“I’m sorry I brought a serial killer with me.” Merida said aloud. “I’m sorry I made so much trouble for you.”
“I’ll acquit you for that. The FBI has been quite forthright about Gloria Meyrick and what a tangled mess that is. Apparently Nauplius Brassard had her removed from prison so neatly that all law enforcement agencies believed she had died. They looked at the killing in Paris and thought it was a copycat murder when in fact, it was Gloria Meyrick herself.” Garik had confided that the FBI was scrambling to discover exactly how Nauplius had pulled off the escape and who was buried under Gloria Meyrick’s tombstone.
“I’ve never been so afraid in my life.” Merida both spoke and signed, as if she needed to express herself in every way she could.
Benedict twined her hand in his, using special care not to hurt her or disturb the bandages.
Merida leaned her head against his shoulder.
Seeing their affection, Kateri thought of Stag and considered herself the biggest fool in the history of the world.
“Meyrick had a record of escalating violence against her students when they didn’t live up to her standards, and when the university cut her Home Sciences program—wow. She stalked and killed everyone she deemed responsible, up to and including the president of the school. It was quite the reign of terror. So, Merry, you won.” Deliberately, Kateri used Merida’s real name. “You saved yourself and killed the monster.”
“She is the bravest, most wonderful woman in the world, but she never has to stand alone again. I’ve got her back.” Benedict smiled into Merida’s eyes, and Kateri could not only sense, but also see his steadfast determination to always be with her.
Yep. Kateri was selfish for thinking of herself … but she had been so stupid about Stag.
Benedict touched Merida’s arm. “Come on, dear, we’d do well to make the tide.”
“Headed for the marina, are you?” Kateri fell in right behind him, walking almost on his heels.
Merida followed.
“We are,” Benedict said. “I thought after our ordeal, we’ll cruise up the coast and into the Salish Sea, visit a few of the San Juan Islands.”
Merida’s soft voice said, “We’ve chartered a seaplane for a flight over the area.”
Kateri glanced behind.
Merida had that look on her face, the one she had always worn when she talked about flying. “I think if the flight goes well, if I enjoy it as much as I think I will, I might take lessons again, get my pilot’s license. That explosion changed so much about my life. I can’t allow it to take away my desire to touch the heavens.”
Benedict looked back, past Kateri to Merida, and he had a look on his face, too, the kind that said this man adored everything about this woman.
Kateri’s heart contracted with both joy for them, and sorrow for her own aloneness. “The islands are lovely this time of year. You’ll enjoy it. Hard to trace people out there. Not much for cell service. That reminds me … we at the police department have solved one mystery about last night. We traced the call reporting last night’s first death to … you, Benedict Howard.”
He kept going. “Carl Klineman’s death, right? Did you discover who killed him?”
Kateri glanced back at Merida and rolled her eyes. Like she hadn’t seen Benedict sidestep that accusation. But truth to tell, she didn’t much care who had called it in. Knowing about that body had saved Virtue Falls law enforcement a shit ton of trouble later. “We traced the bullet to the pistol Ashley Kocsis used in previous killings. However, as to whether or not she killed Carl Klineman or one of the Cipres took the pistol from Kocsis and performed the deed, we don’t yet know.” Something pinged her consciousness, and she stopped. No jingling license, no tapping toenails on the pavement … “Where’s Lacey?”
“She went that way.” Merida pointed toward the dark van parked at the curb.
“Lacey!” Kateri called. From behind the van, she heard Lacey bark wildly, then growl, deep and angry. Kateri started around the vehicle, hand on her holster.
A man yelped. “Damn you, you little rat!”
A scuffle.
Another yelp.
Deeper growling.
More swearing.
And, muffled by the swirling fog, a gunshot.
Benedict knocked Merida down to the sidewalk and covered her with his body.
Kateri shouted, “Lacey!” and sprinted into the street and around the van, unsnapping her holster and removing her service pistol. She came around in time to see Phoebe’s son, Evan Glass, point his pistol at Lacey—who had her teeth sunk into his leg.
“Lacey, go!” Kateri shouted.
Lacey released him and ran under the van.
And the dumbshit shot himself right in the foot. He screamed in pain, dropped the pistol and grabbed for the wound.
Furious and afraid for her dog’s life, Kateri kicked her knee against his hip.
Off balance, he fell sideways onto the pavement, rolled and scrambled toward his firearm.
She slammed her knee into his back, smashed him onto the pavement, cuffed him and shouted, “What the hell were you doing?”
“Your dog bit me!”
“You were hiding behind that van with a firearm and you shot … at me!” Maybe not, but it would play in court. “At the sheriff!”
“I didn’t shoot at you. I shot at her.” He pointed toward Merida.
As Benedict helped Merida to her feet, he said, “I told you my aunt and uncle were too thrifty to pay the price for a good assassin.”
“I feel so cheap,” Merida signed, and humor leaped from her hands.
Kateri couldn’t believe there had been another attempt on Merida’s life. Really angry now, she improvised. “These good people seem to believe you’re an international assassin and worthy of Interpol’s attention.”
He whined like a mosquito. “No, I’m not! I got this job from my mother. Today! She said I’d be paid for this and I could move on.” There was a world of loathing in his tone. “I want to leave, not be here working for her!”
Phoebe Glass had a lot to answer for.
Kateri heard sirens; someone nearby had heard the gunshots and called 911. As the first police cruiser pulled up, she called, “Lacey, come on, sweetheart.”
Lacey pranced out, proud of her heroics.
Kateri captured her in her arms and hugged her, so happy to hold that warm, wiggling body and know they would be going home together.
She heard the click/roll of two suitcases and looked up in time to see Benedict and Merida vanish into the fog.
She suspected she would never see her friends again.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
Kateri had promised Rainbow and she had promised Margaret. No more delays. She had to open the damned box.
But for this, she needed to be alone and undistracted. So she took Lacey to Mrs. Golobovitch, who was delighted to dog-sit. Kateri drove her police cruiser to her apartment, parked, tucked the black box under her arm and carried it into the living room. She placed her staff against the wall and the box on the coffee table. Stepping back, she stared at the box, unwilling to again face the contents and knowing they would somehow change her life.