Slow Burn

"I won't be leaving for a long time… if ever. I think I'm meant to stay here."

"I could do it. I could live here."

She didn't want to get her hopes up that he might stay in her life, and so she tried to think of all the reasons he should leave.

"You'd be bored."

"I don't think so."

"You'd miss Boston. There's such energy there."

"Yes, I would miss Boston," he agreed. "But I'm ready for a change. Besides, Charleston is just down the road from Silver Springs, and it has all the big-city advantages and problems. You want energy, drive there. I certainly wouldn't miss the traffic," he added. "I wonder what the crime rate is in Silver Springs."

"Before or after I moved back home?"

"Okay, we made it," he said. "Read the sign. We're officially in Sava

Kate assumed they were going to meet at one of the Sava

"I don't want to sit in a police station until the meeting," she said. "Couldn't we go on to Anderson's office? I could get some work done while I wait."

"Good idea," he said.

Fifteen minutes later he was pulling up in front of Smith and Wesson. "You were pla

"Yes, he does."

"We can just walk in?"

As she asked the question, two police officers exited the building and waited for Dylan and Kate to get out of the car. Yet another officer came from across the street. "You can leave the car here," he said. "I'll make sure no one touches it."

Dylan turned the motor off but left the keys in the ignition. He followed Kate inside, and once the door was shut behind him, he said, "Which one of you checked the building?"

"The bomb squad just left. The place is clean," one of the officers said. "We've got a man watching the door and a couple of security guards, one inside and one out back. The two of us are assigned to you. Where do you want us?"

"Right here in the entry is good. Who's in the building now?"

"Almost everyone is either at a funeral or on vacation. The receptionist's here, and so is Smith's assistant, a guy named Terrance. He's upstairs in Smith's office. You want him out, we'll get him out."

"He can stay."

Terrance must have heard all the commotion. He came rushing downstairs. "Miss MacKe

"I know," she interrupted. "We're quite early. I was wondering if I might have a desk to use. I'd like to do some work until Anderson returns."

He seemed nervous, and smiling at him didn't put him at ease. She finally figured out why he was so jumpy. Dylan was making him apprehensive. Terrance was watching him out of the corner of his eye, acting like he expected Dylan to grab him.

"I'd like to see the conference room," Dylan said.

Terrance led the way up the stairs and down a long hallway on the right. The conference room was one door down from Anderson's office.

"I was just putting name cards in front of each chair," Terrance said.

"Would you mind if I worked in here?" Kate asked. "If I could plug in my computer…"

"Yes, of course." He pulled the chair out at the head of the table and showed her where the outlet was located.

Dylan left the door open and continued down to the end of the hallway. To the left was an alcove with a fire door wired to the alarm. A small red light was blinking, indicating the system was on. A wide metal bar crossed the door in the center. Dylan assumed that on the other side of the door were fire escape stairs leading to the ground.

The carpeted back staircase was to his right. He descended a flight to the first floor where a guard was stationed in front of the exit that led to the parking lot. Dylan showed him his identification and talked to him a few minutes before going back up.

Satisfied with security, he returned to Kate, who had her laptop set up on the conference room table and was answering e-mail. When they heard someone shouting Dylan's name, his hand immediately went to his gun, and he took a protective step toward her.

Dylan recognized the voice when his name was shouted again, and he relaxed. A couple of seconds later Nate came ru

"It's over," he a

"Over?" Kate asked. "Really over?"

"That's right. You two can start breathing easy again and get on with your lives. The case is closed," he added. "Or will be," he qualified. "As soon as all the paperwork is done."

"Tell me," Dylan demanded.

Nate was enjoying the moment. His eyes lit up with excitement. "Roger MacKe

"Jackman."

"Yes," he confirmed. "And Jackman had all the co

"How did you ever get Roger to confess?" she asked. "He doesn't seem the type to cooperate with the police."

"He didn't confess. He killed himself."

She hadn't expected to hear that. Stu

"Killed himself," he repeated. He looked at Dylan as he continued. "We had a tail on him, but our guy didn't hear the gunshot. Roger lived in a high-rise," he explained. "Our detective was in a parked car out front, and he'd watched him go inside. He told me he heard about it on the sca

"Is Crime Scene there yet?" Dylan asked.

"They're on their way. Do you want to meet me over there? His apartment is only about a mile from here. Or I could drop you off. I've got to check in with Sava

"Yeah, I want to see it, and I don't want anything moved until I get there. Make that happen."

Nate smiled. "FBI said the same thing. CSU will have first priority. The sooner we get over there, the better."

"Yeah, okay. Where did Roger get the gun?"

"I don't know yet."

"He had a gun when he came to the reading of the will," Kate said. "Remember?"

"The police wouldn't have given it back to him," Nate said. "Roger had just made bail. He was carrying a concealed weapon without a permit."

"Did he tell the police where he got that gun?"

"Yes," he answered. "He said Ewan gave it to him and that Ewan had bought it on the street."

"Where's Ewan now?"

"He's voluntarily turning himself in. He's on his way to the police station, no doubt with an attorney ready to bail him out. That's why I'm headed there now. He'll find out about Roger when he gets there. I checked on Bryce's whereabouts, too. He'll never hear about Roger. He's slipping in and out of consciousness. His wife is by his side and will stay until the bitter end, which is going to be real soon."

"What about Jackman?"

"FBI in Las Vegas picked him up for questioning. He's their problem now." Nate started toward the door as he said, "I'll see you over there."

"It's really over, isn't it? I still can't believe it," Kate said. Dylan was nodding, but she didn't think he was paying attention. "Is something wrong?"

"No, but I want those policemen to stay until you've signed those papers."

He walked downstairs with Nate, and together they checked in with the officers on duty, who assured them they would stay as long as Kate was in the building.