Dying Scream

by Burton, Mary

  Her smile faltered. “Sure.”

  Gage knew if he kissed her again he wouldn’t leave and they’d spend the whole weekend in bed. So he turned and left, praying like hell he’d not lost her again.

  Adrianna stood in the shower letting the hot spray wash over her skin. She wiped the tears from her face. “God, you are such a fool.”

  Last night they’d made love a couple of times but there’d been few words. Neither had wanted to venture into the past or the future when the moment felt so good. For the first time in a very long time she didn’t feel buried alive. She simply felt alive.

  And now he was gone.

  “Idiot.” She shut off the water, grabbed a towel, and dried off. Her first venture into dating and she felt as if she’d landed on her face.

  Outside the bathroom, the air felt cold and had goose bumps puckering her skin. Mechanically she started to brush the tangles from her hair. The clock ticked in the hallway. Had Gage just slept with her for kicks? To get back at her?

  A deep sadness burned inside her. Had he been using her?

  “Do not go there,” Adrianna muttered. “Do not go there. No promises were made, so none were broken.”

  The phone rang and she hurried down the hallway. Breathless, she picked up the receiver. “Gage?”

  “No,” Kendall’s voice purred.

  Adrianna felt a terrible letdown. “Kendall. Oh.”

  “I’d feel insulted if I wasn’t so curious about why you were expecting Gage Hudson this early in the morning?”

  Adrianna shoved long fingers through her wet hair. Water dripped around her feet. “It’s a long story.”

  “I’m in no rush at all.” Subtle amusement wove through the words. “In fact, there’s nothing I’d like better than a bit of good, juicy gossip.”

  “There’s nothing to say.” And she realized with some embarrassment that there was nothing to say. Gage had slept with her and left. End of story.

  “You sound sad,” Kendall said.

  “I’m not sad.” She straightened her shoulders. She refused to be sad. There’d been too much of that in her life. She’d find a better, more powerful emotion to describe this moment. “I’m just irritated. Maybe even a little pissed.”

  “What did Hudson do?” Kendall’s voice dropped a notch and adopted an air of aggression.

  Adrianna glanced at the rumpled sheets on the bed. “Nothing I didn’t fully consent to.”

  Kendall sighed into the phone. “So where is he now?”

  She turned from the bed where the rumpled sheets still held the imprint of his body. “He just left without an explanation.”

  “Cops have to do that sometimes, Adrianna. Jacob tore out of here early this morning.”

  Adrianna straightened. “Something has happened.”

  “I think so. That’s why I called.”

  “If I find out anything, I’ll call you.”

  “I’ll do the same.”

  Adrianna hung up and glanced at the clock. Eight o’clock. Restless energy churned inside her and she couldn’t sit still. She dried her hair, applied make-up, and dressed in jeans and a V-neck sweater. She was halfway down the hallway when the phone rang.

  “It’s Billy Miller. We’re breaking ground in an hour. Cops gave the okay. Permit says you need to be here.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  “Mazur asked me to call him. He wants to see the graves removed with his own eyes.”

  “Fine. Call him.”

  Gage, Vega, and Warwick rewound the tape and watched it for the fourth time.

  She wore a pink slip that skimmed her long, pale legs and hugged small perky breasts. Sweat glistened from her body. Long blond hair tumbled down her shoulders.

  “How are you doing?” His voice was a whisper from off-screen.

  Her desperate gaze shifted toward him. “Can I go now? My son is waiting.”

  “Not yet. Not yet.”

  Rage boiled inside Gage as he watched Kelly Jo cower in the corner and the off-screen man prompt her to confess her love. He stiffened when the gun muzzle appeared and the killing shot took her life.

  “See the way the camera shakes,” Vega said.

  Warwick worked his jaw from side to side, as if he’d just absorbed a right hook. “Two killers.”

  Gage tightened his jaw. “And note the way she keeps looking off-screen as if she’s looking for help.”

  “He insists that she use his name. ‘I love you, Craig.’”

  Gage’s rage boiled. “And he calls her Adrianna.”

  “You think Thornton did this?” Warwick said.

  “Maybe,” Gage said. “But it doesn’t explain Tammy Borden’s murder.”

  “That other someone might be carrying on his work,” Warwick said. “His widow?”

  Gage stared at the woman’s face. The pain. The terror. The knowing death came soon. “Adrianna wasn’t a part of this.”

  Warwick’s scowl deepened. “You sound sure of yourself.”

  “I am.”

  Warwick studied him and then, shaking his head, turned away. “Then who?”

  “Something Margaret Barrington said about Robert Thornton. She said he’d had the measles as a kid.”

  “Yeah, so?”

  “I’d bet money he was sterile. And according to Dr. Heckman, Frances Thornton would do whatever it took to protect the family line.”

  Warwick’s gaze narrowed. “Craig wasn’t Robert Thornton’s biological son?”

  Gage shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

  “So who’s the daddy?” Vega said.

  “That’s the million-dollar question,” Gage said. “It’s time to let Miller finish that grave excavation. Once the bodies are out, we can do a DNA test.”

  Warwick nodded. “That’s gonna take time.”

  “I know. I know. And I don’t think we have much.” Gage pressed his fingers to his temple. “Tammy Borden’s trial—it lasted two days.”

  Vega nodded. “I finally got a hold of her mother this morning. She recently received a postcard from Tammy in the morning mail. From Tucson.”

  Gage rubbed the back of his neck, now tighter than a bow string. “Was the mother at Tammy’s trial?”

  Vega nodded. “She was.”

  “She might remember someone at the trial. Someone who wanted to see Tammy dead.”

  Vega snapped his fingers. “I’ll do you one better. I’ll check the court logs and see who signed in during the trial or who requested transcripts.”

  “Good. Good. There might be a connection.”

  Tess pushed through the doors of the conference room. She stopped, a bit surprised by the crowd of detectives. “Is this reception for me?”

  Vega attempted a smile.

  No hints of welcome softened Gage’s granite features. “I hear you have more information.”

  “Cheerful as always, I see.”

  Gage’s patience, thin on the best days, snapped. “Play the tape for her.”

  Warwick hit PLAY.

  Tess approached the television screen and watched as the gruesome scene unfolded. Pain constricted her features, but there was no hint of it in her voice. Only steel and determination. “Someone is definitely holding the camera.”

  “You said on the phone you had more information.”

  “Yes.” She dropped her eyes to the manila folder in her hands. “Dr. Butler and I have had a chance to study the injuries of our three victims. Each appeared to have been struck in the face on both the left and right sides, evidenced by fractures. Consistently, the fractures on the left are faint, almost hairline, whereas the fractures on the right are deeper, more pronounced.”

  “The same injuries were on all three victims?” Gage asked.

  “That’s right.”

  “So who sent the tape?” Vega said.

  “Someone who has a conscience. Someone who is angry and wants revenge. Who knows?” Gage said.

  Tess cocked her head as she stared at the woman on the screen.
“Do you hear that? He’s whispering a name. ‘I love you…’”

  Gage couldn’t remain in the room any longer. “I’ve got to find Adrianna.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Saturday, October 7, 12:15 p.m.

  Gage tapped his index finger on the steering wheel as he drove down the interstate. On the fifth ring, he got Adrianna’s voicemail. “Call me. It’s urgent.” Frustrated, he dropped the phone in his lap. “Kendall said she was going to the estate. She’s meeting Miller there.”

  Something in Gage’s tone caught Vega’s attention. Vega muttered something in Spanish.

  “What the hell are you saying?”

  “You know damn well what it means. How long you two been going at it this time?”

  Gage shot him a glare. “Back off.”

  Vega pressed his fingers into the bridge of his nose. “Shit.”

  “Save the lecture.” He pulled into traffic. “The more I think about it, the more I think there’s a nut out there who thinks he’s Craig. I think these killings have been about role-playing. All his victims have been Adrianna.”

  “Why not just kill her?”

  “Someone or something has been holding him back.”

  If he hurried he could be at the estate in twenty minutes. He wouldn’t relax until he saw Adrianna face-to-face.

  The next few seconds played out slowly. For a brief second he glanced up at the overpass up ahead and noticed the dark truck parked in the middle. And then before he thought to question the misplaced vehicle, a bullet pierced his windshield and sliced into the seat just inches from his shoulder.

  Gage slammed on the brakes. Another shot struck the front tire and the car fishtailed. “What the fuck!”

  The car skidded off the road and onto the grassy shoulder. He held on to the wheel as the car slammed into an embankment and air bags deployed. His head slammed back against the headrest and for a moment his brains felt like scrambled eggs.

  He and Vega pushed the deflating bags away and stumbled out of the car. Gage glanced back to the overpass. The truck was gone.

  Adrianna passed two news vans as she drove up to the estate’s brick pillars. Police cars kept them at bay but she knew it was a matter of time before one made it onto the property. She paused, showed her ID to the police officer, and drove onto the estate grounds. In her rearview mirror she watched cameramen filming her.

  She found Miller and his crew were at the gravesite. By the looks of the rumbling backhoe and the waiting flatbed, they were ready to proceed. There was no sign of Gage.

  Adrianna had received his call saying his message was urgent. But when she’d called him back there’d been no answer.

  She parked and moved toward the crew. Anxiety snapped through her body like electricity. More than ever she wanted to close this chapter of her life.

  “Ms. Barrington.” Miller pulled off his work glove and shook her hand. “We’re ready when you are. We’re just waiting on Detective Hudson.”

  “Do we need to wait for him?”

  “No. He’s given us the all clear.”

  “What about Mazur?”

  “En route.”

  “We’re not waiting. Get started. The sooner this is over, the better.”

  Miller nodded. He seemed anxious to finish the job. “Will do.”

  Less than a year ago she’d stood on this same ground and watched as Craig’s casket had been lowered into the earth. Guilt, relief, and sadness had collided in her that cold, gray day. And oddly, the same emotions were reemerging.

  Miller tossed a thumbs-up to his man on the Bobcat and the guy fired up the engine. Gray smoke puffed from the exhaust. Slowly he maneuvered the machine over to the gravesite and began to scrape the earth from the grave farthest from the flatbed. CRAIG ROBERT THORNTON IV.

  Adrianna wrapped her arms around her chest and began to pace. Her connection to the Thornton family had seemed like it would last forever. There’d been a time when she couldn’t imagine that the family wouldn’t have been a part of her life. Since she was twelve her mother had talked about her marrying Craig.

  And now it was ending.

  The new life she’d dreamed of as she’d paced the halls of the nursing home was about to begin.

  And as frightening as that was, she knew this was what had to be. Time to move on.

  She kept glancing toward the main road expecting to see Gage’s car. What could have held him up?

  After a half hour of digging, the Bobcat driver backed off from the hole.

  All the drama, and now the end would be quiet and uneventful. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

  “Ms. Barrington.” Miller’s deep voice was a welcome distraction from her thoughts.

  Adrianna moved toward him. “Yes?”

  “We’ve got a problem.”

  She felt as if the earth shifted under her feet. “Please tell me it’s not another body?”

  He pulled off his ball cap and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “No. That’s exactly what is not the problem.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “There’s no vault. No coffin. No body. Craig Thornton’s body is not there.”

  “What do you mean?” Adrianna felt sick, remembering the flowers, the card, and the scent of aftershave. “My husband is dead. I saw him buried in that spot not a year ago.”

  Miller shrugged. “He isn’t there now.”

  “You swept the graveyard with radar.”

  “I didn’t bother with his spot or his parents’. I was only worried about the old graves.”

  The too-familiar voice on the phone rang in her ears. I love you, babe. I’ll be seeing you soon.

  Adrianna’s cell phone rang and the sound startled her. For a moment she didn’t recognize the number and considered not answering. Refusing to cower, she picked up the phone. “Yes.”

  It was Marie Wells. “I’ve found something at the main house. Something to do with that baby you were looking for. I think I’ve found her.”

  Adrianna’s head spun. “I’ll be right up.” She closed her phone. “Miller, get your radar out and start checking. This has to be a mistake.”

  Minutes later, Adrianna parked in front of the main house and got out of her car. She was struck by the silence. There was no sign of Marie. Slinging her purse over her shoulder, she climbed the front steps and unlocked the front door. The entryway was completely empty. “Marie!”

  No answer. She walked into the house. The click of her shoes echoed through the empty rooms. There was no sign of anyone. She moved into the kitchen and found Marie lying on the floor.

  “Marie!”

  Adrianna dropped her purse and started to run toward her but in midstride, strong hands grabbed her. Before she could scream, a cold wet cloth that smelled of chemicals flattened against her face. She tried to hold her breath and she struggled, clawing at the hands that held her. Panic exploded.

  Her captor laughed. “Breathe, Adrianna, breathe. It’s okay.”

  Patiently he waited. Finally, she could hold her breath no longer and sucked in a lungful of air laden with chemicals. The drugs hit her system like a two-by-four and within seconds the room started to spin.

  “That’s it. Just breathe, honey. Just breathe.”

  Strength seeped from her limbs and soon her knees buckled.

  “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”

  She collapsed and passed out.

  Gage and Vega stood by a patrol car. The shooting had effectively shut off this part of the interstate. Lights from a dozen police cars flashed. Forensics was on the overpass searching for any evidence the shooter might have left behind.

  “So when can we get out of here?” Vega asked as Gage approached.

  “All we need is a car.”

  Vega glanced toward an unmarked vehicle. “Leaving now means there are going to be mountains of paperwork on this one, brother. Mountains.”

  Gage didn’t give a shit about paperwork. His top priority was Adrianna. He reached for the phon
e on his hip. It wasn’t there. His phone was still in the car.

  He moved to the wrecked vehicle and reached in the open driver’s side door. He found the phone on the floor. One new message. It was from Adrianna. I’m at the estate. Call me.

  He dialed her number, but didn’t get an answer.

  Something was wrong. “Get me a car, Vega.”

  “Will do.”

  His cell phone rang. “Hudson.”

  “It’s Warwick.”

  “What is it?”

  “City police called. Another body. Janet Guthrie. She was shot.”

  “Where?”

  “The parking garage near the hotel.”

  “What kind of gun?” He and Vega got into the car and fired up the engine.

  “Looks like a .38 but we won’t know until ballistics can look at it,” Warwick said.

  Gage put his phone on speaker and pulled onto the interstate. “You think the killer is still protecting Craig Thornton.”

  “I’ll bet Janet knows about the forgeries,” Warwick said. “My guess is that she found out about them when she bought the gallery from Adrianna last year.”

  Vega nodded. “Didn’t she say she’d cleaned out the gallery’s basement?”

  “Right,” Gage said. “If that kind of information became public, it would have shattered the family’s reputation—Craig’s reputation.”

  “She was cozy at the auction with Brett,” Warwick said.

  “Vega and I are fifteen minutes from the estate. I’ll call back as soon as I’ve found Adrianna.”

  Gage called Miller. “This is Hudson. Is Adrianna with you?”

  “She went up to the main house about a half hour ago. We got a problem. Craig Thornton’s body is missing.”

  “What?”

  “No vault. No coffin. No body.”

  “Shit.” His heart slammed into his chest. “Do me a favor and go up to the main house and find Adrianna for me. Have her call me. I’m on my way.”

  This was all turning to shit.

  Gage and Vega arrived at the Thornton estate just after four. Gage parked his Crown Vic behind Adrianna’s car in front of the main house.