Runs Deep (17 page)

CHAPTER 41

T
he rain had gotten much worse; it was now coming down in sheets. As Steve carried Micah back through the trees toward his house, water dripped down his face. Micah kept a death lock on Steve’s neck.

“It’s okay, Micah. You’re safe,” Steve said over and over again. But Micah never loosened his grip.

Julie ran ahead to wake Micah’s family. By the time Steve stepped out of the woods with Micah, all the lights were on in the little house. A woman wearing a raincoat over pink pajamas rushed over to them.

“Micah, baby!” She hovered next to them, running her hands through Micah’s hair, patting him on the back.

Micah clung to Steve even tighter.

“I’ll carry him back to the house,” Steve said.

Micah’s mother looked up at him for the first time. Shock splashed across her face. “You’re—you’re Steve Kane.”

Steve nodded, adjusting Micah in his arms. “Yes, ma’am, I am.”

“I’ll take him,” the woman said quickly. She tried to pull Micah out of Steve’s arms, but Micah just tightened his hold on Steve’s neck.

“Ma’am,” Steve said gently but firmly, “he’s really scared, and I think it would be better if I just carried him to the house.”

Steve could tell she didn’t trust him with her son. But with a sigh, he started walking toward the house. Micah’s mom stayed right beside him the whole way, her hand resting on Micah’s back. Steve climbed the back steps and took a seat on the wicker couch, Micah cradled in his lap.

Micah’s mom hovered by his elbow, trying to get Micah to go with her. But Micah either couldn’t hear her or was still too scared to let go.

Julie appeared at the back door, carrying some towels. She wrapped one around Micah and another around Steve before looking back at Micah’s mom. “I called the police. They’ll be here in a few minutes. Your other son is up. I put a show on for him.”

“I need to call my brother,” Micah’s mom said. She glanced at Julie.

Julie nodded. “I’ll stay with them.”

Micah’s mother looked reluctant to go. She glanced once more at Steve and then back at Julie. “Thank you for bringing him back.” Steve didn’t fail to notice that she addressed her gratitude to Julie, not him. “I’m Michone. Michone Donaldson.”

Julie smiled. “I’m Julie.”
No last name
, Steve noted. Not for the first time, it occurred to him that Julie was probably almost as famous in Millners Kill as he was.
The sister of the dead girl. Friends with her sister’s killer.
Both of their identities were inextricably tied to that tragic event. And the town of Millners Kill would never be able to see them any other way.

Michone rose to go, giving Micah one more stroke on the head and Steve one more suspicious glance. Steve ignored her. Obviously she didn’t trust him. But Micah trusted him. And the boy was safe. That was all that mattered right now.

Julie sat down next to him. “How is he?”

Steve turned his head sideways to peer at the boy’s head on his shoulder. Micah’s eyes were closed. “Believe it or not, I think he may have fallen asleep.”

Julie smiled. “Well, he knows he’s safe. And don’t take Michone’s reaction personally. She’s terrified.”

Steve doubted she realized how telling that statement was. Ten minutes ago she had been holding a gun on him, and now she was telling him not to take it personally if Michone didn’t trust him.

A squad car rolled to a stop in the drive, its lights flashing but the siren off. Micah stirred and Steve hugged him a little tighter. “It’s okay. You’re safe. It’s the police,” he whispered.

Russ jumped from the driver’s seat and Steve said a silent thank-you. Russ would be easier to deal with than any other member of the Millners Kill Police Department.

Julie walked over to the side of the porch. “Back here.”

Russ stopped and changed direction, dodging the puddles in the drive as he made his way over to them.

Steve sighed as Russ reached the bottom of the porch steps. “All right. Let’s get this over with.”

CHAPTER 42

J
ulie spoke with Russ first, leading him off the porch and over to the covering over the garage. He saw Russ taking notes as Julie pointed to the trees. Steve appreciated her taking the lead. He wanted to get Micah settled before he spoke with Russ.

Micah’s mother reappeared and walked over to Steve. Steve stood. “He’s asleep. I think you can take him now.”

She nodded and reached for him. Carefully, Steve placed Micah in her arms. She cradled him to her, a tear rolling down her cheek. “I don’t know what I would have done if something had happened to him.” She looked up at Steve. “Thank you. I’m—I’m sorry for before.”

Steve shook his head. “It’s okay. I understand.”

She nodded and carried Micah into the house. Steve closed the door after them and then stepped to the edge of the porch, looking at Julie and Russ, who’d taken shelter now under a maple tree on the other side of the drive. Julie’s hands were actively conveying something and Russ was still taking notes.

Steve blew out a breath and walked down the steps toward them. He had just joined them when a pair of headlight beams washed over them. Steve turned to the drive to see a Hummer pulling up behind Russ’s car. A giant of a man jumped out and rushed into the house.

Steve looked back at Russ.

“Michone’s brother,” Russ replied to the unasked question. “You ready to give your version of events?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll wait over—” Julie stopped herself and grabbed Steve’s arm. Blood dripped from the wound. “You’re hurt.”

Steve tried to pull his arm away. “It’s nothing.”

“Really? And where did you get your medical degree? Because
my
medical training tells me that needs to be bandaged up before it gets infected. I’ll grab my bag.” She headed for her car.

Russ watched her go. “I don’t remember her being so tough.”

“I do,” Steve said.

While Julie was getting her bag, Steve quickly recounted everything that had happened from the time he’d seen Julie in the car.

“And you didn’t get a look at him?” Russ asked.

“No. He was completely covered head to toe. I think he was a little shorter than me, but honestly, I couldn’t swear to it. I couldn’t even tell you what race he was.”

Julie appeared next to them. “Come on. Let’s get that wrapped.”

Russ nodded. “I’m going inside. You guys hang around, okay?”

They both nodded as Russ dashed through the rain and headed for the door. Julie led Steve back onto the porch. “Take a seat.”

Steve did. “So, a medical degree, huh?”

“I’m a second-year resident.” Julie kneeled down in front of him and poured water from a bottle over his arm. She mopped it up gently with some small pads and peered at it. She pulled out a bottle of peroxide. “I’m afraid this is going to sting a little. But I can’t really tell if everything’s out.”

Steve tensed. “Okay.”

He gasped when the medicine hit the wound. His arm felt like it was on fire.

Julie smiled. “Warned you.”

She blew on the wound to cool the sting.

Steve looked at her and felt himself stir. He looked away, thanking God it was dark.

Julie grabbed a tube from her bag.

Trying to distract himself from her closeness, Steve asked, “What’s that?”

“Dermabond. You need this stitched, but I don’t have anything to do that with. So this will basically glue your skin together.”

She held the wound together and applied the bond. After waiting a minute, she wrapped it with a bandage. Steve realized he now had matching wounds, one on each forearm.

“There. That should do it. Try and keep it clean and dry, okay?” She looked up at him. Their faces were only inches apart.

Steve held his breath, not wanting to move and scare her away.

Michone’s brother walked out the back door, followed by Russ. Julie jumped back from Steve, putting her supplies back in the bag. “Hey, Reggie.”

Steve stood up just as quickly, almost guiltily.

Without a word, Reggie pulled Julie into a hug that had her yelping. The guy was seriously huge. “Thank you,” he said.

Reggie let Julie go and then turned to Steve. Steve forced himself not to take a step back. Reggie thrust out a hand the size of a baseball mitt. “Thank you. Micah told me about you. I wasn’t happy about him hanging around with you, but right now, I am damn thankful he did. He means everything to my sister. To me.”

Steve shook the big man’s hand. “You’re welcome. And I think he’s a pretty amazing kid too.”

Reggie nodded before turning back to Russ. “I’m going to take Michone and the boys over to my house. They’ll be staying with me until this guy is caught.”

Russ nodded. “That’s a good idea. If you want, you can take them now. After we’re done here, I’ll come by and get Michone’s official statement.”

“Good.” Reggie looked back at Steve and Julie. “And I mean it—thank you.” He turned and went back into the house.

“Um, I’ll go help them get the boys in the car,” Julie said, following him.

Alone, Russ and Steve walked to the edge of the porch, watching Michone carry a bag to the car. Russ looked over at Steve. “Micah will be okay. Reggie was a UFC fighter after he left the marines. I’d like to see someone try and get to that kid now. It was a good thing you were here.”

For a while they stood in silence while Michone loaded up a couple of suitcases in Reggie’s car. Then she and her older son climbed in. Steve watched Julie help Reggie get Micah settled in the backseat of the Hummer.

“You know,” Russ said, “you’re making a habit of this hero thing. It’s a good thing you were here.”

Julie paused at the open door of the Hummer, and her eyes met Steve’s.

“No,” Steve said. “It’s a good thing Julie’s lousy at stakeouts.”

Russ gave a little laugh. He looked at Steve out of the corner of his eye. “Did Reggie and I intrude on a little moment back here?”

Steve jerked his gaze from Julie to Russ.

Russ looked back at him, eyebrows raised.

Steve opened his mouth and shut it before turning to watch Reggie back the Hummer out to the street. “No. She was just bandaging up my arm.”

“Uh-huh.”

Steve shook his head, but he liked that Russ thought he’d seen something. Who knew? Maybe he had.

He turned back to Russ. “Anything else you need?”

Russ shook his head. “No. I think—”

The sound of a siren cut off his reply. Both men turned to watch the chief’s Jeep Cherokee pull into the driveway. He cut the siren off but left the lights shining out into the night.

Julie quickly walked up onto the porch and stood next to Steve. He was surprised. It felt like a show of support.

Hiking himself out of the car, Keith made his way toward them, a determined look on his face. He eyed Steve before turning to Russ. “Why isn’t the suspect in handcuffs?”

Russ took a step forward. “Chief, Steve didn’t—”

The chief pointed at Steve while keeping his eyes on Russ. “He’s a murderer, and he was here at the time the kid was taken. Do I need to spell it out for you?”

Julie stepped forward. “Steve didn’t try to hurt Micah. He was the one who saved Micah.”

Keith looked her over, and Steve could feel Julie’s anger rise. “Ms. Granger, this has been a very emotional night. Perhaps when you’ve had a chance to step back, you’ll see the situation more clearly.”

Julie gasped. “Did you actually just suggest that I’m too
emotional
to understand what’s going on?”

Keith didn’t even reply. “Russ, arrest Kane and bring him down to the station.”

Julie moved a little in front of Steve. “You can’t. He didn’t do anything wrong.”

Steve stepped around her, worried now that the chief would arrest Julie just to spite him. “It’s okay. Until he rules me out, he won’t focus on anyone else.” He held his hands together in front of him. “Let’s just get this over with.”

Russ didn’t look happy about it, but he stepped forward and clapped the cuffs on Steve’s wrists “Sorry about this,” he whispered.

“I’ll call Jack,” Julie said.

Steve shook his head. “No. Let him sleep. I didn’t do this. It won’t stick.”

“Fine, but I’m following you to the station,” she replied.

Touched, Steve nodded.

DAY 4

“Billy the Kid here. So I don’t know about you, but I’m about done with this storm. It starts. It stops. It starts again even harder. Enough already! Power is out all over upstate New York and cell towers are down as well. How will we ever survive without our phones!

And have you heard what’s happening over at Millners Kill? First their bridge went out. Then people started getting murdered. There have been two deaths reported so far. And someone tried to grab a kid from his house last night. Man! What is wrong with people?

And in the middle of all this is Steve Kane. You guys remember him, right? The guy who killed Simone Granger ten years ago? Well, he showed up back in town just before all this began. I don’t know about you, but that seems way too big a coincidence to be believed. So keep the good folks in Millners Kill in your thoughts. And for those of you listening from Millners Kill, keep your shotgun handy.”