Page 17 of The Smart Killer
As they pulled up outside Callie’s apartment building, Noah exhaled slowly, his breath mixing with the rain-speckled air from his partly open driver’s side window.
“I gather you’ve been present when a death notification has been given?”
Porter nodded. “I have.”
“Good,” Noah said. “Then you can stay in the car. This is a friend of mine, and I would prefer you weren’t there.” There was no room for argument in his words. Porter understood the request for privacy, for the chance to deliver the devastating news with the gentleness it deserved.
As he got out, Noah noticed across the lot, among the many vehicles, an Adirondack Sherriff’s Office cruiser. If he wasn’t mistaken, it was Detective Angus McKenzie’s.
Noah hurried out of the rain, headed up the steps, and braced himself as he gave a knock. Callie answered, her eyes red from crying.
“Noah.”
“Callie.”
As he hugged her, he saw McKenzie seated on the sofa. The Scotsman, given to sarcasm and jokes, looked nothing like his usual self; his somber expression told it all.
“You already know?” he asked.
She nodded. “McKenzie told me.”
Noah figured that it wouldn’t have remained a secret for long. It was undoubtedly done to ensure she heard before the media got wind of it. Still, he expected that slimeball Carl McNeal over at theAdirondack Daily Enterprisewould find some titillating headlines to drum up sales.
In some ways, he was glad he didn’t have to be the one to drop the bomb. “I’m so sorry.”
“Come on in,” she said, stepping out of the way.
Noah took a seat. “McKenzie.”
“Sutherland.”
“How did you get wind of it?”
“I happened to be at the medical examiner’s office on other business. Addie let it slip. I guess she thought I knew.”
Noah nodded.
“Can I get you a coffee?” Callie asked. “I was just about to make some.”
“Lass, sit yourself down. I’ll get it. Black, Noah?” McKenzie said.
“Yeah.”
Callie scooped up a handful of tissues.
“You on vacation?” Noah asked.
“I was. I mean, I am.” She glanced down. Noah looked around the room and saw a photo of Hannah and Callie on the mantel. “I can’t believe she’s gone. She was only here a few nights ago. For supper. She and Adam. I hadn’t seen her that happy since she came back from California. I figured things were on the up and up with a new guy, no longer taking drugs or struggling to get by. You know she landed herself a job working down at the marina. Good pay, too.”
“I didn’t know that.”
Callie pursed her lips to hold back her emotion as she shook her head in disbelief. She sniffed hard and dabbed at her eyes. “What did Angus tell you?” he asked.
“That there was a fire, and she didn’t get out. That Adam and the kids never made it out either.” She brought a hand up to her mouth. Noah reached over and offered her a box of tissues from the table.
Noah glanced toward the kitchen where McKenzie was preparing coffee in a French press. Clearly, he’d only gotten half of the story. He looked back at Callie. “I don’t want to upset youany further, but I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you that High Peaks local PD are potentially regarding it as foul play.”
Callie looked up. McKenzie walked into the room.
