Page 108 of Three Steps Behind

“It looks like he played the middleman.” Joel explained. “Around every wife’s death, a large sum came to George, and he turned around and—”

“Sent it to Randolph,” Deck finished for him.

“You got it. I called the local police. They’re en route to the campus now.”

“They might be too late,” Harper said, tugging his arm.

Deck turned his attention to her, then followed her pointing hand to a man heading straight for the parking lot.

“We’ve got Randolph heading for his car.”

Randolph shifted his gaze to them, and his eyes widened. He dropped his books and bolted for the other end of the parking lot.

“He’s running,” Deck said, taking off across the parking lot. “Randolph, stop!” he hollered, but the man only broke into a faster run.

Deck’s lungs burned. What was this guy? A track star?

Randolph wove around cars coming and going, nearly getting run over in the process. Finally, he climbed into a Subaru and started to reverse when a SUV screeched in place to block his retreat. Harper.

Deck smiled and gave her a wink.

Randolph hopped out of his car, but Deck was waiting, gun in hand. “Take it easy, man. We just want to talk.” And hold you until the cops come. But he wasn’t sharing that part.

Harper climbed out of the car and joined them.

“Take a seat on the hood.” He gestured with a dip of his head, his gun still trained on him.

“I know better.” Randolph sulked, hatred filling his eyes.

“Why’d you do it?” Deck asked.

“Because she killed our child.”

“It was an accident.” Harper stood beside him, rankled anger on her face.

“No.” He spat. “It wasn’t. She should have been watching him. That’s a mother’s duty.”

“What about the other women?” Deck asked before the two continued down that argument path. “They deserve it too?”

“As a matter of fact, they did.”

“Oh, I’d love to hear why they deserved it.” Harper looked like she was struggling not to throttle the guy.

“George’s wife cheated on him. Nick’s wife was divorcing him and leaving him with nothing.”

“And Hank’s wife?”

He smiled, but it was cold . . . cruel. “I didn’t know about him.”

“We do.”

And he was lying.

“So what did Hank’s wife do?” Deck asked before Harper slammed him. Not that he blamed her, but he wanted to keep Randolph talking as long as he could.

“Hank’s wife was making up lies to get him arrested.”

“Lies?” Hadn’t seen that one coming.