A Killer Among Us (6 page)

She was right. Once again a restful sleep eluded her. Tossing and turning all night didn't make the hours pass any faster, and she finally crawled out of bed at 5:30. As soon as the sun started to peek over the horizon, she took her morning run without Jamie or Alena and Roscoe, her tennis shoes slapping the asphalt with a regular rhythm. Obviously, Alena's mother was visiting, so Kit didn't want to disturb them this early.

She'd almost texted Jamie about running, but she really needed time alone to think. If someone had been watching the house last night, the big question was, why?

This morning she felt the need to keep looking over her shoulder, her mind replaying the events of last night—then jumping to the case she still needed to solve.

Footsteps sounded behind her and she whirled, hand reaching for her gun in her shoulder holster.

The one that wasn't there.

She'd put on the ankle holster instead this morning.

She had just rounded a curve, so she crossed the street and knelt as though to tie her shoe, keeping her eyes peeled for whoever was behind her.

Her hand hovered above the gun.

More fast-paced footsteps.

“Kit!”

The figure came into sight and Kit let out the breath she'd been holding. Standing, she exclaimed, “Jamie! What are you doing, you crazy girl?”

Jamie caught up with her, holding a hand to her side. “Do you run like that all the time when you're not with me?” She gulped air. “I really hold you back, don't I?”

Kit smiled. “Not at all. Why didn't you text or call me if you wanted to meet this morning?”

“I did.”

Kit's smile turned into a frown. She snatched her phone from her side and read, “Wanna jog this a.m.?” She looked at Jamie. “I'm sorry, I didn't see it. I thought I checked it before I left.”

“It's all right. I figured I'd go ahead and come on just in case. I like this route. It feels safe.”

“Yeah, well, I'm not so sure about that,” she muttered. Her eyes flicked from one end of the street to the other. Across the street was the park, where a man walking his dog had just emerged from a wooded trail.

“What do you mean?”

Kit forced a smile. “Nothing.”

Jamie shot her a ferocious look. “Don't ‘nothing' me when it's clear as the nose on your face something's bothering you. Don't be afraid to share with me. I'm far from fragile.”

A pang of remorse shot through her and Kit reached out to squeeze Jamie's hand. “I know. It's not that. In fact, it's probably nothing.”

“What?”

“Last night, I think someone was lurking outside my house.”

Jamie's eyes went wide. “You think?”

“Yeah. I couldn't find any evidence, but my neighbor's dog went nuts.”

White teeth came out to clamp down on her lower lip as Jamie breathed in. “You need to take that seriously. I wanted to shrug off my stalker, believe it was just in my mind, but it wasn't. So don't ignore last night.”

Kit nodded. “I know. I won't.”

“And you probably shouldn't jog alone anymore. Will you make sure someone's with you from now on?”

Her sister's concern touched her. “I'll be fine.” She glanced around and saw nothing to disturb her. “Come on, let's go.”

“Tell me what's new on the case,” Jamie said.

So she did.

Walter Davis. A young man cut down before he could put into practice the ideals he held. That was one thing she'd learned about him. He'd wanted to change the world; defend the underdog. He'd been a little cocky, but charming and always willing to lend a hand.

All of this according to his girlfriend, Heather. His other friends had backed up her assessment.

Jamie whistled. “So, what'd he do to get this killer's attention?”

Kit breathed a humorless laugh. “That, my dear sister, is the question of the day.”

Thoughts swirling, muscles warm and loose, Kit turned the corner and headed back to her house.

A light green car parked three doors down caught her attention. She'd never seen it on the street before. “I want to take a look at that car.” She didn't say why.

Jamie kept pace with her as Kit jogged over and looked inside.

Empty. Except for the ashtray that overflowed.

Chain-smoker, she thought.

“Can I help you?”

Kit straightened and turned to see a young woman with dirty blonde hair and a baby on her hip standing on the porch.

“Sorry, I've never seen this car before and thought I'd check it out.”

“My husband just bought it yesterday. Our other one died about a week ago.”

Feeling a little foolish, Kit said, “I'm a cop. When I saw the strange car on the street . . .”

The woman grinned. “Ah, I understand. I have a brother who's a cop. Most paranoid individual on the planet.”

Kit laughed. “Well, glad you know what it's like. Have a good day.”

“You too.”

She and Jamie headed back to her house where Jamie said goodbye, climbed in her car, and left. Kit grabbed a shower and got ready for the day. She'd give Noah until 7:00 a.m. and then give him a call. They had a case to solve.

The phone rang and she glanced at the clock. 6:46.

She snatched it up. “Hello?”

“Did I wake you?” Noah's deep voice caressed her ear and she closed her eyes. She really had to get over this attraction to him.

“Nope. I'm up. What's going on?”

“Another homicide.”

“Where?” All business now, she clipped her cell phone to her side. She noticed he hadn't bothered calling that one—he'd gone straight to her home number, calling the phone she'd be most likely to answer this time of the morning.

“The old Peterson estate out on Cannons Road.”

“Who is it?”

“A girl by the name of Bonnie Gray. A black-and-white unit is already there. The housekeeper called it in and was all hysterical. Meet me there?”

“I'm not familiar with that address. Give me some directions, would you?”

“Why don't I just pick you up?”

“I'll be waiting.”

Five minutes later, he pulled into her side of the drive. Renting the little duplex near downtown had seemed like the best idea at the time. One day soon, she was going to make the time to go house hunting. Settling into the passenger seat, she said, “You must have been really close.”

“Yeah, I always grab a cup of coffee at the little café over on St. John's. I was in the drive-thru when I got the call. That one's yours.” He pointed to the steaming cup in the cup holder nearest her seat. “Cream and sugar are in the glove compartment.”

“Coffee twice in the same week. Wow.”

“Anything I can do to help, ma'am.”

She shot him a grateful smile and opened the glove compartment. As she searched, she asked, “Okay, so what do we know about our dead body?”

“Just that it's a female with a single gunshot to the back of the head.” He made a left turn, then a right. Took a sip of the steaming brew and replaced the cup back in the holder.

“Are Jake and his crew on the way?” Kit added one cream and three sugars. She placed the trash in the little bag looped around the cigarette lighter.

“They'll probably beat us there.”

“What about Serena?” Kit had met Serena, the medical examiner, her second day on the job when she'd been called to a bank robbery. SWAT had taken out the robber and Serena had been called to clean up the mess. Tall, willowy, with straight as a stick, raven-colored hair, and ice blue eyes, she was gorgeous. In no way whatsoever would Kit have pegged her for an ME. And Kit thought she'd long gotten over making snap judgments based on people's looks.

“She'll be there.”

Three more turns brought them to a large brick, middle-class home in what looked like a quiet older neighborhood. Noah parked behind the coroner's vehicle. Jake's van sat at the curb.

“Why is it called the old Peterson estate?” Kit couldn't help asking as she climbed from the car.

“Ages ago, the Peterson family lived out here. It was the biggest, nicest house on the block at the time. Residents still refer to it as the Peterson estate.”

“So who lives here now?”

A frown crinkled his forehead. “The Grays. This case is going to be a sticky one.” Before he had a chance to clarify, he was waved into the house.

Kit followed him up the front steps into a well-lit foyer. Seeing all the action taking place just in front of her, she scooted ahead while Noah stopped to say something to one of the CSU members.

Camera flashes nearly blinded her, but she ignored them and looked at Serena. “Hey.”

The woman looked up, sorrow in her eyes. “She's so young.”

Kit got a look at the victim for the first time. “Oh my.”

“Yeah. Her name's Bonnie Gray. Twenty-five years old and getting ready to graduate from law school.”

The gaping hole in the back of her head marred the once silky blonde hair. “What a waste.” Forcing herself into objective mode, she asked, “Any sign of forced entry?”

“No, looks like she let the person in.”

“So, it's possible she knew whoever killed her.”

“More than possible. I'd say it's likely.”

“Okay. Anyone else here?”

Serena turned the girl over and Kit gasped. “Did he . . .?”

“Yeah. Sick creep.” Most of Bonnie's nose had been cut off. “Her mother's in the other room. She passed out when she saw her. The maid heard the ruckus. She had just entered the kitchen from the back door. When she came in the den, this is what she found. I managed to rouse the mother when I got here, but she wouldn't quit screaming. I know she has a bad heart. I don't know where she found the breath to scream like that. One of the paramedics finally gave her a sedative.”

Kit took another look at Bonnie and shook her head. “If that was my kid, I'd need some drugs too. What about her father?”

“On a business trip to New York doing some research on a case. He's a criminal defense attorney.”

“And a very good friend.”

Kit turned to see a white-faced Stephen Wells staring down at Bonnie. His throat bobbed and she could have sworn there was a sheen of tears in his eyes. And of course, Edward, his intern, stood next to him, looking wide-eyed and a little uncertain.

And like he might have a weak stomach.

Raising a hand, he covered his mouth. Then he caught her eye and gave a weak grin around his hand. “I think I'm just going to wait outside.”

Poor kid. She offered him a sympathetic smile. “Sure, there's no shame in that.”

Appreciation at her understanding flashed. He left and she focused her attention on the DA. “Sir?”

“Bonnie's the daughter I never had. Her father is my best friend. We went through law school together.” A heavy sigh. “He was so proud she was following in his footsteps.” Another hard swallow. “This is going to hit him hard. Very hard.”

“I'm so sorry.”

“When the address came over the radio, another friend recognized it and called me.”

Blowing out a sigh, Kit took another look at the dead girl. “We'll find them. Whoever did this.”

He looked at her. “I'll be following this case closely. I want to know every detail when you and Noah know it. I'll have to keep her father in the loop.”

“You bet.” Compassion filled her. Along with a strong sense of responsibility. She'd never had a case that would be scrutinized to the nth degree. She'd have to make this personal. And she would. This is what Noah had meant when he said it was going to be a sticky case. She looked at Noah and the DA and said, “I'm going to see what I can find in her bedroom.”

Noah watched his partner talking to Serena and marveled that two beautiful women would choose to wade through death on a daily basis. Not for the first time, he wondered if that was a sexist attitude. Probably. He was smart enough to keep those kinds of thoughts to himself, though. He'd hate to imagine how either woman would react if he voiced them aloud, but he just couldn't stop from wondering about it.

He'd already spoken to the DA before the man honed in on Kit and knew this case was going to be the cause of a few sleepless nights. Then again, he prayed they caught the killer before the sleepless nights had a chance to happen.

He turned back to Jake. “Found anything interesting?”

“A note.”

“Really, what's it say?”

“ ‘I told you I was the best. Your nose isn't so high now, is it?' ”

“So, he cut off her nose because he thought she was acting superior to him? And the best at what?” Noah asked no one in particular.

Jake shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe she beat him at tennis or something.”

“Whoever did this knew her.”

Kit walked up behind him, the DA on her heels. “Serena thinks that too. No sign of forced entry. I gave her bedroom a sweep and didn't see anything that would warrant murder. Some really nice pieces of jewelry that set somebody back a pretty penny.”