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"Good. A police department doesn't need a man like that."
Ski locked gazes with him and, in a steely voice, said, "You're right. It needs a thousand." He let that sink in, then said, "Excuse me."
By the time he rejoined Caroline and Berry, Dodge was also walking toward them. Ski could tell by his expression that he had acquired new information. "What?"
Dodge glanced warily at the women. Caroline said, "Don't spare us weakhearted females, Dodge. What did you learn?"
He took a final drag on his cigarette and flicked it into the gutter. "That officer was one of the first responders. Talkative guy." He looked at Berry and asked a question that seemed out of context. "Did Sally Buckland have any boyfriends?"
"Not that I know of. Another man wasn't the reason she rejected Oren. Why?"
"Because this cop told me that the only thing on her body was one piece of jewelry. A silver link bracelet."
Berry's face drained of color. "With a heart-shaped charm."
Dodge looked hard at her, then at Ski, who answered his silent query. "Starks gave Berry a bracelet like that."
He didn't expand on it. He didn't need to. They all realized the significance of the bracelet. Oren Starks was fixated on two women to whom he'd given identical pieces of jewelry. Both had rejected him. One was dead.
"By the way, Berry, you called it," Dodge said. "You were afraid for her. I'm sorry I read it wrong."
"Same goes for me," Ski said.
"Neither of you could have saved her," she said sadly. "She was long dead before Oren used her cell phone to call me."
Before more could be said, Caroline intervened.
"Berry needs to be put to bed. What hotel have you booked us into, Ski?"
"A Sheraton only a couple of miles from Delray. Busy hotel. I wanted you where there'd be a lot of people."
Caroline placed her arm around Berry's waist and guided her toward her car. The men fell into step behind them.
"I'll lead you there, but stay close," Ski said to Dodge, who would be driving Caroline's car.
"Put your cherry on the roof. That'll make you easy to follow."
"I don't want to be followed." Ski hitched his chin.
Dodge looked in the indicated direction and saw what Ski had: a TV news van trying to nudge its way between the emergency vehicles.
CHAPTER
20
CAROLINE HADN'T EXPECTED SKI TO ACCOMPANY THEM TO the hotel, but she was glad that he did. She was so fatigued she could barely put one foot in front of the other. Berry looked ready to drop. Ski's authority cut through the tedious process of checking in. Once he introduced himself to the manager, the man personally escorted them to their rooms, where he assured Ski that Berry would be safe.
"They're checked in as 'special guests,' Deputy Nyland. No names."
"If someone finds her here, media included, media especially, I'll know where the tip came from." The message was subtle but effective.
The man quailed and became even more anxious to please. He filled the ice bucket in each of the connecting rooms and readjusted the thermostats to suit them. Noticing the pack of cigarettes in Dodge's breast pocket, he said tentatively, "These are nonsmoking rooms."
Dodge gave him a drop-dead look and deliberately removed his jacket so the man could see that he was armed. Quickly the hotelier wished them a good night and scuttled out.
Berry actually jumped when her cell phone rang. All of them tensed as she read the caller ID. "It's not him," she said, her shoulders slumping with relief. "But I need to take the call. Excuse me." She went into the bathroom for privacy. Caroline noticed that Ski stared hard at the closed bathroom door for several moments before turning away.
With each passing hour since Berry had been told about Davis Coldare, Caroline had watched her becoming more withdrawn. On the drive down to Houston, she'd been unusually quiet and contained.
