“Tea it is.”
He moved by her and went into the hallway.
Nadine’s eyes hovered around the room. She stopped at a clock on the wall.
It had just gone one o’clock.
Was it really that late?
“How do you take it?” Ryan called out from the kitchen.
“Milk. No sugar,” Nadine called back.
She breathed in. Tried to relax. Things had definitely gone off the rails a little bit. One minute Taylor Shandling is suspect number one, and now they’re saying unless she was in Justin’s apartment and not the internet café, then it couldn’t have been her.
Hard to see their partnership not suffering come tomorrow.
She pulled up the class photo on her phone again just as Ryan was returning with their drinks.
He handed her the mug. “Thank you.”
Ryan tossed the bra away and pulled the chair round so he was facing her.
“What are you looking at?” he asked.
“Just the class photo again,” Nadine said. “I feel like there’s something I’m missing.”
“Like what?”
“Well, who was in Justin’s apartment? That we know for sure. Who from this photograph?”
“Let’s see.” Ryan hunched over the phone with her. “Should we go over them one by one?”
“Yeah, why not?”
“Well, who do we eliminate first? Justin?”
“Or Kellie?”
“Can we say for a hundred percent that neither of them sent the email?” Ryan asked. “Not exactly, right?”
“So what theory is this then? That Justin murdered Kellie? Or Kellie murdered herself?”
“Well, what if Kellie sent Justin the email to freak him out. But he couldn’t take a joke so when he found out he pushed her over.”
Nadine looked at him. “These are your friends, right?”
“I’m just spit-balling,” Ryan shrugged.
“Let’s keep our theories in the realm of what’s believable, okay? This isn’t … Jack the Spider we’re trying to crack here. No. ‘The Evil One’. What a moniker to go by. Someone – some random asshole who thinks highly of themselves – is creating this whole persona as a way to disguise themselves.”
“Yeah, I got that part.”
“But it’s obvious. It’s way more obvious than we’re realizing.”
“How do you mean?”
Nadine put the phone in his hands. “This photo. The killer is in this photo. At least they claimed to be. And who are we if we don’t take them by their word? Come on. Who was at that party besides Justin and Kellie and are in this photo?”
“Well, Amelia, of course,” Ryan said.
“You see I never really bought her as a suspect. I mean what’s the angle there? She loves Justin. Loves him for ten years or whatever it is and then after Justin and Kellie get engaged, she freaks out, goes crazy. Starts stalking him everywhere. Taking her photos and…”
“I don’t know,” Ryan said. “You’re selling me.”
“Seriously?”
“What? It had to be someone. Why not Amelia?”
“Because it’s too obvious.”
“You just said it was obvious.”
“No, it’s … it has to click as well. I don’t see her as a killer.”
“Well, who are you to say what someone is capable of?”
“I’m the Detective, remember? I’m supposed to have good instincts.”
“Well, do you?”
“Yes.”
“Then why haven’t you figured it out yet?”
Nadine put her tea down and stood up from the bed.
Ryan looked up at her, semi-confused.
“You’re in that photo, too, Ryan.”
“So I am. Even though I was doctored in.”
Nadine’s eyes fluttered. “Oh my God.”
“What?”
“That’s it. That’s – oh my God!”
“What?”
“Give me the phone.”
He handed it to her.
Nadine studied the photo, examining Ryan’s image specifically.
Ryan seemed uneasy. “It’s not me. Okay. I wasn’t even –”
“Of course it wasn’t you, dumbo.”
“So what’s it got to do with –?”
“It’s the person you’ve replaced.”
Chapter 38
Out of the hall. Away from all the golden photo frames and paper cups. Through the yard. Towards the car. The gun sat loosely in his hand. Amelia didn’t even seem worried. As if this was all her idea. If at any moment they’d both suddenly wake up.
“Get in the driver’s side,” Justin ordered her. “Start the car. Keep it in park.”
“Whatever.”
Justin got in the passenger side and closed the door. They sat there for a minute in silence. Then he told her to drive.
A short way down the road Amelia decided she wanted to talk things out.
“It’s not too late to come back from this,” she told Justin. “I won’t press charges or anything. We can make out it was a fake gun or a hoax or something. You won’t get in trouble.”
“No one’s going to believe that,” Justin said.
“So what is this then? Where are we going?”
“I don’t know. Just keep us on the road.”
And so they drifted. Occasionally Justin mentioned a turn he wanted her to take. But for most part it was journey straight ahead.
“Are we going to talk this through now?” Amelia asked eventually.
“Not here. When we’re outside again.”
“I didn’t do it, alright. Seriously, I didn’t.”
“Shut up.”
“Justin, you seriously need to –”
“Alright. Pull over ahead. Near the hill.”
Amelia looked at him before directing her eyes back to the road. “Okay…”
The car slowed down gradually before coming to a stop. Justin shut off the ignition and snatched the keys away. Amelia kept her eyes ahead.
“Get out.”
She didn’t comply.
So Justin was out of the car, hurrying along to her side. Opening her door. Pulling her from the seat. “Justin, enough! Stop it!”
He had both hands on her wrists. He spun them round then let her body float away, landing in the windy grass. “Start walking.”
She stood up. “Where?”
“Up the hill.”
“What’s there?”
“It’s where we’ll talk.”
She turned her back to him and began the hike. He followed on closely behind.
Once they’d reached the top he told her to stop.
She turned to face him. “You have this all wrong, buddy. It’s not me. It’s someone else who was there. You’re crazy for thinking this about me.”
“Just … get on your knees,” he mumbled.
She lowered herself to the ground.
Then waited patiently.
“You’re not actually going to kill me, are you? Even if I did this, which I didn’t – you’re not a murderer. You’re just upset.”
Justin shook his head. Inhaled sharply. “You don’t know what I’m capable of, Amelia.”
“Justin. You’re scaring me.”
“You don’t know what I’ve already done.”
He directed his gaze out to the horizon.
And he knew he wanted it to stop. All of it.
Him here. The killer there.
The people on his phone.
It never seemed like it was going to end.
And ten years wasn’t even such a long time.
Chapter 39
“Okay, thanks for telling me. Goodnight, Captain…” Nadine finished her call and put the phone away.
“What did he say?” Ryan asked from the other side of the room.
“They’ll look into the class photo, see if they can get an original,” Nadine said. “But it’s a little besides the point.”
“How come?”
“Apparently Amelia and Justin were at some ten year high school reunion or something. Amelia stole Justin’s gun and took him hostage.”
“Oh my God! Fuck. Call him.”
Nadine nodded.
They went on to try both numbers they had for Justin and Amelia, but neither one picked up. Ryan paced the room, alarmed. “I guess we should have seen it. Amelia being the killer and all.”
“Yeah, maybe,” Nadine said, moving by him.
Ryan put a hand on her shoulder.
She flinched.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
Nadine turned. “Home. There’s nothing more we can do.”
“Can I just say something before you go?”
“Uh-huh.”
“I’ve really enjoyed working with you tonight.”
“You – you enjoyed it?”
“Well, obviously it was devastating, but you – in particular – you’re awesome.”
“Okay…”
“I know right. You think I’m just some … guy looking for fun.”
“That’s enough, Ryan.”
“I’ve been in relationships though,” he continued. “I can stay committed to the right person.”
“Ooh baby, you’re turning me on,” Nadine rolled her eyes.
Ryan bit his lip. Then grinned. “So what do you want then? My second approach?”
Nadine looked him up and down.
He took a step towards her. “I know you don’t like being touched.”
“Whatever gave you that idea?”
“But maybe you’d prefer to be fucked.”
Nadine’s mouth opened a little and Ryan seized the moment planting his on hers, wrapping her up in his arms.
Nadine didn’t make any move to resist him, almost seemingly paralyzed.
Before he ripped off his shirt and pushed her on the bed though, she thought she saw someone standing outside the window.
“Ryan,” she said.
His tongue was all over her neck.
“Hey shithead,” she tried again, punching him in the stomach.
“Ouch,” Ryan moaned, pulling back.
“Someone’s watching us.”
They looked up to the window where a figure dressed in black moved by quickly.
Chapter 40
Nadine pushed Ryan off her and sat on the edge of the bed.
“Oh that’s – that’s probably just Chip.”
“Who’s Chip?”
“My roommate. He lives here.”
“Does he?”
“Yeah, he was at the apartment tonight too.”
Nadine stood up from the bed. Adjusted her clothes accordingly.
Then swung back around to face Ryan. “He was at the apartment.”
“Yeah.”
“When? What time did he leave?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why wasn’t he interviewed?”
“Um…”
The lights suddenly went out.
Someone had shut the power off from outside.
Nadine drew her gun from her holster and headed towards the door.
Ryan’s phone-light shone behind her. “Don’t go out there,” he hissed.
“You have a backdoor?”
“Yes,” Ryan said getting off the bed.
“Go and secure it. I’ll take the front.”
“Nadine!”
“Just do it.”
She opened his bedroom door and stepped out into the hallway. He followed her out and moved to the left. Nadine went right.
Before long she came to another bedroom, the door open. She peered inside and saw the window was open.
Glancing back, she could no longer make out where Ryan was.
She followed the hall out into the living room and edged further towards the front door.
It too, was wide open.
Nadine moved slowly towards it.
Then there was a sharp click behind her.
She felt a pistol in her back.
Another hand hit her shoulder, sending a frenzy of shivers through Nadine’s body. They forced her away from the door. Deeper into the living room. Where it was dark. Where she could hardly see.
The figure behind her silently moved round to the front.
They were wearing something white over their face.
Their hand went for Nadine’s glasses.
Pulled them away seamlessly.
“Nooo…” Nadine sobbed.
A gloved hand was planted over her eyes.
Soft lips went to hers.
And they kissed her.
They kissed her hard. Long. Passionately.
More passionately than Ryan…
Or Justin…
Or any of the other people Nadine had kissed.
It was a moment that changed her forever.
And then the hand was pulling away from her face and the figure was moving away from her.
Nadine remained still. Shivering all over. Unable to move.
Ryan’s shadow loomed in the open doorway.
The figure hurried quickly away from Nadine back out towards the hallway.
“FREEZE!” Ryan shouted.
He fired a shot off.
Nadine, finally coming to her senses, hurried with him to the top of the hall, where the figure could be seen stumbling about in the centre.
Ryan and Nadine both fired on them.
And they fell.
EPILOGUE
Violet blouse. Black jacket and leggings. Purple tie.
Nadine’s blondish, black hair was tied back in a ponytail and her face drowned in makeup. Her thick-rimmed sunglasses firmly attached.
She stepped out of the bathroom and strode down the hallway to use the elevator. When she got on there was a middle-aged woman accompanied by her preteen daughter. Nadine looked at the girl for a moment, her eyes lingering. Then she caught the mother’s gaze. And stared straight ahead.
The doors opened and Nadine stepped out, walking along the corridor. She spied Officer Dobbs sitting outside the meeting room, a stack of files under his arm. His face at the floor.
Nadine stopped in front of him.
“Are they ready for me yet?” she asked.
He looked up. “I don’t think so. I was told to wait.”
Nadine hesitated a moment.
Then took the chair next to him.
“What have you heard?” Nadine asked. “About, you know…”
Ryan turned towards her. Shrugged. “They haven’t confirmed anything yet.”
“Are we in the clear?”
“I honestly don’t know.” He looked away. “Maybe we should have worked out our story a little more.”
“What’s wrong with the truth?”
“The truth’s fine,” Ryan said. “When people are willing to believe it.”
“You mean…”
“Sometimes a lie is more convincing.”
The door to the meeting room opened. Officer Justin Hodge stepped out, his face sullen. Aghast.
Detective Leoncelli followed him. “Shields? You’re up next.”
Both Nadine and Ryan left their chairs.
“Justin,” Nadine said. “What happened?”
Justin glanced back at them. A look of sadness in his eyes.
“Officer Hodge is to receive an award for bravery,” Leoncelli said. “And a subsequent promotion.”
“Where’s Amelia?” Ryan asked.
“Still haven’t found her as yet,” Leoncelli answered. “But she’s sure to turn up some place.”
“I’m sorry,” Nadine interrupted. “Why is he receiving a promotion exactly?”
Leoncelli looked behind him. “Justin? Why don’t you tell them?”
“I saved everyone at the reunion,” Justin said. “Amelia was going to poison the punchbowl. When I stopped her, she stole my gun. At least, that’s the story.”
“What does that mean?” Ryan demanded.
Justin turned and contin
ued down the corridor.
“Justin!”
“Alright, that’s enough,” Leoncelli said. “The man’s had a rough twelve hours. Let him go home and get some rest.”
Nadine turned to Ryan. “I’ll see what I can find out.”
“Yeah,” Ryan mumbled. “You do that.”
“Nadine?” Leoncelli said holding the door open.
Nadine moved by him and stepped into the room.
♦ ♦ ♦
There was a whole bunch of them waiting on the other side of that door. A long table with five individuals sat opposite, most of which Nadine had already seen before. Someplace. Somewhere.
“Thanks for coming in,” Captain Culhane said standing. “These are Special Agents Ross and Ardent, who have been assisting us with the inquiry. You know Detective Shandling of course. I’m not sure if you’ve met Commissioner Rhodes.”
Nadine shook her head.
“Lovely to meet you,” the Commissioner said, smiling.
Nadine forced a smile back. “Same.”
“Why don’t you take a seat?” the Captain advised.
Nadine sat down on the lone chair waiting in the middle of the room. Glancing behind her, she saw Leoncelli was still standing by the door.
“Am I in trouble?” Nadine blurted out. “I mean, did we fuck up?”
“What do you mean?” Culhane asked.
“Was it – was it really him?”
“There’s evidence that Chip Hannebury was involved in Kellie Fellows’s murder,” Special Agent Ross said. “We still haven’t confirmed though whether he was the actual one who pushed her. We only know that he was in collusion with Amelia Overton. Right, Will?”
Special Agent Ardent looked up. “That’s what the evidence suggests, yes.”
“What evidence?” Nadine asked.
“We’re not at liberty to discuss that with you presently,” Captain Culhane said.
“So what am I here for then?” Nadine asked. “Is this my debriefing? Am I being cleared for the shooting? What about Ryan?”
“You’ll both be fine,” the Commissioner answered. “There will be an official hearing next week, but you’ll both be prepped with what to say.”
“There’s no other explanation is there,” Nadine remarked. “Chip definitely was guilty.”
“That’s what the evidence suggests,” the Captain repeated.
The Evil One (Guess The Killer Book 3) Page 8
