Chapter 31
Ace
I don't know if I've allowed Cora to get in my head with the hopes that William isn't involved, but I'm more confused by his reaction than anything else.
I consider how I'd react if I hired a hit on someone, and I don't think I'd act like a complete asshole because that would be suspicious, but he acted no differently tonight than he did when we had the initial meeting about Cerberus working Sadie's case. He's a complete douche, but does that make him a killer?
I'm livid as I leave the Preston home, knowing I'll need to make hotel arrangements for tonight before figuring out what my next step is tomorrow.
The fact that my supervisor, Dale Fredricks, showed up tonight playing the role of Charleston police burns me in a way I never thought possible. I have no doubt it was his idea to change from a phone call to an in-person visit, and it has everything to do with me, and him being an asshole, and nothing to do with the actual case.
I don't call him before pulling up outside of a small motel, and that's my only recourse as a means to get back at him because it's what he expects of me, but I'm not attached to this case through ICE, and I have no obligation to speak to him.
What I will do, only after some of the heat in my attitude burns off, is call Kincaid and ask why I was kept out of the loop on these decisions. Knowing Dale as the giant asshole he is, Kincaid probably had no clue what the plans were either, and of course, ICE has no responsibility to let Cerberus know what their plans are.
I left her house too easily, and I know that hurt her. I could see it in her eyes, but I also knew she'd been using me as a crutch since finding out that her sister was gone. I think the distraction I provided by being in her home has kept her from dealing with the loss. I'm in no position to tell anyone how to grieve, but I know how unhealthy it is to just shove it to the back of your mind and try not to think about it.
It takes longer than it should to get a hotel room, and my annoyance with the human race has tripled by the time I walk away from the registration desk toward the elevator.
My phone rings just as I'm stepping off and heading toward my room.
"I was about to call you," I say when I answer, seeing Kincaid's name on the screen.
"Mike sent me the video feed from inside the house."
"Did you know Fredricks was going to come to the house?"
"Didn't have a clue. Mike already called to apologize for you being blindsided. I imagine he'll give you a call soon, too. He might just be waiting to make sure you're clear from the Preston Estate before doing so."
"Did you have your guy look over the video?" I ask, knowing Kincaid wasn't planning on leaving this up to ICE.
If anything he wanted a second opinion, someone unbiased and who didn't have any skin in the fight to find and arrest the Full Deck Killer.
"I've sent it to him, and he's looking it over. I have to say, that William is a piece of work."
"That's a very considerate way of saying he's a giant asshole," I mutter as I open the hotel room door and step inside .
"We'll get to the bottom of it all, but after what Cora did, that's going to be more difficult."
"What did she do?" I ask, my hand on the doorknob knowing I may just have to turn around and leave once again.
"The plan was to leave the cameras in the house to see if we couldn't catch something else on video, but it wasn't half an hour after you left that she bent down, looked right into one of the cameras, and said William wasn't involved. Please give my family time to grieve , before she unplugged every one of them."
"Shit, " I mutter.
"Yeah," he quickly agrees. "Shit."
"I have to go back over there," I say. "Maybe I can convince her to put them back up. I worry about her safety."
"William has left, but I think it's better for everyone if you were to still be in the house," he says, and that makes my mind up for me.
I grab the handle of my overnight bag and leave the room.
"I'll call you with an update as soon as I have one," I tell him.
"I'll do the same."
I climb back on the elevator, tapping my fingers on my phone and resisting the urge to call her and grill her about pulling the feeds. The ride down seems to take forever, and by the time I step out into the dimly lit parking lot, I feel a sense of urgency inside of me. I need to get to her, to make sure she's safe, to tell her she might be in danger and making a mistake about William.
I blame my distraction for why I don't see the man in the mask until a split second before he hits me in the head with something heavy and unforgiving.
The weight of my body carries me to the ground and before I can try and stand, booted feet kick at me, leaving me incapable of much else other than trying to protect myself. I cover my head and curl into a ball but the hits keep on coming. I take one to the face and my world spins, pain radiating out from my left cheek.
Then it's over. As quickly as it began, the kicks cease, leaving me bloodied and broken on the cracked concrete parking lot.
"That'll make you think twice before sticking your dick where it doesn't belong, Agent Yarrow."
I don't recognize the voice, but the warning is clear.
Stay away from Cora Preston.
The attack seems out of character for William, but who else could it be?
She never mentioned any scorned lovers, but I'd be foolish to think that someone in her life could be in her bubble and walk away easily. I sure as hell know I never could. It was as if she trapped me in her aura and held me hostage, preventing me from thinking of anyone but her.
What doesn't make sense is doing it now, after I've already walked away from her and have no real reason to go back to her. The attack was obviously planned, and I don't doubt it was a paid-for warning, not done by someone willing to get caught in the act of beating someone senseless.
Instead of going back to the Preston Estate, I pick myself up off the ground, swiping at the blood on my lip as I hobble to my car. There'd be no way for me to make the trek back to Tennessee on the bike, and I have a feeling this is bigger than just a beating for what has happened between Cora and me.
Also, I know how intense my feelings are for her, and this isn't something I feel like I can navigate on my own.
It's time for me to eat crow, and although I'm not looking forward to it, I'll chew that shit for the rest of my life if I can ensure that Cora is safe.