‘We’re all going stir crazy,’ Diesel said. ‘I don’t even wanna think about poor Mallory and those Chicago kids. Mallory, having to go through her story over and over.’
‘And Shane and Kyle,’ Clarke added. ‘Grieving and scared and stuck in a hotel room. I would have given them my gaming system, but it’s locked up back at the condo.’
Meredith patted his chest, loving that he cared so much for the boys and that he was so gently bringing her focus back where it needed to be. ‘I spoke to Shane an hour ago. He was awake and pacing and Parrish let him use his phone to call me.’
‘The Feds have secure lines,’ Diesel said. ‘No way to trace them to their location.’
‘I figured that.’ Meredith sighed. ‘He’s worried about Linnie, all alone out there. He’s worried she’ll freeze to death, which isn’t out of the realm of possibility. He’s chomping at the bit to do the interview. Adam had already called him about it.’
‘What interview?’ Diesel and Clarke asked together.
‘Sorry, I forgot you weren’t there when we talked about it. Linnie won’t trust us to come out of hiding, but she will trust Shane. He’s willing to talk to the press, even though it’ll put him back in the spotlight. He’s still a target too, as long as Linnie’s running free. I think Adam’s going to have Shane do a video on Colby’s phone and ask Marcus if he’ll upload it to the Ledger’s webpage.’
‘I do all the uploading,’ Diesel said. ‘Marcus isn’t bad with systems, but it’s not his strongest suit. Next time you talk to your lover boy, tell him I’m happy to help.’
Clarke snickered and held up a fist for Diesel to bump. ‘Nice multitasking. You’re helping her and teasing her all at the same time.’
‘I do my best,’ Diesel said with mock gravity, then shrugged. ‘I have my laptop with me, so I’ll be able to do whatever Adam needs done. You know, with respect to the video. I wouldn’t presume to offer anything more. Adam might hit me.’ He winked at her.
Meredith rolled her eyes. ‘You guys are worse than middle schoolers.’
‘We are middle schoolers,’ Clarke and Diesel said together, then bumped fists again.
Meredith rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. ‘You guys.’
‘Oh, come on,’ Clarke said. ‘It’s part of our charm. Admit it.’
Her lips twitched, because it was true. ‘I admit nothing.’ Which made her think of Shane again. Her sigh this time was a serious one.
‘What was that for?’ Clarke asked, jostling her shoulder. ‘You got stuff to admit?’
‘Not me,’ she said. ‘I’m back to Shane. He’s willing to do the interview or video or whatever, but I think drawing media attention to himself makes him more afraid than drawing the killer’s attention.’
‘Because of what happened in Indiana,’ Clarke said. ‘He told me that he lied to the police about what happened in the foster home,’ he added when Meredith sat up, eyes wide. ‘When you and Kimble were “sleeping” yesterday morning.’
Meredith glared at him. ‘We slept.’ Mostly. Okay, a little.
‘Gonna tell me what Shane said?’ Diesel asked, eyeing them warily.
Clarke shrugged. ‘Andy and Linnie and Shane were friends back in foster care.’
Diesel’s expression hardened. ‘That can be a decent experience or a shitty one.’
‘Theirs was the latter,’ Clarke said, then pursed his lips, as if unwilling to say more.
‘Andy changed his name when he ran from Indianapolis to Cinci,’ Meredith said, because she trusted Diesel. And because an idea had just taken root in her mind, one she’d need Diesel’s help to carry out. ‘Linnie came with him, because Andy was her protector, but maybe also because she felt guilty too, for what he’d done for her. Linnie was assaulted by the foster father and Andy killed him.’
Diesel’s eyes popped wide. ‘No shit. Good for him. How?’
‘He hit the man with a frying pan. Shane didn’t explicitly say this, by the way, but it was heavily implied.’
‘Kyle wouldn’t let him say when Isenberg and Kimble were questioning him,’ Clarke said. ‘Kyle’s pre-law. He protected Shane.’
Meredith nudged her shoulder into his. ‘Adam, Papa. Not Kimble.’
‘Fine,’ Clarke grunted. ‘Adam.’
‘Adam and Isenberg didn’t use this information against Shane,’ Diesel murmured.
‘No. Adam wouldn’t and Isenberg’s not the crusty old hammer that everyone thinks she is. She showed those kids real compassion. To Penny Voss too. I’m an Isenberg fan.’
‘Me too,’ Diesel said. ‘So what happened with Shane and Andy? Andy wasn’t sent to prison because he ended up here. Did he run or was he never even charged?’
‘The second one,’ Meredith said, ‘because Shane lied to cover for him. The rapist’s wife confronted Linnie later, when Andy had been taken in for questioning and wasn’t there to protect her. She accused Linnie of seducing her husband and attacked her with a frying pan. Shane made sure one of the kids was recording it, then stepped in to protect Linnie, but not before the wife got in a few good whacks. Broke Linnie’s arm. The wife was charged with the murder and Andy was set free. Wife goes to prison, Andy changes his name, comes here for a fresh start, hopes to have a life with Linnie. Shane goes to Kiesler University on a full scholarship.’
Diesel nodded, his gaze sharp. ‘And somewhere in that timeline, Linnie got the attention of whoever killed Andy on Saturday.’
Meredith had always known that Diesel was incredibly perceptive. ‘Yes. She was part of his college prostitution ring. Linnie was forced to cooperate.’
Diesel’s jaw tightened and he swallowed hard. ‘And Shane’s afraid the media will latch on to this and find the connection to his murder cover-up.’
Meredith nodded. ‘Yes.’
‘But I am the media and you’re telling me.’ Diesel lifted a sarcastic brow. ‘Why?’
‘Oh, I like him,’ Clarke said to her. ‘You sure you don’t want him instead?’
Diesel blushed to the tips of his ears. ‘Jesus, Clarke.’
She laughed. ‘Papa! Don’t worry about this busybody, Diesel. You’re safe with me.’
‘Please continue about Shane,’ Diesel said firmly. ‘Why tell me?’
‘Well, Shane didn’t tell me as a therapist, so there was no expectation of confidentiality, and he told this guy here.’ She tilted her head toward her grandfather. ‘So a, I don’t feel as if I’ve violated any confidences and b, I need your help. And c, I trust you.’
Diesel blushed again, but happily. ‘Thank you. What do you want me to do?’
Meredith frowned, aligning her thoughts. ‘I’m thinking about the connection between Linnie and the killer and also about how to give Shane some breathing room with the media, because it will get out. Especially if the wife serving time starts squawking.’ She bit at her lip thoughtfully. ‘There was a social worker Shane feared. She had red hair like mine and when Shane first saw the article, he thought she might be me.’
‘But the paper listed your name,’ Clarke said.
‘Andy changed his name,’ she said with a shrug. ‘I think Shane was afraid the social worker had too. He was relieved when I wasn’t her. Whenever the foster kids would complain, they’d be sent to another home and nothing would happen to the foster parents. If it was a sexual assault, like Linnie’s, this woman would paint the victim as a slut.’
‘Which would go in the record and set the child up for more abuse at the next home unless she’s placed in therapeutic foster care or is the only minor in the next home,’ Diesel said, his expression hardening again. ‘If the kids at the next home find out she was promiscuous, they become predators and she becomes the weakest member of the pack.’
‘Exactly.’ Meredith sighed. ‘Shane believed the social worker and the foster parents were in cahoots.’
Diesel scowled. ‘Getting payola from the foster parents to look the other way?’
Meredith nodded. ‘Money is the usual reason. How Linnie ended up in the killer’s prostitution ring is a big question. Why and how?’
‘It could have nothing to do with what happened in Indiana,’ Clarke cautioned.
‘Except that he’d dug into Linnie’s background,’ Meredith said. ‘He knew that Andy would kill for her and that grabbing Shane would bring Linnie out of hiding.’