CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

 

As he did every Thanksgiving Day, Stone took over the kitchen. It was a tradition that he was proud of—using the cooking skills that had been passed down the generations of his family and too often ignored by him to give his wife a break from slaving over the stove. While Joyce always griped a little about it, being comfortable with her own cuisine, overall she seemed to appreciate Stone becoming a once a year chef.

The entire family was there for the holiday feast. Anna and Chad had come home from college and Joyce’s parents drove down from Oregon, where they had moved a few years ago.

Manuel Gonzalez was still on the loose, having managed to evade the dragnet across the city for more than a week. Stone considered that he might have left Northern California, if not the entire state. But something told him that the man was still there in the Eagles Landing area, waiting to be caught like a mountain lion.

It was only a matter of time.

Just as it was that Stone would be able to determine whether or not Chuck Murray had played any role in the death of his wife, Adrienne.

Stone was barely aware of the phone ringing as he poured the sweet potato batter into two pie crusts. When Joyce stepped into the kitchen doorway, a dour look creased her face.

“It’s for you.”

“Can you take a message?” he asked on a sigh. “I have my hands pretty full right now.”

A moment later Joyce was back. “It’s Gordon,” she said sullenly. “He says it’s urgent.”

Stone frowned. He had made Joyce a promise that there would be no police business today. Not with the kids and her parents there.

Maybe it was not so urgent that his partner couldn’t delay whatever was on his mind till tomorrow.

“Yeah, Chang,” Stone grumbled into the phone. “What’s up?”

“Gonzalez was been spotted by one of our cruisers,” Chang spoke loudly. “He’s inside a Kelbow Supermarket not far from your place. Thought you might want to be there when we make the arrest.”

Stone moistened his lips. “You’re sure it’s Gonzalez?”

“He was seen leaving a car that matched the description of the last one he stole.” Chang sneezed nastily into the phone. “The license plate checked out.”

Stone thought about it for a moment. He wanted this bastard so badly he could almost taste it. Nothing would give him greater pleasure than to personally slap the cuffs on Manuel Gonzalez for the murder of Adrienne Murray and his girlfriend, Claudia Sosa, for starters. And, with any luck, he could be back home before they began to miss him too much.

“I’m on my way, man,” he told Chang.

Before Joyce could say anything—and she had been watching him all the while like a hawk—Stone kissed her regretfully on the mouth.

“I’m sorry, hon. Duty calls. Looks like we’ve got the bead on the man who’s likely killed at least three women that we know of. I have to go.”

“Where—?” One hand clung to Joyce’s hip like it was stuck there.

Stone told her, as he always did in a potentially dangerous situation. But they both knew it came with the territory. Didn’t mean he had to like it.

“You be careful, Stone,” she pleaded, fear dancing in her eyes. “If anything were to happen—especially on Thanksgiving Day.”

“Nothing will,” he told her comfortingly. Not if he could help it. “I won’t be long.” Stone handed her his apron, knowing she knew what to do with it. “I love you—”

He heard the words repeated back to him even as Stone was dashing out of the room and hoping they could finally get this son of a bitch before anyone else felt the cold steel of his blade.