Hide'n Go Seek (24 page)

Stan’s eyes clouded over and stared at her, thinking hard. Then he nodded. "Oh Shit. In New Zealand. Remember?"

Kali shook her head. “I don’t think I ever heard about it. What happened? And how would the killer know?”

"She’d spoken of it several times. They were caught in a big rock slide. Her family survived, but a couple they were travelling with didn’t. "

She turned back to the phone. "Grant-"

"I heard. Let me talk to Stan for a moment."

"Yes, here." Kali handed the phone to Stan.

With raised eyebrows, Stan accepted the phone, clearing his throat before saying in an almost normal tone of voice, "Grant? What can I do for you?"

Kali slumped in her chair letting the conversation drift around her. Too many shocks too fast. Christ, she hated this. Her neck throbbed as she let her mind wander. She wanted to do something for Brad - and didn't know what. She'd wait until those at the center heard. Brad had been well-loved. Maybe shutting the center down until this craziness was over and the killer caught was the best idea. She couldn't bear it if anyone else was taken. Melanie and Julie were already too many victims.

Stan interrupted her musings. "Kali, they're putting cameras and some men into the center. They're operating on the assumption he's a regular and don't want to close the center in the event it might scare him off. It's been well over twenty-four hours. I know they have Julie listed as a missing person and there's an APB out there, but it doesn't feel like enough."

That made sense. She thought of something she'd meant to ask him before the bad news had chased everything else from her mind.

"Stan, do you know any religious fanatic-types at the center?"

His eyes narrowed in consideration. "No one comes to mind. Don't know about the groupies though." Stan shrugged.

Groupies formed and dissipated on a regular basis. Year in and year out there'd be a half dozen core members and a dozen that rotated between the various centers. For the most part, they were harmless, only wanting to belong, to be cool. To remember them all would take a miracle, as they came and went with regularity. Kali eased deeper into her seat, slowly rubbing her thigh muscles. Everything ached today.

"What's on your mind?" Stan asked.

She gave him a dispirited smile. "The loss of innocence."

Stan stared. "Huh?"

"We've been naive. Cavalier with people entering and leaving the center at will. Our records are dismal, mostly covering payroll and expenses." She looked over at him. "We assumed nothing could go wrong, that because we worked to help people, we'd be protected. Instead, we've left ourselves wide open for this."

Stan hunched his shoulders. "Grant made a similar comment."

Kali shuddered. She could just imagine. "I don't understand. Why is this guy doing this? It's almost as if he sees himself as an angel of death, correcting the balance like in that movie,
Final Destination,
where Death comes after everyone who escaped him." Shivers rode her spine to her hipbones, making her consider the theory a little longer.

Stan's eyes widened. "These people are given a second chance by surviving a disaster. Their lives are changed forever. Many suffer the aftereffects every single day." His words burst out as if his frustration and emotion had finally boiled over.

"I know that and you know that, but this guy isn't thinking with a full deck."

The conversation waned on that note.

Kali studied Stan's face, the fatigue, the dullness of his gaze. He'd been through a lot already. Did she dare ask him about something painful? Taking a deep breath, she plunged in. "Stan, I called Susan today to offer my condolences. I've actually called several times, but she wouldn't return my calls." Kali took a steadying breath. "I know she's hurting right now, but she sounded like she hated me. She blames me for Brad's death. I understand that. But something about the phone call, her words, her voice, made me think there was something else going on."

Stan shifted uncomfortably, his glance sliding away.

Uh-oh. Kali frowned. "Stan what aren't you telling me?"

His sorrowful gaze brushed her face briefly before flitting off again. "I don't want to spread rumours, Kali. Brad's dead. Leave the past where it belongs."

"But that's the problem; he's dead I can't ask him. And I'd like to understand her behavior."

He ran a tired hand through his thinning hair. He stayed silent for a long moment, then his shoulders drooped. "Susan believed you and Brad were close, too close."

The hacksaw moved back and forth with swift sure strokes. Good thing he'd come prepared. The PVC pipe was just too long. But he would fix that. The cut piece fell to the ground as the blade sliced through the last edge. This time he'd planned ahead. Once again, things had fallen into place. The industrial cardboard box had been tossed in a dumpster close to the center. It was big enough for Julie and yet small enough to carry into the woods. It should be a breeze to bury. Good thing she was a little bit of a thing. She'd be fine for several days in here. And he really did want to visit with her for a while.

She'd made it easy for him. Almost too easy. No challenge. Of course she hadn't appreciated his efforts. No, she'd screamed at him something fierce. He grinned. The fighting spirit might keep her alive longer than his other victims. None of them had presented a challenge. Melanie had been docile and David, well, he'd gone out like a light after that blow to the head, never even whimpered. He frowned. Unexpected, that. Something must have been wrong with David in the first place. The guy had really let himself go.

At least it made it easy to send him home. If he'd been conscious and in a fighting mood, David had been wiry and strong enough to have caused him hell. Instead, he'd collapsed after one blow.

Not like Julie. She was a fighter.

He picked up the large PVC pipe sitting off to one side. At six feet long, the pipe would deliver air from the surface directly inside the box to Julie. The bottom of the pipe had been cut off at a long angle to let in lots of air at the bottom.

Turning his attention back to where Julie lay unconscious and trussed like a Thanksgiving turkey, he repositioned her head where she'd have instant access to the fresh air. Closing the heavy lid, he snapped the interlocking tabs in place then used the commercial staple gun to secure them closed. With the pipe positioned inside, he cut a hole on the top of the box. Perfect. He secured the pipe to the box with duct tape, letting it stand straight. Julie moaned from inside her makeshift coffin. He grinned. Her voice was barely audible now and with a hill of dirt on top she'd never be heard.

That ought to give them some time together. And give Kali a chance to figure this one out. Not too long though. Maybe, a day or two? Julie would hold for that long. He could even up the ante. Another phone call maybe? How about a letter? Or another gift? He doubted that she'd appreciated his last one.

With one last look around, he started shoveling dirt on top of the box. Julie moaned again. He smirked. A perfect time for her to wake up. She'd understand what was happening. On cue, the box shifted slightly as Julie struggled inside. A kick resounded at the bottom end then another. But with both hands and feet tied, her attempts weren't doing much. He laughed.

What was that old saying, do what you love and love what you are doing? Yes. He'd finally found a service that he could enjoy.

Perfect.

With a light-hearted whistle, he lifted the next load of dirt.

"T
oo close? As in more than friends close?" she asked cautiously, trying to wrap her thinking around Stan's words.

Stan's wrinkles scrunched before relaxing in defeat. "Yeah."

"But we weren't...we never...I mean...It wasn't like that between us." Outrage sparked. "Stan, we were friends and coworkers but nothing more."

Stan held up his hands. "Kali, I believe you. But I doubt you'll convince Susan."

"But why? We were never...never," she leaned forward and emphasized, "lovers."

Stan squinted, considering her words. "Did you really
not
know how Brad felt?"

Memories crowded in on her. Brad finishing her sentences. Brad delivering coffee when she'd hit exhaustion. The caring hugs during emotional overwrought times. The constant comforting presence at her side.

"I loved him," she whispered, hating the paradigm shift in her world. "Like a brother."

"And he loved you."

Stan said it simply, eloquently and Kali accepted the truth. How could she not have known? How well had she known him, really, on the inside where it counted? Her chest hit lockdown. She couldn't breathe. Brad had cared, he'd wanted more from her and she hadn't noticed. She closed her eyes against the tears threatening to fall and slumped back. "I didn't know. Oh, God. I'm so sorry, Brad."

For several moments, Kali couldn't speak as regrets clogged her throat. Finally, Kali leveled her gaze at Stan. "How did Susan find out?"

"I think she probably suspected something for a while, but Brad asked for a divorce before leaving for Sacramento."

"He what?" Kali straightened in her seat. She needed the shocks to stop. "He never said a word to me. I knew they had some trouble but not divorce-sized trouble."

"He wanted to wait until everything had been finalized. Susan had said no, not wanting to change the status quo in her life."

"Status quo?" Kali blinked. What an odd thing to say. "Didn't she love him? Want her marriage to work?"

"Brad told me before he left that he needed time away and his wife needed time to think, to decide what to do. She'd asked him to stay home this trip and work things out. But he left - with you."

"Poor Susan. Oh, Stan. I never wanted to break up their marriage. I was happy for them. Proud to know someone in this day and age who could make marriage work."

"That's why you felt safe getting close to him."

Confused, Kali glanced at him. "What do you mean?"

"Kali, you haven't had a serious relationship in - what, five, six years - or dated for at least eight months. You've been emotionally locked down since Mexico," he said, talking right over her spluttering, "Brad shot to the top of your best friend list years ago because he was married and wanted nothing more from you. He was safe."

Kali winced. "Ouch."

"Brad understood, particularly how you'd changed these last six months. He felt that, once freed of Susan, he'd slide into a 'more than friend' relationship."

"Crap." Kali's mind bordered on overload. Safe and complacent, yup that was her motto. Except in Brad's case, she'd been blind and stupid.

"No wonder Susan won't talk to me." Kali struggled to compartmentalize the new onslaught of guilt. She'd failed everyone lately.

"Right."

Silence ensued. Hurting, Kali whispered. "I didn't know. Honest."

Stan placed a hand on her shoulder. "I believe you."

Kali offered him a wan smile, more exhausted than if she'd come from a three-day rescue with no rest. Done in. "Do I say something to her? Do I leave her alone? What?" And why was she asking Stan? Because she no longer trusted her own judgment.

"Let her alone. Give her time to heal."

A common sense attitude, but one that offered no closure for Kali. She wasn't sure how to live with that.

"You might want to consider your relationship with Grant for the same reason."

"I'm not going to think about Grant." Not now. Maybe never, considering Stan's latest bombshell.

"Do you want a relationship?"

Kali quirked her lips and slunk lower. "I hadn't thought so. My life is chaotic enough."

Stan's steady gaze showed years of wise living. "And now?" He raised one eyebrow at her. "Grant is seriously interested. I've known him for years. I know how his job has changed him. But being around you takes years off his face."

"No." Stan was just being sweet. Then again, Grant's energy reinforced Stan's words. There'd be no blending of their energies if Grant wasn't interested, if being together wasn't right on some deep level. That didn't make this the right time or place. "He and I are all about the victims."

"No," he corrected. "That
is
your relationship. You see things the same way, think the same way and do the same work. With so much in common, you haven't realized you're working and growing together.
Growing together
. Did you hear it the second time or do I need to say it again?"

Kali hated the squirming child inside, as if she'd been caught in a lie. He was right. She knew it, but...she didn't know what she wanted to do about it. And what did Grant want with her?

"Right." Stan stood up. "I'm going to head to the center. I want to be on hand in case some of this news sneaks out so I can put a stop to the talk. I doubt they'll release Melanie's name yet. It's going to be hard to keep a lid on this for long. And you, well you need to think about what I said."

Kali gave Stan a good-bye hug at the front door. The phone rang. Hurrying into the kitchen, Kali answered it.

"Hello."

"Found another one, did you? Too late, again. Here, I'd hoped you'd be a decent challenge. Instead, you can't even get into the game."

Fury and pain exploded through her. "What have you done with Julie?"

An ugly silence filled the phone line.

"Julie is fine - for the moment. I've given her a fighting chance as you appear to need the extra time." The voice cackled once before ringing off.

Fingers shaking, Kali struggled to dial Grant's number. Her words tripped over each other as she tried to explain. "He just called...he has Julie...something about a fighting chance...I don't know, he said something about I needed the help?"

Grant fired several questions at her. "Think. Did he say anything specific to help us find her? It's been recorded but give me what you remember right now."

Kali repeated the conversation the best she could.

"I hate to ask, but Julie's life is at stake. Will you please sit with your sketchpad and try to get another picture?"