Page 39 of Keeping Collette

None of what she said made him happy, but looking at Collette now–and how she’d got her life together–he wasn’t surprised Courtney’s school trusted her to keep her sister clothed and fed. But Collette had no one and had managed everything herself.

This woman amazed him the more time he spent with her.

“Do you think they’re home?” he asked, instead of lingering of the “whys” and “wherefores” of Courtney’s decision making.

“More than likely. Most of their income comes from their drug dealing, which they do at night. I don’t think they’ve ever held down a stable job. Or if they had, it was way before I was born.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to ask if either her and Courtney had been born addicts, but if that was the case, then surely there would be some sign that one or both of them would’ve craved the thrill and the high drugs gave them. But he’d seen nothing to suggest that from Collette. He’d never met Courtney, so he couldn’t make a call on that. He believed Collette though, when she’d said Courtney hadn’t touched drugs. The coroner had found traces of heroin in her system, and one fresh needle mark. His conclusion had been that Courtney had been drugged before she’d been killed, like all the other serial killer victims. He’d found no evidence of habitual drug use.

“Fuck,” he muttered.

“What?” Her attention immediately went to the front of the house.

“Last night, I came over for a purpose, other than wanting to spend time with you and bring you dinner. I can’t believe I forgot all about it.”

“Forgot about what?”

“Now’s probably not the time to bring it up, but I had the coroner’s report. I was going to let you look at it.” He reached into the center console cubby and pulled out a tablet. He could access the report right now if she needed or wanted, to look at it.

“You’ve seen it?” Her voice was thready and the color had drained from her face.

“I have.”

She looked out the window, her throat moving up and down as she swallowed a couple of times. “I got a call from the police telling me it was available, and asking if I wanted to go down to the station and see it. I haven’t responded,” she said quietly, distress in her voice.

Considering everything she’d gone through over the last few weeks, the desire not to see the report was understandable. He lifted the tablet. “It’s here whenever you want to look at it.”

Her hand reached for the tablet, before she snatched it back and rested it in her lap. “How bad is it?”

“The pictures are graphic, but I can skip those and just show you the summary.”

Collette chewed her bottom lip, as if running through all the various scenarios that she would find through her mind. “I don’t think I can deal with anything more than seeing the summary. Maybe one day.”

Deal reached across the console and squeezed her hand. “And that’s perfectly fine.”

He turned his attention back to the tablet and pulled up the report, opening it up to the summary before handing it across.

As Collette read, he scanned the area, checking to see that they were still safe. Once he got the tablet back from Collette, he’d log in where they were so that Cass and the others at the office would know. He’d informed them he was taking Collette to see her parents, but as he hadn’t had a location, he wasn’t able to let them know.

“It was so violent,” she whispered and handed the tablet back. He quickly logged in their location before placing it back in the center console.

“Yeah, it was, I’m sorry.”

She waved away his apology. “It’s not like you did it. It’s the reality of what happened to her. But I want that bastard to pay.”

For the first time since the news of Courtney’s death had reached them, there was steel and life in her tone. Something that had been missing for the last few days. He liked hearing it. Her grief was cutting him to the bone because he couldn’t take the burden away from her, but he could share it with her by being by her side. “We will find whoever did this, and they will pay.”

“Good.” She reached for the door handle. “Let’s get this over with.”

Deal got out, noticing the curtain across the street flapping shut. Their presence had been detected, not surprising given his car was likely one that wasn’t seen regularly in the street.

His instincts weren’t screaming that danger was imminent, but he remained watchful. Like always, he had his K-BAR strapped to his ankle and his gun holstered snug against his chest. He hoped he wouldn’t have to use either, but if there was any threat to Collette, he wouldn’t hesitate to do whatever was necessary.

Deal caught up to Collette’s and immediately reached for her hand. Her fingers closed around his, and he was glad he could provide her the anchor she needed as she dealt with her parents.

As they made their way up the overgrown walkway, Collette tripped on an unseen rock, but he caught her before she fell.

“Thanks,” she murmured.