Her Last Word(97)

Out the lobby door, she paused, making sure there was no one lurking in the parking lot. She hurried to her car.

The drive west took almost twenty minutes, and when she pulled into the funeral home, a man greeted her with a smile as bland as his worn suit.

“I’m here to pay respects to Jennifer Ralston,” she said.

“Second door on the right.”

Tensing, she moved down the carpeted hallway toward the open door. As she grew closer she tugged her phone from her pocket and turned on the recorder. Holding it in her hand, she moved toward the murmur of soft voices. Pausing, she straightened her shoulders and stepped into the room.

Two older women looked at her, frowning. No doubt they couldn’t place her and wondered why she was there. Kaitlin ignored them as she scanned the room for Ashley.

She found Jennifer’s sister by a casket covered in a large arrangement of red roses. Ashley saw her, too, and her smile evaporated. She whispered something to the women around her and moved toward Kaitlin.

“What’re you doing here?” Ashley said.

“Paying my respects.”

Ashley shook her head. “Now you have. So please leave.”

“I’m sorry,” Kaitlin said. She wanted to tell her Gina had been found, but now wasn’t the time or place. “She didn’t deserve this.”

“No, she didn’t.”

Kaitlin left the room. The heavy weight of guilt pressed on her. She looked up and saw Steven Marcus leaving. What was he doing here? Had he come to pay his respects or gather more details for his story?

Her phone pinged with a text from Adler.

Are you resting?

It wasn’t like her to feel accountable to anyone, but she also didn’t want to be stupid. Adler was watching her back for now, and she was glad.

She texted back. Attending Jennifer’s viewing. Steven Marcus is here. Guess our meeting got moved up. Afterward, I’ll go straight home. ?

She dropped her phone in her pocket as Marcus approached her.

“Kaitlin Roe,” Marcus said, smiling. “I thought you might be here.” He was dressed in khakis, a white shirt, and a blue sports jacket.

“I shouldn’t be surprised to see you here.”

“I feel like I knew Jennifer, Erika, and you. I covered the story for so long. I had to stop by and pay my respects.”

“Did her sister appreciate your being here?”

He shook his head with a wry smile. “She wasn’t happy.”

“Me, too. But I can’t blame her.”

“Neither can I,” he said. “It’s a hell of a thing to lose someone you love.”

“Yeah.”

He nodded toward the exit. “Why don’t we get that coffee now?”

“Okay.” She followed him out of the building. “I can follow you.”

“Sure, if you want, or you can let me drive. You look pretty exhausted.”

“Saying I look rough?” she said with a grin.

He laughed. “Not at all. Just saying you look tired.”

For a moment the fatigue slid through her body, reminding her that she’d been pushing her limits. “It’s been a long week.”

“How about I drive us to a coffee shop, and then I’ll bring you back here?” He grinned, leaning in. “I couldn’t forgive myself if something happened to you.”

“Okay, thank you.” Kaitlin was glad to have the company as they crossed the lot to his blue four door. He clicked open the locks, and she slid into the front passenger seat and twisted toward him. “How about I ask you a few questions first?”

He grinned as he started the engine. “You can ask. But no promises.”

She laughed. “Fair enough.”

“The café is less than a mile from here. I’ll have you back in an hour. If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll love this café. The best. I write there when I’m on deadline.”

She grabbed ahold of the buckle, twisted back, and clicked it in place. She looked over at Marcus as he fumbled with something under his seat. “Tell me more about your visit with Randy.”

His face was grim, determined. “He said he hoped ‘whoever hates her as much as me finishes the job.’”

She looked into his blackened eyes, and alarm bells sounded in her head. Despite his expression, his tone carried notes of glee and purpose, as if this was his job to finish.

She scrambled for her seat belt and then to open the door. She was seconds away from being out of this car. The belt clicked open, and she was free as she turned back toward the door and clawed at the handle.

Before she could open the door, she felt the sting of a needle go into her arm. She tried to swat it away, but Marcus was already pulling away an empty syringe.

“What the hell?” She kept working at the door handle but found her motor skills growing clumsier. She looked out the window for anyone who could help her, but as her head spun faster and faster the scream died in her throat. “You’re the one. You killed them.”

His expression was void of emotion. “Just relax into it. Don’t fight it.”

“Why?”

“Shh. We’ll have plenty of time to talk about that later.”

She screamed, but the sound was strangled and muted by an overwhelming wave of fatigue. Her eyes drooped shut, and she was able to pry them back open with a force of will. But they were so heavy. And she was so tired. Her vision blurred. And this time when her lids fell shut, she couldn’t summon the strength to open them again.