I’m Watching You (Richmond Novels #1)

Chapter Twenty-One

Wednesday, July 9, 10:10 A.M.

Lindsay worried about Nicole as she numbly sat in the back of the police car watching the forensics team do its job of collecting evidence. Warwick interviewed the complex’s worried-looking maintenance man, Steve, while Zack talked to neighbors. No doubt they’d check Steve’s past and also look into Sam’s background. Everyone she knew was being pulled into this mess.

One killing had been sensational enough. Two equated to a pattern – and major headlines, a fact that was driven home to her when Kendall Shaw arrived with her cameraman.

The last thing Nicole needed was for Lindsay to be the center of a major news story.

Across the street, a black Mercedes pulled up and Dana Miller got out. She was dressed in white Armani and carried a thick, efficiently designed purse. She frowned as she surveyed the scene from behind large white-framed sunglasses.

Lindsay rose and moved toward her boss. ‘Dana.’

Dana offered a curt smile. Her expensive perfume swirled around her. ‘I got your voice mail. When you said there was trouble I decided to see what was happening for myself. What’s going on?’

The story was so outlandish, she felt foolish telling it. ‘Another man was murdered. And another hand was sent to me.’

Dana’s rouge-painted lips flattened. She reached in her purse and pulled out a long, slim cigarette case. ‘Is the murder victim connected to the shelter?’

‘Not to the shelter, but to me. I think the victim’s name is – was – Burt Saunders.’ She recapped the highlights of the last few days.

Dana removed a cigarette from the case and lit it with a monogrammed lighter. She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. ‘This is not good, Lindsay.’

Lindsay’s worried expression reflected in Dana’s sunglasses. ‘I know.’

Dana glanced toward the camera crews. ‘Do you have any idea who’s behind this?’

The question almost made her laugh. ‘If I knew I’d be sharing it with the cops.’

Dana studied the scene. Her frown deepened when Kendall Shaw started her report. Neither could hear what the reporter was saying, but they got the gist of it. ‘Lindsay, I’ve always believed you were Sanctuary’s best asset. You’re a big part of our success. You have a passion for your work that few possess.’

Her boss rarely tossed out compliments. ‘But …’

‘But right now, you are our biggest liability. The press is on your doorstep because some crazy person is fixated on you. By tomorrow, you won’t be able to move without someone spotting you.’

‘Dana, I’ve worked under pressure before. I can handle the media.’

‘That’s yet to be proven.’

An uneasy helplessness tightened Lindsay’s belly. ‘Then let me prove myself. I don’t want to abandon Sanctuary.’

Dana puffed on her cigarette. ‘I’d like to. I really would. But none of us can afford the bad press.’

Us. Dana didn’t want the bad press.

‘I’ve called in every favor to keep this story as quiet as possible, but nothing is going to keep the media away from this.’

‘Dana, let’s just give this another day or two. The police might find the killer and then all the questions will be answered.’

Dana dropped her half-smoked cigarette to the concrete sidewalk and ground it with the tip of her high heel. ‘I wish it were that easy, but it’s not. I’ve no choice but to suspend you.’

Lindsay couldn’t swallow her outrage. ‘You’re firing me?’

Dana looked away. ‘Not firing, but suspending you until this mess is cleared up. I don’t want you associated with the shelter.’

Lindsay curled her fingers into fists at her sides. ‘I didn’t do anything wrong.’

Dana lifted her chin. ‘No one said you did. You’re a victim.’

‘I am not a victim.’ How many times had the social workers said that Lindsay was a victim? A victim of a bad family. A victim of domestic violence. A victim of fate. ‘I can overcome this.’

The force behind Lindsay’s tone had Dana softening. ‘I’ve no doubt that in time you will. You’re smart and bright. However, in the short term you are a liability to the shelter and me. Don’t take it personally, Lindsay. This is business.’

Aware that Kendall was watching, Lindsay kept her voice low. ‘Dana, how can I not take it personally? You’re canning me.’

‘I’m not firing you. This is a paid leave.’

‘Sanctuary is more than a business to me. It’s more than a paycheck.’

Dana pulled her Blackberry out of her slim purse. Consciously or not, Dana was shifting her mind to the day’s next problem. ‘I’ve got to go.’

Lindsay once again clenched her fists at her sides. ‘That’s it? I’m out?’

Dana checked her watch. ‘Call my secretary. We’ll set up a meeting. Hopefully, this will all be behind us in a week or so.’ She hurried toward her car and vanished behind tinted windows.

Lindsay had the sick feeling that this was going to be with them for a long, long time.

She stood alone, her fists still clenched, her stomach churning.

Zack walked up to her as Dana drove off. ‘What was that all about?’

Unshed tears tightened her throat. She wanted to bury her face in his chest. ‘I’ve just been canned.’

His hands slid to his waist below the black handle of his shoulder holster. ‘She fired you?’

‘I’m on “paid leave.”

But I know that look. I’m done with Sanctuary.’ A wave of helplessness washed over her, reminding her of the months following her mother’s death. No matter what she’d done then, she hadn’t been able to regain control of her life.

Zack frowned. ‘Your boss is an idiot.’

She was grateful he didn’t toss any pity her way. That would have been her undoing. ‘She’s very savvy. And very image conscious. I’m now a liability.’

‘Like I said, an idiot.’

Silver bracelets jangled as she ran her hands through her hair. ‘I want this guy caught, Zack.’

His eyes narrowed. ‘We all do.’

‘I’ll do whatever I can to help.’

He lifted a brow. ‘That’s a change.’

‘This guy, the Guardian, is tearing at my life. I won’t be able to help anyone if he keeps at it. I want him stopped. I want my life back.’

‘The detective going through your shelter records would appreciate your help. She was having trouble deciphering your handwriting in some of the files.’

She was eager to get started. ‘I can go by headquarters now.’

‘First, I want you to see something.’

The delay frustrated Lindsay and it showed in her voice. ‘What?’

Zack disregarded the snap in her tone. ‘The Guardian left another note.’

‘Where?’

‘It was wrapped in the newspaper.’

‘What does it say?’

‘I’ll let Warwick tell you.’ Tension laced the words but she was too worried to question them.

Zack guided Lindsay over to the edge of the yellow tape roping off the front of her town house. She’d been shut out of Sanctuary and wondered now if she would be barred from her home.

Warwick approached her. ‘Ms O’Neil.’

Lindsay braced. ‘Detective. What does the note say?’

Warwick glanced at his notebook. ‘ “One less demon to battle, Lindsay. P.S. Be careful of cars when you jog. The Guardian.” ’

Despite the heat, a chill shot down her back. ‘He’s watching me.’

‘When’s the last time you went running?’ Warwick said.

‘This morning. I ran near Bandy Field. I was nearly hit by a van when I crossed Three Chopt.’ Anger rose up in her. ‘The bastard is watching me.’

Zack’s jaw tightened. ‘Did you see anyone this morning?’

She couldn’t look at him as the memories of this morning returned. ‘No. But I wasn’t running alone. I was with my friend Tasha Winters. She works with the canine unit. I can call her. She might have seen something.’

Warwick shook his head. ‘I’ll take care of it. What time were you running?’

‘Between six and seven.’

‘Winters was with you the whole way?’ Warwick said.

Color flooded her cheeks. ‘No. She had to get to work. I ran longer.’

Zack straightened at the simple lie that masked their complicated meeting. ‘You might as well hear this from me, Warwick. Lindsay was at my house this morning.’

Warwick lifted a brow. ‘Your house?’

Lindsay wanted to melt into the ground. ‘That has nothing to do with this.’

Zack held up his hand to silence her. ‘When Lindsay and I were together, she admired a house near her jogging route. I recently bought the house. She asked for a tour.’

Warwick frowned. ‘How long was she at your house?’

Zack didn’t flinch. ‘About a half hour.’

A half hour? Is that all it had been?

‘What did you two talk about?’ Warwick said.

‘Personal things,’ Lindsay interjected.

‘Nothing related to the murders,’ Zack said.

Warwick didn’t look pleased. ‘All right.’

‘Lindsay privately offered to go through her case files with Ricker and see if any suspects come to mind.’

Warwick nodded. ‘All right.’

‘Hey, Lindsay, what was that in the newspaper? It looked like a severed hand.’ The voice belonged to Kendall Shaw. She stood at the edge of the yellow tape with her cameraman. ‘Your friend sending you tokens of his affection?’ Lindsay ignored the question and turned from the camera. Zack and Warwick refused to comment.

Kendall was patient as she watched the maintenance man move away from the cops. The guy looked pale and upset. He’d seen something. She turned to Mike. ‘Stay put. I want to talk to the maintenance man.’

‘Whatever.’

Kendall cut through the growing crowd of curiosity seekers and made her way up to the guy. She thought about tossing him one of her smiles but decided she needed to be more subtle with this guy. She’d play it concerned. ‘Hey, are you all right?’

‘Not by a long shot.’ With a shaky hand, the guy reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a pack of Camels. He pulled one out and lit the tip. Smoke billowed around his lean face as he puffed.

‘What’s got you so spooked?’

His eyes narrowed as he stared at her through the haze. ‘You’re a reporter.’

She smiled. ‘Yeah.’

‘You’re with Channel 10?’

‘I am.’ She moved closer to him and gently laid her hand on his shoulder. ‘Can I get you anything?’

‘A six-pack of beer?’

She lifted a brow. ‘It can be arranged.’

He shook his head as he took anther drag. ‘God knows I deserve a drink. But the property management firm will fire my ass if I drink on the job.’

She held out her hand. ‘I’m Kendall Shaw.’

He took her hand and held it gently. ‘I know. And I’m Steve Hess.’

‘Nice to meet you, Steve.’

He moistened his lips. ‘I watch you on TV a lot. You’re good.’

‘Thanks.’

‘Every time I see you, I wonder why you’re not in a bigger city.’

She grinned. ‘From your lips to God’s ears.’

He chuckled, and with a hand that still shook a little, he took another drag off his cigarette.

‘You see my piece last night?’

‘Naw. I ended up working overtime in a flooded unit. Fucking pipes burst.’

If he was a Lindsay devotee it was better he hadn’t seen the piece. It had stirred quite a buzz. And she’d gotten just as many negative e-mails as positive. ‘I hear you’re the one who called the police for Lindsay.’

‘I was in my truck across the street when I heard her scream. She was so freaked out.’

Kendall decided to play a hunch. ‘It was bad for you too, wasn’t it?’

‘Yeah.’

‘I still think you could use a drink. After what you saw, I can’t imagine any boss would deny you a stiff one. They don’t pay you enough to see what you saw.’

A sigh shuddered through him. ‘Jesus, it was a mess.’

He was a volcano ready to erupt. He just needed a nudge and someone to listen.

‘I saw the body at the park.’

Steve looked at her, his eyes alight as if he’d found someone who understood. ‘Was he missing a hand?’

That caught her up short. ‘Yes,’ she lied.

‘Jesus, whoever this nutcase is, he’s sending the hands of his victims to Lindsay. She said he sent her a hand on Monday as well.’

Kendall hid her smile. ‘Does she know who’s doing this?’

‘She doesn’t have a clue. But it’s starting to mess with her.’

She leaned forward, and in a low tone said, ‘I can’t imagine what she’s going through.’