by Angela Kay
With that, she walked away, her hips swinging from side to side, leaving Jordan Blake in a mist of confusion.
59
“Wow, what’d’ya do?” Aidan asked as Jordan entered the conference room. He busied himself posting photos of the Scavenger Hunter’s victims, placing Bryce Van Camp in the center of what he viewed as chaos. “Walk into a wall?”
“More like the wall walked into me.”
Aidan chuckled as he pressed the thumbtack through Elijah Van Camp’s photo.
“Where’s Henderson?” Jordan wondered.
“Gone to the cafeteria, where else?” Aidan replied. “He’ll be back in a bit. He’s bringing us something to eat while we go over the investigation.”
Jordan plopped down in a chair with a heavy sigh.
Aidan turned to look at him through his eyelashes. “Something on your mind?”
Jordan merely shook his head.
“Right,” Aidan muttered. He turned back to the board.
“You wouldn’t understand,” Jordan told him.
“You’d be surprised, Blake. Go ahead.” Aidan sat down. “Lay it on me.”
With a brief pause, Jordan pulled in a breath and released it. “I met a woman last night.”
“So?” Aidan inquired. “What else is new?”
“This was different.”
“Please don’t give me the ‘she’s the one’ bull.”
“See, I knew you wouldn’t get it,” Jordan snapped. “I don’t think she’s the one. But there was something off about her. We were talking, flirting, then she said she had to leave, then that was that.”
“Oh, I see,” Aidan said with a nod. Through the glass windows, he spotted Shaun heading toward the conference room with a bag in each hand. “You met a woman and she had enough class to turn Jordan Blake down.”
Jordan rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “That’s not what bugged me about her.”
Aidan bit back another sarcastic remark, promising himself he would play it cool from now on.
“Go on,” he instructed as Shaun entered the room, announcing he was delivering food.
“I expect a good tip,” Shaun told Aidan.
“I’ll see what the tip line has to offer.” He looked back at Jordan. “Our incorrigible buddy here was just telling me about some girl he met who didn’t go home with him.”
“Yeah?” Shaun said, pulling plastic plates out of one of the bags. He passed them around before grabbing the food containers.
“She seemed more interested in finding information about the hunter case than me,” Jordan told them.
Shaun narrowed his eyes as he grabbed three pieces of bacon. “You didn’t tell her anything did you?”
“Nah, man. I didn’t say anything the rest of the public doesn’t already know. Except…”
Aidan, who was in the process of piling grits onto his plate stopped to look at the reporter. “Except?”
“I told her that you didn’t actually have a lead on who the hunter really is. That’s when she decided to up and leave. It was strange.”
“Well, there are people out there who like the dirty and gritty things,” Shaun said. “Maybe she figured you didn’t know anything more than that.”
Aidan watched Jordan carefully before speaking. “But he doesn’t think that. Do you?”
Jordan paused for a long minute as he reached across the table for a slice of bacon. “No. I don’t. The more I got to thinking, the stranger the feeling became. I mean, think about it. When I report the news, I tell the public everything I know. And I dig for the truth.”
“Yeah, dirt’s embedded under your nails,” Aidan replied.
“Don’t you think she would still ask for something more?” Jordan wondered, ignoring the jib. “And if she was truly a fan as she claimed, I have no doubt I would have left the bar with her.”
“So, what, exactly are you thinking?” Aidan wondered.
Jordan frowned. “I’m not sure. I can’t figure it out. There’s just something…there. It’s a feeling.”
“Well…” Aidan glanced at the wall clock. “If something comes to mind, let us know. In the meantime, we need to debrief.”
Aidan picked up a biscuit and stood from his chair to look again at the board.
“We know everything centers around Bryce Van Camp. Jessie Barcliff and Ryan James killed him in a fatal accident about twelve years ago.”
“We still haven’t located the couple,” Shaun mused. He stuffed a forkful of sausage into his mouth. “Their family haven’t heard from them. Neither has their friends. Just between us, it’s safe to assume the hunter already caught up with them and killed them.”
“I just don’t get why he waited twelve years to get his revenge,” Jordan rose to stand by Aidan, his eyes looking at the board. “Why not kill Jessie and Ryan back then? And why is he offing the kids of the judge and lawyers? It makes no sense.”
Aidan continued to look at the pictures.
Ray Parsons, the son of the surgeon was the first known victim.
Then there was Stephanie Carpenter, the daughter of Jessie and Ryan’s defense attorney, followed by Judge Paris’ sons, Braxton and Stevie, and finally, Aimee Hollander, the daughter of the prosecutor.
There didn’t seem to be a set order in which they were killed.
“I think we should look more closely at the parents,” Aidan said. “We know they—especially the mother—blame the system for how Bryce’s death was handled.”
“Right,” Shaun agreed. “Their son was killed, so they want everyone else to suffer the same fate.”
“But twelve years later?” Jordan replied with a shake of his head. “I don’t buy it. Did the Van Camps have a daughter?”
“No,” Shaun replied. “At least none that’s come up. Why?”
“I’m just thinking about Kristen, the girl from last night.”
Aidan fought back an eye roll. Leave it to Jordan Blake to take offense when he’s turned down. He glanced back at the board, then at the reporter.
“All right, hotshot, tell us what you’re thinking.”
“I know you think that I’m all wound up because I didn’t jump into bed with a beautiful girl. And…yeah, maybe I was at first, I’ll admit it. It’s rare for me not to get what I want, including women. But when we were talking, she wanted to know more about the case, and I’m telling you, then the second she found out you didn’t know anything, O’Reilly, she bolted.”
“You think this girl knows something?” Aidan wondered. “That she’s involved?”
“I could be way off the mark on this, but yeah.”
Aidan glanced at Shaun, who watched him carefully as if waiting for him to make the decision. Of course, Shaun probably was, Aidan decided. Especially considering his distaste for the reporter. Shaun seemed eager to teach him lessons of self-control and morality.
He pushed out a heavy breath.
“He may be right,” Aidan said when he realized the room had gone silent far too long. “While we may be chasing our tails, it can’t hurt to spend a few minutes looking into the girl.”
Aidan thought he’d seen a look of satisfaction crossing Jordan’s face. But it was immediately covered up.
“Do you have any way of finding out who she is?”
“Maybe,” Jordan answered. “The bartender last night was the one who pointed me to her. He said she wanted to meet me.”
“All right,” Shaun said, clasping his hands together. “Let’s go check out the lead.”
“Great,” Aidan muttered, picking up the last piece of bacon.
60
McGinty’s Pub wasn’t very crowded, but then again, lunch wouldn’t be for another three hours. Aidan and Shaun walked in, feeling a draft, despite the humid and foggy morning.
An elderly man was sitting in the corner, hutched in an overgrown swede jacket nursing a glass of water. Two young women sat at the bar, reciting their wishes of drinks.
Jordan led the way to the counter and slid onto a s
tool. Shaun and Aidan followed, but neither took a seat.
“Hey, Mr. Blake,” the bartender said with a smile. “You’re back for more? And you’ve brought friends. What can I do for you folks?”
“We’re actually here for some information,” Jordan began. “Remember that girl last night?”
The bartender leaned his elbow against the counter, clucking his tongue as he nodded.
“Yeah, the one who wanted to meet you.”
“Do you remember what she said?” Jordan pressed. “Like how she told you she wanted to talk to me?”
“I saw her sitting alone,” the bartender said. “She was looking right at you. I asked if she wanted a drink. She said a glass of Chianti would be fine, but she wanted you to give it to her.”
The bartender chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.
“I love a forward woman, don’t you?” he winked at Jordan, who chuckled but didn’t respond.
“Have you ever seen this woman in here before?”
The bartender shook his head. “It was her first time.”
“You sure about that?” Shaun asked.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s hard to forget a beautiful woman like that,” he replied with a wry chuckle.
“So, you went to her,” Aidan reiterated, “And asked if she wanted a drink. She told you she wanted Blake to send her a glass of wine?”
The bartender shrugged. “She said she was a big fan and wanted to talk to him. It’s not uncommon for Mr. Blake to fall in with the ladies if you know what I mean.” He winked at Jordan.
The bartender paused to grab two glasses and pour champagne, then slid them across the counter to the waiting girls before turning back.
“But I suppose you’d be more interested in the fact that she slipped me some dough to arrange the meeting.”
Aidan arched a brow, exchanging a glance with Jordan.
“She paid you just to meet him?” Shaun said, sticking a thumb in Jordan’s direction.
“At the time, I didn’t think there was anything about it. Mr. Blake is well known. And he’s popular with the ladies.”
“That goes without saying,” Aidan said dryly. “Was she here before or after Jordan got here?”
“Honestly, I’m not sure,” the bartender said. “It was crazy busy. I was on my own. My business partner’s in the hospital for gallbladder surgery.”
“When she left, did you see where she went? And did she leave with someone?”
“Sorry, I didn’t notice.”
“If you see her again, will you give us a call?” Aidan asked, pulling out a business card.
“Sure thing, boss,” the bartender replied, taking the card and slipping it into his pocket.
“Thanks,” Shaun said before they walked out.
“See?” Jordan said as they left the bar. “I told you there was something up with the woman.”
“I do admit that it’s curious,” Shaun said. “Did you talk to anyone else last night?”
“No. I’d only been there for a few minutes. I ordered the beer, that’s when he told me she wanted to meet me.”
“Do you remember if you’d noticed her when you got there?” Aidan pressed.
“She wasn’t there,” Jordan answered.
“You’re absolutely sure about that?” Shaun said.
“Yes. Without a doubt. Like the man said, she’s not the kind of woman you’d forget. I’d have seen her.”
“Then she must have followed you there,” Shaun told him. “She was preying on you. We need to find this woman. It’s a possibility she knows something about the Scavenger Hunter.”
61
In the week that had passed since they visited McGinty’s Pub, nothing new had struck their interest. Linus Van Camp’s record was clean, other than parking and speeding tickets. He was arrested once for a bar fight when he was younger and was court-ordered to attend an alcohol rehab facility. He had remained sober until the death of his son. There was nothing in his ex-wife’s record to show she would resort to murder.
Aidan began to feel frustrated at not having any leads, and taking care of Cheyenne and her pregnancy.
He supposed the good thing was, no other murders had happened, although there was no way to tell if the Scavenger Hunter was finished.
They hadn’t any luck in determining the identity of the woman who attempted to pull information from Jordan. Shaun had suggested he speak with a sketch artist, so they would know who to look for.
As they continued to wait to see if someone would recognize the woman, with Jordan Blake in tow, he and Shaun continued to pour over the case files, looking for any discrepancies.
Jordan leaned back in his chair with a sigh, resulting in Aidan narrowing his eyes with curiosity.
“What? Not bored, are you?”
“We’ve been looking at the same thing for weeks,” Jordan complained. He rubbed his eyes, then the back of his neck with a sigh, “When is enough enough?”
“Good question,” Shaun said. “Right now, we still have hope yet. It’s too soon to hang up our gloves. And Director Zane is on Monroe’s back, which puts her on our back.”
“Well, I’m hungry,” Jordan said. “Can’t we at least grab a bite to eat?”
Shaun grinned. “That’s the best idea I’ve heard from you in days. I’m game.” He looked at Aidan. “What about you?”
“Nah, I’m going to stay here,” Aidan replied.
“Want us to bring you back something?”
“Thanks, but no. I’m not all that hungry. I’ll get something later.”
With a brief nod, Shaun urged Jordan to lead the way.
Aidan decided to use the break to phone Cheyenne. Cell phones weren’t allowed in the office for confidentiality reasons, so he had to use his landline.
He picked up the receiver, dialed Cheyenne’s cell, and waited for a few rings before she answered.
“Hello?”
“Hey, love,” he answered. “We’re taking a brief break and I wanted to check on you.”
“Laura and I just got back from the store,” Cheyenne announced. In the background, Aidan heard the rumble of the garage door. “I got the cutest little onesies. I can’t wait to show you.”
He smiled, feeling the jolt of excitement about the pregnancy. “That’s great, but don’t you think you’re jumping the gun a bit?”
“Maybe, but it was so adorable. I’ll try to hold off for now.” She laughed.
“So you’re feeling okay?”
“Other than morning sickness, I’m fine. It’s just something to get used to.”
Noticing Monroe making headway toward his desk, he told Cheyenne he’d have to talk to her later.
“How are we coming along?” Monroe asked as she approached.
Aidan set the receiver on the cradle, making an effort not to sigh. “We’re still hopeful, though nothing further has come along. Blake’s getting a bit restless.”
Monroe nodded. “And how are things between you and him?”
Aidan paused a beat. “About the same, however, I believe we’ve managed to put our…differences…aside.”
“Glad to hear of it. He’s staying out of trouble?”
“Yes,” Aidan answered as the phone rang.
“Good, then perhaps he’s realized his place.”
“I doubt that,” Aidan countered. “Once we release him from our watchful eye, I’m sure Blake will be back to his cocky, self-centered, troubling self.”
Monroe chuckled as Aidan’s phone rang again.
“I never got the chance to apologize for my behavior last week,” Aidan began. “It was foolish of me to allow my emotions to get in the way.”
Monroe waved her hand in the air as if to clear the slate. “No matter, I’m sure I would have been tempted to do the same. Keep me updated.”
Aidan answered the phone as she turned to walk away.
“O’Reilly.”
“This is Captain Ellen Roach of the Aiken Police Department. I believe there is something
I may need to pass along to you.”
“Go ahead, Captain,” Aidan replied.
“About a week ago, my team was called to a crime scene in which a man by the name of Horace McCoy. He was shot and killed in his home while in bed.”
“Go on,” Aidan urged. He narrowed his eyes as he tried to figure out why the captain of another city was contacting him about a murder out of his jurisdiction.
“You’re looking for a woman, correct?”
“That’s right,” Aidan confirmed. “We need her for questioning on a series of murders in Augusta.”
“Well, the woman in your police sketch is remarkably similar to the woman in the photos at McCoy’s home.”
Aidan looked up and spotted Shaun and Jordan returning.
“I’m sorry, Captain, but are you telling me you suspect the woman we’re looking for is in relation to your murder victim?”
He noticed Jordan’s eyebrow raised at the question. Shaun took a seat at his desk, and the reporter settled into another chair.
“Yes. Would you like me to send you a photo?”
“Yes, please.” Aidan gave the captain his email address.
He logged into his email, still cradling the phone between his ear and shoulder.
A few seconds later, the email came through and Aidan opened it. Slowly, the photo of a young blonde loaded on his monitor, looking remarkably like the description Jordan had given the sketch artist.
Aidan motioned for the reporter to look at the screen.
With a curse, Jordan nodded. “That’s her, all right. That’s Kristen.”
To the captain, still on the phone, waiting, Aidan said, “Would you be able for us to meet with you this afternoon?”
“Yes, that’s quite fine, Agent O’Reilly.”
60
“Do you have any leads on who killed Horace McCoy?” Shaun asked as they looked through the Aiken County Police Department’s case files.
Although Jordan came along for the ride, they left him waiting while Shaun and Aidan spoke to Captain Roach.
“Not at this time. McCoy’s friends say he has no family, except for his niece, however, the niece has been absent for the last few years. His sister and brother-in-law were both killed when the niece was only seven, and he raised her until she up and left.”
