Echo's Crusade Part 10

"What's bugging you, Echo?" Roan finally asked as the silence grew.

With a guilty look, Echo lifted her gaze and found herself caught in Roan's intense stare.

"Nothing...I'm really pleased. Soon this will all be over,"

Echo finally muttered.

Roan nodded as she polished off her sub. "Well, it isn't all cut and dried, but we have a fairly solid background on which to bring in Greystoke. At least now you know your friend didn't intentionally take her life."

"I always knew that," Echo said softly. Her gaze traveled to the sideboard and the photos there. "We had a lot of good times. She was a wonderful person."

As Roan heard the softly spoken words, she felt a twinge of envy at the obvious bond the two women shared. Although she knew many people and a few she called close friends, none gave her that feeling. It made her sense for the first time that she was missing out on an integral part of life. "I'm sure you did. Well, I'd better get moving. I want to make sure I have all my ducks in a row for tomorrow. You know how that is."

Echo moved her gaze from the photos and looked at Roan, and her breath caught as their eyes connected. For Echo, it was as if her body coupled with Roan's body. They took the same breath of air and moved in exactly the same direction, as her heart appeared to be blending with Roan's heart. Without taking her eyes off Roan, she reached over and touched her cheek before giving it a gentle caress. "Be careful and take it easy. I don't want anything to happen to you. Don't forget you're not supposed to do anything really strenuous yet."

The words broke the spell they were both under as Roan moved from her seat and shuffled from foot to foot. "Sure...I'll let myself out."

Echo dared not move. In that moment, what had been hazy became perfectly clear. She was in love with Roan. It made perfect sense, and at the same time, it made none at all. Bizarre and impossible...the list went on. None of the words she used to describe Roan took away the feeling that she wanted to walk on air and shout it above the rooftops. As the door shut behind Roan, Echo shook herself out of her dream world. She knew her love could only ever exist in that realm-reality and Roan weren't going to cooperate.

"You need to leave town! Now would be suitable, but if you can't arrange that, it has to be within the next four hours."

"I don't understand. You know I can't do that. I have a charity ball to attend tonight for the project."

"There won't be a project in twenty-four hours. The Thompson case had to be reopened officially, and apparently, your name is now at the top of the list of suspects."

"I don't understand. That's impossible! How have they connected me to her in that way? She worked with me...there's no evidence...none at all. That's what you promised me." Greystoke's voice imploded on the line.

"It's out of my hands now. I suggest you quit the hysterics and leave. We can't speak again...it'll be too tricky. Good luck."

"You can't just abandon me! Remember I know too much!"

"Meet me in the alley next to the church in half an hour and I'll make some arrangements for you."

Layla felt the tears forming. This isn't how it was supposed to be. "Can I trust you?"

"Do you have a choice? Half an hour...if you're not there..."

"I'll be there."

Chapter Fifteen.

Roan arrived home slightly bewildered. Her hand glided down the side of her cheek where Echo had touched her fingers earlier and told her to be careful. When the fingers caressed her cheek, it felt scorched, now the flesh was cold. After she let herself into her home, she climbed two flights of stairs to enter the large studio that had a magnificent vista of the bay and the surrounding hills. In a daze, she looked out onto the city.

The studio was where her mother would spend hours painting. Several of her landscapes adorned the walls. According to her grandfather, when her grandmother died, her mother was ten and he had the window put in for her mom who had shown a talent at an early age for painting the skyline. It had been her mother's favorite place until she married and left the house to have a family of her own. It was where Echo often gravitated when Roan had been taking a nap, particularly during the weekends. She speculated that it probably called to Echo's creative nature as it had her mother.

Then her mind traveled to the car accident that had killed her parents and her twin when she was eight. That's when she came to live in the house with her grandfather. After her grandfather's death, it had been a cause of disagreement with her uncle that he'd left the brownstone and all of the possessions in it to her.

For several years, the house went unused while she went to college and spent two years training at the Lawrence City Police Department. Since arriving back in La Toura and living in the brownstone, she hardly ever ventured into the room. A part of her felt like she didn't fit there, or perhaps Echo had been right-she was afraid to acknowledge the pain of missing her parents and her sister. The only link she had with them was in her mother's studio where the feelings of loss were most acute.

She focused on the coffee table and the magazines strewn across it. Everything from fashion to cooking. She was sure that Echo's penchant for retrieving every magazine published weekly or monthly must have cost a fortune. It brought up a memory of a conversation they'd had about the reading material...

Roan picked up the newest edition of a famous fashion magazine and flicked through the contents. It bored her silly as she dropped it on the coffee table. Then she turned her attention to the woman indolently lying on the large sofa, her feet pulled up in a fetal position as she read another magazine. It was a car magazine that had a red sports car adorning the front cover. Frowning, Roan rolled her tongue over her teeth. "Why so many?"

Echo lifted her gaze from the magazine. With a smile, she replied, "I could ask why so many what?" At the raising of Roan's eyebrows, she grinned. "However, it's all part of knowing the marketplace."

"Okay, but isn't it a bit diverse?" Roan picked up a cookery magazine and felt her stomach rumble as she looked at the delicious dishes. At least that one had a purpose.

Echo moved her legs, swung them from the sofa, and moved to pick up several of the publications. "That's the idea. In all these magazines, there's one theme...how to sell a product to the public. You have to follow trends. If you don't, your market campaigns become stale and with it your reputation. You can't guarantee that what sold yesterday will necessarily be a winner today or tomorrow, do you understand?"

"Right, but some things come back into fashion." Roan gave the recipe for cheese m.u.f.fins another look; it called her name.

"Yes, they do, and it's the change in tide you have to look for and these help." She pointed to a kids' magazine. "Take you, for instance...you've looked at that page for more than a cursory glance. Any advertising exec worth their salt would have noticed that, and for you, that particular information works. What is it anyway?" Echo chuckled as she looked at Roan's puckered brow.

Roan c.o.c.ked her head to one side and narrowed her eyes. "As you're the hotshot advertising guru, you tell me."

"That's not fair," Echo said in a mock wail as she stood.

"Are you chicken and don't want to lose that reputation you have?" Roan teased.

Echo felt her heart beat faster as she heard the tone in Roan's voice. It was another first in their developing relationship, and it warmed her all over...perhaps too much. "Okay, I'll take the bait. Let me see now. I didn't bring any publications on police tactics or guns. Therefore," she glanced at the coffee table and the items still there. "I deduce it's a recipe of some sort." She crossed her arms over her chest and had a smug smile on her face.

Roan laughed. "You'd make a good detective."

Echo took the magazine from Roan's hands and their fingers touched. Once more, that jolt of connection flooded her body. To take her mind off the feeling, she began to read the magazine cover. "Ah, savory m.u.f.fins...my favorite. Want me to make a batch?"

Roan didn't speak at first. She stood there, glanced down at her fingers, and was lost in thought until their contact severed. When she looked up, Echo was engrossed in the recipe. "I'd like that."

Echo smiled and began to walk toward the stairs. "You stay here and I'll be back in half an hour, tops."

There were too many past memories in the room for Roan to stay there by herself. Before she went downstairs, she looked around. Without Echo in the room, it was cold and lonely. "I don't know why you make me feel the way you do, Echo, but each time we meet, I feel like I'm part of the normal world and fit in. I hope you want to keep up our friendship when all this is over because I don't think I want to go back to living my life without you in it." She shrugged, gave the room one last look, and went downstairs to her study.

Captain Sofia Renaldo threw her hands in the air in a gesture of irritation. "I don't G.o.dd.a.m.n believe this! We have a warrant for the Greystoke Project building, and you're telling me that the Greystoke woman is nowhere to be found."

Detective Painter arrived at Layla Greystoke's apartment at seven that morning to serve several warrants to search her home, the church, and the project's office along with taking her in for questioning. "Sorry, Captain. I tried the bell and door several times...it even woke up some of the neighbors. They said she went out around lunchtime yesterday, but no one saw her return. Apparently, her cat has been meowing all night to get out."

"Did you get the building's super to open it up?"

"Yes, ma'am. The cat shot out of the apartment, but Greystoke wasn't there, and there was no sign of anything unusual."

Flicking back her dark black hair, Renaldo shook her head.

"Who's at the project offices?"

"Lieutenant Keating, ma'am...I checked with her...Greystoke hasn't turned up there, either."

"Go replace Keating and tell her to get her a.s.s back here right now!"

After Painter left, Renaldo sank into her chair. "This is just great...the prime suspect has gone into hiding, and we have no other leads. s.h.i.t, I can't wait until the chief hears about this."

"Captain...Chief Mahoney on the line," one of her detectives said.

"Oh, great, just great." With a fake smile plastered on her face, she picked up her phone. "Good morning, Chief, how can I help..."

Echo woke up and felt remarkably refreshed after her soul searching before she fell asleep the night before. When this was over and Karen and Shelby got true justice, she was going to ask for a transfer to the office upstate. A part of her wanted to get as far away as she could from what was familiar, and that meant Roan. Stan wouldn't stand in her way. He wanted her to remain at the agency, and most likely, she wouldn't be gone for good. She'd take it a day at a time and possibly stay there for a few months or a year. But there was the part of her vying to tell Roan of her love and let matters take its course. At least then, she'd know where she stood.

As she entered the lobby of her office building, she smiled at the receptionist who returned the gesture, and Echo saw the young woman give her an appreciative once-over. It made her smile slightly. At least she knew she was attractive and not letting her appearance go, unlike Roan who could do with one of those television makeovers. Then she sighed as she stepped into the elevator with three others. Roan again! The woman seemed to be taking over her every waking thought.

Five minutes later, Echo was in her corner office with a perfect view of the bay, and she watched the heavy traffic drift by as she nursed a cup of steaming coffee. Her thoughts drifted to the times she'd spent at Roan's home and the glorious panorama she had of the bay and the mountains. She stood silently for what appeared ages until her a.s.sistant said, "Good morning, Echo."

Echo turned and smiled. "Hi, Kelly, did you have a good weekend?"

The woman grinned. "Sure did...he proposed at last!" A finger was thrust in her direction, and a small but very pretty engagement ring adorned Kelly's finger.

Echo smiled warmly and hugged her a.s.sistant. "Congratulations. It's about time. How long is it now...ten years?"

They both chuckled. "At times, I wondered why I stuck around for so long. I thought he was going to wait until I retired."

Echo grinned. "Why did he leave it so long?"

The woman with a dreamy expression said, "He said he wanted to have everything perfect. As you know, we're both orphans. He's saved up a certain amount of money and invested in things that I didn't even know about. Now he's able to pay for the works...a honeymoon in Europe and he gave me the deed to the house we've been renting since we moved in together. I thought he must have robbed a bank...but he didn't. He wanted us to be financially secure so we can start a family right after the wedding. Karen always said he was a dark horse but with the right intentions, and she was right. I wish...." Kelly abruptly stopped speaking.

Echo knew what Kelly meant. "Hey," she said as she touched the woman's arm. "Wherever she is, she'll be raising that gla.s.s of sparkling water in your honor."

Kelly smiled. "I know. You'll come to the wedding, won't you? You can bring a friend. I'm going to send out the invites, of course, but I wanted to ask you personally."

Echo chuckled. "Try and keep me away. In fact, try to keep anyone from here away. Stan will probably do a special slogan for you when he finds out."

Kelly left only to return moments later. "I meant to give you this on Friday, but things got a bit hectic."

Puzzled, Echo looked at the folder and the familiar writing on it. "That's one of Karen's. Why would I want it? Shouldn't Stan..."

Kelly interrupted, "No. If you open the file, you'll see a note that says afor Echo's eyes only.' Sara found it when she was sorting through some of the older files." She handed Echo the folder and left, closing the door behind her.

Echo placed her coffee on the desk and sat in her chair. She unclipped the envelope with the letter and opened it.

Echo, Sorry I've not been very attentive lately. We'll have that dinner and catch up when you come back from Thanksgiving. I'm going to do the full works at the holiday for Shelby. I made a promise and I'll honor it. Though I would have liked to be with you this Thanksgiving, especially after you kissed me. We need to talk about that, too.

Anyway, Shelby's a young woman who has seen too much and experienced even more. I can't say she and I are alike, but many of my old wounds opened the day I met her.

Last night, she confided in me about a man who's been stalking her, or at least that's what she thinks. He was one of her main clients from almost the first day she became a prost.i.tute. You'll never believe who it is, and I'll tell you when we catch up after the holiday. I know I shouldn't say anything, but it kind of makes you wonder about people. I saw him with Layla Greystoke a week ago when we had that special meeting with potential supporters. Shelby nearly freaked. Now I know why. Anyway, here are the notes I took at the meeting, along with some photos. I hope you will do your magic on the marketing.

Love you, Karen Echo sat back in her chair as tears flowed unchecked as she read the last words her friend probably had ever penned. She opened the folder and took out the notes from the meeting and the photos. As she looked them over, she frowned as she glanced at one, then back at another. A name kept screaming out at her-Chief Mahoney. As preposterous as it sounded, her thoughts found a voice.

"He likes young women. I know I read about it in the newspaper not too long ago. He could make a case like this one virtually disappear...perhaps he tried. Did he place obstacles in the way once I started questioning the conclusion? He gave the case to Roan, maybe as insurance, thinking she wouldn't implicate him. I can't believe she would hide things because it's her uncle, though. She'd bring the killer to justice...it's her nature. Is it possible that the chief was Shelby's client? He wouldn't want it public, and if he saw her that day at the sponsorship meeting, maybe he wanted to get rid of her."

As she considered all the points aloud, it gave more emphasis to the notion that it all made perfect sense. "Do I tell Roan of my suspicions is the big question."

For a few minutes, she sat quietly as she weighed the pros and cons of telling Roan. She made a decision and dialed a number on her cell.

Chapter Sixteen.

There was a silence in the room as Roan and Renaldo faced each other. Then the captain finally said, "Your uncle called. He said that unless you have a cast iron case, you couldn't put out an APB on Layla Greystoke. Do we have that, Lieutenant?"

Roan heaved a heavy sigh, then gave Renaldo a steady gaze. "I think when you read the file again, you'll see we have sufficient cause to ask a judge to sign a warrant for her arrest."

"I've read it several times. It's all circ.u.mstantial and you know it. Any judge...even a sympathetic one...will throw it back at us."

"If the chief wasn't involved, would you have hesitated?"

"Don't get all righteous on me, Lieutenant. He has a point. What if the woman is innocent? Hauling her over the coals won't help our case. How do you think that would play out on the news? She does great things for this city...you can't deny that."

Roan shook her head. "I don't. Just because she does good deeds doesn't mean she couldn't commit murder."

Renaldo nodded in agreement. "Maybe it wasn't murder. Have you thought that it might have been accidental? Maybe she didn't know that the woman was allergic."

"And that allows her to fake a suicide? I thought we didn't give credence to celebrity status," Roan said in what she thought was a calm tone.

Renaldo allowed the acid remark to go unchallenged. Roan was still officially on sick leave. She'd talk to Mahoney about replacing her as lead detective on the case, her lack of respect told its own story-she wasn't fit to return to duty.

"People do the strangest things under pressure, Lieutenant. You of all people should appreciate that. I'm taking into account some of the things you've done in the past and in the present situation. Who instigated the findings? Your newfound best buddy or your own intuition? Exactly how well do you really know the woman who persuaded you to look at the case again? Maybe she has an ulterior motive."

Roan frowned. "She does."

"So I was right...there's more to this than meets the eye." Renaldo sighed heavily.

"Not really. Echo wants what we all want...justice. Right now the people she expected to help her are the ones avoiding taking the step to allow her to have that." Roan's expression remained calm, yet inwardly she wanted to walk out of the room and slam the door in the captain's face. It might help her control the simmering anger she was developing.

Renaldo sat at her desk. "I'll give it more consideration, but I don't see how we can get a warrant. You can go now. Why not go home and take a nap or read a book? You're still on sick leave until next week."

Roan scowled. "Only because you're enforcing the full term."