“You okay, Regan? You want to take a minute?” Wincott asked.
“No, I’m fine,” she said.
Alec opened the folder Wincott had dropped on the table and handed Regan the photo of Haley Cross. Regan was surprised at how peaceful the woman looked in death.
“Do you know her?”
She shook her head. “Was she a student at the university?”
“No,” Alec answered. “She’d already graduated.”
“She lived close to the campus,” Wincott explained. “And according to her friends, she regularly ran the park path.”
“Did she live alone?”
“No,” Wincott said. “She lived with a boyfriend. He was out of town on business the night she was murdered. Evidently she had told him she might go home to visit her parents while he was gone, so he returned to Chicago, and several days passed before anyone knew she was missing.”
Regan took a couple of deep breaths before looking at the photo again. “I don’t understand. Why would he do that to her legs? Why…?”
When she suddenly stopped, Wincott said, “The coroner said her death was due to a blow to the head. Evidently this sicko went for the legs after she was already dead.”
“She fought him,” Alec said. “There was skin under her fingernails, so they have DNA.” He took the photo from Regan and put it back in the folder.
Regan thought he looked worried about her, and so she gave him a quick smile to let him know she was okay as she stood and went to the credenza to get some water.
“Alec?” She held up the icy bottle.
“Yeah, sure.”
She handed him the water, got another one for herself, and then circled the sofa to go to her desk. Lord, she was feeling old and worn-out all of a sudden. She pulled her chair out and sat down. Maybe going to Melbourne with Spencer wasn’t such a bad idea after all. The change of scenery might do her some good. She sighed then. Even as the thought came into her mind, she rejected it. She wasn’t going to run away, and if she went to Melbourne, that’s exactly what she would be doing.
She thought about calling Sophie and Cordie. Talking to her friends always made her feel better, but if she let them see how upset she was, they’d become even more worried about her than they already were. And if the subject turned to Alec-which of course it would-she would definitely lose it. Turning into a crybaby for a little while was all right when she was with her friends, but not here, and not now.
Alec watched Regan from the sofa. Her eyes were sad and distant. She was pale and her brow was furrowed.
Lyle Bradshaw walked into the office. He looked as though he was on his way to a wedding, all dressed up in a dark pinstriped suit and a white shirt with French cuffs. His bold red tie provided the only spot of color. As usual, not a hair was out of place. In comparison, Alec looked as though he was getting ready to clean a garage.
Wincott observed from the other side of the room. Lyle was looking at Regan, and Alec was looking at Lyle looking at Regan, and from the expression on Alec’s face, he wasn’t happy.
“The letter and the envelope are on Henry’s desk,” Wincott said to break the staring contest.
“We aren’t going to find any of his fingerprints.” He made the comment on his way to the desk.
“You still have to bag it and get it to the lab,” Alec snapped.
Lyle didn’t seem to notice Alec’s hostile tone. Wincott did. He diffused the situation by taking the two men into the outer office to discuss the new developments in the case.
As soon as she was alone, Regan switched on her computer and tried to answer a few of her e-mails. Anything to keep her mind occupied.
Henry poked his head in the door to say good-bye. She suggested he take Monday off, but he wouldn’t hear of it. “What if another letter comes, or something else happens? I want to be here… you know, in case you need me.”
He was such a sweetheart. “Okay,” she said. “But sleep in and come in late.”
“I’ll try,” he promised. He turned to leave and then said, “We can’t tell anyone about the new list or about the woman.”
“I know that.”
“I was kind of surprised with everything happening and so many people involved that someone hasn’t leaked the story to the papers.”
“I don’t think any of the security force knows the particulars,” she said.
“Sophie would kill both of us if another newspaper broke this story. Okay, I’m leaving. See you tomorrow.”
“Henry, be careful.”
The door had barely closed behind him before it was flung open again, and Aiden came rushing into the room.
“Spencer and I just heard about the letter. Alec told me about the woman who was murdered. My God, Regan, that could have been you.”
“Yes, I know,” she said softly.
“Listen, Spencer and I aren’t going anywhere until this lunatic is caught. Maybe I should call Walker and tell him to come home.”
“Oh, please, don’t do that. You know how he attracts attention. The press will be following him around, and if any of those reporters get wind of this…”
“All right,” he said.
“Make him stay away,” she insisted. “I wish you and Spencer would get as far away from me as possible, and I wish you’d take Cordie and Sophie and Henry with you. None of you is safe as long as you’re around me. If anything ever happened to you or…” Her voice broke.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he repeated. “And you need to stop worrying about us. You’ve got enough to think about, and you’ve got to stay strong.”
“I’m doing okay, and you don’t have to worry. I’m not going to crumble.”
They continued to talk for several more minutes. Aiden paced around the room until he calmed down. He seemed to need her reassurance that she was well protected, that Alec and John would catch the lunatic, and that she would be okay.
He was walking toward the door when she said, “A long time ago, you taught me that Madisons face problems, and it’s time I face some of mine.”
“The police should handle…”
“I’m talking about our family and our business, Aiden.”
He turned around and walked back to her desk. “Okay. It’s time you face what problems?”
“Letting you and Spencer make decisions for me. That has to stop. What I do with the family funds is every bit as important as what you do. Investing those funds to make the world better is actually more important.”
He leaned against the desk and folded his arms across his chest. He knew she was right.
“And one more thing…” she said. “Giving back to the community, taking on projects that make a difference… when you see where the money goes, it’s a reminder of why we’re here. The way I see it, it’s my job to help you boys stay on track.” She smiled as she added, “You might say I humanize you.”
He conceded. “Okay, we’ll increase your budget for next year. I can convince Spencer and Walker to double it.”
“That’s good to hear,” she said. “And I’ll do something for you. I’ll stop fighting you on a settlement for Emerson.”
He headed for the door. “Emily’s taking a week off,” he said. “When she gets back, she’ll be looking for another position.”
Regan tried not to cheer. Aiden paused at the door and asked, “Is there anything else you want to talk about?”
“That’s it for now,” she said.
She wanted to tell him about Alec, to pour her heart out to her brother, but she didn’t. Why would she? It was just one night. Alec was making that perfectly clear. Just five more days and she’d never see him again… unless they caught the lunatic before then.
Regan tried to fill those days with work to keep her mind occupied. Since their projects for the season had been completed, she and Henry continued to clean out old files and reorganize the office.