Her Last Word(78)

“Not much. Her autopsy is today.” He was silent for a moment, tightening and releasing his hands on the steering wheel.

Neither spoke as they crossed the river and hooked a left down a side street that led them to an industrial building converted into apartments. A patch of asphalt dotted with cracks and potholes surrounded the brick exterior. The front entryway was made of metal. There was a security pad to the right.

He parked by the front entrance and came around to her side of the car as she opened the door. He pulled it open the rest of the way and held out his hand for her. It was another moment of pride versus practicality. Like it or not, pride was a luxury she could not afford. She laid her hand in his and allowed him to support her as she gingerly stood. “Thanks.”

“I’ll see you up.” He collected her backpack and bag of personal belongings.

“Not necessary. It’s a few steps inside and then a short elevator ride. I’ll take it from here.” She looked toward her parking spot and spotted her SUV.

She walked slowly toward the front entrance. Adler followed behind and appeared content to move at her pace, as if he had all the time in the world. She punched four numbers into the keypad. The lock on the door clicked open. He reached around her, his arm brushing her shoulder, and opened the door. He waited for her to pass.

She walked down the hallway toward a lobby mirror that tossed back their reflections. She was shocked how pale and thin she’d become. Haggard was a better description, especially compared to Adler’s olive complexion and toned body.

They rode the elevator to the fifth floor and walked the long corridor to her apartment. Fumbling with her keys, she had trouble supporting the backpack’s weight and her hand began to shake very slightly. She let her pack slide down her arm to the floor and finally jammed the key in her door.

Without the strength to lean over and pick up the discarded pack, she nudged it over the threshold like it were a football goal line score.

“Please, let me pick it up,” he said.

“It’s inside. That’s all that counts.” She held out her hand for her plastic bag. “I’ve got it from here.”

He scooped up the backpack and moved past her. He set her belongings on a large worktable filled with her case notes on Gina. When she’d been in public relations and responsible for multiple projects, she’d been organized to the point of OCD. Now everything was in such a jumble, only she could make sense of it.

The apartment with its high ceilings was large, and noise traveled easily through it. There was a tall bank of windows that faced the river and the city skyline. The walls were brick, and the black ceiling ductwork was exposed. Hints of family money showed in a four-poster bed, a dining set, and a twelve-piece set of china, silver, and crystal that had all been inherited from her aunt. However, her couch was a secondhand purchase, as were the coffee table made from shipping pallets and rustic desk holding audio equipment and computers.

She could almost hear his mind clicking: Who the hell was this woman?

She faced him. “I felt like myself when I left the hospital, but now, I’m beat.”

Less than a foot separated them, and she could feel energy radiating from him.

“What’re your plans for today, Kaitlin?”

“Other than crawling into bed?”

“Good. Tomorrow is going to be a big day.” He studied her as if he wanted to say something else, but only said, “Watch your six.”

“Always.” She walked him to the door.

He inspected the line of locks.

“A girl can’t be too careful,” she said.

“You’re doing everything but being careful.”

“Those allow me to sleep at night, so I’m bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning.”

“You checked the rearview mirror five or six times while we drove here from the hospital. You also cupped your hand over the keypad when you punched in the code. Each move was automatic. Well practiced.”

“Trouble seems to find me.”

He stood at the door. “I’ll be here early tomorrow. About seven.”

She raised her hand. “Ready with bells on.”

Again he paused and studied her, and she could almost read his thoughts in his frown. “I know,” she said. “I’m a puzzle with too many missing pieces.”

“You sure as hell are.”

He strode down the hallway while she stood for just a moment watching him. She closed the door and fastened all the locks. The apartment had never felt empty until this moment.

She moved across the open space to the antique bed behind a silk screen. Relief leaked over her lips in one breath as she sat down and eased back against the pillows. She adjusted her body once or twice until the incision in her abdomen didn’t pull.

She opened the bedside table drawer and removed a small box. From it, she pulled one of Gina’s heart necklaces left to her by her aunt. She touched the gold and then, taking a deep breath, fastened it around her neck. She lay back on the bed and touched the cool, delicate metal as she watched the reflection of light on the wooden ceiling beams.



He’d been watching the hospital parking lot and the cab, expecting Kaitlin to emerge alone. He had another opportunity to take her, and he’d been so tempted to do just that. But the black SUV pulled up, and Detective John Adler stepped out and sent the cab away. He disappeared through the double doors.