Page 87 of Night Watch
“Why’s that?”
“For the same reason you did with Erik. I can’t spend a lifetime living a lie with the man I love.”
“Yeah, that’s a hard one.” Kennedy wished she had a different answer.
“Still, I’ve decided what I want to do about WITSEC, and you’re not going to like it.”
Kennedy swallowed hard. “You’re going to stay in the program.”
Finley nodded. “I have to. You pointed out my debt. Well I’m swimming in it. I can’t get out from under it. I talked to Tyrone. He says there’s enough danger that he recommends we stay in the program. And they’ll make all my debts go away when they relocate me.”
Just hearing the wordrelocateput a pain in Kennedy’s heart. “We could use the money from Mom’s safe to pay it off.”
“Not if Erik proves it was illegally gained.”
“I don’t think that’s the case, but even if it is,” Kennedy said, “I’ll help pay your debts off.”
“You don’t have a lot of money either. And I know Mom’s will forbids you from selling her home and giving the money to me. Plus, this isn’t just about the money.” Finley clutched Kennedy’s hand. “It’s about our safety too.”
“I know,” Kennedy said, wishing that wasn’t true but it was and she didn’t want to talk about it because it could be the very thing that separated her from Erik. “You said you didn’t read Mom’s will.”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t want you to know.” Finley crossed her arms.
“That’s got to hurt.”
“It did. A lot. At least at first.” Finley relaxed her arms. “Now, I know she did it to try to make me grow up. Which I plan to do with this second chance with WITSEC.”
“And you’d leave and never see me again?” Kennedy’s words were stated calmly, despite the hurt she felt.
“I know you’ll come with me.”
Kennedy hated being taken for granted, but Finley was right. Kennedy would go with her sister, and Kennedy would be the one doing the leaving. Not only leaving Erik and his wonderful family behind, but leaving her heart right along with them.
22
Nearing ten P.M., Erik and Drake arrived at the parking lot where Erik had arranged to meet his brothers and cruised through a nearly full lot to the back. He searched for his brothers but he and Drake had arrived first.
Erik shifted into park on the side of the two-story motel where he had a good view of the entrance. “I’m going to give Johnson a call to ask about the guy Smitty arrested.”
Drake shifted to look at him. “You thinking he could be Wanda’s killer?”
Erik nodded as he got Johnson’s voicemail and had to leave a message. “We could rule Gordon out as a suspect if we know if this guy’s prints match the evidence, and he killed Wanda.”
“Ifindeed she was killed,” Drake said.
Erik swallowed a groan. Day five since he’d found Kennedy shivering in the water and he still didn’t have an answer to that question. They hadn’t located anyone with a motive to kill her. Lots of people had the means, but thewhywas perplexing. If shewasmurdered, someone obviously had a reason.
Anyone close to a murder victim was a suspect. A boyfriend fit that bill. But why would Gordon want to have someone steal Wanda’s denture plate?
“You sure you did a thorough search for inDents?” Drake asked. “Seems like we should be able to find something.”
“Not only me, but Nick too. Without a court order we’re not going to be able to break the domain privacy.”
“Seems like if this guy went to all the trouble to break in and steal the plate, it has to be a key lead in this investigation.”
“Yeah, that and knowing Wanda was sick and was trying to raise money to pay future medical bills.” Erik needed more info and Drake was just sitting there so Erik dialed Maya, who answered despite the late hour. “Erik?”
“I’m with Drake, and you’re on speaker.”
