"But why get me involved, in the first place?" Rainey asked.

"JW found out you were back home. He needed an excuse to be around you. JW knew you didn't know he attacked you. He must have gotten such gratification from your assault, he could not resist coming after you again, and having the FBI to challenge fed his fantasy. It was the ultimate fulfillment of his need for sexual dominance at the destructive expense of the victim, in your case, the ultimate victim, that motivated his every move."

Katie said, "He didn't just start killing for no reason. He must have shown some signs of this behavior, at some point, but then I didn't see it either, until he raped me, and then I just thought he was a pervert, not a murderer."

Danny opened the file. He did not need it. He spoke from memory, telling the tale of one JW Wilson. "It appears JW had mental problems that were identified back when he was eleven years old. JW had become rebellious and assaultive to adults, abusive to his sisters, and was caught peeping into a neighbor's windows. He was found to be in possession of porn and bondage materials, he claimed to have gotten from an older boy. Both boys were involved in a very unhealthy, sexual relationship with an older woman. His parents, a drunk ambivalent mother, who left the raising of the children to the nanny, and a cold uncaring father, threw money at the situation. JW was sent to a special hospital in Europe for adolescent males, specializing in sexual dysfunction."

"No one ever told me that," Katie said.

Danny continued, "During his stay in the hospital he claimed his three older sisters terrorized him. They played doctor with him and made fun of his penis. He admitted, in therapy, that he fantasized about hurting women. He learned quickly that telling the truth about his fantasies got him into trouble. Young JW learned to hide his real feelings and became the All-American boy."

"I remember when he came back from Europe, telling us stories of snow skiing in the Alps all summer," Rainey said.

"He became an accomplished liar, at an early age," Danny said, "but, the trouble he found himself in his senior year brought his sadistic fantasies back to the surface. His father shoved the "misunderstanding" under the rug with his money. The father also took JW to the morgue and showed him female autopsy victims, reminding him that he could have killed the girl and then he would be facing prison. It was his father's idea of scared straight, but it must have turned JW on. His father had no idea that he introduced his son to the image that would drive JW's fantasies, from that moment on."

"I wish you could prosecute his father," Katie said.

"I agree he's a jackass," Rainey said, "but I don't think he knew things were as bad as they were. JW was on steroids back then. He claimed the incident was a case of 'roid rage.' It's probably what made him lose the control of his sexual fantasies that he worked so hard to keep hidden."

"Maybe Daddy didn't know the whole story," Danny added. "We would not have known either, but we tracked down his victim, who now lives in another state. She told me that JW drugged her and then raped her unconscious body. When she awoke during the attack, he beat her brutally. She played dead. He raped her again and then left her, presumably knocked out, while he went back to the party. She escaped and was sure he would have killed her, if she had not. Her parents contacted JW's father while she was recovering in the hospital and money exchanged hands. No police report was ever filed. She never came forward, after JW ran for political office, because she was still afraid he might find her."

Katie quipped, "Well, there's another person who's glad he's dead."

Danny went on, as though Katie had said nothing, "His medical records indicate he began having erectile dysfunction fairly early, in his twenties, and required a drug to perform. This dysfunction was highlighted by the fact he could not produce a child. This must have been the breaking point, where he lost control of his fantasies. How else do we explain his coming up with the crazy idea to substitute John's sperm? He wanted no one to know he could not produce an heir, even Katie. We discovered that the timeline of the killings, we know about, correspond to days JW went with Katie to the fertility doctor. The treatments must have reminded him of his sexual inadequacies."

Katie stiffened. Rainey put her arm around Katie's shoulder, for support. The hard part was coming. None of the rest mattered to Katie. She wanted to know why he killed her baby.

Danny cleared his throat, before continuing, "Rainey can tell you that sexual murderers are often times recreating the preferred adult/child pairing of the original sexual abuse. JW's abuser was a woman. In his sexual fantasies, JW was 'little Johnny.' When you finally became pregnant, JW learned it was going to be a boy. We can only guess that JW's psyche could not handle competition, from another little boy, and a widower makes a great political candidate. We assume, he unbuckled your seatbelt, opened the passenger door and slammed into the tree, on purpose. We will never know for sure. He could have made that up to hurt you Katie, there is no evidence to prove one way or another."

Katie whispered, "He did it. I know he did."

Rainey would have killed JW, if he had not already been dead. She wanted to know Katie was in the clear on the shooting. She asked, "Danny, what about his death? What does the state's attorney say?"

Danny smiled for the first time since walking up to them downstairs. He answered, "There will be no charges. The official finding is self defense."

"There was never really any question about that. It's just nice to hear," Mackie's voice rumbled out behind them.

Danny closed the file. He looked at the two women, finishing his report with, "JW Wilson was a sick man for a very long time. His family knew it and covered it up. His oldest sister came forward with most of the information, after he was dead. She claimed they all thought the trip to Europe had cured him. No one, not a single person who knew him, suspected JW was anything other than what he portrayed himself to be."

Danny stood up to leave. Rainey and Katie stood, as well, and each of them gave him a hug and thanked him.

Mackie said, "I believe I'll just shake your hand and tell you, the next time I see you, I hope you're here to go fishing."

"That's a deal," Danny said and then Rainey walked him out to his SUV.

When Danny got in the driver's side and closed the door, Rainey waited while he started the car and rolled the window down.

"Danny, I'm done," she said.

"I'm glad we can finally close this case," Danny replied.

Rainey reached in her back pocket and took out the leather case, which held her FBI shield. She handed it through the window, saying, "No, I mean, I'm done with the Bureau. I want you to turn my shield in for me."

"Rainey, you just need some more time. All this just happened. Make the decision when you've had time to recover, not now," Danny pleaded.

"I don't need time, Danny. I know what I want to do with the rest of my life and chasing serial killers is not on the list. I'm going to spend my time being happy, with Katie."

Rainey had not talked with Danny about her relationship with Katie. He was a profiler. He could figure it out.

Danny put the SUV in reverse and then took the shield from Rainey's outstretched hand. He looked up at the cottage and then back at Rainey. "She's really special. I hope you two have some happiness now, you both deserve it."

Rainey smiled at him, "Thank you, Danny. Call me."

Danny drove away, with Rainey standing in the driveway, until she could no longer see the big SUV. Mackie was coming down the steps, when she finally turned to go back inside.

"I just became a full time bail bondsman, Mackie. I turned in my shield," she said, to the big man.

Mackie grinned from ear to ear. "I'm glad to hear that. I'm tired of chasing you around, trying to keep you safe from crazy ass killers."

"What would you do without me around to rescue? You'd be so bored, you'd get as big around as a house," Rainey teased.

"Don't forget, this girth saved my ass and yours," he laughed. "I'm going on home, now. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," Rainey said, climbing the stairs to the cottage.

Rainey entered the main room and did not see Katie. She looked in the kitchen and then went to the master bedroom. Katie had redecorated the room. It now had a Laura Ashley floral print theme, which made it much more feminine than it had been before. Rainey found Katie lying in the bed, on top of the covers.

"You are entirely too dirty to be lying on that new comforter," Rainey said, hoping Katie would laugh. When she did not, Rainey climbed in the bed beside Katie, putting her arms around the smaller woman and spooning her into her hips, not saying anything else.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, not talking, and then Katie rolled over to face Rainey, still wrapped in her arms. "Are you happy?" she asked.

Rainey kissed her softly and said, "Yes, I am. Are you?"

"Yes," Katie answered, "I feel like I wasted so much of my life, not being with you."

"I just turned in my shield, to Danny, so you can be with me all the time," Rainey said.

"Did you?" Katie said, smiling.

"Yes, I did. We're going to be happy Katie, I promise," Rainey said, then kissed Katie on the forehead, pulling her closer.

There was a pause, before Katie asked, quietly, "Rainey, can we have children?"

Rainey pulled back and looked into Katie's eyes. She would do anything to make this woman happy, anything at all. She kissed Katie's lips, while she said, "Yes, but under one condition."

Rainey felt Katie's lips curve into a smile. Katie whispered against Rainey's lips, "What is that?"

Rainey stopped kissing Katie, and leaned back on her elbow. She looked at Katie, trying to sound very serious, "Well, two conditions actually. If we don't adopt, then you have to carry the babies," then she smiled, "and they all have to look like you."

Katie pulled Rainey down on top of her, sending shock waves of electricity through Rainey. She had made no move to do anything, but hold Katie through the night, since the attack. When Katie was ready, Rainey knew she would let her know. Still, she tried to fight the overwhelming desire that had taken over her mind and body, not sure of what Katie really wanted. Katie arched into Rainey and a little moan escaped her throat, which sent Rainey into orbit.

Katie grabbed at Rainey's shirt, trying to pull it over Rainey's head. Rainey did not think about the scar nor did she hesitate. She sat up on her knees, straddling Katie, and ripped the shirt over her head in one move. Katie smiled up at her and then reached up to Rainey, pulling Rainey's face back to her lips. They kissed more deeply than ever before, any remaining walls between them, melting away with each passing moment.

When they broke for air, Katie said, breathlessly, "If you were having any doubts about when I would be ready for you to make love to me, now would be a good time."

Rainey smiled and began the rest of her life that second, never looking back.

Other R.E. Bradshaw titles:.

Rainey Days.

(A Rainey Bell Mystery).

Out on the Sound.

(Adventures of Decky and Charlie, # 1).

The Girl Back Home.

Coming soon....

Out on the Island.

(Adventures of Decky and Charlie, # 2).

Rainey Nights.

(A Rainey Bell Mystery).