“Smoke, you came to the landing…” Van prompted.
Albert nodded. “It wasn’t until I started down the stairs that I knew for sure you were talking to someone. I heard you first, Mr. Sherman. Your voice was different. Tense.” He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his thick neck. “You told me the ambulance was coming and to go to Margaret and Vicki. I could hear the siren. I wanted you to know about the smoke. It wasn’t until I was near the bottom of the steps that I saw Mrs. Thomas.” He closed and opened his eyes as if he too were seeing this play out. “All dressed in white. For a second, I wondered if she was you, Ms. McGrath, but then I saw her face and finally the gun.” His head shook. “I’ve told all this to the police.”
“Thank you. Did you hear anything else?”
“Something about divorce papers, the ones the police found in your truck.”
“Did you hear Madison mention Phillip?”
Albert’s lips came together, and his nostrils flared. “No, sir, not that I recall.”
“Why are you asking?” I questioned.
“Because something made me think about it. Madison said she had the divorce papers delivered. I think I previously thought she’d dropped them at the gate herself, but she couldn’t. She was in the house.”
The temperature of the office dropped as a chill skirted over my skin.
Van went on, “Madison said she wanted me to pretend to be Lip—Phillip—one more time. She said Phillip couldn’t sign the papers, but I could.”
“Pretend to be him?” I asked. “Like he pretended to be you?”
Van nodded.
“Have you heard anything new about Phillip’s whereabouts?” I asked.
In response to my question, Van shook his head and directed his next remark to Albert. “Thank you. I guess I was hoping you could confirm what I remembered.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Sherman. I understand if you want to send me back to Chicago. Ms. McGrath taken, and you shot…”
I was the one to reply as a grin came to my lips. “What do you want, Albert? Do you have family in Chicago? What do you think about staying here?”
“I’m divorced, ma’am. I have a boy. He’s seven. My ex, she took him to Florida. Said she was tired of winters. This job is a chance for me to make the money I need to visit my boy when I can.”
I turned to Van, tilted my head, and widened my eyes.
Van’s chest inflated as he took a deep breath. “Albert, you and Michael have been an asset. Julia being taken was equally my fault. I didn’t give you enough information. The shooting, that’s on Madison. The gun was small, and she had it hidden under the cape.”
I’d forgotten about the cape.
I liked the cape.
Not any longer.
Van stood. “Your employment is secure as long as you want to work for us.”
Standing, Albert extended his hand. “Sir, I won’t let anything else happen.”
Van shook Albert’s hand. “The only promise I need is that you’ll do your best.”
“Yes, sir. I told the police what I just told you.”
Van’s gaze met mine. “And you said you spoke to a detective?”
I nodded. “Yes, he called me at my parents’ home.”
Albert’s gaze narrowed. “He called?”
“Yes.” I was trying to recall the conversation. “It was right after I was released from Loyola. I was pretty groggy, but I remember him asking me what I recalled.”