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A faint buzzing pulled Kate up from a deep slumber. She forced her heavy head to turn and look toward the nightstand. She stared at her buzzing phone until her mind came into focus. She glanced at the clock before answering.
Ten a.m.
She grabbed the phone. The caller I.D. showed it was Detective Steber.
When did I add this name to my phone?
Kate’s failed memory concerned her as she hit the button on the screen.
“Hello?” Her hoarse voice surprised her. She cleared her throat.
“This is Detective Steber. Is this Mrs. De Luca?”
“Yes.”
Kate sat up and wiped her face with her other hand as she tried to snap herself awake.
“Good morning, Mrs. De Luca. I wanted to give you a quick call with an update on your husband and son’s case.”
“Okay.” She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear what he was about to tell her.
“The most important information we have so far, is that the bullets removed from your husband and son came from the same weapon. So it’s likely we’re looking at a lone shooter.”
Kate’s mind raced. “Okay, but do you have any idea who that could be?”
“We’re working on it, ma’am. But unfortunately, there are no real leads. We had one homeowner tell our officers he saw a guy walking about a block away from the scene around the time of the murd—,” he paused and changed his language. “Around the time you drove up to your husband’s vehicle. And, while it’s unusual to see people walking outside in the dark when it’s this cold, obviously, that’s not against the law, and we have no way of knowing who it was.”
Kate noted his slip-up but her heart quickened at the thought of a potential suspect. “Did he give any kind of description?”
“The witness said he thought the guy was short, stocky. He couldn’t tell anything else—race or whatnot. It’s not much, unfortunately.”
“I understand. Anything else?”
“Uh, yeah.”
Kate heard his hesitation and braced herself.
“We believe your son exited the vehicle immediately after his dad was shot. He made it around to the back of the SUV and that’s where he was shot. He was then dragged back to the car. Blood on the snowy street with signs of him being dragged in the snow, along with no gun residue around the passenger seat, lead us to believe that that’s what happened.”
“Oh my God,” Kate whispered. “He ran? For his life?”
“I’m real sorry ma’am. Yes.”
“What kind of monster does something like this?”
“That’s what we’re trying to find out.”
Kate’s head swam. She was thankful she was still in bed. Her poor baby. He must have been so terrified.
“If I could ask one more question, it would be helpful,” said the detective. “I know this is difficult for you.”
Kate barely heard him. “Yes.”
“You said your husband mentioned a flat tire on your call with him?”
“Yes. He said he was pulling over to change the tire.”
The detective cleared his throat before speaking. “The tire had been punctured, Mrs. De Luca. With a knife or some other sharp object. We believe this shows premeditation.”
“Premeditation? I—I don’t ....” She paused. “Did they find anything else? Fingerprints or ... anything?”
“No prints, but that’s not surprising. We’re making another sweep of the scene and the vehicle to make sure we didn’t miss anything.”
“I can’t believe it. I don’t understand why—” Kate stopped speaking as it hit her.
Eddie.
It was so strange how her grief continued to play games with her memory. She needed to get out of this fog, but it was so difficult, like a weighted blanket pressing down on her brain. Of course this was all Eddie’s doing. It suddenly became so clear.
“Ma’am?”
“I’m sorry, Detective,” Kate said. “I’m having a hard time absorbing all of this.”
“I understand this is difficult for you, Mrs. De Luca. Are you sure you don’t know anyone who might want to harm your husband and son? No enemies? Someone with a grudge? Anything would be helpful.”
“No,” she lied. “No one.”
She wasn’t sure why she was lying to the detective, but maybe it was because she wanted more time to sort things out, and for her head to clear.
“Well, if anything comes to mind,” said Detective Steber, “please let me know.”
“I will. Thank you, Detective. And you’ll call me if you hear anything?”
“Absolutely. I’ll be in touch. Have a good day.”
“Thanks. You too.”
Kate hung up the phone and laid back on the pillow, staring at the ceiling.
Have a good day. Sure.
She put the back of her hand over her eyes. A guy walking? That could be anybody. But the punctured tire? Like the detective said, that shows premeditation. And there’s only one person she could think of who’d want to harm Marco.
Eddie Bracchio.
But why would he kill Renzo? It didn’t make sense. Even Eddie wouldn’t do something like that. Would he? She rolled over and went back to sleep as visions of her dead husband’s bloodied head resting on the steering wheel, flashed over and over in her dreams.
