While Luke poured a hefty serving of wine in everyone’s glasses, Mrs. O’Brien placed the meatloaf on the table then sat down and grabbed Kate’s hand—presumably to get ready with the pre-meal prayer—but Kate was taken aback when Mrs. O’Brien lifted her hand close to her face.
“It’s truly a gorgeous ring. I can’t believe my Luke is going to make an honest woman out of you, finally!”
“Mom! Quit it with your outdated expressions. People don’t have to get married to be honest or respectable these days!”
“Say whatever you want. I’m excited! You two committing to tying the knot is the best gift I could have ever asked for.”
“Better than accompanying you to those fundraisers?”
“Much, much better.”
“Should have done it sooner, then,” he said.
“Luke!”
“You know I’m just kidding, Mom.”
“Enough of this. Let’s bless this meal,” Mrs. O’Brien began but Kate’s phone rang in the distance.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. O’Brien.” Kate got up and left the table.
“Kate!”
“I’m sorry, Marjorie.” Kate stepped out of the room and overheard Luke as she dug into her purse.
“Let it go, Mom. Those mealtime calls come with the job. You won’t change her.”
Kate smiled. She appreciated having a partner—a fiancé—as supportive as Luke, but her grin disappeared when she recognized the area code.
“Hello?”
“Detective Murphy, it’s Sheriff Ramsay. I won’t take much of your time, but we’ve identified the man from the letters.”
His unexpected words made her blood flow faster through her veins. Her breathing sped up. “And?”
“The DNA from the glue matched a man in one of our databases, but we haven’t been able to locate him. As far as the records are concerned, he seems to have disappeared off the grid. No one has seen or heard from him in decades.”
“Oh.” Kate felt her shoulders slump, along with her hopes.
“But there’s also no obituary to be found.”
“What are you saying?” Kate asked.
“You gave us a new lead. It’s no longer a cold case, but we don’t know if we’ll ever find out anything about this man. Congratulations on that serial killer, by the way.”
“Thanks. What’s the man’s name, if I may?”
“Ethan Thibodeau.”
“Thanks, Sheriff. I really appreciate you taking the time to call and let me know,” Kate said before hanging up.
She stared mindlessly at her phone while letting the new-found knowledge sink in. A name. She now had a name. That was something, right? Worth all the sleepless nights and worries?
Debatable. But a name was progress. And progress was always good. The sheriff and his team would eventually find him. Or she could work on it in her spare time…
“Are you joining us now?” Luke called out.
“Yes, I’m coming.” She put her phone away then returned to the kitchen, her eyes spotting the dent in the wall where her bullet had stopped its trajectory. The subtle mark had become her daily reminder to spend time with those she loved.
She took her seat and grabbed the hands of Luke and his mom. Her family.
“Please, let me?” Kate asked as Mrs. O’Brien was about to speak.
A line split her brows as she looked at her son, then she turned to face Kate and shrugged. “If you wish.”
“Thank you for allowing me to share my life with Luke and Marjorie.” Mrs. O’Brien squeezed Kate’s hand at the mention of her first name. “Thank you for keeping them safe on that terrible day. Thank you to all my colleagues who helped us catch him in time—”
“Katie,” Mrs. O’Brien muttered. “You’re supposed to bless the food—”
Mrs. O’Brien yelped in pain.
Kate looked at Luke. “You kicked your mom?”
“Go on,” Luke said, his eyes wide, his face stern even though he was turning crimson.
“Thank you to … Marjorie for preparing a delicious meal for us. She always cooks with love and I’m very grateful to have her in my life. I’m very grateful to have Luke be so patient and understanding with me. I love you,” she said, squeezing his hand. “Thank you to all those farmers who grew the ingredients we needed. Thank you for everything you do to feed us. May this delicious meal and the conversations we’ll share replenish us, both body and mind. Thank you, Universe.”
“Amen.”
Curious about Kate’s past before she became a detective and started dating Luke? Read The Last Hope, a technothriller.
The Last Hope (Prequel novel)
Officer Kate Murphy’s uncle is like a father to her. When he's arrested for murder, she's his only hope.
After a few off-the-record conversations with Luke, an awkwardly attractive forensic technician, Kate knows something doesn’t add up. And when a host of politicians and homeless people begin to die all over the Northeast, Kate suspects they’re somehow connected to her uncle’s case.
To prove the innocence of the man who took her in after her parents were murdered, Kate must make an incredible leap of faith. But she's not prepared for the stunning discovery that calls everything into question.
Can’t get enough of Kate Murphy? The Last Lies takes place before The Last Hope, and it explains some of her darker hours as a beat cop.
The Last Lies (Prequel novella that precedes The Last Hope)
A woman in a man’s world. An enemy she never saw coming.
Police officer Kate Murphy thought she’d left her tumultuous past behind when she married Matt, but nothing could be further from the truth.
As problems and deceptions pile up both at home and at work, a disturbingly high number of animal deaths begin to spread in and around Boston. Kate will have to unravel a web of lies and connect the dots to solve the case and regain control over her life.
If you like dramatic police procedurals with characters who grow and become stronger as the story progresses, then you’ll love this fast-paced yet emotional mystery.