Chapter 20
LAWSON
I pulled into a makeshift parking spot in front of my house. I had a garage if I needed one, but it felt like one extra unnecessary step on long days. And today had been one of the longest.
My temples pounded as I stared at the light streaming beyond the windows, but I didn’t make any moves to shut off the engine. I needed a minute to pull it together. To try to release the dark cloud hanging over me.
My phone rang in the quiet space, and I glanced down at the cupholder. Luisa’s name flashed across the screen. More darkness.
Grabbing the phone, I tapped accept. “Isn’t it past your cutoff time?”
Luisa was religious about not working past five unless she got called to a crime scene. She said it helped keep her healthy, both mentally and physically. I could probably use some of those boundaries.
“She wouldn’t leave me alone, so I needed to finish,” Luisa said, and I could hear the exhaustion in her voice.
But I understood it. Cases like this dug their claws in, and this one, in particular, had me in a chokehold.
“She tell you anything?” I asked.
“Quite a bit. One piece was that she suffered.”
My gut soured. I knew there was no way she hadn’t, but it sickened me to know for sure.
Luisa kept talking. “Contusion to the back of the head suggests a blitz attack from behind. My guess is he incapacitated her, then tied her wrists and ankles to keep her from fighting back.”
An acidic taste filled my mouth. “Sexual assault?”
I hated even asking the question, but I needed to know. The man who’d taken Hallie had assaulted the majority of his victims. Only one hadn’t been violated in that way. I didn’t know about Hallie. It was far too personal and invasive for me to try to find out.
“There are no signs of sexual trauma,” Luisa answered. “But there were far more cuts and stab wounds than I initially saw. Her arms, legs, and torso were covered with them.”
Like Hallie.
“You said there was a mixture of peri and post-mortem?”
The sound of papers shuffling came across the line.
“Yes. From what I can tell, he used the initial cuts to bring her back to consciousness. She fought him to the best of her ability, which made him mad. He started stabbing instead of slicing and finally strangled her. But he was so angry. He had to get a little more rage out.”
“So, he kept stabbing,” I surmised.
“That’s my best guess.”
God, I hoped the family didn’t ask for details. I’d already had to tell them they’d lost their girl in the worst way imaginable. Sometimes, next of kin thought the details would give them closure. But they never did.
“Thank you for taking care of her, Luisa.”
“It was my honor.” The coroner was quiet for a moment. “Get this bastard, Law. We can’t have someone who’s capable of this running around our county. We just got rid of one psychopath.”
“I won’t stop until I do.”
“Good. Now, go home and hug those babies.”
“Already here, just gotta make it inside.”
“Glad to hear it. Talk tomorrow.”
“G’night.” I ended the call and shoved my phone into my pocket. As I slid out of my SUV, headlights rounded the curve of the drive.
My hand instinctively went for the holster at my side, given everything going on lately. But my Glock was locked away in the gun safe in the back of my SUV.
The station wagon pulled to a stop, the engine cut off, and a man stepped out. “Evening, Lawson.”
The tension flowing through me eased, but surprise followed on its heels. “Reverend Hooper. Everything okay?”
“Just here to pick up Violet. Your new nanny invited her over for cookies and a study session.”
I glanced up at the glowing house. Not just because of the lights but because of Hallie. “That’s great. I really appreciate her helping Luke with his science.”
Thomas nodded. “My girl’s smart as a whip, and she’s got a good heart to boot.”
“Luke could use a friend like that.”
Thomas didn’t say anything to that. Likely because he wasn’t thrilled about his daughter’s friendship with my son. I understood, but it killed me.
I led him up the stairs and inside. “Reverend Hooper’s here,” I called.
The only thing that greeted me was hysterical laughter. As I moved into the space, I found my boys, Hallie, and Violet crowded around the coffee table, a board game on top of it. The only one not sitting was Charlie, who was up on the couch, doing some sort of booty-shake dance.
“I’m the Sorry! king! I’m the Sorry! King!” he half-chanted, half-sang.
Hallie’s head tipped back, her blond hair cascading down as she laughed full-out. The sight stopped me dead. There was no inhibition, no reservations, no fear. Just pure joy.
As she straightened, our eyes locked. Her laughter eased, but her smile didn’t. Just that tip of her lips lit a fire within me.
“We finished homework, and Charlie decided to crush us in Sorry!,” she explained, getting to her feet.
I glanced at Thomas, who surveyed the scene. Something in him shifted slightly at the sight. “I was always good at Sorry!,” he said.
Violet laughed as she stood. “Dad, I kicked your butt every time.”
The skin around Thomas’s eyes crinkled. “I think we need to get your memory checked.”
Violet just shook her head and then glanced at Luke. The look she gave him, one of shy adoration, had me mentally cursing. “Thanks again for having me over, Luke. Ms. Astor.”
“Hallie,” she said as she moved to give the girl a quick hug. “You’re welcome anytime. It’s nice not to be the only girl around here.”
Violet grinned at her. “Next time, we team up to destroy them at Sorry!.”
Hallie laughed. “I like the way you think.”
Luke got to his feet and met Thomas’s gaze. “Thanks for letting Violet come over, Mr. Hooper.”
Thomas’s eyes flared in surprise and begrudging respect. “You’re welcome, Luke. We’d be happy to have you over for dinner one of these days.”
Violet’s entire face lit up as she grinned at Luke.
Luke swallowed. “I’d like that, sir.”
Sir? Maybe I really was in the Twilight Zone.
I watched, thunderstruck, as Violet and her dad made their way to the door.
Hallie came up to me, her arm brushing mine. “I told him that a little show of deference might get him further than he thought.”
I tipped my head to meet Hallie’s gaze. “You do realize that if my son starts dating the pastor’s daughter, I’ll have to start sleeping with a shotgun under my pillow. Drew’s bad enough.”
Hallie laughed, another of those completely uninhibited ones that hit me like a damn meteor. “Shouldn’t have birthed such charming boys, then. It’s really your fault. Their dad has the same problem.”
She moved off before I had a chance to say a word, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
I balanced the beer on the arm of the Adirondack chair as I stared out at the dark forest. The cold was grabbing hold and digging in, but I needed it. It was the only thing that had a prayer of clearing my head.
Dinner was done. The dishes were washed. All the kids had headed to bed. And I needed to breathe.
Hallie had made lasagna, garlic bread, and salad. The kids and I scarfed it down. And Luke had talked at dinner. About the book he was reading. An epic fantasy that Hallie had also read. Their conversation flew back and forth as if they were speaking another language.
I had simply sat there in awe. Because Hallie was slowly but surely giving me my family back. Charlie hadn’t had a single nightmare this week. Drew was getting his homework done before I had to ask five times. And Luke was talking. There’d even been a smile or two.
I should’ve been happy. And I was. But I was also on edge.
The door sounded behind me, and I glanced up. The lights from inside backlit Luke’s lengthening frame.
“I thought you’d already hit the hay,” I said.
He shook his head. “Why did Hallie really move into the main house?”
Shit. I’d known by his expression this morning that he had questions. “Like I told you guys, I’m working a case. There might be some late nights. It’ll be easier this way. Hallie can go to sleep instead of waiting up for me.”
Even through the dark, I felt Luke’s glare. “I’m not six like Charlie, Dad.”
I bit back a curse. “I know you’re not—”
“So, tell me the truth for once.”
This was a little more of the son I’d grown used to. Combative, angry. The difference was he was speaking outright. I could respect that. But I also couldn’t give him the details regarding what was going down for a million different reasons.
“That is the truth,” I said, searching for my calm.
“Bullshit,” Luke clipped.
“Language,” I warned.
“I might be cursing, but at least it’s honest. Do you ever tell us the truth about anything?”
Luke turned on his heel and stalked into the house, slamming the door behind him.
I stared at the spot where my son had been. Sure, I did what I could to protect my boys, but I always tried to level with them, as well. They knew what I did. They knew that the outcomes of my cases or searches sometimes weren’t good. I just didn’t go into detail.
I had no clue what Luke was talking about.
Another slam sounded from deeper in the house, and I winced. Turning back around, I stared at the trees as if they had the answers. They never did.
I took a pull from my beer. The answer wasn’t in a bottle either, but at least it tasted damn good. But I’d never have more than one. I wouldn’t let myself. Not when I was the sole parent.
The door squeaked as it opened, but I didn’t turn around. I didn’t have the energy for whoever it was. There was nothing for a few beats, and then a blanket wrapped around me.
Hallie lowered herself to the chair next to me, cocooned in a massive parka, but she still didn’t speak.
I stared down at the fuzzy blanket. It was one from the couch. It seemed fluffier than it had been, smelled better, too. She’d switched something in the laundry. And just like everything else she touched, it was magically…better.