Dead End

by Nancy Mehl

  He glanced at the clock on the dashboard. A little after nine o’clock. “We’re making good time. Let’s grab something to eat.”

  They were supposed to check into their hotel in Anamosa and then drive back to the Des Moines field office, but they were ahead of schedule, and Noah was hungry. He’d only had time to scarf down a granola bar before they’d headed out.

  “Sure. That sounds fine,” Kaely said, sounding distracted.

  “We’ll have to eat in the car, though. It’s too hot to leave Mr. Hoover out here without air conditioning.”

  Mr. Hoover was in a crate in the backseat. He seemed content to sleep and hadn’t raised a fuss yet.

  “We need to eat fast,” Kaely said. “I want to feed him and set up his litter box before our meeting.”

  Noah shook his head. “A litter box? We used to let our cats outside when I was a kid. We lived out in the country, so there was very little chance they would get run over or anything.”

  Kaely snorted. “Oh, the hotel would love a cat running around, making a mess. Besides, your cats knew the area. Mr. Hoover will be in a brand-new place. It’s not safe.” She stared at Noah through narrowed eyes. “It’s really not safe to let cats outside anyway, you know. Too many predators in the country. Too much traffic in the city. A lot could go wrong.”

  Noah shrugged as if he disagreed with her, but the truth was his family had lost a couple of cats just the way Kaely mentioned. He could still feel the pain of those losses. If he ever decided to get a cat or dog, he’d make sure it went outside only when it was leashed.

  “What are you hungry for?” Noah asked, thrusting the hurtful memories away.

  “Don’t care. Anything’s fine.”

  Noah had seen a sign advertising several restaurants in a small town about twenty miles this side of Des Moines. He took the exit to the town and found a place that had lots of cars out front. Kaely asked for some kind of muffin—something that wasn’t too messy. Once inside, Noah sat down on a stool in front of a large counter. He’d wondered if it was a mistake to try some out-of-the-way place in a town so small that McDonald’s was one of their main restaurants. However, if the food matched the aroma coming from the kitchen, taking a chance could be well worth it.

  A waitress came over and handed him a menu. After reading through it, Noah ordered a banana nut muffin for Kaely. He decided on the Sunrise Special—scrambled eggs, corned beef hash, and hash browns.

  As he waited, he noticed a small TV mounted on the wall. Noah called the waitress back. “Would you turn that up, please? Just for that story?”

  “Sure, honey.” The waitress, whose name tag read Suzie, picked up a remote control sitting on the counter by the cash register and then pointed it at the TV.

  “The body of a young woman was found in front of an abandoned gas station on the edge of town,” a reporter was saying. “Police aren’t confirming that it’s the work of a copycat killer, but speculation seems to point that way. A source tells us the body was placed there sometime last night.”

  Noah noticed the crawl across the bottom of the screen capitalized Copycat Killer. Kaely would hate that, but she wouldn’t be surprised. Worse, the fact that this killer was copying her father was out now. Someone in the know had evidently clued in the press.

  The reporter seemed to be distracted by something. Then Chief Sawyer walked past her, and she tried to get his attention, asking him for a comment. He ignored her. Noah could see agents from the Bureau in the background. That told him the body definitely had the trademarks of whoever was trying to mirror Ed Oliphant’s killings.

  “Thanks,” Noah said to Suzie, who turned down the sound so it was loud enough to hear only if you strained your ears and wouldn’t disrupt conversation in the restaurant.

  “Hope they catch that creep,” the waitress said. “I remember The Raggedy Man. I was a teenager when he killed all those women. Made me afraid to leave the house. Feel the same way now.” She cocked her head toward the parking lot. “The cook, Richie, walks me to my car every night. Waits until I drive out of the lot before he leaves. I’ll keep doin’ that until it’s safe again. They say this guy is tryin’ to copy that Oliphant guy.”

  She shook her head. “It’s like he’s come back. I’m prayin’ they catch the Copycat Killer quickly. We don’t need to live through that again.” She exhaled loudly. “Sorry. Hard not to talk about it.” She looked back toward the kitchen. “Your food will be ready in a few minutes.”

  As she walked away, Noah’s concern about Kaely facing her father lessened. She was right. She had to do this. Suzie had put a face on the terror Des Moines had gone through. It wasn’t right to allow it to happen again. Kaely was in fighting mode. She would battle tooth and nail to find this now-named Copycat Killer. Noah would have to hope the strength she’d summoned to face her father was enough.

  When Suzie came back with a large bag that contained their food, he paid her and then headed to the car. Kaely was getting ready to confront her nightmares, and Noah hoped the cost wouldn’t be too high.

  Nine

  Kaely and Noah had checked into their hotel and then driven back to Des Moines. Now they were waiting at the field office to speak to John Howard, special agent in charge; Tobias Bell, head of the FBI Resident Agency in Des Moines; and Chief Sawyer. Chief Sawyer had called them not long after they arrived to confirm their meeting at the Des Moines FBI office. He made it clear that Howard and Bell were both willing to let Kaely approach her father. Kaely was relieved, but she was pretty sure the powers that be at Quantico weren’t too happy about it. She was certain they wanted the BAU on-site. She was also certain that if she failed, they’d be called in.

  The door to the small waiting area opened, and Chief Sawyer walked in. Behind him was John Howard and another man who was probably Tobias Bell. Kaely was surprised by Bell. He was younger than most SSAs. His hair was silver, but he looked close to Kaely’s age. He was tall and lanky with intense sky blue eyes that locked on her and appeared to be sizing her up. An odd thought popped into her head. If this were a movie, Bell would be perfect for his part.

  When John introduced her and Noah, Bell put out his hand and shook theirs. His handshake was firm, and his smile seemed genuine.

  “Let’s go into my office,” he said.

  Noah and Kaely walked through the door he held open. It led to a spacious office with a large wooden desk. A dark brown leather couch was pushed up against one wall, and bookcases covered the other walls except for a small area with a coffee bar and a mini refrigerator. Kaely noticed that he had just two photographs. Both showed him with an older couple, probably his parents. No siblings, so Bell was probably an only child.

  His office was pristine, and all the wood was polished. Bell was a man who liked order and discipline, something Kaely had seen before in only children.

  Bell pulled two high-backed leather chairs from in front of his desk and positioned them next to the couch before waving his hand toward them. “Please, have a seat. Anyone thirsty? I have coffee, water, apple juice . . .” He paused for a moment. “A couple bottles of green tea. Very good.”

  He knew exactly what supplies he had, and Kaely would have bet her next paycheck that his small refrigerator was clean and shiny inside. No expired food. He would probably be horrified by her fridge.

  They all declined his offer. After moving some neatly stacked files and papers out of the way, Bell sat down on the edge of his desk. Kaely noticed he was wearing light blue socks that matched his tie . . . and his eyes.

  “We have a few questions,” John said.

  Kaely nodded and looked at SAC Howard expectantly. However, the first question came from Bell. “I understand you’re willing to talk to your father, Special Agent Quinn.”

  “Yes, sir. I doubt he’ll talk to me, but I’ll give it a try.”

  “I know this must be hard for you.”

  “Yes, it is difficult. I haven’t had contact with him since before he was convicted.”

>   “This is a request, you know, not an order,” John said.

  “Thank you, sir. I understand that.”

  “From my research, it seems your family thought he was innocent right after his arrest?”

  Kaely nodded. “That’s right. You probably know it’s not unusual for friends and relatives to deny the possibility someone they know, someone they trust, could be a monster.”

  Bell’s eyebrows shot up. “You see these killers as . . . monsters? Inhuman?”

  Shocked by his question, she frowned. “Of course. Don’t you?”

  He hesitated a moment before saying, “I think what they’ve done is terrible, but I believe they’re sick people, usually twisted by the past. That doesn’t mean they don’t deserve the sentences they’re given, though. They should never step outside of prison walls again.”

  “Then you think they can be . . . rehabilitated?” Kaely said, trying to control her irritation at his naiveté.

  Bell shrugged. “With intensive therapy, I think they have a chance. Something everyone should have, don’t you think?”

  His condescending tone and the way he straightened his shoulders were signs that SSA Bell considered himself an expert on things he knew nothing about.

  “My father feels no remorse for his actions,” Kaely said. “He’s proud of what he’s done. Even if he admitted it was wrong, inside he wouldn’t really believe it. And the gratification he got from all the attention he received from the media and even law enforcement? It stroked his ego.” She glared at Bell. “Do you understand what I’m saying? He enjoyed seeing himself on TV. Reading articles about himself. He loved the attention he got for viciously slaughtering fourteen women.” She swallowed. “Maybe more. If that isn’t monstrous, I don’t know what is.”

  “May I ask why we’re talking about this?” Noah asked.

  Kaely could hear the annoyance in his voice. He was clearly upset because of her reaction to Bell’s comments. She hadn’t meant to react so strongly. Bell was allowed his opinion. Ever since she learned she was coming back to Des Moines, though, she’d felt the need to remind herself that her father was a psychopath. Was it her way of protecting herself? Not seeing her father as a human being but a textbook case?

  “We just want you to be prepared, Agent Quinn,” John said.

  “Yes, sir,” she choked out. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay. Perfectly understandable.” He tossed her a small smile. “We’ve asked a lot of you. You’re allowed to be a little upset.”

  Kaely wasn’t sure her level of upset could be called little, but she appreciated his attempt to placate her. She couldn’t afford to come across as unstable, or they would pull her off this case. She needed to cool it.

  “Your father may try to play on your emotions,” Bell said. He leaned forward and fastened his eyes on hers. “You’ll need to remember why you’re here. Can you do that?”

  There it was. She had to keep her emotions in check. If she didn’t, she’d be asked to leave. She was surprised to find herself fighting to stay.

  “Trust me. That won’t happen,” Kaely said, calm but firm. “First, I’m a behavioral analyst. I understand the psychopathic personality.” She had to bite her tongue not to add much better than you do. “Besides, no one knows him better than me. I spent fourteen years with him. I’ve heard his lies many times. Nothing he could say or do can manipulate me.”

  She looked at John. “I can do my job. I won’t let you down.”

  “I hope that’s true, Agent Quinn,” he said. “I appreciate you answering our questions. Even though I’m in charge of this . . . operation, I wanted Tobias to meet you. Put his mind at ease. We’re all going to be working together.”

  “What do we do now?” Kaley asked.

  “We haven’t told him you’re coming,” John said.

  Kaely’s mouth dropped open. “You expect me to walk in and say, ‘Surprise, Pop. Guess who!’”

  “Uh, actually, no,” John said, his tone dry.

  Kaely sighed. “You’re trying to catch him unaware. You think it might cause him to open up.”

  “That’s the hope,” Bell said.

  Kaely shook her head. “Won’t work. Ed doesn’t have the kind of reactions you’re looking for. Mainly because he doesn’t care.”

  “I thought people like that were called sociopaths,” Chief Sawyer said.

  “Sociopaths are similar to psychopaths, but they’re volatile and disorganized,” Kaely said. “Psychopaths can mimic feelings even though they don’t have them. They can be charming. And they’re organized. Calculating. That’s my father. He won’t be disturbed by my surprise entrance. Trust me. If he reacts at all, he’ll see my visit only as an opportunity to get something he wants.”

  “Kaely, do you think your father ever loved you?” Bell asked. “Ever had feelings for you and your brother? For your mother?”

  “You have to understand. My father saw us as possessions. Possessions to be protected because we belonged to him. That’s why I’m not sure this is going to succeed.”

  The room fell silent. Kaely could almost hear the gears turning in their heads. Was this going to work? Or were they wondering if they’d made a mistake by bringing her here? She’d certainly given them a reason to worry about her ability to handle herself in the situation.

  “We don’t have other options,” John said. “We realize we’re asking a lot of you, but we’ve tried everything else. I don’t want to sound overly dramatic, but you’re our last hope.”

  Exactly what Sawyer had said in St. Louis.

  “You know, usually psychopaths like to talk,” Kaely said, frowning. “It strokes their egos. Gives them a chance to prove how clever they are. I don’t understand why my father won’t speak to you. Doesn’t make sense.”

  “We’re aware of that,” Bell said. “We’ve appealed more than once to his ego. Nothing.”

  “That’s unusual behavior.” She was trying to see her father as any other psychopath. They really did love to drone on and on about themselves. She couldn’t help but be somewhat intrigued. “I already told you I’d confront him,” she said. “I’m not going to back out, but I have some requests.”

  Bell’s eyes narrowed. “Like what?”

  “I need to see what you have so far. Including the bodies.”

  “I prepared a file for you,” Sawyer said. He reached into a briefcase he’d brought with him and extracted a file folder, which he handed to her.

  “There’s more,” she said when he put down the briefcase. “I go in alone.” She shot a quick glance at Noah and saw his lips thin, but she kept going. “And remove Ed’s shackles.”

  “Absolutely not,” John said. “It’s too dangerous. Warden Galloway would never allow it.”

  “I’ll be safe. Hurting me won’t help him, so he won’t do it.”

  “Is that it?” John asked, his face creased in a deep frown. It was clear he wasn’t happy about her requests.

  “No. He wears regular clothes. Not an orange jumpsuit.”

  “You’re trying to make him feel at ease?” Bell asked.

  “No. I need to walk in there like his daughter, not an FBI agent. If I come off as being more powerful than he is . . .”

  “You don’t want him to feel inferior to you,” John said.

  Kaely nodded slowly. If she had her way, she’d go in wearing her FBI jacket with her gun in view. She wanted this man to know he hadn’t ruined her, that she was okay. That she was strong. Stronger than he was. Humbling herself in front of her father might be one of the hardest things she’d ever do, but it was the only chance they had.

  “I don’t know,” John said, shaking his head. “It sounds too dangerous.”

  “I don’t like it,” Noah said to her. “You need to rethink this. You say your father doesn’t care about you. Doesn’t that mean he wouldn’t hesitate to hurt you? What if the guards can’t get to you fast enough? At least keep him shackled.”

  Kaely saw the fear in Noah’s eye
s. Would this push him even further away? She looked away from him. She really had no choice. Couldn’t he see that?

  Before she could respond to Noah, Chief Sawyer’s cell phone rang. “Excuse me,” he said, looking at the display on his screen. The rest of them waited while he took the call. Kaely saw his expression change. When he broke the connection, he said, “We have confirmation from the ME that the body found at the gas station was put there by our copycat.” He locked his gaze on John. “Please, give her whatever she asks. We have no other choice.”

  John didn’t reply. He just nodded.

  Ten

  Noah studied Kaely as she looked over the dinner menu at a restaurant she’d recommended in downtown Des Moines. They had a long drive back to Anamosa, but this seemed important to her. Tomorrow morning Bell and Sawyer planned to meet them at the prison. John Howard wasn’t certain he could be there, and now the chief was a maybe because of the discovery of the body at the gas station.

  Noah was still angry about Kaely’s decision to meet her father alone. No matter what she said, it sounded dangerous. Ed Oliphant had strangled at least twenty-three women. What in the world would keep him from killing Kaely if he became angry? Still, John had made it clear they’d be watching Ed’s every move on camera. If they thought for even a second that Kaely was in danger, the guards posted outside the door would storm into the room with stun guns and mace. Frankly, Noah would feel better if they had guns, but only the tower guards were armed at Anamosa. Even he and Kaely would have to surrender their weapons when they checked in to the prison.

  “What do you recommend?” Noah asked, trying to keep his feelings in check. He was determined to keep an emotional distance between him and Kaely. If this was her decision, he had to live with it. She was a friend, yes, but it still wasn’t really any of his business.