Tough as Nails (COBRA Securities Book 10)

by Velvet Vaughn

  “How long will that take?”

  “Not sure, but we’ll work as fast as possible.”

  “We didn’t want to touch anything until you arrived, but I think there are at least two other victims,” Reed told him.

  “What makes you think that?”

  “My crew found the bones under pieces of plywood that were newer.” He indicated one of the boards that had been pried up. “There are two more over there.”

  “Let’s take a look.” Kellan called one of the technicians over to film while Reed picked up a crowbar. Connie promptly grabbed it out of his hands.

  “You are not doing that with a broken arm.”

  “Connie…”

  “I’ll do it.” Kellan took the bar from her hands and pried the first board loose while the girl filmed. Sure enough, another body. They moved to the next plank and uncovered another.

  “Damn, five bodies,” Kellan muttered. “This is the work of a serial killer.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  The area around the house was cordoned off while they waited on a forensics expert to arrive. Photographs were taken from every angle, documenting the discoveries. Hillary shuddered, thinking that the whole time they’d been walking around in this house, these people had been buried beneath the floor, waiting for justice.

  She’d called her office and filled her bosses in on what had been discovered. Then she spoke with Peter Dennis, the head of the technical division of the agency. Not only was he a genius with computers and technology, but he hired the best to work for them. A few weeks ago, it had been someone in his department who had managed to find old blueprints of the house where Senator Eugene Mullins lived, depicting a hidden passageway leading to the Senator’s office. Even the FBI hadn’t been able to track down that lead. Knowledge of the tunnel helped COBRA Securities agents do their jobs effectively, plus it saved the life of their client, as well.

  Her phone buzzed. She pulled it out and when she saw Peter’s name on the screen, she answered. “Hey, Pete. What did you find out?”

  “The house belonged to Martin and Imogene Grimes. Imogene passed away two years ago from breast cancer. Days after the funeral, Martin suffered a debilitating stroke. He was basically catatonic for six months and then he passed away.”

  “Children?

  “One, Calvin.”

  “Where is he now?”

  “He died six months ago in a car accident. Single. No children.”

  “No other heirs?”

  “Calvin was it, and he didn’t leave a will. He also didn’t bother keeping up with tax payments and hadn’t since before his mother passed away. Right around the time she was diagnosed. They owed hundreds of thousands in back taxes.”

  “We found several late notices among his belongings. The house has fallen into disrepair, but this is a million-dollar view. If he couldn’t pay taxes, how did they afford it?”

  “Looks like Imogene came from money, but her family didn’t approve of Martin. They disowned her, but she was left with a sizable trust fund. From what I can tell, Martin never worked one job for long, so it looks like they existed on her money until it ran out.”

  “What about the son? What did he do?”

  “A chip off the old block. Dropped out of school. Jobs here and there.”

  “Any red flags in his background?”

  “Not yet. A couple of speeding tickets. I’ll dig deeper.”

  “Thanks, Pete.” Keep me posted.”

  “Will do.”

  Hillary disconnected and padded over to where Kellan was standing with one of the crime scene technicians. “Any guess how old the bodies are?”

  “No, but it looks like they’ve been thoroughly cleaned, probably with some sort of acid or bleach mixture. We’re waiting on a machine to scan the floors and a forensic anthropologist to arrive from Raleigh.”

  Reed had sent the workers home. They canceled work on the outside, as well. Now the house was crawling with law enforcement personnel. Somehow, the media had gotten wind of the story and reporters were starting to assemble outside. It would’ve been impossible to keep the story from leaking with the number of people inside when the discovery was made. The major networks were probably already talking to members of the crew, asking them what they saw. The story was sure to be embellished as they took advantage of their fifteen minutes of fame.

  Hours later, the floors had been scanned, both upstairs and down, but no more bodies were found. The bones had been photographed and documented. Kellan walked over to where she was sitting with Kota against one wall while Reed talked to Connie.

  “Dr. Lara Branch, the forensic anthropologist, was delayed and can’t get here until morning. She doesn’t want us touching or moving the bones until she can study them.”

  Hillary rose to her feet. “I can stand guard tonight.”

  Kellan shook his head. “No need. I’ve got a team assigned both inside and out. I’ll call you when Dr. Branch arrives. I’ll tell Reed the same thing, but no one comes in until the bodies are removed and the house is released.”

  Hillary said goodbye to Kellan and gathered her things. The detective had stopped to talk to Reed before he left. She walked over. Reed’s smile was forced and he exhaled.

  “What a day.”

  “How about a walk on the beach to clear your head?”

  He studied her for a moment before he shook his head with regret. “Connie’s in panic mode. We’re meeting to discuss ways to make up the time delays. You’re welcome to come along.”

  The last was added as an afterthought, she was sure. “Thanks, but we’ll just stay here and watch the waves.”

  “It would probably be boring for you anyway. Shop talk. I’m not sure when I’ll be home.”

  Her heart skipped a beat at his use of the word home, like they were a couple and he needed to inform her of his comings and goings. She hugged Connie and made her way to the cottage, avoiding the questions shouted by the overzealous reporters. After changing clothes, she and Kota headed to the beach. She’d come to a decision. No holding back from Reed. Their time together would be coming to an end soon, and she intended to take advantage of every moment. She would never forgive herself if she didn’t hold on to him while she could…assuming he still wanted her.

  She was confident she could perform her duties while maintaining a relationship. She couldn’t change her feelings and they were just as strong now as they had been before her nightmare. Staying away from him was doing nothing but making her miserable. Five miles went by quickly as seduction plans filled her thoughts. After filling Kota’s water bowl, she drank from her bottle, and they headed back.

  “Fabulous evening, isn’t it?”

  She glanced over at the man who’d jogged up beside her. Kota growled and bumped her legs. She petted him in reassurance. The man was a little taller than she was, clean-cut with a shockingly white smile. His brown hair was stylish, his dress pants sported an iron crease and his shoes were definitely not made for walking on the beach. Her instincts sharpened. “It is.” The man continued to smile, and Hillary had to turn away, lest the glare from his teeth blind her.

  “Do you run here often?”

  She almost rolled her eyes. Cheesy pick up-line. Who was this man and what did he want? “Sometimes.” She wasn’t giving anything away. She glanced behind them and saw another man trailing them from a distance. He was carrying a camera. She stopped. “Who are you and what do you want?”

  “Can’t a guy talk to an intriguing woman without an ulterior motive?” When she just glared at him, her arms crossed, he smiled again. “Ken Wagner, I’m a reporter for the local news. I saw you come out of the house where they found the bodies. What can you tell me?”

  Hillary started walking, faster this time. Ken jogged to keep up. “I can tell you that I have no comment.”

  “Come-on, give me something.”

  “I’d advise you to leave me alone. My dog is one command away from chasing you off and believe me, it won�
��t be pretty.” She smiled as she and Kota continued, leaving Ken standing in his tracks. She chanced a look to see him talking to the camera man. They were walking in the opposite direction. When she returned to the cottage, she showered and changed into the sundress she bought for the barbeque with her coworkers. She’d wasted enough time…she would tell Reed how she felt tonight. If his feelings had changed, she’d be crushed, but she would only have herself to blame.

  Dinner was a turkey sandwich and a plate of raw vegetables dipped in ranch dressing. After pouring a glass of wine, she grabbed a jacket and skimmed open the sliding glass door, waiting for Kota to lope out before she closed it. She took a seat in a lounge chair, enjoying the crash of the waves. The sky gradually darkened. A cop circled the reno house every half hour or so. After his sixth trip, she was beginning to think Reed wasn’t coming home tonight. Maybe he’d gone out with the guys for drinks. No doubt there would be dozens of women lined up just to get close to him. She’d had him and she’d driven him away.

  #

  Reed yawned as he pulled up to the cottage. It was well after midnight. Connie had been beside herself with worry about hitting the deadline. It’d be close. They’d come up with ways to speed the renovations along but it would still be tight. The post-production team would be spending long hours getting the show ready for broadcast.

  The entire night, Reed had trouble concentrating. Several times Connie had to repeat questions. His thoughts had been with Hillary. He wanted to be with her.

  He let himself into the cottage, surprised when Kota didn’t come rushing to greet him. He’d gotten used to it. Maybe he was sleeping in the bed with Hillary. He noticed movement on the deck and saw Kota looking inside, his tail wagging. He padded over and gently slid the door open, rubbing the dog’s head. Then he spotted Hillary. She was sound asleep on one of the lounge chairs.

  She was so delicate in sleep, her features relaxed, making her look younger. He slid his arms under her and lifted her so that her legs draped over his cast.

  “Reed?” He glanced down into sleepy blue eyes. “You don’t have to carry me.”

  “I know.” But he wanted to. She burrowed against him and let out a sigh. He closed his eyes, wanting her more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life. He shut and locked the door and managed to set the alarm. Then he carried her to her room. With one arm, he pulled down her sheets and placed her on the mattress. He unzipped her jacket and tugged it off before tucking her legs under the covers.

  “Reed?” He looked down at her, eyes half-lidded, her hair a blond curtain spread across the pillow. “Stay.”

  He closed his eyes, afraid to move. If this was a dream, he didn’t want to wake up. When he chanced a look again, she lifted the sheet.

  It was the only invitation he needed.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  The forensic anthropologist had arrived and she was studying the bones. Under her supervision, they’d been removed from the floor and were now resting side-by-side on a black plastic tarp. Dr. Lara Branch’s red hair was secured into a haphazard bun with several pieces escaping. She wore thick-rimmed black glasses and sensible shoes. She resembled a stereotypical absent-minded professor.

  “Look at the sagittal structure.”

  At the confused expressions, she pointed to the squiggly line that ran the length of each skull. “It’s not completely fused in any of them, so they’re under thirty-five. The coronal suture line at the front of the skull isn’t completely fused either, and that happens at about forty.”

  She indicated the joint in the pelvis. “The pubic symphysis isn’t pitted or craggy, indicating a younger age. The pelvises on all five are wide and shallow.” She stuck her thumb into a notch in the fan-shaped bone and wiggled. “Definitely female.” She tested the other four skeletons. “I wouldn’t be able to move my thumb if they were male.”

  Dr. Branch removed her glasses and stood. “I’ll have to do more testing at the lab, but I’d estimate these to be five females between the ages of twenty-one and thirty. And I can’t be sure, because the bones have been cleaned, probably with a strong mixture of lye and bleach, but I don’t think they’ve been here long.”

  “The owner passed away six months ago,” Detective Polizzi said. “If we’re looking at him as the serial killer, they’d have to be at least that old, right?”

  Dr. Branch shook her head, sending more pieces of hair tumbling down. “Oh no, most of the bones are much more recent than that. This one,” she pointed to one of the skeletons. “Two weeks, max.”

  “That means Calvin Grimes isn’t our serial killer,” Hillary murmured.

  Kellan Polizzi planted his hands on his hips. “And the real one is still out there.”

  #

  Reed looked over the plans with Sally, but he was having a very hard time focusing on the blueprints. Despite only a few hours of sleep, he felt more awake and energized than he had in days. As soon as he’d climbed into bed, he’d made love to Hillary, taking his time to reacquaint himself with her body. He still wasn’t sure it was real, but it was the most intense climax of his life. He’d fallen into a deep sleep, holding her in his arms.

  After a run on the beach, they showered—together—and he’d made love to her again, faster this time. He couldn’t hold back. There had been no declarations of love by either of them. She knew how he felt. And even if she hadn’t said the words, he knew she loved him, too.

  “We’re going to have to work double duty on the top and bottom floors to get this finished anywhere near the deadline,” Sally proclaimed.

  Reed shook his head to rein in his wayward thoughts. The bones had been removed and the crew had been allowed back inside, so they were hustling to catch up. “Wiring is complete and the plumbing is in place for the most part. I’ll leave you to focus on finishing the floors, and I’ll take a couple of guys upstairs and start knocking down walls.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Sally agreed.

  Reed padded to where the mud room laundry room combo was underway. Walls had been painted a soft blue and shelves were going up. Outdated fixtures in the bathroom had been removed and replaced with sleek modern ones, and a stand-up shower was in the process of being tiled and grouted. Everything looked good. He headed to the bedroom and took stock. For the most part, work in here would be cosmetic. Unfashionable paneling would be ripped down and replaced with drywall. New doors would be fitted on the closet to replace old-fashioned louvered ones. With new paint and floors, it would brighten up the space, but something about this room bothered him. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he’d had the same sensation the first time he’d walked inside.

  He left his people to finish installing the subfloor under Sally’s capable direction. He gestured to Sal Hobart and Frank Morrow from TT’s Beach Builds. The two men were standing off to the side when there was work to be done. If they were to finish on time, everyone needed to pitch in. “Can you two give me a hand upstairs? I want to take down some walls, make up time on the job.”

  “Uh, yeah, sure.”

  “No problem.”

  He walked over to Tim Harner, who was shooting footage of the last of the plywood being ripped out. “Tim, I’m going to take a couple of people upstairs to start tearing down walls.”

  “Coming. I’ll let the others know.” There were two other cameras filming downstairs and another two outside.

  Reed jogged up the stairs, surprised to see Hillary and Kota standing in front of the windows, gazing out at the ocean. “What are you doing up here?”

  She turned to face him. “It’s fast and furious down there right now. We’re just trying to stay out of the way.”

  Reed smiled. “It is. We’re going to knock down some walls up here, try to get back on schedule.”

  “Mind if we watch?”

  “Of course not.”

  Hillary and Kota stood back as Tim flicked on the camera. Reed looked into the lens. “We’re turning the upstairs into a retreat, complete with master
bath and his and hers walk-in closets. The area back here,” he indicated the space that had previously been used as storage, “we’re going to divide into two smaller bedrooms with a Jack and Jill bathroom between the two, bringing the count to four bedrooms and three bathrooms.”

  He patted a wall. “The first order of business is to get rid of these unnecessary walls that do nothing but block spectacular views. This one seems like an afterthought, with no real purpose. Gentlemen.”

  Plastic tarps had already been positioned to catch the debris from the drywall. Reed handed Sal and Frank masks, then Hillary and Tim. Hillary fastened one over a patient Kota, who took it all in stride. Reed held one up to his face while Frank took the first swing of the sledgehammer, the ink on his arms rippling with the movement. Sal was next and his shot took down an entire panel. Not to be outdone, Frank’s hit tumbled another. Then they took turns bringing down the gypsum.

  “Hey, what’s this?” Frank ripped off his mask, tossed the sledgehammer and dropped to his knees. He reached inside the wall and pulled out a dingy gray bag. “Sucker’s heavy.” It thudded to the ground. “There are five or six more in there.”

  Reed crouched down to open the bag, not liking where his thoughts were going. Tim angled the camera over his shoulder. Sure enough, when he peeled open this sides…

  “Holy shit! Is that—”

  “Everyone stay exactly where you are.”

  Reed jerked his head up to see Sal Hobart pointing a gun at him. Then it moved over his shoulder. “Get over here, sweet cheeks, and call the dog off or I’ll shoot him.”

  Reed ripped off his mask. “Hillary, no.” He didn’t want her anywhere near the man wielding the weapon.

  She held up one hand while dispatching of her mask with the other and dropping it to the floor. Then she removed the one around Kota’s muzzle and ordered him to stay. “It’s okay.”

  Reed’s heart pounded against his rib cage. He could charge Hobart but there was a very good possibility the man would get a shot off. It’d be worth taking a bullet to keep Hillary safe. As if reading his thoughts, she narrowed her eyes at him and gave one sharp shake of her head. “Trust me,” she mouthed.