CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Kate sat ramrod straight in front of Winters’ desk.
She was on a decent dose of Percocet at the moment, but her cracked ribs still protested any attempt at slouching.
They’d returned to Portland this morning, the first day she was allowed to travel after being treated for three cracked ribs, a moderate concussion, and a severely bruised pharynx.
Marcus sat next to her, also ramrod straight, though Kate suspected frustration and fear were more likely the cause of his own posture.
Fear because he and Kate were in Winters’ office to answer for their choice to ignore her instructions and go after Cox themselves and frustration because despite their best efforts, he had escaped again.
“How are you feeling?” Marcus asked her.
Kate started to laugh, but the pain in her chest and throat cut it short. “I’m alive,” she replied. “That’s a lot better than I could have been.” And a lot less than I wanted.
Her voice wasn’t quite so hoarse anymore, so that was a silver lining.
She’d feared permanent damage to her vocal cords from the force of Cox’s assault and the length of time his hands were around her neck, but it seemed his eagerness had dulled his senses.
His thumbs were just off of the most vulnerable part of her windpipe, and the damage to her neck was limited to deep bruising.
It looked ugly as hell, though. She was grateful for the nine inches of snow and the significant drop in temperature that brought it the night before. It gave her an excuse to wear a scarf, one that would remain tightly wrapped around her neck when she visited her mother for dinner tomorrow.
If she visited her mother later. There was a strong chance she was going to be up to her ears preparing for yet another review board and possibly a career change upon its conclusion.
“I’m sorry,” Marcus said, his voice thick with emotion. “I had him. Damn it, I had him, and I missed the shot.”
Kate sighed. “We both made mistakes, Marcus. Don’t take this all upon yourself.”
“I know, it’s just…”
His voice trailed off, but he didn’t need to finish. Kate understood. She felt the same frustration. Once more, Cox had slipped through their grasp.
“Baltimore PD thinks he might have washed into the Patapsco. That stream was flowing at eight hundred cubic feet per second. If he fell into the water, he wouldn’t have been able to get out in his condition.
I know I got him at least once. He might be dead.
They’re dredging the river in case they find a body. ”
He offered that with a touch of desperation, but it was clear he didn’t believe it. Kate didn’t either. That would be too easy.
No, Cox was still out there. Licking his wounds, hiding until he was healed enough to strike again. Kate’s only question was whether he would still cling to the facade of God’s commandments when he did, or if he’d shed the last trappings of sanity and admit he was nothing more than a common killer.
Kate doubted it. Cox had slid too deeply into his insanity to turn away from it now.
Realizing she hadn’t answered Marcus, Kate said, “Maybe.”
The door opened, and Winters entered. She wore a crisply tailored navy business suit with a beige-colored blouse and polished heels of the same color. She wore a moderate amount of lipstick in a shade of oxblood red. Kate’s stomach turned, and she looked away as Winters took her seat.
“How are you feeling?” she asked Kate. Her formal tone left no room for Kate to speculate on her mood.
“Recovering nicely,” Kate replied. “The doctor wants me out of the field for four weeks, but I think—”
“We’re going to make it eight weeks,” Winters interrupted. “I don’t want you reinjuring your ribs.”
She folded her hands on top of the desk and stared hard at Kate. Here it comes.
“Baltimore police found Ian Bolger. They picked him up yesterday. He confirmed that Cox panicked when he saw the assault team approach. The two of them were separated when Cox made his escape through the park.”
“He was there?” Kate asked.
“He was. He said he was instructed to wait in the car.”
Kate shivered. He could have shot them while they approached the church, and they would never have seen him coming.
“He claimed to have distracted Agent Reid long enough for Cox to escape,” Winters continued. “He also claims Cox survived his injuries, although we don’t believe that to be the case.”
Marcus started. “I thought that was Cox. Are you telling me I was chasing his accomplice the whole time?”
“No,” Winters replied. "Mr. Bolger was uninjured. We believe he's lying. Almost certainly, Elijah Cox died in that culvert."
“We need to be sure,” Kate said. “We need to find his body. He’s survived serious injury before. He could survive it again.
Winters sighed. “We’ll make sure. We’re looking for a body as we speak.
In the meantime, Kate, we’re pulling you back off the case.
We’ll reassess upon the completion of your medical leave, but considering how many times you’ve nearly been killed pursuing Cox and his disciples, I want to warn you that I’m strongly considering permanently reassigning you.
” Kate’s eyes widened in alarm, and Winters added, “I’m not going to separate you two.
If you’re reassigned, Marcus will also be reassigned.
But… Well, we’ve given this its fair shake a few times.
We have to start considering that this might not be the best fit.
You have to start considering that owning this case isn’t worth your life.
“That’s it for the lecture this time around. Overall, you two did excellent work. Decoding Cox’s cipher and finding him at the cathedral was a stroke of brilliance.”
She looked at Marcus. “I’ll give you time to walk Kate to her car. Then you and I need to go over our strategy for your review.”
Kate started. “Marcus is facing a review board?”
“He fired several shots, some of them in an open space near a residential neighborhood. Any time there’s a situation like that, there's a review board.
I wouldn't worry too much about it. The evidence is pretty strongly in favor of justified use of force. I just want to make sure that when we talk to the board, we keep the focus on the imminent threat to your life, Kate.”
Her brow furrowed. “How did Cox find you before the tactical team arrived?”
Kate sighed. “I worried that he would flee the moment he saw the tactical team. He wanted me alone. If I showed up in force, then he would have just disappeared. I knew he’d have a way out planned because he always has a way out planned.
I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I knew you’d overrule me, and then we would have lost our chance at him. ”
Winters remained silent for the space of several heartbeats. When she spoke again, her tone was even.
“I see. Another thing to think about when we decide on your future.”
“She was right,” Marcus protested. “As soon as I got free, he fled, and when he saw the tactical team, he panicked. He’s a coward. The moment the fight didn’t go his way, he ran.”
Winters lifted a hand. “We’ll discuss all of that later.” She stood and nodded at both of them. “You two are dismissed. Kate, the offer for protective custody remains open.”
“I’ll be staying with her,” Marcus said firmly.
Kate chose not to protest.
Winters’ eyes narrowed slightly, but if she suspected an ulterior motive, she didn’t mention it. She nodded again and said, “The offer still stands. For both of you. This isn’t the first time you’ve interfered with Cox, Marcus. It’s reasonable to assume he’ll expand his obsession to include you.”
Kate wasn’t so sure about that, but she kept that to herself. She stood, wincing a little and accepting Marcus’s hand. As they left the office, they heard Winters dial a number on her phone. The door closed just after she said, “Give me Director Gladesmuir.”
The partners walked in silence until they reached Marcus’s car, a Dodge Charger with a rumbling V8.
It was big, loud, and powerful, just like Marcus.
Kate leaned the seat back to take pressure off her ribs, which gave her a view of Marcus’s big shoulders and strong right hand on the shifter.
She waited until he pulled out of the parking lot, then said, “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For backing me up in there about going in ahead of the tactical team.”
He shrugged. “We both made the decision. I could have fought you harder.”
Unspoken was I should have fought harder.
“He would have run if we came in force, Marcus. That was the only chance we had to stop him.”
“And it ended with you almost dead. Again.”
Kate looked away, staring up at the light gray overcast that come nightfall would turn dark gray and dump another four inches of snow on the ground. “I meant what I said,” she told him.
He didn’t need to ask what she was talking about. “I know. I love you too.”
That admission didn’t bring the burst of warmth Kate imagined it would, but it softened the pain. Maybe that was enough. “We don’t have to do anything about that right now. We’ve both got demons to chase off, and I don’t want our take two to end up like take one. I just wanted you to know.”
Marcus didn’t reply. He just placed his hand over Kate’s and squeezed softly.
That warmed her a little. She turned her hand over, and when her fingers slid in between his, she warmed the rest of the way.
The sun would set tonight, she knew. The nightmare would come back, fully fleshed and more vivid than ever. But that was all right. She’d survive.
She always did.