“You’ve really gotten tangled up,” she said after I did my best to describe where I was.
“Oh, God,” I said, groaning.
“Well, it’s really not that far. The problem is it’s complicated getting from where you are to here.” she paused, then decided, “I think the wise thing would be for you to stay put, Kay. Lock your doors and sit tight. Better if we come and you follow us. Fifteen minutes, right?”
Backing out, I parked closer to the road, turned on the radio, and waited. Minutes passed like hours. Not a single car went by. My headlights illuminated a white fence girdling a frosty pasture across the road. The moon was a pale sliver floating in the hazy darkness. I smoked several cigarettes, my eyes darting around. I wondered if it had been like this for the murdered couples. What it would be like to be forced barefoot and bound into the woods. They had to have known they were going to die. They had to have been terrified, what he would do to them first. I thought of my niece Lucy. I thought of my mother, my sister, my friends. Fearing for the pain and death of one you loved would be worse than fearing for your own life. I watched as headlights grew brighter far down the dark, narrow road.
A car I did not recognize turned in and stopped far from mine. When I caught a glimpse of the driver’s profile, adrenaline rushed through my blood like electricity.
Mark James climbed out of what I assumed was a rental car. I rolled down the window and stared at him, too shocked to speak
“Hello, Kay.”
Wesley had said this was not a good night, had tried to talk me out of it, and now I understood why. Mark was visiting. Perhaps Connie had asked Mark to meet me, or he had volunteered. I could not imagine my reaction had I walked through Wesley’s front door and found Mark sitting in the living room.
“It’s a maze to Benton’s house from here,” Mark said. “I suggest you leave your car. It will be safe. I’ll drive you back later so you won’t have a problem finding your way.”
Wordlessly, I parked closer to the store, then got in his car.
“How are you?” he asked quietly.
“Fine.”
“And your family? How’s Lucy?”
Lucy still asked about him. I never knew what to say. “Fine,” I said again.
As I looked at his face, his strong hands on the wheel, every contour, line, and vein familiar and wonderful to me, my heart ached with emotion. I hated and loved him at the same time.
“Work’s all right?”
“Please stop being so goddam polite, Mark.”
“Would you rather I be rude like you?”
“I’m not being rude.”
“What the hell do you want me to say?” I replied with silence.
He turned on the radio and we drove deeper into the night.
“I know this is awkward, Kay.”
He stared straight ahead. “I’m sorry. Benton suggested I meet you.”
“That was very thoughtful of him,” I said sadistically “I didn’t mean it like that. I would have insisted hat;; he not asked. You had no reason to think I might here.”
We rounded a sharp bend and turned into Wesley’s subdivision.
As we pulled into Wesley’s driveway, Mark said, “I guess I’d better warn you that Benton’s not in a very good mood.”
“I’m not either,” I replied coldly.
A fire burned in the living room, and Wesley sitting near the hearth, a briefcase open and resting against the leg of his chair, a drink on the table nearby He did not get up when I walked in, but nodded slight as Connie invited me to the couch. I sat on one end, Mark the other.
Connie left to get coffee, and I started in. “Mark, I know nothing of your involvement in all this.”
“There isn’t much to know. I was in Quantico for several days and am spending the night with Benton and Connie before returning to Denver tomorrow. I’m not involved in the investigation, not assigned to the case. “All right. But you’re aware of the cases.”