Lynnette felt a sharp pain in her head, looked up into the man’s shocked face and whispered, “The Shoe Killer.” She then succumbed to total blackness.
Alex leaned back in his chair. “It appears that Clark Lovell isn’t who he claims to be, and he’s on the list of people who have
purchased police scanners in the last month.” He paused. “But I don’t want to jump to any conclusions just yet.”
Sir Drake’s gaze narrowed. “Why, Alex?”
“Besides,” Trevor added, “Lovell works for Reese, and that’s too close to home to suit me. Reese is family.”
Alex didn’t say anything for a moment. Truthfully, he was the only one in the room related to Reese, since he was married to Christy, but he understood how the others felt. Because of their close relationships to the Madarises, they all felt as if they were part of the family.
“Remember what happened with Sam when we thought we knew who was trying to kill her,” Alex said. “As you all know, it turned out to be someone we didn’t suspect. Clark Lovell is a person of interest right now, but there’s still something about him that I find oddly familiar, and I intend to find out what that is.”
Alex’s phone rang just then. “It’s my contact at the Bureau,” he said as he saw the caller ID.
The call lasted a few minutes. “Those wrappers were from a special kind of chewing gum that’s not sold in stores. It can only be ordered online from overseas.” He chuckled. “It includes an ingredient that supposedly guarantees to whiten your teeth every time you chew it.”
Ashton rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”
Alex chuckled again. “I’m going to see if the product has been shipped our way recently, and I also think we should let Reese know what’s—”
At that moment another phone line rang in Alex’s office. It was the direct link to his contact at HPD. “Excuse me, I need to get this.”
He smiled. “Yes, Jonesy?”
Seconds later the smile was wiped from Alex’s face and he sat straight up in his chair. “Damn! When did that happen?”
He drew in a deep breath and raked a hand down his face
in disgust and anger. “Okay, keep me informed. She might be the only eyewitness who can provide a description of the Shoe Killer.”
After he hung up the phone he was met with four pair of eyes staring at him. “That was my contact from HPD. The Shoe Killer tried to capture another victim—number five. Unfortunately for him, she was an undercover cop. He put her in his trunk but she was able to escape. The car was moving, so she took a pretty nasty fall and was rushed to the hospital. Right now she’s in a coma, but they’re hoping when she comes to, she’ll be able to help identify this guy.”
He was furious—enraged, incensed. How had this happened? When he arrived at his destination, he’d discovered the woman had somehow escaped from the trunk of his car. He couldn’t believe it. He should have taken the time to handcuff her like he’d done the others. But he’d taken a chance, grabbing her outside a busy restaurant and had wanted to get away as quickly as possible. Especially after he realized who she was, and he knew that she had recognized him. He had seen the look in her eyes before he’d knocked her out.
He began pacing. What if she talked? Even now she could have already revealed his identity to the police. He had to come up with a plan, and it had to be a good one.
He walked over to the television and turned it on. Surely the media was broadcasting some news about it. For all he knew his face could be flashed all over the television right now. He turned up the volume to listen to the reporter.
“We’ve received word that the Shoe Killer has struck again, but this time his victim, an undercover cop, managed to escape by jumping from the trunk of a moving vehicle speeding down the freeway. She was rushed to the hospital, and we’re told her injuries are serious and that she’s in a coma. The police are
hoping she comes out of it and gives them a description of her assailant.”
He switched off the television, deciding now was not the time to lose his cool. She couldn’t identify him in her present condition, but he had to do whatever he could to make sure she didn’t come out of her coma. With that in mind, he walked out the door.
“Surprise!”
Reese’s mouth twitched. He should have known there was more to Clayton’s call than he’d let on when he had invited him and Kenna to join everyone at Sisters. He glanced around at the smiling faces as he pulled Kenna closer to his side. “Okay, how did all of you find out so soon?”
Syneda beamed at him. “Mama Laverne called me, and that’s all it took.”
Reese was convinced that the women in his family had an intelligence network that kept them up-to-date about all the family’s top secrets. “But how did she know so quickly, when she’s still out at Whispering Pines?”
“I’m sure Aunt Carrie called before you two went home,” Clayton said, laughing. “And once the women found out, they convinced us that we needed to bring them here to celebrate. They were desperate for any excuse to get out of the house.”
Syneda went over and gave Kenna a big hug. “You’re going to have to give us the scoop,” she said. “How did he propose? When and where?”
A deep blush covered Kenna’s features and she quickly glanced over at Reese, who gave her an innocent look. She looked back at Syneda, and with a straight face said, “He proposed last night. Actually, he had my back against the wall and I couldn’t help but say yes.”
Reese laughed out loud as Kenna glared at him, mostly
because the two of them knew just how close to the truth her answer really was.
“And before you ask, Syneda, we’re going ring shopping this week,” Reese said, pulling Kenna into his arms and placing a kiss on her lips.
“It’s about time the two of you figured out you were more than friends,” Blade said, grinning. “I tried to tell you.”
Just then Kenna's phone went off with a ring tone that indicated it was a call from HPD. “Excuse me, my boss is calling,” she said, quickly retrieving the phone from her purse.
“LaKenna James.”
“Ms. James, this is Lieutenant Boggs,” the deep voice said.
“Yes, Lieutenant?”
“We need you over at Park Plaza Hospital as soon as you can get there.”
Kenna frowned. “Why? What’s going on?”
“The Shoe Killer struck again tonight. Luckily she was one of our own who was working undercover. She was able to escape from the trunk of a moving vehicle, but unfortunately she was severely injured and is in a coma. We’re hoping she pulls through and can give you a description of her assailant.”
The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as panic swept through her. “The officer who was working undercover,” she asked softly. “Who is she?” Kenna’s throat tightened, dreading the response she had a feeling was coming.
“Officer Lynette Cummings.”
Kenna gasped sharply. “Oh my God!”
Reese had been watching her the entire time, and immediately knew something was wrong. “Sweetheart, what is it?” he said as he drew her closer to him.
She stared at him for a moment. “It’s Lynette. The Shoe Killer grabbed her when she was working undercover tonight. He put her in the trunk of his car, but she managed to escape while
the car was moving. She was injured and is in a coma at Park General.”
She fought back her tears. “They want me to go to the hospital immediately. They’re hoping Lynette will be able to give me a description of her assailant when she comes to.”
Everyone listened as Kenna described what had unfolded in the past few hours. Reese took Kenna’s hand in his. “Come on, baby. I’ll drive you there.”
Alex stared at his computer screen. It had taken him several attempts to hack into the FBI’s confidential files—with some inside help, of course—to obtain the information he needed. It explained a lot about Clark Lovell.
A blast of cold air seemed to come into the room and literally chill him to the bone. His eyes narrowed and his jaw tightened with each line he read. Another emotion—cold-blooded anger—tore into him as he tried to tamp it down.
He looked up at the light rap on his office door. Everyone had left an hour ago, after agreeing to keep tabs on the hospitalized woman who would have been the Shoe Killer’s next victim. He had checked earlier and her condition was still the same.
Christy came into the room and glanced over at his computer. “Still reading?” she asked.
He rubbed a hand down his face. “Yes, and I think it’s something you should read as well. Come and sit here,” he said, standing to give her his chair.
She slid into the chair, leaned forward and began reading the information on the computer monitor while Alex crossed the room to pour another cup of coffee. The clock seemed to tick louder as he sipped his coffee and stared at the beautifully framed photographs that hung on his wall. One was of him and Christy on their wedding day. One was one of those glamour shots of Christy she’d had taken just before she’d gotten pregnant, and the other one was of her when she was pregnant. The rest were
of their beautiful little girl, from the time she had come into the world and he’d held her for the first time, to the most recent one of her at her birthday party a few months ago. He drew in a deep breath. He loved his wife and daughter more than life itself.
“The mystery has been solved. Now you know who he is.”
Alex turned at the sound of Christy’s voice and met her intense expression. He slowly nodded. “Yes, now I know who he is.”
He pulled into the hospital parking lot and decided to just sit there a minute after turning off his engine. He knew he would be taking a chance, but luckily for him there weren’t as many police officers around as he’d expected. They were probably all out looking for the killer, not knowing he was right under their very noses.
He chuckled. He was going to enjoy reading how things went down in the newspapers the next morning. Everyone would wonder just how he was able to pull it off.
Adrenaline flowed through his veins like wildfire. He licked his lips. The taste of a kill was in the air and he intended to make it happen—tonight.
Chapter 28
R
eese and Kenna arrived at the hospital and immediately caught the elevator to the eighth floor, the intensive care unit. An older couple, who Kenna assumed were Lynette’s parents, were talking to a group of doctors, as several police officers wandered around in the waiting room. Kenna recognized Steven. He stood when he saw her enter.
She quickly introduced Reese to Steven. “How’s she doing?”
Steven shook his head. “She took a hard hit to the head when the assailant knocked her out, and then hit her head again after jumping out of the moving car. Another car came within two feet of running her over. Luckily, the driver was alert and slammed on his brakes in the nick of time.”
Kenna shuddered as the image of what could have happened flashed through her head. She was grateful when Reese wrapped his strong arms around her shoulders.
Shaun stepped off the elevator and quickly walked over to them. “I just got word, man. How is she?”
Steven then relayed the same information to Shaun he’d given Kenna moments before.
“Shaun, I’d like you to meet my fiancé, Reese Madaris.”
Shaun’s face showed surprise as he extended his hand to Reese and glanced over at her. “Fiancé? But just a few weeks ago you said you weren’t seriously involved with anyone.”
Kenna lifted a brow, thinking he actually sounded like he was disappointed. Evidently he was used to getting any woman he wanted. Now really wasn’t the time to tell him how wrong he was. “Reese has the power to change a woman’s mind on just about anything,” she said, smiling up at Reese.
She glanced over at Steven. “Any news on the assailant, and are you sure it was the Shoe Killer? He took a big risk abducting her in a busy area.”
Steven was about to answer when Shaun interrupted. “Look, you guys. I have a date tonight that I don’t want to miss. Call me if Lynette’s condition changes.”
“Sure,” Steven said as if he was used to Shaun’s behavior. Kenna had only been around him a few weeks, but she’d had no idea he was so self-centered. He had just gotten to the hospital, and he was already leaving.
They watched Shaun get on the elevator. “No, no news on her assailant, but everyone believes it’s the same guy,” said Steven. “He did the same thing he did to the others by putting her in a trunk. I don’t want to think about where he was taking her or what he planned to do once he got there,” he continued in an infuriated voice.
“If he’s smart he’ll be miles away from here. I’m sure by now he knows he abducted a police officer. Hopefully when Lynette comes around she’ll be able to give you a good description of the guy so we can arrest him.”
Kenna nodded and drew in a deep breath. “I hope so, too.”
Reese lovingly touched her arm. “I’m going down to the café on the ground floor to get a cup of coffee. You want some, baby?”
“Yes, thanks, and you know how I like it.”
Reese smiled before walking off and Steven watched the exchanged. “He seems like a nice guy.”
Kenna smiled up at Steven. “He is. He’s the best.”
Reese had made it to the ground floor when his cell phone rang. He checked and saw it was Alex. “Yes, Alex?”
“I’m out here at your place. Where are you?”
Reese wondered why Alex would be visiting him at this time of night. It was close to eleven. “I’m at the hospital.”
“The hospital? Is anything wrong?”
“I guess you can say that.” He told Alex about Lynette, as least as much as he knew.
“Yes, I heard the news report. I didn’t know she was a friend of Kenna’s.”
“Yes, she was one of the first people to befriend Kenna when she started working for HPD. They’re hoping if Lynette comes around, she’ll be able to give Kenna a description of her assailant, so there’s no telling how much longer we’ll be here. I’m not leaving until Kenna does.”
Reese paused. “And what’s going on with you? Why are you at my place this time of night?”