If It Walks Like A Killer (The Carolina Killer Files #1) by Kiersten Modglin Page A

showed up. She sighed, the sun was setting. She had no choice but to pack the kids up.
    “Alright guys, it’s time to get home and eat supper.”
    “But, Mom, Dad said he’d be here soon,” Brinley insisted.
    “I know baby, but I told you Daddy may not be able to make it.”
    “But if we leave and he does come he’ll be sad that we didn’t wait for him.”
    “Daddy will know where to find us, I promise.”
    Brinley held onto the chain of her swing. “No. I’m not leaving. I want to wait for Daddy.”
    “Brinley, Daddy isn’t coming. It’s getting dark. I’m going to call him and tell him to meet us at home, okay?”
    Brinley looked at her in disbelief. “I don’t want to make Daddy sad.”
    “You could never make him sad. He loves you.”
    “Will he get to eat supper with us then?”
    “I think he will. It’s getting late. He may be on his way home now.”
    Brinley let go of the swing, her knees caked with dirt and her hair frizzed from the wind.
    Rachael hoisted Davis out of the sandbox he’d been playing in, dusting the sand off of him. “So you’ll go with me then?”
    “Okay, I’ll go. If Daddy comes here do you promise you’ll tell him I wanted to wait?”
    “He won’t come here, Brin.”
    “Just promise.”
    “I promise.”
    “Good. ’Cause if he’s sad I’m going to be really mad.”
    “Okay, darling.”
    “I mean really mad, Momma.”
    Rachael sighed. “Okay, Brin, if he comes you can be mad, but he’s not coming. I’ll call and tell him not to.”
    Brinley hopped out of her swing, a dismayed look on her face. “Fine.”
     
    ***
     
    Caide
     
    Caide snuck into the house just before midnight. He’d had the cab driver drive around La Rue for the past few hours, dreading the turmoil he’d face at home. He felt as though his world were collapsing around him, as he knew it would soon enough. When he’d left the office, no one would look at him. He couldn’t ignore the hushed voices that grew quiet when he entered the room. He wanted to scream for himself, cry for Blaire, kill whoever had done this, and most of all avoid Rachael until this had all blown over. He knew it would be impossible. Even once the charges were dropped Rachael would hear how, for all he knew she’d probably already heard.
    He’d have to tell her everything before she could hear it from someone else. For tonight, though, he just wanted to sleep. He walked to the kitchen, hanging his jacket over the chair and placing his shoes neatly under the table. He walked back to the living room, noticing the pillow and blanket Rachael had left for him on the couch. She was a woman of her word. He fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, still fully dressed, and he dreamed of a world without death and heartache, a world that until today didn’t seem so out of reach.
     
    ***
     
    Rachael
     
    Rachael woke up the next morning alone. She walked to the living room to find her husband sleeping peacefully, still fully dressed from the night before. Infuriated, she ripped the blanket off of him and flipped on the light. Caide stirred, covering his face, still blissfully half asleep.
    “What the—” He yawned sleepily, looking around as if trying to figure out where he was.
    “Late night?” Rachael asked, her words filled with venom.
    A look of realization filled his face. “Look, Rach—”
    She held her hand up. “Save it. Save whatever little speech or excuse you have planned, just don’t waste your breath. How dare you? How dare you?” She paced the living room, trying to maintain her fury. “You let that little girl down last night again. Now, me, I’m used to your disappointments and Davis is too young to understand what a letdown his father is, but your daughter looks up to you. You’re her hero, Caide, and you just keep breaking her heart. We waited for you yesterday. At the park. We waited until seven and when it was finally time for us to come home I basically had to drag her away. Do you know