by Nancy Mehl
Sawyer rubbed his hands on his pant legs. A pacifying action. “Buried there sometime in the last six or seven months.”
“And you believe my father, after twenty-one years, has recruited someone to pick up where he left off? Why in the world did it take him so long to find this . . . apprentice?”
“I can’t answer that question,” Sawyer said, frowning. “But we certainly have to explore the possibility. Surely you can see that.”
Kaely ran the facts through her mind, trying to separate emotion from truth. As Sawyer pointed out, if the older victims belonged to her father, he had to be involved somehow. He was the only one who could have led the copycat to the field. She clasped her hands together to stop them from trembling. She’d prayed her father would eventually just fade away. Rot away in prison, where he couldn’t touch her. But here he was again, spreading his wickedness, bringing his malevolence into her life. Truth be told, she hated him for it.
“It’s a lot to dismiss,” Noah said, speaking for only the second time. “Sounds like Ed Oliphant’s implicated somehow.” He looked at Kaely. She knew he was trying to help, but she didn’t need his input. She understood the ramifications of the findings in the field.
“Doesn’t the prison monitor his letters and phone calls?” she asked. “Wouldn’t they know if he was in contact with someone?”
“I wish they had perfect control,” Sawyer said, “but some things get past the safeguards. Messages are passed along by other inmates. Maybe someone from the outside, a visitor, is communicating through another prisoner. Inmates who work in the mailroom could be passing along letters secretly. It’s pretty easy to bribe prisoners with cigarettes, money in their accounts.” He sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Some of the inmates are clever. Your father could certainly be corresponding with our killer somehow. We’ve contacted the warden and asked him to tighten Oliphant’s security.”
“You’ve checked all his visitors?” Noah said.
Sawyer snorted. “He doesn’t allow visitors. And although quite a few women would like to correspond with him, he doesn’t respond to them. These are foolish women who write to serial killers as if they’re some kind of Hollywood stars. It’s disgusting.”
“You say he hasn’t written to any of them?” Noah asked.
“No. Doesn’t even accept their letters—unless there’s money in them. That’s why this caught prison officials off guard. He’s one of the most isolated inmates they’ve ever had.”
Kaely wasn’t surprised. He’d kept to himself quite a bit before he was caught. Didn’t like having people over to the house. He’d worked at the church but only attended required meetings. He rarely went to social events or spent personal time with the parishioners. There was no chance any of them would visit him now. Kaely and her family had been deserted by almost everyone they knew when the identity of The Raggedy Man was revealed. Even if someone requested a visit, she was certain he wouldn’t agree to see them.
“So, then, the only human contact he has on a regular basis is with other prisoners and the guards?” she asked.
“As far as I’m aware.” Sawyer shrugged. “The warden would know more about that than I do.”
Kaely leaned forward and stared at the man. “You need to investigate everyone around him. Everyone he talks to.”
“Omaha has opened a Domestic Police Cooperation case,” Solomon said. “They’ve sent in the Evidence Response Team. And the lab will be available.”
Kaely frowned. She’d assumed Des Moines would want to avail itself of the full resources of the FBI.
“So the BAU isn’t coming?” she asked.
“Not at this time. That could change. For now, your insight would be welcome.”
“But I can’t—”
“If asked, you can offer advice,” Solomon said. “You understand?”
Kaely nodded, still not sure she wanted anything to do with this. They could ask for the Behavioral Analysis Unit. Why hadn’t they?
“Noah, you’ll be accompanying her as lead agent,” Solomon said.
Sawyer turned to Noah. “You’ll be helping her prep for the interview, taking notes, reviewing visitor logs and mail, and interviewing prison personnel. We need to know if Oliphant might be conning or blackmailing someone to get messages out of the prison. You might also be talking to other prisoners, searching for some kind of connection. Someone is helping him, and we need to find out who it is. Fast.”
“Ed hasn’t actually said anything about the killings,” Kaely said softly. She was talking to herself, but Sawyer took it as a question.
“Right. As I said, we’ve tried several times to get information out of him. We’ve even tried to bribe him. Offered to give him more freedom. More time outside. Even move him to a larger cell with a window.” He sighed. “He wasn’t interested. He just sat there, refusing to talk. His therapist won’t reveal anything—doctor-client privilege. You’re the only option left to us. You’re a trained behavioral analyst, and I understand you’re exceptional at what you do. I believe you can tell us more, see more about your father than anyone else.”
He locked eyes with her. “Special Agent Quinn, we truly believe you may be the only person in the world who can stop these murders.”
Four
Kaely stared at the seafood salad she’d ordered for lunch. Noah was devouring his patty melt, and the aroma of the grilled onions on his sandwich made her stomach flip. But mostly, the idea of facing her father again horrified her. She felt as if she were locked inside a nightmare and couldn’t find her way out. She just couldn’t do it. She had to say no. Had to get back to the life she had before walking into Solomon’s office this morning.
She’d called Jason and told him what was going on. And about the Scripture. He’d dismissed her concerns. “Dad’s not out to get us, Kaely. I’m sure of it.” She didn’t argue with him, just told him that the FBI in Colorado would be contacting him. He wasn’t happy about it, but she was relieved to know they’d keep an eye on her brother.
Noah put down his sandwich and wiped his mouth. “Kaely, you don’t have to face your dad. You’ve been through enough because of him. Let the FBI do its job. Other behavioral analysts exist, you know. Someone will get him to talk. This isn’t on you. Really. Just say no.”
Kaely had to smile. “Not sure repeating Nancy Reagan’s antidrug motto from the eighties will help me.”
“You know what I mean. Couldn’t talking to him be dangerous?”
Kaely shook her head. “No, I seriously doubt it. He’ll be chained. He can’t hurt me.”
“Maybe not physically, but I worry about what this will do to you emotionally.”
Kaely picked up her fork and jabbed at a piece of crab. “But what if Chief Sawyer is right? What if Ed is willing to talk to me? How can I live knowing someone died because I couldn’t face my fears? Omaha obviously didn’t call in the BAU because they think I’ll have more success.” She sighed. “They really believe I’m the only one who can get my father to talk.”
“For crying out loud, Kaely. You’re not responsible for everything.” He tapped his fork on the side of his plate with force. “I don’t think you should be put in this position. And, frankly, I have to wonder how the Omaha office feels about you questioning your dad. Why did the request come from Chief Sawyer? Why didn’t it come from them?”
“Good point,” Kaely said, frowning. “Maybe they don’t want me.” A spark of hope ignited inside her. If Omaha didn’t want her to confront her father, she couldn’t do it. “But why would Chief Sawyer come all this way if he thought Omaha would resist bringing me in?”
Noah shrugged. “What did you pick up from him?”
“I didn’t detect any dishonesty. He was nervous, though.” Kaely took a deep breath. “I can read people’s physical reactions, but I don’t know exactly why he was uncomfortable. Was it because he knows Omaha isn’t behind his request? Or was it because he didn’t like having to ask me to do what he knew would be traumatic fo
r me? I wish I knew the answer.”
“I assumed you could read Sawyer and figure out what he was thinking. You seem to know every thought that pops into my head.”
Kaely paused a moment. “Some of them. Not all. Ever since we came back from Nebraska, I’m almost never sure what you’re thinking. I wish you’d talk to me about it.”
Noah’s expression immediately tightened. “We’ve gone over this more than once, but I’m not convinced you get it.”
“You’re still angry about what happened in Darkwater?”
Noah stared at her a moment before answering. “You put yourself in terrible danger, Kaely. I understand the original plan, but you pushed it way too far.”
“I just wanted to make sure we brought down our perp.”
Noah swore. “At what cost? Your life?” He shook his head. “And it wasn’t the first time.”
Kaely felt a flash of anger. “Look, nothing is more important to me than doing my job. No matter what it takes.”
“I know that, believe me.” He took a drink of his soda and then put the glass down. “Look, let’s just leave it. We’re friends. That will never change. I just . . . I just can’t get too close to you. You’re dangerous. I didn’t think I could make it after Tracy died. If anything happened to you . . .”
Kaely searched his face. She knew what he was saying, but neither one of them had admitted to the feelings that had developed between them. It seemed that the only way Noah could cope was to keep their relationship in the friend zone. That was okay with her, but their friendship wasn’t the same because of the wall he’d built around himself. She couldn’t get through it no matter what she said or did. Not knowing what else to say, she picked up her fork and stared at a piece of shrimp.
“Are you going to actually eat that or just admire it?”
Kaely put her fork back in her salad. “I seem to have lost my appetite. I think I’ll take this back to the office and put it in the fridge. It will make a great supper.”
“Do you have any other food at your place?” Noah asked, his tone dry.
“Sure. I have plenty of food, thank you.”
“I’m not talking about cat food.”
Kaely frowned at him. “Okay, maybe not much human food. I’ll get to the store. I’ve been busy.”
“Busy in your war room? Still looking over cold cases from across the country?”
“Maybe. Talk about reading someone’s mind. I think you might be better at it than I am.”
Noah finished his sandwich and then stuck several fries in his mouth before washing them down with his soda. “Comes from experience,” he finally said. “There’s not much I don’t know about you.”
His statement made her feel uncomfortable. “You’re delusional, you know that?” She tried to sound lighthearted.
Noah chuckled. “So you’ve told me more than once even though you’re the one with the invisible friend.”
Kaely snorted. “Wow, am I sorry for telling you about Georgie.”
Kaely had invented Georgie several years ago to bounce ideas off of when she had no one else to talk to. Kaely had never seen Georgie as a negative thing, but Noah had expressed concern about her depending too much on someone who wasn’t real. Kaely couldn’t really understand why Georgie worried him. Kaely had never confused her with a real person. She was simply the other voice in Kaely’s head, the voice that cautioned her. Encouraged her. Even warned her. Since coming back from her forced vacation, Kaely hadn’t called for Georgie, and so far, her invisible friend had stayed away.
“I’m worried about that Scripture, Kaely,” Noah said, changing the subject. “Why did the killer put it there? Do you think it’s a message to you and your brother?”
“I doubt it. Could just be his signature. The reason he kills. He could be referring to himself. Some kind of family thing.” But something deep inside told her the message was directed to her. Maybe she was just being paranoid. Not everything that happened in the world was about her.
“What can I do to help?” Noah asked. “How about I bring some Chinese over tonight and we’ll talk this whole thing through?”
Kaely turned Noah’s offer over in her mind. She felt the need to spend some time by herself. To try to figure this out. But the truth was she didn’t want to be alone. The entrance of her father back into her life had affected her more than she wanted to admit. And something that happened in Nebraska kept flitting through her mind—a warning from an invisible UNSUB during one of her unique profiling sessions. “Okay,” she said. “That would be great.”
“About seven?”
Kaely nodded. “Sounds good. Mr. Hoover will be happy to see you.”
Her cat, a Maine Coon, loved Noah. He’d head straight for Noah’s lap whenever he came to visit. At first, she tried to make him get down, but Noah waved her away. “I don’t mind,” he said. When he started petting Mr. Hoover and smiling when the cat produced a loud purr, Kaely realized Noah wasn’t being mannerly. He really liked the large feline.
“I have a new toy for him,” Noah said.
Kaely sighed. “You know Mr. Hoover doesn’t like toys. I’ve got a basket full of stuff he doesn’t pay any attention to. I think you bought most of them.”
Mr. Hoover was nothing if not reserved. He always stared at the toys Noah brought as if to say I’m way too cool for this. What’s wrong with you? Then he’d stick his tail straight up in the air and walk away as if slightly offended. Kaely thought it was funny, but Noah took it as a challenge. He was determined to find something Mr. Hoover would react to. If Mr. Hoover’s toy basket got much fuller, she’d need additional storage for all his rejected playthings.
“Well, he doesn’t have this one. Five bucks he’ll love it.”
Kaely stuck out her hand, and Noah reached over the table and shook it.
“Five dollars,” she said. “I hate to take your money. This is too easy.”
Noah smiled. “We’ll see. I’m nothing if not committed.”
Kaely raised an eyebrow. “I think you mean you should be committed.”
“Funny. You’re just hysterical.”
“I know.” Kaely gestured to their waitress. When she came to the table, Kaely asked for the check and a to-go box.
Noah wiped his mouth and downed the rest of his soda. “What are you going to tell Solomon?”
“That I need some time to think. Maybe you and I will come up with something tonight.” She was horrified when tears suddenly filled her eyes. “I . . . I don’t want to see him, Noah. I really don’t, but then I remember the times he acted . . . like a dad. Taking us to the state fair. Showing up at school activities for me and Jason. I’ve tried to forget all that, but memories pop into my head. I can’t help it.” She dabbed her tears with her napkin.
Noah was quiet for a moment. “Maybe that’s okay. You’ve done this long enough to realize that a lot of these people are more than just the evil they’ve done.”
“But my father is a psychopath. He had to have been pretending all that time. Trying to look like he cared about his family.” She grunted. “Besides killing all those women, he cheated on my mom, you know. Doesn’t sound like a loving, dedicated husband and father.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“The thing is, I could swear he cared about us. I fell off my bike once, and we thought my leg was broken. My father picked me up in his arms and held me while my mom drove us to the hospital. You should have seen his face. He looked terrified. Had tears in his eyes. And he used to grab my mother when certain romantic songs came on the radio. They’d dance in the living room like two kids in love. He even sang some of the songs to Jason and me.” She shook her head in frustration. “Why weren’t we enough?”
Noah frowned at her. “This had nothing to do with you, and you know that.”
“Yeah, I do. But even though I understand the psychology behind Ed’s . . . proclivities, it’s like a child is still living somewhere inside me. An angry child who wants him to explain why h
e did those things. It doesn’t make sense, but it’s there. I know I’m not the only child of a serial killer to go through this. Dennis Rader’s daughter, Kerri Rawson, was hit really hard when the truth about her father came out. I read her book.” Kaely sighed deeply. “Boy, could I relate. But it also confused me.”
“What do you mean?”
Kaely was quiet for a moment as she tried to gather her words. “Rader was so similar to my father. He was organized. Planned his kills. Had no compassion. Showed no mercy. But both of them . . .”
“Appeared to care about their families?”
She nodded slowly.
“I don’t know the answer to that, Kaely. You’re the expert.” He shrugged. “Maybe as much as we understand, we’ll never comprehend everything.”
Kaely nodded again. “You’re probably right.”
The waitress came back to the table and gave them their bills. She handed Kaely a box to put her salad in, smiled, and walked away.
“Rader’s daughter made the decision to never see her father again. But she does write to him.” Kaely scooped her salad into the box. “I’ve never written to my dad. I believe in forgiveness, but something like this . . . The idea of forgiving him makes me feel as though I’d be accepting what’s been done. That I’d be almost complicit in it.”
“I don’t know much about it,” Noah said, “but I don’t think forgiving someone means you have to tolerate their behavior. Tracy used to say forgiving means you let it go but you don’t necessarily forget. You still need to protect yourself. Your heart, your emotions.” He appeared to scrutinize her. “Sometimes I think you ask too much of yourself.”
Kaely turned his words over in her mind. His wife had been a wise woman. Kaely wished she could have known her. “I’ve said the words, you know, that I’ve forgiven my father, but I still feel anger . . . and hurt. I’m depending on God to bring me the rest of the way. Kerri got there. If she and God can do it, maybe I can too.”
Noah’s eyes searched hers. “I’m really not sure you should do this, but I have to wonder if seeing him again will help you in some way.”
