Justifiable (34 page)

If WNUZ cut him loose right now his credibility would plummet faster than the stock market in the Great Depression. And Lehman would put the screws to him with the other stations. He’d leak rumors that would prevent Riley from selling any story, because a station was only as good as the reputation of the people on their news desks.

His cell phone chimed as the doors opened for the elevator. Riley backed away to take the call rather than lose it in the car. “Walker.”

“Is Pia okay?”

The killer? “Seems to be. Still groggy. What about Enrique? Is he okay?”  Riley forced himself to maintain a slow conversation in an even tone in spite of the adrenaline that jacked through him every time this guy called. The key was to not lose this connection. One set of J. T.’s technicians would be listening in and another group would be racing to triangulate the call.

“Enrique is in good hands.”

Riley hated the cryptic way this guy talked. “What do you want now?”

“The news stations are making the sinners out to be victims. They slander me for helping a child. Their vile reports mock repentance and death.”

Guess throwing one body in a Dumpster or staking another one to a cemetery headstone didn’t count as mocking the dead. Riley stepped further away from the elevators when one car belched out a wad of people.

The security guard cast a suspicious look in Riley’s direction.

Riley kept his voice low. “I have no control over what any of the news stations report.” 

“I will not tolerate you sharing what I tell you with any of them or the police.”

Unless you want a body picked up.

The caller continued. “We have a duty, you and I. I’ll let you know when it’s time to inform the people.”

“Got it.”  Riley would say anything to keep this guy calm and on the line. He searched for a way to keep an open dialogue. “So you’ve been calling me because I’m a reporter?” 

“Not just any reporter, but the one who faced Satan and won. You taught Detroit to be vigilant and protect their children.”

Riley nearly sank to his knees. His mouth turned raw as an open wound. This bastard had chosen him
because
of Detroit?

The killer’s voice picked up volume and strength like a Sunday morning television evangelist. “
You
forced Satan from Detroit. Together, we can do this in Philly, too, but only if you do not fail me.”

Riley blinked away the haze of shock and disbelief and found his voice before this guy thought he wasn’t listening. “If you want to protect the innocent, why give me Pia and not Enrique?”

“Pia needed asthma medicine.”

So this guy knew specific details about the children he nabbed. “But what about Enrique? Is he still...alive?”

“Of course, he’s alive.” 

Hearing that gave Riley a surge of faith he’d find this child.

“He has to be alive. We all must sacrifice in the war against evil. I have plans for him tomorrow.” 

“What plans? What’s tomorrow?” Riley yelled. “He’s a kid, don’t hurt him – ”

The call ended.

He couldn’t speak until he caught his breath and his heart stopped beating like a war drum. Riley punched J. T.’s number and started in on him as soon as the detective answered. “You get that bastard on this call?”

“Hold on.”  J. T. barked out orders at someone for a report. A muffled exchange followed then J. T. cursed as he came back on the line. “Got an area, but not a specific location. I’m betting even if we do nail down a location that we’ll just find another prepaid cell phone wiped clean of prints and tossed away.”

Fuck. “What part of town was it in?”

“Close to City Hall. Sounds like he’s pissed off at the news stations. Doesn’t like being criticized for brutal killings and abducting a little girl then leaving her in a car.”

“I caught that.”  Riley watched for an elevator, saw one empty and jumped on, closing the doors before anyone joined him.

“Enrique might or might not be alive – ”

“He
is
alive.”  Riley didn’t want to hear statistics on how children missing for more than twenty-fours hours were rarely found alive.

“Okay, fine, but this guy is getting agitated. Sounds like he plans to use Enrique to make a statement.”

All Riley could picture was the corner of that Diego blanket covered in blood. Would this maniac spill a child’s blood to fulfill some duty he imagined had been decreed by God?

Based on the gruesome killings so far – yes.

“I’m telling you J. T., too many things point back to that church.”

“I’m not disagreeing. My men are running down every possible lead, including a background check on the vic from this morning. In the meantime, I don’t have to worry about you leaking anything now, do I?”

“You never did. Think I’d risk a killer snapping and using that kid to prove his point?”  Riley didn’t give J. T. a chance to answer that question as he exited the elevator on Lehman’s floor. He tried for a quick shot at information. “So you got a full ID on Pia, huh?” 

“Little bit. Not much. Talk to you later.”

Riley figured that question would get J. T. off the phone.

Didn’t matter. He’d found out Pia’s father’s name and Biddy would check on it...once he got his wife back home. Or maybe Baby G or Romeo would come through.

Lehman’s receptionist said Lehman was expecting Riley, and to go on in. He stepped into the office that spread across three hundred square feet, with a sofa and two comfy chairs in a more personal sitting area where coffee was usually served.

Lehman turned around from hanging up his phone and pointed at one of the two office chairs facing his desk.

Guess that meant no coffee. Riley sat down and propped his elbows on the chair arms, lacing his fingers at his chest.

“Our ratings are sinking faster than a lead weight,” Lehman started. “The other stations have scooped us on every one of these killings. The board is livid after watching every station in the city – but us – covering you with that kid at the hospital. It’s clear you have an inside track on these killings.”

Riley didn’t agree or disagree. He still couldn’t see where Lehman was headed, but so far the GM had laid out plenty of reason to cut him loose. Or to bring him back. Riley thought about Biddy with his wife in the hospital and mentally crossed his fingers, but kept his body and face calm and unmoved.

“I don’t know what game you’re playing, Walker, but if you’re trying to make the board come to you with a deal, it’s working. They’ve authorized me to offer you a permanent contract. Two-year deal.”

Now this was an interesting turn of events. Riley had wondered if his absence from the anchor chair and the subsequent crash in ratings might make the board think twice, but honestly, that had been a result of the other stations getting scoops that Riley had but couldn’t use. His presence on camera—or the lack thereof—likely hadn’t made a dime’s worth of difference.

Who would have thought the crash in ratings would work in his favor? Riley could see the possibility of negotiating a sweet deal for him and Biddy both.

But Lehman hadn’t delivered the punch line yet.

“I’m listening.”  Riley kept a blank face.

“If you can wrap up an exclusive on these killings, something no other station has, we’ll work out the rest of the details.”

Riley couldn’t believe how calm Lehman was being about having to tuck his tail to make this offer. This might work once the case was solved, but if Riley delivered what the board wanted now he’d go back on his word to J. T., Biddy and Kirsten. Worse, if he stepped behind a camera at the anchor desk he’d jeopardize Enrique for sure after that conversation with the killer.

“I’ll think about it.”  Riley pushed himself up.

Lehman’s eyes gave him away before the smile. “You’ve got until tomorrow at noon to make up your mind. Their offer is contingent on you coming in then and delivering an exclusive story that will rock every station in town. If you can do it, the board will give you two years to rebuild ratings. If not, WNUZ’s crash will be laid at your feet alone. If that happens the only anchor position you’ll find will be in a town with one stop light.” 

Give the board of directors what they wanted to get his and Biddy’s job back so Biddy’s wife and baby had a fighting chance, or walk away and keep Enrique safe?

Either way, it came down to a child for a child.

Chapter 47

“Janeen?”  Lucinda walked in with the mail and dropped it on the counter in the kitchen. She couldn’t shake the bad feeling she’d had all day, not since this morning when Stan said he was planning a surprise.

She didn’t need a surprise. She needed her life to stabilize, to be able to believe in her husband again. But nothing would get better until she knew what was going on with Kelsey.

That’s why she’d spent the day at the library digging into books Dr. Ziegler had recommended on child abuse. She’d left angry and depressed, now more convinced than ever that someone had...
touched
her child. Most likely a male, based on what Dr. Ziegler had told her. But one thing the doctor had said kept playing over and over in Lucinda’s mind.

Child abuse perpetrators are too often someone the child trusts, a family member…their own parent
.

Lucinda grabbed her chest, sure that her heart was ripping in half. The only male who spent time alone with Kelsey was Stan.

Why now?
The question had been running through her brain until she’d read that not every pedophile fit a specific pattern. She took a couple of deep breaths to stave off the anxiety attack waiting to strike. She finally dropped her hand and pulled herself together, determined to stay calm when her head was a chaotic minefield. Every thought about Stan and Kelsey threatened to destroy her sanity. But she had no proof and would not condemn any man without it. Still, until she knew for sure one way or another, he was not going to be alone with Kelsey no matter what Lucinda had to do to prevent it.

She walked into the kitchen and tossed her keys on the built-in desk in an alcove they used as a small office center for the house. Her keys landed on a note. Janeen’s little boy had broken a tooth on the playground, but Janeen would be back in time to meet Kelsey’s bus.

Lucinda checked the time. The bus wouldn’t arrive for another ten minutes. She laughed at herself. Maybe her motherly premonition had been for Janeen’s little boy.

Of all the people Lucinda had tried out as a housekeeper, Janeen had proven to be the most competent and responsible. She’d been a Godsend in part because Kelsey loved her.

Lucinda hoped Kelsey would open up to Dr. Ziegler soon so the doctor could start piecing together what had happened.
Find out who hurt my child.
She clutched her stomach at the wave of nausea that rushed up her throat over Dr. Ziegler’s initial reaction. Ziegler believed Kelsey had experienced inappropriate contact and felt so strongly about it that she’d gained permission from Lucinda to contact Kelsey’s school to inquire about any reported problems or charges of misconduct.

The head of Kelsey’s exclusive private school had told Ziegler they reviewed the background of every teacher. All were above reproach and there had been no cases of inappropriate behavior reported or any hint of misconduct that would lead them to suspect a teacher.

That pointed back to one place. Home.

Lucinda sat down at the built-in desk off of the kitchen and dragged a hand through her hair. She loved Stan, but she was too strong a woman to give blind faith where Kelsey was concerned. She hit the button for the house phone voicemail and frowned when the ID came up for Kelsey’s school. They had Lucinda’s cell phone for any emergency.

“This is Miss Johnson. Mr. Myers forgot to take Kelsey’s homework when he picked her up this morning. Kelsey was a little upset so I didn’t think to check before she left. I realize she’s only missing a day, but I don’t want Kelsey to fall behind.”

Lucinda’s ears buzzed. She grabbed the edge of the desk to keep from losing her balance.
Dear God
.

Stan had taken Kelsey.

Chapter 48

Where were they?

Riley tapped the Tundra’s steering wheel, scanning the urban terrain for any sign of the marauding blackmailers. School had let out a couple of hours ago. Romeo and his bunch were usually here by five in the afternoon, regardless of temperatures dropping with the sun. They knew Riley’s truck and couldn’t miss it sitting next to the curb a stone’s throw from the pitted parking lot edged in weeds and fast food debris they called a basketball court.

If Riley didn’t figure out how to give WNUZ a story by noon tomorrow without putting Enrique at risk, hanging around long enough to sponsor this team would be a false promise. The least of his worries with Jasper’s eyesight failing. Riley couldn’t keep tabs on Jasper if he had to leave Philadelphia for a job in another state.

If
anyone would hire him after tomorrow.

Jasper’s disability payments didn’t cover squat. Riley had no other expertise to fall back on if he had to find a new way to make money to pay his and Jasper’s bills.