“Is there any way I could get a cot set up for my daughter? I don’t want her out of my sight.” Kennedy was in the bathroom taking a shower.
“I think we can rig up something.”
After a few minutes checking her vitals, the doctor departed for the rest of his rounds.
“What’s going on with Howard?” Silver asked.
“The killer? He’s being processed,” Seth informed her. “He’s refused to give us a statement other than a perfunctory admission of guilt. Insists he’ll only talk to you.”
“He’s…different than what I was expecting,” Silver admitted, still puzzled by their entire exchange.
Seth nodded. “I know what you mean. He seemed almost serene when we took him from the scene. Weird — but not creepy weird — just weird.”
“Tell me about it.” Silver yawned, then raised her hand to the side of her head with a grimace.
“That’s our cue to let you rest,” Seth said. “We’ll be back later with Brett. Figure around seven this evening, if that’s okay…”
“Fine. Not like I’m going anywhere.”
Richard gave her a warm smile. “See you later,” he said.
“Plan on it,” she replied, doing her best to return the smile. She had every intention of calling him within an hour. Just as soon as he could get away from Seth and have some privacy. Kennedy could take another powder — Seth had brought Silver’s extra laptop computer from the office; she was sure her daughter could find a game or two online after her extended period cold turkey.
She closed her eyes and sighed. There was so much to think about. And her head felt like she’d been hit between the eyes with a brick. Which wasn’t far from the truth.
When Brett showed up that evening, he was positively glowing. The ache in Silver’s head had subsided to a dull throbbing, but she did her best to share in the celebratory mood. Brett, Seth and Richard stood like supplicants at the foot of her bed while Brett filled her in on the latest.
“Congratulations, Silver. This is an amazing achievement. I’m sure you’ll regale us all with the exact methodology you used to single-handedly capture New York’s most elusive serial killer in your written report, but for now, may I just say that speaking for myself as well as the Bureau, we’re all extremely proud of you.” Brett smiled. “And clearing two off the books in one fell swoop — a kidnapping as well as a serial…that’s some kind of superhero stuff we’re talking.”
“Yes, well, I got lucky. Right place, right time,” Silver said, uncomfortable with the effusive praise.
“Yeah. I’ll say,” Brett continued. “Lucky, huh? Luck took you straight to the perp’s house while the rest of the task force was chasing windmills? Somehow I think there’s more to it than that.”
“The trick is to find something that seems really difficult and then make it look easy,” Silver explained.
“I’ll have to remember that. Oh, and on another Silver Cassidy note, the investigation into the man who tried to kill you has come to a head. We know all the details now and have a suspect in custody.”
“I can’t wait to hear all about it. I’m going to try to make it into work tomorrow, at least for a few hours. I understand Howard is refusing to talk to anyone but me?” Silver gave Seth a sidelong glance.
Brett nodded. “That’s correct. He admitted to the killings, but he said that he’ll make a full confession to you, and only you. Normally I’d say that you should take a week off, but if you can come in without putting yourself in jeopardy and take his statement that would help us wrap this up.”
“Let’s plan on ten tomorrow morning. I’m hoping I can get a ride to my flat from someone,” she gave Richard a pointed look, “and then once Kennedy is taken care of, I’ll come in and do the interview. One thing, though. He mentioned seven victims. Not six. Has he said anything to you about that?”
“No, he didn’t,” Seth said. “He just made a statement acknowledging that he was responsible for the killings, beginning with the Boca Raton financial advisor, giving just enough detail to confirm that he was telling the truth. Also, he told us where in his house to find the murder weapons. He wasn’t trying to hide any of it. It’s just very, very strange…”
“Then let’s plan on tomorrow, and you can fill me in on the hit attempt on me once I’m done with our boy. Is it safe to assume that I’m no longer in danger?” Silver asked, beginning to visibly tire.
“You’re out of danger,” Brett assured her, “but just in case, I’m stationing an agent on the ward floor while you’re here.”
“Good to hear. Guess I won’t need to sleep with my Glock as a pillow anymore…” She shifted her gaze to Richard. “Thanks for coming. I’ll live, and I’ll see everyone tomorrow. Richard, can I have a moment?”
Brett and Seth took the hint and discreetly exited the room, leaving Richard standing by the foot of her bed.
“Are you going to stay all the way over there?” Silver asked, and he edged over to the bedside, near the vital signs monitors.
“I can’t tell you how relieved I am that you’re okay,” Richard started, but she shushed him.
“We don’t have much time until Kennedy comes out, so let’s make the most of it. I had a lot of time to think while I was holed up at home, and I want you to know that what happened between us was one of the best experiences of my life. I don’t know that it means anything, or what it could lead to, but I want you to know that I’d like to find out, if you’re game.” Silver’s eyes searched his expression.
Richard smiled and moved closer, taking her hand. “After everything that happened, I wasn’t even sure you remembered it all. But the feeling’s mutual. Very mutual.” He leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips.
The bathroom door opened, and Kennedy stepped out, hair dripping, wearing a clean set of clothes.
“Whoa,” she exclaimed.
Richard stepped away from the bed with a guilty look, but Silver squeezed his hand.
“So when did all this happen? Nobody tells me anything.”
“Something about you being kidnapped. Out of the loop,” Silver replied.
Richard seemed to grapple for something to say. Kennedy set her hygiene bag down on the chair by the bathroom and approached the bed, then took Richard’s hand and looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes.
“Are you my new daddy? I want a pony for Christmas. And a hundred bucks for games to keep me from going stir-crazy while I’m here in the hospital,” she cooed in her most angelic voice.
Richard looked like a deer caught in oncoming headlights. Silver threw Kennedy a look.
“She’s fu- she’s messing with you, Richard. She’s not five years old, or retarded. Although sometimes I have my doubts…”
Kennedy smiled sweetly. “I thought you said you didn’t think he was cute?”
“I never said tha-”
“Well, I’m just a kid, so what do I know about all this? You two carry on. I’ll try to dry my hair with paper towels in the bathroom.” Kennedy about-faced and returned to the door, swinging it open after offering a mischievous smile.
“Did I mention my kid is Satan’s spawn sometimes?”
“You left that out.”
“I hope it doesn’t scare you off. It would scare the hell out of me.”
“I don’t scare easily.”
“She’s actually not a bad kid. Just too smart for her own good.”
“I know the kind,” Richard said, then leaned over and kissed Silver again.
For a few moments, everything was right in the world.
The next morning, Richard waited for the hospital to discharge Silver so he could take her and Kennedy home. Her head was still aching, and her spine drove spikes of pain through her whenever she moved too suddenly, but all in all, she was far better than when she’d been admitted.
As Richard drove at a sedate pace, she felt the back of her skull, probing tenderly at the stitches, and realized that she’d been lucky the injury hadn’t been more serious. She could have easily bled out without attention — the odds had been fifty-fifty that she would have had a cerebral hemorrhage from the blow. And fortunately, the scan of her spine had revealed no fractures, which was a concern given how hard she’d hit the concrete.
Once at the flat, Richard carried their bags upstairs as she made her unsteady way behind him, taking care to grip the bannister securely. She’d had it with falling down stairs, and wanted to ensure that it never happened again.
