Dead by Midnight - Beverly Barton [160]
“Lila? Lila, are you there?” Mr. Ransom asked.
“Yes, sir. Sorry. I…uh…I was told that a Mr. Owens was on the line and I expected it to be Mr. Tyler.”
“Is there some reason you were expecting Tyler to call?”
Lila hated to tell Mr. Ransom over the phone, with him off on a research trip somewhere, about his ex-wife’s condition. But he would want to know, and if Mr. Tyler couldn’t get to the bottom of the problem when he came home this evening, maybe Mr. Ransom could.
“I had to call Amelia Rose last night. We had a time with Miss Terri all day yesterday, from the time she woke up. I’ve never seen her that way. The doctor examined her and didn’t find any physical changes, so we assume it’s something entirely emotional. She seems desperate to see Mr. Tyler.”
“And you have no idea why she wants to see Tyler? She’s been unable to communicate in any way?”
Lila sighed. “Well, she did smear grape jelly on the top of her over-bed table and tried to write Mr. Tyler’s name with her finger. I believe she wants to tell him something that she thinks is important.”
“And you have no idea what that might be?”
“No, sir, I don’t.”
“It’s possible that she’s dreamed up something in her mind or she’s blown a minor problem out of proportion. After all, she hasn’t been herself since the stroke. Naturally, the best course of action is to keep her sedated for the time being. Has Tyler been in to see her?”
“Mr. Tyler is out of town.”
“Is he?”
“He’s due home this evening.”
“Lila, would you please do me a favor?’
“Yes, certainly, Mr. Ransom.”
“Keep a close eye on Terri when Tyler visits her and let me know what transpires between them. I wouldn’t ask, but since Tyler refuses to even speak to me, I—I…”
“Don’t you worry. I’ll be real discreet, but you can count on me to watch over Miss Terri.”
“Thank you. And I’ll do my best to return to Danville in time for my morning visit with Terri tomorrow.”
After her conversation with Mr. Ransom, Lila made her morning rounds, all the while thinking how sad it was that Mr. Ransom and Mr. Tyler were estranged the way they were. Despite their father/son differences, they both loved Terri, and were both devoted to her. Why, she didn’t know. The woman certainly didn’t deserve their love or devotion.
Jack arrived at Lorie’s house a little after ten that Friday morning. When Mike opened the door, he could tell by the look on his deputy’s face that he was bringing bad news.
“Where’s Lorie?” Jack asked.
“In the shower,” Mike said. “She slept late this morning. I don’t think she got much sleep last night.”
“I just got off the phone with Hicks Wainwright.”
“And?”
“He’s struck again. Last night. Out in LA.”
“The Midnight Killer?”
“Yeah. When their housekeeper arrived at six this morning, she found a bloody massacre at Jean and Jeff Misner’s home in Hollywood Hills.”
“Jean Goins Misner.”
Jack nodded. “Also known as Puff Raven.”
“I thought she had two around-the-clock bodyguards.”
“He killed both guards, probably first, and then the Misners. Shot all four of them repeatedly. He followed his usual routine. He stripped Jean Misner and put a mask on her face after he killed her.”
A loud gasp from behind them alerted Mike to the fact that Lorie had overheard Jack’s last statement.
She stood a few feet away, dressed in faded jeans and a white pullover and with her damp hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. “Jean’s been killed? But it’s still April. He wasn’t supposed to strike again until May.”
“Derek warned us that he might begin escalating the kills,” Jack reminded her. “Killing again before May indicates that he’s altering his MO, at least to some extent.”
“There are only two of us left,” Lorie said. “Terri and me.”
“But he probably doesn’t know that. It’s unlikely that he’s found out Charlene Strickland and Sonny Deguzman are already dead.” Mike reached out, put his arm around her, and pulled her to his side. What could he say or do to make this easier for her? He wanted to comfort her, but how? He felt helpless.
“Wainwright has