Page 85 of Alex Cross Must Die

“Have a seat, Brita,” Grey said calmly. “We’ll explain everything.”

Stans looked anything but calm. “Why are my kidnapping victims in holding? Where the hell are the kidnappers? Who’s the goddamn redhead in leather?” She looked at Marple. “And why are you here?”

Marple’s reply was low and even. “Because my partner was shot.”

Stans yanked out a chair and sat down. “Which partner?”

“Holmes,” said Marple. “He’ll pull through. Thanks for asking.”

“Who shot him?” asked Stans. “The kidnappers?”

“Self-inflicted,” said Grey.

“Jesus!” said Stans. “What a clusterfuck.” She leaned in toward Marple. “Look. I’m sorry about your partner. I am. This is a great hospital, and I’m sure they’re doing everything they can. But I’m working a kidnapping case. Enlighten me.”

Marple cleared her throat. Obviously, she was going to have to go through the whole story again. “Agent Stans,” she said, “there was no abduction. The daughter and the stepdad ran away together. They were staying out of sight until they could put together new identities and get out of the country.”

“They’re romantically involved,” said Grey.

Stans shook her head. “Oh, for the love of Christ …”

Marple went on. “The whole kidnapping scam was Zozi’s idea. She kept Eton in the dark about that. She demanded five million dollars because that was the amount in her trust fund, which she was set to inherit at age twenty-one. She figured it was her money. Why wait until then to collect it?”

“So who’s the redhead?” asked Stans. “And please don’t tell me they’re a threesome.”

Marple shook her head. “School friend. Idolizes Zozi. Her name is Darla Ross. Zozi hooked her into making the ransom calls andarranging the pickup. Darla trained a rescue dog to make the pickup. Then she switched bags and carried the ransom to the motel. The dog was disposable. The jewelry was going to be Darla’s cut.”

“What about the shirt?” asked Stans. “The stepdad’s blood.”

“An accident,” said Marple. “Eton sliced his ear with a pair of scissors while he was trimming his beard. Zozi decided to send the shirt to Addilyn as a way to make the kidnapping seem legit.”

“Holy shit,” said Stans. She leaned back in her chair, then sat up straight and looked at Grey. “Can we nail Daddy on statutory rape?”

Grey shook her head. “Zozi turned eighteen last month. Age of consent in New York. We can’t prove a relationship before that date. Incest won’t stick either. They’re not blood relations. And he never adopted her.”

“Dammit!”said Stans. “This issick!”

“You can go after the girls for conspiracy and extortion,” said Marple. “But Darla’s still a minor. It would be a first offense for both her and Zozi. And the entire ransom was recovered. So they’ll probably just get a slap on the wrist. Probation. Maybe a few months of community service. No serious time.”

“And then,” said Grey, “Zozi and her stepdad can do whatever they want.”

Marple could see that Stans was angry, and grasping at straws. “We’ll sue him for the cost of the investigation,” she muttered. “Every goddamn penny.”

“Go ahead,” said Grey. “Eton Charles won’t even blink. He’ll just write a check.”

“Right,” added Marple. “Maybe he’ll send it from the honeymoon.”

CHAPTER 96

Three days later

VIRGINIA HELD ANNABELin her arms as she looked out the window. She could see the flashing lights through the office window from a block away. They were almost here! She set the cat down on a brick windowsill and headed outside. She ran through her mental checklist for the homecoming, just to make sure she hadn’t neglected anything.

A seven-thousand-dollar adjustable hospital bed had been installed in Holmes’s bedroom. The prescribed medications were locked in the office safe. Most important, according to Poe’s instructions, Virginia had removed every single weapon and sharp object from Holmes’s apartment. Down to the very last pushpin.

Virginia hurried out through the front door just as the GTO rolled up to the curb, preceded by an NYPD patrol car, lights flashing. Helene Grey had arranged for the escort all the way from New Jersey.Sweet touch,thought Virginia.

As the patrol car drove away, she saw Poe emerge from the driver’s side of the Pontiac and hurry around to the passenger side. When he opened the door, Holmes swung his legs out and stood up.

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