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SEPTEMBER DROVE TOO fast, risking a slide off the road but anxious to put distance between herself and the killer. The cats huddled on the floorboards behind her seat. Shadow rode shotgun in the front passenger spot, and reached out to paw her arm.
“I know, baby-dog.” She tried a cheery tone, and failed. She couldn’t stop the quaver in her voice, and unclenched one hand to stroke Shadow’s broad brow. While in the middle of planning, and then escaping the garage, she’d held emotions at bay. But now, she couldn’t still her shaking body. Her mouth tasted sour.
She’d planned to give Tee the thumb drive, but only a handful of people knew about the white cat. Detective Steele thought Tee would get Karma to track. Had Steele told Mr. Bleak about the cat? Or had he told someone else?
September yearned to call Combs, to talk it through with him. At this hour, a call would wake his kids, though, and spoil their time together. And wouldn’t help, in the long run or the short term, other than selfishly make her feel better.
At the thought, September picked up her phone, and saw that Tee had texted her. Without bothering to read it, glancing every now and then in the mirror, she slowed her pace to a safer speed, and return Tee’s call.
“Where the hell are you?” Tee shouted before September could get a word in, and then tempered her tone while Karma barked in the background. “I woke and you’re gone. I thought we agreed to wait until morning.”
“I’m sorry. But you needed the rest. If you’ve got Lyme disease, you need tests and probably hospitalization.”
“Mind your own business. I can take care of myself. No time for wimping out over some stupid rash.”
She scrubbed one hand over her face, and burst out with exasperation. “Who else knew about the cat, and the missing drives? The killer beat us there.”
“What? At the house?” Tee nearly stuttered with surprise. “Are you okay? What happened? Did you find the cat and files?”
September’s shoulders unclenched as they drove back into the city. The streetlamps turned the darkness into holiday cards. “I found Sherlock, and yep, I’ve got the thumb drive. Who knew I’d be out there?”
“Nobody.” Tee answered immediately. “Only Detective Steele. He said to look tomorrow morning. That is, today, in a couple of hours.”
September yawned. She hadn’t had a good night’s sleep since leaving Heartland. She wanted more than ever to be back on the road toward home. And Combs. “That’s why the guy headed there in the middle of the night.”
Tee’s tone turned wary. “Don’t even go there. My department tells stories about Detective Steele. He’s a legend. I don’t want to hear—”
“Okay, fine. So want me to drop off the thumb drive with Steele? He wanted to interview me anyway. Just as soon get that over with sooner rather than later.” She checked the mirror. Still clear, thank goodness. “Will he even be there yet?”
Tee shushed Karma. September could hear the dog fussing in the background. “Just bring it here to me. It’s barely five a.m. Steele won’t come in until later. He was still dealing with the fire at Judge Southgate’s house late last night.”
“Fire?” September’s throat clenched. Southgate? She wrinkled her brow. Where had she heard that name?
“Yeah, some kind of gas explosion they think. The whole family gathered for an early Christmas dinner, and everyone died. Well, except for a daughter who arrived late and discovered the fire.”
September pulled into a nearby gas station and put the car in park. Her hands shook. She fingered the lanyard of the computer drive that hung around her neck. “Do you have a computer with you? So we could take a look at the thumb drive first, before we give it to Steele?” She’d left her own laptop at home, never thinking she’d need more than her phone on the short trip.
“No, sorry. The locals should have a team review and send digital copies to Redford in Chicago.” Her voice sharpened. “Karma, will you please settle?” She sighed with exasperation. “I’ve got to take her outside. You have your key, so just let yourself back in. You sure you’re okay? We’ll have you file a report about the attack.” She added, with disapproval. “You’re not the police. I should have been with you for the search and recovery. Nobody wants any question about the chain of evidence.”
“Yeah, right. I understand. Take your dog outside, Tee. I’ll see you soon.” September cut her off, not wanting to hear another word. Leaving it to the police sounded fine, until someone like Mr. Bleak turned up. She’d narrowly escaped him twice, and figured her luck wouldn’t hold for another meeting.
She had to protect herself with information. September used her phone browser to access the local news and soon had file footage from the Southgate home. Engulfed in flame, it looked like a war zone. A reporter offered voice-over commentary, and then a picture of Judge George Southgate filled the phone screen.
“I knew that name sounded familiar.” He’d been the angry man at Angela’s house who wanted her arrested. He and Steele knew each other. She did another quick search and found his office address. It looked familiar, but with Angela’s text messages deleted, she couldn’t be sure he’d been the attorney they were to meet. Now, he’d been killed in an accidental fire?
“Accidental, my ass-ets. We need help.” She whispered fiercely, Shadow and the two cats her only audience. The trio listened politely. Macy and the snow-white Sherlock had climbed into the back seat, and lay snuggled side by side—unheard of among strange cats, but September didn’t question. She needed some luck. More than that, she needed a trusted sounding board. The unexpected stress and fear could tip her into a PTSD meltdown with little warning.
Tee was sick, whether she admitted it or not. Combs couldn’t help long distance. And September didn’t trust Steele, no matter his glowing reputation or his previously being Chris’s colleague. She had to take precautions before turning over the evidence. Whoever ran this murder train wanted her tied to the tracks, too.
A dear friend helped her with a thumb drive once before. “Plan’s changed, Shadow. We can’t go home, not yet.”
She retrieved his Christmas card from the glovebox, and looked at the return address. September knew she could count on Teddy Williams.
