Unfortunately, I did. I was just sorry it had taken me so long to do something about it. I’d mistakenly thought that keeping her around was helping both of us, but after spending the last couple of days trying to untangle the mess she’d made, I realized I was better off without her help.
“How did you know I’d be here anyway?”
She laughed and put her hand on my arm. “Because you’re always here. You’re so dedicated. But you work way too hard. That’s why you need me.”
I pulled my arm away. “Sorry, Stella. I meant what I said the other day. Your time here is done.”
Her smile faltered momentarily, and then she rallied and came even closer, reaching for my chest. “Maybe we just need to change the terms of our agreement.”
I caught her wrist before she made contact. “I don’t think so. You need to leave.”
I dropped her hand, ignoring her scowl, as my phone began to ring. “You can see yourself out.”
I picked up the phone, clearly signaling the end of the conversation. I felt nothing but relief when Stella turned around and stomped out of my office.
“Paul Cerasino.”
“Mr. Cerasino, thank God! It’s Miriam Kearney. I need your help.”
My irritation changed to concern when I heard Miriam’s panicked voice on the other end of the line.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s Caleb. I think he found me. And Ally’s not answering her phone.”
“Where are you? Are you safe?”
“For the moment, yes. I’m in the park across the street from your building, in the trees behind the swings.”
“Stay put. I’ll be right there.”
I rushed out of my office, taking the stairs instead of the elevator. I jogged across the street and toward the swings, finding Miriam on a bench.
She jumped up when she saw me. “Thanks for coming. I didn’t know who else to call.”
“Take a deep breath and tell me what happened.”
She nodded. “After Ally left last night, I went to the bookstore to get some writing done, but I couldn’t focus, so I drove around until I found one of those all-night cafés. When I got back to my place early this morning, my lights were off. I always leave a light on in my apartment.”
“You went inside?”
“No. I check from across the street before I go inside.”
“Is it possible you forgot to turn it on this time? Or that a bulb burned out? Maybe a power outage?”
She vigorously shook her head. “No. Ally set them on a timer, so I wouldn’t forget. And the bulbs are practically brand-new. Plus, the security lights were on outside, so I know there was power to the building.”
I nodded. “Go on.”
“So, I went around the back of the building. There’s a common area back there with a gazebo. I can see my kitchen and bathroom windows from there.”
“And?”
“My kitchen blinds were closed.”
“I take it, you don’t usually close them.”
“No. At least, not all the way. I have plants on the windowsill, and they need the sunlight.”
“Did you contact the police?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
She looked miserable. “Because it won’t do any good. They take care of their own.”
It took me a few seconds to put the pieces together. “Your ex-husband is a cop?”
“He was. He got kicked off the force. That was part of the plea bargain. He agreed to leave the force and adhere to the restraining order in exchange for probation and no formal charges. Allison was livid. She ended up losing her job too. That’s why she moved to Boston.”
That, like the fact that Miriam’s ex was a cop, hadn’t come up in our previous conversations.
“You failed to mention that.”
“I know. I’m sorry.” She looked contrite and, worse, defeated. “Does that change things for you?”
“Not in the least,” I assured her.
Caleb’s connections might make things more difficult, but I had no tolerance for bullies or systemic corruption. One of the most important aspects of what I did day in and day out was ensuring everyone got a fair shake.
Maybe I had a little bit of protector in me after all.
“Ally was right about you,” Miriam said. “Hey, you should call her. I bet she’d answer her phone then.”
“What else aren’t you telling me?”
“Ally and I had some words before she left,” Miriam admitted. “Things escalated, and ... I said some awful things.”
Based on the little I knew about Allison, I didn’t think she’d ignore a frantic call from her sister even if they were on the outs, which immediately made me think that something bad had happened. Then, I thought about Allison’s chivers, and the sense of foreboding grew stronger.
Out of everything Miriam told me, there was one thing that made my blood go cold. Allison had left Saturday evening, and it was now Sunday afternoon.
“You haven’t talked to Allison since yesterday?”
She shook her head. “I’ve been calling her since around three a.m., but she’s not answering.”
“What have you been doing all this time?”
“I went to a hotel, then came here. I’m sorry, I didn’t know what else to do.”
The woman before me wasn’t the same one who’d sat in my office days earlier and chided her sister for being overly cautious. This was the real Miriam, the domestic abuse survivor who scars hadn’t yet fully healed. I suddenly had a much better understanding of Allison’s need to take charge.
“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. First, I’m going to call my brother. He’s a cop, and I can guarantee you, he’s a good one. We’re going to have him head over to your place and check it out, okay?”
She nodded reluctantly.
“Then, we’re going to call your sister and find out what’s going on.”
I took Miriam back to my office and pointed her to Irene’s tea and biscotti stash while I made some calls.
Vinnie was enjoying his day off with Haven and wasn’t too happy about me cutting into their private time, but he changed his attitude when he heard why I was calling. I gave him a brief rundown, and he agreed to stop
