Mercy (Atlee Pine #4)(38)

“But how did you know what I looked like?”

“Again, the woman at the motel described you in detail. She said you were quite lovely, and she was right.”

Rosa looked down and a smile crept across her lips. “Thank you.”

Buckley ran his eye over the woman and quickly summed her up, having known dozens just like her. Sexy and she knew it, feisty, not well-educated, capable of being physically dominated, and also susceptible to just the right sort of talk, encouragement, and flattery, but with a red line that could not be crossed. He marveled at how his obtuse, one-dimensional brother had managed it with her. Probably through brute strength, which only worked for a time with women. Then the woman either wised up and fled or pissed off the man enough to where her death followed.

Or his.

The waitress came over and they ordered coffees. Buckley waited until they were delivered to start speaking again. “I do have a question. Ken is not subtle or complex. His anger issues are quite apparent. With that in mind, why were you even with him?”

Rosa shrugged. “He was different, in the beginning. He was nice and treated me nice. Then he changed. Like overnight. I was going to leave him. Nobody deserves to be treated like that. I gave him lots of chances.”

“I’m sure you did. I gave him lots of chances as well. So it was fortunate that this woman showed up when she did.”

“Yeah. See, Ken was beyond pissed because he said I’d looked at another guy for a couple seconds. I mean, as if. I’d never do that because he’d kill me.”

“Yes, I’m sure. So what can you tell me about your savior?”

“Why?” Rosa said cautiously. “Look, I don’t want her getting into trouble. She told Ken to cool it and walk away. But he was going to knife her and then he pulled his gun.”

Buckley spread his hands in a disarming gesture. “I’m not here to get her into trouble. But the police are looking for her. I want to make sure that she knows Ken won’t be pressing charges against her, because I also made that clear to him. As you also pointed out, Ken was going to hurt her.”

“Hell yes he was. He said he was going to kill her. He fired two shots from the pistol before she knocked him out. So why are the police looking for her then? If she didn’t do anything wrong and Ken isn’t pressing charges?”

“There is one small problem that goes outside of anything having to do with Ken. She apparently told people that she was an undercover cop. The police frown on that. I believe that’s why they’re looking for her. For identifying herself as a police officer.”

“She only said that to get that witch at the front desk off her case.”

“Nevertheless, I’m just telling you what I’ve been told. So do you have any idea where she is, or what her name is?”

“No, she never told me her name. And I didn’t ask. But I think she was from around here. I mean, she knew where the women’s shelter was. We drove straight there.”

“Do you believe she might have stayed there at some point?” asked Buckley.

“I guess it’s possible. I mean, why else would she know where it was?”

“Unless she worked there at some point?” suggested Buckley. “Or had a friend who stayed or worked there?”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true.”

“What are your plans?” asked Buckley.

“I’m not sure I have any right now.”

“What is your line of work?” Buckley asked.

“I used to be a receptionist. But I can do nails. And I did some personal fitness training.”

“Yes, you look very fit. So you did that before Ken came into your life?”

“I . . . I had some problems with stuff that sort of messed me up for a while,” Rosa replied, averting her gaze. “Ken and I met at a party. We hit it off, so . . .”

“Were they substance abuse problems?”

“Why do you say that?” she asked, giving him an offended look.

“Because that’s the problem most people have that messes up their lives. But I’m not judging you. Lots of people get addicted for all sorts of reasons.”

“Well, I kicked it, at least I’m pretty sure I did.”

He took out his wallet, counted out a thousand dollars, and handed them across.

“What’s this for?” Rosa asked with a stunned expression.

“Call it a down payment on financing your post-Ken life.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“No, I feel that I do.”

She quickly put the cash in her jeans pocket. “Thank you. That’s really sweet of you.”

“You’re welcome.”

She gazed admiringly at him, obviously attracted by his good looks and expensive clothes and cultured and generous manner. “I can’t believe you’re Ken’s brother.”

“We were always very different. But if he had made better choices, he could have become what I did. Or perhaps even better. He had some talents.”

“I wish I’d met you instead of him,” she said coyly, gracing him with a smile as she toyed with a lock of her hair and leaned forward to show a flash of cleavage. “Look, I’ll leave you my number, in case you have any more . . . you know, questions. Maybe we could have a drink?”