Free I'll Take Care of You by Caitlin Rother

“strictly business” with Bill and that he was just her “mentor,” K. Ross was pretty confident that she was seeing Eric and Bill romantically. After all, K. Ross was only too familiar with her expertise at juggling men.
    Recounting the evening’s events to Detective Hartford, K. Ross said the final championship game started later than its scheduled six o’clock kickoff, and then the two teams tied. They were still tied after two overtime periods, so the winner had to be decided in a shoot-out, with five shots per team. It was a formal and dramatic procedure: The goalie came out each time an opposing player lined up the ball and took his shot. The parents screamed whether a point was scored or missed.
    Kristofer’s team ultimately came in second place, but there was still reason to celebrate because his team had made it into the championships. That said, Nanette and Eric seemed to be in a real hurry to leave before the end-of-season commemorative medal ceremony, saying that Eric had to get to an eight o’clock appointment. Even though it was her turn to take the kids, Nanette said she would leave them with K. Ross and take them another night.
    K. Ross looked at his watch. Noticing it was already 8:20 P.M. , he wondered why Nanette, who had come to every one of her son’s games, would purposely miss watching him get his championship medal.
    â€œWell, it’s eight-twenty right now,” he told her. “There’s no way [Eric] can make it to an eight o’clock appointment. Just stay and watch the ceremony.”
    But Nanette and Eric were already rushing off toward the parking lot, which was at least a soccer field away.
    â€œNo, that’s okay. We’ve got to go. We’ll see you later,” Nanette called over her shoulder as they took off in a manner that K. Ross described as “skedaddling,” or “hoofing it.”
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    Detective Dave Byington, who was pulled from patrol to do surveillance on this case, posed as a scruffy beach bum as he assumed his position on the sand behind the Seashore house on December 20, the night before Bill’s funeral.
    He watched Nanette park out front, carry her shopping bags down the side of the house, and go inside. Nanette had told police that she was worried the same killer might be looking for her, and yet, Byington saw no fear on her face or in her body language. She didn’t look over her shoulder, or draw the blinds across the big picture window in the living room. From his spot on the beach, Byington watched Nanette and the kids through a big picture window, decorating the tree together as if they didn’t have a care in the world.
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    On Wednesday, December 21, Bill’s memorial service was held at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, complete with a mass, Communion, and about seven priests in attendance. Bill was a good Catholic, who said grace before dinner, even when the family went out to eat at Chart House.
    In fact, all the McLaughlins were good Catholics. After Bill was gone, Monsignor Bill Barry, his neighbor at Balboa Coves, used to hold mass for Kim, Kevin, and Sandy at his kitchen table.
    Because Bill had made good after enjoying the benefits of the Student Worker Program at Loyola Marymount, he endowed a scholarship to his alma mater, a Catholic university from which Kim and Jenny also graduated, and Kevin attended for two years before dropping out.
    K. Ross Johnston and his girlfriend, Julia, had wanted to attend the funeral to pay their respects to the man who had been so kind to Lishele and Kristofer, but Nanette told them it was just for close family. She said they could attend the wake afterward, but then she called to tell them it had been canceled.
    Sandy drove Jenny, Kevin, Sue, and Kim to the church for the 9:00 A.M. service. Kim, who was sitting in the front seat, burst into tears when she recognized some of the priests from Loyola.
    â€œKim was just destroyed by