Neighborhood Watch (23 page)

“Covert?” Martin said, curling the corners of his lips up. She nodded. He looked at Kurosaka, but Kurosaka remained stone-faced.

“Are you sure she started right for home?” Lieutenant Kurosaka asked.

“Yes. I’m sure.”

The three sipped their teas.

“Because those security guards seem to think she was going around the development

trying to get signatures for some sort of petition,” he added.

“No, we weren’t ready for that yet,” Kristin said. “I’m afraid our security personnel are not . . .”

“What?” Kurosaka asked, sensing her hesitation.

“The most reliable source of information concerning Angela right now. In my opinion,”

she added quickly.

“Why not? They’re your own security people,” Martin said.

“We were making a formal complaint against them this coming Thursday at a special

hearing,” Kristin said, and explained the circumstances.

“I see,” Kurosaka said. “And it was these two?”

“Yes. Do you think they’re right: someone came over the lake?”

“I just recently moved here,” Kurosaka said. “I’m not that familiar with the territory.

Carey?”

“Sure it’s possible,” Detective Martin said. “It’s a good fishing spot,” he added. “Fished there myself. Always envied the people who lived here,” he added.

“Not tonight, I bet,” Kristin said. He shrugged.

“Bad things happen to people everywhere, Mrs. Morris.”

“All right. You’ve been very helpful,” Kurosaka quickly said, gazing reproachfully at Detective Martin. “We’ll stop by tomorrow morning.” He looked at Martin again. “We’d better head over to the hospital.”

“Right.” Martin gulped the rest of his tea and stood up.

“Thank you for your kindness,” Kurosaka said with a slight nod after he rose.

“You’re welcome,” Kristin said. She walked them to the door.

“Is this sort of thing happening more often around here now?” she asked, still

uncomfortable with Detective Martin’s comment.

“Detective Martin is right. It’s happening everywhere, Mrs. Morris,” Kurosaka said.

“Only . . .” He paused and eyed Martin again.

“Yes?”

“Not as much in developments as secured as this,” he added.

As soon as she closed the door behind them, the phone rang. She hurried to answer it before it woke the children.

“Hello.”

“How’s it going?” Teddy asked.

“The children are all asleep. The police just left.”

“Oh, they came to talk to you now?”

“They were very nice and wanted me to tell them what I could while my memory was

still fresh. I’m not sleeping anyway. Teddy, how is she?”

“She’s in a coma, honey. She was hit really hard. It’s too early to tell how bad it’s going to be.”

“Oh, God, Ted.”

“Steven’s pretty bad. The doctor wants to give him a sedative, but he’s refusing. What about the kids?”

“They’re all asleep on the living room floor.”

“I’ll be here a while yet, honey. The specialist has just arrived.”

“How could this have happened, Teddy?” She recalled Kurosaka’s last words. “And in

Emerald Lakes?”

“I don’t know.”

“Teddy,” she said, swallowing hard, “besides hitting her, what else did they . . .”

“She was raped, honey. But it probably happened after she was unconscious,” he added quickly.

“My God, Teddy. What animals.” She thought a moment. “He’s blaming me, isn’t he,

Teddy? Steven’s blaming me.”

“He hasn’t said anything like that, honey. If he’s blaming anyone, he’s blaming himself.”

“But . . .”

“Look,” Teddy said sharply, “if we can’t walk safely through the streets of Emerald Lakes at night, where can we walk safely? There’s no one to blame but the freak who did this. Hopefully, the police will get this guy. I’ll call you again in about a half hour if we’re staying much longer. I’m going to try to talk Steven into going home after the specialist examines her so he can get some rest for the long haul ahead.”

“She’s going to be all right, isn’t she, Teddy? Isn’t she?” she asked when he didn’t respond.

“I don’t know,” he said and for the moment she hated that he was a doctor and that he was truthful. If there was a time she needed fantasy, it was now, she thought. “Hang in there,” he added and hung up.

Kristin knew she wouldn’t sleep until she passed out from exhaustion and she feared it; she feared the images that would be free to return, images like the smirks on Stark’s and Spier’s faces.

Was this a case of the fox guarding the henhouse? If so, what good was all this faith in security?

Security for whom? For those who obey, who make no waves only?

She wanted to drive out these thoughts, drive out these fears, drive out the picture of poor Angela on the ground in the rain. There was so much to fear after all, but most of all, she feared the sound of her own scream in the night.

Teddy and Steven didn’t return until a little after 3A .M. However, Teddy hadn’t called to let her know they would be staying that long. She fell asleep waiting and was asleep when they pulled into the driveway; but she woke up the moment she heard the front door open. She ground the sleep out of her eyes and stood up just as the two of them entered the living room.

Steven Del Marco was washed out, his face pale, his shoulders slumped. Teddy glanced at Kristin and shook his head. She felt her heart stop and then start with long, deep beats.

She bit down on her lower lip. He, too, had the look of a man who had experienced a face-to-face confrontation with the Grim Reaper.

“Teddy?” she said in a tiny, broken voice. Steven Del Marco raised his eyes slowly to look at her. They were so bloodshot they looked lined with rouge.

“The blow created too much internal pressure,” Teddy said softly. “Before they could operate . . . she never regained consciousness,” he concluded quickly.

Kristin felt her legs give out, so she leaned toward the sofa and folded her torso into it. It seemed as if all the oxygen in the air immediately around her had been sucked away and replaced with an intense heat. Her lungs filled with it to the point where she thought her chest would explode. She gasped and clutched her stomach, her face flushing with panic as well as sorrow. She was terrified she would have a miscarriage on the spot. Teddy came to her side and embraced her as quickly as he could.

“Easy, honey. Easy. Take some deep breaths.”

“Oh, God,” she said burying her face against his shoulder. The pain in her back whipped around and tightened over her kidneys. She took the deep breaths and it eased, but the throbbing in her head and in her lower spine remained.

Steven Del Marco moved like a zombie. He came into the living room, gazed down at

his two little boys and then fell to his knees beside them. Danny woke first, rubbed his eyes and started to sit up, the confusion moving through his face in waves. He gazed about, saw his father and, frightened by his kneeling and his expression, started to cry.

Anthony’s eyes opened. He sat up more quickly when he saw his father and his brother crying.

“Where’s Mommy?” he moaned.

Steven put his arms around both his boys and drew them to him, holding them as he

shuddered with his deep sobs. Kristin, unable to watch the scene unfolding before her, dropped her head back on the sofa and closed her eyes. Jennifer heard the commotion and woke. Teddy went to her and lifted her into his arms quickly.

“I want Mommy,” Danny cried. He tried to break out of Steven’s hold, but Steven clung to his children tightly, holding them like a shield between himself and the agony.

Kristin took another deep breath and sat up. She had to find the strength.

“Mommy?” Jennifer asked, confronting the agonizing scene unfolding before her.

“It’s all right, honey. It’s all right,” Teddy comforted.

Kristin rose like an arthritic old woman, but with renewed strength went to Steven and the boys.

“Steven. Let me help with the boys,” she said. “I’ll put them to sleep in their own beds.”

He rocked with the boys in his arms, the tears streaming down his cheeks, oblivious to their moans and cries. Kristin looked at Teddy helplessly.

“Steve,” Teddy said. “Let’s get the boys to sleep. Everyone’s going to need some sleep.”

Kristin went to lift Danny out of Steven’s arms and Danny screamed so shrilly, it stung; but it snapped Steven Del Marco out of his daze. Realizing what he was doing and what was happening, he loosened his grip and the boys sat back.

“We’ve got to put them back to bed,” Kristin said softly. Steven gazed up at her, finally comprehending. He took a deep breath and nodded.

“Come on, Anthony,” he said standing. “You and your brother have to go back to bed.”

“Where’s Mommy?”

“Mommy’s . . . sleeping,” he said. “In the hospital. Come on, Daniel.” He got them to stand and put his hands behind their heads to direct them back to their bedroom. Teddy turned to Kristin.

“You all right?”

“I’m okay. Let me help Steven,” she said, and followed.

After she helped Steven get the boys into bed, she joined Teddy.

“We gotta take Jennifer home now,” he said. “And I want you to rest, too.”

“I’m okay.”

“Never mind. No one’s okay,” he insisted in his best stern doctor’s voice. Steven came out of the bedroom and Teddy turned to him. “You going to be all right, Steve?”

“Yeah. I’ll call my sister first thing in the morning. She’ll get here by late afternoon.

Angela’s family’s all in Paramus, New Jersey.”

“I’ll come over first thing in the morning and help with the boys,” Kristin offered. “Until some of your family arrives.” He nodded, his chin quivering.

“I told her,” he said with a jerky laugh, “I told her she should be grateful we were living in such a secure community, a place where we could raise our family without the fear haunting everyone else. I told her she was being unappreciative; she was a spoiled—”

“Steven, don’t,” Kristin urged. She reached out for his hand, and he closed his eyes and nodded.

“It’s all right. I’ll be all right,” he said.

“You better get a little sleep, Steven,” Teddy advised.

“Yeah, sure.” He went into the living room to the bar and poured himself half a glass of bourbon. “Thanks for your help, Ted.”

“I’m sorry,” Teddy said. “We’ll be here for you. The whole complex will be.”

“I know.”

Teddy put his free arm around Kristin and led her to the door. She looked back once to see Steven gulp his drink and pour himself more. Then they left.

It had stopped raining, but the mist hung heavy in the late evening air. The clean, macadam streets of Emerald Lakes glittered under the streetlights Angela Del Marco had earlier called state of the art. Kristin gazed up the street and saw the lights were on in the Slater’s house. Teddy saw where she was looking.

“Philip was at the hospital the whole time,” he said. “He got the specialist out of bed and down there in minutes. He looked like he was taking it worse than Steven. All he kept saying was he couldn’t believe such a thing could happen in Emerald Lakes.”

“Yes, I know,” Kristin said with a sigh. “It’s going to hurt our real estate values.”

“That’s not fair, Kristin. He was really very upset about it and felt terrible for Steven.

He’s taking care of everything for him, the funeral arrangements, everything,” Teddy said with obvious admiration.

“Funeral arrangements,” Kristin whispered and shook her head. She gazed at the taped-off crime scene quickly and then closed her eyes. She loaded Jennifer into the car and they all drove home in silence.

After Kristin put Jennifer to bed, she came out to the kitchen. Teddy was making some tea.

“You want a cup?”

“Yes, please,” she said and sat slowly, her hands against her lower back. She groaned.

Teddy watched her, concerned. The miscarriage before had started with sharp back pain and then the hemorrhaging. “I can’t believe this, Teddy.”

“It does seem like a bad dream.”

She sat back. “Did you know she was going to die when you called me from the

hospital?”

“I was afraid. Her pulse was so weak and that gash went so deep.”

“Oh, God,” Kristin moaned, embracing herself and rocking in her chair. “This is my

fault. If I hadn’t encouraged her and she wasn’t here tonight . . .”

“That’s stupid, Kristin. Whoever did this was lingering out there looking for an

opportunity to pounce on someone. If he didn’t do it tonight, he might have done it tomorrow night to someone else, maybe even you,” Teddy said and Kristin looked up

sharply, that realization crystallizing.

“It had to be someone familiar with the development and the area, right?” she asked.

Teddy shrugged.

“We’ll have to wait for the police to finish their investigation, honey.”

He poured them their tea and they sat sipping the hot liquid and staring blankly at the table.

“Are you going to go to work tomorrow, Ted?”

“Yeah, I’ve got to. I have appointments I have to keep. Some were made weeks ago.”

“Can you work?”

“I’ll be all right. This place is going to be crazy in the morning as more of the residents find out what’s happened. How about you?”

“I’ll be okay. I’ll keep busy helping Steven.”

“I don’t want you doing too much tomorrow, Kristin,” he said. “Don’t go lifting and carrying those boys. They’re big and—”

“I won’t. Teddy, Steven didn’t say anything about me after . . . I mean . . .”

“He’s not blaming you if that’s what you mean, Kristin. He’s not stupid. What’s

bothering him, in fact, was the feud between them before she was killed. He kept saying they never got to kiss and make up.”

“Oh, Teddy,” she moaned. “Poor Angela.”

He put his hand over hers and then they embraced and held each other. Finally feeling the exhaustion, they crept into bed and fell asleep in each other’s arms.

But Kristin woke abruptly just before the first light of morning. She thought she heard the front door open and close. She waited and listened with her heart pounding. Teddy’s eyes were shut tight and his breathing was slow and regular. Apparently, he hadn’t heard anything.