Fixing Perfect (16 page)

Donovan angled his chair so the sun through the windows hit him full in the face, as though the pale November light could bring warmth or color to his skin. “OK, so you know I'm doing whatever I can to clear him. It's up to us, isn't it, you and me? No one else seems interested. Although I gave the detective some info that interested him.”

Robin set her cup on the table. “What info?”

“I shouldn't tell you, but—” he grinned. “About Danny Salvator.”

“Coach Danny?” Now she straightened, fully engaged. “What on earth could you tell them about the coach?”

“Lots of things. I watch people, Robin. You know how I do. And I see things other people miss.” He filled his voice with dark significance, nodding. If he could tell her something she should know—if he could help her help Sam—she had to stay with him. She had to save Sam.

When he remained silent, she moved her hands impatiently. “Tell me.”

He slanted her a glance from his ice-colored eyes, toying with her this time, and shook his head. “I can't really, you know.” He motioned with his hand, indicating security and secrecy, which irritated her.

She looked away from him, thinking. “When did you tell them this? I mean, tell them whatever it is you've got against Danny?”

“Last night.”

So Detective Macias had suspected Danny before Donovan talked to him. Did that mean the kids from the team were in danger? Kerry? She couldn't lose Kerry.

Donovan reached across the table and patted her hand. “Don't worry. And I think Macias is going to insist Danny cancel the games. He'll make it sound like it's to give the killer less of a chance to get at those kids.”

Robin stared at her clenched fists. Coach Danny? But he prayed before and after every game. At one time, he'd trained for the ministry.

And Christians were tempted all the time, and sometimes they fell.

She had to see Kerry, at least, and make sure he was protected.

 



 

He imagined holding her. Sam got to do it all the time, and he didn't seem to treasure the gift like he ought. Someone ought to teach him a lesson, but as the guy was in jail, he wasn't especially worried about his attitude toward Robin.

She was so beautiful, so fragile. A bird with broken wings. That's what she was. God was all about healing, and He'd picked the right man to work on Robin. He'd get her fixed up in no time. Do everything God would have done if He'd had the time.

He laughed, low in his throat, and went back to the image of him holding her. The same vision—he'd hold her, she'd hold the baby, the two kids would be there, obedient at last, and everything would be perfect.

 



 

What was Macias doing with Sam? Imprisoning him so he could feel like he was doing something productive? Trying to prove to the island that they were safe? But they weren't. Blame Sam, feel safe, stop being so watchful. Now she had to suspect another man she knew, one she trusted. One she would have trusted with the lives of the most precious of those she loved until Donovan got to her and destroyed her faith.

Well, not Kerry. She wouldn't let anyone get to him. That one, she had to protect.

She found Kerry at home with his mother.

Mrs. Wright let Robin in and led her to the living room. “He's been crying ever since Danny called with the news. He swears Sam couldn't have done anything bad to anyone.”

“I agree with him.” Robin sat down on the couch, pushing herself back into its softness. Someone would have to haul her out, but she'd worry about that later.

While she waited for Mrs. Wright to bring Kerry from his room, she looked around. It was a sweetly decorated room, full of flowers and lace, but not overwhelmingly so. Robin hadn't gotten much of a chance to see it before, filled as it had been with people. Now, she wondered about Kerry's space. Did his mother let him cover the walls with pictures of the team? Had Kerry hung any of the pictures that Donovan took on his walls? Of course, he'd have pictures of his beloved coach on the wall. She shivered.

Someone else was responsible for the terror the island was experiencing. It wasn't Sam, and she couldn't make herself believe it was Danny. It was…someone else. And no one was safe.

She'd have to spend a lot of time reminding herself of that.

“Robin!” Kerry stumbled into the room. His light brown hair stood up in rumpled misery, and his face twisted with agony. He threw himself onto the couch next to her. Robin stroked his hair, murmuring nonsense.

After a few minutes, he straightened and grabbed her hand. “They said Sam did all those bad things.” His voice was full of conviction and fear.

“They said that, yeah.” And it had broken her heart as badly as it had Kerry's.

“How could he do that?” He sat up and grabbed her blouse. Fresh tears poured down his face.

Robin wiped at his cheek with one hand and cupped his face. “He didn't. Kerry, you
know
Sam. He's a good man. He wouldn't do something like that.”

“They why doesn't he tell them?”

“I'm sure he has.” She looked over his shoulder at Kerry's mother.

Mrs. Wright shook her head. “He's been like this since we heard.”

“I can understand. I've felt the same way.” Robin closed her eyes.
Please God, help me to make this right. Kerry doesn't need this, and I don't, and for sure, Sam doesn't. But someone does.

“You were on TV.” Kerry's eyes narrowed now in accusation. “I heard you, Robin. You said you thought he did it.”

“No, I didn't. I was very careful not to say that, because it's not true. But I wanted to fool some people.”

“Who? You fooled me, Robin. Why'd you want to fool me?” Why did she have to break his heart to heal him? It wasn't fair.

“Not you, Kerry.” She gave his shoulder a tiny shake just to make him realize how much she meant it. “I wanted to fool the killer.”

“You know who the killer is? Who's the killer, Robin?”

Robin sighed. “I don't know. That's the problem. If I did, you better believe I'd tell the police.” And she couldn't tell Kerry anything. Warn him away from Danny? It would send him right to the coach, protesting, begging for reassurance. And that would put him in danger. Keeping him in the dark was just as bad, but she couldn't help that. She had to risk it. Until she had the killer in a corner and he had no other way to get out than through her. “I have to ask you some questions.”

“OK.” Kerry looked at his mother. “She has to ask me some questions, and she doesn't believe Sam did anything bad.”

“I'm glad she doesn't.” Mrs. Wright smiled, though her eyes gleamed with moisture.

“Kerry, look at me.” When he did, his brown eyes full of angry tears, Robin went on. “I need you to tell me all over again about the day Donovan saved you.”

“Oh, you want to know about the bad guy.” He nodded. “Yeah. He was a real bad guy. He snuck up behind me, and he would've grabbed me if Donovan hadn't come and saved me. He would've killed me like all the other people.” His eyes grew wide, and tension tightened his face muscles.

“Did he grab you?”

Kerry bounced like an exclamation point to his words. “No. Donovan did, to save me.”

Robin shook her head. “But the bad guy didn't touch you?”

“Nope. Donovan didn't give him a chance. Wasn't that good? He saved me, Robin. He didn't let the bad guy grab me.”

“OK.” Robin swallowed. “So what did the bad guy look like?”

Kerry shrugged, his arms flailing with the effort. “I dunno. He ran away. He ran when Donovan yelled at him. I didn't even know he was there, Robin. If Donovan didn't come, he'd've got me.”

Mrs. Wright stood and came to the couch. “I'm sorry Kerry can't help you. But Donovan saw him, you know. He gave the police a description. You can see it on the police blotter website.” Her stance told Robin she wanted her to stop pestering Kerry with questions.

“I've seen it.” And it looked a little too much like Sam for Robin's taste. She frowned. “When it first happened, the police said you saw him.”

“No, I didn't. Donovan thought I did. He kept saying I did, even though I said no. But that's OK, Robin. He was scared, too. Just like me. I was real scared.”

“I was pretty scared, too, and by the time I heard about it, I already knew you were safe.” She gripped his hands in hers. And now she didn't know that he would remain safe, and that tore her apart.

“Yeah. ‘Cuz Donovan saved me.”

If it had been Coach Danny, Donovan would have recognized him right away. He'd have told the police, wouldn't he? Unless he thought he needed to protect him.

Her hands shook with the strain of trying to figure things out.

Robin made herself nod. “Listen, Kerry, you have to be really careful. I mean it. The police keep saying everyone is safe now since Sam is in jail. But you know that's not right, don't you?”

Kerry's jaw dropped, and his words were a near howl. “We're not safe?”

“No, we're not. We're not safe at all. Remember, Sam didn't do anything bad. That means the bad guy isn't in jail and that the police don't care.” Oh, they didn't, not at all. Robin wanted to scream with the anger and frustration of it all.

“So what do we do?” Kerry, eyes wide and terrified now, looked from her to his mother. “Mom, what do we do? I don't wanna get grabbed. I don't wanna get killed!”

“You have to keep yourself safe.” Robin glanced at Mrs. Wright before concentrating on Kerry. He was the one she had to convince. “You have to stay with your mom and dad all the time, Kerry.
All
the time. Don't go away with anybody. You hear me? Not even me. Just because you think you can trust someone doesn't mean they're good, OK?”

“OK.” Kerry nodded. “I get it. Nowhere but with my mom or dad. What about Sam?”

“Sam's not here, Kerry. They aren't going to let him out until they know for sure he didn't do anything bad, and they won't know it unless they catch the bad guy doing something wrong. And I don't want it to be you that the bad guy hurts.”

Kerry's brows drew together. He didn't get it. Not really.

Robin's stomach twisted with fear.

“Kerry. The bad guy. He wants me, I think. And I'm going to be really careful.” To catch him, anyway. “But maybe he knows how much I love you. He watches me, I think, and he knows who my best friends are. He might want to hurt you to make me pay attention to him. I don't want him to.”

“Me, either!”

“Good. So you'll stay with Mom
all
the time? You won't go away with
anyone
else, no matter how good you think they are?”

Kerry nodded, kept nodding so hard he slipped and almost fell from the couch.

Robin boosted him back up. “That's all I need to hear.”
And please, God, it was enough.
She grinned at him. “I'm going to need some help getting out of your couch though. It's trying to swallow me.”

Kerry laughed and stood up. Between him and his mother, Robin escaped the piece of furniture.

Mrs. Wright held out her hands. “Why don't you stay for lunch, Robin?”

After a deep breath, Robin nodded. A half hour more wouldn't matter much. At least now, she knew Kerry was safe.

She needed strength. Strength from both God and nutrition. She needed to think before she put herself out there again. “OK, thanks. I really appreciate it.”

Mrs. Wright smiled and left for the kitchen.

Robin took a chance. “Hey, Kerry, do you have pictures up in your room? Or posters? Baseball players?”

“Yeah, sure, I got us.” Kerry grinned and bounced on the couch. “Wanna see? Come on, Robin, I can show you. Hey, Mom, I'm gonna show Robin all my pictures, ‘K?”

Robin followed him down the hall and into the small, bright room still decorated like an eight-year-old's hideaway. Pennants lined one wall, and another was full of photos held up with tape.

In the middle was the team photo Donovan had taken. “See, there's me. And there's Coach Danny. I'm right up next to Coach Danny, see?”

Robin couldn't help a shudder going through her, at the thought of precious Kerry standing next to a possible murderer. She tried to smile as Kerry went on.

“And there you are, Robin. I never had a picture of you before. I told Donovan I didn't, and he said he'd give me one.”

“Of me?” She hadn't posed for Donovan other than with the team. He hadn't asked her to.

“See? Here it is. My own picture of Robin. ‘Cuz you're one of my best friends, Robin. Just like you said.” Kerry pointed to the picture frame next to his bed.

Robin edged forward, let one crutch fall against her leg and reached for the frame.

Donovan had cropped her face, all right, but not from one of the team pictures. He'd taken it the day she and Sam were playing on the beach.

She recognized the clothing she was wearing, a soft green button down shirt under a deep peacock sweater. Beyond that, her head was nestled against Sam's striped shirt.

One couldn't have known that, though, or that they'd been on the beach, because Donovan had cut the photo down so closely, it showed mostly just her face, and her hair, wind-whipped across her cheeks. He hadn't taken it from the cliffs, either, but from somewhere closer, somewhere on the same level, as if looking straight on at her. Which meant he'd come down to the beach to take pictures of her long before he'd let her and Sam know he was there.

“This is a nice picture.” She put it back and gripped the crutch again, puzzled, but before she could put her thoughts together, the door swung the rest of the way open.

“Lunch is ready.” Mrs. Wright stood in the doorway. “Now, Kerry, remember your manners.”