DANNY HAD JUST walked a novice through partitioning a hard drive when the doorbell rang. He wasn’t expecting anyone, but welcomed the intrusion. Marking time until the start of basketball season was chafing.
The peephole revealed a face he hadn’t seen in years. His stomach churned as he opened the door.
“I hate to bother you like this,” Bill Rosenberg said, “but I’ve got news that’s best said in person.”
Now what? Did Kevin win his appeal?
Rosenberg assessed the custom-made furniture and matching drapes before sitting on the wing chair where Danny indicated.
“Mr. Callaway, something unexpected has come up. It appears we’ve been dead wrong about your sister’s case.”
“How’s that?”
“You remember the boyfriend, Larry Murphy? Well, he’s just been arrested for the rape and battery of a young woman named Nancy Woods. DNA tests also link him to the Lincoln Park copycat killings. It appears Murphy also may have killed your sister and pinned it on Green. The test results will be back any day now and we’ll know for sure.”
Danny sat speechless. Larry couldn’t be the killer. It had to be Kevin. Kevin had seemed guilty. Also, Kevin had threatened Mary Alice. Larry was her boyfriend and had no reason to harm her.
“I don’t believe it. Kevin had the greatest motive. Maybe Larry copied him.”
“That’s unlikely, but we’re checking all aspects,” Rosenberg said, rising. “Well, I’ve got to go. I’ll keep in touch.”
After the man had left, anger and nausea warred inside Danny. Kevin had to have killed Mary Alice. Would the bastard get off without completing his sentence? That meant justice would not be served, unless Danny took the law into his own hands. He’d sworn not to get involved, yet he couldn’t let Kevin get away with this.
He dared not dwell on the alternative, yet the thought slipped past anyway and refused to go away. What if Kevin were innocent? If so, Danny was the one mainly responsible for convicting an innocent man. How could he live with himself? How could Kevin forgive him?