Dead Wrong (13 page)

He was appalled by what Mary said and did, but Kat’s reaction ran deeper. She was having a physical response to it, looking like she was going to be sick. He hated to contemplate the source of these emotions but he had to ask. “I can’t help but think there’s more to your anger than what’s going on here.”

Her eyes flashed up to meet his and seemed to test him. “Maybe.”

“Maybe or yes, Mitch, there’s more?”

She studied him more thoroughly, weighing and measuring, then something settled in her eyes and it was as if she knocked down a wall. “She reminds me of my neighbors growing up. They heard my dad yelling and my mom’s cries, but pretended everything was okay. Maybe if they cared just a little bit, my mom would still be alive.”

“Did your father ever hit you?” He held his breath as he waited for an answer.

“No.” She toed her foot into the crumbling concrete, and he relaxed a notch. “There were times I egged him on, hoping he’d leave my mom alone and come after me, but he never did.”

Mitch moved closer and circled his arm around her shoulder. “I’m so sorry, honey.”

She looked up at him, her eyes awash in pain and at that moment, he wanted nothing more in life than to take away her anguish. To find a way to make up for all those horrible years. To love her the way she deserved to be loved. He just didn’t know if he could do it. If he could be the one for her. If she would even let him try.

He heard the apartment door slam and saw Tommy heading their way so he gave her shoulder a quick squeeze and released her.

“Everything okay, here?” Tommy asked, his eyes going first to Kat, then up to Mitch.

Kat took a deep breath and nodded. “You learn anything else?”

“No.”

“So on to the next one, then?” She didn’t wait for agreement but started off.

Mitch grabbed her elbow. “Why don’t we head back to the agency and Tommy’ll take care of talking to these people.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “But you said you wanted to do it.”

“I know, but I’ve changed my mind.” He turned to Tommy to make sure he understood it was in Kat’s best interest to leave this place. “I’ll meet you at the office later.”

Tommy might be dense sometimes, but he seemed to get what was going on here and he nodded. “Sounds like a plan. Catch you later, Justice,” he said, socking her softly on the arm before walking away.

Kat looked up at Mitch, tears starting to form in her eyes. “I’m fine. Really. You didn’t have to do this.”

“And now I’ve upset you.”

She shook her head.

“Then why the tears?”

“You’re just a very nice man, Mitch Elliot. Other than my brothers and Tommy, I don’t often run into nice men.” She pulled her full lower lip between her teeth and looked up at him with a shyness so foreign to her personality, Mitch’s heart took a dip. He couldn’t think of anything else but holding her until all of those horrible memories were a thing of the past.

He kept his gaze on hers, and her breath quickened, matching the beating of his heart.

“We should go,” she said breathlessly.

He nodded and forced his feet into motion toward the car before he took her in his arms and showed her how much she was starting to mean to him.

THIRTEEN

I
n the conference room, Kat stood and stretched, her mind going to Mitch. He’d been gone for five hours now, and she missed him. Plain and simple, she’d gotten used to being with him the past few days. He’d called a few times to check in, but it wasn’t the same as having him by her side. Worse, she didn’t like that he’d put himself on a detail where he could get hurt.

He and Tommy talked with the other detectives and confirmed that the murdered prosecutor had handled Paul’s case and Ray Granby had also threatened him. They feared the judge who officiated over the trial was in danger, too. So Mitch and Tommy had gone to check on him and discovered he’d also received a threat from Granby. Now they were sticking close to the judge and running a stakeout to lure Granby out of hiding.

She didn’t like not knowing if Mitch was safe. She didn’t like it at all. She’d been praying for his safety and for help letting go of the worry, but it still remained in the pit of her stomach.

Enough, Kat. Let it go for now. Keep your mind busy.
She went back to Nathan’s files that Tommy had dropped off. They may all like Granby for the murder, but they weren’t dropping other leads yet.

Cole looked up from his laptop. “You want to see a picture of Granby that Mitch emailed?”

She couldn’t bring herself to look at his picture so she checked out the details of his prior arrest records first. He fit the physical profile of the man who’d attacked her and his priors spoke to the violent temper Mary mentioned.

Kat took a deep breath and forced herself to look at him. He had a long face marked by unique scars. If he hadn’t worn a mask she could have easily identified him after the attack. His eyes were narrow and untrustworthy. But as much as just looking at him brought back the horrors of her attack, she hadn’t a clue if this was the man who tried to kill her.

“Kind of amazing, isn’t it,” she said, looking at Cole, “that we’re looking for the same guy as the other detective team.”

“What’s amazing to me is that minuscule paint samples are what officially tie the cases together.” He closed his computer and leaned back.

She had to agree. The other detectives found an abandoned truck registered to Granby and it not only had a paint transfer that matched the deceased prosecutor’s car, but paint from a 2010 Honda. The same year and make of Nathan’s wreck. Not conclusive proof that Granby killed Nathan, but strong evidence to add to their case. And now all they needed to do was find and apprehend him. Then once the DNA from her fingernail scrapings came back they’d match it to his DNA, and he’d be on his way to trial.

Only one glitch in this theory. His DNA might not be in the system and they’d have to take a sample from him. That’d take another three days to process. Three more days of this turmoil, and she wasn’t sure she could handle that. She sighed.

“Don’t worry, Kit Kat. We’ll catch this guy.” Cole’s voice held the iron resolve he was known for. “I promise.”

The lights snapped off, the blinding dark sending a chill over her body.

“Cole,” she said as that chill intensified.

“Relax,” he said, but she could tell by his tone that he was on high alert. “The wind’s been blowing all day. Probably just knocked down a line.”

“Or not.”

“Sit tight. I’ll get the flashlight from under the sink.”

She heard his slow footfalls as he made his way in the dark across the room. She listened, waiting for any sound out of the ordinary, but she only heard the wind howling outside. Cole could be right. This building was in an older part of town and power lines often went down in high winds.

Cole snapped on the flashlight and shone it her way. “Put on your vest, okay? Just in case.”

“Then you do the same.” She stood and slipped her vest over her head.

“It’s in my office.” He crossed over to her, the beam of light dancing ahead of his feet.

“So we’ll go to your office and get it then.”

“Egress from there is more difficult in case we need to leave the building. It’s better to stay here.”

“So you don’t think this is just the power lines then.”

“I’m not sure.”

A clicking noise came from the hallway.

“What was that?” she asked.

“Sounds like someone’s in the building with us.” He grabbed her hand and flipped off the flashlight. “We’re getting out of here.”

She held her breath as he led her across the room. He stopped at the door and squeezed her hand before letting it go. He drew his weapon, and she did, too.

“Go ahead of me. Back against the wall,” he whispered.

“No, I have the vest. You’re more exposed so you go first.”

He took her hand again and moved her into position. Arguing more would just delay their escape and put them in even more danger. She slid along the wall toward the rear exit. At the stairs, Cole clamped a hand on her shoulder and they stopped.

She listened. Silence. So quiet it was deafening. Then she heard the reason Cole had stopped. Soft but sure footfalls came down the hall behind them. Adrenaline sent her heart racing.

“Go. Now. Outside,” Cole whispered urgently. She hurried down the stairs and heard the footfalls running now. At the door, Cole threw it open and shoved her outside. “Take cover.”

She ducked behind shrubbery next to the building and waited for him to join her.

A shot split the air, shattering the glass in the door. Flying shards pelted the side of her face feeling like stinging nettles. Cole tumbled outside, his arm red with blood.

“You’re hit,” she cried.

“It’s nothing.” He squatted next to her. “Cover me. I’m going for my car.”

“No. That’ll leave you too exposed.”

“Now!” He ignored her request and bolted into the lot.

A gun fired from inside again, the bullet whizzed above her head. She heard Cole rev the engine. Good. He’d made it to the car. She searched for the safest escape route and decided to stay under cover of the shrubs. She slipped along the edge of the building. The car screeched to a stop and the passenger door flew open. She jumped in and Cole floored the gas before she could close the door.

Bullets peppered her side but she managed to get the door closed without being hit as they jerked onto the street, tires squealing. The SUV tipped to the side, and she braced her hand to keep from falling on Cole. They wobbled but finally the vehicle righted itself and they barreled down the street with no one in pursuit.

Cole’s shirt was soaked with blood, but his injury wasn’t gushing and didn’t look life threatening. Gulping big breaths of air, she reached in the backseat for an emergency kit all the siblings kept in their vehicles.

Her heart rate still elevated, she dug gauze from the kit and opened a package. “You better be heading to the emergency room.”

“We’ll go to my house. If it’s bad enough, I’ll head to the E.R. after I find someone to stay with you.” Cole alternated his gaze between the rearview mirror and the road ahead.

“Either you go to the E.R., or I’ll arrange for an ambulance to meet us at your house.” She pressed the gauze against his arm.

He winced. “Fine. But you better get Derrick or Dani to join us or I’ll drag you into the exam room with me.”

So much for brotherly love. She hated needles and he knew it. “I’ll be happy to come in the room with you.”

He chuckled, and she felt more of her anxiety and adrenaline rush abate. At least as much as possible under the circumstances. She’d put her brother in the line of fire, the last thing she wanted to do. If only Mitch had been with her instead.

Then what, Kat? That wouldn’t be any better now, would it?

She dug out her phone to call Derrick and her finger hovered over Mitch’s number instead. She wanted to hear his voice. Just for a second. That’s all she’d need. But she might distract him and that could turn deadly on a stakeout so she hit Derrick’s icon.

When he answered, she filled him in on the incident. “So if you or Dani could come to the E.R., I’d appreciate it.”

“I’ll have Dani meet you, and I’ll contact the authorities, then head over to the office to secure it.” Spoken like a true Justice male. He wanted to protect the women from any hint of danger so he wouldn’t let Dani go to the office in case their assailant still hung around.

Kat would normally argue, but she’d be glad to have her sister to talk to at the hospital so she agreed and hung up. She looked at Cole again. His color remained good, there was no fresh blood on the gauze, and he showed no signs of losing consciousness. He would make it. But it had been close. Too close. The very reason she didn’t want him or anyone in the family involved in this.

She couldn’t lose them. Not a single one of them. And now, even though she hated to admit it, she included Mitch in that group. The big question was, what in the world was she going to do about it?

* * *

The family sat around Cole’s kitchen table devouring a large pizza with extra cheese just the way Kat liked it. She felt as if they’d gone back to old times. Cole, after leaving the E.R. with a surface wound and bandage matching hers, had called a halt to any talk of the recent events until after they finished eating and it was good just to be with everyone in a relaxed setting.

Almost perfect. Almost. She wanted Mitch here, too. With her family. As part of her family.

The doorbell rang and her gaze flew to the door.

“Relax,” Cole said and squeezed her shoulder when he passed behind her. “I doubt the killer has come calling.”

He was right. She was becoming paranoid.

“So Ethan will be home tomorrow,” Dani said and Kat knew she was trying to distract her from the visitor at the door.

Derrick gave a wry smile. “I’m sure he’ll be all over this case, telling us how we’ve screwed up.”

“Where is she?” Mitch’s voice rose above their conversation and all eyes in the room turned to her.

“What?” she asked. “I didn’t know he was coming.”

“No! I need to see her now. Kat! Kat! Where are you?” He was on the move heading their way and obviously upset about something.

She went to meet him in the living room where the others wouldn’t be privy to their conversation. She caught him rushing across the room and was so stunned at the intensity of his worried expression that she stopped in her tracks.

“I heard there was another attack and I was worried about you. Are you okay?” His eyes collided with hers, and she couldn’t look away.

“I’m fine,” she said, a little breathless from his penetrating study.

“But she’s beat and needs to get some rest,” Cole said pointedly as he headed for the kitchen. “So don’t stay too long.”

Kat waited until Cole left the room to speak. “You didn’t have to come all the way over here just to check on me, Mitch.”

“Yes, I did.” His eyes roved from her head to toes and back up again. Then he pulled her close, his fingers threading through her hair and pressing her head against his rock-solid chest. His heart thundered. Hard and fast. Reassuring and unsettling at the same time. “If anything had happened to you I’d—”

His words fell off but she knew what he meant. She slipped her arms around his waist and reveled in the closeness. This felt so good. So comfortable. So right yet so wrong.

“Why didn’t you call me?” he asked sounding pained.

“We didn’t need your help,” she answered truthfully, but purposefully omitted the little detail about wanting to call him.

“Didn’t need it, or didn’t want it?” he whispered as if it was too painful to say louder.

Neither,
she thought. She wanted him near, and God help her, she was starting to need him, too. She leaned back and looked up at him, getting lost in his eyes. She wanted to trust this thing between them, wanted to trust him, but it wasn’t that simple after years of being hurt.

Unwilling to lie, but also unwilling to lay her feelings out there as he was doing she said, “Does it really matter, Mitch?”

His eyes clouded over, and he suddenly released her. “If you don’t think so then I guess it doesn’t.”

Her answer had hurt him more than she would’ve thought. She wanted to take it back, but with the way she wanted to fling her arms around his neck and never let go, getting any closer to him would be a mistake.

“Cole was right,” she said. “I’m exhausted and tomorrow’s a busy day so I—”

“Should get some rest,” he finished for her.

After a long penetrating look that left her unsettled, he headed for the door. With the knob in his hand, he turned and looked at her. “If Angie agrees to go to rehab tomorrow will you go with me to check her in?”

She wanted to say it wasn’t a good idea for them to spend any amount of time together for any reason, but the fact that he asked for help with Angie melted any resolve she had to stay away from him. “Yes, of course I’ll go.”

“I’ll call you after I talk to her then.” He stepped into the foggy night, and she watched the door close behind him wishing the impossible—that everything keeping them apart would disappear and they could give a relationship an honest chance.