She Who Watches (15 page)

“Still having nightmares?” Mac wanted to know.

“Not so much anymore.”

Mac leaned back and rubbed the sore muscles in his back. They looked like seasoned archeologists rather than homicide detectives.

“Oh.” Dana glanced up at him. “I think I found something.”

Dana picked up the small object and held it up to the fading sunlight.

“What is it?” Mac squinted to see the small object, barely protruding from Dana's gloved hands.

“Come look at it and tell me what you think.” Dana moved the small object to the palm of her left hand.

Mac stepped over to where Dana was seated and peered down at her find.

“What does that look like to you?” she asked.

Mac squinted. “A fingernail maybe. At least part of one.”

“That's exactly what I was thinking.” Dana grinned. “This could belong to our victim.”

“Or the killer. Either way, we just might get us some DNA.”

FIFTEEN

H
oping to find more evidence, and concerned they may have missed something, the detectives sifted the dirt by hand a second time.

“I hate for us to get our hopes up with this one find, but it's hard not to,” Mac said.

“I know,” Dana responded. “Cutting her nails off like that makes me wonder if her killer is a professional.”

Mac nodded. “That's possible, or maybe he watches those
CSI
shows. Too many killers these days know too much about the evidence-gathering process.”

“Do you watch the cop shows?” Dana grinned at him.

He ducked his head. “Guilty as charged. How about you?”

“I like them. The only thing is, in real life we can't always afford to do those kinds of tests. And the time frame is crazy. They get their results back way too soon. Like the CSI techs are going to drop everything for us.”

“Well, sometimes they do.” Mac chuckled. “You just have to know how to talk to them.”

“Right.”

Before going home for the evening, he and Dana submitted the information they had to the HITS unit, or the Homicide Information Tracking System, at their headquarters. The information on the apparent cause of death, age of the victim, and the unusual items found in Sara's mouth were included in the packet they submitted to the specialized unit. The analysts assigned to HITS would enter the data into a special computer system that would compare and share the data with unsolved homicide cases across the country. Detectives could compare similarities and explore the possibility they were working the same suspect in separate crimes.

Investigators were often able to solve cold cases this way, sometimes making the grim discovery that they had a serial killer working across multiple jurisdictions. Detectives across the country also submitted information to the national HITS system after making an arrest for a homicide that involved unusual characteristics, primarily stranger-to-stranger crimes. Although this was a tool to solve connecting crimes, it primarily served as resource for forensic profilers, whose job it was to give approximate ages and motives to detectives investigating apparently random homicides.

“I'm heading for the gym,” Dana announced as they walked out the back door.

“Where do you get your energy? All I want to do is go home and play couch potato.”

“Me too, actually, but exercising will get my blood pumping and give me some energy—at least for a while. It helps with the emotional stress too.”

“If you say so.” He thought about going with her but opted not to. What appealed to him more was not going home but talking to Kristen. He really wanted to find out where he stood with her and what was going on in her life. On the way home, he called her.

“Mac. It's good to hear from you. How's the Watson case coming?”

“Not making much headway, but we may have located one of her fingernails.”

“Cool.”

“Um—are you interested in having dinner with me tonight?”

She hesitated. “I'm not sure I'd be very good company, but hey, we both need to eat, right?”

“You don't sound very enthusiastic.”

“Sorry, Mac. It's not you. Come on over. I'll whip something together.”

“I was thinking we'd go out. Someplace nice.”

“Sure. When?”

“I have to drop over to visit Nana for an hour or so. What say I pick you up at seven thirty?”

“I'll be ready.”

Feeling gritty from working in the dirt, Mac went home to shower and change before heading over to the Retirement Inn where his grandmother lived. He talked with her about Daniel's death and life in general.

“Are you still seeing Kristen?” Nana asked out of the blue.

“I'm taking her out to dinner tonight.”

She nodded. “I like her, but I like Dana too. You like them both, don't you?”

He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped. “You don't miss much, do you?”

“You're very easy to read, Antonio. Always were.”

“So, do you have a preference?”

She tilted her head to one side. “My sweet boy, I can't tell you which one to go with. Only your heart can do that.”

He sighed. “Well, my heart bounces around a lot.”

She smiled. “It's your brain that does the bouncing, not your heart. You need to listen to your heart for a change. Why do men find that so difficult?”

He told her about Kristen's sudden interest in her ex and the trip to Florida and Dana's aversion to cops. “I probably won't end up with either one of them.”

“And if that is God's will?”

The question pulled him up short. “Then I guess I'll have to live with it.”

“Don't worry, Antonio. If not Dana or Kristen, God will bring you just the right woman. But I hope he hurries. I'm getting old, and I want to meet my great-grandchildren before I die.”

Mac didn't comment. He wanted that too.

Nana yawned. “Didn't you say you had a dinner date with Kristen?”

Mac glanced at his watch. It was already seven fifteen. “I'd better go.” He stood up and bent down to kiss her cheek.

Her fragile hand patted his cheek. “I will be praying for you, Antonio.”

“I need it,” he muttered.

FROM THE RETIREMENT INN, he headed back over the river to Kristen's place, a cute older-style house in southwest Portland. Her Volvo was sitting out front, and he sat in his car for a few minutes before dragging himself to her front door. He hated not knowing where he stood. But he didn't like the idea of finding out the truth either.

He rang the doorbell and waited for what seemed like five minutes before she finally opened the door. “Hi, Mac. Come on in and sit down. I'm on the phone.”

She picked up the receiver. “I'm back. That was Mac. He's taking me out to eat.”

She smiled. “No, not pizza. I miss you, too, honey.”

Honey?
She must be talking to Andrew. It was then that Mac realized how empty the house felt. Had she left Andrew in Florida? That had to mean she was going back.

“Maybe. I'll ask him.” She crooked her finger for Mac to join her. “It's Andrew. He wants to talk to you.”

Mac took the phone. “Hey, buddy. How's it going?”

“Good. I'm in Florida with my new gamma and gampa. They're taking me to Disney World tomorrow. Can you come?”

Mac smiled despite his concerns. “I'm afraid not. I have to work.”

“Oh.” Silence. Seconds later, a much older person said, “Hello? Kristen, is that you?”

“No. I'll get her.” Mac handed the phone back to Kristen. She and the other woman talked for a while. Mac tried not to listen, focusing instead on the curves of her cream-colored top and matching slacks. She had a great figure, and she looked different somehow from the last time they'd been together.

“I know, but I'll be there on Tuesday. I need to clear some things off my desk and get a new schedule worked out.” She glanced at Mac. “I told you I would. OK, thanks. Give Andrew a hug and kiss from me.” She hung up and stared at the phone for a moment before turning back to Mac. “I'm sorry. Andrew needed to say good-night to me.”

“Isn't it past his bedtime? It's three hours later in Florida.”

“Yes, but he isn't used to Brian's parents. He was missing me and wouldn't stop crying. His grandmother finally enticed him with a trip to Disney World.”

“So I heard.” He frowned.
What's going on? Why did you leave
him? Are you going back for good?
They were all questions he wanted to ask but wouldn't. At least not yet. Kristen would tell him in her own time.

“I'm glad you called, Mac. Truth is, I didn't feel much like cooking.”

He held her coat. “If you don't mind a bit of a drive, I know of a great place to eat.”

“I don't mind in the least.”

Once they'd settled into the car, Kristen leaned her head against the seat.

“Tired?”

“Exhausted. I haven't slept well in two days.”

Mac reached into the back of his car for a small neck pillow and handed it to her. “Why don't you nap while we drive?”

“Thanks.” She closed her eyes, and Mac worked hard at being patient. He wanted to talk and he wanted answers, but first things first. He looked over at her profile, thinking she was much more normal looking than the last time he'd seen her. Her hair was a kind of dishwater blonde, and it wasn't sticking out all over her head. She wasn't wearing earrings either. She seemed depressed. He could identify.

Mac drove down I-84 east and cut over to the Washington side at Cascade Locks, then on up to the Skamania Lodge located near the small town of Stevenson. He parked on the hill above the lodge, and after turning off the car, leaned over to kiss Kristen awake.

“Mmm.”Her arms went around his neck, and she returned the kiss.

After a few heart-pounding moments, Mac moved away.

“What was that for?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Just couldn't resist. You look great tonight.”

“Are you saying I don't look great all the time?” Kristen teased.

“No.” He cleared his throat, not sure how to respond. “Um—we should go in.”

When she figured out where they were, she seemed elated. “I've always wanted to come here, but I never seem to have the time.”

“Me too.”

The lodge was warm and inviting, and its large fireplace and wood floors gave it a log-cabin look. Mac guided her to the dining room, where they were seated right away.

Kristen raised her eyebrows at the prices. “Mac, are you sure you can afford this?”

“Not every day, but I figure you're worth it once every year or two.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Hmm.”

Now what did she mean by that?

The waiter came by, and they placed their orders. Roasted leg of lamb for Mac and salmon for Kristen. The place had a definite Northwest flair.

“I was surprised to see you in the morgue yesterday.” Mac said.

“I didn't really want to come back, but I left things in a mess and had some scheduling problems.”

“I heard you say you were going back to Florida on Tuesday.”

“Right.”

“So, how is Brian?”

“He's still alive.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Barely.”

“You seem pretty shook up about it. I mean. . . .”

“I know what you mean. I thought everything was over and finished between us. I'm surprised at the depth of feelings I have for him and his family.” She sighed. “Watching him lying there in that hospital bed about broke my heart.”

And you're breaking mine.
Mac didn't say the words—only felt them slice through him. “I'm sorry.”

She reached over and placed a hand on Mac's. “Let's not talk about all that. It's just too hard. One good thing: Brian's parents are thrilled to have Andrew with them.”

Mac nodded. “He seemed pretty happy to be there.”

“He is.” She pulled her hand away. “So tell me about the guy who was killed last night.”

Mac didn't want to talk about Daniel, but it was better than the alternative. He could feel Kristen slipping away, much like Dana had, and he didn't like it one bit. Maybe he should break it off with her right now, save himself the embarrassment and pain of her rejection. His gaze lifted to hers, and his mouth went dry. He took a sip of water.

“Mac, are you OK? If you don't want to talk about the trooper, that's fine.” She offered a wan smile. “We're a fun pair tonight, aren't we?”

“I guess so. I don't mind talking about Daniel. He was an old friend, and his death hit me harder than I expected. I keep thinking, what if it had been me? And then I think, why did it have to be him?”

“I heard on the news he had a wife and a baby on the way.”

“That makes it even harder.” He sighed. “I know things like that come with the territory, but. . . .”

“That doesn't make it any easier.”

“No. It doesn't.”

Their food came and with it a shift in the conversation to safer topics. Kristen talked about the autopsies she'd had that day and how she had to rearrange everyone's schedule so she could take more time off.

“How long will you be gone?” Mac asked.

“A few days.”

Mac nodded.
Why are you going? What about us?
He wanted to ask those questions and more, but he didn't want to sound selfish.

The drive home felt awkward and the conversation stilted, as though both of them wanted to stay away from the subject of their relationship and whether or not they had a future together.

Mac pulled up to the curb in front of her house at ten thirty. He walked her to the door, but she didn't invite him in. Her kiss was sweet but reserved.

“I probably won't see you again before I go,” she said.

“So I guess this is good-bye.”