Afterburn: A Kenzie Gilmore Thriller

by BIBA PEARCE

  Nothing in the documentation was out of place. All the orders seemed legit, but as he’d suspected, they wouldn’t make it obvious. The Morales Cartel had been around a long time. They were smart, efficient, and careful.

  Bianca had been their one weakness. A honey trap. She’d caught Torres’s eye at a club and he’d chatted her up. A flick of her hair, a brush of her hand against his.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

  He’d bought her another drink. She’d made him think it was his idea.

  “Only if you’re sure?” That flirtatious smile he knew so well. A sparkle in her hazel eyes.

  Reid hadn’t liked it. He’d never liked it, but she’d been adamant. “It’s the only way we’ll get in there, Reid. You know it is. He likes me. Let’s run with it and see what I can find out.”

  So they had, against his better judgment.

  It had worked better than anyone had expected. Torres had been smitten. Reid could tell, by the way he watched her. The possessive drape of the arm, the way he locked her to his side. Bianca had filtered information back to them. Times and dates of meetings, major players in the organization. Valuable intel. Some of it they’d acted on. Some they hadn’t. It wouldn’t do to give the game away too soon. They were waiting for the big one. The shake down that would nail the entire organization.

  They didn’t talk about what happened after hours. When Torres took Bianca back to his place. Reid hadn’t wanted to know. They weren’t an item, not anymore. Not his choice. But there were still feelings involved. He cared about her more than anyone else in the world.

  Had cared.

  He blinked. And Torres had gunned her down like she was nothing.

  “Er, Reid, I think I have something.” Detective Ryan came over, her face flushed.

  “What is it?”

  “I was looking into the fourth victim, Mimi Silverton, like you suggested, and I found something interesting. A potential link with one of the other victims, Natalia Cruz.”

  He stared at her. “You found a connection between Mimi and Natalia?”

  She nodded, eyes gleaming.

  He shook his head. How was that possible? Natalia hadn’t been murdered by the Strangler. The MO was different. Thicker ligature marks. No sexual assault.

  A connection with Natalia didn’t make sense. Had he been wrong all this time? Had the Strangler been interrupted before he could rape her like the task force believed? Had he rushed Natalia? Dumped her body before he had time to finish the job?

  “What was the link?”

  Ryan grinned. “They were at school together.”

  23

  It was almost seven o’clock, and Kenzie was back at the cafe next to the gym. She was working on an article on her iPad while sipping her fourth coffee. She’d switched to decaf two lattes ago, else she’d never sleep.

  Working helped take the edge off her impatience. She didn’t have high hopes that Ivan would turn up. After the dismal raid and Fernández’s disappearing act, she didn’t think the burly henchman would be so stupid as to frequent his usual gym.

  Seemed she’d overestimated him.

  At precisely seven o’clock, the bulky bodyguard strode up the road. Gone was the ill-fitting suit, replaced with sweatpants and a T-shirt that said RAISE THE BAR. He held a small gym bag over his shoulder.

  Gotcha.

  Oblivious to Kenzie buried in her tablet, he walked straight past her through the front door of the gym.

  Her pulse quickened. Now to contact Reid.

  She was hoping he’d come and meet her, and they could tail Ivan together. There was a strong possibility he’d lead back to Fernández. If not tonight, then tomorrow or the next day. Reid could assign someone to watch his apartment and follow him when he left for work in the morning. They’d soon have Fernández in custody and could question him about Natalia’s murder.

  Kenzie felt a spark of excitement as she called Reid’s number, but the phone just rang. Damnit, where was he?

  Ivan would probably be at the gym for an hour, two hours max. Reid needed to get his ass down here ASAP if they wanted to follow him.

  She tried again, but it was the same story. No answer. The call diverted to Reid’s voicemail.

  Kenzie left a message. “Hi, it’s me. Where are you? I’m outside the Progressive Overload gym in South Beach and I just saw Ivan Petrovitch walk in. I’m going to follow him when he comes out, in the hopes that he’ll lead me to Fernández. I was hoping you’d join me. Call me when you get this message.”

  There wasn’t much more she could do.

  She settled down to wait, but it wasn’t long before Ivan burst out again. He glanced up and down the road, clearly agitated.

  What happened? Then she knew. The receptionist had told him Kenzie had come looking for him. He’d realized his gym was compromised and was now getting out of there.

  Shit.

  She ducked behind a family who’d just arrived and were choosing a table outside. It was a lovely evening, not too humid. It had rained earlier in the day and now the sky was clear, the sun curling over the horizon, drenching the skyline in a rusty glow.

  The beachfront was crowded with tourists and locals. Music was already seeping out of bars and clubs, while diners spilled out onto the sidewalk. There was a jovial atmosphere, but she had no time to enjoy it.

  Poking her head out from behind a rotund woman in a caftan, she saw Ivan stalk down the street in the opposite direction from which he’d come. Was he going to warn Fernández?

  She’d paid already, so she stuffed her tablet and phone into her bag and took off after him. Just then, her phone vibrated.

  Reid.

  Keeping her eyes glued to Ivan, she scrounged in her bag.

  “Hello?”

  “Where are you?” hissed her unofficial partner.

  “I’m tailing Ivan. Where are you?”

  “Stop it. Now. It’s too dangerous.” There was genuine concern in his voice.

  “I can’t stop. He’s on the move. He left the gym in a hurry. I think he knows I was there asking about him. He’s going to tell Fernández. I can feel it. If I stop now, I’ll lose him.”

  “Kenzie, please. It’s not worth it. If they spot you—” He didn’t finish before Kenzie interrupted.

  “They won’t, I promise. How far away are you?”

  “I’m on my way, but traffic’s bad. It’ll be a good 15-20 minutes before I get to South Beach.”

  “Call me when you get here. I’m heading south along Ocean Drive.”

  “Kenzie—” But she’d cut the call.

  He didn’t need to tell her how to do her job. She’d been at it for over 10 years. She’d even done a surveillance course several years back. It was coming in useful now since Ivan kept glancing over his shoulder.

  “You have a right to be paranoid,” she muttered at the retreating figure. “We’re coming after you. You and your little fraudulent organization.”

  Ivan turned a corner up ahead. He was walking fast, and she had to lengthen her stride to keep up. She approached the side street cautiously, like she’d been taught. There he was, still marching along, his bag swinging over his broad shoulder.

  Kenzie kept to the shadows. There were fewer people on this street, although the traffic was back-to-back. Typical Miami jam. Horns hooted, radios were turned up, and arms rested on open windows.

  The street lamps flickered on all at once. Ivan kept walking, head down. He rounded another corner and headed back the way he’d come.

  She frowned, making sure to keep well back. He was employing classic counter-surveillance techniques, making sure he wasn’t being followed.

  He glanced behind him, but she’d already turned around, anticipating it. He didn’t see her. She glanced down the street in time to see him cross the road. As she watched, he darted up another side street.

  Cursing, she zigzagged through the stop-start traffic and followed him. It was dark up here. The lights were f
urther apart and dimmer than on the main thoroughfare. There was less foot traffic, too. A man in a work suit clutching a briefcase and a woman in stilettos grappling with a For Sale sign hurried past, but apart from them, the street was empty.

  Heart throbbing, Kenzie followed Fernández’s henchman as he weaved his way through the backstreets. It got darker and darker and more deserted. She began to get nervous. Damnit, Reid.

  She called him again, keeping well back. With few people about, Ivan would notice her if he spotted her more than once.

  “Kenzie?”

  “Where are you?” she whispered.

  “I’m close. Are you okay?”

  “Yes, I’m still following Ivan.”

  “Where exactly? Give me the road name.” His voice was terse.

  “Um.” She hesitated to glance at the nearest street sign. “Corner of 14th and Euclid Avenue.”

  “Okay, wait there. Don’t move.”

  “I’ll lose him if I stop.”

  “Kenzie, I swear.” She heard his frustration. “Just wait there, okay. I’m a few blocks away.”

  She sighed. It was dark and there was nothing but apartment blocks and some sort of church with an empty parking lot nearby. It was creepy. The hairs on her arms were standing up, a sure sign she should proceed with caution.

  “Okay, just hurry. He’s getting away.”

  She watched the hulking figure walk along the street. He wasn’t hurrying, just a steady gait, gym bag over his shoulder. The urgency had disappeared. He felt safe now.

  She moved forward tentatively, keeping him in her sights.

  And then, he was gone.

  She blinked, straining her eyes. What? Where’d he gone?

  She ran forward, scanning the sidewalk. Had he gone into one of the apartments? Is this where Fernández was hiding out?

  Shit, how could she lose him? He’d been right here.

  She looked around. There was a dark alleyway between two blocks of apartments. He could have ducked down there. A shortcut to the street behind, perhaps?

  She hesitated. There were no streetlights and lots of places to hide. She stomped her foot in frustration. If Reid were here, they could have gone in pursuit. Now she’d lost him, and they might never know where Fernández was hiding out.

  She heard a soft rustling to her left, in the direction of the alleyway. She spun around, heart racing. What was that? Was there someone there?

  Kenzie peered into the darkness, searching for shadows.

  24

  Reid saw Kenzie standing underneath a streetlight, her blond hair illuminated like a beacon, and hit the brake. The Ford pickup screeched to a halt. She turned and he saw the relief flash across her face before she ran for the truck.

  “Thank God.” She pulled open the passenger door. “I had an awful feeling someone was about to jump me.”

  “Who?” He glanced behind her down the alley. “Ivan?”

  “Maybe, I don’t know.” She got in and shivered. “He disappeared. I thought he might have ducked down the alley, but I was worried it might be a trap. I didn’t want to risk it.”

  “You did the right thing,” he breathed, his heart rate returning to normal. “Next time, give me some notice before you go chasing after a suspect. I was worried sick.”

  “You were?” She smiled, her eyes teasing.

  “Of course I was. Ivan’s ex-Serbian military. He can snap your neck with one hand. Don’t ever do that again.”

  Her smile vanished. “I’m not a complete novice. I know how to keep someone under surveillance, and I can look after myself. I didn’t go down the alley, did I?”

  No, but she probably would have if he hadn’t arrived when he did. He clenched the steering wheel. “I’m sorry, but I don’t need another dead girl on my watch.”

  She fell silent.

  Reid pulled away from the curb and they drove down the street. Away from the bustle of the beach, the streets were quiet. Only one or two cars passed them as they made their way back to the main road.

  Eventually, Kenzie said, “I’m sorry too. To be fair, I did call you earlier, but you didn’t pick up.”

  “I was busy.”

  “And then Ivan came out of the gym so fast, I had to make a snap decision. I expected him to be there for at least an hour. That would have given you plenty of time.”

  He grunted. He’d seen her missed call once he’d finished discussing the connection between Natalia Cruz and Mimi Silverton with Ryan.

  “You want me to take you back to your car?”

  “Yeah, I’m parked on Collins.”

  He gave a stiff nod.

  “At least we know it was Ivan who stole that security guard’s wallet. They go to the same gym.”

  “It doesn’t matter whose ID they used to hire the van,” Reid said. “In fact, I’m not entirely sure Fernández was involved in Natalia’s death.”

  “What?” She glanced across at him. “Have you got a new lead?”

  He stopped at a traffic light. Now that they’d left the back streets behind, it was busy again, mostly with revelers heading down to Ocean Drive for a night out.

  “Of sorts.” He turned to her. “We’ve just discovered Natalia Cruz went to school with the fourth victim, Mimi Silverton.”

  A myriad of emotions flew across Kenzie’s face. Surprise, suspicion, denial, and then acceptance. He knew how she felt. He’d felt the same way.

  “Seriously? There’s no mistake?”

  “Nope.”

  “Jesus.” She ran a hand through her disheveled hair. “What does it mean?”

  “I don’t know.” He sighed. “I’ve been trying to make sense of it.”

  “They knew each other?” she murmured, thinking out loud.

  He nodded. “Same year. Even if they weren’t in the same class, they would have known each other.”

  “Could it be a coincidence? They’re both from Miami. It’s not too implausible that they would have gone to the same school.”

  When he didn’t immediately reply, she said, “Is it?”

  “I don’t believe in coincidences.”

  “No, me neither. But if it isn’t a coincidence, then what?” She faded off, a horrified look on her face.

  “It means they were both murdered by the same person,” finished Reid.

  There was a long pause. The lights changed. Reid drove forward, then turned onto Collins Avenue.

  “Did we get it wrong?” she whispered. “All this time the Strangler took Natalia?”

  He inhaled through his nose, then pursed his lips. The same thought had been ricocheting around his brain for the last few hours. “I think it's something we have to consider.”

  “Shitballs.”

  He sniffed. “You can say that again.”

  Reid pulled up behind her car. The air was heavy with confusion and uncertainty. He could almost hear her brain ticking over.

  “If that is true, we’re saying the killer targeted them because they were at school together.” She frowned. “That was so long ago. Why would he target them now? And what about the other two victims? They didn’t go to the same school. They’re from out of town. It doesn’t make sense.”

  “No, it doesn’t.”

  “The first two victims aren’t linked, are they? They didn’t go to the same school too?”

  “No.” He watched her logically work through what they knew.

  “This guy might be targeting women who’d spurned him in the past, or something like that, but if there’s a connection, I can’t see it. Unless,” she petered off.

  “Unless what?”

  “Unless he jumped around as a kid. Maybe he went to all their schools, met all four girls, and now he’s paying them back for rejecting him.”

  “Over a decade later?”

  She slumped in her chair. “I know, right? Why now? None of this makes any sense.”

  Reid cut the engine. The AC fell silent and heat filled the interior. Even at this time of night, it was oppressive. />
  “I’ll mention it to the task force. They should look into it, anyway. Just in case.”

  “Not only students, look at teachers too.”

  Reid studied her. Her cheeks were flushed from her dash across town and her eyes glinted in the dim light of the car. “You know, you would have made a good detective.”

  Her face lit up. It was the first genuine expression of happiness he’d seen. The times she’d put it on for their witnesses and suspects didn’t count. “Really? You think so?”

  “You’ve got the mind for it.”

  She met his gaze. “Thanks. That means a lot.”

  “It’s true.” He glanced away.

  She put her hand on the door handle. “I’d better go. Let me know if you find anything else.”

  “Kenzie.”

  She turned back.

  “You can’t breathe a word of this to anyone. We could be way off base here.”

  “I know. The world thinks Natalia was the Strangler’s third victim, so there’s nothing new to report.”

  He gave a curt nod. “Okay, see you soon.”

  She got out, closed the door, and gave him a little wave. He waited until she was safely in her car and saw the lights go on before he eased back into the traffic.

  Kenzie had taken a risk tonight. When Reid had gotten that last phone call, his heart had started racing and his mouth had gone dry. He’d driven like a crazy man to get to her. The only thought in his head had been, please no, not again.

  That confused him. Why was he so concerned about Kenzie? He hardly knew her. Yet he’d felt such a gut-wrenching sense of panic when he’d thought she was in danger.

  It was because of Bianca. It had to be. Even though his feelings for Kenzie were nothing like what he’d felt for Bianca, she was still his responsibility.

  He rationalized it as he drove home. It was because of her he was back on the force, that he was working this case. It was her lead that had started this investigation. He owed her for that. It was the whole reason he’d agreed to this informal partnership, or whatever you’d call it. Highly irregular, but he couldn’t cut her out, not after everything she’d done for him.