Page 140 of I'm Watching You

‘I don’t know who it is. I figured it was a sister or a cousin.’

‘A sister.’ Zack exhaled a breath. ‘This is a picture of Lindsay’s mother.’

Warwick’s mouth hardened as the implications sunk in. ‘It can’t be.’

‘Lindsay had a couple of photos in a box when we were married. I only saw them once. But hold up Lindsay’s kindergarten picture next to this one and you’d see that she and this kid are the spitting image of each other.’

‘Oh, Jesus.’

Zack scanned the row of shelves above the desk. ‘We know the Guardian has some connection to Lindsay.’

‘That doesn’t mean Pete does. Likeness or not, this kid could be anyone.’

Zack glared at Warwick. ‘For now we have to assume that that child pictured with Pete is Lindsay’s mother.’

‘Pete can’t be her uncle.’ He sounded as if he were grasping at straws.

‘He sure as hell can be.’ There was a small television set on the file cabinet behind Pete’s desk. Built into the set was aVCR. ‘What did Pete do in the military?’

‘Something with radios and the military police.’

‘Electronics?’

Tension radiated from Warwick. ‘Maybe.’

‘The Guardian has been watching Lindsay. And the cameras were positioned in the living room and kitchen. Nothing in the bathrooms or the bedrooms. Private places where a good uncle wouldn’t venture.’ Zack pushed back theVCRtape flap on the television. Inside was a tape datedJuly 11. He turned on the television and hit ‘Play.’ Instantly, a black-and-white image of Lindsay appeared. She was standing in Ruby’s living room. The time stamp was less than an hour ago.

‘Shit,’ Zack said. ‘She spent last night with Ruby.’

Warwick paled. ‘Jesus.’

‘Vega said Ruby had a break-in last week. But nothing was taken. Something was added, though.’ Zack flipped open his cell and called Ayden. ‘We have a hit.’ He explained what they’d found. ‘Send backup.’

Warwick shoved out a breath. He was struggling tohold it together. And if they’d had time, Zack would have pulled him out of there immediately. But he sensed that time was running out.

‘I want a look in that basement but I don’t want a defense attorney crapping on my case because I don’t have a warrant.’

Warwick dug in his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. ‘I have access to the gym with no restrictions.’ He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. ‘If I needed a new set of gloves and couldn’t find them upstairs, I’d look in the basement. It’s where Pete kept extra equipment when I was here last year.’

Zack smiled but there was no pleasure. ‘I was hoping you’d say something like that.’

Warwick opened the basement door lock and flipped the light switch at the top of the stairs. Both cops drew their guns. Slowly they made their way down the rickety steps, their bodies crouched.

Halfway down, Zack moved past Warwick and peered around a blind corner. He saw the computer table. The monitors. And the rows and rows of tapes, each meticulously dated and arranged in chronological order.

Warwick stared at the room in horror and disbelief. His world was shattering. But he was holding it together. Later the problems would come as the enormity of it all hit him.

The heavy coppery scent of blood rose up as they moved toward the computer. Zack glanced toward a second door. He motioned to Warwick.

Warwick nodded. Guns raised, they moved to eitherside of the door. Zack counted to three. On three he shoved open the door. ‘Police, come out with your hands up.’

A faint moan echoed from the corner. It sounded as if someone was injured. Still, he didn’t rush the room.

Careful to keep his body out of a shooter’s line of fire, Zack slid his hand into the room and felt around for a light switch. He found one and clicked it on.

The first thing they saw was the blood. The entire floor was covered with it. This had been the Guardian’s killing room. No doubt Saunders’sDNAwould be all over the place.

Warwick’s gaze settled in a shadowed corner. ‘Oh my God.’

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