All I've Ever Wanted - Adrianne Byrd [70]
He turned the key to unlock the door leading to the basement and pushed the door open. Complete darkness greeted him, but it was the room’s eerie silence that unnerved him.
“What y’all doing down there?”
There was a slight rustling sound, and then two forms stepped into the dim light from the open doorway. He eyed them suspiciously, disconcerted by their strange behavior. Then he remembered why he had come—the phone.
“Send the boy up. His mother wants to talk to him.”
The little boy raced out of the safety of his great-grandmother’s arms and hurried up the stairs.
A lopsided grin curled Keenan’s lips. He was actually looking forward to tomorrow, when he would finally get the chance to get back at Lieutenant Preston K. St. James for all the years of grief the man had given him…by killing the rest of his family. He loved it when he got paid to do what he wanted to do already.
With a hearty laugh, Keenan relocked the basement door and led the boy to the phone so he could talk to his mother for the last time.
Max returned to Scardino’s office, not at all pleased. “We’ve got a problem with the warrant.”
Scardino opened her mouth to respond when the phone rang. “Hold on for just a sec,” she said, lifting a slender finger to ask him to wait, before answering the phone. “Scardino.”
He exhaled and settled into the chair across from her desk. Almost immediately his thoughts returned to Kennedy. The weight of guilt for having left her now seemed impossible to continue to bear. He wanted to be there with her…to be there for her.
He glanced at his watch. What were they doing now? Had she had a chance to speak with her son? It was the not knowing that threatened to drive him crazy.
Would she call when it was all over? He’d like to think so, but he wasn’t sure. Right now, he wasn’t sure about much of anything when it came to Kennedy St. James.
He did know that he’d told her the truth the other night. The depth of the feelings he felt for her surprised him. He’d become wary after going through such a disastrous marriage.
But now here he was again, feeling all those things he’d sworn off.
“All right. I’ll be right over,” Scardino said, and hung up the phone.
Max snapped out of his reverie and locked gazes with his lieutenant.
“Well, it looks like we may not need that warrant. Judge Hickman pulled out of her coma about an hour ago, and she seems to be quite the chatterbox.” She stood and reached for her jacket.
He stood, as well. “She made a confession?”
“According to Detective Evans, she has.”
“Well, what did she say?”
“Only that Captain Vincent ordered the hit on her husband.”
“Ex-husband.”
“Whatever.” She moved from behind her desk. “Evans said that Vincent came to her house yesterday and confessed.”
“Ms. Hunter’s photos.”
“Exactly.”
Max looked at his watch, his mind again returning to Kennedy.
Scardino stopped and stared at Max, watching as a frown creased his features. “Are you all right?” she asked, moving next to him.
“What?” he blinked, then looked contrite for having been caught with his mind wandering.
She offered him a knowing smile.
“Yeah, of course. You want me to come to the hospital with you?”
“I’m not sure that will be necessary.” She studied him some more. “You know Mike told me that you have grown fond of Ms. St. James. Until now, I thought that he was just joking around. You know how he can get.”
Max nodded.
“But he’s right, isn’t he?”
A denial sat at the tip of his tongue, but he thought about how she had opened up to him the other night regarding Dossman, and he thought better of it. “I’m worried about her, and her family.”
“And?”
Max knew that she was asking as a friend and not as his boss. For a moment, it seemed odd for them to exchange roles so casually.
“I care for her,” he admitted finally, then added