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We arrive at Reese and Cat’s right at two to find Savage arriving as well, right along with his boss, Royce Walker. Royce, like Savage, is a big brute of a man, who’s in his mid-thirties with long hair tied at his nape and a hard-set jaw. “Bossman is former FBI,” Savage says, as Cat and Reese greet us at the door. “And he has some interesting information everyone needs to hear.”
That gets everyone’s attention and we quickly gather in the half-moon-shaped den in Cat and Reese’s apartment, windows on almost every side of us. Cole and I take the love seat, Cat and Reese on two chairs opposite us, and Savage and Royce on the couch between us. Royce starts off the conversation and gets right to it. “Here’s all you need to know for the meeting,” he offers. “We sent out alerts to law enforcement and I got a hit. There was a murder/rape two weeks ago in North Carolina that matches the murder/rapes here. We’ve alerted the FBI, since this now crosses state lines, and they’re taking a look at the cases.”
“Someone is dead,” I say at the same moment, Cat says, “Another murder. Oh God.”
“That means the killer is presumed to be in another state,” Cole says, his fingers flexing on my knee.
“And is there any solid lead on who it might be?” Reese asks as both men go for facts, while Cat and I have settled on emotions.
“To Cole’s questions,” Royce says, “yes. The killer is presumed to be in another state, still in North Carolina, or perhaps on the move again. And in my many years of law enforcement, I would venture to say he won’t be back, especially after Cat’s article this morning. He’s on the move. He’ll keep moving.” He looks at Reese. “I’m told there’s a suspect. He was a student at the college where the women were killed, and he moved to North Carolina even before the trial started.”
“Can I tell the ADA this information today?” Cat asks. “Or when will the locals be informed, if they have not already?”
“They have not,” Royce says. “But they will be shortly. As for today, I’ll go see your ADA. I can go with you or you can sit this out.”
“I’ll join you,” Cat replies. “I want to tell my readers I heard his vow to do the right thing, myself.”
He nods and then looks between myself and Cole. “I’m sure you have ideas Cole about where this takes you and Lori.” He eyes Cat. “Where are we meeting?”
Cat gives him the location and he stands with all of us following. A round of handshaking occurs before Savage says, “Great damn news.” He rubs his hands together. “What’s next?”
Cole looks at Cat. “Call me when this meeting is over because I’m what’s next. I soft-served yesterday. Today, I’ll be letting him know that we’re suing the DA for inaction that endangered Lori’s life.” He looks at me. “And we are going to sue them.”
“Agreed,” I say. “Because someone else in North Carolina is dead. We’re suing for that person and her loved ones.”
We share a look and he wraps his arm around my shoulder, kissing my temple, and while this is not the gift of final closure, it’s a start. I know that Cole will sleep a little easier tonight, and those demons of his will be a little quieter.
Hours later, I’ve spoken to my mother and confirmed she’s safe and having a lovely time in the Hamptons. At present, Cole and I are sitting on our living room couch eating pizza when his phone rings and Cat is his caller. He places her on speaker phone. “The ADA assures us that they were already looking into new suspects.”
Cole snorts. “Of course, we know that’s a load of lies, but okay. I’ll call him now.” He says a terse goodbye with a promise to call her back and then kisses me. “I want to do this now, before the bail hearing in the morning.”
“I want you to do it now. Roger, as crazy as he is, Cole, remember, what he did was what you wanted to do. He wanted to hurt someone he thought hurt someone he loved, even if he saw me as hurting his sister indirectly.”
“He gets no sympathy. None. As far as I’m concerned—”
I lean in and kiss him. “Make the call.”
He cups my head and kisses me before standing up and punching a number into his phone. I listen as he does what he does, the attorney, not the man, working, and he’s crazy good at being that attorney. When it’s done, he calls Cat and says simply, “He understands that I’m coming for them. He’s going to make that clear to the DA tonight.”
He disconnects and looks at me. “They’re going to press to have Roger Adams held for mental evaluation.”
“Then all is well.”
“No,” he says. “All is not well, Lori.”
I stand up and walk to him, wrapping my arms around him. “It is for me. I have you.”
He tangles fingers in my hair. “And you’re not getting rid of me. Ever. You know that, right?”
“Promise?” I ask.
“I promise, but do you really need to ask that?”
“Death,” I say, thinking of my father, and the near miss with my mother’s stroke, “is a dark spot for me. Someone else is dead. It has a way of making you appreciate every moment. I think that’s what we need to do Cole. We need to appreciate every moment. We need to get past this and live, every moment, now.”
He lowers his forehead to mine. “Every moment, for now. Yes. We will.” He pulls back to look at me. “After Monday. After I know Roger can’t get out and come after you again.”
“All right then. We make a deal right now. Roger is dealt with and then we, together, box up the past and seal it away. Deal, Cole?”
