Alex Cross 34: Alex Cross Must Die by James Patterson

Author:James Patterson [Patterson, James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 57

Fairfax, Virginia

BREE AND JANNIE HURRIED toward the field for the NCAA cross-country race at George Mason University.

“We missed the start.” Jannie groaned.

“No one cares about the start,” Bree said. “Only the finish.”

Jannie frowned. “I care about the start.”

“I’m talking ordinary spectators,” Bree said. “Oh, there’s Detective Creighton.”

The Fairfax County detective saw Bree and they walked to each other.

“Anything?” Bree asked.

“Murder weapon,” she said quietly. “Like you thought. Sharp rock.”

“Where was it?”

“On the bank by the jacket. Covered with blood and brain matter.”

“Nothing else?”

“A few things I’d like to keep close to the vest, though the Airbnb owner needs to hire a new maid.”

“How’s that?”

The detective’s nostrils flared. “The shower in the smaller bathroom had dirt and hair in it. And the toilet in there looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in weeks.”

“Lovely,” Bree said. “Where next?”

“I’m heading to suburban Philly to talk with Iliana’s high-school coach,” she said. “Steve Hawley.”

“You might also check out this coach at Paxson State,” Bree said. “Thayer. He supposedly knew she was renting the Airbnb.”

The first group of women runners appeared.

Jannie cried, “Tina’s right there with the top girls!”

“Nice, but I’ve got to go,” Creighton said. “Good seeing you, Bree.”

“I’ll be in touch,” Bree said, and she turned to watch with Jannie as the knot of the five leading women came unraveled in the last two hundred yards.

Tina Dawson held her own and finished third. Coach Neely and Coach Leclerc were thrilled and gave each other high fives, but Bree didn’t think Dawson was all that happy as she came up to them.

“That looked great,” Jannie said.

Tina smiled briefly. “Thanks. I really thought I had them. The leaders.”

“Still a podium. You’ll get them next time.”

Coach Neely came over and said, “I think you were running for Iliana out there.”

“I was,” Tina said. “Definitely.”

But again, it was half-hearted.

Bree and Jannie congratulated them all once more and then started back to the car. They were just exiting the campus when Jannie pointed across the street at a blond woman, walking away, head down, shoulders heaving.

“Bree, that’s her, Nancy,” Jannie said. “Iliana’s mother.”

They ran across the street, dodging a few cars, and down the block to a parking lot. They caught up to the dead girl’s mom as she was opening the door to her car.

“Hi, Mrs. Meadows,” Jannie said. “It’s me, Jannie Cross.”

The woman stared at her in some bewilderment before nodding. “I remember you. Always kind to Iliana. She liked you very much.”

“And I liked her. She was such a good person. I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“I am too,” Iliana’s mother said and started to blubber. “I only just got back from Italy. I talked with her on the phone, and now she’s gone. Just gone.”

Bree caught a whiff of alcohol on the woman’s breath. “Mrs. Meadows? I’m Jannie’s stepmother. Are you all right to drive?”

“Not really,” she said. “I plan on sleeping in the car awhile before I drive home. I haven’t slept in … I can’t remember.”

“You’re sure?”

“I am,” she said, sliding into the front seat.

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