Stolen Innocents (The Shadow Series Book 2) (44 page)

“Flip over the first photograph and tell me whose handwriting that is.”

“Angela’s…”

Gwen flipped over picture after picture. As the realization set in her eyes, “This is the day they died!”

“Or were supposed to die. If you notice my photograph has yesterday’s date. This box was delivered to the Morrow Manor yesterday afternoon.”

The room was spinning around Gwen and Roger’s heads. They couldn’t make heads or tails of any of this. They were blindsided. How could it be that their most level-headed child was capable of such violence?

“I need to ask. What was your daughter’s relationship with Bernard Kendricks?” asked Adam with a serious look on his face.

Roger sighed. It all came down to Bernard in his mind. Bernard had turned her into the monster she became. Bernard awoke the sleeping dragon that resided in Angie’s soul. In Roger’s mind, if it wasn’t for Bernard, he’d have all of his daughters here today.

“They were cousins,” said Gwen plainly.

“And lovers,” added Jenna.

“We don’t discuss it!” yelled Gwen.

Roger sighed. It was time to let the truth be known. It had lay buried far too long.

“We need to tell them, Gwen.”

“I won’t allow it.”

“May I remind you, Mrs. O’Mara, that this is a murder investigation…” said Adam sternly.

Roger scratched his head as he prepared to allow the truth slip off his tongue.

“Bernard Kendricks molested our daughter when she was thirteen years old.”

Roger had to catch his breath. The truth tasted strange coming from his mouth. Foreign. He had hidden it for so long.

Roger continued, “I nearly went to jail. I beat the living hell out of him for what he did to her. She was never the same. In fact, she didn’t seem to understand that what he was doing was wrong. ”

Jenna wrote what Roger said on a legal pad verbatim. Adam noticed that Gwen was no longer crying. Her eyes had glazed over, and she looked like she felt dead inside. The vibrancy that once overwhelmed Gwen’s beautiful face was replaced by a cold vacancy.

“She continued to see him behind our backs. She changed as a person, becoming cold and disrespectful. We felt like we didn’t know her anymore. Then Courtney happened.”

“I’m sorry?” asked Jenna with a perplexed voice.

“Angela and Bernard begot a child together.”

Adam’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head. Tommy’s ex-girlfriend was Bernard Kendricks and Angela O’Mara’s daughter.

“So you’re saying that Courtney was Angie’s daughter…” said Jenna skeptically.

“Yes. She barely showed. She had Courtney in August of 1979. She was incapable of taking care of herself, let alone a child, so we raised her as our own. We never told anyone. Not even Courtney.”

Jenna’s mind was blown. She hadn’t befriended Angie until senior year. She never once suspected that Courtney was not Mrs. O’Mara’s daughter.

“After that, we thought that Angie had parted ways with Bernard. We thought she learned her lesson. She started going out with Hunter, and we thought for sure that Bernard was out of her life for good. We were wrong. She was still seeing him in secret. We wouldn’t have known anything had our next door neighbor not said something to Tiffany.”

“Joe…” Jenna confirmed.

“Yes. When Angie found out Tiffany had told us, she was furious. She attacked her sister on the front lawn. She gave her a black eye, a bloody nose, and ripped out tufts of her hair. She said Tiffany was just jealous. I knew better, though. As soon as Tiffany found out she ran into the house in tears. Tiffany was afraid for her sister.  I, of course, forbid that she ever see Bernard Kendricks again.”

“Did she listen?”

“She didn’t have a choice. I grounded her. She was only allowed out for prom. The night Tiffany died. I always thought it was him. I thought he was responsible for Tiffany’s death. After all, she did keep him from seeing Angie by telling us. I never thought it possible that it was Angie seeking revenge on her sister.”

“What reason would she have to kill Courtney?”

“She was a reminder. A reminder of everything that Bernard and Angela went through. The sick beginning and the failed end. That’s my theory.”

“Would you mind explaining something to me?” asked Adam with a dark tone to his voice.

“If you knew that Bernard Kendricks was a child molester, why did you not put up more of a fight that he was teaching at a local school? I understand that you couldn’t press charges because it was mostly heresy, but don’t you think it was your responsibility to alert the school?”

Roger looked at Adam firmly. He knew where Adam was coming from. He knew what had happened to his younger sister and that Bernard Kendricks was wholly responsible.

“I did try. The school responded that they do criminal background checks on all of their teachers and somehow Bernard had no record.”

“Sometimes the system works, but in this case, it failed us,” explained DiNolfo.

“Can you please tell us where Angie is?” pleaded Gwen with a dark mood coming forth.

“Angela O’Mara is inside of the Wilhamette mines.”

“Can we see her?”

“No, not yet. We have a crew digging out rubble. The mine caved in, and she is underneath the debris. Once we get her to the Medical Examiner’s office, someone will call you to identify her.”

Gwen’s resolve failed her. She broke down and as Roger tried to console her, she beat her hands against his chest. She looked ravenous, like a wild beast.

“Gwen, calm down… Please, calm down…” Roger pleaded.

Gwen responded in an indecipherable scream.

“I have another question…” Adam proceeded.

“Give her a minute” DiNolfo warned.

“I can answer your questions,” Roger admitted.

“A detective from Seattle sent over some information to us. Jeremy Macklon, Angie’s husband, was also murdered. It is believed that he was killed at the apartment that they shared after he came back to pick up some of his belongings the night before she returned to Elkhart.”

Roger gasped. This was incomprehensible. The most mild-mannered and seemingly level headed of his children was a mass-murderer.

“The detective faxed us over some of the information he found. There were many pill containers tossed about the apartment and medical records scattered across the bed. Do you happen to know what Angela’s diagnosis was?”

“She wouldn’t tell us, and the doctors refused to discuss it. They said that under the mental health scope, she was considered an adult.”

“All that they would tell us is that she had to take her medication. I forget what it was called…”

“According to the records sent over to us, Angela Macklon was a sociopath. She was diagnosed with Anti-social personality disorder.  Apparently she had been seeing a psychologist, but in recent weeks, stopped taking her pills. The detective said he found stock piles of pills in the kitchen.”

Roger couldn’t speak. Jenna and Adam watched as the life faded from his eyes. They had raised a monster. They allowed her to come back to live in their house, while she slaughtered innocent women, including her own daughter. Roger felt disgusted and repulsed by the very thought that Angie was his daughter – his own flesh and blood.

“We will give you two space. Please call us if you have any additional information or questions. I am truly sorry for your loss. I have a responsibility to protect the innocent civilians of this town,” offered DiNolfo and she stood up from the couch. Roger shook her hand but Gwen wouldn’t even look at her.

“Take care…” said Adam.

A moment later they were gone.

Chapter              31

June 22, 2000

Grier Mountain Medical Center

101 Mountain Road,

Elkhart, PA

8:14 A.M.

Captain James Jacobson walked through the doors of Grier Mountain Medical Center with an air of importance. Sergeant Jenna DiNolfo and Deputy Adam Morrow followed close behind; all dressed in full police regalia. They took the express elevator up to the eleventh floor and quickly found patient room 1103. Officer Will Oakman was standing outside of Liam’s hospital room, standing guard. He nodded at each of his superior officers as they passed through the door.

“Deputy Morrow…” said Captain Jacobson with a confused voice. “What on
earth
are you doing?”

“Paperwork…” Liam said as he scrawled his signature on yet another page.

Jenna brought her hand up to her face as she shook her head. She had trained him well. Maybe too well.

“You’re in the hospital. It’s okay to rest,” Jenna suggested.

“I feel fine. I want to go home.”

“Sounds like you’re getting out of here today,” the Captain explained.

Liam breathed a sigh of relief.

“Captain wanted to stop by. He had some things that he wanted to talk about with you.”

“Oh, yeah? Take a seat…” Liam suggested to Captain Jacobson as he pointed to one of the powder blue arm chairs that lined his wall. There was rarely a moment when they were empty. Between family and friends visiting, and his sister who was allowed to walk the halls now, he had company most of the time. The nurses didn’t seem to mind as long as he took it easy.

Captain Jacobson took a seat by Liam while DiNolfo and Adam stood by the foot of his bed. The Captain spoke in a deep voice full of authority and purpose.

“First of all, I want to thank you for putting yourself on the line for your community. If it was not for you and Adam, she might still be out there.”

Liam shrugged as if it was nothing and his shoulder ached immediately after. It reminded him that it wasn’t nothing. It was an honorable deed. He took a bullet while protecting his community.

“I’ve nominated you, Adam and DiNolfo for awards of valor. Also, I’m sure you’ve heard by now. You’ve been promoted.”

“I thought we had to take a test for Deputy. I was beginning to look into before all this happened.”

“Typically, yes. However, seeing as though no one else wants the job, we’ve nominated you and your brother, if you’ll accept. You are more than qualified for the position.”

Adam replied, “I’ve already accepted, Liam.”

“It comes with a slight pay increase. Now don’t go expecting extra zeroes at the end of your paycheck! It’s just a nominal increase,” explained DiNolfo.

“Of course I’ll accept,” said Liam with a bright smile on his face.

He looked so much better now that he had gotten his strength up. Although there was a long road ahead of him, he had come so far in just a day’s time. DiNolfo couldn’t refrain herself from smiling from ear to ear and clapping. Adam patted his brother gently on the back.

“Okay, photo op!” Jenna said excitedly. “Cap… You and Adam lean in towards Liam and smile.”

They did as she asked all looking very proud and thrilled that the threat in Elkhart was over. Suddenly, there was a gentle tap at the door. Tristan walked in dressed in blue jeans and a red t-shirt. She looked better but was still very weak and tired.

“Hey Tris,” Liam said with a smile on his face. Jack and Cole entered the hospital room behind him.