Dead End

by Nancy Mehl

  Kaely wanted to rip into the police chief, but there wasn’t time. Jason had mentioned wanting to witness to their father. She’d tried to tell him it wouldn’t do any good, but obviously he hadn’t listened. Clearly, he hadn’t told her about the visits because he knew she’d be upset.

  Kaely took a deep, steadying breath. “Okay. When I ask him if he needs anything, bring the food in.” She glared at Sawyer. “Anything else you’re keeping from me before I go in there?”

  “Because we’ve questioned him, he knows about the killings, of course,” Sawyer said, “but we haven’t told him about the Scripture. If he’s working with someone, though, he already knows about it.”

  “News from the outside does get in here,” Galloway added. “We have a TV in the community room, but your father never goes there. Doesn’t watch TV. He would rather read. Reads voraciously.”

  “We haven’t released anything about the Scripture, though,” John said. “The media doesn’t know about it.” He pointed to a door down the hall from where they stood. “We’ll be in that room, watching the camera feed from the interview room. We’ll be able to see and hear everything that’s happening. If anything goes wrong, we’ll have guards with mace and stun guns inside the room within seconds. They’re standing by, waiting for our signal.”

  Kaely walked over to the door but held up her hand as a sign to wait. She breathed deeply in and out, setting her mind on God, silently putting herself in His hands. The Scripture Noah mentioned ran through her head again. God has not given me a spirit of fear. Kaely realized that Georgie’s urgings were gone. The only voice she could hear was her own. She was ready. Slowly, she put her arm down and nodded. She was going to do something she’d promised herself she’d never do.

  Galloway knocked on the door, and it opened. A guard stood on the other side. He held the door wide so Kaely could walk through, and once she was inside, he closed it.

  She was in a rather large room. In the middle was a table with two chairs. A man sat there, his back to her. Although she couldn’t see his face, she recognized her father. His once-black hair, which he used to be so proud of, was streaked with gray.

  Kaely turned to the guard. She was surprised to see he was rather short. But then she noticed his muscular build. Hopefully, he could manage Ed if he got out of control. She had to trust that Warden Galloway had chosen this guard because he knew he could depend on him.

  The guard’s expression made it clear that he wasn’t completely comfortable with the orders he’d been given. He shook his head as he walked over to the table and told her father to hold out his hands. Then he unlocked the cuffs that held the chain around his wrists before coming around the table. Ed turned to the side, and the guard leaned down and unlocked the cuffs around his ankles. He pulled away the shackles and carried them to a nearby hook on the wall, then attached them to the hook and walked back to Kaely. “Are you sure—”

  Kaely shook her head and raised her finger to her lips. “I’ll be fine,” she said quietly. She appreciated his obvious concern and glanced at his badge. Kenneth Beck. “Thank you for your help, Kenneth.”

  Kenneth nodded, then walked slowly toward the door in the back of the room. He looked back before opening it.

  Kaely smiled, trying to reassure him. He shrugged and then finally walked out. The door banged shut, and a wave of something like claustrophobia hit Kaely. It didn’t make sense. The room wasn’t small. Of course, the lack of windows didn’t help. She looked up at one of the cameras mounted on the ceiling. She felt reassured to know that Noah was watching. Kaely glanced around the room and counted at least four other cameras.

  The Scriptures she’d heard played over and over in her mind as she walked toward the table where her father waited.

  Fourteen

  Kaely didn’t say a word as she approached the table. She stepped around the side and pulled out the chair across from her father, then steeled herself to look at him. When she did, a shock ran through her body. She’d spent so many years pushing him out of her mind that she’d actually forgotten what he looked like. Seeing his face again brought it all back in a rush of images. Her childhood. The times she’d spent with him. Even though she’d always felt rather distanced from him emotionally, he’d played the role of father to the hilt. For the first time in twenty odd years, she remembered that she’d once loved him. That she’d looked up to him.

  She felt frozen. Couldn’t speak. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds . . . God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power . . . Kaely pictured the photos of the women her father had slaughtered, reminding herself why she was here. The man sitting across from her wasn’t her father. He was a psychopath. He was a forgery dreamt up by a sick mind. The father she’d loved didn’t exist. Never had.

  Slowly, Special Agent Kaely Quinn filled her, driving out the scared child who’d forgotten for a moment who she was. She was here because she had been trained to understand someone like Ed Oliphant on a psychological level. And even more important, she was a child of God, and she had the upper hand.

  “Hello, Dad,” she said. Although she spoke softly, her voice stayed steady.

  At first Kaely wasn’t sure he was going to acknowledge her. Would he follow the same routine he’d presented to other law enforcement officers? Total silence? Refusing to respond? After several seconds, he met her eyes. “Hello, Jessie,” he said in his familiar, gravelly voice.

  “It’s been a long time.”

  “I know how long it’s been. Time goes by slowly here.”

  “Do you know why I’m here?” There was no reason to try tricking him. He knew the FBI had asked her to talk to him. They might as well tackle the elephant in the room first. Get it out in the open.

  “They think you can make me crack. Tell them about these killings.”

  “Will it work?”

  His eyes narrowed. “You’re with the FBI now?” he said, sidestepping her question. “You hunt down people like me?”

  Kaely shook her head. “I don’t hunt anyone. I just help law enforcement narrow down the possibilities.”

  “Like the guy who helped the police find me.”

  “Yes. Just like that.”

  He leaned forward in his chair and put his elbows on the table. Kaely could smell sweat and cigarettes. She’d forgotten that her father smoked. The aroma made her stomach churn. She hated the smell of cigarette smoke. Now she remembered why.

  “You look the same,” he said, a hint of surprise in his voice. “How old are you now? Thirty-five? Thirty-six?”

  “I’ll be thirty-five at the end of the month.”

  He nodded. “August thirtieth.”

  “Right.”

  “Yet you still look fourteen,” he said. “How can that be?”

  Kaely managed a smile. “You’re seeing what you want to see, Dad.”

  “Maybe.” He shifted in his chair. “So what information are you supposed to get out of me, Jessie? I really don’t know anything about these . . . what are they calling them? Copycat killings?” He shrugged. “Obviously, someone is trying to emulate me, but I don’t know who it is. He’s not connected to me in any way. Look around you. How could I possibly be in contact with anyone on the outside?”

  Kaely studied her father closely. She hadn’t noticed any signs of deception, but as she looked at him, he suddenly blinked several times. Did that mean he was lying? She couldn’t be sure. The air from a nearby vent could be drying out his eyes. She considered her next move. She had to be careful. If she pushed too hard, he might clam up.

  “Do you need anything, Dad? Maybe some money in your account?”

  “I wouldn’t turn it down. Helps to pay for cigarettes. Candy. Toiletries.”

  “Okay. I’ll take care of it before I leave.” She frowned at him. “How do you usually get money?”

  For the first time he grinned. “Women. Women send money.”

  “What women, Dad?” Kaely had decid
ed to call him Dad to remind him of the man he’d pretended to be. If she could get him to slip into that role, it would help her. Most psychopaths had more than one persona. They tended to cling to their other, better personality in an attempt to convince themselves they weren’t the monsters they actually were.

  Ted Bundy had worked on a suicide hotline, helping people battling with depression. Ann Rule, who ended up writing about her time with Ted, was convinced he’d saved many lives. Even faced with solid evidence, it took her a long time to accept that the Ted Bundy she knew was a twisted, perverted serial killer. Even after he was convicted, Ted continued to slip into the personality he’d created—the good guy who cared about people.

  If Kaely could get her father to do the same thing, maybe his father persona would tell her what she needed to know.

  “These are crazy women, Jessie. Women who think they know me. Want to be close to me.” He chuckled. “I don’t mind taking their money. I don’t write them back, though. They’re nuts.” He held up his hands. “It happened a lot when I first got here, but people forget. I don’t hear from them as much as I used to. That’s why I could use some help.”

  Kaely couldn’t stop staring at his large hands. Hands that had stroked her hair when she cried. Hands that helped Jason put together model cars. Hands that held hers when there was ice on the sidewalk. Hands that had strangled fourteen women. Correction. If investigators were right, closer to twenty-three. A chill ran through her, and she couldn’t control the shiver that took over her body. Her father noticed.

  “Are you cold? I can ask the guard to turn up the heat.”

  His comment made her feel sick. Pretending to care for her. “Thanks, Dad. I’m fine. Should have brought a jacket, I guess.”

  Before he could respond, a knock came at the door. The young-faced guard who’d left earlier came in, carrying a bag. She tried to remember his name, something that shouldn’t be so difficult. But her mind felt almost overwhelmed with the knowledge that she was just inches away from her father. With effort, she pulled up his name. Kenneth.

  “Sorry to interrupt,” he said, “but your lunch order arrived. Do you want it here? Or would you rather wait?”

  He was playing his part perfectly. “Are you serious?” she asked, frowning. “I don’t want it now. I’m talking to my father.”

  “I . . . I’m sorry. I’ll take it out.”

  “No, go ahead, Jessie,” her father said. “It doesn’t bother me.”

  Kaely hesitated. “Eat. But I didn’t come here to eat, Dad. I came here to talk to you.”

  He smiled at her. “When you were a kid you could eat and talk at the same time. Has that changed?”

  Kaely returned his smile, trying to push back the nausea she felt. “No, it hasn’t changed. I guess if you really don’t mind. I didn’t have breakfast. I’m hungry.”

  “I insist. Eat.”

  Kenneth brought the food over and put it on the table. “Do you want something to drink?” he asked. “There’s a pop machine in the hall. Or we have a pot of coffee in the community room.”

  “Any bottled water?” Kaely asked.

  Kenneth nodded. Then he turned to his prisoner. “Anything for you, Ed?”

  Her father looked a little surprised, but he nodded. “Cola?”

  “I can do that.”

  Kaely reached into her pocket for money, but Kenneth waved her hand away. “Don’t worry about it.” He winked. “I’ve got the key to the machine. Won’t cost me anything.”

  “Thanks, Kenneth,” Kaely said.

  The guard smiled shyly. “Call me Kenny. Everyone else does.”

  “Then thank you, Kenny.”

  Kenny left the room, and Kaely opened the bag. A large sandwich was wrapped with yellow paper, and a bag of chips was in the bag as well. Kaely pulled them both out and slowly unwrapped the pungent Italian sandwich. She could almost see her father salivating.

  A sandwich shop had been near their home when Kaely was a kid. Her father loved it. Would never order anything except the Italian Hero. She and Jason used to tease him about it. The memory made her sad for a moment, but she quickly gathered herself.

  When she finally exposed the sub, she shook her head. “I asked them to order me the six inch. I can’t possibly eat all this.” She looked at her father. “You’ve probably already eaten.”

  “No, lunch isn’t served until twelve thirty. I’ll probably miss it since I agreed to talk to you.”

  “Do you want part of this?”

  He grinned. “That would be great, thanks. The food here is barely edible.”

  Kaely pulled the sandwich apart. Thankfully, it was already sliced in the middle. She took a napkin out of the bag and sat half of the sandwich on it. She was just pushing it toward Ed when the door opened again, and Kenny came in. He held a bottle of water in one hand and a bottle of cola in the other.

  “Is it okay if I share this sandwich with my dad?” Kaely asked as he came toward them.

  “Doesn’t bother me,” he said. “Go for it.” He put the bottles down and started back toward the door.

  “Thanks, Kenny,” her father said. “I won’t forget this. You know that, right?”

  Although it sounded like a compliment, Kaely noticed a strange look on Kenny’s face. Almost as if the comment had frightened him. Kaely wouldn’t be surprised if all the guards were a little afraid of this man. He was manipulative and dangerous.

  “Sure, Ed,” Kenny said. He quickly opened the door and left.

  Kaely started to take a bite of her sandwich when her father’s voice stopped her.

  “What are you doing?” he asked, indignation in his voice. “I taught you to pray before eating.”

  It was true. He’d always insisted his family pray before every meal. Another pretense, just like his involvement in church. It meant nothing to him. Why did he care to carry on the charade now?

  Kaely swallowed the acrid bile that rose in her throat. “Sorry, Dad. I do pray. Just wasn’t sure you still did.”

  “Of course I do, Jessie.” He almost sounded offended. Kaely suddenly realized he was playing her. She’d come here to influence him, but he’d taken her plan and turned it back on her. He was on the offense, and she was now playing defense. Although she’d wanted him to feel as if he had some power in this situation, she’d needed him to somehow acknowledge her FBI persona too. But he’d deftly forced her into the role of a disobedient child who’d let down her father. Now all she could do was go along with it. There was still a chance he’d tell her something without intending to.

  Kaely lowered her head and repeated the prayer they’d been forced to pray as kids. “God bless this food we are about to receive. Give bread to those who are hungry and mercy and justice to those of us who have food. Amen.” She stumbled over the words mercy and justice. Her father hadn’t given either one to the women he’d killed.

  When she looked up, she couldn’t read the look on his face. If she didn’t know better, she’d say he’d been moved emotionally by hearing her pray. But she wasn’t buying it. Everything he did was false. Calculating.

  Without saying anything else, he picked up his half of the sandwich and began to eat. His reaction certainly wasn’t a compliment to the prison food. It was as if he’d never tasted anything so delicious. Kaely had barely made a dent in her sandwich before he’d devoured his.

  She pushed the bag of chips toward him. “I don’t want these,” she said truthfully. Getting even a bite down was almost impossible as she sat just inches away from the man who had destroyed her family along with her trust in humanity.

  As she chewed on a bite of her sandwich, she tried to figure out how she could still learn something to help the investigation if Ed refused to be honest with her. If he had no respect for her. She had to fight not to stare at the camera above them. She wished she could talk to Noah. Ask his advice. But she couldn’t. She was on her own. She had to figure this out. And fast.

  Fifteen

  Noah watc
hed Kaely and her father from the security room. At first it was hard not to stare at Ed Oliphant. Being so close to an infamous serial killer was unnerving. Ed was large. Tall and muscular. Although Noah had seen pictures and videos of The Raggedy Man, they hadn’t done him justice. How could he have had such a petite daughter? Frankly, he looked as if he could snap Kaely in two without any effort at all.

  Noah had to battle his reaction to Ed and focus on Kaely. At first, she seemed in control. Things were going her way. But then he noticed her eyes widen. Although Kaely was good at reading other people, she had a tell, and that was it. She’d realized something important. Was it about the case or something else? Noah couldn’t help but worry. Had she lost Ed? Suddenly an idea popped into his head. He remembered what Kaely said about her father needing to be in control. What if someone tried to take that away from him . . . and Kaely? Would it make him defensive? Or possibly become protective of his daughter? Noah wiped the perspiration from his forehead as he formulated a plan. He quickly explained it to the men assembled in the room with him.

  “It might work,” Bell said, “but shouldn’t I be the one to do it? Or John? You don’t have the authority to issue that kind of demand.”

  “But if you go in there, Kaely might think you’re being serious. If I show up, she’ll know something’s up. She’s really smart. She’ll understand what I’m trying to do.”

  “I don’t know,” Bell said slowly. “She hasn’t been in there long. I think we need to give her more time.”

  “I know her,” Noah said, insisting. “Something’s wrong. I think she’s lost him. We need to get him back.”

  “You think trying to shut it down will make him less suspicious?”

  Noah shrugged. “I think it might make him mad. He doesn’t like to be told what to do. Maybe he feels the same way about his daughter.”

  No one said a word. Finally, Noah said, “Do you have any better ideas?”

  The men just stared at him before John said, “Do it. Let’s just hope this doesn’t blow up in our faces.”