“We found feathers at the scene that came from a pillow used to muffle the shots,” Malachi explained. “The poor man’s silencer.”
Racked by shock and guilt, Buck pulled at his hair. “If I hadn’t asked Michelle Thomas to talk to me, this never would have happened.” His eyes were wet, and Malachi put a comforting hand on his forearm.
“Not necessarily, Buck. This wasn’t your fault. If it’s any small consolation, this may actually be of help. It’s the adage that criminals eventually make mistakes.”
But Buck was distraught, thrashing his arms. “Two more persons died, Malachi! I can’t stop thinking about Michelle. She seemed so nice and glad somebody was willing to listen to her. She laughed when I told her I was concerned for her safety. She didn’t believe me, and now she and Jeanette are dead. How can this be helpful?”
He started sobbing, his shoulders heaving, and his head fell to the table.
“Hey,” Jeff said, putting an arm around his friend’s shoulders. “Malachi’s right. This ain’t your fault.”
A box of Kleenex sat on the gray metal table, and Malachi pushed it toward Buck.
Eyes red and puffy, Buck took a wad of Kleenex and wiped his eyes. “I’m so sorry, but I can’t help feeling somehow responsible. If I hadn’t called her—”
“No, no,” Jeff was saying as Malachi brought his hand forward.
“The moment Cole and Seth came to you,” Malachi said, “those women were in danger. There is nothing you could have done. Had you not gone there, the bodies might not have been found until someone noticed they were missing.”
Buck inhaled a breath and sniffled. “I guess you could look at it that way.”
Malachi sat erect, hands folded on the table. “There’s one other thing. You both have always suspected Susannah of being involved with other crimes before she came to The Road to Calvary. I can’t go into a lot of detail, but I’m going to be working with an officer from another jurisdiction on a joint operation that directly involves this program.”
Buck’s eyes widened with this revelation, and he saw the same expression on Jeff’s face.
“You can’t tell us nothin’?” Jeff said after a minute.
“Not until the plan is in place. In the meantime, you both need to be very cautious around Susannah and Ray. Be careful not to ruffle any feathers. Neither of you knows anything about a letter. Same goes for the deaths.”
The lines across Buck’s forehead creased, an ominous thought filling his mind. “But what happens to Cole and Seth?”
Malachi slid a yellow legal pad over to Buck. “Write down their full names, addresses, and phone numbers. They need to be interviewed.”
Buck’s hands still trembled as he struggled to hold the pencil. His writing was unusually sloppy. “Can you read all that?” he asked the detective.
“Yep. We will be in contact, and if we think they’re in any danger, we’ll take them into protective custody. We’re pros and can keep Cole and Seth safe.”
Outside the precinct, Buck found he was still a mass of nerves, agonizing over Seth and Cole and the plan Malachi couldn’t divulge.
He took his keys out of his pocket, and they jangled in his hand. “Why do you suppose a police officer from another department is coming here?”
Jeff unlocked the door of his VW Golf. “I won’t be surprised if there are others dead. But I can tell ya one thing for certain, Malachi knows what he’s doing. We need to follow his instructions and do exactly as he says.”
Buck’s keys jiggled as he watched Jeff climb into the front seat. “This is much worse than we ever thought, and I can’t shake the feeling that Susannah’s watching us, too.”
Jeff started the engine, closing the door. “We can’t do anything stupid. We gotta be on our guard twenty-four seven—the same as in the military.”
43
SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 2003 ST. CHARLES, MISSOURI RUTH PERKINS’S HOME
Ruth listened intently as Susannah spoke of dedicating a stained-glass window in her name.
“Each of these custom windows depicts an important part of Christ’s life,” Susannah said. “These contemporary panels are oneof-a-kind, and as a donor, your name would appear on a permanent brass plaque underneath.”
“How much would I need to contribute for my name to be on a window?”
She noticed that Ray had started to speak, but Susannah cut him off as he opened his mouth. “A window is fifty thousand dollars, which we understand is a large amount of money. But think of it as an investment and one that will be in your memory for generations.”
“Please understand that we’re extremely appreciative of the large donation you’ve already given us,” Ray said, his handsome face beaming. “If purchasing a window is too much, please tell us. We do have other donors.”
Ruth saw Susannah give her husband a gently reprimanding look in the vein of, “If you would just let me finish!” and realized the newlyweds were still getting used to being united. She smiled at them both. “Oh, I know you appreciate my giving, and it’s my decision how much I donate.” Ruth removed her glasses absentmindedly as she thought about what she wanted to say. The room remained silent. “Ever since my eightieth birthday party, Emma has barely spoken to me.” She looked at Ray, brushing away a tear. “It’s because I asked you to recommend a family counselor. She was furious and left the party in a huff. Since then, our conversations have been terse, at best. She insisted I stop writing and watching your program because in her words, ‘He is nothing but a fraud.’”
Susannah’s eyes narrowed, and Ray took Ruth’s hand. “I feel terrible that it’s come to this. Why didn’t you say something? Is Emma upset about the donation you made?”
Ruth laughed sadly. “Emma knows nothing about my continued support. And that’s the way it must stay.”
Ray voiced his unease. “I think we’ve asked for all the money we’re going to.”
“Nonsense. Don’t get me wrong, Reverend and Mrs. Williams, I love my daughter and don’t want to lose her completely. A few weeks ago, I told Emma a little white lie—that I wasn’t interested in The Road to Calvary any longer. Since then, we’ve begun to make amends. As far as how I spend or donate my money, Emma has no say. So I wish to be your first donor to purchase one of these beautiful windows.”
Susannah clapped her hands together in delight. “That’s wonderful, Mrs. Perkins! This will be such an inspiring legacy.”
Ruth could see that Ray wasn’t quite convinced. “Are you sure? Fifty thousand on top of what you’ve already contributed?”
Ruth eyed the couple. “I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t truly believe in your Christian endeavors. And Emma failed to mention that she and Jack continue to see the therapist you suggested. You have made an impact, whether Emma admits it or not. As for the money, you know as well as I that you can’t take it with you.”
Ray chuckled, and Susannah smiled her agreement.
That settled, Ruth switched into hostess mode. “Who can I interest in some homemade apple pie and fresh coffee?”