Imperious

by C. M. Sutter

  “If his wife really was cheating on him with somebody at the university, especially young hunky students, I could see how that would set him off. From what I noticed during our interview, he appeared to be a narcissistic, overbearing man who thinks women are the weaker sex—likely because of his wife’s actions. He may truly hate women and used that hate to kill those female students he was tutoring.”

  Billings spoke up. “I’ve overheard Mia talking to her friends about some creepy professors. Many have God complexes and hit on the female students. Maybe Morton blackmailed them and they were going to turn the tables on him.”

  “Blackmail about what, though?” Clayton asked.

  “It is finals week, Chad. Maybe he promised them a passing grade in exchange for personal favors. They got sick of it and threatened to rat him out,” Amber said. “Don’t forget, Becca had birth control pills in her apartment, yet she didn’t have a boyfriend.”

  Jack ground his fingers into his scalp. “And during the table exam, Lena confirmed the fact that Naomi recently had sex.” He glanced at the clock again. “Where the hell is Kate? She promised to be back ten minutes ago.”

  Clayton lifted his hip and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “I’ll give her a call.” He dialed Kate’s number, but the call went directly to voicemail. “That’s odd. She doesn’t answer.”

  Amber tried to alleviate Jack’s concern. “She probably left her phone in the car’s cup holder, where she always puts it, and lost track of the time.”

  “Maybe, but I’ll have Jan radio Lawrence,” Jack said. He dialed the reception counter and had Jan in Dispatch contact Karen’s squad car radio. Jan called the conference room several minutes later. “Jack, Lawrence doesn’t answer.”

  “Son of a bitch. Call Silver and see if he still has eyes on Morton’s car.” He set the phone back on the base. “I have a bad feeling about this.” The phone rang a second time. “Jan, what did Silver say? He does? Okay, thanks.” Jack shook his head. “Silver says the Explorer is still in the university’s lot.” He took one more look at the clock. “If Kate isn’t back here in ten minutes, we’re heading out, and she better have a damn good excuse for worrying us.” He looked at each face. “Let’s tighten up what we have against Morton so I can make the call to Judge Pemberley. I’d say with the information we’ve put together, there’s probable cause to search Morton’s house, and at sunup, we’ll take him by surprise with that warrant in hand. He won’t have time to hide the evidence that’s likely stashed there. I want to see Mike Morton behind bars by this time tomorrow.”

  “And there’s one more bit of evidence we can use to put a nail in his coffin,” Amber said.

  Jack raised his brows. “I like the sound of that.”

  “The fact that he and Martin Glover are the same person tells us he had a key to Becca’s apartment. A break-in wasn’t necessary when all he had to do was wait for her to leave, turn the key in the lock, then add the clostridium botulinum to her food. Who knows? The owner behind that C Corp could very well be Martin Glover too.”

  “You’re probably right, Amber.” Jack waved his hand back and forth over the table. “Gather up this paperwork and take everything back to the bull pen while I try to reach the judge. Have Jan transfer the calls to my office. Clayton, run downstairs and see how Kyle is doing with extracting DNA from that cigarette butt and then find out if Lena has started Naomi’s autopsy. We need the swabbed DNA from Naomi to match the DNA on the cigarette. Still, if we can prove that Morton smokes Salem cigarettes, and the same brand is found on his property, we can tie all the evidence together. We’ll have him dead to rights if they’re a match. The rest of you keep trying Kate’s phone and Karen’s radio.” Jack left the conference room and returned to his office.

  “This is getting real,” Amber said as she returned to her desk. Another call to Kate’s phone went to voicemail. Amber stared at Jack’s office door. “Be ready to go the second he walks out.”

  Billings hung up his phone. “Jan just tried Karen’s radio again—no answer.”

  “I don’t like this waiting.” Amber grabbed her phone and called the reception desk. “Jan, please check with Silver one more time.”

  Clayton stormed into the bull pen. “Lena checked Naomi’s stomach contents already. It was full of whole berries and unchewed sliced mushrooms.”

  “That sounds like she was force-fed, and what are the chances that those items were store-bought?”

  Billings holstered his weapon. “I’d say slim to none.”

  Jack’s door flew open. “The warrant is being processed for Mike Morton aka Martin Glover. Anything from Kate or Karen?”

  “Can’t reach them, Boss,” Amber said.

  “Then grab your gear. We’re heading out.”

  Chapter 58

  After trudging through the woods for twenty minutes with the backpack slung over his shoulder, Mike came out on the other side and into a country subdivision. He pulled the folded piece of paper and his phone from his cargo pants front pocket and made the call. The driver said he was on his way. He arrived minutes later at a house Mike had chosen randomly. He liked the way it looked. Climbing into the back seat, Mike tossed the backpack on the floor and let out a groan.

  The driver looked over his shoulder. “Hard day, man?”

  “You can say that.”

  “Where you heading?”

  “Allenton, just off Maple Street. I’ll guide you in once we’re closer.”

  “You bet. It should only take ten minutes or so.”

  Mike thought about the detectives and how they’d ruined his plans of driving away, never to be seen again. He wouldn’t be able to get his Explorer and leave town before he became the most likely suspect. They were already onto him. His hopes of humiliating the police and sheriff’s departments, just as he had in Isabelle’s unsolved case, were gone. They’d dashed his plans of making sure they had two unexplained deaths on their hands and a missing girl who would never be found. He wanted them to face scrutiny from John Q. Public and have to explain why they couldn’t give the families closure or justice for their loved ones. The crimes would tarnish the county’s reputation, and law enforcement would be deemed incompetent. Mike would hear all about it on the news and read the latest articles in the online newspapers and he’d enjoy proving once again how much smarter he was than the cops.

  “But no, you had to screw up everything for me!”

  The driver frowned at him through the rearview mirror. “Are you talking to me?”

  Mike rubbed his brow. “Sorry, kid, I’m just thinking out loud. Tough day, remember?”

  The driver nodded. “Yeah, I hear ya. No sweat.”

  The car slowed at the curb after turning off Main Street onto Maple.

  Mike pointed through the windshield. “It’s the yellow house on the right.”

  The driver pulled forward. “Is this okay?”

  “Yeah, good enough.” Mike handed the driver a twenty, grabbed his bag, and stepped out. He waited until the car turned the corner then made a call to another independent company. He looked up at the house address. “I need a driver at 684 Maple Street in Allenton as soon as possible. Fifteen minutes? Yeah, that’ll work.”

  Chapter 59

  Karen opened her eyes and saw nothing but blue sky. “What the hell?” Instinctively, she reached for her shoulder mic, but it was gone. A searing pain shot through her ribs when she tried to sit, so she repositioned to her hands and knees. Blood ran from her nose to the dirt below. Short breaths helped as she braced herself against a rusty fifty-pound barrel and stood. She held her side and tried to regain her composure.

  A broken nose and ribs? That bastard got me good.

  Karen had to get around the garage and find Kate but breathing deeply enough to yell was too painful. She looked at her watch—forty minutes had passed since she began rummaging in the trash. With her hand above her eyes, she looked for movement but saw none in her immediate field of vision.

  I di
dn’t even hear him come up behind me. Where’s Kate? She would have found me if she was okay.

  With short steps forward, Karen used the wall of the garage to steady herself. When she reached the corner, she carefully peeked around it. Nobody was there.

  “Kate, where are you?” She gingerly drew her gun—every movement hurt—then she continued on. She had to get to her squad car to call for help. It was a hundred feet ahead, and she was thankful that he hadn’t taken either vehicle. Kate’s location was still an unknown, and Karen called out again, but her voice wasn’t strong enough to go the distance. A noise sounded from the east side of the house, and her startled turn caused her to grab her side. With slow breaths, she got through the pain, but she needed to know who was there. It could be Kate, or it could be Morton, but with her gun ready to fire, she had a decision to make—turn in that direction or continue to the car. She turned.

  Chapter 60

  Jack’s phone chirped as he drove. With his right hand, he dug it out of his left chest pocket and handed it to Amber. “See who that is.”

  “Lieutenant Steele’s phone, Detective Monroe speaking. Hang on, Lena, Jack’s driving. I’ll put you on Speakerphone so you can talk.” Amber tapped the icon and set the phone on the console.

  “What do you have, Lena?”

  “I’ve identified the type of berries and mushrooms in Naomi’s stomach—both poisonous, of course.”

  Jack slammed his fist against the steering wheel and let out a snarl. “That son of a bitch forced them down her throat too.”

  “It does appear that way. The berries would have acted first, causing severe dizziness, slurred speech, loss of motor functions, and unconsciousness.”

  “What kind of berries were they?”

  “Belladonna or deadly nightshade, and extremely toxic. They resemble blueberries, and that’s why children should never get their hands on them. The mushrooms would have taken Naomi out for good, but they act slower. Five hours or so before they would have kicked in. They’re the Destroying Angels variety and very deadly. She’d have had severe vomiting, and eventually her kidneys would shut down and she’d die.”

  “Okay. Great job, Lena, thanks.”

  Amber grabbed the dash as Jack slammed on his brakes, backed up, and made a sharp right-hand turn. According to the numbers on the mailbox, they had arrived, and Mike Morton’s house was directly to their right and well hidden by trees. Clayton’s cruiser was on Jack’s bumper. They reached the clearing at the front of the driveway, where the house was located. Both Kate’s cruiser and Karen’s squad car were parked there. Jack leapt from the driver’s seat, his gun already drawn, and yelled out to move in.

  “Amber, you and I will clear the house. Clayton and Billings, check the yard.”

  Jack called out to Kate as he pounded on the front door. With no response, he backed up, rushed the door with his shoulder, and broke it off the hinges. He turned left, and Amber went right. They cleared each room, one by one.

  Clayton yelled out from the east side of the house. “I have them. They’re both back here by the firepit.”

  Jack and Amber raced out the back door and turned left. Behind the garden and near the shed, a firepit surrounded by large stones was dug into the ground. Two plastic lawn chairs sat next to it. Billings and Clayton had already helped both women off the ground and onto the chairs.

  “Are you okay?” Amber asked as she ran to their sides. “Oh my God, you guys are a mess. What happened?”

  Karen’s weapon lay in the dirt next to her feet. She groaned as she tried to speak. “He sneaked up on me, punched me in the face, and stomped my ribs. Then he ripped my radio off my shoulder and tossed it in the garbage pile behind the garage. Thankfully, I still have my gun.” She turned to Kate. “I imagine Kate’s scenario is the same. His car wasn’t here, Jack. Silver still had eyes on it, but somehow—”

  “Don’t worry about it. We’ll find him,” Jack said. “Right now, we need to get you medical attention.”

  Kate shook her head. “I’ll be all right. He knocked the wind out of me and roughed me up, but nothing feels broken. The pain in my head is what took me out. It was so intense I couldn’t move, but now that he’s gone, it’s not as bad. Jack, he has my gun.”

  “It’s okay.” He looked at Clayton. “Put an APB out on him right away—armed and dangerous.” Jack examined Karen’s face. “Your nose looks broken, and your eyes are almost swollen closed.” He jerked his head at Billings. “Get an ambulance out here.” Jack turned to Kate. “Are you sure he’s gone?”

  “He was wearing a large backpack and disappeared through there.” She pointed toward the woods. “That was the last time I saw him.”

  Chapter 61

  “Once the ibuprofen kicks in, I’ll be okay. Now that Karen is in good hands at St. Joe’s, we can focus on finding Morton and arresting his sick ass.”

  Jack sat on the edge of my desk and rubbed his chin. “I still wish you had been checked out.”

  “I’m fine. Sore, yes, but not seriously hurt. There’s something going on with Morton, though.”

  Amber sneered. “Other than he’s a sicko who likes to beat up female cops and kill female students.”

  “Don’t forget his wife disappeared without a trace,” Billings said.

  “Yeah, that too.”

  “No, I mean there’s actually something physically wrong with him.”

  Jack frowned. “As in an illness?”

  “I’m not sure, but if this transference thing is real, my head starts pounding whenever I’m near him. Today was much worse than at the restaurant. It was debilitating.”

  “Yet he still gets around,” Clayton said.

  Jack turned to me. “Is the headache going away?”

  I nodded. “It’s getting better.”

  “Good. Do you remember anything that could be a clue to where he went? Did he say anything to you?”

  “Only personal insults, nothing that was important to the case. Maybe there’s something in the Explorer that will help.”

  Jack checked the time. “The flatbed should be back with it any minute. Kyle and Dan are standing by.”

  I squeezed my eyes closed. “Oh my God, I just remembered something. Seconds before he jumped me, I saw a piece of burnt cloth in the firepit. I picked it up, and that’s when he tackled me. It was red and stretchy like Spandex. It could have been clothing.”

  “And Naomi was nude,” Amber said.

  Jack pointed at Billings. “Call the courthouse and see if that warrant is ready. Better yet, run over there, pick it up, and then hit the Register of Deeds office. Find out if that property is deeded to either Michael Morton or Martin Glover. While you’re at it, get the address of every property in the entire state that is deeded to either name. It’s time to start tearing places apart.” Jack walked to the window and parted the blind’s slats. “The sun is dropping in the sky. Before long there will be too many shadows outside to search the grounds. I suppose you didn’t find any Salem cigarette butts before he jumped you?”

  “No, but there will probably be plenty in the house, plus he attacked two law enforcement officers. That’s grounds enough to put him away.”

  Jack cracked his neck. “I know, but we have one chance with the DA to get a conviction. I want all the evidence we can get our hands on.” Seconds later, he answered his ringing office phone, and I heard excitement in his voice. He hung up and stepped into the bull pen. “Clayton, run down to the evidence garage. Kyle said he has something we need to see.”

  “On it.” Clayton disappeared down the hallway toward the back staircase. He returned in less than five minutes. “This, my friends, just sealed Morton’s fate.”

  Jack stood. “Thank God. What is it?”

  “Would you believe he had a journal belonging to Becca in the glove box? There was also plastic sheeting jammed under the seat. Kyle is going to test it for prints and DNA. It could be what Naomi was transported to the marsh in.”

  I smirked. “
And he thinks he’s smart? No criminal with half a brain leaves evidence right in their own vehicle.”

  Jack slipped on a pair of gloves and pulled out the journal from the evidence bag. He turned the pages and read a few entries. “Just like we thought. That sick bastard told her he’d fail her in chemistry if she didn’t have sex with him.”

  I rubbed my temples. “And she must have threatened to expose him. Instead of backing off, he killed her.”

  “And I’m sure that’s the same reason Daphne and Naomi died too,” Amber said.

  “I’ll read this entire journal later, but I doubt if this information is something I’ll share with Becca’s parents. They’re dealing with enough sadness the way it is.”

  The door beeped, and Billings walked in waving the warrant above his head. “We’re good to go.”

  “What about other properties?”

  “The Register of Deeds had records for Becca’s building in Kewaskum, a four-plex in Horicon, and a duplex in Fond du Lac, registered to a Martin Glover. They said it would take longer to find others that may be owned by the C Corp.”

  “Okay, we’ll check out his own house first and then see if we can find information on more properties in our county. I’ll alert Fond du Lac and Dodge Counties about the other properties, and they’ll have to conduct those searches on their own. Let’s head out while we still have some daylight left. Horbeck and Jamison agreed to come in early and hold down the fort.”

  Chapter 62

  “Shut up, old woman, and be happy I don’t pour drain cleaner down your throat. You’re going to stay in that bathroom until further notice.” Mike heard sobbing coming from the other side of the door.

  She cried out, “I don’t understand. You seemed like a nice landlord. What happened? I pay my rent on time and—”

  “I said to shut up! My head is throbbing, and you aren’t helping things. You’re a means to an end, so keep quiet and you live. Get on my nerves and you die.”