by G. K. Parks
“I’m sure it did.” He gave my pill bottle a look, contemplating if I’d been self-medicating when he wasn’t paying attention. “You should get some sleep,” he concluded. “You weren’t even supposed to get out of bed today, and you’ve been traipsing across town, conducting interrogations, and answering questions. You need to rest.”
“In a few minutes. I just want to finish this.” I looked at the growing number of pages in front of him. “Are you still working on Don Klassi’s financials?”
“Yeah, I’m almost done.”
Martin continued to work, and I read through the rest of the FBI reports and updated the information to reflect the newest details. I laid back against the couch. The ache in my back and ribs subsided as the couch cushions took the strain off my knotted muscles and bruised bones. I turned my head to see Martin still hard at work. I didn’t know what he hoped to find, but he was determined to figure out how Don was connected to the unsub. He wanted to know the psycho’s identity just as badly as I did. I closed my eyes and listened to the click of the keys.
Like Mark said, this case was personal. The abductor attacked me for a reason. Why did he want me to pay? Why did he want to punish me? What did I do to him? How did he know Noah and I would both be at the gallery? He followed Noah; I was positive of that. But how would he have known I’d be there too?
Who knew where I’d be? I ran through the possibilities, not liking the answers. I had no idea what my coworkers were capable of. Kellan proved that by investigating and selling me out to Lucien. Well, turnabout was fair play. I snatched my laptop off the table, but I wasn’t sure where to start. Jablonsky investigated everyone at Cross Security and said they were clean. But something stunk, and it tracked back to the office. The first attack was right outside. The second was at Cross’s gallery. Cross was the common denominator.
* * *
The next day, I went to the office, feeling more jittery than usual. Bruiser followed me inside and closed the door. I stared at the walls. Everything I had on my three cases was here. The intel on CryptSpec, details about the attack in the alley, and Don Klassi’s case. Someone could have come in here, looked at it, and decided to make a move. And the few people with access to my office had the skills necessary to conceal a crime.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Bruiser took a seat in my chair and placed his firearm on top of the desk.
“Nervous?”
“No, but Mr. Martin would not be happy about this.”
“Yeah, well, not much has been making him happy lately. I’d hate to break the pattern.” Letting out a lengthy sigh, I picked up the phone. “Is Mr. Cross in?”
“No, would you like to leave a message?” his assistant asked.
“No, that’s okay.” I put the phone down. “Guess I won’t be confronting the bastard after all.”
Bruiser eyed me skeptically, not believing I would give up that easily. In truth, I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle a confrontation. And every fiber in my body said this was wrong.
It was lunchtime. I knew there was a good chance Cross wouldn’t be in the office. That meant I could either wait him out or let Jablonsky handle it. I knew which choice I should make. Jablonsky phoned this morning. Crime techs found Cross’s business card inside the abandoned red car, and after taking a look at Don Klassi’s phone records, Mark reached the same startling conclusion I did last night. He wanted to have a chat with Lucien, and I wanted to clear out before he did.
Kellan’s office was dark. He wasn’t around either. I didn’t like the thoughts going through my head, but all signs pointed to it, even if my gut disagreed. It wrapped up nicely, but we had to be sure. Mark would make sure. Lucien Cross was not a man who took kindly to accusations, but he wasn’t exactly the cooperative, transparent type either. Cross left us no choice.
After removing the intel from my walls, I tucked the files under my arm and gave the office a final look. Until this was sorted, I wouldn’t be back. It wasn’t safe. I cursed myself for allowing Lucien to discover the connection between Martin and me. If my boss was dangerous, I didn’t want to think about what might happen.
When I arrived home, Martin was gone. Fear gripped me, but I was assured he was safe at work. He hadn’t slept the night before. Evidence of his insomnia covered every flat surface in our apartment. He was right. We needed a bigger place.
I put the files down on a stool and looked around. Our apartment was starting to resemble the inside of my brain. Fighting back the overwhelming desire to tidy up, I checked my messages. Jablonsky was supposed to call, and until he did, there wasn’t much I could do.
A pot of soup simmered on the stove, and I lifted the lid. “He’s insane.” I ladled out a bowl. “When did he have time to make soup? Did he even change his clothes this morning?”
“Love makes men crazy,” Bruiser said.
“Do you want some?” I asked, taking the bowl and clearing off a spot on the couch.
He shook his head and checked the balcony door. I just finished eating when the intercom buzzed. Marcal pressed the button.
“Miss Parker, there’s a delivery. Office supplies. Mr. Martin said they would be arriving this afternoon,” the doorman said.
“Send them up,” Marcal said, knowing more about what was going on than I did.
Bruiser gave me a look. “Go in the bedroom and close the door.” He had his gun out.
“You’re joking.”
His eyes went hard. “Now. Don’t come out until I tell you it’s safe.”
Payback’s a bitch, I thought as I closed myself into the bedroom. How many times had I used that line with someone else? Hell, how many times had I said something along those lines to Martin? And when exactly did he order office supplies?
I kicked off my shoes and pulled down the covers, desperate to lie down for a few seconds. The bed hadn’t been slept in. I had fallen asleep on the couch while Martin apparently did my job, his job, cooked, went shopping, and saved the entire free world. At this point, he had to be running on fumes. He had barely slept since he found me in the woods, and I doubted he slept much the prior four days. He was going to hit the wall hard. He couldn’t keep this up. It was time I climb back into the driver’s seat. With any luck, this would all be over soon. Maybe I could convince him to take a nap when he got home. Frankly, I wasn’t opposed to the idea.
“Clear,” Bruiser said from the other side of the door.
So much for my nap. Stepping out of the bedroom, I spotted three free-standing magnetic whiteboards taking up every spare inch of space in the living room. Obviously, this was a cosmic sign that I should get to work. Last night, we laid the groundwork. Today, I’d build a profile.
I knew things about the man who abducted me. First and foremost, he was a killer. He had at least four prior victims and had been intent on adding two more. He worked in seclusion. He was prepared to keep his victims indefinitely before executing them. I wasn’t sure how long the others had been held captive, or even if they had been, but he had enough supplies and privacy in that bomb shelter to keep his prisoners alive for years.
Cringing at the thought, I grabbed a handful of clip magnets and stuck photographs of the cabin and the bomb shelter on the board. Next to that, I placed a map of the area and an aerial shot. The unsub knew he wouldn’t be found. He also had a short fuse but was capable of exercising extreme control when necessary. He was obsessed with control.
He was also prepared. The trunk had been outfitted to prevent escape, and the car was old enough not to have the modern safety features. Even though it was old, it had once been a common vehicle. People didn’t notice it, except when he set off the alarm. He knew how to distract and bide his time. He wasn’t in a rush.
Two things stuck out. The quarter of a million dollars and his desire to make me pay. Those details would lead to his identity since nothing else would. He was always covered head to toe. He rarely spoke. He didn’t demonstrate any nervous habits or tics. He could be anyone, even
Lucien Cross.
I stuck photos of the red car on the board. The FBI techs photographed everything. Predictably, the interior was clean, except for the business card beneath the seat. Lucien Cross’s business card. That couldn’t be a coincidence. Leaving the car behind was a dare. A challenge. He was taunting us, demonstrating that he knew just how good he was. He was an egomaniac, confident in his abilities, just like Cross.
Who are you? I scribbled on the board. The unsub knew me and how I would react. He knew to neutralize me. Despite his ego, he knew it was best not to face me in a fair fight. Aside from the gun he used to garner Noah’s compliance and keep me at bay, he never brought a weapon into the bomb shelter, except for the brass knuckles. Another thing he never brought inside was his phone. He was afraid they could be used against him. Did he fear me?
While I was contemplating that unlikely possibility, the phone rang. After glancing at the caller ID, I answered. “What happened?” I asked.
“Cross is in custody. Unless he confesses or something solid turns up in the next couple of hours, we’re gonna have to kick him. He has an alibi for the time of the assault and abduction, but I’ll follow up with the two women and motel manager to make sure he’s not lying. After that, I’m going to take a crack at him. His card was in that car for a reason.”
“Women?”
“At the approximate time you were assaulted in the alleyway, Cross was with two women. They were checked into a motel. The clerk at the desk saw them enter, and they didn’t leave until after eleven.”
“He came back to the office as the police were finishing up. It was 11:30, maybe. It sounds like his story tracks.”
“Yeah, but it’s possible he could have slipped out. There weren’t any surveillance cameras aside from the one at the desk. Lucien could have left through a different exit and came back in without anyone noticing, but with three people saying he was there, it’ll be hard to disprove.”
“If he is involved, he has an accomplice. Cross was with Martin at the gallery while I was locked in the trunk. He couldn’t have been in two places at once.”
“Great way to establish his innocence, by getting your boyfriend to be his alibi. It’s genius.”
“It’s also farfetched.”
“Maybe, but Cross knows more than he’s letting on. I’ll get him to crack,” Mark said, and I wondered if his judgment was clouded by his disdain for Lucien. “During those four days you were held, there were a dozen calls back and forth from Lucien to Klassi. It’s suspicious as fuck.”
I looked back at the profile I made. Every one of my bullet points accurately described Cross.
Mark sighed. “I know it sounds crazy, Parker, but Lucien Cross is the only person I can think of who would have known where you’d be, when you’d be there, and what you were working on. He had the codes to the gallery. He could have remotely caused the alarm to go off, which forced you to deactivate the motion sensors, and then he triggered the fire suppression system. Who else could have done that? Who else even knew you were there?”
“Shit.”
“Cross knows procedure. He understands crime scenes. He knows how to avoid getting caught. And,” I heard Mark swallow, “he was angry at you over Marty. Maybe he figured he’d get some payback, or he just wanted you out of the way. You said the unsub wanted you to pay, and we already discussed the possibility he’s just hired muscle. Cross could have hired him. You said it yourself; he has money and the means to get away with it.”
My stomach twisted in knots, and I regretted eating the soup. It fit. All of it fit. But I wasn’t convinced it was true.
Thirty-three
“You’re enjoying this.” Cross sipped the sludge that passed for coffee inside the federal building. “I hope it’s worth it, Jablonsky. By the time my attorneys finish with you, you’ll be lucky not to be facing charges of your own. And you should kiss your pension goodbye.”
Mark chuckled. “That’s a new one. Look,” he held out his hand, “I’m shaking.”
“Obviously, you have nothing better to do with your time. However, I can’t say the same.”
“Have more people to abduct?”
Cross put the cup down. His eyes grew sharp and cold. “What did you say?”
“You heard me.”
Cross stared at the glass, searching for some way to verify what he suspected. “You think I kidnapped Alexis Parker? Have you lost your fucking mind? I’ve been nothing but cooperative. I helped you find her. I was at the gallery while she was being driven across the state.”
“It makes you look innocent, but it doesn’t mean you are.”
“That’s thin, even for you.” Cross sneered. “Show me the evidence. What’s my motive?”
“I’m asking the questions.”
“Funny, I didn’t think you knew how.”
Jablonsky stood. “When did you meet Noah Ripley?”
Cross turned his head and snickered. “Seriously, that’s what this is about?” His gaze settled on the mirror. “It’s true. I set up a meeting with Noah before Parker did. After signing Don Klassi as a client, I had my computer experts investigate. They found Noah almost immediately. He had several phony internet IDs, presumably to find additional marks to scam. Within thirty minutes of leaving a message, Noah reached out.”
“Why so quickly?”
“Probably because he knew I wanted to move six figures that same day.”
“Where did you meet him?”
“We met in the lobby of an office building known for having several prestigious accounting firms. He wasn’t renting a space there, but he wanted me to believe he was associated with these reputable businesses.” Cross picked up a pen and wrote down the address. “I’m sure you’ll want to know precisely where.”
“How about when?”
Cross pulled out his phone and looked at the calendar, giving Mark the exact time and date. It was after Klassi left the office but before I went to dinner with Kellan. Cross stared at me through the glass. “I want to speak to her.”
“Who?”
Cross rolled his eyes. “Parker. I’m sure she’s watching. I want to speak to her. Now.”
“Too bad.” Mark flipped through a folder. I didn’t know what he was looking at, but Cross appeared to be interested in it. “Why would you meet with the target of an investigation without informing the primary investigator?”
“She doesn’t like it when I interfere, but I wanted to check things out. This case was going to require a significant investment by my firm with the possibility of a large payday. But it was a gamble. I don’t like gambling, unless the odds are in my favor.”
“Significant investment.” Mark rubbed his mouth. “You wanted James Martin to invest with you, right?”
“That is irrelevant.”
“Not when it goes to motive. Parker’s dating him. You didn’t like that because it screwed with your plans. You couldn’t control what their relationship meant for your business ventures. Initially, you must have thought hiring her would get you in with Martin, but it didn’t. And you didn’t know why. So you had one of your investigators look into it because you were too inept at doing it yourself.”
“Careful, Jablonsky,” Cross growled.
Mark didn’t falter; instead, he turned up the heat. “Maybe you wanted her out of the way since she was ruining your chances. You couldn’t fire her. That would look bad. But if she disappeared, well, you could play that just right. You could lead an investigation that would drag on indefinitely. Given their relationship, Martin would practically insist upon it. And you figured eventually he’d weaken. He’d see the error of his ways and decide to partner with you. That’s what you thought, right?”
Cross gave him a deadly smile. “You’re right. She did fuck me over. But that was my fault. Did it make me mad? You bet. It made me furious at myself for not getting the details straight before I hired her. But I wouldn’t hurt her.” The smile dropped, and he stared into the glass. “I respect her. I value he
r.”
My stomach flipped again. It might have been stupid, but I believed him. That was the point of the show though. Lucien knew I was here. Maybe that’s why he didn’t bother having Mr. Almeada, his attorney, sit in on the interrogation. He figured I’d call it off.
“Respect her?” Mark scoffed. “You had Kellan Dey befriend her just to get close to her. That isn’t respect.”
“Have you spoken to Mr. Dey?”
“Not yet, but I’ll get to him soon enough.”
Cross cleared his throat. “I’ll save you the trouble. Kellan informed me he and Alex were going to dinner that evening. I was aware of what time they left and her plans to return to the office afterward.”
“So you could have attacked her in the alleyway?”
“No. You know where I was at that point. That’s been asked and answered, or are you too senile to remember?”
“That doesn’t mean you weren’t working with someone else. How did your business card get inside the unsub’s car?”
“How the hell should I know?”
“The attacker knows Alex or at least some basic things about her. And he had your business card. That can’t be a coincidence. You must know who he is. Now’s the time to tell me. The longer you wait, the worse it’ll be on you.”
“I can’t tell you what I don’t know.”
Mark flipped to another page. “Do you deny that you knew Alex was at the gallery or that you possess the know-how and skill necessary to cause the malfunctions in the alarm system and activate the fire suppression system?”
“I knew where she was. We spoke about it earlier that morning. And I could have easily accessed the gallery’s security system. My people installed it, but you already know this. You also know I was busy at the time. Had I not been in a meeting, I would have been notified of the malfunction and conducted a diagnostic. Unfortunately, I wasn’t around to prevent what happened. Like I told you before, I believe the system was hacked. What did your investigation turn up on that matter?”
