Chapter Thirty-Five

Olivia was numb. Ernie, her mentor, her friend, was the Vigilante. She never would have thought he was capable of committing cold-blooded murder. He was gregarious and jovial and everyone loved him.

She hadn’t wanted to wait until any longer to watch the video so Sawyer retrieved his computer from the SUV and they retreated to her former apartment. Alex held her close, but even the warmth of his body couldn’t penetrate the ice encasing her heart. The ordeal was finally over. The threat to her life was gone. That meant Alex’s job was finished and he would be leaving. She shuddered and he pulled her closer. He misinterpreted her reaction as being cold when in reality she was terrified.

Roddy and Phil were on their way and somehow, Olivia had to find the composure to stand in front of a camera and tell the world that Ernie Walters was a killer.

Sawyer fired up his computer and slid the drive into the USB, pulling her from her thoughts. He opened the file marked, ‘Linda’s Killer’.

A man’s face appeared, his eyes wild. “My name is Mickey Kent. I have a drug problem and I committed a horrible crime. I struck a woman while trying to steal her purse. I didn’t mean to hit her that hard but I needed a fix and she wouldn’t give me her damn purse.” Mickey’s eyes rolled back and his body shook. His head rolled on his shoulders when he faced the camera again. “She never woke up. I’m sorry for what I did.”

The monitor went black and then Ernie’s face filled the screen. “My name is Ernest Walters. Most of you know me as the host of the evening news for years, but my biggest role in life was husband of Linda Dawson Walters. When Mickey Kent attacked my wife and left her more dead than alive, he ended my life, too.

“I’m not a monster, and I hope my legacy is one of truth and justice. What I did as the Vigilante was to bring peace and closure to the families of the victims. I’m not condoning what I’ve done. I know it was wrong. But I never felt an ounce of remorse. Linda can transition to Heaven peacefully, as can the rest of the victims, knowing those responsible paid for their crime. One last time, this is Ernie Walters signing off. Good night New York and stay safe.”

Olivia couldn’t breathe. Hearing his signature sign-off brought a finality to the horrible ordeal. Ernie was the Vigilante and now he was dead.

“Looks like his last act was to avenge his wife’s death,” Alex murmured.

“There’s something else in the envelope.” Sawyer withdrew a small envelope addressed to Olivia and handed it to her. She opened the seal and pulled out the handwritten note.

My dearest Olivia, I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me. Though I didn’t know you long, you became very important to me. I believe that God brought you into my life to show me that there was still light amid the darkness. Linda and I weren’t able to have children, but you were the daughter of my heart. I don’t want you to shed tears for me. Linda can rest easy now in Heaven since the man who put her there has paid for his crime. I’ve worked hard my entire life and now I regret not spending more time with my beloved wife. I made a fortune, but when you don’t have the love of your life to spend it with, it’s pointless. My lawyer will be contacting you about my will. I’ve left everything to you. Take the money and live a good life. Smell the roses. Dance in the rain. Find a man that’s worthy of your love. Have lots of babies. Take nothing for granted. Most importantly, be happy. Love always, Ernie.

#

Alex watched Olivia speak into the camera with composure he knew she didn’t feel. After everything that happened last night with Ernie and his confession, he didn’t know how she would be able to report on a story that was so personal to her, but she was poised and professional and her voice only broke once as she told the details of her former mentor and his crime spree. Jonah had somehow checked himself out of the hospital and he was on site, directing the piece without using his hands.

Olivia blindsided him when she gave the entire credit to solving the Vigilante case to him. She told about the postcards and how he was the one to realize all of the postmarks were the same. She plugged COBRA Securities as often as possible and he knew Luke and Logan would be ecstatic with the publicity. She praised the NYPD and interviewed Detectives Benson and Kramer and then him and Sawyer. He tried to downplay the praise, insisting it was a group effort, but she rolled right over him. Now she was finishing up the report and all he wanted to do was take her back to the apartment and make love to her for days.

While she was preparing for the piece, he took care of the phone calls again. He notified his parents first and then he called Olivia’s mom. He actually enjoyed talking to her and hoped to meet her in person in the near future. Dorian was next since Alex was afraid of what Kendall might do to his manly parts if she found out about this from someone else. BeBe had called to let him know that a major morning show wanted to interview them tomorrow and she had accepted the offer. Along with Alex, Sawyer and Olivia, they were planning on having both NYPD detectives and had requested the owners of COBRA Securities as well. Luke was already on his way so he couldn’t turn it down. He offered to pick Luke up from the airport but BeBe told him that everything was already arranged. Luke would meet them at the set in the morning.

The red light on Phil’s camera finally blinked off. Olivia’s shoulders slumped, whether from exhaustion or sadness, he didn’t know. Before he could get to her, Jonah wrapped her in a hug. It was a little awkward with both of his arms in casts but he managed. Alex waited for Jonah to step back and he held his arms open. Olivia walked into them and he held on for dear life.

“I just want to get far away and forget all about this,” she said against his chest.

“I know, babe, me, too.”

She looked up at him. “We have to be interviewed by the morning show tomorrow.”

He sighed. “Yeah, BeBe told me.”

“It’s probably going to be like this for a while. This is a pretty big story. And Jonah wants me to do a feature piece for a special edition report on everything that’s happened.”

“You’ll do an amazing job.”

“I want it to be all over but now that it is, I’m scared to death.”

He tipped her chin with his finger. “Why are you scared?”

“Because that means your job is over and you’ll leave.”