Page 62 of Blake

He took her hand and squeezed. “I’d like that. What I still can’t understand is how your mother knew about the trial if I didn’t?”

“Would grandfather have told her?”

Her father shook his head. “No. He and Henri weren’t close after she married me. Another thing I blame myself for.”

“I think I know,” Blake said as he stepped back into the room. “Eddie told me that on the day he drove your mother to see Sally Nixon about paying the hospital bills she saw Clark leaving the house. She had been standing at the front door for a few moments when she rushed back to the car without knocking and got in. She asked him to wait around the corner and twenty minutes or so later Clark came out.”

“So, Mom knew all along and never said anything?” Pax felt hurt squeeze her chest.

“If that’s the case, she’s in danger too. A lab tech that worked on the trial has just been found dead in her home. A single gunshot to the head. It seems Clark is killing everyone who had information about the trial.”

“Does he know she saw him?” Robert asked clearly distressed now.

Pax rubbed her father’s arm. “It’s okay, Dad. We’ll go over now and make sure mom is safe.” She looked at Blake who nodded.

“Okay good. She isn’t a bad person, Grace.”

“I know,” she responded but wasn’t entirely sure what she believed any more. With a kiss to her father’s cheek she slid her hand into Blake’s and turned for the door.

“Blake?” her father called.

“Yes?”

“Take care of my girl—please.”

“With my life, sir.”

The words reverberated around her causing a sick feeling to lurch in her tummy. Part love that he would do that for her and part fear that he would do that for her.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Blake was on the phone to Reid, Waggs, and Decker as soon as he hit the car. He needed eyes on Clark. The feeling of urgency swirled through him at the thought of him killing Henrietta and what that might do to Grace.

“Reid,” he said as soon as the man picked up. “I need you to go to Henrietta Paxton’s home and make sure she’s safe. Pax and I are on our way there now, but it looks like she had knowledge of the trial. We don’t know if Clark knows so she could be in danger.”

“Shit. Okay, on my way now. Will update as soon as I get eyes on her.” He hung up and Blake quickly dialled Waggs and confirmed he hadn’t seen Clark either. Blake told him to get inside his house and see if he could find any evidence that included the trial or his possible whereabouts. Blake knew he was blurring the lines of legality, but he didn’t care, they could deal with that later. Right now he needed information fast.

The last call was to Decker. “Decker, please tell me you have eyes on Clark?”

“No, I haven’t had eyes on him since before the Nixon shooting. He must be holed up somewhere, but I’ve got a lead on a fishing cabin in San Bernardino that his sister owns with her husband. I’m going to check it out.”

“Okay, check in as soon as you know anything and be careful. This asshole has already killed three people in cold blood.”

“Relax, Blake, I know what I’m doing.”

Blake hung up and looked at Pax who had been quiet since they’d left the hospital. “How you doing?”

She shrugged. “Not sure. I feel a little numb. I’m relieved my dad didn’t do those things, but it’s tempered with guilt that I believed my mom. Then there’s the fact she lied to me and hurt me. I guess I’m confused and need more answers.”

Blake took her hand and kissed the knuckles. “We’ll get them.” They were halfway to her home when Reid called.

He answered with the hands-free. “Reid you’re on speaker.”

Reid paused and Blake knew the news wasn’t good.

“Tell me,” Pax demanded.

“I’m at your parent’s place and it looks trashed. Your mom is gone, and Pete is dead.” Reid delivered the news clinically and concisely. Blake heard Pax suck in a breath at the words, but she remained calm.