Obsession (26 page)

* * *

Charlie hung up his phone, an immeasurable sense of relief flowing through him. Finally, Kendra was truly safe. Finally, her nightmare was over.

“Kendra!” he called for her as he hurried into the kitchen, where she was putting away the leftovers from dinner. His face was alive with excitement when he grabbed both of her arms and her eyes lifted to meet his. “They caught him.”

“Who?” Confusion crossed her face. “The Malibu Stalker?”

He nodded, and his hands slid down her arms, his fingers linking with hers. “Neal just caught him red-handed entering your condo.”

Her jaw dropped open at that news, but then the reality that she was finally safe caught up with her. “It’s really over?”

“It looks that way.” Charlie pulled his hands free of hers and slid them around her waist. His gaze lowered to her mouth, lingering there for a moment before his eyes met hers once more. The beginnings of a smile lit his face. “Which means I’m finally free to do this.”

His expression was full of fun when he leaned down and touched his lips to hers. She lifted her hands to grip his shoulders, and the subtle scent of her shampoo tickled his senses. What had begun as a playful kiss slowly changed and deepened. Warmth sparked inside him and spread as he gathered her close, a sense of freedom rushing through him.

He was going to miss her, he realized suddenly. He had been spoiled, being able to see her all day, every day. More than anything, he wanted to keep Kendra right here with him, and he didn’t know if he should be comforted that his heart was open once again or if he should be terrified.

Memories stirred within him, images of her singing late at night, of her walking out of her room with her eyes still heavy with sleep. Relief and regret melded together as he reveled in her safety but knew he was no longer needed in quite the same way.

He pulled back and looked down at her, his eyes dark. “I don’t know how I’m going to get to sleep now that I won’t have you singing to me.”

She shrugged and reached up to kiss him once more. “I guess you’ll just have to download all my music.”

His eyes sparked with humor. “What makes you think I haven’t?”

“So what happens now?” Kendra asked. “Can I just leave? Or do I need to stay here awhile longer?”

“My boss wants to keep you here for another day or two just to be safe. We’ve already got everything set up for you to meet your designer tomorrow, so we might as well stick to the plan.”

“Do we still need to use all that security now that the FBI caught the guy?”

Charlie nodded and glanced at his watch. “I don’t think my boss is going to want to take you out of protective custody until after they question DeFoe.”

Kendra stepped back and looked up at him, completely stunned. “
Steve
is the Malibu Stalker?”

“Yeah. It looks that way,” Charlie told her. “In fact, you gave us a lot of the information that helped us figure it out.”

“It can’t be Steve.” Kendra shook her head. “He was a jerk sometimes, but other than the fight with Alan, he never acted like he would hurt anyone. He couldn’t even stand the sight of his own blood.” She looked up at him and shook her head again. “There has to be some mistake. I’m sure there’s some logical reason why he was at my condo.”

Charlie took her hand, realizing that Kendra was still working through her shock. “Kendra, the murder weapon was found in his apartment.”

“But if he was at my place to hurt me, why didn’t he bring his gun?” Kendra asked now. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“I don’t know why he left it behind.” Charlie shrugged. “Maybe he wasn’t planning on hurting you. He might have hoped to win you back, especially since we believe you are the person he’s been obsessed with all this time.” He hesitated for a moment as he considered the oddity of Steve not bringing his weapon with him. “Regardless, the weapon that was used to kill eight people was in his apartment. He also managed to shake the agent we had tailing him on the night the last murder was committed.”

She stared up at him, a deflated expression on her face. “I can’t believe it’s him. I never would have even thought it could be him.”

“Serial killers aren’t easy to identify,” Charlie said gently.

“More like impossible.”

“I know it’s a lot to take in.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “I do have some good news, though.”

“What’s that?”

“My boss said that since they’ve made an arrest, you can call your family if you want.”

Her face lit with excitement. “Really?”

“Yeah.” Charlie grinned at her. “You can use my phone.”

“That would be great. Thanks, Charlie.”

“No problem.” Charlie pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to her. “Just do me a favor and don’t tell anyone where you’re staying.”

Kendra’s eyebrows lifted. “You don’t want me to tell my dad that we’ve been living together for the past month?”

Charlie winced. “Definitely don’t tell him that. He might not be active in the Church, but I don’t think that’s the kind of news any father would want to hear.”

Kendra laughed. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I’m afraid he’s already suffered enough while I’ve been gone.”

“Honey, I can’t tell you how glad I am to hear your voice,” Sterling Blake said as he sank into his favorite chair and let the stress of the past month melt away. His baby girl was safe, and she was coming home.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t call you, Dad. Everything has been so crazy since my last concert.”

“I know, but at least you’ll be home soon.”

“Kind of,” Kendra said, and he could hear the hesitation in her voice.

“What do you mean ‘kind of’?”

“I’m coming home for the St. Jude’s benefit, but then I’m going to come back and stay at my condo in Phoenix for a while.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because I want to take some more time to write,” she told him. “Even though this month has been incredibly stressful, I’ve gotten so much work done.”

“You can write here in California.”

“It’s not the same, Dad. I’m never really alone when I’m in Malibu.”

He caught it then, something in her voice that told him she wasn’t telling him everything. “Is your music the only reason you want to stay in Arizona?”

“It’s the main reason,” Kendra said. “And there’s someone I started dating here. I’d like the chance to spend more time with him.”

“You’re staying there because of a boy? How did you start dating someone while you’ve been in protective custody?” Sterling demanded. “Who is he?”

“If all goes well, you’ll meet him when I come home for the benefit. I’m hoping he can come with me.”

“At least come home and spend the week here with us.”

“Dad, I’ll be home next week,” Kendra told him. “Henrico is flying over tomorrow morning to do a fitting for my gown, and my sound check for the benefit isn’t until the day before the concert.”

“I’ll still feel better when you’re home and I can see for myself that you’re okay.”

“I know,” Kendra said. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Sterling hung up the phone and looked up at Bruce and Alan Parsons, who were both standing beside him. “You were right. She’s fine.”

“What was that about her dating someone?” Bruce asked.

“She didn’t say who, but she’s planning on bringing him with her to the benefit.” Sterling let out a sigh.

Alan spoke now. “When is she coming home?”

“A week from Friday.” Sterling shook his head. “She made arrangements for Henrico to fly out tomorrow to do her fitting. I have half a mind to fly over there myself and camp out at her condo until she’s ready to come back to Malibu.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Bruce said. “I’m sure she’ll be home soon enough.”

Sterling rubbed a hand wearily over his face. “I’m sure you’re right, but boy am I glad all of this is finally over.”

* * *

“I’m sorry I won’t be able to come with you today, but Angie is a good agent. She’ll make sure you stay safe,” Charlie told Kendra as he knotted his tie.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine,” Kendra assured him. She gave him a wry grin. “Of course, Angie and the agent driving Henrico to the resort will get to see my new dress before you do.”

“Maybe I’ll just have to convince you to try it on for me tonight.”

Her eyebrows went up. “Do we have plans tonight?”

“Do you want to?”

“I think I do.”

“Good.” Charlie slid his tie into place and straightened his collar. “This protection detail should be called off by tonight, and I think it’s about time I take you out to a nice dinner.”

“That sounds great.” She smiled at him, but a trace of nerves danced in her eyes. “I was also hoping you could work out your schedule to come to that benefit with me.”

“In California?”

She nodded. “I’ll understand if you can’t make it, but I’d really love for you to take me. It gets pretty old always being the only person there without an escort.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” He leaned forward and kissed her. “I’ll call you as soon as I finish at the office.”

“Okay. Be safe.”

His grin flashed. “Always.”

* * *

“Hey, Charlie. Welcome back,” Sam Pressman called out to Charlie as he stepped off the elevator. Sam was only a year older than Charlie, and they occasionally got together to shoot some basketball after hours. “How does it feel to be back among the normal people?”

“You consider yourself normal?” Charlie asked jokingly.

“Close enough.” Sam fell into step with him as Charlie headed toward Elias’s office. “Seriously though, how was it living with Kendra Blake? You were with her for what? A month?”

“More or less.” Charlie answered the easier of the two questions and then quickly changed the subject. “Has DeFoe been questioned yet?”

“He’s down in interrogation with Elias right now.”

“I’d better get down there,” Charlie said, changing directions. He walked into the viewing room and saw Elias sitting across the table from a slender, dark-haired man in his mid-twenties. Charlie turned to Neal, who was watching through the one-way glass. “Has he confessed?”

“Not yet. He hasn’t asked for a lawyer either. Says he didn’t do it.”

“Don’t they all?” Charlie muttered.

“Elias said to send you in as soon as you got here. He thought you might want to take a shot at this guy.”

Charlie’s mouth pressed into a hard line. “I think I would like that.”

He walked out of the viewing room and then moved down the hall a few yards to the door of the interrogation room. Charlie pushed the door open just as Steve insisted once more that he didn’t kill anyone. Rather than interrupt, Charlie simply closed the door behind him and leaned back against it.

Elias glanced up at Charlie briefly before firing another question at DeFoe. “Where did you go last week after the charity dinner?”

“One of the guys I work with was catering a private party in Beverly Hills. Afterward, a bunch of us drove up to Mammoth Mountain to do some skiing.”

“Why didn’t you take your car?”

“My car wouldn’t start.”

“What about the gun we found in your apartment?”

“I don’t even own a gun.”

“Really? Then how do you explain that the gun used to kill eight people was tucked away in your swimsuit drawer?”

“I didn’t kill anyone,” Steve insisted again. “I don’t even know any of these people, except for Joslyn, but everyone knows her.”

Elias glanced up at Charlie, sending a silent signal for Charlie to take over.

Charlie pushed away from the door and took a step toward the table. “How did you get the key to Kendra Blake’s condo here in Phoenix?”

“She gave it to me.”

“She gave it to you?” Charlie asked doubtfully.

“Yeah.” Pride and ego filled his eyes when he added smugly, “We were close once.”

Charlie ignored the way his stomach twisted at Steve’s words and pressed on. “Why were you at her condo today? I understand that the two of you broke up more than three years ago.”

“Yeah, we broke up. That bodyguard of hers wouldn’t give us two seconds of privacy.”

“So you knocked him out and planted a bomb backstage at her concert.”

“I didn’t do the bomb, and it’s not like Alan didn’t have it coming.”

Charlie and Elias exchanged looks.

“Alan?”

“Yeah, Alan Parsons.” Steve blew out a breath. “He must really have it in for me to set me up like this.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s the one who told me that Kendra wanted to see me,” Steve told them. “That’s how I knew about her condo here in town.”

Charlie looked at him, confused. “But you just said Kendra gave you a key.”

Steve’s ego deflated a little. “Well, Alan’s the one who gave it to me, but he said she wanted me to have it.”

“When was this?” Elias asked now.

“Yesterday.”

Elias’s eyebrows drew together. “And Alan suggested that you go see Kendra?”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “He made it sound like it was pretty important. I thought maybe she’d come to her senses and wanted me back.”

Snippets of conversations flashed through Charlie’s mind.
The Parsons have been with us since I was a teenager. The threat against me when I was a teenager.

“It’s Alan.” Charlie’s jaw clenched. “He set up DeFoe so we would back off.”

“Where’s Kendra now?”

Charlie’s face paled. “She’s supposed to have a gown fitting today.”

Urgency filled Elias’s voice. “Who’s the agent with her?”

“Angie Boyter.”

Elias pulled his phone out and called Angie’s number. He looked over at Charlie and shook his head. “Angie’s not answering. Try Kendra.”

Charlie pulled his phone free of his pocket and hit speed dial. The phone went straight to voice mail. “Her phone isn’t on.”

A sense of urgency seized him, and a single command flashed through his mind.
Go now!
Charlie didn’t hesitate. He sprinted from the room and out to the parking lot. Fewer than two minutes later, he peeled onto the road as he offered up a constant litany of prayers.

“It’s perfect, Henrico,” Kendra said, running her hand down the silky gold fabric. “Thank you for going to so much trouble for me.”