Have you ever seen the Rain? (FBI Series Book 2)

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Amanda was startled to see her daughter back at her doorstep for a second time that day. “Did you learn something else about Joey’s murder?” she waved Billie and Dillon inside the house.

“I was at his office and there was a clue that led me here.” Her genius brother had hidden the numbers only of their parents address within that last supper panting. “He mentioned when we spoke awhile back that you still had our rooms the same.”

Her mother nodded with a shrug. “Your father and I have no use changing them. He already has a man cave in the basement.”

“Did Joey go upstairs the last time he was here?” every word was rushed as deep down Billie knew the answers, she knew after two weeks of searching all the pieces were now in her grasp and Joey made sure of it. He came to know how deadly and ruthless Kent was and ensured down to his last breath Kent and his partner would serve punishment for their crimes.

It didn’t take long for Amanda to piece together why her daughter returned for a second time that day. “Yes.” She gasped and raced the stairs leading the way for Billie to follow.

Her mother stepped back and let Billie follow her instincts going inside the bedroom first. Her chest tightened painfully as she looked at the floorboards remembering all the times she snuck into this room to check her brother’s stash of secrets. It hadn’t taken him long to know she had been snooping and many times he would hide something for her specifically to find, starting a secret game between siblings when he could’ve been mad at her.

Her memories jumped back twenty years standing in that very room. She moved completely to the left of the room and counted to ten going east ending under the center of the bed. She got on her belly and crawled under the bed frame.  The floor panel she was looking for stood out, the edges were slightly raised from all the times it had been lifted which was one of the main reasons Joey made sure the bed concealed it. With her heart in her throat and her body numb with fear of being wrong and fear of being right and everything that came next; she opened the panel.

Inside were several sheets of folded paper.

Billie crawled out from under the bed and stayed seated on the floor to read what looked like hand written letters by Joey.

‘Billie, if you’re reading this I taught you well but something has happened to me. I’m sorry for not being more careful. I’m hiding you this letter as mom is downstairs cooking dinner, I hope you and her can find some halfway point and stop living in the past. I love you and I don’t want you to blame yourself for anything that’s happened. It wasn’t your job to save everyone and I knew what I was doing when I started to gather evidence. If you haven’t found it by now there are some hidden discs at my home office. I found a link between Kent Kendall and several murder victims. After I met with him I knew he was hiding something but I never thought it’d be murder when I started researching his history. I wasn’t sure if it was all some evil coincidence that he had written about the victims shortly before they were killed so I confronted him about it.’

“What?” Billie gasped, quickly turning the paper around to continue the letter.   

“What is it?” her mother asked anxiously.

“Joey hid this letter the last time he was here while you were cooking.” Billie answered absently as her eyes quickly moved over the next part of the letter.

‘Kent owned up to his part in the killings, he truly believed he was doing God’s work and ending the suffering of all those people because they were lonely. The same lonely he thinks I live with because I spent my time at the church and not surrounded by a family. That’s his driving factor; the family he’s never had and he connects with people he thinks are missing that. I tried to explain how wrong he was about me but sadly Kent is too far gone to turn his life back over to goodness. He tries to believe he’s killing to help end some suffering that isn’t there but in truth he kills because he likes it. He kills those he envies and masks the truth with some deranged lies. I asked him about how he’s managed to evade police custody and he gloated about a connection, he called the person his guardian angel and used that to farther convince me what he was doing as right in hopes I’d condone his actions and even aid him.

Kent left my office that night and I was shocked he didn’t kill me right there and then to cover his tracks. Before he was to the parking lot I was looking for his partner. I wanted to be sure before I called Dillon and started pointing fingers at one of his officers. I believe from what Kent said his partner is a cop and someone he regards as a family member he never had. I’m trying to find out as much as possible but I don’t know how much time I have before Kent grows paranoid and makes some attempt.

Billie laid down the second sheet of paper over her lap, sniffing back tears as she forced herself to keep reading. After getting out what he had about the case her brother moved on to put what he wanted his final words to be just in case. It burned her soul to have to read them.

‘I’m sorry that you have to be reading this and maybe you never will but I wanted to be prepared just in case. You know me, planner of every possible detail. And I know you, Billie, please don’t drive yourself crazy trying to avenge me. I want you to be happy and it’d break my soul if you got hurt behind any of this. There’s so much more you have to do and so many more people you have to safe. But I don’t want you to think that’s an ok to be a social hermit. I know you still love Dillon and I know he loves you, hopefully you’ll both stop being so stubborn. There’s an envelope taped under the bed for mom and dad with everything I want to say to them. It feels surreal to be writing this but I want these things known and I know without a doubt you’ll find every clue I left you. I couldn’t have asked for a better sister and know that I’ll always be watching out for you with Madeline as my perfect little sidekick. I love you Billie.’

Billie didn’t know how to hold back these sobs. Her chin dropped down to her chest as the ugly sounds poured from her body. It had been so long since she thought of the child she lost, a daughter she had wanted to name Madeline. Joey had been the only person she told, having miscarried before she could mention it to Dillon.

He was there now by her side, his arm tight around her middle as he held her close. She wanted to melt into his embrace and shut the world out but that wasn’t possible, not yet. She pulled out of his arms and reached back under the bed. Just like Joey said there were the two sealed envelopes ones for each of their parents. She needed to complete his last wishes with no more time wasted and that’s what the last two weeks felt like. She walked over to her mother and handed her the envelopes. “Joey planned ahead just in case like we both knew he would. I’m sorry for not figuring it out sooner.”

Amanda grasped the envelopes and clutched them close to her chest. “I haven’t been able to come up to this room since everything happened. I would’ve never found these.” She wrapped her smaller arms around her daughter. “There’s nothing for you to be sorry about.”

She returned the hug and tried not to cry again, clenching her jaw tight not to let the emotion win or all the questions she wanted to ask her mother. Most notably if her grasp of forgiveness was only for right now or for everything? Six years was a long time not to have your mother and she didn’t want to go another six years without her. Joey was gone and they owed it to him to stop all the fighting. She vowed to try harder on her part and visit more often. “Thanks mom.” She sniffled and stepped back. “I have to make a call.” Billie moved out of the room before anyone could see her face. It wasn’t until she was outside on the front porch she dialed Justin’s number.