Page 34 of The White Picket Fence

“Mr. Lombardi at the pizza place managed to call 911 before the man shot him,” Tino said. “I read that online. He was the first person shot. The police were already on their way to the neighborhood when you called, Kayla.”

She nodded, her shoulders shaking with sobs. “I know.”

Charlotte stroked Kayla’s hair, then cupped her face in both hands. “Then what, honey? What did you do when the police came?”

“I got scared. I ran.” Kayla pressed her face to Charlotte’s shoulder. “I ran like a coward while my dad was bleeding.”

“The medics had arrived,” Charlotte said, trying for logical pragmatism. “They were able to help him. There really wasn’t anything you could have done.”

Kayla yanked her head back to glare up at Charlotte. “I could have held his hand so he wasn’t alone!”

Charlotte bit her lip. “I’m sorry. You’re right.” Because that was exactly how she’d felt about Dottie. “I understand. I wanted to be with my aunt, to hold her hand. To let her know she wasn’t alone.” She wiped Kayla’s cheeks with her thumbs. “But I think your dad would have been happier to know you went home where you’d be safe.”

“I was a coward.”

“You were human,” Charlotte countered, looking at Tino for help.

Tino came around the island and bent so he was looking Kayla in the eye. “You feel guilty that you weren’t with him to hold his hand. And maybe because you haven’t told the cops that you were there?”

Kayla exhaled heavily. “Yeah. The cops never asked me if I saw anything, so I didn’t say anything.”

“Because they thought you’d been home at the time,” Tino said. “But you saw his face,” he added in a careful tone.

She shook her head. “Only for a second, when he first came in. He wore a hoodie and it hid his face the rest of the time.”

But a glimpse just might be enough, Charlotte thought.

“Can you describe him for me?” Tino asked, keeping his voice calm.

Kayla closed her eyes. “I don’t want him to know that I saw him. He kept screaming, ‘Where is she? Where is she?’ when I was running to the back door. He knew I was there. If he finds out I told...”

Tino’s jaw tightened. “Did he see you?”

“I didn’t think so, but he must have. He was yelling like he had.”

Tino straightened and met Charlotte’s gaze. “He was looking for a ‘she.’”

For me, Charlotte thought, panic closing her throat. She could only nod, but inside, she was screaming.No, no, no. It cannot be me. I can’t be the connection.

Because two people were dead and two others were in critical condition.

How could she survive being the reason for that?

Tino returned his attention to Kayla. “If you can tell me what you saw, I can draw it. You can tell me if it’s close.”

“There were cameras,” Kayla protested. “They’ll be better than drawings.”

“None of the cameras caught him full in the face.” Tino hesitated. “Kayla, knowing if this man is the same one who hurt Charlotte’s aunt might help the cops catch him. You can help your father that way. Will you tell me what you saw?”

Kayla straightened her shoulders. “Yes.”

* * *

Mount Airy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Wednesday, March 30, 9:55 p.m.

“Is she okay?”Gino asked as Tino closed the bedroom door behind him.

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