I'm Watching You (32 page)

Julia huffed out a sigh. „I suppose your guy does have a way with poetic justice. Well, anyway, take a look at this.“ She rolled the body slightly and pointed to a spot just above the back of Conti’s knee. „It’s faint and incomplete, but better than nothing.“

Abe leaned closer to see, his pulse quickening. „A partial thumbprint.“

Mia met his eyes, hers gleaming. „In Conti’s blood. Nicely done, Julia.“

„The body’s lividity indicates the killer rolled Conti on his side shortly after his death. The blood still would have been wet.“

„He didn’t wear gloves,“ Mia murmured.

Abe felt a spark of excited hope. „He got so carried away he made a mistake.“

„Yeah,“ Julia said with satisfaction. „For the severity of the beating, there was very little blood on the body. He must have known he’d screwed up and tried to clean him off afterward. But after laying Conti on his side, the body contracted up in rigor and this spot behind the knee would have been hidden. He missed it.“

Abe whistled. „We’re lucky the print wasn’t blurred from the leg rubbing against it.“

„That you are. I called Jack to help with the print. He should be here any minute.“

„It’s only a partial,“ Mia cautioned. „We shouldn’t get our hopes up.“

„We won’t.“ Abe took another look at the partial print. „But he’s made a mistake. He’ll make others and that’s how we’ll find him.“

Julia pulled off her gloves. „Good. I want this thing over, for all of our sakes, but especially for Kristen’s. I heard about what happened last night. How is she?“

„Kristen,“ Mia said archly with a side look at Abe.

„seemed fine when I left her. But then
I
didn’t stay all night.“

Julia looked amused. „But you slept on the couch, right, Abe?“

Abe rolled his eyes. „Yes, I did, actually. It’s a very uncomfortable foldout.“ He had, actually. She’d fallen asleep in his arms as he sat on the edge of her bed. He’d stayed there next to her for a long while, watching her take deep even breaths, wondering if his sudden and intense interest was due to the fact she was the first woman he’d met after a six-year dearth or if he secretly did compare her to Debra. He’d concluded neither was the case, that he was simply acting on the desire of a healthy red-blooded man for a beautiful, intelligent, sensitive woman. Then he’d retired to the relative discomfort of the foldout couch where he’d lain awake well into the night cursing the fact that he was a healthy red-blooded man with a beautiful, intelligent, sexy-as-hell woman in the next room. Stopping after a few morning kisses was one of the hardest things he’d ever done.

„Foldouts usually are,“ Julia commented dryly. Then she looked up when the door opened, her face changing from amusement to awareness. „Jack.“

Jack closed the door behind him. „Your message said it was urgent“

„It is.“ Abe pulled on his jacket. „Take care with it, Jack. It’s our best lead so far.“

Monday, February 23,

2:30 P.M.

Taking care of business was less messy when he kept his head. There was a lot less cleanup required when the only mark on the body was a neat bullet hole in the forehead. The exit wound in the back of the head was a bit of a chore, but the best things in life were rarely the easiest. At least it was easier than it had been with Conti. He still shuddered at the thought of washing the body. Repugnant it had been.
Even for me
.

But enough about Angelo Conti. He’d moved on to Arthur Monroe now, the put-upon pedophile that society had failed. He’d chosen Arthur Monroe’s final resting place with ironic care. The liberal bleeding-heart judge who had taken more pity on the offender than his five-year-old victim owned a small dry-cleaning business north of the city. It would serve as both a dumping ground for Monroe and a warning to the judge.

He pulled his van into the narrow access road behind the dry cleaners. The van sported a new sign that was a fine imitation of the one used by Chicago’s Department of Water Management. It, like the electrical contractor sign, made a fine cover for digging a trench. Nobody would give a second thought to seeing a utility vehicle on the street.

And nobody did. It was almost anticlimactic, he thought as he got back in his van to drive away. Nobody challenged him, nobody said, „Hey, fella, what are you doing?“

But then again, it was better that way. His reward would come when the world found out that yet another repellent menace was off the streets.

Back to work now. Back to the fishbowl tonight. It was good to have a hobby.

Monday, February 23,

3:45 P.M.

„Kristen?“

She looked up at the sound of Greg’s voice to find him standing in the doorway to her office, looking miserable.

She might have said he looked as miserable as she felt, but the human face was not capable of that kind of expression. She looked back down, concentrating on the files she was collecting, forcing her voice to be steady. „I’m almost finished, Greg. I’ll be ready to get these cases to you in about an hour.“

He sighed heavily. „You know that’s not why I’m here.“ He came into her office, shutting the door. „I’m sorry this happened. I’m sorry it had to be you. I’m sorry it had to be me.“

She looked up and met his kind eyes. „I know. I’m not upset at you, Greg. Really.“

He flopped into the chair across from her desk. „This isn’t fair. It isn’t right. But then this whole past week hasn’t been fair or right. Are you okay, Kristen? Physically?“

Her hands stilled on the file folders. „I’m fine, Greg.“

„That’s what you always say,“ he said bitterly. „We were afraid this would happen, Lois and I. That’s why we wanted you to come stay with one of us.“

„And have intruders with guns in your home, endangering your families? I don’t think so.“

He grimaced as her words hit home, then pounded his fist against his knee. „Dammit, somebody needs to be there for you. You shouldn’t go through this all alone.“

I’m not
. The thought echoed in her mind, easing some of the tension from her shoulders. For however long it lasted, Abe Reagan was there. She still wasn’t completely sure why, but at this point it was enough to know he would come when she called. „I’m fine, Greg,“ she said more firmly. „I have police protection, a home alarm – “

„Both of which served you well last night,“ he said sarcastically.

She conceded his point with a nod, not letting herself think about how vulnerable she really was. „I’m considering a dog.“

He looked unappeased. „A big one?“

„A nasty one with three heads. I’ll name him Cerberus.“

Greg frowned, then relaxed a little. „You’ll get one soon?“

„Maybe tomorrow.“

A knock interrupted them and Lois stuck her head in. „Kristen, you have a visitor.“

Kristen’s smile dimmed. „Refer them to John. I’m on vacation.“

Lois shook her head. „Personal.“ She opened the door wider and Owen’s face appeared, followed by the rest of him. He held a brown paper bag that smelled wonderful.

„You didn’t come by for lunch,“ he said reproachfully and Greg stood up.

„Dog, tomorrow?“ Greg urged.

„Promise.“ Greg left and Owen entered, frowning at the box on her desk.

„What is this?“

Kristen waved a careless hand. „Oh, I’m just cleaning up a few files.“

„Why did that man say ‘dog, tomorrow’?“

„I’m getting a dog,“ she said lightly. „What’s inside the bag?“

„Soup and a Reuben. I didn’t think you liked dogs. That blind guy came into the diner one day with a Seeing Eye dog and you sneezed your way into next week.“

„Pie?“ she asked, hoping she could redirect Owen with talk of food.

„Dutch apple, Vincent’s family recipe. Why are you getting a dog?“

Kristen opened the bag and sniffed appreciatively. „I’m starving. I didn’t have time for lunch.“ Truthfully, she’d been afraid to leave the office to get lunch, which added to the general annoyance hanging over the day.

He closed the bag just as she reached in. „Dog. Now. What happened?“

„Oh, I’m getting some annoying people at the house because of all this humble servant nonsense.“ She pasted a smile on her face to keep him from worrying. „I promised the guys I’d get a dog to scare them away.“

His eyes narrowed. „That’s all? Just annoying people?“

She nodded. „Totally annoying. So how’s the new fry cook?“

Owen scowled and gave her the bag. „He quit. Hired a new one, but he’s sorry, too. So why didn’t you come by the diner all weekend? You’re not on some fad diet, are you?“

Kristen chuckled. Between Reagan’s gyros and Italian food and his mother’s ham, she hadn’t eaten so well in years. „No. Actually I’m…“ She faltered. „I’m seeing someone.“ She shrugged when a delighted smile broke across Owen’s face. „He feeds me.“

„Excellent. Excellent news. And what’s his name?“

„Abe Reagan.“

Owen’s eyes narrowed again. „The detective on this murder case?“

„Yes.“ She took the lid off the bowl of soup. „Why?“

„I don’t know. Just seems dangerous.“

No more dangerous than my own life
, she thought.

Owen’s face softened. „He’s good to you?“

She thought of the night before, of this morning, of his patience and gentleness and felt her cheeks heat. „Yes. Yes, he is.“

„That’s good enough for me. Eat. I have to get back before Vincent kills the new cook.“

Kristen smiled at that. „Somehow I can’t see Vincent getting that mad ever.“

„You’d be surprised. Man has quite a temper.“

Kristen was genuinely astonished. „Vincent?“ A temper? And her mind wandered, for just a moment, considering. A stupid moment. There was no way Vincent could hurt another soul. But still, stranger things had happened.

„Hmm.“ Owen backed up to the door. „He lost twenty bucks on the Bulls’ game last night and actually said ‘darn.’ He was fit to be tied.“

He was teasing her, Kristen realized and she laughed at herself for the split second she’d imagined Vincent in the role of the humble servant. „You’re bad, Owen.“

He grinned. „I know.“ He opened the door, nearly stumbling over Lois.

„Kristen, you have another visitor.“ She looked half-amused and half-harried, and a second later Kristen knew why.

„Kristen!“ Rachel Reagan bounded into her office. „Ooh, food. Can I have some?“

Kristen laughed, the day suddenly sunnier. „Sure, but don’t touch the apple pie. It’s mine. Rachel, this is my friend Owen. Owen, this is Abe’s younger sister, Rachel.“

Rachel smiled up at him, a smile purely reserved to charm people she hadn’t yet finagled into doing her bidding. „Nice to meet you, sir.“

Owen tipped an imaginary hat. „And you. Kristen, I’ll see you soon.“

„Thanks, Owen.“ Kristen smiled at Lois who stood waiting. „The kid can stay.“

Rachel unwrapped the Reuben. „I am so hungry. I was talking to my teacher and missed lunch.“ She took a huge bite, and said between chews, „We were talking about you.“

„Me?“

Rachel nodded and swallowed. „Got anything to drink around here?“

Kristen handed her one of the bottles of water she kept in her desk drawer and Rachel gulped half a bottle before continuing. „Thanks. She loved my interview with you. She wanted to know if you would come in to talk to my class.“ She angled her head slyly. „Please?“

Kristen frowned at her because it seemed like the right thing to do. „Does your mother know you’re here?“

„Kind of. I told her I was going to a friend’s house after school. You said you practically live here, you work so many hours, so I wasn’t exactly lying.“

Kristen swallowed her smile and gave Rachel a stern look. „You weren’t exactly telling the truth either. How did you get down here anyway?“

„I came on the El.“ She looked annoyed. „I’m not stupid, Kristen. I can get downtown.“

But there were a lot of seedy places between Rachel’s neighborhood and the El stop for the ASA’s offices. Kristen shuddered at the thought of a thirteen-year-old roaming the streets by herself. „Rachel, your parents don’t let you walk around town all by yourself, do they?“

Rachel’s eyes dropped to the sandwich on her lap and Kristen realized she’d seen that same expression on Abe’s face – the morning they’d found the first body and he’d been so angry that she’d put cops on the suspect list. She’d rebuked him and he’d been embarrassed. Now, Rachel wagged her dark head. „No. I’ll probably get grounded again.“ She looked up, a gleam in her blue eyes. Abe’s eyes. And in Abe’s Kristen had seen that same gleam. „Unless you don’t tell on me.“

Kristen had to chuckle. „Actually, what’s going to happen is that I’m going to see you home and your parents will wonder why I’m with you. Then you’ll tell them yourself. You didn’t think I’d let you waltz out of here alone, did you? It’s going to be dark soon.“

Rachel’s pretty mouth pushed up in a frown. „I didn’t think about that.“

Kristen lifted a brow. „You’d better be thinking three steps ahead of everyone if you want to be a prosecutor. You have to determine all the possible outcomes and plan for each one.“

Rachel perked back up. „So will you come to my school? Please?“ She pressed her clasped hands to her heart. „I promise not to come see you alone on the El ever again.“

„I notice you didn’t promise not to take the El alone ever again,“ Kristen responded wryly and Rachel just grinned. Kristen looked at the files on her desk. They were Greg’s problem now. She was on an „overdue vacation.“

„Why not? My calendar has suddenly been freed.“

With a confident look that said she’d never really expected any other outcome, Rachel sat back and took another bite. „Extra credit, here I come.“

Kristen looked at the young girl fondly. „Don’t talk with your mouth full, Rachel.“

Monday, February 23,

5:00 p.m.

Jacob Conti sat back in his chair, brooding. „So what do you know?“

Drake shot him a concerned look. „She’s squeaky clean, Jacob. The woman hasn’t had so much as a parking ticket. She seems to be the impossible. An honest lawyer.“