Her meal almost consumed, she readied to go to her room and change. Planning another trip into Holybrook, a chilly blast of air signaled visitors had arrived.
“Una? Ms. Velofsky, where are you?”
Tracey yelled, life-and-death urgency apparent in every syllable spoken.
“We are in here,
Tracey,” Una responded, setting her napkin down on the table. Pressing to her feet, she met the young administrator at the door. Una’s lovely face was soon lined with worry, her posture showing signs of tipping over from pressure.
The change in expression was noted. Melissa tried to listen in, as did Viktor. Her dark eyes met his. Delivering only a fraction of the animosity she harbored, the sharp rebuke sent him back to studying his plate. A grimace making it clear he didn’t like being observed, it was about time she returned the favor.
“Oh, this is beyond belief!” Una lamented, as she and Tracey parted. Una made her way hurriedly to the table, bracing herself against the tabletop with the palms of her manicured hands. “I’ve had disturbing news. It doesn’t necessarily mean anything, but on top of what’s already preceded …”
“Why? What’s happened, darling?” Anna asked, dropping her coffee cup to the saucer with a clatter.
“Kurt’s father called. It seems that Kurt called him last week and said he was going to stay with Justin for a few days. Mr. Casings agreed—not thinking anything of it. But yesterday, he called—to find out when his son was coming home. He couldn’t reach him, so he spoke to Justin’s father to find out what was going on, and …” she hesitated, her hand going to her solar plexus in an attempt to steady her breath, “… he wasn’t there.”
Melissa glanced at Anna, Anna quickly asking Melissa’s question for her.
“Well, where is he?”
“Mr. Casings doesn’t know. And it gets worse because he found out from Mr. Tortini that Justin had said he was staying with Kurt for a few days.”
“So they both lied to their parents?” Missy summarized.
“It seems they did,” she continued, her lips trembling, “It’s why Mr. Casings called here … to make sure they had both left. He spoke to
Tracey and found out they had, but no one knows where they’ve gone. He’s calling the police, and reporting him missing, as will Mr. Tortini. I thought this was over and now? If you’ll excuse me, I have calls to make.”
Rushing out of the dining room, Melissa tossed her napkin on her empty plate.
“This is crazy!” she blurted to Anna, wrapping her arms around herself and beginning to shake.
Ana’s eyes shifted from side to
side, a look of cool calculation on her face.
“I knew something like this would happen.” Leaning over the table she whispered, “You are in danger … he’s still here.”
Her words drawn out like menacing hisses of an attacking cat, Melissa glanced over at Viktor. Still wedged in the corner like a hulking rat, this was yet another warning issued about the brooding ballet giant. Narrowing her eyes, she didn’t care if he saw her disdain. She was tired of kowtowing to someone that was generating this much concern.