All the Shiny Things: A Kate Reid Novel (Kate Reid Series Book 1) (29 page)

“Gotta be Scarborough. He said he’d call after they had a chance to analyze the data.

“Detective Avery here.”

Marshall held the phone to his ear and soon began breathing hard, his chest heaving in and out, but still saying nothing.

No, not again,
she thought.

He put his phone down, never taking his eyes off of Katie. “That was Wilson. He just got a call from Jarrod Hanson. Sam didn’t come home from work yesterday.”

18

I
t was six o’clock
the next morning before they arrived back in Arcata. Scarborough didn’t want to leave Eureka until he gathered as much information as possible from the surveillance team. And in the end, they determined the call came from the area around Arcata. It seemed they would have ended up there one way or another.

Katie could hardly remember anything that had happened since Marshall uttered those words yesterday afternoon. She remembered rushing back to the FBI’s field office to meet with Scarborough, where Marshall went on to explain how the chief was notified of the disappearance.

Jarrod, Sam’s husband, called the department when she hadn’t arrived home from work the day before. Wasn’t that the day the killer called? Katie couldn’t remember; her head was still swarming. Sam, where was Sam? When was it that she tried calling her? Last week? Sam didn’t answer; it went to voicemail. Katie should have known then something was wrong. Sam always called back right away, especially with everything that had been happening.

“Kate, come on.”

Marshall led her to the rental car, where she sat quietly, staring through the passenger window at the sun’s early rays that sliced right through the Redwoods. They were heading straight for Rio Dell. Scarborough’s team followed behind as they drove to the rural police station for a visit with Chief Wilson. They hadn’t talked with him since he returned home after the initial Portland meeting.

The dark skies eventually gave way to the flourishing light as dawn broke through. Katie had lost all track of time and couldn’t remember what day it was. The others were moving at a frantic pace, but she had lost all purpose.

With no one else in the car, she finally broke down. “She’s gone, Marshall, and it’s my fault. I did this. He’s trying to get to me through Sam.”

“Stop it, Kate. We don’t know that.”

There was no use in debating. She knew the truth. He had her, or he had already killed her, and nothing Marshall could say would change that. Katie turned away again and stared out the window through watery eyes, not bothering to try to convince him further of what she already knew.

It was the chief’s pitiful look that pushed the knife in deeper. “Katie, I’m so sorry,” he said, arms outstretched as he intercepted the team in the parking lot of the station. She hardly had a chance to get out of the car before he wrapped his burly arms around her, an uncomfortable and unexpected response that caught her off guard. Thus far, she had only been greeted with uncomfortable glances from the rest of the team. No one seemed quite sure how to handle this situation.

“Did they find her?” she asked, dismissing his gesture of kindness.

“No,” Wilson replied.

“I think it would be a good idea if you stayed with your parents tonight. I’m stepping up patrols and posting one of my men there,” he went on to explain.

“Do they know?”

“I thought you’d prefer to speak to them. We don’t know anything yet, Katie.”

“I can take her there, Chief.”

She recognized the young officer from her last visit, when Spencer was still by her side. That seemed like a lifetime ago.

“If it’s all the same to you, Chief, I’d prefer to drive her there myself, check things out, and have a word with your man on site,” Marshall said.

He always took the lead where her safety was concerned, but right now, nothing, not even Marshall’s gallant gesture, meant anything to her.

“I’ll be fine with Officer Miller. You need to stay here with Agent Scarborough and I’d like to spend some time with my family.”

On her way out, Marshall brushed his hand along her arm. She turned to face him. He wanted to say something—she could see it in his eyes—but he only looked at her, presumably searching for comforting words, but none came.

She saw something else too, something that went much deeper. Katie turned back once she got outside to see if he was still watching. He was.

» » »

Deborah was standing on the front porch when she and Officer Miller arrived. He led her into the house and proceeded to search the rooms, ensuring everything was secure.

It was John, Katie’s father, who seemed genuinely grateful to the officer for bringing her home. “Thank you, Officer Miller.” He patted the young man’s shoulder as he escorted him out.

“You’re welcome, sir. We’re stepping up patrols, so don’t be alarmed if you notice a bigger presence out here.”

“We understand and thank you again.”

“Sir, ma’am, Ms. Reid.” He gripped the rim of his hat and lightly tipped it.

No sooner had John closed the door, than Deborah rushed to embrace her daughter.

Katie fell limp in her mother’s arms and released the emotions that had been penned up all night. “Sam’s missing. They can’t find her. What if she’s dead?”

“They’ll find her,” Deborah replied, stroking her hair just as she did when Katie was a child.

“Come on, you two. Let’s go sit down and gather our strength. I’ll get some coffee. I’m sure you’re exhausted.”

Katie couldn’t recall a single instance where her father actually offered to do something instead of her mother. Things were so very different now—now that she knew everything. This was what it would have been like had none of this ever happened. And, Sam would still be here.

The three of them sat in the family room, watching the news. Deborah set out a basket of pastries she’d picked up from the local bakery yesterday. And so they drank their coffee and ate breakfast, not mentioning the possibility that Sam had been murdered. Her story wasn’t even on the news yet.

Katie kept her cell phone in the front pocket of her button-down shirt, which was tied at the waist. The weather was much cooler today and she was glad for the long sleeves. It seemed the Indian summer had finally passed over much of California, bringing only the smallest sense of normality back into her world.

Completely unaware of the countless hours they’d all spent watching the news, the same stories being repeated on a loop, she was already beginning to feel the warmth of the noonday sun radiating from the family room window. They just sat there, waiting for news of Sam, when none came.

A hard knock on the door quickly brought everyone out of their dazes. John leapt out of his chair and made a beeline for the front door.

The footsteps in the distance meant John was not returning to the room alone. Katie immediately turned around and saw Marshall standing in the arched opening that led to the family room. Her father was close behind.

She shot up from the side chair and ran toward him.

One look and she knew immediately. Her head shook hard, trying to rid herself of the impossible realization of what she knew to be true.
She’s dead, she’s dead
. The words swirled at a dizzying pace through her mind. She continued to stare at Marshall for some sign that this was all just a misunderstanding. Her eyes grew red and pooled with tears at his continued silence. “No—please, Marshall, no.”

Deborah grabbed Katie and pulled her close.

Katie howled an excruciating moan and couldn’t keep her feet beneath her. The heart that beat so strong in her chest was shattering into a million pieces. She wrapped her arms around her mother as cries echoed through the house.

Deborah led Katie back to the sofa, where she remained glued to her mother’s side.

“I’m gonna go get her some water,” Marshall said to John. But he did not return for several minutes.

When he reappeared, Katie was sitting up, wiping her eyes with tissue. He handed her the glass of water. “Kate, Sam’s husband and parents are at the hospital. Do you want me to take you down there?”

Her body still trembled and she struggled to reply with any confidence. “Yes,” she said in a whisper.

» » »

Katie walked into the restroom at the hospital to check her face. The bloodshot eyes and tear-stained cheeks were all that remained of the earlier version of smudged eyeliner and running mascara. She splashed water on her face and held a paper towel against her skin to dry it. Katie couldn’t help but stare in the mirror at this woman who she hardly recognized. She was about to see her best friend lying on a cold metal slab.
Stop, stop
… she squeezed her eyes tight to halt the stem of tears that tried to force their way down again.

A knock on the bathroom door startled her. “Kate, are you coming out?”

“Yes.” She cleared her raspy throat. “Give me a minute.” Marshall was waiting and it was time to face the reality of the nightmare she had brought to life.

Opening the door, she saw Marshall standing only steps away. He moved forward to offer a hand, but she refused it. They walked in silence to the morgue.

The double doors could only be opened from the inside and Marshall pressed the button to be allowed entry. They quietly, slowly opened to bring into full view the room’s living occupants: Sam’s mother, Molly, who was at her husband’s side, her father, staring at his little girl, and Jarrod, a widower after less than a year of marriage.

Shallow breaths were all she could manage, leaving Katie lightheaded. Her heart pounded in her throat as she looked at the grief-stricken loved ones that surrounded Sam’s body. It was too much; she felt sick to her stomach. What had she done to the woman who was like a sister to her?

Marshall’s grip helped to steady her. “It’s okay,” he whispered.

The hell it was.

Before she could take another step, Jarrod launched in her direction. “How could you do this? How could you get her involved in your fucked up little world? We were doing fine. We were happy and now she’s dead! My wife’s dead and it’s your fault!”

Jarrod raised his hand, but Marshall grabbed it before it could land on its intended target.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Katie sobbed uncontrollably and was shocked by his reaction. Her words were barely audible between the gasps for breath.

Molly released her husband’s embrace and took slow, deliberate steps toward Katie.

She’d been more of a mother to her growing up than her own had been and Katie’s eyes begged for this woman’s forgiveness. Molly opened her arms and pulled her close.

“This isn’t your fault. You are not to blame. Sam loved you just as if you were a part of this family. We all love you, Katie. You can’t control the actions of a madman. This is not your fault.” She repeated those final words over and over until Katie slowed her tears and quieted her quivering body.

The medical examiner approached Marshall, who was still keeping hold of Jarrod. “Have you read the report, detective?”

Jarrod yanked his arm from Marshall’s grip and went back to stand by his wife.

“I’d like to discuss this after the family leaves.”

“Of course.” The doctor went back to her desk. Sam was shrouded in white sheets in an effort to conceal the violent wounds that covered her body. Katie hadn’t yet been told how she died, but when she finally approached her, daring to stand next to Jarrod, Katie saw that her face was bloated and heavy bruising was visible around her neck.
My God, he strangled her
.

She wept over her discretely so as not to make the situation anymore tense and painful than it already was. Jarrod’s anger was understandable and she did not hold it against him. He was a husband grieving for his dead wife.

Finally, it was Sam’s father who gathered what remained of his family and said it was time to leave. “We will see her again, but not today. This is not how I want to remember my Sammy.”

Katie watched as the three people, whom she would probably never see again after the funeral, left the room without saying another word to her.

“I need to talk to the M.E. Are you okay to stay here or would you rather leave?” Marshall asked.

“I’ll stay.”

“We’ll need to perform an autopsy to confirm.” The medical examiner began pulling back the sheets that covered Sam’s body. “But suspected cause of death is strangulation and secondary are the multiple stab wounds to the chest and upper abdomen. We will also need to determine if she died of asphyxiation prior to or during the attack in addition to determining if sexual assault took place. Right now, there is evidence of bruising along the upper thigh and groin areas. The family has given their consent to conduct the examination.”

Katie looked away as the examiner pointed out the various horrific things that had killed her best friend. She couldn’t help but envision Sam screaming and crying as he repeatedly stabbed her, only to be silenced by hands clutching around her neck. Finally, she threw her hands over her face and desperately tried to block out the images.

“Stop, Kate. Come on, now.” Marshall pulled her hands away from her face. “Look at me. Focus on me.”

The doctor continued to examine Sam with unaffected determination.

Marshall began to take deep breaths. “Come on, you can do this. Take a deep breath.”