of coffees in one hand and a box of pastries in the other. “Feel up to company?”
“Absolutely. I’m feeling much better today.”
Noah passed her a coffee, then set the opened box of pasties on her tray table. After taking a long swallow of his coffee, he asked, “Samara get in touch with you?”
“Yes.” Angela laughed and added, “Though it was hard to talk to her since Micah kept insisting on talking, too.”
“He’s been very worried about his Aunt Angela.” His eyes went serious and sadder than she’d seen them in a long time. “We all have. Again, I’m sorry for what happened.”
She shook her head. “I’ve told you, Noah, it wasn’t your fault. Besides, it had a good ending.”
She followed his gaze to her bandaged feet. “Okay, so not a perfect ending but a good one all the same. I’ll heal. And we saved Clarissa and stopped Delacourte. That’s what’s most important.”
“You’re right, it is.” He shot a glance at Jake. “I’ve got more info.”
“What’d you find out?” Jake said.
“Delacourte was a working actor up until a few years ago when his one-man play folded. Before that, he had a small amount of success but mostly because of his wife, Rose. She was better known and apparently her husband rode his wife’s coattails to semi-stardom. She died in a boating accident. After that, he had trouble getting work. His last gig—the one-man play—told the tale of Jack the Ripper. Apparently Delacourte identified with him in some way.”
“With Rose being his wife’s name and an actor who once played Jack the Ripper, seems like two damn big red flags we should’ve been able to detect.”
Noah shrugged. “In hindsight, they are. I doubt anyone would have given them thought otherwise, even if they’d known. Until Angela told us, we had no idea he was using disguises. That information helped a heluva lot. Not too many people would’ve suspected a middle-aged has-been actor to be playing out his last role for real.”
“I’m assuming the reason he chose tall, dark-haired women was because that’s what Rose looked like?” Jake asked.
“You got it.”
“But why did he take Clarissa?” Angela said. “Has anyone asked him?”
“He’s still claiming to know nothing about any of the abductions or murders. The police faxed me a family portrait. Delacourte had an older sister who died when he was about fifteen. Looked a lot like Clarissa.”
The conversation she’d had with Clarissa after she had been taken came back to her. “That fits,” Angela said.
“What fits?” Jake said.
“Something Clarissa told me. I don’t remember a lot of what she said because of the drug he’d given me, but I remember she said that he kept telling her the reason he had taken her would soon be revealed to him. He must’ve felt some sort of connection with her but in his crazed mind, he couldn’t figure out why.”
“Maybe that’s why he never injured her,” Jake said. “But why kill the women who looked like his wife?”
It was beginning to make sense in a sick twisted way. “I think he was trying to replace her,” Angela answered. “That’s why he kept shoving those scripts in my face and telling me to read. And when the women didn’t live up to his expectations, he got rid of them and went on to another one.” Her brow furrowed. “But why put the tattoo on my neck? He had never done that with any of his other victims.”
Noah and Jake locked gazes, the expression on both men’s faces indicated neither wanted to answer the question.
“What?” she asked.
“We think he had chosen to keep you,” Jake said. “Marking you with the rose was his brand.”
Despite her feeling of wellbeing, shudders of revulsion went through her. She tried her best to make light of the situation by quipping, “How about that. I must be a better actress than I thought.”
Noah’s mouth moved up in a slight smile but Jake’s remained flat and grim.
Wanting to erase the sadness from his face, she changed the subject. “Did Clarissa make it home okay?”
“Yes.” Noah’s mouth tilted up even more. “She’s tougher than she looks.”
He was right. Clarissa had come by yesterday to thank Angela once again. Though the young woman looked fragile and would probably suffer nightmares for years, the set to her chin and the look in her eyes told Angela she would be fine. Amazing what a person could endure and survive.
“I’m hoping I’ll get to go home today.”
Jake shook his head. “You need to stay here a couple