Sean and I exchanged astonished glances. Here, at last, someone had confirmed the connection between Melissa, Tilly, and Justyn.
Except that Justyn had transformed into someone else. He didn’t exist as Justyn Kershaw any longer, but was posing as Kirk Mason. And under that guise, he had become a murderer.
I ENTERED NOVEL Idea rubbing my hands together to warm them. Not only would I have to buy a thicker coat, but I’d also need to invest in gloves. I was beginning to think that my little yellow Sunshine was not the most practical vehicle for the coming months.
Acknowledging Vicky’s greeting, I made my way to the kitchen to pour myself a hot coffee. Wrapping my fingers around the heated mug, I walked to my office, pondering the questions that Sean and I had bounced around on the drive back to the station: Why would Kirk Mason kill Melissa? Hadn’t she done all she could to help him when he was young Justyn? After all this time, what trigger had caused him to hit her over the head with a brick? And what about Tilly? Why, after seeking his birth mother, would he murder her once he’d found her? Had that been his intent all along in searching for her? And the most chilling question: Would he kill again? Was there someone else he wanted to punish?
Completely engrossed, I entered my office and was startled to see Trey sitting at the desk, his friend Jeff in the guest chair.
“Mom.” Trey jumped to his feet. “Where’ve you been? We’ve been waiting for almost a half hour.”
“I’m sorry, Trey, I got caught up in something.” I looked over at Jeff, who also rose to his feet. “Hi, Jeff.”
“Hey, Ms. W.” Surprisingly, he wore a suit, although the tie was askew and a shirttail hung over his belt. His hair was trimmed and he was clean-shaven—quite a change from the longhaired, rebellious boy who’d worn only black T-shirts with skulls imprinted on them.
“You’re looking quite professional,” I said.
He pulled at his shirt collar. “Yeah, we all have to wear these monkey suits at the dealership.” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “I came by to get the money, and I’ve gotta get back to work soon or my dad’ll kill me.”
“Okay.” I pulled out my wallet. “I assume Trey has told you what we need you to do?”
“Go to the co-op and buy a meditation session and report back to you.” He grinned broadly. “I’m up for that. And you’ll pay me a hundred bucks, right?” He darted a swift glance at Trey.
“That’s what we agreed,” Trey said. “And you can’t let on that you know me. Just find out what they’re doing and get out of there.”
Jeff slung his arm over Trey’s wide shoulders. “No worries, my man. I’m a master at deception.”
In that moment, I recognized the teenager who’d always been around whenever Trey got into trouble. I was suddenly reluctant to hand over the three hundred dollars, wondering if this was a wise decision. “Jeff, don’t do anything foolish. Just act like a customer, pay them their money, and get whatever they offer for it. If you feel the slightest bit uncomfortable, then leave. You get to keep the money either way.”
Jeff’s eyes widened. “Ah, Ms. W, there’s no need to worry. I’m happy to get whatever they offer for two hundred bucks. I have an idea about what they’re doing there anyway.”
“You do?” Trey looked incredulous. “What?”
“I’m not saying ’til I find out for sure.” He held out his hand.
I placed two hundred and fifty dollars into it. “You could share your suspicions, Jeff.”
“Naw, that wouldn’t be cool.” He counted out the bills. “I don’t want to waste your money, Ms. W.”
“There’s two hundred dollars for the meditation session, plus fifty for now. You’ll get the other fifty when you report back to me. Deal?”
“Sure thing. And hey, could I interest you in buying a good used car?”
Briefly, I recalled how cold I was riding my scooter today, but then I shook my head and smiled. “Sorry. I already have a good set of wheels.”
“Thought I’d give it a try.” He headed for the door. “C’mon, Trey, I gotta get back.”
Trey grinned and gave me a little salute. “See ya, Mom.”
I watched them saunter down the hall, feeling uneasy about sending Jeff into a situation that could involve something unsavory at best and illegal at the worst. I closed my eyes and silently wished for him to return unharmed.
I’d barely dug into the proposals on my desk when my phone buzzed. Vicky’s authoritative voice came on the line.
“Lila, Ms. Burlington-Duke wants to see you at once. And a messenger just dropped off a package addressed to you.”
I hurried to the lobby, wondering what the delivery was and who might have sent it. Vicky held out a thick courier’s envelope.