by W L Knightly
“Well, it is my case,” Darek said. Still, he had to give Marvin credit. “You’re a smart man. So, why don’t you just tell me what happened with Mia? I need to know everything you can remember.”
Marvin exhaled a long breath. “We were painting at her boutique like we had been planning for days. I got involved because I had recently quit my job at Dos and decided to start fresh with Mia. I liked her style, and I wanted to sink my creative teeth into something new and fresh. I wanted to be in on the birth of a great brand, and I knew I could bring in my expertise. Even if it meant starting from the ground up and taking up a paint roller for the first time in fifteen years.”
“You put a lot on the line, changing careers to work for her,” Darek said.
“Well, before you make me sound too heroic, it wasn’t all about the rebirth of my creativity. It was no secret that Bay Collins was about to throw some serious money my way for my work, and his pockets run deep.” He shrugged and held up a perfectly manicured, pointed, polished nail, complete with sparkling crystals. “Don’t get me wrong. I did it for Mia. She’s a little diamond in an otherwise ugly situation, but I could look past all of that because I knew she could really shine.”
Darek wondered what Mia’s life was really like with Bay Collins. “Ugly situation? Did she tell you things about her life? Was she mistreated?”
“Well, call me old-fashioned, but being in an open sexual relationship with your pregnant sister’s husband is an ugly situation. I guess some find it acceptable these days, but to me, that’s some scandalous shit.”
Darek grinned. “That’s one way to put it.”
“I didn’t have the heart to tell Mia.” Marvin shrugged. “To each their own, I guess. Who was I to let morals knock me out of a great job?”
“It is a bit disturbing.” Darek wasn’t one to get into Bay’s business, but he often felt horrible for Lila, who had to live in seclusion like she was carrying the fucking Anti-Christ.
“More than a bit. I hear the sister doesn’t know and she’s treated like a surrogate. It’s the only thing about Mia I can say I don’t like. She is well programmed when it comes to her man.”
“Well programmed is right,” Darek said.
“She’s treated like a pet, and the poor thing just doesn’t see it. I wonder at times if Bay has any affection for the poor girl at all, or if he simply sees her as a project. Kind of like Mia’s shop was hers; she was his. Only he painted her walls with lavish clothes and handbags.”
Darek didn’t want to rush Marvin, but he also didn’t need to psychoanalyze Bay and Mia’s relationship. “So, what happened the day you were attacked?”
“Bay came in to see the place, and he got a phone call about Nona Pace. Elena told me what happened to her. She was one of my friends, and I guess somehow, he knew her too. She dated a friend of yours?” His sculpted brows rose with the question.
“Yes. Nona was murdered. Max killed her, and he’s been arrested. We’re sure that he’s the one who attacked you and took Mia.”
Marvin’s eyes widened. “There’s too many people dying. It’s such a waste. Nona was a good girl.” He paused a moment, and Darek was patient enough to give him time. “So at the shop, Bay told us to order a pizza and sit tight. He was afraid that something would happen to Mia. He left, and we did what he said. Mia knew he’d lose his shit if she went against his wishes. I asked her if Bay had ever hit her, and she said no, but she was terrified of him. He’s crazy, that one.”
Darek didn’t mean to nod in agreement, but Marvin gave a knowing look when he did.
“You must know how he is,” Marvin said. “We went back to work after ordering the pizza, and Mia had opened up the back door to let in some air. The paint fumes had our taste buds fucked up, and Mia said she wanted to taste the fucking pizza when it got there. I had gone around to the front side to start working on the second coat. I heard Mia scream and thought she probably stepped in paint again. She was messy and a bit overdramatic.” He took another deep breath. “I didn’t even make it around the corner. Something hit me in the side of my head. I went down and then felt the heat of the knife going in me.”
“You were stabbed after you were struck? After you’d gone down?” Darek couldn’t help but think it was strange.
Max nodded. “The asshole had already taken me down, but I guess he had to make a fucking point so Mia wouldn’t fight or something. I don’t know. I was out of it. I came to when I heard Bay and his friend show, but I had lost so much blood. Luckily, the wound didn’t hit anything important. I’m told I’m a very lucky man. Can you believe that? For once, I’m lucky, and that’s how it has to be. Lucky I didn’t die? I’d rather win the fucking lottery, thank you.” He raked his long nails through his hair and turned his nose up to the air.
Darek gave a half-hearted smile. The poor guy had been through hell. “But you never saw who stabbed you? Who hit you?” He wasn’t going to be able to pin this one on Max unless there was other evidence. The officers had been working the scene, but there wasn’t much to collect. Max had been smart enough to not leave anything behind.
Marvin shook his head. “I wish I could say yes, but I didn’t. If I can help in any other way, please let me know.”
“Just focus on getting better.” Darek got to his feet.
“How can I when Mia’s out there somewhere? What are the chances she’s found alive? That asshole thought nothing of stabbing me, and I wasn’t even his target. He wanted Mia.”
“Did she tell you anything about Max?” Darek asked. “She had a relationship with him, you know?”
He got an uncomfortable look in his eye. “She told me things, all right. You can bet he was a real freak if she ran back to Bay. He used to meet her at a motel, and then he’d blindfold her and do all sorts of shit to her. She never really got too into it, and she said she never told Bay. He once put her in a trunk.”
“What?” Darek asked. “Did she say why?”
Marvin got a blank look on his face. “Shit. She never told me. She just said it kept getting more and more odd. He wanted her to explore some dark shit, and she wasn’t into it. She thought he was a nice guy, but she said she had just gotten out of that kind of thing, and she needed time to think about what she was going to do. She decided in the end—get this—that no one could truly love her as much as Bay because he was family. So, she went back to him.” Marvin rolled his eyes. “Talk about taboo. She’s a little warped, but I suspect it’s because she doesn’t know anything else. She’d talk to me about her and Bay like it was nothing. I guess after a while, even I became used to it.”
“Thanks, Marvin.” Darek offered the man his hand, and they shook. “I’ll keep you informed. If you think of anything else, something Mia might have told you, just call me.”
“Yeah, sure thing. I won’t talk to anyone else. You don’t have to worry about that.”
Darek smiled and left the room, believing that Marvin knew when to put up and when to shut up.
Chapter 3
Lane
With everything going on, Lane thought that nothing could make him feel any worse. Until Special Agent McNamara, who he had only known as Darek’s latest love interest, had called him from the FBI and asked him to come into the NYPD station and give his statement.
She had suspicions about the Zodiacs’ connection, and because of that, he, along with Bay and Darek, had devised a quick plan, one that would surely do the trick but tarnish his reputation in the process.
He had spent his entire life trying not to be a victim, and the plan would make him appear as such. It would also haunt him forever, along with making him a hypocrite and liar.
As he drove to the station, his phone rang from the seat beside him. He hit the blue tooth feature on his rental car. “Hello?”
“Hey, it’s me,” said Bay. “I was just checking in at the office, and it seems we’ve had a message come through while we were busy dealing with our girlfriend drama.”
Lane tried not to
get riled up about Bay’s nonchalant phrasing. He had already accepted that Bay was a heartless asshole. “Yeah? Is it from Kenneth Warner?”
“Yes, it says that Otis’s sons’ names were Otis Jr. and Maxwell Gough. I’m assuming Smith is his alias. Fucker couldn’t be bothered to be a bit more creative.”
“Well, too bad it won’t change what I have to do,” Lane said. “I’ve been called down to the station for questioning. I feel like I’m going to throw up. I’ve never been so fucking eaten up with nerves in my life.” He had been shaking all morning. It reminded him of how it felt to go to school when he was being bullied daily and how it felt to be on that floor with Huck’s shoe in his back as the piss permeated his pores.
“Just stick to the story, and let it all play out,” Bay said. “It’ll be fine. Just tell them that you never knew there were others, that Gough had lured you into the woods, branded you in some weird marking ceremony. You don’t have to get too detailed. Let that bitch fill in some of the blanks.”
Lane nodded. “It should work out just like I said. They’ll have their excuse, and I’ll look innocent. It will be a dead man’s word against my own.”
“Make sure if they mention what happened with the girl, that you tell them you didn’t know anything about that. And you didn’t know the other guys very well. You’re a victim. They aren’t going to want to tear you apart.” Bay’s tone was demanding, and it didn’t do anything to calm Lane’s nerves.
“Yeah, I hear you. I’ll handle it.” He couldn’t help but sound sour, with bile stinging the back of his throat.
Bay let out a sigh. “Hey, it’s all going to be over soon. You’ll see.”
Lane thought it was easy for him to say. “What if Max catches wind, and it triggers him to talk?”
“I’m going to take him out before he has a chance. I’m working on it, but meanwhile, Darek will handle it.”
Bay made it all sound so simple, but he wasn’t the one everyone would look at like some kind of pathetic, weak man who couldn’t speak up and stop what was going on.
“Yeah, look. I’m here.” He turned into the parking lot. “I’ll have to call you back when I’m done.”
“Yeah, let me know how it goes.” Bay hung up the phone without a goodbye.
Lane put the phone down and pulled into a parking space. He sat there a minute before getting out of the car, trying to steady his nerves. He knew what he had to do, and he wasn’t nervous about the story, just his delivery. He’d never been the kind of person who could lie. He’d always hated defending people who couldn’t tell the truth to save their lives, and this made him feel like everyone would see right through him.
He got out of the car, and by the time he went inside, Darek was waiting for him. “Hey, I hoped you’d come right over. I wanted to talk to you a minute before Lizzy comes down.”
“Yeah, I just got off the phone with Bay,” Lane said. “Max’s real name is Maxwell Gough. He’s the other son, just like we thought, so this story is going to set him off. I’m not sure if it’s the right thing to do after all.”
“Right or wrong, it’s all we’ve got, and we don’t have to tell everyone right away. I’ll talk to Lizzy and make sure this doesn’t get out.” About that time, Darek looked up and saw Lizzy coming up the hall. “There she is now.” As Lizzy approached, Darek’s demeanor changed. He hiked up his pants and stood a little taller. “I was just about to find you.”
“Thank you for coming in, Mr. Simon,” she said. “Let’s take this down the hall.”
She gave Darek a pointed look and then turned to lead the way. Darek followed along behind her, and Lane couldn’t help but wonder how they made their relationship work in this atmosphere. Lizzy was so formal, even though she’d already met Lane at the fashion event. He imagined it was the same way she was with Darek: warm and fuzzy when they were alone, and cold as a snake when they were at work.
She walked into a room with a long table. “Let’s all have a seat. Could I get you anything? Soda? Coffee? Water?”
He felt like he was about to be interrogated because of how eager she was to make him comfortable. He wondered if she’d try and blame him for what had happened in some strange attempt to get her policeman friend off.
“No thanks,” he said, his mind still reeling.
“All right,” said Lizzy. “Then we’ll begin.” She placed a recorder on the table. “I do have to tell you that this is being recorded for your protection and ours. Please state your name.”
“Lane Simon.”
“I am Special Agent McNamara, and this is my partner on this case, Detective Darek Blake. Could you please tell me about when you first discovered Ms. Nona Pace was deceased?”
“I had gotten a call from her to come by and pick up some of my things,” Lane said. “I live in New Orleans, and I was hoping to go back home. I’d come up to stay with Nona for her fashion show, to offer some support.”
Lizzy kept her head down and scribbled on a piece of paper. “The fashion show where Ethan Cline was murdered. And you were a friend of his, were you not?”
“Yeah, I knew Ethan.”
“And is his death the reason you’re still in town?” she asked.
“No, I was just spending a little more time with Nona.” He wasn’t about to give himself a stronger connection to Ethan, and with his funeral in Tennessee, it made no sense to say he’d stayed for the services.
“So, were you staying somewhere else?” Lizzy asked. “Why would Ms. Pace have to call you to come over?”
Lane let out a long breath. “We had an argument the day before. She wanted to get married, but I felt that she—well, it’s going to sound weird, but you just had to know Nona. I felt like the only reason she wanted to get married was because her two best friends had recently gotten engaged. I want to be married because I’m in love, not because it’s what others are doing. I had left the night before and stayed with a friend. When I showed up at her place, I saw her car outside. She wouldn’t come to the door. I heard her music on, so I went inside. After some searching, I gave up looking for her. I thought she’d stepped out. But then I found her in the closet when I went to gather my things.” He closed his eyes and could still see her there.
“And do you know why she’d be marked up with the zodiac?” Lizzy asked.
Lane shook his head.
“Do you know why she would be treated exactly like another young woman, years ago? Have you ever been to Virginia, Mr. Simon?”
Lane glanced over to Darek, who looked away. He had to answer the questions. It was the only way to deflect that authorities from the truth. “I have been to Virginia. When I was a child. I went to camp there.”
“I see,” Lizzy said. “And what was the name of that camp?”
“Camp Victory,” he said. “It was a summer camp for boys. I spent a couple of years there.”
“And you knew Ethan Cline from that camp, didn’t you?” she asked.
He looked at Darek, who was still looking down at the papers in front of Lizzy.
“I did. We were acquaintances.”
“Do you know a man named Otis Gough? He was convicted of a murder years ago. The brutal murder of a girl named Emily Johnson.”
Lane shrugged. “I don’t know her.”
Lizzy took a deep breath. “But you know of her murder, don’t you?”
Lane nodded. “I know that Otis Gough was sent away for the murder of a young girl. I didn’t know her name.”
Darek cleared his throat. “Did you know Mr. Gough?”
Lane knew it was time for their cover story. “I did.”
Lizzy’s eyes lit with surprise. “You did? And how did you know him?”
What Lane had to say wasn’t easy, and he realized that it added to the effect. “He was known to hang around the woods near our camp.”
The agent’s eyes narrowed. “Is that a fact? And did you approach him? Talk to him?” There was an accusing tone in her voice, and it struck Lane the wrong way.
“Did anyone notice you missing?” Darek asked.
Lane shook his head. “No, the counselors were all in bed. I had gotten up to go the bathroom. He liked to linger around there. We didn’t think anything of it. I really thought the other adults knew him, but when I went with him that night…” He paused, the words not wanting to come from his lips.
Darek leaned forward. “Did he really have a rabbit?”
“No,” said Lane. “He didn’t have a rabbit. He brought me out to a campfire, said to wait while he went to get the rabbit, that I could help him cook it. I sat there a while, and he came back without it. Said a dog must have gotten it. I had no reason not to believe him. He said he wanted to make it up to me. He had a lot of tattoos and asked if I wanted one. I said I wasn’t sure. He assured me that he could give me one, and it wouldn’t hurt. He made me take off my shirt.”
“And he branded you?” asked Lizzy, who covered her mouth.
“Yeah.” Lane took a deep breath.
“And then what happened?” asked Darek.
“He touched me. I never told anyone. I still don’t like talking about it.”
Lizzy moved to the edge of her seat. “What? Otis Gough abused you?”
“He said that my mark made me his, that I was forever bound in his secret society. I was so scared.” He didn’t know what else to say and figured that silence was best.
Darek shook his head. “So, Otis Gough was tied into child porn? Go figure. I guess that explains how Tad Halston was connected.”
Lane looked up at Darek. “I don’t want my name brought into any of this. I’m a business owner, and I have a life that could be disrupted.”
Darek nodded. “Don’t worry. We’ll keep this information under our hat for as long as we can. We have a lot of investigating to do, and neither one of us want the press on this.”
