Hell's Highway

by Gerri Hill

  Cameron rubbed the bridge of her nose, shaking her head.

  “Nobody knows anything. Nobody saw anything.” She sighed, stating the obvious. “Nobody can offer a guess. Highway patrol has nothing. Sheriff’s department has nothing. No activity on credit cards. No phone calls.” She snapped her fingers. “Just disappeared.”

  She looked at the faces around her, all showing the weariness that she felt. They’d interviewed every officer, they’d interviewed neighbors. Jack had gone back to San Bernardino to interview the other truckers Baskin worked with. Nothing. She heard Rowan tapping away and she moved in the direction of her office.

  “Rowan? Anything?”

  He shook his head, not looking up.

  “Cameron?”

  She turned, finding Andrea standing close. She raised an eyebrow.

  “It’s late. We need a break.”

  She was about to protest. What they needed were answers. But they’d been at it nonstop all day, and she knew everyone was tired. She could see that in Andrea’s eyes.

  “Okay. Yeah.” She ran a hand through her hair with a sigh. “Let’s call it a night. Meet back here in the morning.”

  “You don’t have to tell me twice,” Eric said, offering a hand to Carina as he pulled her to her feet.

  “We’ll be over by eight,” Reynolds said. “Rowan? You coming?”

  “Yes. One sec,” he called.

  Reynolds eyed Cameron. “Do you know what he’s working on?”

  “He may be...searching some databases,” she said evasively.

  “In other words, I don’t want to know?”

  “Exactly.”

  Rowan came out, glancing at Cameron. “Let it run. Maybe we’ll get a hit.”

  “I won’t touch it,” she promised.

  She plopped down in her recliner once they’d taken their leave. She closed her eyes, listening to the shower. The RV park was a dump, but they hadn’t had time to be choosy. The owner of the park hadn’t been thrilled when Cameron had flashed her credentials at him. That was probably one reason he’d let them park in a secluded part, far from the other residents.

  She gave a weary smile as Lola hopped in her lap, a quiet meow the response as Cameron threaded her fingers through her fur. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. She, like the others, didn’t even have a guess as to where Baskin and Burke might be.

  Rowan was running a search, looking at property tax records. Burke was fourth generation in Barstow and records show the only property he owned was his house. While there were no family homes on record—his childhood home having been destroyed years ago—they were hoping to find something that may have once belonged to the Burke family. Something familiar where Baskin could hide.

  “Hey.”

  She opened her eyes, finding Andrea watching her, her hair damp and slicked back from her face. She looked clean and fresh, but her eyes reflected just how tired she was.

  Cameron pushed herself up, wrapping her arms around Andrea. “Go on to bed,” she said, kissing her lightly on the cheek. “I’ll be there soon.”

  “I need to get the coffee—”

  “I’ll get it, Andi. You’re exhausted.”

  “So are you.”

  Cameron nodded. “Yes.” She pulled Andrea closer, kissing her lips this time, letting them linger. “Now go to bed.”

  Andrea nodded, picking Lola up before turning away. Cameron got the coffee ready for morning, then slipped into the bathroom, intending a quick shower. Instead, she stood under the spray until the hot water ran out. She ducked her head into the cool stream of water, then stepped out. She didn’t bother putting any clothes on as she brushed her teeth. She towel dried her hair, then combed it with her fingers. She was too tired to worry with it.

  Andrea was sound asleep when she crawled in beside her. She moved closer, then smiled as Andrea’s hands, even in sleep, found their way to her body. She pulled Andrea into her arms, closing her eyes as Andrea snuggled against her, never once waking. She had no time for any other thoughts as sleep claimed her, chasing Leonard Baskin and Buddy Burke from her mind.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Andrea had to pee but it was too warm, too comfortable where she was so she ignored the urge. She lay on her side, Cameron curled protectively around her from behind. She slipped her fingers through Cameron’s, moving Cameron’s hand to her breast. She sighed as Cameron’s fingers tightened.

  “You trying to tell me something,” Cameron murmured in her ear.

  “No. I just wanted your touch. Is that okay?”

  She felt lips kiss behind her ear and she closed her eyes, pulling Cameron’s arms tighter around her.

  “Did you sleep well?” Cameron whispered.

  “Yes. I don’t remember waking up once.” She rolled to her back, her lips finding Cameron’s. “Did you?”

  “Yes.” Cameron leaned up on an elbow, her fingers moving in lazy circles over Andrea’s breasts. Her nipples hardened immediately.

  “Don’t start something you can’t finish,” Andrea warned.

  Cameron dipped her head, her mouth closing over one erect nipple. Andrea moaned, holding Cameron closer. She spread her legs, urging Cameron between them. Her hips arched, meeting Cameron’s thrust. Her hands moved over Cameron’s back, sliding down and cupping her, bringing her hard against her.

  She moaned again as Cameron’s mouth went to her other breast, her tongue swirling over her nipple. She could feel Cameron’s arousal on her thigh and she arched again, opening to her.

  “Do we have time?” she murmured, her body craving more.

  Cameron didn’t answer, instead, she took her lips in a fierce kiss, her tongue moving wildly inside Andrea’s mouth. She felt Cameron’s hand move between their bodies, felt fingers slip into her wet folds, opening her, exposing her clit.

  “Oh, God,” Andrea moaned, holding Cameron tight as their clits rubbed together, each thrusting against the other, slowly, grinding together in a perfect rhythm. She wanted to stay like this for hours, their bodies wet against each other. But they didn’t have hours, and she gave in to her body’s demand for release, her breath held as she shuddered, her body pulsing against Cameron’s as she, too, gave in to her climax.

  Their bodies were damp with perspiration and Cameron rolled off her, both of their breaths slowly returning to normal. Cameron reached for her phone, then groaned when she saw the time.

  “They’ll be here in twenty minutes.”

  Andrea pushed the hair out of her face. “Great, company,” she said dryly, her body still humming from Cameron’s touch.

  Cameron leaned over, kissing her quickly. “I think to save time, we should shower together.”

  Andrea laughed. “Sweetheart, if we shower together, we’ll never be finished in twenty minutes.”

  But they were, even after enjoying a few playful wet moments. They were both seated and sipping coffee when the team arrived. Cameron’s hair had dried but Andrea’s was still damp and she brushed at it now, chancing a glance at Cameron who gave her a soft smile before opening the door.

  “It’s like a hundred degrees already,” Eric complained as he walked into the air conditioned rig. “How do people live out here?”

  “It’s a dry heat,” Andrea said automatically. “You get used to it. Although it was never this hot in Sedona.”

  Rowan mumbled a hello and headed straight for the office. Cameron gave him a smile, then turned her gaze to the others.

  “I trust everyone got a good night’s sleep.”

  “Well, you two look like you certainly did,” Eric said, then laughed as Andrea blushed.

  Andrea looked at Cameron, pleased that she too sported a blush. And why not? Only a half hour ago they had been naked, making love.

  “We slept...very well,” Cameron said. “Thank you.”

  Reynolds cleared his throat, an amused expression on his face. “Coffee?” he asked.

  “Sure. Help yourself,” she said, pointing to a cabinet where they
kept the cups.

  “I got a call this morning from the sheriff’s department,” he said. “The tunnel was indeed rigged to blow so thank you for that.”

  “My pleasure,” Cameron said.

  “It came out about a hundred feet from the highway. Had a little ramp going up.”

  “Motorbike?”

  “That’s the assumption,” he said as he took a sip of coffee. “Seeing as how this crowd likes to speculate, I guess we’ll go with it.”

  Andrea was surprised by the gentle teasing of Reynolds. Apparently he and Cameron had moved past their earlier debates on the wisdom of speculation.

  “No wonder we didn’t hear anything,” Cameron said. “It was a half-mile to the road.”

  “So you really think the patrol car was left where it was as a ruse?” Carina asked.

  “I think he wanted us to concentrate our search in that area, yes. We’ve found his house, his haven, so he’s no longer comfortable. He feels hunted, which he is. I think he went to the only person he could trust—Buddy Burke.”

  “And maybe Buddy didn’t want to help,” Eric suggested. “Or maybe Buddy put two and two together and threatened to turn him in.”

  Andrea shook her head. “We met Burke. He didn’t seem that bright.”

  Cameron nodded. “Yeah. All I recall of him was his constant spitting of tobacco juice and his questioning us if we were really FBI.”

  Reynolds snorted. “Imagine that.”

  “No, I think Buddy refused to help him so he had to be persuaded.”

  “By killing his family,” Carina concluded. “Of course, if Burke had to watch all that, I can’t imagine him even being able to function. That would drive most men mad.”

  Rowan came out holding up his laptop. “Got a couple of hits,” he said. “Three really, but one place is currently occupied, so we can cross that one off.” He sat on the edge of the loveseat, next to Carina. “There’s an abandoned house that used to belong to the grandparents. Of course, they sold it way back in 1992 and it’s had three other owners since then.”

  “Burke would have been what? Ten? Eleven?”

  “Yes. Eleven. This place is located in the high desert area between Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms. Then I found another property, this one no longer has a residence on it, according to tax records anyway. But I pulled up a satellite image and,” he said, showing them his laptop, “you can see there are a couple structures here. A small shed or something. This one is here in the Barstow area, on I-15 near Newberry Springs.”

  “So right in his hunting area.”

  “Exactly. It’s only a couple of miles from an abandoned water park. Used to be called Lake Delores but now Rock-A-Hoola,” Rowan said with a grin. “That was the last name it used. It’s just off of I-15. It’s been closed down for the last ten years.”

  “Okay. Who owns the place near Barstow?”

  “Creosote Properties,” he said. “It’s currently for sale.”

  “And the grandparents’ place in the high desert area?”

  “The bank now. The grandparents used to own both of these properties twenty years ago.”

  “Are they still alive?”

  Rowan shook his head. “Both deceased.”

  “What about parents?”

  “Divorced. Burke’s mother lives in Bakersfield. No location on Baskin’s mother. The father—who is the biological father to both Burke and Baskin—lives in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He’s remarried.”

  “Bakersfield is close,” Reynolds said. “Let’s put a call in to the PD there, just as a precaution.”

  Cameron nodded. “It wouldn’t hurt to have someone question the father as well, but I don’t think Baskin would contact him. I think this is his war and I think it plays out here.”

  Jack, who had been silent, nodded. “I agree. This is his territory. This is where he lives, this is where he hunts, this is where he kills. He’s familiar with things here.”

  “He may very well have any number of places where he feels safe. As we learned from the interviews, there are a lot of abandoned houses, businesses. A lot of places to hide,” Eric said.

  “I’m still at a loss about the patrol car,” Andrea said. “Obviously he needs to hide. But why take the time to ditch the car? If it’s to try to throw us off of a search grid, that’s crazy.”

  “Is it?” Cameron asked. “Chief Hudley was ready to put his whole force in the area of the car.”

  “And the car was left to the north, miles away from any of these possible safe houses,” Rowan said.

  “Right. Miles away,” she said. “Why is he taking the time for that, taking that chance that he’ll get caught? Why isn’t he hiding?”

  “What are you thinking?” Cameron asked.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “But it just doesn’t feel right. The whole car thing makes no sense to me. If he’s got Burke, why not just take him and leave the car? Why take the car out of the way and dump it?” She shrugged. “Maybe I’m overthinking it.”

  Cameron shook her head. “No. That’s what we do. Speculate,” she said, glancing at Reynolds with a smirk. “I want everyone to feel free to express their thoughts.”

  “I think he dumped the car as far north as he did to make us at least look in that direction,” Jack said. “If he’s headed south, to Twentynine Palms, then he’d have a good head start.”

  “Head start to what?” Eric asked. “The shootout?”

  “And do we assume Burke is being held captive or is helping? He may have a police radio. He may know everything.”

  “Will he assume we’ll find these properties? His grandparents are buried several owners deep,” Reynolds said.

  “That’s the chance you take with speculating,” Cameron said. “We may be off base with the whole thing. Hell, he may have headed south and is in Mexico already.”

  “I don’t think so,” Andrea said. “A serial killer is just that. He doesn’t run. He keeps playing the game until he gets caught. This is just a little setback for him,” she said. “He still has this compulsion to kill, to torture. What he did to the Burke family—will that satisfy him for a while?”

  “I agree,” Carina said. “Like Jack said, this is where he hunts, where he kills. I don’t think he’s running.”

  Cameron spread her hands out. “Okay then. Which property? South to Twentynine Palms?” She turned to Rowan with a raised eyebrow as he typed quickly on his laptop.

  “From all the data that we have, plus plugging in these new properties, the highest probability is Twentynine Palms. Seventy-three percent. The property here near Barstow is only thirty-four.”

  Cameron glanced at Reynolds, then at Andrea. Andrea wasn’t surprised by Cameron’s next words.

  “Reynolds and I will take Twentynine Palms. I want you four here.”

  Eric raised his hand to protest but Cameron stopped him. “We’ll get the sheriff’s department for backup. So will you.”

  “But why send four of us on the lowest percentage? If we—”

  “It’s not up for discussion,” she said.

  Andrea wasn’t sure what Cameron’s motive was regarding the others. For her, she knew—after what happened the other night—that Cameron would do everything she could to keep Andrea out of a similar situation. A part of Andrea was angry at that and she would have her say later, but she knew better than to argue. As Cameron had said, it wasn’t up for discussion.

  It was over an hour’s drive from Barstow to the high desert area near Twentynine Palms. Rowan was still at the rig, keeping up with both teams and providing GPS assistance and updates.

  “Heard back on the DNA from the items they took from the motel in Needles,” he said. “Match on Susie Bell. Not that it matters at this point.”

  “And the forensic team made it?”

  “Yes. They’re working out of Apple Valley.”

  Cameron glanced in the rearview mirror, seeing the two units following her. The sheriff’s department had been nothing but cooperativ
e. For that, she was thankful. There was no drama like there’d been with Chief Hudley.

  “Want to tell me why you split the team up unevenly?” Reynolds asked.

  “I think you know why.”

  “Yeah. You want us to have all the fun, I guess.”

  Cameron sighed. “She’s pissed at me.”

  “No doubt.”

  “I mean really pissed,” she said.

  “I don’t blame her.”

  “You think I’m wrong?”

  “The way you’re trying to protect her, she can’t do her job. You’re going overboard,” he said.

  Cameron smiled. “Funny. Those were pretty much her exact words.”

  “But?”

  “But I don’t think she’s recovered—emotionally, at least—from the other night. Then, with what they found at the Burke house. Outwardly, she’s acting like she’s fine. But I know Andrea.” Cameron looked at him quickly. “He had her chained to that bloody table, for God’s sake. He drugged her. She was about to meet the same fate as the others. That’s got to screw with your mind.”

  Reynolds shook his head. “I don’t think you’re giving her enough credit. She was a victim because we made her a victim. It was a plan we threw together chaotically that actually worked, which still surprises me.”

  “Considering it was based on speculation?”

  “Mostly, yes.”

  “No. Partly speculation, mostly Rowan and the algorithms.”

  “But really, what are the chances we found our guy on the first try?”

  Cameron laughed. “I believe the chances were sixty-eight percent.”

  Jack drove them down I-15 with Carina riding shotgun. Andrea was still a little miffed at Cameron and hated that they’d parted in anger. Well, anger on her part. Cameron had still been trying to reason with her.

  “You’re treating me like a goddamn child.”

  “No, I’m not. I’m not even treating you as my lover. I’m treating you as an agent who had a traumatic experience and needs to back away. If this had happened while you were still a cop, they’d make you see a shrink before returning to duty.”

  “That’s bullshit. If we weren’t sleeping together, you wouldn’t be doing this.”