Before the Dawn Read online

  They drove back to her car at the elementary school. He was right. They had a lot to do in a very short amount of time. She needed to solve this case before she left. To start fresh, with no lingering doubts, no unfinished business, was exactly what her conscience called for. Thankfully, she had hired Ashley who could help with the other casework. Still, it didn’t make her feel less guilty leaving a business she’d help start.

  “Do you want to come along for the interviews?” Kat asked.

  “I can’t. Got a meeting in an hour that I’ve already rescheduled once.” Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, he glanced at the clock and then back at Kat. “Let’s meet up later and go over the results, figure out a plan of attack, if you’re available.”

  “Hmm, might have time to squeeze you in between my manicure and NCIS.”

  “You sure the boyfriend won’t get mad?”

  “He’s no longer mine. So, I’d say he lost his rights to express his opinion on my work schedule. What about you, won’t your girlfriend mind you working late?”

  “No girlfriend.”

  Interesting. Too bad she’d given up on men. Now wasn’t the time for getting involved either. She needed to concentrate on getting her life back under control, wrap up the case, and focus on the new job. Not on an extremely attractive, funny, and caring guy who made her tingle all over and pulled at her heart simply by being near.

  Parking the car in the reserved spot behind the agency, Kat took a couple of deep breaths. She wasn’t ready to face Vinnie again with Ashley in the office. Before her interview he’d been unnaturally quiet. At no time in her life could she remember Vinnie not making his thoughts and feelings known, to either her or Lexie, on their decisions from what they wore to whom they dated and everything in between. Why should now be any different? Oh yeah, because he still felt guilty for not telling her he knew her ex-fiancé had been cheating on her.

  She’d wanted his opinion, but not in the middle of the freaking interview. It was bad enough that the whole town would know about her new job within the hour, they didn’t need to think she’d lost her mind too.

  Unlocking the back door of the office, the quiet hum of the heater was the only noise to greet her. Hmm, where was her new employee? Did Vinnie scare her off? He better not have pulled another Beetlejuice stunt. The last time he almost gave Lexie’s mom a heart attack.

  Walking down the short hallway, she peeked into the kitchen area but didn’t see Vinnie or Ashley. Where is everyone? All the lights were on. Looking around, she found a note from Ashley that she’d run to Elsie’s for lunch. Kat fired up her computer and brought up her e-mail while she waited for Ashley to return and Vinnie to show. The first e-mail was from Lexie, who was having a blast snorkeling, dancing, and getting laid morning, noon, and night.

  And who could blame her? Married to one of the hottest guys on the planet with his sexy, dark Mediterranean looks, body of a Greek god, and so head over heels in love with her he’d wait an eternity for the woman. And almost had. Thankfully, her best friend had come to her senses and given the guy a second chance. Maybe someday Kat would find that kind of love, the kind where your guy would do anything for you, put you above everything else, and love you for you. Not for what you could do for him or his career.

  She hit Reply, fingers hovering over the keyboard. What to type? Hey Lexie, I’m leaving the agency didn’t seem right.

  Vinnie whispered in her ear, “Is it safe?”

  She knew he didn’t mean Ashley because the bloody ghost could see that Kat was alone.

  “Afraid I’m going to kill you?”

  While she waited for Vinnie to decide if he was going to appear or not, she quickly responded to Lexie, Have some fun for me. Love & miss and signed out.

  “Lexie sends her love. She’s having a great time living the island life,” Kat said.

  “Yeah? You tell her about your new job?”

  “E-mailing her my resignation while she’s on her honeymoon didn’t seem quite appropriate. How do you know I got the job? You didn’t stick around.”

  “Are you kidding me? It’s all over town. Loose Lips Lilly has struck again.”

  “How did she know?” Kat asked, but before Vinnie responded the front door opened and Ashley walked in with a couple of takeout boxes.

  “Hope you don’t mind that I closed up for a few and ran to get lunch,” Ashley said by way of greeting as she scanned the room.

  “Nope. Nowhere in the LexaKat employee manual does it state that starving is a sign of loyalty.”

  “Interesting place—Elsie’s. You hear all sorts of useful tidbits while sitting at the counter.”

  “Like?”

  “You’re leaving the agency. Could have mentioned that when you hired me.”

  “Shit. It’s started.”

  “From what I can tell it’s all over town already. Some chick named Lilly came in blabbed to Miss Elsie and everyone else who would listen. Seems Carrie Harper, the school secretary, made a quick run to the bakery during her break and was so excited about the new teacher starting. She couldn’t wait to hear all of your investigation stories.”

  “Told you so.” Vinnie had faded out but hadn’t left. Interesting, as he normally didn’t bother with the disappearing act when others where around. It wasn’t like Ashley could see him.

  “Criminy, this town could drive a saint to drink, and I’m no saint!” She blew out a deep, hard breath. “Doesn’t matter. Tell me one of those is for me. We’ve got work to do and I’m starving.”

  Ashley handed over one of the boxes containing a grilled chicken salad with the dressing on the side and took hers to Lexie’s desk. The tantalizing aroma of french fries filled the air, causing Kat’s stomach to rumble.

  “Want some?”

  Kat wrinkled her nose. “Pie and fries in one week? No way, my hips would never forgive me.”

  Ashley stuck a ketchup-covered fry into her mouth, moaning.

  “I don’t get you broads. You got a little meat on your bones and you think you’re fat. And by little, I mean barely enough to cover your skeleton. A man likes a little something to hold on to,” Vinnie said.

  Banging her hand on the desk, Kat tried to breathe, which was very difficult with chicken salad stuck in her throat. Dear God, she was going to die right here, right now, thanks to Vinnie. She’d always known that man was going to be the death of her. He simply had no filters, blurting out whatever thought came to mind no matter who was in his presence. If Lexie were here, she’d be busting a gut, but first she’d save Kat.

  Making the international sign for choking, she got Ashley’s attention. Tossing her burger down, Ashley ran around and quickly gave her the Heimlich, shooting half-eaten chicken across the room.

  Gulping in giant breaths of air, Kat gave Vinnie the squinty, steely-eyed stare of death when he materialized in front of her.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “Go away,” she grumbled.

  “What? What’d I do?” Ashley plopped back down and grabbed her burger. “Save your life and you look like you want to kill me. Some thanks.”

  “Sorry, didn’t mean you.” The salad in front of her had lost its appeal, so Kat went to put it into their little fridge for later. On her way, she cleaned up the spewed chicken. “What time’s my first appointment?”

  “At one.”

  “Then I better hurry up, as it’s twelve thirty now.”

  Handing Ashley a list of to-do items, Kat headed for the back door, ignoring her earlier question about why was she leaving the business. She didn’t know the woman well enough to share that kind of information yet. Besides, if she stuck around Camden Point for long, like ten minutes, she’d hear all about the previous investigation and car accident on her own.

  She cut across town and drove to a little housing development that sat half in Camden Point and half in Pawcatuck for her first appointment with Chyanne Wilkerson. She was hoping the receptionist for the Pawcatuck clinic would remember a patient
that fit their arsonist’s description, what little they had of one.

  As she parked the car, Vinnie appeared. “Didn’t know you planned to come along,” Kat said.

  “Yeah? Well, I made some time in my schedule.” He looked around, head shaking and shoulders slumped. “You ain’t going to find your arsonist here, kid.”

  The house was little more than a cottage, yet the lawn had been mowed, flowers lined the walkway, and everything was neat and tidy. An old Chrysler Intrepid sat under the carport with a tricycle parked next to it. Kat agreed. This was not the home of their culprit.

  A pretty young woman with dark blond hair and the bluest eyes Kat had ever seen met them at the door. After introductions, she invited Kat into an equally neat living room where a towheaded toddler watched cartoons and simultaneously rolled a car across the floor.

  “Let’s sit over at the kitchen table, that way we don’t have to compete with James’s car race or Bugs.”

  “Ms. Wilkerson, thank you for agreeing to see me. I realize you’ve already given your statement to the police and fire inspector, but we’re hoping you might remember more now that the shock has worn off,” Kat said.

  “I’m not sure what else I can add, but anything to help. I’d like to see the bas—jerk caught. It’s hard to find jobs around here, let alone one that had a daycare on-site. Not to mention, Dr. Brooke had been treating James for some intestinal issues without charging me.” She looked across to her son. “I’ve only worked for them a short while and my ex let his insurance lapse.”

  “The insurance company believes all three fires have been the result of a disgruntled patient getting back at the doctors or the clinic. Can you think of a patient who might have a grudge against one of the doctors?”

  “No. Everyone loves the doctors, staff, and patients. Like I said, I’ve only worked for them for about three months, so maybe it was someone who came in before I started working there, but no one has mentioned a problem patient before.”

  “What about the receptionist before you? Did she get fired? Maybe got into it with one of the doctors or other workers? As you said, finding a job right now isn’t easy,” Kat said.

  “Kaylie’s how I got the job. Trust me, it wasn’t her. She left because her husband got transferred to Bangor, Washington—he’s in the Navy. Everyone loved her there, they even threw her a going-away party. My ex was stationed with her husband and that’s how we met. When she found out she’d be leaving she introduced me to the doctors and they hired me, on her recommendation. She didn’t want to leave. She was crying as she said goodbye, everyone was.”

  “How’d your ex let the insurance lapse if he’s military?”

  Chyanne looked down and then at her son before meeting her eyes. “He got busted for selling prescription pain pills. They kicked him out with a dishonorable discharge. As soon as he could, he hightailed it back home to Kentucky.”

  Watching the little boy and hearing the grief in the woman’s voice broke Kat’s heart. Life and love could be so unfair. Every now and then it worked out, like for her parents, Lexie’s parents, and now Lexie and Rafe. But they were the exceptions. People like her and Chyanne, they were the majority—betrayed and alone.

  “I have a few more questions and then I’ll get out of your way.” The little guy, James, had joined them in the kitchen, curled up now in his mama’s lap. “Do you remember a man with either dark blond or light brown hair whose voice ran to the whiny side and had a funny accent? He might have been a patient, someone accompanying a patient, or even a delivery or repair man?”

  Resting her head on top of her son’s, Chyanne scrunched up her nose, looking deep in thought.

  “Play?” James asked looking over Kat’s shoulder.

  Chyanne kissed her son and set him down, thinking he’d been talking to Kat. “Mama will play in a minute baby, go watch cartoons until I’m done.” She turned back to Kat. “He doesn’t ring a bell. Is he the arsonist?”

  “He’s definitely a person of interest at this time. If you think of anything else, please give me a call.” Kat set her business card on the table and headed for the front door.

  Vinnie had stayed quiet during her interview, for once not lending his two cents, but just then he crouched down, making him eye level with the little boy. He held his hands up to show they were empty.

  “Hey James, watch this.”

  Vinnie rubbed his hands together, then took one finger and pushed a small, red race car across the carpet. They little boy lunged for the car, giggling. Vinnie ruffled the top of his head and muttered something that sounded like you’re doing good, kiddo. Kat didn’t think he was talking to the boy anymore and luckily the mom wasn’t looking.

  Climbing into the car, Kat asked. “So, when did you learn to move objects?”

  “Just a little something I picked up on the other side. Our next interview is over in North Stonington, one of the nurses.”

  Hopefully the nurse would remember their man. It was possible he’d changed his accent or even colored his hair, but nurses ask a lot of personal questions and there was the chance he could have been thinking so hard that he slipped up. They had to get a break or else she didn’t know how she would close this case before Lex came home and Kat started the new job.

  “How’d things go with the fire marshal today?”

  “What?”

  “He stopped by the office and Ashley told him you were at the school. Figured he’d go there next. He seemed pretty anxious to see you.”

  “Oh, yeah.” Caught off guard, she’d forgotten Shawn had gone to the office first. “Why were you at the office when you knew I wouldn’t be there?”

  “Keeping an eye on your new intern. Still think she’s hiding something.”

  “Did you learn anything?”

  “No, but I trust my gut. The last time I ignored it, it got me here and dead. I’ll figure it out. Don’t worry, I got your back, Kat.”

  “Thanks. As to the fire marshal, not good. The man from the fire died, but not before he gave us that little bit of description of the guy setting the fire.”

  “Think it’s the same as the clinic arsonist?”

  “Too much of a coincidence for it not to be. Shawn and I are going to meet later tonight and I’ll fill him on the interviews and we’ll go from there.”

  “Good, I’m glad you’re seeing him.”

  “It’s not a date, Vinnie, just business.”

  “You should make it a date. He’s single, you’re single—”

  “How do you know he’s single?”

  “I’ve got friends in high places. Anyway, as I was saying, you’re both single, both adults, and both hot for each other. Go for it.”

  “Go for it?” She couldn’t believe he’d told her to go after Shawn. He didn’t even know the guy. For all they knew he could be a homicidal maniac—after all, they looked like everyone else. Or he could be the arsonist. He wouldn’t be the first firefighter turned firebug.

  “Yeah, why not?”

  Because her heart wasn’t strong enough to find out he wasn’t any of those things, but was a really great guy who might break her heart. Truth be told, the pieces were barely holding together from her last go-around.

  “Vinnie, it’s a business meeting. That’s it, nothing more, nor will it be. I’m not interested in being his rebound, nor having him be mine.”

  He fiddled with the radio, looking all nonchalant. “Rebound relationships are good. You get to let out all your anger and frustration so you can heal and move on. The marshal is everything Gibson wasn’t—relaxed, fun, unpolished—the kind who wouldn’t care who your parents are.”

  And wasn’t that the problem? He was the perfect guy. But perfect guys tended to not be so perfect after you really got to know them. Perfect guys really only existed in fairy tales.

  “Do me a favor, Vin. I know you’re trying to be helpful, to look out for me and all, but don’t. When I’m ready, I’ll get back out there. Until then, leave it be.”

>   Taking a deep breath, she assessed the colonial house they’d pulled up to. Blue siding with white trim and doors and a totally cool widow’s walk, but she’d bet the heating bill was a bitch, even with the multiple fireplaces. A Cadillac and a Beemer sat in the driveway. Someone’s doing well.

  Lenore Orwell, physician’s assistant, met her at the door and welcomed her in. Kat put her in her fifties based on the pictures scattered around the living room. Looking at her in person with her trim figure and flawless skin, she would have guessed somewhere in her thirties. Good DNA or a great plastic surgeon?

  She ran Ms. Orwell through the standard questions without gleaning any new information. Same song and dance as they’d heard before. There was still one more question to ask.

  “Do you remember a patient or visitor with an accent, dark blond or light brown hair? Probably would have been in the week or two before the fire.”

  “An accent? Do you mean like Rhode Island, Massachusetts, or from another country? Because we get a lot of the first two, not so many from other regions of the country, but a few.”

  She wished she knew for sure. “My guess would be not from New England or even the US. Some place that might sound odd or funny to a native.”

  Tapping her toes, Lenore’s face scrunched up in deep thought. Kat let her be, hoping somewhere in the PA’s keen mind a memory lurked that would lead them to their man.

  “The only person I can think of is Mr. Horvat an eighty-three-year-old patient from Croatia. I sincerely doubt he’s your man.”

  Kat thanked her for her time and headed out.

  “How did your date with Nosy Norma’s specter go last night?” Kat asked on the drive to the next meeting.

  “Marilyn.” His said in a manner that brooked no argument. “Her name’s Marilyn and it was great.”

  She cut a glance to Mr. TMI. “Great? That’s it?”

  He nodded.

  “Learn anything useful?”

  “We didn’t really talk about the fires.”

  “Wasn’t that the point of the date? To get more info out of her?” What was up with Vinnie? He never passed up a chance to get in the middle of anything: town gossip, cases, her love life.