“How long did you date?” Quinn asked.
“Not long at all.”
“Why?”
She took a deep breath before continuing, “One night, after we had our fourth date, he wanted an invitation into my apartment. I wasn’t in the mood because I had a big day the following morning. I declined.”
They waited.
“He didn't like that. He forced his way into my place, pushed me around, and when I started screaming, he took off. That was the last time I saw him.”
Well, that sounded about right. Brick had manhandled his ex-wife, so why wouldn’t he be rough with his dates?
“I swore off Marines after that day. Then I met Tommy. He was nothing like them. The man was humble and gentle. After my run in with the other two, it was nice to find a soul that would protect me, not be brutal.”
Nate had a question. “Did the other two men know that you were marrying Thomas Archer?”
“I don’t know. Tommy never told me that they said anything to him. Then again, he wouldn’t. He was a gentleman.”
“Where were you when they died?” Quinn asked before rattling off the dates.
“I was with Tommy at home for the one date,” she indicated, “and when Brick died, I was here alone.”
Nate made notes.
“I didn't kill those men. I especially didn't hurt my fiancé. I was in love with him. If I was some serial killer, why would I plan out a wedding, and then two weeks before, take his life?”
Quinn hated to break it to her, but that would offer up public sympathy, pointing the finger away from her. People did weird shit in their line of work, and they had both learned not to overlook anything.
“I really only have a few final questions,” he said, staring her in the eyes.
“Well, you might as well ask. You already think I’m some black widow. It’s not like I can be any more insulted.”
“Were you cheating on Thomas Archer?”
She stood in outrage.
“I was going to marry him. That means something. We had a relationship built on trust and love. I wouldn’t have ever done anything like that to him.”
They found that ironic because obviously Thomas Archer didn't feel the same way.
Nate lifted a brow as her lower lip began to quiver. “Okay, how about this one? Did Tommy have a life insurance policy that was issued by the Marines?”
Quinn waited for it.
“Yes, he did.”
“You weren’t by any chance listed as the beneficiary, were you?”
“I don’t see why that matters.”
He laughed. “You don’t need to answer, Stephanie. Your reply was very telling.”
“You should probably go,” she stated, storming toward the door to let them out. “You both are hideous. I just learned my fiancé was murdered, you’ve accused me of it, and now I’m a gold digger?”
They didn't say a word, but she was right.
It was probably a good idea that they did leave. It seemed that they had gotten all they had come for anyway. Stephanie Simpson was looking more and more like the suspect who was leading the pack.
She had motive.
That’s all it would take to set them on her trail.
“Stick around, Ms. Simpson. You’re still on our short list.”
She glared at him. “Where else would I go? The man I loved is dead.”
Quinn almost wanted to tell her not to date any more Marines.
She seemed to have really bad luck.
As in the kiss of death.
* * * C a r t e r C h r o n i c l e s * * *
It didn't take long to find Captain Bethany Harris. She was on the obstacle course running her team through their paces. She looked profoundly happy with what they were doing, and Callie knew what was coming would dampen her spirits.
When she saw her, Bethany dismissed her men, telling them to do the five mile run. As soon as they took off, she approached her.
“What can I do for you, Doctor?” she asked, taking a seat on the grass. “I’m sorry we’re not in my office,” she stated. “I hate to see you ruin your fancy clothes.”
Callie was a country girl. Often people looked at her business attire and assumed otherwise. Kicking off her heels, she sat on the grass beside the woman. “I wouldn’t worry about me, Captain. I’m pretty versatile.”
The smile was immediately gone from her face. Callie knew that the woman was trying to maintain the upper hand, assuming Callie would feel out of place.
Yeah, psychological warfare didn't work on her. It was her job to play in people’s minds all day long.
“So, what did you need to talk about?” Bethany asked, relaxing in the warm sun.
“How long were you sleeping with Thomas Archer?”
She sat up.
“What?”
Callie started laughing. “Oh, that’s a really nice try. Maybe you think the ‘doctor’ in front of my name means medical. I’m actually a profiler for the FBI. You just glanced away from me when you said that, and it’s the biggest tell of them all.”
Bethany stuttered, trying to find words.
“We know all about it, so that question was merely a formality. I hope you don’t plan on trying to lie to me because I will have the colonel pull you in, and I’ll ask these questions in front of him.”
She crossed her arms and said nothing.
“Shall I continue?”
“Feel free. I apparently have no choice in the matter,” she stated, angrily.
“Again, how long were you sleeping with Thomas Archer?”
“Three months.”
Callie made notes in her tablet. “Were you in love with him and unaware that the man was getting married?”
Bethany Harris started laughing. “I was well aware, but for the record, he came on to me.”
She glanced up. “Well, since he’s not here to verify that, why don’t you give me a few more details?”
The woman looked pissed.
“Yeah, I also worked a few investigations in my time. This isn't my first day on the job. Don’t let the dress clothes fool you.”
The barb hit its mark.
Bethany Harris underestimated her adversary. To Callie, it just proved one thing. Maura Gaines was far better at her job. There was no wonder why this woman was only a captain. She didn't have a clue how to be a good Marine.
“He picked me up at a bar. We had a few drinks, we went back to my place, and then he headed home.”
“Now, without lying, did you know he was on Bravo Ghost?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Did he know you ran Alpha Phantom?”
“Not to my knowledge. He told me that he was getting married and wasn’t sure it was the right thing to do. When he proposed, it was a spur of the moment thing, and he was regretting it.”
“And you said?”
“I told him he needed to come clean. I didn't mind our little sex thing, but if his fiancée found out, she would.”
Callie pulled out a piece of paper to show the captain. On it was Stephanie Simpson’s picture. “This was his fiancée. Does she look familiar?”
Bethany nodded. “She works in the personnel department. I’ve seen her there when I’ve had to fix some pay issues that came up.”
Callie continued, “You know how suspicious this looks, right? First, you swooped in and picked up Leroy Walker when Maura threw him off the team, and then you are caught sleeping with Thomas Archer. Could you make yourself look more like a killer?”
The woman bristled. “I admit that I was underhanded, but I didn't kill those Marines. They’re my family. We’re all one under the flag of the United States of America.”
Callie fought not to roll her eyes. “How patriotic of you. So, what kind of information did Thomas Archer leak to you?”
“Nothing.”
Callie went to stand. “We’re going to reconvene in front of the colonel. I can smell bullshit a mile away.”
“Fine! He told
me about their biggest mission. I wanted in on it, and he was the best way to learn about it.”
“What was their biggest mission?” Callie asked, getting that sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.
“Something called Oracle. He didn't tell me much, but it was enough that I wanted the colonel to reassign my team. By the time Tommy and I started sleeping together, Maura had already lost two members. I saw that as my opportunity to step in and offer my services.”
Callie shook her head. “That’s so dirty and underhanded. One might even call it low and backstabbing. You just told me that Marines are your family, but you were about to screw Maura out of her job? Don’t you see how slimy and nasty that really is? I’m not just saying that because she’s my sister-in-law, but because we’re women.”
“Hey, in this world you have to fight dirty to get ahead in our jobs. Don’t think that your precious Maura wouldn’t do the same thing if she had to.”
Callie shook her head. “So you wanted Oracle and Thomas Archer was there to give you all the details.”
“Yes, only he didn't give me much. I couldn’t ask a lot of questions because then he’d get suspicious. While he wasn’t thrilled with getting married, he was happy with his job.”
“What did you find out?”
“That it’s only the government’s biggest secret. He wouldn’t tell me what it was, but it has to be special. I know that Oracle is a female, and that’s her codename.”
“What does she do?”
“Secrets.”
Callie had news for the woman. She was going to do everything she could to stop this from happening. If Bethany Harris liked playing dirty, she could do that too. Why not stack the deck in her sister-in-law’s favor?
“Did Thomas Archer know that his fiancée had slept with two other men on his team?”
She started laughing. “Oh, I think that’s what turned him off to the idea of marriage. No man wants to find out that a couple of his buddies had sampled the goods. I think that’s why he picked me up in the bar. His feelings were hurt that she never mentioned it, and it was his way of evening the score.”
“What about Stephanie? Did he mention that she suspected something was going on?”
“All I know is that she found one of my earrings in his truck, and it turned into a big fight. He wrote it off as belonging to Maura. I think he played it off as driving his boss home, and she must have left it there. Whether she bought that or not, I can’t tell you. I mean, she must have or why would she still be getting married?”
Yeah, except her fiancé ended up dead.
There was no marriage.
Callie was so glad that her husband wasn’t an asshole like that. If she had to put up with any bullshit, she might go insane.
“Can you tell me what happened to my team member? The guys have been asking and everything is hush-hush right now. We really need to know.”
Yeah, the reason was because the FBI had stepped in, taking his body back to FBI West. There was no way anyone could screw with their evidence now.
It had to be making the killer insane. Hopefully, not enough to escalate even further.
“Leroy Walker was bludgeoned to death. Whoever did this to him wasn’t kind.”
“He was a decent guy and good at his job.”
Callie didn't doubt her words, but she wanted to make sure Bethany Harris understood the severity of the situation.
“If the killer went after him, there’s no way of knowing if your team is next. We haven’t isolated it to Maura’s men.”
That surprised her.
“Are you saying…”
Callie got up. “If this is jumping from Bravo Ghost to Alpha Phantom, you have a bigger issue than worrying about how Maura runs her ops. Instead of wanting her job, you may want to watch your ass.”
The woman didn't say a word.
As Callie walked away, she had a phone call to make. Dialing the number, she called her boss. Once Elizabeth Blackhawk found out that the Marines were spreading word around about Oracle, the shit was going to hit the fan.
So much for top-secret.
While she was curious, Callie knew that she had an obligation to the FBI and her sister-in-law.
Something had to be done, and fast.
* * * C a r t e r C h r o n i c l e s * * *
The Man Hole
Saturday Afternoon
They were followed there.
It was troubling that the Fed and detective were hot on the trail. This was unnerving.
While the plan to take out the last two sinners was going forward, there was that little feeling of unease as the investigators were figuring it all out rather fast.
It was just yesterday that the latest victim was tagged a sinner.
Now, there was worry.
This aberration from the killings was a good thing. Today, the two men would have something else to worry about.
There wouldn’t be time to work on the case.
One would be planning a funeral, and the other would be going to his grave.
This would buy more time to finish off the team.
It had to.
Putting the gun together, it was a matter of waiting. Sinners had to pay, but then so did those who tried to stop justice.
This had to be done.
There was no choice.
* * * C a r t e r C h r o n i c l e s * * *
Pulling up to the bar, the men plotted out their strategy. They were armed with photos and questions for the employees inside. Fortunately for them, the club had just opened for lunch.
“We can grab something to eat to go and make it back to the office to meet up with Callie,” Quinn offered.
“Yeah, I want to dig back through the information that Stephanie Simpson gave us, and I’m curious about what my sister came up with.”
“I just hope she’s safe,” Quinn stated. “I hate leaving her on her own.”
Nate understood. “If it’s any consolation, this killer seems to be focused on Marines only. As long as we watch our backs, she’ll be okay.”
That was the only thing that Quinn was holding onto at that point. He was edgy, nervous, and worried sick. Now that Callie was having their other child, the last thing he wanted was to have her be a target.
It made him sick to his stomach.
“Let’s get this interview over with,” he said, getting out of the vehicle. “I led the last one so you can have this one,” Quinn offered.
“Wow, how nice of you,” Nate teased.
“Yeah, I know. I’m giving like that.”
At the door, Quinn pulled it open to hold it for his brother-in-law to enter. Once inside, they realized that this was going to get ugly, and fast.
Walking around the place were half-dressed men and a room full of patrons.
All of which were also men.
Then, it dawned on them.
This was a gay bar.
Well, shit!
Before they could back out of the establishment to regroup, a half-dressed man in leather pants approached them.
“Welcome to ‘The Man Hole’,” he offered, checking both men out. “I've never seen you two in here before. We love newbies and virgins.”
Quinn was so grateful that he had passed this one off to Nate. If he even tried to do this interview, he was either going to laugh or freak out.
Those were his only options.
Thank God his wife wasn’t here. Callie would be having a field day with this one.
This time, he couldn’t blame her.
“Uh, yeah, we’re definitely new here. I’m going to guess that this is an establishment that deals with gay men,” Nate said, trying to get his bearings.
“It sure is, Mr. Suit. What gave it away?” the host teased. “Is it the leather or the two guys making out at the bar?”
Nate had the overwhelming urge to run. It wasn’t that he was homophobic, but he was very much a heterosexual male. The mere idea that everyone thought he and Quinn might be lo
vers freaked him out.
From the look on his brother-in-law’s face, he wasn’t the only one.
“We need to ask you some questions,” stated Nate, staring at Quinn. It was apparent that the man wasn’t going to help him on this one.
Then again, he wouldn’t have either if the shoe was on the other foot.
Damn it!
Well played, Quinton.
“Handsome, you can ask me anything you want. Just follow me over to the table and we can make ourselves comfortable.”
They did as he asked, but on the way, they were scanning the décor. There was a whole lot of leather going on in the place. From the look of the men who were in there having lunch, that was probably necessary. They could spray it down after the fact. There was plenty of groping going on.
“Here you go, boys. Now, what can I get for you?” he teased, putting his hand on Quinn’s shoulder after he took a seat.
Both men pulled their badges.
“We’re not a couple. We’re partners.”
The man laughed. “Honey, in here we don’t ask a lot of questions.”
Nate only imagined.
“Have you seen these two men before?” Quinn asked, biting the bullet to help Nate. As he slid the pictures across the table toward the man, their gay host decided to take a seat beside Quinn.
Yeah, he was glad his wife wasn’t here. She’d be busting their asses until the end of both of their lives.
“Oh yeah! I know them both. They’re regulars on karaoke night.”
“Are you telling us they just came in to sing?” Nate asked.
The man shook his head. “Oh no, they were a couple,” he replied, indicating to the two men in the booth not far away who were making out.
“So they were gay.”
The man laughed. “You’re freaked out about being in here, aren’t you?”
Hell yeah, they were.
Holding out his hand, he made the introductions. “I’m Richard. My friends call me Dick.”
Normally, Quinn would be laughing, but he didn't want to offend the man or draw any attention to himself. Already, he had a gay man sitting very close to him, and he could swear the man had touched his thigh.
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