Part 29 (2/2)
He was about to turn away when he noticed the way the blood was smeared near Bannion's right hand, almost like- ”Is that writing over there by his hand?” Rob asked and moved to the far side of the corpse.
Gros...o...b..nt for a closer look. ”s.h.i.+t, yeah, I think it is!”
Rob knelt on the throw rug next to Bannion's body. There were letters traced in blood on the polished wood:
The rest was smeared.
” 'Gates?' ” said Grosso. ”He talking about the Pearly Gates?”
The sudden burst of excitement in Rob was almost unbearable.
”I don't think so,” he said. ”I think he named his killer.”
He rose to his feet and motioned Grosso away.
”Don't touch a thing! Don't touch a G.o.dd.a.m.n thing until Forensics gets here and photos and prints everything.”
He stepped back and stared at the body. The uneasiness rose up in him again. Bannion was here dead, but where was Kara? Where the h.e.l.l h.e.l.l was Kara? was Kara?
Kara awoke with a start. There were sounds in the outer room, footsteps, rustlings.
Someone's here!
She leaped from the bed. She was weaponless, defenseless. And terrified. As she lifted the phone and prepared to dial 911, she peaked through the open door. The breath clogged in her throat. A man there. In a bomber jacket. He looked like- ”Rob?”
He whirled, his features tight with shock at first, then they relaxed with relief.
”Kara! You're here!”
”Of course I'm here. I've been sleeping here all week as you well know! But what are you you doing here? And how on earth did you get in?” doing here? And how on earth did you get in?”
He rushed forward and grabbed her shoulders- gently, but there was no escaping his grasp.
”Where have you been all night?”
”Right here. Where else?”
”No. You weren't here. I I was here, but was here, but you you weren't!” weren't!”
Something in his eyes was starting to frighten her.
”Rob, what are you talking about?”
”I called here a couple of hours ago but got no answer.”
”I talked to you-”
”No. After that. I got worried so I got Kelly's key from the effects bag and let myself in. The place was empty. I used your phone for I don't know how long.” He let go of her shoulders and pointed past her. ”Look. The phone book's right where I left it.”
Kara looked and felt terror begin to crawl through her. She hadn't had the phone book out all week. She pushed past Rob and ran for the oven. The key was still there, and the strand of her hair was still wrapped around it. She looked at Rob.
”Rob, I couldn't have left here. The key's right where I put it.”
She watched him shake his head slowly and knew with sinking certainty that he was telling the truth. He had been here and she had not.
How? She wanted to scream it. HOW HOW?
He came over and led her to the couch. He eased her down and then sat next to her. Close.
”There's something else you should know, Kara.” His eyes were locked on hers. ”Ed Bannion is dead. He was murdered an hour or so ago.”
”Ed? Oh, G.o.d! Ed?”
For a moment the room spun about her, but she willed it to stop. But she couldn't stop the tears.
”Poor Ed! What a horrible way to die!”
She felt Rob stiffen beside her.
”What way, Kara?”
”Stabbed to death. How awful!”
”How did you know he was stabbed?”
Know? G.o.d, how did did she know? she know?
”I... I don't know! Didn't you tell me? Please say you told me!”
Rob's headshake was slow and deliberate.
”My G.o.d, what's happening to my life, Rob? Everything's going crazy around me and I can't seem to do anything about it! What's happening?”
He held her gently and said, ”I don't know, Kara.” He said, ”I don't know,” over and over.
February 23 8:22 A.M.
”I HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOUR RDO, ROB,” AUGIE MANETTI said as he dropped a stack of papers on Rob's desk.
Sunday was Rob's regular day off, and he had spent most of it with Kara and Jill. He had been itching to stay on the Bannion killing but he felt Kara needed him around until she got used to the idea that someone she knew had been murdered. So he had stayed away from the precinct house all day. Besides, Manetti was his partner and was familiar with the Kelly Wade file. Rob had filled him in on all the details of the Bannion case. Officially, it was out of Midtown North's area, but because Rob had said it tied in with the Wade death the case had been a.s.signed to Midtown North. Rob expected to be called into Mooney's office any minute.
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