by Brant, Kylie
“Well, until we get a lead on the identity of the plant, we’re just spinning our wheels.” But somehow she doubted Cassie Frost had been free to pick a plant and eat it shortly before her death, especially given what she’d endured in the time prior to her murder. “Can’t say I’ve gotten lucky on any of the ViCAP hits regarding that similarity in homicides.”
Looking surprised, Rollins said, “Why, how many hits did you get?”
A yawn ambushed her then, and Ramsey was reminded of just how little sleep she’d gotten the night before. “Six. But I heard from four of the detectives today, and none of the foreign objects ingested were plant substances.” Fecal matter, shell casings, and in one instance, shoe leather . . . the cases had ranged from the gross to the bizarre. But none had matched this case.
Rubbing his chin, Rollins glanced at his watch. “If Sanders hired someone, it was a rank amateur. No other word for someone dumb-ass enough to hang ’round and let her see him.”
“If those incidents are related, yeah.”
“Seems a bit too coincidental to believe she came to the attention of a stalker and a killer, doesn’t it?”
She nodded. His words closely aligned with her own thoughts. “But the thing that gets me is, after talking to Sanders, I’m convinced he’s a scumbag. Maybe he wanted Cassie dead for the money. But as much as I dislike the guy, I find it difficult to imagine him ordering his ex-girlfriend to be brutalized the way she was prior to death.” To hear him tell it, he’d still had feelings for the woman. A bullet would be more his speed. Something quick and easy, over in a few seconds. He’d tell himself she hadn’t suffered a bit, wait a few weeks and collect the insurance money without too many pangs of conscience.
Rollins snorted. “Yeah, well that’s the breaks when you hire a hit. Especially an amateur who decides to vary from the plan a little. Probably figured to get his jollies prior to doing the job and no one would be the wiser. It’ll be interestin’ to see if somethin’ shows up in Sanders’s financials pointin’ to him payin’ someone for the job.”
And how much, she added silently, Sanders would have been able to afford to pay to make it happen.
Rollins got to his feet. “Meant to talk to you, too, ’bout Ezra T. takin’ after you that way last night. Dev told me ’bout it today. You’d be within your right to press charges. Figured you wouldn’t be wantin’ to but needed to ask formally.”
A flush of embarrassment warmed her cheeks. “No, forget it. You were right. He’s not a reliable source of information.”
Mark looked grim. “He’s not, but he needs more lookin’ after than it ’pears he’s gettin’. I went up to the Tibbitts’s place this afternoon to tell ’em as much, too. Thought I’d swing by again tonight. Be sure they’re keepin’ him home and givin’ him his medication the way they’re supposed to.”
Uneasy with the topic, she merely nodded.
“Never heard ’bout him goin’ after someone that way before.” Rollins started moving toward the door. “Didn’t want you to think I was takin’ it lightly.”
“Dev says he’s harmless.”
“Usually I’d agree. But I can’t allow him to be attackin’ people without provocation, either. Next time he might pick someone not as capable of defendin’ themselves, and we could have an injury on our hands.”
Her cell rang then and he turned to go. “I’ll just let myself out. Appreciate you bringin’ me up to date on the case.”
She pulled out the phone. Saw the Cripolo number and felt her stomach clench into a tight knot. “I’ll keep in touch.” But even as the man pulled the door open and walked through it, she made no move to answer the call. It rang until the phone automatically went to voice mail. She could only imagine her brother was leaving another profanity-laced threat to join the other half dozen that had accumulated since last night.
Ramsey needed to deal with him, deal with the whole mess he was trying to embroil her in, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it tonight. Tomorrow would be soon enough, after she got a good night’s sleep and her mind was clear.
She definitely needed a clear head to deal with her brother, with his victim mentality and circular thinking.
The phone started ringing again, and after seeing the same number show up on the screen, she dropped it back into her pocket. Closing and locking the door behind her, she headed toward her cabin. First she needed sleep. Maybe by morning she’d have arrived at a plan to deal with her family.
Ignoring them was the best way she’d found to date, but that wasn’t always possible. Ramsey doubted that a few hours of unconsciousness was going to make the feat any easier, but she could always hope.
“I was out walkin’ Mr. Biscuits and saw the whole thing.” Bunny Franzen bobbed her head, sending the tiny spirals of white hair covering it swaying. “Meant to call you, but I swear, the thought went clear out of my head the moment I got home. Didn’t think of it again until Mr. Biscuits needed walkin’ again and I saw you sittin’ up here on your granddaddy’s porch.”
Dev nodded politely when the woman stopped to take a breath. She’d lived down the street from Benjamin as long as he could remember. Mr. Biscuits, a nasty-tempered bichon frise was currently relieving himself on Benjamin’s azaleas, a detail he wouldn’t be sharing with the man, given his granddaddy’s intense dislike for the animal.
“Didn’t happen to get the license plate number of the truck, did you?” He’d cleaned up the broken glass and patched the window as best he could. He’d call the hardware store tomorrow to see if Beau—
Too late he recalled that Beau Simpson wouldn’t be ordering him some replacement glass. He’d have to mosey by the store in the morning and see if Marvella had it open. Otherwise he’d have to check around for another place to order it.
“I didn’t need to get the license plate. I recognized the driver. There, there, Mr. Biscuits,” Bunny cooed as the dog started barking crazily. “We’ll continue our walk in just a minute.” Her voice normal again, she continued to Dev. “It was that youngest Harris boy. Zachary. I see him drivin’ that truck of his all the time, devil’s music blastin’ all the while. I’ve called the police a time or two, but if they bother to talk to him, it doesn’t do a whit of good.”
“Zach Harris?” Dev recognized the name. The man was a buddy of Banty Whipple’s—no surprise there. Matter of fact, he’d been one of those drinking with Banty last night when he’d taken Ramsey to dinner at the Half Moon.
“That one’s never going to ’mount to a hill of beans, mark my words.” Bunny nodded again, and when he saw her tight curls bobbing this time, he had a sudden, completely inappropriate thought that the woman bore more than a passing resemblance to her dog. “Oh, he’s got a job at the mill and all, but the way I hear it, he drinks up his paycheck just ’bout as fast as he can cash it. Do you want me to tell the police what I saw?”
He considered for a moment. He hadn’t called in the incident yet. Had, in fact, been lounging on the porch with a beer while he thought about the best route to take. But since he had an eyewitness account to it, he may go ahead and make a report.
Might be interesting to see what Banty would come up with next. Because it wouldn’t surprise Dev at all that this incident was hatched between the men last night. He’d never had any run-ins with Harris before.
“I’ll call them in the mornin’ and have them contact you,” he responded and turned a jaundiced eye on the dog who was now chewing on the edge of the bottom step. “I appreciate you stoppin’ by and lettin’ me know, Miz Franzen.”
“Well, I’m just doin’ my neighborly duty, and that’s a fact.” Bunny made to leave before turning midway down the walk. “You tell that granddaddy of yours hello for me. I have half a mind to take him a fresh peach cobbler in the mornin’. He always did take a shine to my peach cobbler.”
With a hint of wickedness flickering through him, Dev said, “I know he’d enjoy that, ma’am.”
“I’m goin’ to do that very thing. Take him a wa
rm peach cobbler and have a nice long chat. Probably take Mr. Biscuits with me. I know how your granddaddy loves animals.” With another firm nod that sent her curls jostling, she turned and marched down the walk, the picture of a woman with a plan.
“Thanks again,” Dev called after her. Reaching for the bottle he’d sat on the floor next to his chair, he tipped it to his mouth for a sip, unable to prevent a grin. He couldn’t wait to hear his granddaddy moan about having to sit through a morning chat with Bunny Franzen, who’d never made any secret of the fact that she found Benjamin Gorder extremely eligible.
Thinking about his granddaddy’s reaction when he admitted he’d encouraged Bunny’s intention, Dev’s lips curved again. The man could probably stand some company, but he’d have plenty to say about the choice of companions.
A pang hit him then and had the smile dissipating from his lips. He took another swallow of beer. He’d never been a man to be uncomfortable in solitude, but he’d be lying if he denied the longing to hear one particular voice now.
Digging his cell out of his jeans pocket, he propped his legs up on the porch railing and dialed a familiar number.
The voice on the other end of the line sounded sleepy, surly, and lethal. “Dammit, Luverne, you’re lucky I can’t spare the time to come down there and kick your ass.”
His brows rising, Dev settled more comfortably into the cushion of the old wicker rocker. “Ramsey. I woke you.” It was barely ten o’clock. And where had he gotten the idea the woman never slept? “I’m sorry.”
“Dev?” Alertness had returned to her voice. He could picture her sitting up in bed, shaking the cobwebs of sleep from her mind. “Sorry. I thought you were . . . someone else.”
He watched the fireflies flicker and dance across the yard. “Have you talked to your brother yet?”
There was a long pause. “Not yet.”
“Figure you know best how to handle him,” he said mildly. And waited a beat before going on. “But if you need any help in that direction, I’d be glad to join in the ass kickin’.”
“Thanks for the offer,” she said around a yawn. “But I’ll handle it.”
“When you comin’ back? We never did get ’round to havin’ dessert last night.” He tipped his head back to study the stars while thoughts of her filled his mind. “I never do consider a dinner complete without dessert.”
“And somehow I’m not surprised to hear you trying to attach new conditions to a deal that’s already been met.” Humor sounded in the words. “I’m here at the motel, actually. Got back this evening.”
This evening. Dev stared at the streetlight across the street without really seeing it. Because he wasn’t a damn fourteen-year-old girl with her first crush, that absolutely was not disappointment stabbing through him. No reason at all that she would have let him know about her change in plans. Sex didn’t change the parameters of their relationship. Ramsey wouldn’t allow it to. A normal man would be doing cart-wheels over the knowledge.
“Your day must have been successful if you were able to cut the travel short.”
There was a hesitation. Then, “There’s a new lead in the case. No telling where it will go, but Powell and Matthews will follow up from that end. I’ve got plenty to check on here.”
“Well, you could come to my place. Check on me.” The scent of magnolias stung the air, drifting over from his neighbor’s garden. “Can’t remember the last time I had a good checkin’ over.”
“Really?” Her tone was dry. “Then you have a remarkably short memory.”
He grinned into the darkness. “I do. That’s what I’m sayin’. Maybe you should come on over and jog it.”
“As much as I’d enjoy ‘jogging’ you, I’m going to pass. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“That’s a fact. And I’ll let you go back to sleep if you answer one li’l question for me.”
“Which is?”
“What are you wearin’?”
“What makes you think I’m wearing anything?” she countered.
His lips curved. “Now you’re just bein’ mean.”
“I thought you liked that about me.”
“Can’t deny it. I’m gonna let you go back to sleep while I sit here all night contemplatin’ you in that cabin room stark naked. Gonna figure out a way for you to make that up to me, too.”
“I don’t doubt it.”
He started to say good-bye but was interrupted by her next word, uttered in a softer voice.
“Dev?”
“Yeah?”
She paused a long moment. Then in a rush, she said, “It’s good to hear your voice.”
The connection ended, eliminating his chance to respond, even if he’d been able to.
He sat in the darkness long after his beer had been emptied. Watched the moths do their fluttering death dives around the street lamp.
And contemplated why it was that such a difficult woman should hold such a fascination for him.
Chapter 18
He swept the area with the beam of his high-powered flashlight. Found the woman still bound in the corner.
Her head reared up like a frightened animal, her eyes blinking in the illumination. Satisfaction seared through him at the sight. She was waiting for him. Awaiting the tutelage that would be her redemption.
Did she understand that yet? Had he banished the demons that possessed her body, the ones that made her fight and kick and scream against her salvation? Evil could be difficult to expel from a person once it took hold. The enjoyment he took in banishing it owed nothing to the physical. No, that came from knowing he was doing God’s will.
He took another step closer, enjoying the way she strained against her bonds. Acting alone to cast out her demons had proved to be as rewarding as he’d remembered.
The stone floor was cool against his bare feet. He’d shucked his clothes inside the door. In his free hand, he carried the bag of necessary equipment. He still had plans for Kathleen Sebern. So many plans to drive out the devil.
But when he drew closer to her, she just huddled in a ball at his feet, the fight seemingly gone from her. He gave her a light kick and got nothing more than a whimper. Was this another trick? Was she waiting until he got nearer to loosen her bonds before striking at him again, kicking and biting like a wild thing? Anticipation eddied inside him at the thought.
He reached down and grabbed her hair, dragging her upward, bracing for a battle. Eager for it. Her body remained limp. Her eyes closed. He twisted her nipple cruelly and got barely a flinch in response.
Disappointment raged through him. He’d had such plans for her. Plans to pit himself against the evil that possessed her and conquer it. Cast it out with the purity of his intent. He shoved her away forcefully, and she fell to the ground. Lay still.
He drew a deep calming breath. And then another. And when his head cleared, disappointment had been replaced with understanding. His own needs couldn’t supersede God’s will. Goodness had already triumphed. It was time to finish it.
He strode over, hauled her up by the binds on her wrists, and dragged her over to the stone altar in the center of the space. From the basket there, he took out a root and, ripping the tape from her lips, pried open her mouth to shove it inside. He had to manually work her jaws to chew it.
“Swallow,” he commanded. He picked up the water bottle from the basket and squirted water down her throat until she gagged, choked, then swallowed.
“It is by the spirit of God that I cast out demons, Kathleen.” He shoved her back on the altar, climbed on top of her, and spread her legs. Ramming himself inside her, his hands closed around her neck as he began to thrust.
“Surrender to the spirit all the evil in your past,” he panted. His hips pounded against hers, his gaze fixed on her eyes as they began to bulge. Finally she began to struggle a little as the life was slowly squeezed out of her.
And when death took her, he came with a power that could only be described as holy.
When it w
as over, after he’d dressed, there were the usual preparations to be made. Her body to be washed down. Her nails scrubbed. He worked swiftly in near silence, his only light coming from the flashlight he’d set nearby. The heavy chain he wrapped around her body added thirty pounds to her weight, but it was necessary.
There couldn’t be another mistake.
