by Angela Kay
The judge’s voice was strained as he fought at his emotions. His wife blinked back at him, then at the sergeant, before crumpling onto the floor in screaming tears. Judge Paris fell next to his wife with tears that could no longer be held back.
“I’m so sorry,” Loren said. He knelt, touching a hand on the judge’s shoulder. “If there’s anything we can do to help ease your pain, please let us know.”
“We’ll allow you time to collect yourself,” Shaun said softly. “We can come back another time.”
“No,” the judge said, his voice shaking. “It’s okay. I’d rather get this over with as soon as possible. I want you to find whoever hurt my boys. Just…just let me just get my wife inside.”
“No,” Faye said, her voice filled with grief. “I want to know what’s going on.”
“I’ll handle this, sweetheart,” the judge said.
“My sons are dead,” Faye reminded him, her words spewing anger. “You can’t take me out of the loop, Steven. I need to know what happened to my babies.”
It seemed as if the judge would protest, but instead, he looked up at the other three men.
“Why don’t we all come inside? My wife can make us a pot of coffee.”
The judge pulled his wife to her feet and helped her inside. He said a few words in her ear, to which she nodded. He kissed her cheek before she disappeared into the kitchen.
“Let’s all sit in the den,” the judge suggested.
Aidan and Shaun followed Sergeant Loren down the short hallway, into the den.
Two heads of bucks hung above two recliners. In the middle was a large photo of Judge Paris with his sons. The oldest, Braxton, knelt next to a dead deer, a smile plastered on his face.
“That was taken last year,” the judge said, noticing Aidan’s gaze. “Braxton’s second time out, he shoots and kills an eight-point buck. He was proud. I was too. It was…a good day.”
“That’s amazing,” Aidan told him. “Although I’ve never been one for hunting, I must admit.”
“For me, it’s more being a part of nature,” the judge nodded. “I find peace out there. It’s meditation. Braxton, though, he loved to hunt.”
Aidan sat next to Shaun on a brown love seat adjacent to the recliners as Faye entered the room with a tray of coffee.
She poured four cups and passed them to the men before sitting.
“Forgive my emotions,” Faye said, wiping her eyes.
“Oh, it’s quite understandable,” Shaun said. “I’m very sorry we couldn’t bring you better news. But I promise we’re doing everything in our power to find this man.”
“The agents believe Braxton and Stevie may have been playing a game,” Sergeant Loren informed them. “Do you know anything about that?”
“What kind of game?” the judge asked, his eyes narrowing.
“A scavenger hunt,” Aidan replied. He explained to the judge and his wife how the game was played.
“We’re not certain yet how long it goes on or even why put them through the game,” Shaun admitted. “It could be any number of reasons.”
“We do know, however, that the offender takes trophies from his victims and makes it the last piece they find before he makes his move,” Aidan added.
“You’re a judge,” Sergeant Loren began, “I’m sure you’ve had to put away a lot of dangerous criminals. Can you think of anyone who may fit the bill?”
The judge considered the question before diverting his eyes from his company with a sigh. “Twelve years ago, I was involved in a scandal that almost ruined my career.”
“Tell us,” Shaun said.
The judge met his eyes with Shaun’s. “I made a mistake. One I regret to this very day. There was a case in which two teenagers were accused of unintentional vehicle manslaughter. One of the teens was the daughter of a friend of a friend. She and her boyfriend were arguing, and they’d run off the road, hitting a pedestrian.” The judge paused. “Long story short, I covered up the fact that the girl was driving. The supreme court couldn’t agree on whether I should be disbarred or not. Based on my previous actions on the bench, they suspended me for ninety days without pay. I paid my five-hundred-dollar bond, and an additional fifteen hundred in fines.”
“My husband paid his dues,” Mrs. Paris said. “He couldn’t get back to where he used to be as a judge. It was a tough time. But we managed to survive it.”
“Yes, we did. The scandal nearly cost me everything. If I could take it back, I would. We wanted a fresh start. We felt getting out of Augusta would help our marriage. My actions disappointed a lot of people, and I know I’d be under their watchful eyes. Once you’ve been accused of something, you’re capable of anything. So we needed a change of scenery. Most of our family reside somewhere in Georgia, so going out of state was out of the question. The community here was looking for a judge, so I ran for office. I’m a lucky man, Agents. They took a gamble on me.”
“And won,” Sergeant Loren said. “The judge has been one of the most respected members of the community. We’re lucky to have him around. He never kept his past a secret. Instead, he’s been helping the community know that when you make terrible mistakes, you must own up to it and better yourselves.”
“Have either of you seen anyone come into town that appeared out of place? Soliciting?”
“No,” the judge replied. “Can’t say that I have.”
“There was this one man I noticed,” Faye said suddenly. “He was at the market the other day when the boys and I were shopping. I remember thinking that he wasn’t even shopping. He was people watching, more like. A few times, I caught him staring at me.”
“Could you describe him to a sketch artist?” Shaun asked.
“I don’t know,” Faye said. “I can try. He had blonde hair. I know that much. And-and a scar on his neck, maybe…could have been his chin.”
“When you describe him to the artist, it may jog your memory a bit,” Loren assured her.
The judge looked at his wife. “Why hadn’t you mentioned him before?”
“I didn’t think much of it,” Faye replied. “I mean, we’ve had out-of-towners before. I didn’t feel there was cause to be concerned, but…oh, goodness, I should have thought to say something. Maybe Brax and Stevie would still be…”
The judge rested a shaky hand over Faye’s. “Sweetheart, you didn’t know. Please don’t do this to yourself.”
“Judge Paris, forgive me for asking, but have either of your sons gotten into legal trouble either recently, or in the past?” Aidan asked.
The judge hesitated a beat. “Braxton went on a trip with a group of friends about a month ago. He got caught drinking. He was punished for it. As far as I know, that was the first and last time. That’s his most serious crime that I know of.”
“Is it possible to see the boys’ rooms?”
Judge Paris hesitated as if to consider the question, then nodded. “Sure, Agent. But, please, try not to disturb anything.”
21
THE HUNTER SAT in his recliner, beer in one hand, a plate of two hot dogs in the other. He had the news on so he could keep track of how the police investigation was going. He was surprised that WJFX always seemed to have information that the other news stations didn’t. Did the reporter have an in with Agents O’Reilly and Henderson?
What was his name again?
Ah, yes.
Jordan Blake.
From what the hunter could tell of the young reporter, he was smart and dedicated.
The hunter had heard his name somewhere else, though.
Where was it?
Of course, it would be easy enough to find out.
He rose from the chair and went downstairs to his work area and sat at the makeshift desk.
The hunter pulled up the internet and ran a search for the reporter’s name in the browser.
Ah.
Jordan Blake had reported on the Carnations Killer murders, the same investigation O’Reilly and Henderson were on.
Th
e reporter had inside information then, too.
It even appeared he was under suspicion for a time.
But now, the hunter remembered where he’d seen the name, Jordan Blake. His book, How I Caught the Carnations Killer: The Jordan Blake Story sat in his closet, along with other true crime stories about serial murders. The hunter read them when he was researching ways to kill and not get caught.
Jordan’s book was a number one bestseller.
That was an impressive accomplishment.
The hunter’s mind switched to O’Reilly, who had already been a rising star in the FBI office before the Carnations Killer.
It was, indeed, exciting that a man such as O’Reilly sought him, but still, he was conflicted about whether or not he should be concerned. On one hand, it would be exciting to show hands with the agent. It wasn’t every day an entire nation talked about you. It wasn’t every day that someone searched the ends of the earth for someone who upset the balance of life. On the other, the hunter had business he needed to attend to, and couldn’t afford the interruption.
Regardless, the hunter knew he needed to keep a close watch on O’Reilly. While he was at it, he figured it couldn’t hurt to watch Henderson as well. It wouldn’t do his plan justice if he allowed himself to make mistakes.
They were good at their jobs, but if they came close to catching him before the hunter had finished his work, then he’d need to take care of both.
Taking a bite of his hotdog, the hunter returned upstairs to the living room.
He continued to watch Jordan Blake talk about the case.
“…The Scavenger Hunter has struck again, what appears to be his third and fourth victims, brothers from Taylor County, in Mauk, Georgia. Fifteen-year-old Braxton and twelve-year-old Stevie are the sons of an esteemed court judge who faced the supreme court for covering a teenager’s involvement in what the police referred to as involuntary manslaughter. The judge received no jail time; however, he was suspended from the bench and had paid a hefty fine. Since his fall from glory, the judge relocated his family to the quiet county in Mauk, Georgia. The first Scavenger Hunter victim was a student from Evans High School, Ray Parsons, killed by a shotgun while on a class trip at Phinizy Swamp. Stephanie Carpenter, a preschool teacher was next, found dead in the woods behind her home. The police are not yet ready…or willing…to divulge any part of the investigation at this time.”
The news anchor paused as he looked directly into the camera. His black hair ruffling against the breeze. His facial expression remained stoic, though his eyes danced with intrigue.
“It appears that Agent Aidan O’Reilly is on the case and is now in Mauk, interviewing the residents of the small county, desperately searching for leads,” the reporter continued, “Agent O’Reilly only recently began to recuperate after ten long years of searching for the identity of The Carnations Killer. During the search, O’Reilly’s girlfriend was kidnapped by The Carnations Killer, the very man the agent hunted. Luck was on both of their sides, however, as Grant Rivers was finally caught. I was also held captive by the deranged killer and learned firsthand of what he was capable of. I spent the last six months writing about my horrifying endeavor and how I managed to escape his clutches. I would not wish that experience on my worst enemy. Let us hope that Agent O’Reilly will find The Scavenger Hunter now, rather than ten years later. You heard it here first. This is Jordan Blake reporting live a WJFX.”
Hearing a sound behind him, the hunter switched off the television. He pivoted to see Kristen McCoy enter the room. She flashed him a coy smile as she made her way to him.
“Hey, baby,” she purred, climbing in his lap. “I was getting cold without you.”
“I can’t right now,” the hunter said. “I’ve got work to do.”
“Just for a little bit,” she pleaded. “It won’t take long.”
She nibbled on his ear, an act he quickly learned drove him wild. Yes, he had plenty of work to finish. He needed to put the final touches on his next target’s hunt. But, how could he refuse Kristen? Everything about her—her taste, her smell, her impending death, made him yearn for her.
He grabbed her neck, causing her to gasp. Her eyes grew and suddenly filled with fear.
“Luke,” she forced. “I can’t breathe.”
He pushed her off his lap and got to his feet, dragging her to his room.
“Stop, you’re hurting me,” she managed.
But the hunter didn’t pay her any attention. Instead, he shoved her on the bed and unleashed his bubbling anger and took what he wanted, just as always.
22
AIDAN AND SHAUN didn’t find anything useful in either Braxton’s or Stevie’s rooms. Braxton had a laptop with a passcode, and upon receiving his father’s permission, Shaun borrowed it. They would have someone from tech hack into the computer. They hoped that Braxton would have left some clue, even if it was the email the riddle came from. There was no Chipper Jones baseball card in Stevie’s room. The hunter must have claimed it as the medical examiner guessed.
Did he already have a victim in mind?
Was he on the prowl?
The victims seemed to be erratic, yet the crime scenes were set up with perfection. Posed in a way.
Does the hunter follow his victims on their hunts, either by car or video? How long does he sit and wait to make his kill? Does he spend time studying them, learning their likes, their dislikes? Did he ever have face to face interactions with them?
So many questions continued to go unanswered, and Aidan couldn’t help but feel time was running out. They needed to find an answer to some of the questions soon.
It was getting late in the afternoon, so Shaun and Aidan stopped for an early dinner, then met Sergeant Loren at the Taylor County Police Department. They had already called the residency office in Augusta to fill their team in on current deals, and to find out if they had anything more to offer.
Leon Quick was now awake from his coma and doing well. Once they returned home, Aidan and Shaun would visit Leon at the hospital and question him, if the young man felt up to the task.
In the meantime, waiting for them at the Taylor County Police Department was Samantha, the medical examiner they met at the lodge, with her son.
“Thank you for coming,” Shaun said, shaking the ME’s hand.
She nodded. “Of course. We want to do all that we can to help. This is my son, Ricky.”
“Nice to meet you, Ricky,” Shaun said with a smile. He knelt so he could be eye level with the young boy.
Ricky remained silent, hugging close to his mom's side.
“Is it all right if my friend, Aidan, and I ask you a few questions?” Shaun continued.
The boy looked up at his mother.
“It’s okay, sweetie,” Samantha said, gently squeezing his hand. “You remember that Mommy’s job is to help the police find out what made people leave us unexpectantly?”
Ricky nodded.
“Well, you also get to help them. And while you’re helping them, you’re also helping your friends.”
“Ricky?” Shaun said. “I know it’s hard. I’ve been in your position a time or two. But I think you’re also a brave boy. Aren’t you?”
Ricky bobbed his head slowly.
“Will you talk to us? Your mom can stay with you if you’d like.”
After a brief pause, Ricky nodded, then spoke softly, almost inaudible. “Okay.”
“Great.” Shaun stood, looking over at Sergeant Loren. “Will you show us to a place where we can talk comfortably?”
After interviewing Ricky, they didn’t learn any new details, so they thanked the young boy, letting him know he did a good job. After his mother sent him to one of the other officers to watch him, they sat in Sergeant Loren’s office.
“Would you folks like coffee or water?” Loren said. “Or something from the vending machine?”
“I’m good, thanks,” Samantha said as she opened her file folder.
“Water would be great,” Shau
n said. “And some barbecue chips if you have any.”
Loren nodded, looking at Aidan, who declined with a wave of his hand. The sergeant peeked out his office and asked for someone to bring two paper cups of water and a bag of chips to them. He closed the door and took a seat at his desk.
“Did you get the autopsy finished?” Aidan started.
Samantha nodded. “I extracted a bullet from Stevie. It’ll be some time before I get the ballistics back, however, you’ll be my first call once I do.”
“Thank you,” Aidan said. “Did you get anything else that may be useful?”
“The trajectory of the wounds from both boys were at an angle.” She used her hand to demonstrate, bringing it from the height of her head to Aidan’s lower back.
“So the hunter was above the boys,” Shaun mused.
“Probably used one of the hunting stands,” Loren suggested.
“The bullet in Braxton went through and through. It could be anywhere in the vicinity. It’ll be like a needle in a haystack once we start searching for it. But I believe Braxton was targeted first, then Stevie was shot immediately after. Neither one had much of a chance to survive.”
“How many hunting stands are there?” Aidan wondered.
“There are several,” Loren interjected.
“We’ll need to see them,” Shaun said. “Probably, the offender didn’t leave a trace of himself behind, however maybe we’ll get lucky on DNA, bullet shells…something. He’s going to slip up sooner or later. They usually do.”
Loren nodded in agreement. “It’s getting late now, so I recommend we comb through the woods in the morning.”
Aidan checked his watch with a frown. He didn’t realize it was so late, and he hadn’t spoken to Cheyenne all day. He hadn’t even let her know he and Shaun were called out to Mauk.
“Do you folks plan on staying the night? We can set you up with a hotel room if that’s the case.”
Shaun looked at Aidan as if allowing him to have the say so. Going with it, Aidan nodded.
