“All right, Detective, now I have to ask: what the heck were you thinking going in alone and unarmed like that?” said Newport.
“I’m going to interpret that as: glad you’re safe, Daniels,” said Kim wryly.
“You may interpret as you like, but I’d rather you told me what was going on.”
Kim exhaled. “Psycho-killer’s parameters. No company, no guns, no nothing. I didn’t want to put Kane at risk.”
“Can we please talk about how I almost died?” said Alex. “That was so not cool. Plus Mr. King of Spades didn’t even feed me. He had to gag me after I wouldn’t stop asking him for a breakfast sandwich and an Americano. It’s like, com’on, if you’re going to hold someone captive, at least give them a biscuit or something. The man has no notion of hospitality.”
“What happened today?” Kim asked curiously. “Before I showed up, that is.”
Alex shrugged. “After he showed up at my apartment, stuffed me in his car, and blindfolded me, I ended up in a windowless space. Completely unidentifiable. He was busy on his computer most of the time. Believe me, his whole little Dapper Gentleman-cum-Psycho-Killer act was purely for you, Daniels. He spent the entire time either ignoring me or telling me to shut up. Very unpleasant fellow.” He considered for a moment. “Maybe I can get a role as a kidnapping victim out of this. They’d have to give me the part after what happened. Sympathy role. I’d take it, I don’t care.”
“Now don’t you go blabbing about this until we get the case squared away,” Kim warned.
The officers sighed heavily, thinking of the reports, the casework, and yes, the explaining, that was going to have to happen the following day.
“Let’s not think about it now,” Kim said. “Let’s get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow’s a new day.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Kim knocked tentatively on Alex’s door early the next morning.
“Kane, you in there?” she called. She heard shuffling on the other side. The door swung open, snapping on its chain. One eye peered out from behind the door. “For heaven’s sake, it’s just me, Daniels. Open up.”
The chain rattled and the door swung open slowly. Alex was still in plaid pajamas and a matching robe. His eyes were bloodshot and his face puffy. It didn’t look like he’d slept much.
“You look like hell,” Kim commented. She marched in and dropped a paper bag on the kitchen table. She thrust a paper cup into his hand. “Coffee. Drink.”
Alex tipped it back, taking a long sip. Kim sat at the table with her takeout English breakfast tea. She unwrapped two sandwiches. The heavenly smell of hot biscuit, eggs, cheese, and sausage filled the kitchen. Alex’s stomach rumbled.
“Sit and eat.” The actor did as told, inhaling the meal in a minute flat. She thrust hers at him. “Here, eat mine too,” she said in a softened tone. “You must be starving after yesterday.” Kane threw her a grateful glance and devoured the second sandwich as quickly as the first.
“How was your night?” Kim said. Truth be told, she was worried about him. She’d spent most the night tossing and turning, partly wracking her brain over how they were going to close the case and partly over guilt. She was supposed to protect the man, but instead she’d let him land in seriously hot water. He hadn’t been killed, thank God, but she could only imagine how traumatizing such a situation could be to a civilian. Blood, bodies, and near-death experiences were part of her job description. But he’d lived in a totally different world. He’d asked simply to follow and observe her, not to be kidnapped, held, and nearly offed. She felt personally responsible for his suffering. Somehow she had to make it right.
Alex took another long sip of coffee. “Wasn’t my best sleep. Every time I started to nod off, I started to freak out that our King of Spades with going to get slicey with his sword. Nothing a visit to Dr. Sampson won’t fix.” He managed a weak grin.
“Please tell me you’re not going back to that swindler,” Kim cautioned.
“Not on your life. He’d just send me off with a useless prescription and a textbook thrown at my head, anyway.”
Kim tried for a weak smile. They sat in awkward silence for a moment. “Kane, look,” she started. “I didn’t come here just to fill you with cholesterol. I also want to apologize for what happened last night.”
Alex looked up from his coffee, surprise registering on his face. “Daniels, you weren’t the one with a psychopathic agenda that happened to involve moonlight dates with sharp blades. In fact, I should be thanking you for having the balls to put yourself in danger to rescue me. For all you knew, you could have been the second item on the shish-kebab.”
Kim grimaced. “No, it was stupid. I should have had a hell of a better plan. I wasn’t sure how closely the killer was tracking us, so I didn’t want to put you at risk by involving other people. So instead I purposefully left on time, purposefully didn’t take my mug home. I was relying on Newport’s scary attention to detail. That he’d pick up that something was going on and track me. But that’s a pretty tenuous thing to count on when it comes to someone’s life. I want to say how sorry I am for taking that kind of chance.”
Alex looked at Kim curiously. Her pale face registered something deeper than apology. There was sadness there, regret, and possibly even shame. Her unhappiness touched him in a way he didn’t expect. He was so used to seeing her strong, confidant, and in charge. But here was another side to the detective, one much more vulnerable. Despite himself, he was curious.
“Daniels, please don’t believe I hold you accountable. Not in the least. You’re good police. I was assigned to you and Detective Newport because the two of you are known for your unique style in solving cases. You’ve had a bad spell lately, sure, but so do all detectives, or at least that’s what I understand. I wanted to shadow talent, not hacks good at imitating some departmental model of efficiency. Part of real talent involves taking risks. That’s what you did for me last night.”
Kim shook her head slowly. “A risk that could have gotten you killed. What I’m afraid, Kane, is that I can’t protect you. I’m going to have to ask you to transfer to another team – for your own safety.”
“I don’t agree. I trust you, Daniels. Whether you believe it or not.”
Alex leaned across the table. He wanted badly to rest is hand on the detective’s, to tell her that whatever was eating her, it was going to be OK. That kind of tenderness surprised him. His marriage to his ex-wife had been characterized by searing passion or raging fights. Nothing in between. Nothing sweet or subtle. But here he was, wanting to comfort a woman he barely knew.
As if sensing his interest, Kim shook off her mood. Her face resumed its normal business-like guise. “It’s your decision, Kane,” she said in a clipped tone. She allowed herself a small smile. “I just don’t want your next role to be a ghost on Time After Time.”
Alex smiled politely in response. He couldn’t stop thinking, though, that underneath the Kimberly Daniels that most people saw was a completely different person. One she tried to keep hidden from the world. The strange part was that he wanted to know that woman. His instincts told him it wouldn’t be easy.
Chapter Twenty Two
“I can’t believe you guys,” sputtered Maria Langley, arms crossed as she stood at her desk. “Daniels, you got a hell of a lot of balls going unarmed to meet a killer. Newport, you’re even ballsier for dragging me out of my beauty sleep. You bunch owe me a heck of a lot of vanilla skim lattes, you hear me? Hell, make them beers and be done with it.”