Authors: Stephanie Rowe
“Did Helen arrange for your accident?” Sean’s voice was harsh as he blew off the personal discussion and focused on the investigation. Too much for him to deal with?
Max shook his head. “She says she didn’t, and I believe her. Why try to knock me off when she was already filing for divorce?”
Sean hunched his shoulders and Kim realized that Sean didn’t know what to believe anymore.
“Why did you hire Pete Gibbs?” Sean asked.
Yep. He was in denial.
She should be annoyed with him or feel smug because all his harsh judgment of her had been proven unfair, but instead, she felt his pain. He hadn’t been right about Max and Helen and her mom, but then again, she hadn’t been entirely correct, either. It was a mess, and she was probably the only one who understood what he was feeling. She moved toward him until her shoulder was brushing against his and he immediately leaned into her, as if they were
drawing strength through their touch. Did her father’s fall from heaven change anything between them now? Did she want it to?
“Pete Gibbs.” Max shook his head. “The man took my money and then disappeared. What a thief.”
“He’s dead.”
“Really? Dead?” At Sean’s nod, Max rubbed his chin. “Well, I guess that’s a good excuse for not returning my calls. Heart attack or something?”
“Gunshot to the head.”
Max’s hand stopped moving. “Oh. Why?”
“The only missing file was yours,” Sean said. “We think he was killed because of the investigation he was doing for you. What did he turn up? Was it Helen?”
“Stop with Helen. Just because she stole some money doesn’t mean she’s a murderer.” Max resumed rubbing his chin, a contemplative tilt to his head. “I hired him because I was getting worried. I was hearing rumors that someone was asking questions about Kim and Cheryl and that scum she married. Someone searched my office and my house. When I looked into it and found out that Jimmy was getting out on parole, I decided to have Pete look into things.” He shrugged. “Then Pete disappeared and I went to my office to meet someone and I got clobbered on the head. Next thing I knew, I woke up here.”
“Who called you?” There was an edge to Sean’s voice, desperation for answers he didn’t have.
“Will. He was working the front desk that night and said he’d found a discrepancy in the payroll system he couldn’t reconcile.”
Poor Will. He’d been manipulated, then killed.
Sean leaned forward and handed him a mug shot of Alan. “Did you ever see this guy around the camp?”
Max peered at it. “Nope. Good-looking guy, though. Who is he?”
“Jimmy’s brother,” Kim said quietly.
And my former best friend.
“The scum has a brother?”
Sean filled Max in on all the details while Kim leaned back in the chair and watched them together. They were a perfect match, bouncing ideas off each other, finishing each other’s thoughts. They should be father and son. They were far more alike than she and her dad were. Except there was an undercurrent of tension between them now—a new one—and it was coming from Sean. The man he’d idolized no longer existed. How would he take it?
Welcome to her world.
Then her dad smacked his head. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of this.”
She sat up and Sean leaned forward. “Think of what?”
“Did you pull down the overhead light fixture in my office?”
Sean shot a look at Kim and she shrugged. “What are you talking about?”
“Pete was going to install a digital camera in there in case someone broke in again. It was supposed to feed to my computer. I figured he didn’t do it because he never called to confirm. But maybe he did it before he died and hooked it up.”
Sean snapped his notebook shut. “I’ll go check it out.” He looked at Kim. “Walk me out?”
Her heart immediately jumped. She didn’t know what to say to him in private. Heck, she didn’t even know what to say to herself. Both their worlds had been ripped to shreds. “I’ll be right back…Dad.”
Max nodded and she followed Sean into the hall, where there was an officer reading a newspaper on a chair next to the door. Kim frowned. “Is he here because Alan is out of jail?”
“Yes.”
She pressed her lips together. Alan couldn’t be a murderer. He couldn’t. But what other options were there? Helen?
“Listen, I want you to stay here until I get back. I don’t like Alan being out,” Sean said. He didn’t touch her. Didn’t try to bond. Just threw on his cop persona and ignored the rest. Why wouldn’t he let her in? “I’m also worried about Didi. If she stops by, try to detain her until I get back. She’s going to get herself in trouble if she hangs out with him.”
Kim nodded, her head spinning. “Sean…”
“What?” He pulled out his keys.
“Be careful.” Maybe it wasn’t Alan, and maybe it was. But either way, there was a murderer out there.
He gave her a half smile. “Yeah.” He hesitated. “I think we need to talk.”
She nodded before he could take it back. “Definitely. We have to talk. Are you doing all right?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I have no idea what to think.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe your dad had an affair on your mom.”
“It’s hard when the people you idolize let you down, isn’t it?” The empathy was heavy in her voice and she knew he heard it when he let out a shaky breath. She could see the aching sadness in his eyes. “I’ve been living with it for ten years, Sean. I know it sucks.”
He touched the hem of her shirt, his fingers trailing softly over the material, as if he were reluctant to let go. “You’ll be here when I get back?”
She nodded, unable to speak over the lump in her throat. What did her dad’s revelation mean for them? She didn’t know and she had a feeling Sean didn’t either. Where did that leave them? Too burdened by an ugly past to move forward, or finally free to become themselves? “I’ll be waiting.”
He caught her wrist, then pressed her hand to his chest,
right over his heart. She flattened her fingers and felt his heart beating. How much did she want to throw herself at him?
He pulled her close and kissed her, deeply and hard until she was almost ready to declare that it was enough to be second place to her dad. He released her slowly, his gaze dark. “Stay safe.” He kissed her again and then left.
Whew.
She watched him leave and wondered what kind of mess she was headed for. Maybe he didn’t want her to go, but even if he got down on his knees and begged her to marry him, how could she say yes? She’d been his pathway to her family and the camp. Now that his confidence in that was shaken, she was all he had left of his childhood dreams.
To him, she represented other people, other things he wanted and couldn’t have. If she married him, she’d spend her entire life wondering if he ever really loved her. Seemed to her that was the fast track toward the depression her mom had endured.
No way could Kim do that to herself.
Kim nodded at the officer guarding the door, then walked back into the hospital room. Her dad was sitting up, his eyes alert and sharp, like the dad she remembered from so long ago. “How’s Sean?” he asked.
“Fine.” She walked over to the window and looked out. Bright sunshine, trees, grass. So pretty. Prettier than the cement views she had from her office in Los Angeles. Funny how even now, in the face of her dad’s infidelity, she still had absolutely no desire to go back to Los Angeles.
“Kimmy?”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
Her throat tightened, but she didn’t turn back to the room. “I love you, too. But I don’t think I can forgive you.”
“I can’t forgive myself, either. Maybe Helen will have to have enough forgiveness for both of us.”
“I’m not sure I like Helen.”
Her dad chuckled then. “She’s what I need. She’s tough and caring at the same time. You’d like her.”
“She stole from you. She had an affair with you while Mom was suffering.”
“Without her, I wouldn’t be here. Either way, your mom would have died. I know that now.”
Kim bit her lower lip. “Why couldn’t you just have been a jerk? It would have made it so much easier.”
“Life isn’t easy.”
“No kidding.”
They were silent for a few minutes.
“I’m glad you came back,” he said.
She hesitated, her heart thudding heavily in her chest. “I guess I am, too.”
“Are you staying?”
Something deep inside her wanted to say yes, but it was a part that she couldn’t succumb to. A girl’s foolish dream. So she started to say “No,” then realized she didn’t know if that was true, either. What did the woman in her dream of? A home. Wherever that was. “I don’t know.”
“Is Cheryl coming back?”
She turned around then. “I don’t know. I haven’t called her yet to tell her anything.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t want to endanger her. Until we know it’s safe, I don’t want to.” She should let her know Max was okay, though. Surely that kind of news would be worth the risk? After all, she’d e-mailed her the staff photo and so far, that hadn’t backfired. Of course, she hadn’t gotten a reply on it yet, not that it mattered. They knew who John Ramsey was.
She felt weak suddenly. Two men who’d lied to her. Alan and her dad.
Only Sean was honest. He was who he was. That had to be worth something, right?
A light knock sounded at the door and Didi stuck her head in. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize you were here. I just wanted to go over some camp issues with your dad.”
She remembered Sean’s request to keep Didi safe. “Please come on in. Are you okay?”
Didi pursed her lips as she stepped inside and shut the door. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Sean was worried because you were with Alan….”
“You believe Alan murdered those people?”
“No. Well, I don’t know….”
“He’s a good man.” Didi smiled at Max. “How are you doing, boss?”
“Great. I’ll be back at work tomorrow.” But he looked tired, wan.
Revisiting his past for her and Sean had taken its toll and now she felt guilty. She might not be able to forgive him, but she didn’t want anything to happen to him. Okay, so she was a little messed up. Who could blame her? She sighed as Didi approached the bed and sat next to Max. “Didi? Where’s Alan now?”
Didi shot her a look of disdain. “Why don’t you call him and find out? He’s pretty hurt that you don’t believe him. You haven’t even called him to ask his side of the story. Judged him and tossed him out.”
Sadness cascaded through her. “He lied to me.”
“So? He had good reason.” Didi nodded toward Max. “But maybe we should discuss this later.”
Shoot. Didi was right. It was unfair of her to burden her dad with her personal issues when he was still fragile. “I agree.”
“Discuss what later?” Max yawned and faded into his pillow. “Who’s Alan?”
“I’ll fill you in later. Right now, why don’t you talk to Didi about the camp and then get some sleep?”
“Yeah, that might be a good idea. I feel fine, but the nurses keep telling me I gotta sleep.” He rolled his eyes and relaxed deeper into the bed. “They’re so annoying.”
Kim couldn’t keep from grinning. “I know. They’re so overprotective, aren’t they? Coddling you when you should be out at the camp, huh?”
He winked. “You bet.” Then he nodded at Didi. “What do you have for me?”
Didi started to talk about the camp and Kim decided to throw some cold water on her face. After all the emotions of this morning, she was sure she looked like hell. “I’m going to the bathroom.”
Neither of them reacted as she headed into her dad’s bathroom, flicked on the light and shut the door. She could still hear them talking.
She should really let Cheryl know. One quick phone call had to be okay, right? She called her number quickly and moved toward the back of the bathroom, away from the chitchat of Didi and her dad, though she could still hear them clearly.
Her sister answered on the first ring. “Where have you been? What’s going on? How’s Dad?”
Kim smiled. “He’s awake. He’s good.”
“Oh, my God. Really? He’s okay?”
Cheryl’s relief made Kim realize that she’d done the right thing by calling her. “Sorry I haven’t been in touch, but I was afraid to contact you.” She tried to keep her voice quiet, but the silence in the other room told her that Didi and her dad could hear her. No doubt, her dad knew who she was talking to. She let her voice carry. “Dad said he loves you.”
“Oh, tell him I love him, too. Can I come visit? Is it safe?”
“No, not yet.” She lowered her voice again. No need to stress her dad out or risk invoking Didi’s wrath again. “Alan’s out of jail again.”
“Alan? Why is Alan in jail?”
“Because he’s John Ramsey, Jimmy’s brother.”
Cheryl made a noise of disbelief. “Impossible.”
“I swear. So you don’t need to worry about that e-mail I sent you. We were hoping you’d be able to identify Jimmy’s brother from the photo, but it isn’t necessary anymore.”
“You didn’t get my reply? I sent it last night. Sorry it took so long, but my computer was down.”
“No, I haven’t checked. Why?”
“I did recognize someone from the photo. One of the women looks exactly like this psycho ex-girlfriend of Jimmy’s. She was stalking him the whole time I was with Jimmy. Crazy woman. Even Jimmy thought she was a lunatic.”
Kim’s heart stalled. “A woman? Which woman?”
“The one in front, holding the Loon’s Nest sign.”
Didi had been holding the sign in the photo.
“I gotta go.” She hung up on her sister and gripped the edge of the sink.
It was Didi. Didi, who had loved Jimmy so much she’d do anything for him, including track down the women he wanted to kill. Didi, who had dated Will and then killed him. Didi, with the keys to her dad’s office. Didi, who had insinuated herself with them so she could keep track of what they were uncovering. Didi, who was out there with her dad. Oh, God.
Kim lunged for the door, then froze as she heard her dad’s chuckle. They had resumed talking, so at least he was alive. For the moment.
She needed a plan to get Didi out of there. Now.
Sean. First she had to call him.
But what if Didi heard her? Knew she was exposed? Would she whip out a gun and kill them both right then?
Damn.
Her fingers shaking, she text-messaged Sean that Didi was Jimmy’s ex and in the hospital room now.
That was enough. He’d be on his way in a heartbeat.
Kim shoved the phone into her pocket and flung the door open. Her heart was racing so hard she was certain Didi would be able to see her pulse thrusting against the skin in her throat. Didi was still sitting next to her dad, chatting, and Max looked weary. No gun in sight. No knife.
“I’m just going out in the hall for a second.” Her voice was shaking.
Didi looked at her curiously but nodded.
“Was that Cheryl you were talking to?” Max asked.
“No. It was Helen. She said to tell you she’ll be over soon.” Oh,
no.
If Didi knew she was talking to Cheryl… Kim made it to the door and pulled it open.
No police officer. Just a newspaper on a chair.
This was so bad.
She glanced down the hall, but it was quiet. No one to help. Had to get Didi away from her dad. She took a trembling breath. “Didi? Want to go to the cafeteria and get some lunch? We could talk about Alan.”
Didi cocked her head and studied her. “Yeah, okay. I guess we’re done here.”
Lunch in the cafeteria. Plenty of people around. Didi wouldn’t try anything, especially if she didn’t realize she’d been exposed. Just get her into the lunchroom. “When Sean arrives, Dad, tell him that Didi and I went to the cafeteria. We’ll wait there for him.”
“Sure.” He yawned again. “I’ll tell him.”
Didi stood up slowly. “See you later, boss.”
“Yep.”
Kim held the door open and held her breath while Didi slipped past. Once they were out in the hall and her dad was no longer in view, she let out a heavy sigh. “So I think the cafeteria is on the first floor,” she said.
“Basement, actually.” Didi punched the elevator button. “Elevator okay?”
Better than an abandoned stairwell.
The elevator came and they got on, along with a nurse and tech.
Safety in numbers.
Kim shoved her hands in her pockets to keep them from trembling.
“You all right?” Didi asked. “You look a little strung out.”
“Fine.”
“Helen doing well?”
“Fine.”
The nurse got off on the third floor.
Silence.
On the second floor, the tech departed and Carl from the camp got on. He nodded at Didi and smiled at Kim. Phew! Carl. He could fend off Didi. Never had she been so happy to see a man with muscles. Corded strength that could crush Didi’s throat without a thought. She was so not letting him out of her sight. “What are you doing here, Carl?”
He frowned. “Trying to find your dad. I thought he was on the second floor, but I can’t find him. I was going back to the first-floor reception to ask again.”
“He’s on the fourth floor,” Didi said.
“Come to lunch with us,” Kim interrupted. “My treat.”
Didi shot her a look again and Kim tried to float a serene smile across her face. “I mean, if you want to.”
Carl shrugged and moved behind them to lean against the back wall. “Who am I to turn down a free lunch?”
Big relief. She even managed to smile at Didi.
Didi smiled back.
Then Carl threw his arm around Kim’s chest and pressed a cloth up to her face.
She had time only to realize that she’d made a horrible mistake, and then everything faded to black.
S
EAN CALLED
K
IM’S
cell phone for a tenth time as he sprinted down the hall toward Max’s hospital room. Why wasn’t she answering her phone? He blew by the cop sitting in the hall and flung the door to the room open.
Max was in there watching television, but no Kim, no Didi.
He grabbed the officer’s arm. “Where’s Kim? Where’s Didi?”
The cop looked at him and shrugged. “I didn’t see them.”
“How could you not see them? They were in here.”
The rookie’s cheeks began to turn pink and Sean cursed. “You left your post, didn’t you?”
“Didi gave me a gift certificate for the snack cart. Said she’d keep an eye on the room, so I ran down there. I was only gone for fifteen minutes.”
Sean cursed and ran into the room. “Where’s Kim? Where’s Didi? Were they here?”
Max flicked a weary gaze toward him. “Yes. Kim said to tell you she and Didi were going to the cafeteria for lunch.” His brow furrowed. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“Apparently, she’s Jimmy’s ex-girlfriend.”
Max’s eyes widened. “You think she’s the one?”
“Sounds like it.” He went out into the hall. “If Didi shows up here, detain her until I get back. Do not, under any circumstances, let her out of your sight. She’s a possible murderer.”
The officer froze in mid-chew of his chocolate croissant. “You serious?”
“Get on the wire and send out an APB on her.” Yeah, sure, he didn’t have all the evidence he needed for that, but he’d be damned if he took any risks at this point. “And get some guys over here. I think Didi’s in the cafeteria.”
The officer jumped to his feet, hand on his gun. “Want backup?”
“No! I want you to stay here and guard Max. I think she came here to kill him this morning and you weren’t around to stop it.”
“I was only gone for a minute….”
Sean took off. No way was he standing around waiting for an explanation.
He was in the cafeteria in less than two minutes and it took him another four minutes to realize that Kim and Didi weren’t in there. He cursed and his gut tightened. No, it con
vulsed into total fear and panic. He swore viciously and dialed Kim’s phone again.
Nothing.
T
WO HOURS LATER
, Sean, Bill and the rest of the available police force were gathered in Max’s room with Helen and Max.
“My girl’s okay,” Max insisted, but his skin was as gray as it had been when he’d first woken up. “We’ll find her.”
No Kim.
No Didi.
And they couldn’t even find Alan. He wasn’t answering his phone, either.
They’d checked Didi’s house.
Alan’s hotel room.
Kim’s house.
Every inch of the camp.
Nothing.
Chief Vega was leaning against the doorjamb, looking way too relaxed. Only the clicking of his jaw gave away his stress. “Okay, let’s regroup. How did we find out about Didi anyway?”
Yeah, probably late to be debriefing, but the search had taken priority. “I don’t know. Kim text-messaged me,” Sean said.
Max turned to Helen. “Did you tell her? She took off with Didi after talking with you.”
Helen frowned. “When was this? Today?” At Max’s nod, she shook her head. “I didn’t talk to her today.”
Sean groaned. Was Helen lying again? Crap. He didn’t even know who to believe anymore.
But understanding was dawning on Max’s face. “Then it was Cheryl. She was on the phone with her sister.”
Sean’s head snapped up. “How do you know?”