Midnight Caller - By Diane Burke Page 0,57
inside. “I’d prefer we wait in here if you don’t mind. I’ve left word at the nurse’s station where they can find us.”
Erin took a seat in the recliner beside an empty bed.
Detective Winters extracted a pen and pad from his jacket pocket and leaned against the edge of the bed. “I know this is a difficult time. But if you could answer just a few more questions.”
“My children?” Her voice sounded weary even to her own ears. The effort it took to raise her head and look at the man exhausted her. Bone tired. Now she understood what the term really meant. “Are you absolutely certain the children are okay?”
“Yes, ma’am. They’re safe. Your aunt and your neighbor are caring for them in another part of the hospital. And, of course, my partner is with them until relief officers arrive.”
Erin glanced at the wall clock. 11:00 a.m. Take a deep breath. Relax. You know the drill. They’ll come and tell you as soon as Tony is out of surgery. He’s going to be all right. He has to be all right.
The detective cleared his throat and poised his pen over his pad. “Ma’am?”
“Erin. Call me Erin.” She shifted in her seat to face him. “Detective Winters, isn’t it?”
“Yes, ma’am. We met briefly last night.”
Erin nodded. “I remember.” She pulled a thread on her jeans just to keep her hands from shaking. “I’ve told you and your partner everything I know. I wish I could be of more help but…” She shrugged. “It all happened so fast. I honestly didn’t see a thing.”
Winters ruffled through the pages of his small notepad. He cleared his throat again.
Erin’s eyes narrowed. “What?”
“Ma’am, I’m trying to get an accurate picture of today’s events.”
Puzzled by the hostile tone of his voice, Erin nodded and waited.
“My understanding is that you’ve been receiving threats similar to the ones Carol Henderson got before she was killed.”
Erin’s stomach tightened at the mention of her best friend. She nodded again.
“Our unit arranged for police protection for you and your family to start at seven this morning.”
“That’s right.”
“Exactly what is your relationship with Detective Marino?”
My relationship with Tony? After everything that has happened, I can’t even answer that question for myself.
“Excuse me?” Erin squirmed beneath the man’s penetrating scrutiny and stalled for time. She was a cop’s kid. She knew the drill. Tony’s not supposed to be personally involved with the people in a case he’s investigating. This guy’s wondering if Tony got too involved and that’s the reason he was shot. Erin met the detective’s eyes. “I met Detective Marino a little over a month ago. He’s done a couple of favors for my family. Any other questions you have along these lines, you should ask Detective Marino.”
Winters’ eyes flashed. “Tony is a friend of mine, Ms. O’Malley.”
Erin studied the man, his arms folded, his eyes smoldering with emotion. Anger? At her?
“I’ve known him for years,” he continued. “If he believed a serial killer was a threat to you and your family, he wouldn’t have left before the officers arrived.”
Did he think she had something to do with Tony getting shot? Great. Like she didn’t have enough on her plate without being a suspect in a cop shooting. Erin would have laughed at the absurdity of it all if she wasn’t so angry. She bristled, wanting to verbally lash out at his censuring tone, but realized she’d probably react the same way if she were in his shoes.
“He didn’t want to leave. But I assured him I was perfectly capable of taking care of myself for thirty minutes. I have dead bolt locks. Pepper spray. A telephone with 9–1-1 on speed dial.” She hesitated before giving him information that might color Tony’s professionalism but thought he could use it. “Besides, there was a private detective watching the house.”
Winters impaled her with his eyes. “The same private detective we found dead on the floor of his car?”
His words hit her with the same force as if he had physically slapped her. “He’s dead?” She squeezed her hands together to still their shaking. “But we both saw someone sitting in the driver’s seat.” The killer had been in the car watching them. The killer shot Tony.
“Detective Marino would not have put himself in a position to be ambushed,” Winters said. “He would have done a visual surveillance of the area before ever stepping outside. He would have been alert, his gun hand free for action if needed.”
Erin returned his gaze unflinchingly. “I