Ties That Bind (38 page)

“Reese Bishop, Kate’s husband.”

Pike addressed Kate. “I need to go over the statement you gave to the officer on the scene. Then I’d like you to work with a police sketch artist. You got a good look at the guy, right?”

“Yes. I can do that. And I’m sure I know him from somewhere.”

“Are you feeling up to this? The best time to do these sketches is right after the contact. Victims remember more.”

“Now is fine.”

Reese said, “This is going to take a while. I’ll call Sanders and change our meeting till tomorrow.” He headed out the door, but looked back through the glass window once he had closed it. She seemed in control and calm now, but he couldn’t shake the thought of what could have happened to her.

Chase Sanders had the same thought. “This has to be related to the case. I’ll be interested to see the police sketch.”

An hour later, Reese got a look at the finished product. His breath caught in his throat. “Holy hell. I recognize him, too.”

“Who is it?” the detective asked.

“I can’t place him, either. But I’m sure I’ve seen him before.”

“This is good news.” Pike stood and thanked the artist who left them alone. “The fact that you both recognize him establishes a connection between you two and the attacker.”

Kate shook her head. “But if it was a case we handled together, we’d remember him more clearly. We wouldn’t forget a client we worked with for any period of time.”

“Still, there’s a tie between you two and this guy.”

“Again,” Reese said thoughtfully. “There’s another tie between us.”

o0o

KATE FACED REESE across her kitchen table and lifted her chin. “I’m not going to change my mind. You can yell all you like, though I suggest you get rid of that temper before Chase arrives.”

“Temper? You think this is just temper?” Reese threw back his chair, stood and slapped his hand on the table. “God save me from stubborn females who are careless with their own fucking safety.”

“I am not being careless with my safety just because I won’t move in with you. I stayed at your house last night because you wanted me to. Today I made other arrangements.”

“What? Having Jillian here? That’s a fine solution! The thought of the two of you against some lunatic will really make me sleep better at night.”

“I have an alarm system. And the police are going to cruise by regularly.”

“It’s not enough.”

She slapped her hand down on the table. “Stop it, Reese. I’ll make my own decisions.”

His face shadowed with hurt, but his tone was still belligerent. “Well, I guess I’ve been jumping the gun here. I thought we were making important decisions together these days.”

“We are. But the fact remains, that if I move in with you like you’re demanding, we’ll just get everybody’s hopes up, including our own.”

“Would that be so bad?”

“Yes, we can’t afford to fall back into this relationship because we’re grieving over Emily or because we’re frightened about this turn of events with the Bingham case.”

“I love you! I told you at the police station it was time to stop pussyfooting around.”

“You were upset. Now you’re just mad. You’re the one who’s being stubborn.”

“Well, pardon me for wanting you safe.”

The doorbell again.

She stood. “That’s probably Jillian.”

Reese let loose more expletives and turned to pour himself a drink. Shaking her head, Kate headed to the foyer. She found Jillian on the doorstep.

“Hey, girlfriend,” Jill said. “Ready for our sleepover?”

Kate smiled. “I am, but Reese is here and furious because I won’t move in with him.” Kate took Jillian’s suitcase from her, and they found their way to the spare room to put it there. She filled Jill in on the situation as they went back to the kitchen. Reese wasn’t in any better mood.

“Hi, Reese,” Jill said.

He didn’t even greet her. “I suppose you agree with this little plan?”

Jillian cocked her head. “It’s what Kate wants. She chooses.”

He rolled his eyes to the ceiling.

“But for what it’s worth, much as I want to spend time with my best friend, I do think she should move in with you for a while.”

“Jillian!”

“Sorry, Kate. We’ve always been honest with each other.”

Kate sniffed. “If you don’t want to be here, you don’t have to stay.”

Jill shook her head. “Don’t be an ass. I’m staying here because you asked me to, and I’d do anything for you. I can’t help it if Reese’s right. And while we’re at it, let me say I’m glad you two are finding your way back together. You’ve never gotten over him, Kate. I know that, and so do you.” She shook her head. “Now, I’m going upstairs to unpack. I’ll let you two finish fighting before your private investigator gets here.”

Jillian left and Reese glared at Kate over his drink. He was leaning against the counter, dressed in faded blue jeans and a navy shirt. She just started to say something when the doorbell rang again. Kate gave him a long look then headed out to the foyer. She felt him follow behind her.

On the front stoop, Chase Sanders was more animated than Kate had ever seen him. “Kate.” He looked over her shoulder. “Reese.”

“Come on in, Chase.”

Without greeting the private investigator, Reese grunted and walked back to the den ahead of them.

“What’s that all about?” Chase whispered to Kate.

“Don’t ask.” She closed the door and led them back to the den where they’d worked with Tyler and Dray that awful day.

When they were all seated, Chase pulled a tape out of his briefcase, along with some papers.

“So where do we start?” Kate asked.

“With Warden Evans. She’s pissed as hell about the accusations in the journal, and is taking measures to see if these things really happened. The fact that the guard Sorenson is nowhere to be found is incriminating. Evans has launched a full-fledged investigation. Yesterday, we started with Lena Parks. Evans called her in again, and she was cool as a cucumber. Too cool.” He nodded to the tape. “So I took a look at this.”

“The tape of Bingham’s visitors?”

“Nope, of Parks’ visitors.”

“And?” Kate asked.

“Watch.”

He put the tape in the deck and pressed play. “This is only one of several tapes of the woman and her visitors. I crosschecked the dates and the guy you’re going to see only came to visit Parks when Bingham didn’t have company.”

They watched the scene unfold. At first Kate suspected Chase had found the Alphabet Man on the tape, but he didn’t. “It’s not Mr. A or B.”

“No, but it’s the same man, using a different alias. Chuck Cramer. We got Mr. C. Look closely.”

Both she and Reese leaned in. She said, “The same watch again.”

“Shit.” Reese scowled. “This guy really gets around.”

“He does. And if he’s meeting with Parks, maybe she was in on this blackmail with Sorenson.”

Kate stared at the screen. “Can you freeze it?”

“Sure.”

She got up and crossed to the desk, ferreting out the police sketch she’d done that afternoon. Crossing to Chase, she handed him the picture. “Look at this. Same shape of the face, though he’s disguised himself. Same height and build, I think. Hell. This might be the guy that attacked me. Do you still have the tape of his meetings with Bingham?”

“Yeah.” He put it in the machine.

They watched carefully.

“It’s the same guy.” Sanders sat back in his chair. “Now, the only thing we have to do is figure out who he is.”

“Or get Lena Parks to ID him.” This from Reese.

“The warden’s working on her.” Sanders watched them. “Meanwhile, you two will have to go back to your files and take another look-see. Go through them with a fine-tooth comb. I think the answer’s there somewhere.”

“Oh, great,” Kate said, glancing at Reese who had been stone faced the whole night. “We’d love to spend every free minute together again.”

o0o

REESE SAT IN his office, waiting for Kate to join him to start scrutinizing the fucking files again. Sneakered feet up on his desk, dressed in sweats because he’d worked out earlier, he closed his eyes and tried to center himself. He had to be honest about why he was acting like a jerk. Down deep, he knew what he was doing. Going back into self-preservation mode. Because Kate wouldn’t move in with him, he took it as a sign that she was backing out of the relationship. He knew he wasn’t thinking clearly, but why the hell should he? Maybe he’d call Emily. She always…

Oh, Lord, he thought, a lump forming in his throat. He still did this once in a while. Thought about calling his sister. He even reached for the phone occasionally. His grief was still there, a heavy load in his chest that seemed as if it would never go away. Maybe his feelings of loss were why he was being such an ass with Kate.

Or maybe she was just being a damned stubborn female.

“Hi.” His stubborn female’s voice came from the doorway. He opened his eyes to find her standing there in a lightweight red sweat suit.

“Did you go running?” he asked without greeting her.

She sighed and leaned against the doorjamb. “Not alone. I went with Jillian. We left work early, when it was still daylight and we ran on public streets.” She scowled at him. “Lay off, Reese.”

His feet thumped to the floor. “Fine, forget it.” He rose and crossed to a tall built-in wooden cabinet. “Luckily, Yolanda kept all the files we were working on grouped together. She put them in here.” He opened one of the doors, removed the folders, then turned to find her staring at him. “What?” he asked.

“Are you going to stay mad at me all night?”

“Yes. “ He put the files on the conference table and went back for more. “Maybe longer.”

“Hmm.”

Something smirking about that sound. Something daring. He turned to face her.

She walked into the office.

Shut the door.

Locked it?

He watched her, wondering what the hell she was up to. Then she hit the switch on the wall, plunging them into semidarkness. He could still see her from the light sneaking in under the door, and the overhead windows. Street-lamps from below also illuminated the room. She fumbled in her purse, then dropped all her stuff on the floor.

“What the hell are you doing, Kate?”

She didn’t answer. She didn’t have to.

He saw what she was doing. First the zippered sweatshirt came off and dropped to the rug. Her top went over her head then it, too, joined the jacket. She leaned down and, after a moment, he heard her sneakers hit the floor. Her long pants puddled on the carpet; she stepped out of them and came up to him. He was standing openmouthed by the cabinet when she reached behind her and unsnapped her bra. Black lace, it matched panties that she also slithered off. She was naked. Beautifully naked. Gorgeously naked.

He grabbed her before she could speak. A driving need to possess her overtook him. Having her plastered against him, in the buff, while he was completely clothed, fueled the feeling, which was accompanied by mind-blanking lust. His hand flexed on her bare bottom as he took her mouth. Devoured it. He turned around with her in his arms; shoving the cabinet door closed, he pushed her up against the cold wood.

She headlocked him as he hiked her up. Just before her legs went around him, he managed to push his sweatpants and briefs down far enough.

She dragged her mouth away. “Wait.” She slapped a condom in his hand. Shit, she’d planned this. He rolled it on.

“Reese, I—”

“Shut up.” He took her mouth again, as he reached between them and touched her. It didn’t take long before he felt her legs tremble, her body tense. She was close.

He drew his hand away and she whimpered. Then he replaced it with his cock and thrust inside her.

She screamed.

He groaned, swore, shouted her name.

It was over in—maybe ninety seconds.

Barely breathing, he met her forehead with his. “Jesus, Kate.”

“Hmm.” She tilted her hips forward.

“Ahhhh…”

She laughed.

“Damn it. This isn’t funny.”

“I thought it was great.”

And then, because he loved her, because she wanted to lighten his spirits and knew exactly how to do it, he let go a begrudging chuckle.

o0o

A BOTTLE OF wine, Italian subs, and the great sex from three hours earlier mellowed them both. They were amiably summarizing each case aloud from their third year together.

“Okay, John Chilton.” Kate’s eyes narrowed on the file. “We defended him for fraud.”

From a comfortable leather chair, Reese asked. “Anything unusual about the case?”

She was lying on his couch with a file propped up on her chest. “Yeah, looks that way. We got into the courtroom and the judge recognized him. The judge’s name was Reiner. I think he’s retired now. He had to recuse himself from Chilton’s case. It got postponed for months. We were mad because we had to cancel vacation plans when it was ready to be tried. Then Chilton pleaded out. We—”

“Oh, hell. I know where we recognize the mugger from.” Reese bolted out of his chair, and strode to the file drawers.

Kate quickly joined him. He’d bent down and opened the drawer marked 2002. “Reese, we weren’t working together then.”

“I know. We were divorced. But we saw each other in court once.”

Kate thought back. And was practically knocked off balance by the knowledge that hit her. He’d just yanked out the file and, still on his knees, he opened it. “Here it is. Dave Demming.”

“DD,” Kate breathed. “The guy on the ring. And the Alphabet Man.”

“He was accused of fraud, and Greg Abbott was defending him. But Greg’s mother died, and I took the case to court.”

She whispered. “I was trying my hand at criminal court. Just to see if I liked it. I was filling in for somebody, and pulled this case, last minute.”

Reese shook his head. “I don’t get it though.” He sat down on the floor and she plunked herself down across from him; he handed her the file. “There’s no reason for Demming to have a vendetta against us. You recused yourself, and his court date got postponed. By the time it came up again, Greg handled it. I didn’t do anything harmful to him, and neither did you.”

“It doesn’t make sense.”

“Why would he attack you? Even if he is the Alphabet Man—and who knows what his connection to Bingham would be—why would he want to hurt us?”