‘We give the toys to poor kids. But I don’t think other kids want all my hate.’
‘Maybe you could just throw it away.’
She looked anxious. ‘I don’t know how.’
‘That’s why I’m here. I’m going to show you how. But not today, because I think you’ve worked pretty hard today already. Now I have a few more questions to ask you, and then it’ll be time for you to take your mama home, okay?’
Penny’s little face drooped. ‘I’m sorry, Mama. Don’t be sad.’
‘You have nothing to be sorry for, baby,’ Candace said, her smile clearly forced. She held herself so rigidly that Meredith was afraid she’d shatter. ‘I’m so proud of you, that you are my daughter. I’m sorry you had to see all that when I wasn’t home.’
‘It’s okay, Mama.’ Penny let out a heavy sigh. ‘But I have bad dreams.’
‘I know,’ Candace said. ‘We’ll keep seeing Dr Fallon and maybe soon you won’t.’
Penny didn’t look convinced. ‘Maybe,’ she said with a shake of her head.
Meredith put the Facebook photo on the table. ‘Have you ever seen this lady?’
Penny ran her finger down the woman’s nose and over her ears. ‘Can I color on it?’
‘Of course. You’ll have to hop off my lap so I can get the crayons.’ Penny obliged and Meredith dug out her trusty Crayola 64. She bought these boxes by the case because kids loved them. She thought of Adam. Kids of all ages. She flipped the lid. ‘There you go.’
Penny picked a pink crayon, which was no surprise. She colored over the woman’s dark hair, then nodded. ‘Yes. That’s the pink-haired lady.’
‘Thank you. Now, two more.’ She showed her the grainy photo of Linnie.
Penny’s face fell. ‘That’s the sick lady who prayed. Did it make her better?’
‘I hope she gets better,’ Meredith said sincerely. ‘One more.’ She showed her the photo of the big man with the dead eyes.
Penny shook her head, but shivered. ‘He doesn’t look nice.’
No, he does not. ‘But you haven’t seen him before?’
‘No.’ She looked up. ‘Can I go now?’
‘Yes, Penny. You can go.’
She ran to her mother who gathered her close. ‘Can we stop for hot chocolate?’
Candace kissed the top of her head. ‘We have to go straight home, but I will make you the best hot chocolate you have ever tasted.’
‘Cookies too?’
Candace choked on something between a sob and a laugh. ‘Yes. Anything else?’
Penny snuggled close. ‘No, Mama. That’s good. For now.’
Cincinnati, Ohio,
Sunday 20 December, 7.10 P.M.
After Meredith had wrapped up the session with Penny, summarized her notes for CPD’s file, and finally found some ibuprofen for her headache, she returned to the bullpen to find her grandfather and Mallory knitting with Kate.
Of course they are. ‘You just keep sucking people into your weird cult,’ Meredith said, making herself smile past the pounding in her skull. She was starting to wonder how hard she’d actually hit her head. If the ibuprofen didn’t help she was going to have to see a doctor, and she hated the very thought of that.
Kate looked up with a grin. ‘You’re always welcome in our cult.’
‘Look what I made,’ Clarke said proudly, holding up the scarf that was his debut project. It was perfect, of course, but Meredith didn’t tell him so because the elevator dinged and her gaze swung toward the doors.
Isenberg had filled her in on both the murder of ‘Bruiser’ and Quincy’s conclusion that Adam had been the target of the van shooting, and Meredith hadn’t breathed properly since. All she could think was that Adam was out there, working the crime scene, a sitting duck for anyone who really wanted to hurt him. But now he was back. Safe.
He, Trip, Scarlett, and Deacon walked toward them, every face grim. Isenberg came out of her office to greet them. ‘So?’ she asked her team.
‘We can’t find Linnie,’ Adam said flatly. ‘Hanson’s got the area locked down and he’s got uniforms going door to door and checking every alley. She’s gone under.’
‘Oh no,’ Meredith murmured. ‘I hope she doesn’t freeze. She’s got to be so scared.’
‘But she’s armed,’ Isenberg said.
‘Eyewitnesses say she shot Bruiser in self-defense,’ Scarlett said, then noticed Mallory sitting there. ‘Hey, kid. You okay?’
Mallory nodded. ‘I’m not being shot at.’
Meredith ruffled her hair. ‘Good. That’s how it’s supposed to be.’
‘You,’ Isenberg said to the four cops. ‘Briefing room, please.’ She turned to Meredith, brows arched. ‘You’ve seen that he’s all right. Now you can go. And Agent Coppola, that goes double for you. And triple for the dog. He’s going to shed all over the carpet.’ Without another word, she walked away.
Biting back rueful smiles, Deacon and Scarlett followed.
Trip shook his head. ‘I don’t get that woman.’
‘She’s been very nice today,’ Meredith said. ‘I think she’s hit her quota.’
‘And she’s got a rep to protect,’ Kate added. ‘Once you achieve rank of Badass, you can’t just skate.’
‘Whatever,’ Trip muttered. ‘Why didn’t she order you into the briefing room?’ he asked Kate. ‘I thought Zimmerman gave us to her for the case.’
‘Because I’m technically on vacation. I’m just here for the knitting.’ Kate glanced at Meredith. ‘And for her. I don’t want to trust just anyone to keep her safe.’
‘Ah. Got it.’ He turned to Meredith. ‘Just wanted to let you know that Shane and the Davises are settled. The agents with them were handpicked by Zimmerman.’
‘Thank you,’ Meredith said. ‘I’ll sleep better knowing they’re safe too.’
Still shaking his head over Isenberg, Trip went into her office.
‘I’ll just be a minute,’ Adam called after Trip, then took Meredith’s elbow and led her into a small meeting room and shut the door.
‘What’s wrong?’ she asked, frowning.
He didn’t answer, just cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. Hard. At first, anyway. Starting as what felt like a stamp of possession, it quickly softened into something tender and so sweet it made her sigh. When he raised his head, she could only stare at him, her headache nearly forgotten.
‘Nothing’s wrong,’ he murmured, nuzzling her neck. ‘I just needed to.’
She stroked his hair, kissed his temple. ‘Isenberg will pull you from the case.’
‘I don’t think so.’ He lifted his head, his expression wry. ‘It wasn’t like she didn’t know from the beginning. The woman knows everything.’
Meredith caressed his face, loving the rasp of his stubble against her fingertips. ‘I’m glad she has your back.’
‘She always has. She called to tell me that you were good with Penny Voss. Actually, she said you were “impressive.” That’s high praise.’
‘It was a good session.’ She traced the worry lines around his mouth, not liking them at all, but understanding why they were there. ‘What happened to Linnie?’
‘We don’t know. I wish she’d trust us, but we blew any chance of that tonight.’
‘At least Kyle will have closure. The man who killed Tiffany won’t hurt anyone else.’
He kissed her forehead. ‘You know, I hadn’t thought of that.’
‘You’ve been a little busy.’
‘Too busy. I can’t take you to the safe house. How will you get back?’
‘Kate’s taking me and Papa, then she’ll take Mallory home. Don’t buy her vacation routine. She’s barely slept. She’s working. She’ll recruit some help and I’ll be fine.’ She frowned up at him. ‘I’m more worried about you. You were the target this afternoon and you can’t hide away in a safe house.’
‘You know about the van.’ He sighed when she nodded. ‘I wish you didn’t know, but know that I will be careful, I promise.’
‘But why? Why would they shoot at you? They’re after me and Shane, right?’
‘We think they want Shane alive, because they believe he can lead them to Linnie. It’s likely they tried to take me out so that Troy would stop. Then they could have grabbed Shane alive and . . .’ He closed his eyes and shook his head.