Dark Pursuit

Kaitlan was already scurrying out of the kitchen.

On cat feet she crept down the hall toward the office. The door stood open, her grandfather’s voice drifting from the room. At the edge of the threshold she flattened herself against the wall, pulse fluttering. She closed her eyes and steeled herself. If she was this bad now, what would it be like with Craig in the house?

“Yes,” her grandfather said. “It shouldn’t take too long. But I’d like to sit down with you and lay out my scenario.”

A pause.

“Yes, I know he’s the chief of police. But you’re the one I want. To tell the truth, I’m killing two birds with one stone. Some time ago a friend of yours on the force emailed me saying what a fan you are of my books. He asked on your behalf if you’d be able to meet me. My memory is vague but I think it was around the time of your birthday, and your friend was holding out wild hope to set it up as your present. I know I’m a little late, and granted now I need your help, but if you’re willing …”

Is Craig buying this? Why would he have reason to doubt?

“I’m sorry, I can’t remember his name.”

Kaitlan held her breath.

“You are? Good for you. Writing that first novel is a difficult thing.” Her grandfather’s voice tinged with excitement. “Tell you what, Craig, in return for your help, if you’d like to bring a chapter or two I’d be happy to look at it when we’re done.”

Surely Craig’s head was swimming over his good fortune. For one minute at least he wouldn’t be thinking about finding her.

“I was thinking of seven o’clock.”

Kaitlan peeked around the corner. At his desk chair her grandfather hunched over, clutching the phone. The hard jut of his knuckles captured her eyes. So white. Not the hand of a confident man.

“I see. How much earlier?”

“Oh.” His voice wavered. “Three o’clock.”

Three? Craig would finish his shift at two. That gave him plenty of time to go home, change clothes. But that was way too early for them. What if they couldn’t get everything in place by then?

Her grandfather rubbed the phone hard with his thumb. His right hand rose and gripped a thatch of his hair as if to pull logical thought from his brain. Kaitlan could see him struggle to re figure, to get things back on track. Her eyes widened. Surely he wasn’t considering this.

Come on, come on, tell him it has to be later!

His head turned and she saw her grandfather in profile, unshaven jaw working. He looked so feeble, so old. For a terrifying moment his face went blank.

Kaitlan’s heart skidded to her toes. He couldn’t do this. He’d never pull it off with Craig, never. Craig was too smart.

Her grandfather took a deep breath and managed to recharge himself. “All right, if that’s your only time.”

No! She wanted to run into the room and wave her arms. Stop him.

“Three o’clock it is. Let me give you directions …”

Kaitlan’s eyelids sank shut. They’d never make it.

forty-nine

Darell set down the receiver and stared at it. His left fingers flexed, trying to loosen. Elation and fright and dread tumbled around in his gut. He was really going to do this. He would trap this killer—for Kaitlan.

And he’d get to read some of Craig’s manuscript!

Somewhere in the back of his brain a warning bell feebly chimed. Three o’clock. Darell checked the time. Less than four hours away.

Last night’s phone conversations popped to mind. Four hours.

What had he done?

Clothes rustled behind him. Darell jerked around. Kaitlan stood inside the door, hands to her mouth, face ashen.

“Three?” She looked about to throw up. “You’d better start making calls.”

Defensiveness chafed him. Darell growled in his throat. “You and Margaret, refusing to trust me.” He made a face. “Get out of here, I’ve got work to do—for you.”

Turning his back on her, he snatched up the phone.

fifty

Craig was coming—at three?

Margaret leaned both hands on the kitchen sink. Lord, help us.

Kaitlan hovered nearby, her forehead crisscrossed with lines. Desperation rolled off her in waves. “I don’t think he even realized what he did until he hung up.”

Margaret wrung out the sponge and threw it down. She should have stood her ground with D. and made him stop.

“Please tell me he can do this.” Kaitlan’s eyes glimmered. She touched her bruised cheek as if it were a mere token of what Craig would do to her if the plan failed.

Reality squeezed Margaret’s lungs. This had to work for Kaitlan’s sake. Not another lick of energy, not another second could be spent on worrying or last-minute changes. It was too late. D. would need all the help she could give to make it work.

Margaret placed her hands on Kaitlan’s shoulders, willing the fright from her voice. “Of course he can.” She pulled back and took a deep breath. “I’ll go see what I can do to help. You should get dressed.”

She bustled from the kitchen.

In the office D. was hanging up the phone. He turned at the sound of her footsteps. “Pete will be here within an hour.”