Dead by Midnight - Beverly Barton [138]
“Did he have any news about—?”
“They’ve interviewed everyone they could find who was in any way connected to the making of Midnight Masquerade,” Mike told her. “There’s not a lot more they can do. They’ve ruled out a few people, but at this point, the possible suspects list includes half a dozen people involved with the movie.”
“With the exception of the actors, most of whom are already dead.”
Mike frowned. “Derek wanted us to know that Shelley’s memorial service is set for tomorrow afternoon at two. I told him we’d be there.”
“He didn’t happen to mention if they have any idea who killed her and why?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“They don’t believe it was the Midnight Killer, but they haven’t completely ruled him out, have they?”
“You know it’s unlikely that it was the Midnight Killer. But no, they haven’t ruled out the possibility.”
“What time will we need to leave here in the morning to be in Knoxville for the service by two?” Lorie asked.
“I’m not sure. I’ll check with Jack tonight and—”
“Don’t forget that your mother and the children are coming over later for supper.”
“I haven’t forgotten. I’ll get in touch with Jack after supper. I’m sure Maleah called him to let him know the time and place, just as Derek called me.”
Lorie rose from her chair and walked toward Mike, who suddenly got a deer-in-the-headlights expression on his face as she approached.
“Didn’t Mom say they’d be here around five?” he asked. “That doesn’t leave us much time. We should probably go ahead and set the table and—”
“Nell said five-thirty. We’ve got plenty of time.”
“Oh, okay. I—uh, I’ll go out and check with Buddy, see if he’s got anything to report.”
“Don’t you think we need to talk about what happened between us, before Nell and the kids get here?”
“What’s there to talk about?”
“We shared a pretty explosive kiss a few hours ago and we’ve both avoided—”
“It was just a kiss, that’s all,” Mike told her, but couldn’t look her in the eye. “I won’t let it happen again.”
Lorie laughed. “You’re kidding yourself if you think it won’t happen again. And next time you may not be able to stop with just a kiss.”
“Don’t do this.” He turned and headed for the front door.
She followed him. “The only way we can make sure it doesn’t happen again is for you to leave.”
He opened the door. “I’m not leaving and that’s final.”
“You stubborn mule!” she hollered at his back as he walked out onto the porch.
Without a backward glance, he stepped off the porch and onto the sidewalk. “That’s the pot calling the kettle black,” he said as he threw up his hand and waved at Buddy Pounders, who had just come around the corner of the house.
Lorie grumbled to herself, then yelled, not caring who heard her. “If you stay, whatever happens will be your fault, not mine!” She went back inside and slammed the door.
Chapter 27
He had three days to make it happen. Three days to study Jean Goins Misner’s daily routine, her comings and goings and the people allowed in and out of her home. Three days to find a way to get inside her house and kill her.
If he was gone longer than a few days, people would ask too many questions about his absence. As with the four other out-of-town trips he had made to inflict punishment and exact revenge, he had fabricated a reasonable excuse this time, a seemingly legitimate reason to be absent from his daily life. Of course, he was never where he was supposed to be. But he was always careful. He covered his tracks. He used fake ID and subtle disguises.
He was too smart to get caught.
Each execution had posed specific problems and, admittedly, he had created a scenario that complicated things, such as committing the murders as close to midnight as possible. But he preferred complicated to simple. He loved a challenge. And finding a way to get past the tight security surrounding Jean Goins, aka Puff Raven, would be a test of his superior intelligence.
As he gazed through