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“Well, I can personally testify to her ham-fistedness.”
“A little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing. That seems especially true when you’re dealing with a serial killer.”
Trey picked up a palm-size remote and used it to cycle through scores of photos taken at Jackie’s murder scene. “There’s a ritualistic aspect to our killer, one that seems to involve deliberation and planning. But he’s also a skilled improvisor. He’s shown a willingness to kill to cover his tracks, especially when our investigation identifies someone who might be able to point the way toward him.”
Kendra turned from the photos. “Again, a law-enforcement agent or someone else intimately familiar with our investigation would know who those people are.”
Trey shook his head. “I’m still not buying it.”
She backed toward the door. “Just…think about it. Okay?”
“No, it’s not okay. Good night, Kendra,” he said coldly.
Give it up.She left his office.
***
Tricia wasn’t with Olivia when they got back to her condo.
Olivia shrugged. “Don’t blame me. I was ready to help any way I could. But I struck out. She stayed with me for about twenty minutes, but she didn’t say more than a few words. Then she said she was going to your place to rest. I didn’t try to stop her. It was evident that she was upset, but I wasn’t the one she wanted to talk to.” She turned to Lynch. “What was her reaction when you first told her?”
“Shocked, angry, then she closed up and I couldn’t tell what she was feeling. I tried to reassure her, but she just politely said she knew I’d do everything possible, and she was quiet for the rest of the drive back here. I was hoping she’d confide in you, Olivia.”
“Well, she obviously didn’t,” Kendra said. “And I was too busy trying to help bulldoze Griffin to be here when she needed me. Hell, I should have been the one to tell her in the first place.” She turned toward the door. “I’ll see you both later. I’m going to go up and see if I can do anything.”
Lynch took a step forward. “Do you want me to—”
“No, you’ve had your turn.” She said over her shoulder, “And I’m sure you were your usual persuasive self. It’s nothing you did wrong; she’s just gone through too much. She probably won’t listen to me, either.”
But she had to try, Kendra thought, as she took the elevator up to her condo. She had to find out if there was something she could do to help Tricia get over the fear she must be feeling. If she could keep her from closing down as she had when Lynch had first told her about Milo and his rifle.
Then she was unlocking her front door and going into the foyer. “Tricia?” she called as she slammed the door. “I’m home. Is there anything that I can—”
“What are you shouting about?” Tricia came out of the kitchen sipping her favorite green vegetable drink. “Have you eaten yet? I could make us grilled cheese sandwiches.”
“Are you okay?” But Kendra could see that the question was unnecessary. Tricia was in her tie-dyed lime-green PJs and matching furry slippers, and the trauma and edginess Kendra had expected was entirely missing from her expression. She looked almost serene. “We were worried about you.”
“You’re always worried about me,” Tricia said flippantly. “So is Olivia, but she hides it better. You don’t even try.”
“Because it’s my job to worry about you,” Kendra said lightly. “I’ve got the right to probe and be a pain in the ass. But you don’t have the right to make fun of me this time. It was reasonable for me to think you might be upset. Lynch said you were shocked and angry and then you shut down.”
“All very true,” she said as she sat down on the couch and tucked her feet beneath her. “Lynch was incredibly perceptive and understanding, but I’m sure those razor-sharp eyes noticed every emotion I was trying so desperately to hide. The only way I could protect myself until I could pull myself together was to withdraw inside.” She took another sip of her drink. “You should understand that maneuver, I’ve seen you do it yourself when you wanted to avoid confronting something unpleasant.”
“Really?”
She nodded. “Not very often. Usually you meet everything head-on, you only withdraw when you’re trying to keep from telling someone to go to hell.”
Kendra chuckled. “I didn’t realize I was that obvious. I know I’m not very good at it.”
Tricia grinned back at her. “Takes one to know one. I’ve been hiding for a long time.” Her smile ebbed and then was gone. “I needed to use it this time. It was a bad moment for me. It wasn’t only that I knew he was planning on killing me, but he would have shot Harley, too, just for the hell of it. You actually talked to that son of a bitch. That’s not good. He’s reaching out to you.” She shivered. “It brought back that time when he ran you down in that car and I thought he’d killed you. I hoped nothing like that would ever happen to you again. But it sounds as if what you did is causing him to zero in on you. Perhaps if I’d leave you, he’d forget about you.”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Kendra said dryly. “He has a long memory. We have to hold on until we can catch him and put him away. In the meantime, we just have to keep you safe. Lynch told you that we’ve taken steps to make certain that Milo can’t get that close to you again.”
She nodded. “And I believe that you’re doing everything possible.” Her voice lowered until it was almost a whisper. “But I don’t know how long I can take knowing that he’s out there waiting. It’s been too long. One way or another I’ve been his victim since I was a kid in high school. I need todosomething.”
Kendra reached out and took her hand. “You have been doing something. You didn’t let him beat you, and you’ve become a remarkable human being. You’ve never been his victim. I don’t know anyone who could do more.”
“All I’ve been doing lately is marking time and relying on you and Lynch and Olivia. It’s not enough.” She held up her hand. “But I’m not going to turn rebel right now. I have an important swim meet at Long Beach next Saturday, and I have to clear my mind of everything but that until it’s over. Besides, I don’t want to get in your way when you’re going full-scale after Milo. So just tell me what progress you’ve made. Lynch said that Metcalf gave you a couple of names of agents who might have helped Milo. That sounded promising.”
