Conduit (15 page)

Dean Sheila Reynolds was much more
forthcoming with the security tapes than Lionel predicted. She complied with
Detective Aurelio’s request to provide every tape they wanted, eliminating the
need for a subpoena.

Lionel spent the afternoon going back and forth between the
officers scouring the security tapes and Shawn, who worked with other officers
on determining a secondary snatch location for each victim. If they could find
the killer’s backup location to take each victim, they might get lucky with
additional witnesses or security tapes.

So far all prospects looked dim and Lionel’s frustration grew
with every passing minute. The excitement from seeing the killer on tape
earlier in the morning had long since vanished. They now had more dead ends
than leads.

Lionel had called Barbara a few hours earlier to give her
the news that he would not be home for dinner. In keeping with her good nature,
Barbara didn’t allow the slightest hint of disappointment to seep into her
voice. She promised to keep the security alarm activated, and he promised to
check in with her regularly. Sitting at his desk now, poring over Lucy Kim’s
autopsy report for the hundredth time that day, he wished he was at home with
his wife.

Shawn’s phone rang and he snatched up the receiver. After a
cryptic one-sided conversation, he hung up the phone. “They just finished
checking out the secondary snatch location for Morgan Grier.”

Earlier that day, they discovered where the killer might
have planned to take Morgan if his initial plan of taking her outside her
martial arts studio at night didn’t work. Her fiancé let officers know that
every morning Morgan ran ten miles along the same route she had used for years.

Lionel lowered his reading glasses down to the tip of his
nose and peered at Shawn over the tops of the lenses. “What did they find?”

“No cameras,” Shawn said. “Well, there are stoplight
cameras, but they aren’t functioning yet. They’re more of a scare tactic than
for actual use.”

“Just our luck.”

Shawn lifted his eyes toward their office window and knocked
on his desk to get Lionel’s attention. “Better look busy,” he said, pointing
toward the window.

Lionel turned his head and yanked his glasses off his face. Through
the large window that gave him a view of the homicide detectives under his
command, he watched Barbara walk toward his office. She balanced an aluminum
tray on top of a kitchen towel in her arms and a paper bag dangled from one
hand. She fended off nosy detectives trying to steal away the treats she
carried.

“If you’re working overtime, you better convince the wife
there’s a good reason.”

“A serial killer is always a good reason for overtime,”
Lionel said. He held open his office door for Barbara. “What brings you over
here?” he asked, taking the paper bag out of her hand.

“No, ‘Hello, hi babe, how was your day?’” she said.

“Hello, hi babe, how was your day?”

“That’s much better.” She set the tray down on the desk,
ensuring it rested evenly on the kitchen towel.

“Barbara, you didn’t have to go to all this trouble,” Shawn
said.

“Oh, yes I did.” She wagged a finger at them. “You boys don’t
need to eat any junk from the vending machines tonight. Or worse yet, skip
dinner altogether.”

Lionel swept her close and kissed her. “You’re the best wife
a man could ever ask for.”

Shawn cleared his throat. “That remains to be seen.”

Lionel let go of Barbara, while she glared at Shawn.

“What?” Shawn shrugged. “I haven’t seen what you brought us
for supper yet. That’s the true determination of a great wife.”

Barbara smiled. “You won’t be disappointed, I promise.” She
moved to the aluminum tray and uncovered lasagna. Mouth-watering steam wafted
up from the perfectly cooked pasta with extra mozzarella dripping around homemade
sauce.

“There’s enough here to feed the whole division,” Shawn
said.

“That’s the idea,” Barbara said. “Fresh garlic rolls are
wrapped in foil in the bag along with some brownies, but there’s only enough of
that for the two of you.”

“They will be gone before anyone else finds out about the
lasagna,” Lionel said.

“Good boy,” Barbara said. She turned to Shawn and placed her
hand on his shoulder. “And what do you have planned for dinner Friday night?”

“I suppose I’m eating at your house.”

“That’s the answer I was looking for. You’ve been looking a
little scrawny lately. Someone has to keep you fed and healthy.”

“You’re too much, Barbara,” Shawn said. “It’s appreciated,
as always.”

“Show your appreciation by being there on time for once,”
she said. “Seven o’clock and no excuses will be accepted for being late. If you
boys have to work after dinner, then you can do it in the den with full
stomachs.”

“I’ll make sure he leaves the office when I do so he can’t
be late,” Lionel said.

“I was only an hour late last time and it was because of a
case,” Shawn said. “Leo can vouch for me on that.”

Lionel held up his hands. “You’re on your own. I have to
answer to her when I’m late, and so do you.”

“Just come home to me safe and you don’t have to answer for
a thing,” Barbara said.

“Are you sure you don’t have a sister?” Shawn asked, not for
the first time. “Younger, of course.”

Barbara winked at him. “I don’t have a sister, but I know
lots of younger women that would be perfect for you.”

“Go get us some plates and forks,” Lionel told Shawn.

“Thanks again, Barbara,” Shawn said. “I’ll see you Friday
night.” He gave her a peck on the cheek and left the office.

Barbara smiled and nodded. She turned back to Lionel. “A few
minutes alone?” she asked.

He wrapped his arms around her again. “It’s much needed,” he
said. He kissed her tenderly. “Once this case is over, we’re taking a vacation.
A nice, long vacation.”

“As great as that sounds, I’d rather we save for the Alaskan
cruise you promised me for our anniversary next year.”

“Twenty-five years is quite an accomplishment,” he said. “I
think we can swing both. We’ll just stay a little bit closer to home for this
trip.”

“I love you, Detective Edwards.” She leaned in for another
kiss. “Please come home soon.”

“I won’t be much longer tonight, I promise. Thank you for
everything.”

Barbara laughed. “It’s just lasagna.”

“Not just the lasagna and not just inviting Shawn over for dinner.
Thanks for being so understanding about me working late every night.”

“Don’t forget working early every morning. And every weekend,
too.”

“Yeah, all that,” Lionel said.

“It’s part of being married to you. Plus you’ll make it up
to me on our vacation.”

“That I will,” he said.

“Speaking of which, you better get back to it so you can get
home before dawn.” Barbara let go of him and dug her car keys out of her purse.

“Let me walk you to the car.”

“You don’t have to do that,” she said.

Lionel glanced at Lucy Kim’s autopsy report on his desk. “Yes,
I do.”

Jake arrived at Emily’s house ten
minutes early. He pressed the doorbell and hoped he wasn’t too early. He
clutched the dozen red roses in his hand like a security blanket held by a child
curling up in the dark, frightened of monsters lurking under the bed and in the
closet. His monsters were commitment and, even more terrifying, love.

Emily posed a threat to his way of life and inability to open
himself up to others. Breaking through chains and destroying walls, she left
his emotions in rubble with his heart unprotected. She was unaware of the
effect she had on him, so he couldn’t tell her to stop, and he didn’t want her
to. Jake enjoyed his taming.

He raised his hand to touch the bell once more when the knob
turned and the door swung open. Jake caught his breath as he took in her
appearance. Her clothes were on the dressy side of casual, with a forest green
short-sleeved top that flared at the waist, a pair of dark blue jeans, and a
pair of black high heeled sandals that revealed perfectly pedicured toes
painted in red. Emily had taken the time to curl her hair and refresh her
makeup since their lunch date. Her large smile lit up her eyes.

Jake lifted the roses to her as a hello.

Emily accepted the flowers. “Thank you,” she said. “You
really shouldn’t have.”

He shrugged. “They were in the bargain bin. I didn’t want
the poor things to be thrown out.”

She laughed. “I suppose it wouldn’t be right to risk the
lives of innocent roses,” she said. Stepping back, she ushered him inside.

The aroma of savory spices filled the foyer. “Smells
amazing,” Jake said.

“I thought we’d go with roasted pork and potatoes with
homemade cinnamon applesauce tonight. Hopefully you’re okay with that. I should
have asked if you have any allergies or if you are just generally opposed to
anything.”

“It all sounds fantastic,” he said. “But I want to know how
you have time to make homemade applesauce with your work schedule.”

“I wouldn’t dream of buying applesauce in a jar. You won’t
either after you taste it homemade.”

Jake smiled in response. He was sure she was right.

“I need to get these in a vase before they wither. I wouldn’t
want that to happen after your display of heroism by rescuing them.”

He followed her down the hall and into the living room. The
environment relaxed him, and he explored the room while Emily wandered off to
put the flowers in a vase. The walls displayed large, framed photographs of
sunsets and the vaulted ceiling with wood beams made the room feel much larger
than it was. The cream colored couch matched the recliner beside it, and both
faced toward the flat screen television contained within an oversized wood stand.

In the corner next to a round glass table sat a wooden rocking
chair with a flowered pad in the seat. An old patchwork quilt hung over the
back of the rocking chair. The colorful mix of stripes and polka dots reminded
him of quilts that were around his childhood home.

Of all the items in the room, the rocking chair called to
him. From its placement in the living room down to the way the quilt was
arranged on its back, the chair’s presence exuded a sense that it was more
special than any other material object in her home.

When he reached the chair, he noticed an ornate silver
picture frame on the small glass table next to it. He picked up the picture and
stared at the woman standing in a yard next to a little girl in pigtails against
the backdrop of a large oak tree. The black and white of the photograph didn’t
allow him to see the color of the girl’s dress.

The girl clinging onto the woman’s leg with one arm
reflected her love and trust for the woman. The girl held a Popsicle in her
other hand and drippings from the melting treat trickled down her fingers. A
large smile lit the woman’s face, and her loving, protective hand rested on the
back of the girl’s head. From his conversations with Emily, he knew who these
two people were and the origin of the rocking chair.

Jake turned at the sound of Emily behind him. She walked up
until she stood beside him, and her arm brushed against his. Her touch set his
heart ablaze, but he refrained from spinning toward her and kissing her.

He held the picture up to her. “This must be your Aunt Susan
and you as a child,” he said. “And this is her rocking chair and a quilt she
made.”

“She started making the quilt when she found out my mom was
pregnant with me.” Melancholy laced her voice. “I know it’s been years, but I still
miss her so much. She was such a kind woman, a beautiful woman.”

Jake handed her the photo. “I’m sure she was, the same as
you.”

Emily held his eyes with hers, and she reached for the
picture. Their hands touched as she took the frame and Jake couldn’t help
himself any longer. He lowered his head and met her lips with a tender kiss.

When she broke away from him, she graced him with a smile. “Thank
you.”

“For what?”

“Just for being here tonight.” She gave him another quick,
delicate kiss.

Jake smiled as they parted. He looked back at the table,
while Emily replaced the picture frame. He picked up a crossword puzzle book
from the table. “Easy Crossword Puzzles,” he read.

She grimaced. “I love crosswords, but I’m not very good at
the harder ones. This lets me pretend I’m smarter.”

Jake laughed. “You don’t need a crossword puzzle to show how
smart you are.” He flipped open the book to the place where a pen marked her
spot. The crossword had several letters rewritten throughout the puzzle, almost
to the point that the pen’s tip cut through the paper. “You seem to have
struggled with this one a bit,” he teased.

Emily snatched the book out of his hand. “I told you I wasn’t
any good at them,” she said. “And pointing out my mistakes negates the purpose
of the easy crossword puzzles.”

“You’re the smartest girl I know,” Jake said.

“So you know smarter boys than me?”

“You know what I mean.”

She set the book back down on the table. “We better eat
before dinner gets cold.”

He followed her into the dining room. The glass table had
two settings on white linen placemats. Two wine glasses were filled with white
wine, next to water glasses with lemon wedges pressed down on the rim. Wicks
glowed with bouncing flames from two white tapered candles in the middle of the
table. The roses he brought her soaked up water in a crystal vase on the side
of the table.

She turned to Jake, looking concerned. “Too much?” she
asked.

“I never thought I would say this about a candlelight
dinner, but no, it’s not too much. It’s rather perfect.” He smiled and looked
back at her. “Of course a backyard barbeque with t-shirts and beer would also
be perfect, as long as you’re there.”

“That’s a little cheesy.”

“Yeah, but you make me cheesy.”

“Then I guess I’ll have to learn to deal with it,” she said.

She led him into the kitchen, which was just as homey as the
rest of the house and the source of the delicious fragrances. She handed him a
white china dinner plate and gestured toward the spread of food on the counter.

At her insistence, Jake heaped food onto his plate and
waited until she had a plateful of food before heading back to the dining room.
He laid his plate down on the far place setting and, in keeping with the semi-formal
décor, returned to the other side of the table to pull out the chair for her.

Emily laughed. “Next time we’re having that barbeque.”

“Sounds good to me,” he said.

He returned to his seat and, before lifting his utensils to
eat, he took in her beauty beneath the allure of the candle flames. In only two
days, Emily had accomplished what no other woman ever could. She captivated him
like no one else and the more he learned about her, the more she hypnotized
him. He always knew he would eventually meet her, the woman he had been
searching for, but now that she sat in front of him, he thought he must be
dreaming.

He reached his hand across the table, palm up. She placed
her hand in his and electricity shot through his arm, just as it did every time
they touched. “Thank you so much for having me here tonight.” He squeezed her
hand.

She returned the squeeze. “I’m hoping that we’ll have more
nights like this.”

“There’s not a doubt in my mind that we will.”

Throughout dinner, they exchanged vague tales of cases they
worked, since both were bound by confidentiality. Emily seemed engrossed in
everything he had to say, while Jake was simply entranced by her presence. As
they ate, they exchanged glances and smiles across the table like
schoolchildren flirting in the cafeteria.

After they finished eating, Jake declined a second helping
of dinner while assuring her that he loved everything she prepared. Emily rose
from the table and retrieved a bottle of wine from the kitchen. “You always
seem to know what to say when it comes to our abilities,” she said, topping off
his wine glass. “I can tell you deal very well with these things.”

“With what things?”

Emily placed the bottle at the edge of the table and went
back to her seat. “The things people like us have to deal with. Why is that?”

“I took a couple of years off between high school and
college. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but this gift we have made me
question everything, so I traveled. I wanted to find others like us and learn
as much as I could.” Jake hesitated as he formed his next words. He did not
want to inadvertently insult Emily. “I’ve met enough people like us to know
that we tend to follow a disturbing pattern.”

“A pattern?” Emily asked.

“For the most part, we’re somewhat reclusive. We think that
anyone who finds out about us will automatically judge us and deem us crazy. I
used to be like that myself, but then I realized I didn’t want to spend my life
following that pattern.”

“I follow that pattern, don’t I?”

“It’s not a bad thing,” Jake said. “To a point, we do have
to be secretive. We can’t run around the streets shouting to the world that we’re
psychic. I can’t tell my friends or coworkers, but that doesn’t mean I have to alter
my lifestyle for fear of being found out.”

“That’s not what I’ve done,” Emily said.

“You only have one employee at your office, right? And I imagine
while she doesn’t know about you, Cassie does.”

“Of course Cassie knows. She’s my best friend. We’ve known
each other since high school.”

“And by default she’s accepting of your abilities. But you
only have one employee in a very busy office where you already work seven days
a week. Not to mention, you’re signing an exclusive contract with Heartland
Insurance. Did you have plans to hire someone else?”

Emily allowed a small smile, letting Jake know he was on the
right track. “Cassie and I had discussed it.”

“Yet you haven’t placed an ad, have you? You’re scared
someone may find out about you.”

“You’re right,” Emily said. “You’re absolutely right, and
now that you’ve made me admit my shortcomings, I’ll place an ad tonight. I
suppose I should be ashamed of that.”

Jake shook his head. “On the contrary, and you don’t have
any shortcomings. You grew up being told your gifts were somehow wrong. Your mom
instilled that fear in you, so your reaction is natural.”

“If it’s so natural, why aren’t you like me? How do you cope
so well?”

“I think it’s because Janie was so accepting of everything,
much more than I was. After she died, I hid who I was and lived in the shadows
like you do. It took me a very long time, but I finally came to a place where I
realized that isn’t what I would have been doing if Janie were alive, and that’s
not what she would have wanted for me.”

“She sounds like a wonderful person. Insightful even as a young
teenager. I would have loved to have met her.”

“She would have loved you, believe me.” Jake paused. “May I
ask you a personal question?”

Emily laughed. “As if we’ve not been personal enough. Every
date thus far seems like a trip to the psychiatrist.”

Jake joined in her laughter. “I suppose we have delved much
deeper than most do on the first few dates. Is that why you broke up with
Nathan? Because you were scared you couldn’t keep hiding who you are around
someone who isn’t like us?”

“Partly. I didn’t want to hide a secret from someone if I
planned on spending my life with them.” Emily moistened her lips. “But the main
reason I broke up with Nate is because I knew I would never love him. He was my
first attempt at what you’ve already accomplished, living normally without
fear. It sounds odd, but I really tried to fall in love with him. Since we had been
in a relationship for so long, I thought it was expected of me.

“Cassie thought I was crazy, that any girl could easily fall
in love with him, but I couldn’t force feelings that weren’t there. Somewhere
along the way, I didn’t fall in love, but I fell into a comfortable routine and
I stayed with him much longer than I should have. Eventually, I realized that
wasn’t enough for me.”

Jake took a sip of his wine and watched her speak. Hearing
her voice merely say the word love gave his heart a little shock. She took the
emotion very seriously, and wouldn’t settle for less. Most women in her
position would have stayed with Nathan, for his money and prestige, or even for
the comfort she spoke about. But Emily wasn’t most women, and for that very
reason he found himself quickly falling for her.

She gestured with her wine glass. “Don’t get me wrong. Nate
is a truly wonderful man and he deserves to be with someone who can appreciate
him and love him without pretending. I never was that person, but because I tried
so hard to be, it took me time to understand I would never fall in love with
him.”

Jake let out the breath he had been holding while she spoke.
“You can’t know how happy I am to hear that. Not that I thought you were still
in love with him or anything like that, but I was a little concerned that maybe
your gift was the only reason you broke it off. If it was and you realized it
was okay to be yourself around him and tell him about your gift, then I was
worried you might be tempted to go back to him.”