After Midnight (19 page)

Sam felt like he was finally on the downhill side of his recovery. Physical therapy had, as usual, been brutal. But he had been able to finish all the exercises with only a bearable amount of pain. The jump from Kate’s bathroom window and his subsequent sweep of the building had set him back a couple of days. So it was good to feel like he was moving forward again.

He checked his messages as soon as he picked up his gym bag. As always, when he saw it was from Kate, he smiled even before hearing her voice. She sounded excited, and her enthusiasm was infectious. Sam knew how much this meant to her, but it would mean even more to them because if she got in solid with the local productions, she would be less likely to leave.

He didn’t want to interrupt her audition, so he sent her a happy-face text, then pocketed his phone. He felt a twinge of alarm that she was driving around without an escort, but she couldn’t possibly be in danger since no one but he knew she was alone.

Jim was in his office, and Sam plopped down on the chair across from the detective. “So what’s new?”

“For someone on medical leave you’re sure keeping me busy on this,” Jim complained good-naturedly.

“Yeah, well, what else would you be doing? This isn’t Chicago.”

“Denver doesn’t have many murders, but I have plenty of other cases that need my attention.” He waved toward an “in” basket that was piled high with folders.

“So solve this one and you can get on with all those stolen bikes and identity thefts.”

Jim took the folder out of his drawer and flipped through it. “Still no sign of her car, but I heard she bought Carl’s Jeep.”

“It was a good deal.”

“I heard you juiced the pot a little.”

“That better not ever get back to her. She didn’t have a lot of cash to deal with, and I wanted her to be able to afford a safe car.”

“My lips are sealed.” Jim flipped another page. “No hits on the pipe bomb. Whoever built it wore gloves and used generic parts that could have been bought in any hardware store.”

“I expected that. The Internet has turned everyone into instant terrorists.”

“The arson report doesn’t have any surprises, either. It was Miss Scarlett with the pipe bomb in the living room.”

“If only it
was
a game. This guy’s getting sloppy, but still we can’t find him. Dozens of people could have been killed in that fire, including Kate and me. If we had been in the living room, we would have been cremated.”

“Trust you to be in the bedroom.”

“Safest room in the house.” Sam smiled. “And the most fun.”

“I already told you that everyone we could track down has been cleared. I guess we’re going to have to contact her father and see if he has any ideas.”

“She’s going to hate that.” Sam didn’t want to be the one to break that news to her.

“She’s going to hate getting killed more.”

There was a knock on the door and Jim waved Sherry, the crime lab technician, into the room.

“I knew you were in a hurry for this. We just got the results, but it’s probably not going to be very helpful.” Sherry started to hand the file to Jim, but Sam intercepted it.

“Thanks, Sherry.” Already, Sam was focused on the report in front of him.

“As would be expected with money, there were dozens of fingerprints on the bill,” Sherry went on to explain to Jim, who did not have the benefit of the report. “Jameel or whatever his real name was had some very clear prints and, of course, there were Kate’s. Then a couple of others who weren’t in our file.”

Sam was skimming the report and half listening to her.

“Then there was one more that was kind of odd.”

Sam and Jim both turned to stare at Sherry.

“You know that guy who went on the ride-along with you? You know, the one who has had more than his fifteen minutes of fame?”

“Brian?”

“Yes, that reporter guy. We got one complete and a couple of partials that matched him perfectly. He was in the military, the marines, I think, and it came up in their database.”

“Brian?” Sam repeated, his brain spinning with this new and disturbing information.

“Did he touch the bill that night?” Jim asked.

“Not unless he reached inside Kate’s bra, and that didn’t happen while I was awake.” Sam stood so abruptly that the file fell off his lap and onto the floor. “She’s with him!” he exclaimed.

“With Brian?” Jim asked.

“She’s meeting him for an audition. But where?” Sam paced the small office. “She said it was for a production of
Les Miz
.”

“That would be at the Buell Theatre,” Sherry said. “I already have tickets.”

“Send backup,” Sam called over his shoulder to Jim as he ran from the room.

“You’re not on duty,” Jim tried to remind him, but Sam was already down the hall. Not waiting for the elevator, he burst through the stairwell door and ran down three flights of stairs to the lobby.

Brian! What an idiot!
Sam screamed at himself. He had been right in front of them all the time. But why Kate?

Scenes flashed through his mind in a frenzied jumble. Brian riding along, showing no interest in anything that had happened that night until they saw Kate and Jameel. Brian being so nervous. Brian showing up at the gas station after Kate’s accident. Brian dropping by after her car had been stolen. Brian trying to get her to leave town. Brian arriving at the fire only moments after it had started.

Sam gave himself a mental slap. For a guy who didn’t believe in coincidence, he had sure let a lot of coincidental events pass by.

Thinking back, Sam couldn’t imagine how Brian had orchestrated the shootings, especially since everything had been so crazy and confused that night. There was no way he could have known how it all would turn out. And why would he do such a thing?

When he had publicly been declared a hero, he had been above suspicion. No one ever doubts a hero.

The Mustang’s tires squealed as he peeled out of the police station parking lot. All he knew was he had to get to Kate before it was too late to stop a killer.

The theater parking garage was completely empty except for Brian’s white Toyota. Kate pulled into a spot next to it. With a last glance in the rearview mirror she freshened her lip gloss and combed her fingers through her hair. She wished she’d had time to change into more appropriate audition clothing, but then what did one wear to try out for the part of a peasant involved in a revolution in 1800s France?

The butterflies swirled faster. She took it as a good sign that there weren’t dozens of cars here, filled with people auditioning for the role. She got out of the car and walked toward the elevator banks.

Brian was waiting for her. He clicked the “up” button as she approached. “Hurry, he’s waiting for us.”

She quickened her step and when the elevator doors opened, she stepped in and Brian followed. He pushed the button for the fifth floor.

“He’s on level five?” she asked. She had been in the complex several times, and she thought all the offices were on lower levels.

“He set up a temporary area for the auditions.” Brian’s attention was focused on the numbers over the door as they lit to designate each floor. The elevator had to be one of the slowest on earth, which seemed to irritate him.

Kate felt the tiniest alarm bell go off in her head. Suddenly, the fact that there were no other cars in the parking garage wasn’t such a good sign. And the odd vibes she was getting from Brian were making her a little nervous.

“What’s the director’s name?” she asked in what she hoped was a calm voice.

“Who? Oh, the director. It’s Jason Jackson or Johnson or something.”

“I thought you were friends.”

“Not friends. Just
acquaintances.”

The next two floors groaned by while she tried to decide if she was just having pre-audition jitters or if Brian was acting strange.

The elevator jarred to a stop on the fifth floor and the doors opened. This part of the garage was enclosed by thick concrete that made up the floor of the sixth level. The side facing the theaters was covered by a glass archway and the sunlight poured in, blinding Kate with its brightness as she stepped out and stopped to look around. It took her a few seconds to adjust her vision and a few more to realize they were alone on the large, empty level and there wasn’t any sort of temporary structure in place.

She started to turn around when she heard the unmistakable slide of a semiautomatic pistol being cocked and felt something cold and hard push into her back.

“Just keep walking.” He pushed and she took a hesitant step. “Over there by the rail.”

“What are you doing, Brian?” It was clear there was no audition, but Kate couldn’t imagine why they were there or why Brian had a gun or…

Cold tingles shot through her nerve endings. It had always been Brian. She whirled around to face him.

“I thought we were friends,” she said, trying to stall for time while she thought of a plan.

Brian laughed. “You stupid bitch. Why didn’t you listen to me?”

“About what?”

“You should have left Denver. If you had left, it would have all been over.”

“What would have been over?”

“You’re the only one who could ruin it for me.”

She stared at him blankly.

“How much did he tell you?” Brian demanded.

“He, who?”

“Jameel, the dumb fuck. Who knew he’d crack up?”

Now she was truly confused. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He grabbed her wrist with surprising strength. “You’ve been screwing with me all along. You knew I hired you and Jameel that night. All these weeks, I’ve been waiting for you to tell the cops.”

Nothing could have shocked her more. She could try to convince him that Jameel hadn’t told her anything, but at this point, it wouldn’t really matter. The gun pressed into her stomach told her that this would end badly. How much she knew and how much he thought she knew was moot. For whatever reason, he was going to kill her, because he couldn’t afford to let her go.

“But why? Why did you hire us?” she prompted.

A look of genuine remorse twisted his features. “I just wanted a story,” he cried. “I got all the shit assignments. I thought if I could set up a great human-interest story about the way cops treat hookers, I could get noticed. I was hoping to turn it into a series. But I didn’t want to leave it to chance.”

“So you hired me and Jameel to have a confrontation with the police so you would get a story?” Kate was practically shouting. Now she was angry. “Are you crazy?”

He twisted her arm until she cried out. “I’m not crazy. I had it all planned out to the minute. I knew what time they took a break for coffee. I knew what time they would pass that corner. I knew I could goad him into stopping. I knew you and Jameel would play your parts and get me some good drama for my story. And it was going so good. Then that fucking Jameel pulled out a gun.”

He released her arm and massaged his temple as if he had a migraine. “I never meant for anyone to get killed. That wasn’t part of the plan at all.”

She glanced around, trying to see if there was anywhere to run to either escape or hide, but except for the elevator and an open staircase, there was nothing. If she tried to run down the stairs, he would have an easy shot, and he had already proven he was a skilled marksman. Her only hope was to keep him talking until he was distracted or lightning struck him dead, and right now she was praying for a thunderstorm.

“You saved Sam’s life and probably mine.”

“When his gun slid under the car, my instincts kicked in. Jesus, I thought I was through with killing when I left Iraq.” He rubbed his temples harder. “Then everyone said I was a hero. And I got my story…and more. All the awards and the Pulitzer nomination and the key to the city. I loved it. I couldn’t let anyone find out I had set it up.”

“No one has to find out.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? Everyone would find out. I would be a laughingstock. I would be fired. The newspaper would take a hit, and since they’re already fighting to stay alive, a scandal like this might kill them completely. Shit, I’d probably be charged with murder or fraud or God knows what. I’d probably go to jail. And even worse, it would all be on national news, and I would be ruined. Everything would be gone. The Pulitzer. The Press Club. The free meals.” For a second, his eyes softened. “All I’ve ever wanted was to be a great reporter. But, fuck, I like being a celebrity.”

“With Jameel dead, you had to get rid of me so I wouldn’t tell.”

He looked at her and shook his head sadly. “I like you. I didn’t want it to come to this. Why wouldn’t you just leave? If you had gone, I would have felt safe. I figured if you hadn’t told anyone by the time you left, you wouldn’t. But you wouldn’t take the hints.”

“The earrings? The pickup truck ramming me and my car getting stolen? Who was that, by the way? And do you even have a girlfriend?”

He shrugged. “A guy with a truck owed me a favor. It was easy enough to figure out your schedule. And, yes, the girlfriend is real. She just doesn’t live on that side of town.”

“So you were waiting for me at the station, knowing I’d stop.”

“The one thing I know well is human nature. You were so predictable.”

“Did you write the letter?”

“I thought they’d fire you. If you had no job and no friends and no car, I thought you’d go. But, no…like a bad case of the clap, you wouldn’t give up.”

“So you upped the ante?”

He glared at her, suddenly furious. “I waited until you came home that night. When I saw the lights go on in your apartment, I threw that pipe bomb through your window. But even that didn’t kill you!”

“I barely made it out! You almost killed a lot of people that night. Didn’t you think about them?”

“Fuckin’ losers. I was doing the citizens of Denver a favor by getting rid of the vermin.” He rubbed his forehead. “And now I’ve got charges for arson and attempted murder hanging over me.” He grabbed her wrist again and squeezed so tightly she was afraid her bones would break. “And it’s all because of you.” He frowned. “I’m not a killer. I didn’t want you to die. But shit, you wouldn’t leave.”

“If you kill me, you
will
be a killer. They’ll figure it out,” she insisted, trying not to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much pain he was causing her. She thought of Sam and how close they had been to long-term happiness. She loved him and she would never have a chance to tell him. She just hoped Brian stopped with her and didn’t go after Sam, but then as far as she knew, Brian didn’t know she and Sam were together. And she certainly wasn’t going to tell him.

“No, they won’t. You’re just another frustrated actress who couldn’t take any more rejection.” He glanced over the steel rails at the stone-covered plaza five stories below. “You’re going to jump to your death, here at the Performing Arts Complex where you couldn’t make it.” He looked back at her and smiled. “Don’t worry. I’ll write the article, and it’ll be so beautiful, it would make you cry. Everyone will be so sorry they never got to witness your talent onstage.”

He prodded her with the hard nose of the gun and twisted her arm, forcing her to take a step backward. She could feel the round top rail pressing against the small of her back—tall enough to keep a child from slipping over the edge, but not tall enough to stop her from being flipped over it. She could tell by the maniacal glint in his eyes that he wasn’t going to let her go. But she wasn’t going to go quietly.

She screamed bloody murder. It echoed under the glass dome that connected the parking garage to the theaters in the complex and through all the levels of the garage. And she kept screaming until he released her wrist and punched her so hard, she saw stars.

Blood filled her mouth and she spit it, with all the force she could muster, into his face. Probably not the smartest move, but it made her feel better.

“Going to make this difficult?” he growled, and his expression was truly terrifying. He shoved her, and her feet lifted off the ground. She felt herself teetering like a seesaw on the round rail. She started kicking and flailing. One hand grabbed a fistful of the front of his hoodie while her other hand tried to grab on to the rail or anything her fingers could find. Desperately, they wrapped around the top rail, but it was slick and too large for a tight grip. She knew she wouldn’t be able to hold on to it, but at least it steadied her.

He was much stronger and bigger than she was and easily avoided her arms and legs. He shook his head. “Such a waste. You really were a pretty good actress. But this is your last show.”

“Let her go, asshole!”

The loud male voice behind Brian startled them both. Brian glanced around, then quickly yanked Kate off the rail and pushed her in front of him. The gun that had been shoved in her stomach was now pressed against her temple.

“Sam,” Kate breathed, so relieved to see him, she could have cried, but also so afraid that he, too, would be killed.

“Let her go, you sick son of a bitch,” Sam repeated, his gaze cold and the gun in his hand steady.

“Why the fuck did you have to show up?” Brian seemed to be genuinely upset. He might be able to explain a suicidal actress, but how would he justify a dead cop, too?

Kate’s back was pressed against Brian’s chest, and she could feel his heart rate increase. What little she knew about desperation was that it would make him even more unstable and unpredictable. If he didn’t think he had anything more to lose, she and Sam would both be dead within minutes.

“Drop your gun or I’ll shoot her.” Brian’s voice was low and threatening. “I won’t hesitate, and I won’t miss.”

He and Sam stared at each other, but Brian was careful to keep his center mass and head hidden behind Kate. He knew Sam couldn’t and wouldn’t take a shot if there was a chance he’d hit her. Brian had no such reservations.

Kate saw the indecision in Sam’s eyes, and as he moved his hands and started to put his gun down, she cried, “Sam, don’t. He’ll kill us both.”

“Kate, I’m sorry,” Sam said, his expression as helpless as she felt.

Because she was pressed so tightly against Brian, she felt rather than saw when he swung his pistol away from her head and aimed it at Sam. She leaned forward and slammed her head backward into Brian’s face while shoving her shoulder against his arm as he fired.

Brian yelled in pain as blood spurted out of his nose. The bullet buried itself in the concrete overhang, sending a shower of concrete chunks crumbling down on Sam. He dodged, but a huge piece crashed on his right shoulder and drove him to the ground.

Brian turned his gun back on Kate.

“Bitch,” he muttered.

She felt the pistol’s hot nose pressed into her hair. He was holding her so tight, she couldn’t wrench away. Her only defense was to faint.

She let herself go completely limp, and the sudden shift in her weight threw him off-balance. He struggled to hold her, but she slipped through his grasp and onto the ground at his feet. Her eyes were closed when she heard a shot. Flinching, expecting to feel the pain of a bullet ripping through her flesh, she was surprised to feel nothing.

She opened her eyes and saw Sam, kneeling and holding his pistol in his left hand, aimed at Brian. She dared look up and saw Brian clutching his shoulder, his gun dangling from his limp fingers.

In the background she could hear the scream of sirens approaching. Several sirens coming fast. Brian glanced in their direction, and the gun clattered to the concrete.

Kate took advantage of his distraction and scrambled away, moving to Sam. There was a gaping wound in his right shoulder, pouring blood, but otherwise he appeared to be okay.

“The fucked-up plans of mice and men. Yeah, well, I didn’t plan this, either,” Brian said ruefully. He turned and, a little clumsily, climbed up on the rail.

“Get the hell down from there.” Sam stood and walked forward, his right arm tucked against his stomach and his left hand outstretched.

“No, man. All good stories have endings. I guess this is mine.”

“It doesn’t have to be this way.”

“Yes, it does. Tell them my obit’s saved on my computer.” With a jaunty salute, Brian turned and jumped.