Past Imperfect

by Remington Kane

  Kent Ballou made a home in Alabama under a new name. Not for one second did he think he was safe, and that there wasn’t someone out there looking for him. He was so right.

  Chapter 15

  Lawson’s researchers had come through and Jessica was impressed by their thoroughness. They had come up empty on matching any of the women in the news footage to the small town where Kent Ballou had grown up. Digging deeper, they uncovered the fact that a woman named Nicole Harrison Price had lived in a neighboring town for a matter of a few weeks in 1997. More research linked her directly to Ballou, as the two had attended the same high school together at the time.

  If Ballou had been staring at anyone on Lee Kirkpatrick’s television, it was Nicole Price. When Jessica read the slim file that had been collected concerning the woman, she saw that while Nicole didn’t have a criminal record, neither was she squeaky clean. The Alabama authorities had investigated Nicole Price’s late husband, James. Several years earlier, an informant made allegations that Price, a respected citizen who was part-owner of his family’s software company, was in actuality the man behind the illegal drugs and weapons trade in his home county.

  That investigation died along with the snitch who’d brought Price to the cops’ attention. The man was found dead in his apartment and was judged to have hanged himself by the local coroner.

  Although there was no longer an official investigation, James Price was on the authorities’ radar and was questioned whenever a cache of guns was stolen from an armory or a drug shipment was confiscated. Price never answered a single question. He had lawyers he could hide behind. The man was also smart enough not to be directly involved with any of his illegal enterprises. He controlled them, but others did the work.

  Upon his death, his younger wife was believed to have taken over control. Like her husband, she hid behind lawyers and made certain that there was no way to tie her directly to anything illegal.

  But Nicole Price was wise in her own way too. She was more politically-minded than her late husband and backed a list of candidates when it came time to vote. The new mayor, chief of police, and a majority of town council members were candidates that she had spent money to get elected. There was a rumor that they owed her more than gratitude for backing their campaigns financially. They were said to be in her debt because she had dirt on each one of them. It seemed a likely proposition given that Nicole Price could have knowledge of each man or woman’s weakness.

  If they were into prostitutes, they were her prostitutes. If they were addicted to drugs, they were her drugs. On top of that, she had the money to hire a team of private investigators to dig up more dirt. And if none of the previous methods worked, she could always threaten with violence, thanks to the crew of thugs she kept around to keep her drug dealers, pimps, and weapons merchants in check. In short, Nicole Price controlled the town of Meadow Creek, Alabama, and the county surrounding it.

  All of this was in the file Lawson had forwarded to Jessica and White.

  After they had perused the material Lawson had gathered, Jessica asked her husband what he thought.

  “It seems likely that Ballou would have tried to make contact with Nicole. Whether that resulted in him staying in the town is something we’ll have to find out.”

  “If they’re a couple she’ll have reason to protect him from anyone who comes searching for him. That might include the use of violence.”

  “I’m glad you realize that. Why not stay here and let me travel to the town alone? If Ballou is living with Nicole, I’ll find that out.”

  Jessica stared at him. “We’ve had this conversation before. I know you’re more capable than I am when facing off against someone looking to harm us, but that doesn’t make me useless in a fight. We’re a team and we’ll both find Kent Ballou.”

  White smiled. “I knew you would say that, and you’re right, you are far from useless in a fight. I just hate to see you placed in harm’s way.”

  “We’ve been there many times together and have come out on top. That said, I don’t think we should treat Nicole Price like the criminal she is. You’ve read the file. The side of her she presents to the public is one of a solid citizen who helps out the community. She married into a family that employs much of the town and has set up a women’s shelter and a community center that offers discount daycare for single mothers. Instead of sneaking around and hoping to catch a glimpse of Ballou, why don’t we come at her straight on?”

  “Meaning?”

  “We’ll attempt to get an appointment to see her and tell her upfront that it concerns Kent Ballou.”

  “She has nothing to gain by talking to us.”

  “Doesn’t she? If she refuses or denies knowing him, it will make us more suspicious. By agreeing to meet, she can weave any lie she wants. There’s also a good chance that she sent Ballou away once he made contact. After all, a woman in her position doesn’t need a wanted fugitive hanging around. The very fact that we’ll be asking to meet with her is proof that Ballou brings trouble to her doorstep.”

  White hung his head. “If she did send Ballou away two years ago, then we have no leads again, and the man could be anywhere.”

  Jessica took his hand. “We knew this would be difficult when we agreed to help Sienna. But don’t be so down. I think there’s a good chance that Ballou is in Meadow Creek.”

  “Why?”

  “Nicole lost her husband just months before Ballou would have approached her. If they had been close as teens, she would be tempted to have the comfort of a relationship with someone from her past. And if they’re together now, we’ll find him.”

  “When do you want to see her?”

  “We’ll go there on Saturday, while Samantha is helping out Elena.”

  White grinned. “It would be nice to hand Ballou over to Sienna as a Christmas present.”

  Kent Ballou was living under the name of Colin Russell in the town of Meadow Creek in Alabama. Meadow Creek had a population of just under twenty thousand. More than a quarter of the people were new residents. The software company, which was being run by James Price’s brother, had experienced greater success and expanded its business campus and hired on over a thousand new employees, many with families. With such an influx of unfamiliar faces to the community, Ballou managed to blend in.

  Along with the new name came a new face. Thanks to Nicole, Ballou had the opportunity to take advantage of the skill of a plastic surgeon. His chin was broader, his nose smaller, and his ears had been pinned closer to his head, although they had never stuck out noticeably. The contours of his neck had also been changed. Along with the plastic surgery, Ballou had a dentist replace the two discolored teeth that had led to his ruin. He also made sure to have the swastika tattoo removed. He’d always hated the damn thing anyway.

  As a final touch, Ballou dyed his brown hair blond and began wearing blue contacts. The overall effect left him looking a decade younger than he was and unlikely to be recognized as the fugitive cop killer Kent Ballou.

  Other than Nicole, only Marcus knew that Kent wasn’t really Colin Russell. Ballou didn’t know if Marcus was aware of his history, but it was obvious that he must be on the run from the law to go to such measures to hide his real identity. And knowing his first name, it was likely that Marcus had done an internet search and discovered his list of crimes. If so, the man had never mentioned it, and the two of them got along.

  Although Ballou looked quite different, anyone who knew him before might glimpse the man he had been. He was still the same height and weight, and his mannerisms were the same. And he could do nothing to alter his DNA or fingerprints.

  Ballou had become proficient at speaking with a Boston accent in preparation for the double robbery of armored cars he’d committed in Illinois. Whenever he was in the presence of someone other than Nicole or Marcus, he affected the accent.

  After doing nothing for a month while his leg healed from its wound and his face reconstruction scarring faded, Ballou was eager to be
engaged with something. It surprised him. As a young man he had planned to retire at twenty-five and sit on a beach somewhere for the rest of his life. He now understood that he would have been bored out of his mind if he had lived such an existence. Besides, if he didn’t work, he would have felt like a kept man.

  It would be tempting fate to become a robber again, but Nicole pointed out to him that there were other ways to steal.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’ve been thinking of expanding into cyber-crime, such as identity theft. You would be perfect to handle that for me.”

  A few weeks later Nicole sent a lawyer to defend a young man who had been arrested for hacking into a bank’s employee records. He hadn’t been busted because he was incompetent, an ex-girlfriend sicced the cops on him to get out of a charge of shoplifting. The high-priced lawyer handled the matter with ease and Ballou had his first recruit for his area of Nicole’s criminal empire. Other hackers followed, and within a year, Ballou was bringing in more money than any other division besides the drug trade.

  Life was good for Kent Ballou, but he had never stopped looking over his shoulder.

  Nicole accepted Jessica’s request to meet at her home. Since she was no longer being threatened by Gabe Copeland, a private firm handled the home’s security. The men who had been guarding her were now in charge of handling the day-to-day problems of her illegal businesses. This included such things as a john getting out of hand with a hooker, or someone thinking they could steal from Nicole by skimming money off the top of their drug or gun sales. Only Marcus remained at Nicole’s side. Her late husband, James, had trusted Marcus to protect them when he was alive, and Nicole trusted him as well. She also liked him personally.

  It was Marcus who greeted Jessica and Mr. White as they stepped out of the car they had rented at the local airfield. Marcus was dressed in a suit for the occasion, so as to appear less thuggish. The suit did nothing to hide his impressive physique, but his wide and welcoming smile made him appear less threatening.

  “Dr. White, my name is Marcus. Mrs. Price has asked me to escort you and your husband inside. She’ll meet with you as soon as she finishes an overseas call.”

  Jessica smiled back at Marcus as White took the man’s measure. When Marcus met White’s eyes and saw his intense gaze, he cocked his head as an old memory surfaced. He pointed at White.

  “You were a cage fighter years ago, in the Boston area, yes?”

  White nodded. “It was some time ago.”

  “I saw you fight once when I was in the navy. You beat a guy who was your height but had about fifty pounds of muscle on you. I remember you knocked him out with your first punch.”

  “Have you done any fighting?”

  “I boxed in the navy. I was on track to be a Brigade Boxing Champ when I injured a shoulder while working in the engine room.”

  “And what is it you do now?” White asked.

  Marcus took a step closer to White. “It’s my job to see that Mrs. Price stays safe against any threats.”

  “I see,” White said.

  Marcus escorted them into the large living room, which was located near the main staircase. There were logs burning in the fireplace and a ten-foot-high natural Christmas tree took up a corner near the windows. The tree’s aromatic scent of pine was welcoming and gave the space a festive feeling when combined with the other tasteful Christmas decorations that were on display about the room.

  The scene outside the windows showed a picturesque landscape of spruce trees interspersed with tall oaks. White guessed that the decorated tree in the corner had recently been a part of the view.

  White and Jessica sat together on a blue sofa that was separated from its twin by an ornate oak coffee table. Marcus remained standing. A uniformed maid appeared with a silver serving tray that held an attractive porcelain carafe, a sugar bowl, a creamer, and several cups. The maid was a young woman with a scattering of freckles across her nose. She acknowledged the Whites with a shy smile then asked if they would like her to pour coffee for them. Jessica declined the offer and the maid left. A second woman, an older lady with graying hair, entered the room moments later with a plate of delicate pastries and sat them down on the coffee table beside the carafe. She was the cook and had made the pastries herself. As the woman was leaving, Marcus told the Whites to help themselves to whatever they wanted and assured them that Nicole would join them shortly. After sending Jessica a smile, he turned and left the room.

  Jessica spoke to her husband in a whisper, in case there was a listening device.

  “What do you think so far?”

  “I think Nicole Price is hoping to give the impression that she’s a fine lady of means.”

  “A lady of means with a personal bodyguard.”

  “I’m going to have a look around.”

  “There are likely cameras.”

  “I’ll say that I was searching for the bathroom.”

  “I’ll come with you.”

  They rose from the sofa and headed past a staircase, and toward a hallway that was different from the one the maids and Marcus had gone down. They were only a few feet along it when Marcus’s deep voice boomed from behind them.

  “May I help you, Dr. White?”

  They turned to see Marcus standing with his arms crossed over his chest. The gesture tested the seams of his suit jacket.

  Jessica turned and smiled at him. “I was looking for the powder room.”

  “My apologies, Doctor. I should have pointed it out to you before leaving to let Nicole know that you were here. The powder room is down this hall.”

  Jessica and White walked back into the living room. White watched as Marcus gave his wife directions.

  “The bathroom is the second door on the left.”

  Jessica thanked him and entered the small room. That left White alone with Marcus.

  “Do you ever fight anymore, White?”

  “Now and then. What about you?”

  “When it’s needed, or if I think someone should learn a harsh lesson.”

  “And what would that lesson be?”

  “Not to stick their nose where it doesn’t belong.”

  Jessica emerged from the powder room. As she came even with him, Marcus pointed across the room to the hallway they had been entering when he had called to them.

  “That corridor leads nowhere that you’d be interested in seeing, Doctor.”

  “On the contrary, Mrs. Price has a beautiful home. I would love a tour of it.”

  Nicole spoke as she walked toward them from behind Marcus. “I’d be happy to give you a tour.”

  White studied Nicole. Her photos didn’t do her justice. Nicole’s green eyes sparkled and there was warmth to her smile that the camera didn’t capture. She walked up to Jessica and offered her hand.

  “I’m Nicole Price. Welcome to my home, Dr. White. It’s an honor to meet you. I read your first book, the one about serial killers. I know it was non-fiction, but it kept me as enthralled as any novel.”

  “Thank you for the compliment, and also for agreeing to meet with me.”

  Nicole’s eyes had found White, whom she looked up and down. Like most, she was drawn to his intense eyes. Unlike most, she knew the reason for them.

  “Are you by any chance related to a family with the surname Gant, Mr. White?”

  “Yes. How do you know that?”

  “It’s your eyes. James and I—James was my late husband—had visited France about ten years ago. The trip wasn’t all pleasure, James was also working on finding new suppliers for one of his businesses. One of the groups he met with was a family named Gant. The three men we spoke with all had eyes like yours.”

  “I recently became aware of that branch of the family from a cousin. Was your husband able to do business with them?”

  “He was not. They wanted more than James was willing to give.”

  “Maybe that was a good thing. I’ve heard that they don’t have the best reputation.”

&n
bsp; “Reputation is important. As an example, you and your wife are well-known for catching serial killers. That makes me wonder why you would want to speak to me.”

  “As I explained on the phone,” Jessica said, “we’re interested in locating Kent Ballou.”

  “Is Kent suspected of being a serial killer now?”

  “No,” White said. “But it’s an established fact that he’s a cowardly murderer.” After saying that, White watched Nicole for a reaction and saw her eyes narrow as the plastic smile she wore wavered. The grin returned a moment later and she gestured toward the sofas.

  “Let’s all sit while we talk.”

  They settled across from each other in pairs. Nicole and Marcus on one blue sofa with the Whites on the other. The coffee and pastries went untouched until Nicole filled a delicate flowered-patterned cup with the brown brew. She spoke as she added a teaspoon of sugar and a dollop of cream.

  “I assume you have questions you want to ask me concerning Kent Ballou, Doctor.”

  “When was the last time you saw him?” Jessica said.

  “That would have been in 1997, before my father was transferred to Guam. My father was an air force pilot.”

  “That long ago? And you haven’t seen him since?”

  Nicole nibbled at her bottom lip and turned her head to look at Marcus.

  The big man nodded at her. “I think you should tell them everything, Nicole. I know you once had feelings for the man but if they can help take him off the streets it would be a good thing.”

  Jessica leaned forward. “You’ve seen Kent Ballou recently?”

  Nicole made a sound that was less than a huff but more than a sigh. “When I said that the last time I saw Kent Ballou was in 1997, that was the truth. The man… the creature that came here about two years ago was not the sweet boy I loved back when we were teens in Florida.”

  “What do you mean by that?” White asked.

  “Everyone changes over time and I understand that Kent had spent years in prison, but there was a hardness in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. He had a shaved head, a beard, and he looked as if he hadn’t had a decent meal in weeks. I didn’t recognize him at first, but I had heard his name mentioned on the news and knew of the terrible things he had done. I told him to go away or I would call the police. That… it enraged him.”