The Row(28)

Drawing in one quick breath, I push aside any sick urge to see the body and instead decide to check around back near the alley. An insane curiosity gets the better of me. Maybe the killer dropped something. No officers assigned to the crowd are looking my way, so I grab hold of the tape and duck under it.

Before I even make it all the way to the other side, a strong hand grips my elbow and jerks me back. I grunt in surprise as someone pulls me away. I flip around to see who it is and the only thing I know for sure is that it’s definitely a man. He’s wearing a tailored gray coat and a hat pulled low around his ears. I open my mouth to scream, but then he pivots to face me and holds one finger up in front of my eyes. “Don’t you think you’ve brought quite enough attention on yourself already today, Miss Riley?”

I jerk back as I recognize the blue eyes looking out at me from the shade of his hat. I’m so shocked I have to blink a few times to make sure it’s him. “Mr. Masters? Wha—you—?”

“Yes, eloquently put.” He gives me a wry smile before looking over my shoulder. “Now, kindly follow me to my car before anyone else decides to look our way.”

He walks two feet, but I don’t take another step. When I speak I can hear the slight whine in my voice. “I have my own car. And I’m here because I need to know what’s happening.”

With a sigh, he gestures for me to follow him a few feet to a spot where the TV vans block our view of the police. “And did you learn anything important so far?”

“Well, no…”

“And you won’t, Miss Riley.” He slips an arm around my shoulders and starts guiding my reluctant feet toward his car again. “At least come and let me explain a couple of things to you before you make a mistake that you can’t take back.”

When I don’t move, he whispers low in my ear, “The second you cross that tape, the officers guarding it will push you back. If you happen to make it to anything important, they would catch you and charge you with tampering with evidence.”

“I’m not an idiot, Mr. Masters,” I say hotly. “I know that’s a possibility.”

“Are you planning on following in your father’s footsteps early, then? He may not have broken the law, but it seems you plan to. Why even wait until graduation? Let’s go on a crime spree.” His tone has an edge of disappointment, and it stings to hear it.

I stop responding because he never talks to me this way, and it hurts to have someone who always watches out for me snub me like this … especially when I can see now that he has a point.

I look back toward the crime scene one more time and see Chief Vega leaning out from the alley and squinting toward the coroner’s truck.

The moment I see his face, I duck down and follow Mr. Masters quickly through the crowd and around the corner.

As soon as we’re in his blue BMW, he starts the air conditioner and then turns to me. He tilts back his hat and I can see concern in his eyes, along with that look that tells me he’s thinking hard about something.

“I’m sorry for treating you like this, but you need to start thinking straight.” His tone is stern; his eyes plead with me to listen.

“Well, that’s not the best apology I’ve ever heard.” I drop my chin and glare at him.

“Okay, let’s see how badly this scenario could’ve played out, shall we?” He lifts one eyebrow in a challenge.

“That’s really not—”

“Let’s say you make it across and actually get to the body. What do you see?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think that’s where I was going.” I sigh, then decide to play along. “Maybe I would see the same types of injuries from the first murders—”

“Which would be reported to me anyway without you going to jail, but continue. Anything else?” His voice is soft but firm.

“I don’t know, maybe I could find something in the alley they didn’t see.” I’m starting to feel less sure that coming here was a good idea with each answer I give.

“Doubtful because they’re trained professionals, but even if you did, then what?”

“I’d tell you.”

“Okay, so you would call me from the police station where they’re holding you until your mother gets there…” His words drift off and he waits.

I stop responding. Leaning forward, I rub my forehead against my hands.

“It gets so much worse, Miss Riley. This is just the beginning.” He continues. “Let’s say you somehow are the one to find the key to proving your father’s innocence. Except you forgot something. Your dad isn’t even a suspect in this crime. Being in Polunsky gives him the best alibi known to mankind. So, since they can’t look at your dad for this, the first thing they’ll look for is a copycat.”

I may not show it, but I’m following every word and my whole body starts to feel cold even in the hot sunlight.

“They’ll look first for people who might be close to the man they believe is the original East End Killer. Someone not in jail who has an excellent motive to want to cast doubt on the state’s case, someone who loves him and visits him all the time.” He now looks sympathetic.

“Maybe someone who’s terrified that he’ll be executed in three weeks?” I mutter under my breath, trying to shake the fear from the tale he’s weaving for me.