“Whose blood is it?” Donna asked softly.
“Jefferson’s. He’s dead. It’s over.”
Donna let out a breath and collapsed into him.
“And his records confirmed our father was killed because Jefferson found out he was working with IAB to set a trap to get every cop who worked for him,” Laura Lee said after she’d entered the room with Dupont. He’d closed the door behind himself. “It was all there, everyone at RPD and the DA’s office who covered for him.”
“Well, of course that’s why Charles was killed,” Dorthea said, sitting up. “He’d been working on the La Vonn Jefferson case for six months before he was killed,” she said.
“You knew, Mom?” both Laura Lee and Donna asked, nearly in unison.
“Of course I did. Your father and I had no secrets from each other. You forget that I was on staff at the RPD back then. His IAB contact thought it best we never spoke of it, to protect Laura Lee, well, to protect all of us from La Vonn Jefferson.”
“Well, he’s no longer a problem,” Burke said. He stared into Donna’s eyes, his heart relieved that this was done and could beleft in the past. “Come on, let’s go pack up your place so we can move you to Illinois and we can begin our new life together.”
Donna kissed him and then whispered in his ear, “Nothing would make me happier. I love you, Rich.”
He pressed a kiss to her cheek. He felt emotions wash over him that he’d never felt. He experienced an intense love, a contentment that felt like he was a little boy wrapped in his mother’s arms, as well as an all-consuming sexual need to have her, all at the same time. That night he’d make love to her like he’d never made to anyone. “I love you too, and I love the life we’re going to have together.”
The End
