Page 78 of Nora
“The evidence has all been processed,” Franklin said, taking a seat in a leather chair near the fire. “We have your statement and his confession, but we also found the blood of the four stabbing victims on his knife. He tried to clean it but had missed some of the nooks.”
“What about the other victims?” Lucian asked, taking her hand and entwining his fingers with hers.
“We found the bag of salt he used to suppress the fire that killed Jessalyn Anderson, and we found his mementos.”
“Of all eleven of the victims?” Lucian asked.
Franklin’s gaze lingered on Lucian before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a clear plastic bag. He held it, hesitating, then handed it over to Lucian.
Lucian leaned forward and took it.
“There were twelve victims,” Franklin said.
Nora’s stomach pitched, and she stilled as the meaning of the words sank in. Lucian held Franklin’s gaze, then dropped it back down to the small gold pendant in the bag. The fire crackled in the background as Lucian stared at the piece of jewelry.
“Saint Roch,” he finally said, his voice raspy with emotion. “Patron saint of dogs.” He turned the bag around to look at the back. “And the Salvitto coat of arms.” He ran his thumb over the plastic, over the ridges and impressions of the medal. “I gave this to Alessandra on our first anniversary. It was one of the few pieces of jewelry she wore consistently.” He paused, then looked at Franklin. “Tell me.”
Sympathy flashed in Franklin’s eyes, but he didn’t hesitate. “You know what he experienced as a boy in that home. To cope, he would often spend hours wandering the countryside. He said he found her on one of his longer adventures. He’d run away and had walked more than forty miles from the home. He watched her with the dogs, and although he didn’t say, I suspect the adoration of the animals appealed to him. He probably started to wonder what it would feel like to have that kind of love focused on him.
“He said he approached her and asked if she had any work for him. She…she wasn’t particularly open to it.”
Lucian’s lips thinned. Nora wanted to reach out and touch him, to comfort him, but she sensed he wouldn’t appreciate it yet. Instead, she wrapped both hands around her mug.
“I can imagine. She was a bit of a termagant. She could be like that when it came to her dogs,” Lucian said.
Franklin’s expression acknowledged the truth of Lucian’s statement, but he didn’t pursue the topic further. “He got angry. Very angry. He…”
“Just tell us, Franklin,” Nora said. Lucian wouldn’t appreciate Franklin’s hesitation. He’d just want to know the facts.
“He beat her to death with a shovel and stole one of the puppies. He buried the shovel somewhere on his way back to the home. When he returned, he threatened the priests. He told them that he and some of the other boys would tell the world what was happening at the home if they didn’t let him keep the puppy. He was seventeen. Beyond the age that was…appealing to the pedophiles. He was also big enough to defend himself if they tried. They let him keep the puppy. He only had a year left at the home, and I assume they figured the puppy was a small price to pay to keep him from rocking the boat.”
Again, Lucian’s thumb ran over the medal. A few more seconds passed, then he leaned forward and handed it back.
“Thank you,” he said. “I had come to accept that her murder would never be solved. Like many, I assumed it had something to do with my role at AISE. It doesn’t…I don’t feel any different, it doesn’t bring any closure or whatever it is the Americans say—she’s still gone. And her life was still taken too early. But I’m glad I know. Her family will be as well.”
Franklin eyed them both for a moment, then nodded and rose. “If there is anything I can do, please let me know.”
Neither Nora nor Lucian joined him, and he walked to the door and let himself out. The sound of his car faded into the night, and a few minutes passed before Lucian spoke.
“I truly never thought I’d know,” he said, meeting her gaze for the first time since Franklin had delivered the news.
“I’m glad you do. As you said, it doesn’t change anything, but now you know.”
He held her gaze, then nodded. “I want to stay here. With you.”
His words were such an abrupt change, Nora blinked. “Okay,” she drew out the word.
He smiled. “Not for this week or this month, but for as long as you will have me.”
Nora frowned. “What about your business?”
He bobbed his head to the side. “Your barn is huge. It would make an excellent kennel. Your property would be good training grounds. And the couple I met with in Boston?” She nodded. “They want to work with me to start breeding and training medical dogs. Dogs that sniff disease and help epileptics and diabetics. I’ve been considering moving into that field for a while. I can do my best to learn that kind of training—and I have—but they have an expertise I don’t. I can learn a lot from them, and my dogs, many of them, would be well suited to the job.”
She studied him for a long moment, long enough to see the pulse at his throat beating faster than normal. He was nervous. Although he had no reason to be. Lucian might not be the gentle, kind man she’d envisioned for herself, but hewasgentle and kind with her. He also seemed content being a homebody. Since returning to Cos Cob, they’d spent most nights in front of the fire. Sometimes they read, sometimes they played board games, occasionally they watched TV. He hadn’t holed up entirely, though. He’d had lunch once with Joe, Gavin, and Darius, and he and Six had gone on a couple of walks.
He’d slid into her life the same way he’d slid into her heart—easily. Though perhaps not without a little grumbling on his part.
“You’ve been thinking about this for a while, haven’t you?A whilebeing relative since we’ve only been reacquainted for a few weeks.”
