Look Behind You

by Iris Johansen

  “Yes.” She crossed her arms. “As you can see by that monstrous heap on my desk that you probably checked out the minute you came in the room.” She paused. “Okay, say it.”

  “Jessie called you last night, didn’t she? I knew she would.”

  “Of course she did. She politely told me where she was and that she wouldn’t be home for the night. I felt like a house mother at a college sorority. But at least she was smart enough not to say anything else. No warnings. She let the call speak for itself.” She shook her head. “But you’re not going to be that smart, are you?”

  “No. I’m going to plead with you to give me a break,” she said quietly. “He’s getting too close, Olivia. I have to keep him away. I believe he might have killed Huston to prove that he could strike out at anyone and I couldn’t stop him. Huston was hardly more than an acquaintance, but he was a detective and I was working with him. But I think Zachary will try to strike deeper next time.” She smiled unsteadily. “And you’re very deep, indeed. Please don’t make me worry about you for the next couple days.”

  “Oh, shit.” Then she grabbed Kendra into her arms and gave her a bear hug. “There goes all my vaunted independence. Jessie would laugh at me.” She took a step back. “I suppose you want me to promise to stay in the condo?” She sighed. “Okay, I have enough to keep me busy for a week much less a couple days.” She paused. “But I don’t like the idea of you being this scared. Where’s Lynch?”

  “I told him to wait in the parking garage for me while I talked to you. I didn’t want to chance you getting defensive if you thought we were ganging up on you.” She smiled. “And you’re clearly not worried about Lynch being a threat to my independence.”

  “That’s different. And I bet Jessie feels the same way.”

  She couldn’t deny it after that last remark Jessie had made at the hotel last night. “I don’t believe that Lynch has any intention of riding off into the sunset. We’ll be too busy.”

  “Doing what?”

  “We’re going to the FBI office and check on whether Hagstrom’s alibis have been verified. Then we’ll probably be spending hours delving into the backgrounds of our four remaining dream team detectives and see if we come up with anything interesting.” She gave her another quick hug. “Don’t worry. Paperwork, just like you.”

  “But you’re allowing yourself to drop that paperwork and take off to go after monsters.” She added fiercely, “Keep in touch, do you hear?”

  “Absolutely. Thank you, Olivia.”

  She closed the door behind her. Olivia was as safe as she could make her under the circumstances. She didn’t believe that Zachary would target her yet, but what did she know? She had to protect her own. He was a complete wild card.

  And no one was really safe.

  * * *

  “HOW NICE THAT YOU DECIDED to drop in to see us,” Griffin said silkily, as Kendra and Lynch walked into the office an hour later. “I thought that you might have cut us from your visiting list, when you told me that you were through with working with some of the finest law enforcement officers in the country.”

  “I told you that I meant no insult to anyone on the team,” Kendra said. “It just wasn’t for me. I felt … hobbled.”

  “But yet here you are.”

  “Knock it off, Griffin,” Lynch said. “You know you’re not going to keep us from seeing Hagstrom or doing any other research just because Kendra isn’t going to walk lockstep with your team. It would be hard to explain to the media.”

  “What kind of research?”

  “Anything and everything.”

  Griffin changed the subject. “And what was Jessie Mercado doing at the hotel last night? When I asked her, she said that you were upset about Huston and she was there to see that no one else was hurt.”

  “That seems clear,” Kendra said. “What are you asking?”

  “Why you hired Mercado when my agents are there to do the job?”

  “They didn’t help Huston.”

  “We didn’t know there was a threat to him.”

  “True. But I prefer to have someone answering to me than get it secondhand from you.” She added wearily, “Look, I don’t blame you for not being able to read Zachary’s mind and protect Huston. No one could do that. I just don’t want anyone else to die. Let’s all work together to keep that from happening.”

  “Together,” he repeated sourly. “As long as you do it alone.”

  She was losing patience. “Yeah, I guess you might say that’s the—”

  “What’s going on with Hagstrom?” Lynch asked quickly. “He’s still here?”

  “For the time being. We probably won’t have him for long. His lawyer is working nonstop to spring him. All he needs is a couple more pieces of evidence that validate his alibi in the Connecticut murders. If you want to talk to him, it had better be soon.” He turned and walked away.

  “Well, at least he didn’t show us the door,” Kendra said. “If you hadn’t mentioned the media, he might have had security escort us from his august presence.”

  “Nah, he likes to keep you around to demonstrate how open-minded he is regarding sharing the spotlight in criminal investigations. Me, he might have tossed.” He changed the subject. “Hagstrom or the research?”

  “Hagstrom. I just have a few questions…”

  * * *

  “ARE YOU TRYING TO GET in your final jabs before I blow this place?” Hagstrom growled. “I should sue the FBI, you know. You can’t get away with persecuting innocent people. I didn’t do anything and you’ve been harassing me.”

  “Harassing,” Lynch repeated. “Did you get that word from your lawyer? It’s very legalese.”

  “Maybe. But it’s the right word, dammit.” He leaned back in his chair. “I don’t have to talk to you.”

  “We know you don’t,” Kendra said. “But we’re hoping you’ll do your civic duty. You say you don’t remember having contact with any of the victims in any of those four cities. You didn’t recognize any of the photos?”

  “I told you I didn’t.” He shrugged. “Maybe I might have seen the photos on TV when they found the bodies, but I don’t remember. Why should I? How would I know you guys would try to frame me?”

  “And you don’t recall anyone who might have been at those cities at the same time as you?”

  “Same answer.”

  She pulled out four photos and slid them across the table to him. “Do you recognize any of these people?”

  He glanced at the photos. “What are you trying to do? Trick me? These are those same guys who were sitting there while I was being questioned. Cops, right?”

  “Yes. Do you recognize any of them as being in those cities at the same time you were?”

  He shook his head.

  “Look again.”

  He looked more closely. “I don’t know. Maybe.” He tapped one photo. “He looks like someone I might have seen when I was in Jacksonville. But that was a long time ago.” He tapped another photo. “And maybe him … But I could be wrong. I tell you I can’t be sure. Why do you want to know?”

  “Just checking your memory.”

  “The hell you are,” he said belligerently. “I have a damn good memory when someone’s not trying to trick me. Ask anyone.” He pushed back his chair. “I’m not answering any more questions. Talk to my lawyer.”

  She nodded to the guard. “I hope you’ll change your mind. I wasn’t trying to trick or hurt you in any way.” She got to her feet. “Think about those faces, will you? It might be important.” She left the interview room.

  “Who did he recognize?” Lynch asked as he joined her in the corridor.

  “Trey Suber and Richard Gale.” She grimaced. “But you can hardly call it recognition. It was a maybe at best. If he’d allowed himself to look longer at the other photos, he might have said the same thing. Or perhaps given me a valid identification on one of them.”

  “But a maybe is a maybe,” Lynch said. “And it gives us something to work
on. Tell me you’re a little encouraged.”

  “Perhaps a little.” She smiled. “It could be that I’ll feel more than a little after we check backgrounds.”

  “Then let’s go out, get a bite of lunch, and then come back and start research. I don’t think you want to go down to the cafeteria and risk running into any of the dream team.”

  “That could be awkward.” Awkward wasn’t the word. She could imagine the outrage and incredulity if she was proved wrong. And that was a definite possibility. She was skating on thin and very dangerous ice. “By all means, let’s not go down to the cafeteria.”

  7:40 P.M.

  “This is ridiculous.” Kendra rubbed her stinging eyes with her fists. “There’s always at least one murder that would be impossible to have been committed by any of the dream team. We’ve gone over every one of the deaths and tried to match them. We keep coming up short.”

  “It could mean that one of these murders wasn’t Zachary’s. Or that one of the dream team is more clever in hiding his presence near the kill or better at concocting an alibi.” He looked down at the photos. “Suber came up closest.”

  “And he has a callousness toward death that’s very obvious.” She gazed down at Suber’s face. “And could be phony as hell.”

  “True. So do we go back through them again?”

  “I guess we do. Maybe we missed something.” She shook her head. “No, let’s go back to talk to Hagstrom again. Maybe we can get him to take another look at those photos. I don’t believe it’s Suber.”

  He smiled. “Because you’d rather it be Richard Gale?”

  “Maybe. I can’t claim any professionalism right now. I’m not thinking straight.” She got to her feet. “Let’s go talk to Hagstrom. Something’s bothering me.”

  “What?”

  “I don’t know. Something…”

  “Well, I’m afraid you’ll have to talk to him tomorrow. I saw him going down the hall toward the elevator with his lawyer about two hours ago.”

  “What?” Her eyes widened with shock. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “You were busy. I thought you were through with him. Why are you this upset?”

  She wasn’t sure, but she couldn’t deny that she was. “You should have told me.”

  “Sorry. Would you care to tell me why you’re acting as if that’s a crime?”

  “Because he shouldn’t be going home, dammit.”

  “Why not?” He met her eyes. “Talk to me. Because he’s Zachary?”

  “No.” He was right, she was behaving completely erratically, and there was no sense to it. Why had she suddenly been thrown into a tailspin? “He’s not Zachary.”

  “You said something was bothering you. You think he knows who Zachary is?”

  Think.

  Concentrate.

  And then it all came together.

  She reached out and grabbed his arm. “No, he doesn’t know who Zachary is. Not right now. But Zachary knows who he is. And there’s a good possibility someday Hagstrom might be able to recognize him if he was shown the right photo. Or if we jogged the right memory of an old co-worker, girlfriend’s brother, or personal trainer. Remember earlier today Hagstrom said everyone knew he had a good memory? Even if he’s covered his tracks, Zachary wouldn’t take a chance on Hagstrom remembering him. Zachary never leaves loose ends. He used Hagstrom, but now he has to get rid of him. And he can’t wait too long to do it. He’ll have to guess we’ll be showing him photos, examining every person he’s ever been in contact with, especially in Washington where the murders began. Every day, every minute, will count.”

  Lynch’s eyes were narrowed on the intentness of her expression, a faint smile on his lips. “And that’s what’s bothering you?”

  “Yes.” She could feel excitement heat her cheeks. “Because it’s our chance, Lynch. Zachary’s not going to go after me or anyone I care about next. Not yet. He’s going to go after Hagstrom.” She got to her feet and headed for the door. “And we know where we can find Hagstrom.” Her voice was shaking. “And that means we can find Zachary.”

  “Yes, it does. And that brings up all kinds of interesting scenarios, doesn’t it?” He was grinning recklessly as he caught up with her. “Tell me. Ever been on a stakeout, Kendra?”

  CHAPTER

  15

  10:05 P.M.

  “I DON’T LIKE THIS,” Kendra said flatly. “And it doesn’t make sense. I can see sitting out here on the street if we were staking out some criminal, but it would be far more comfortable and efficient going inside Hagstrom’s house and camping out there. After all, we’re trying to keep him from being butchered. We could explain that to him and get permission to—”

  “Very reasonable,” Lynch said as he leaned back on his seat. “But may I remind you that Hagstrom didn’t appear to be at all reasonable and is belligerent as hell. He would either kick us out or call his lawyer to get a warrant for trespassing.”

  “Perhaps we could persuade him.”

  “If you really want this, I’ll go and make the attempt.” He tilted his head consideringly. “I could always hog-tie him and then we wouldn’t have to worry about having to argue with him.”

  She sighed. It would be dangerous to even keep discussing this. There was no telling where Lynch’s twisted humor might take them. “Never mind. I’m just getting restless. You’re sure that Hagstrom is inside?”

  He nodded. “You watched me go check out the grounds and all the doors and windows forty minutes ago. I saw Hagstrom drinking beer and watching TV in the living room. Porn. Very kinky.”

  “I didn’t have to know that.”

  “I wanted to give you a complete report. You appear to be a little on edge.”

  “I wonder why.” She drew a deep breath. “I want this to happen, Lynch. He has to come.”

  “I know you do,” he said quietly. “Zachary might not show tonight, you know. That’s why we decided to wait to contact Griffin until we saw if Hagstrom was actually being targeted.”

  “But he might show, he’ll want to tie up that loose end.” She looked at him. “You think so too, don’t you?”

  “I believe there’s a good chance.” He suddenly grinned. “Why else would I have left my Ferrari in the garage and taken your Toyota? What a sacrifice.”

  “Duh,” she said. “Even you would have to admit that the Ferrari might be a little ostentatious for this neighborhood. Of course, it would be ostentatious for Buckingham Palace.”

  “Only because Ferraris have loads more style than any of the Royals’ boring vehicles.” He reached over and took her hand. “If not tonight, then tomorrow, Kendra. We won’t give up. You’re really lousy at this stake-out business, but you’re great company. And we could think about that hog-tying scenario if we get really bored. Or we could get a DVD player and borrow one of Hagstrom’s porn tapes. There are all kinds of—”

  “Hush.” She stiffened, her gaze on the backyard of the condo. “Something…” She leaned forward, her eyes straining. “Dark … against that pine fence. Moving…” She saw another flicker of movement. “Lynch?”

  “I see it. Shadow … Might be nothing.” But he was out of the car and heading for the back of the condo at top speed. “Better call Griffin.”

  She was already on the phone. “Hagstrom’s, Griffin,” she said when he picked up. “Right away. Hurry!” Then she was running after Lynch.

  He was standing on the concrete patio in front of the kitchen door.

  Dark prints on the concrete …

  Fresh scratches on the lock of the door …

  “I don’t see the glare from the TV through the windows anymore,” Lynch said. “No lights either. The power might have been cut…” He tried the kitchen door. “Lock’s broke, but it won’t budge.”

  Lynch threw himself into the door, but it gave only slightly. “It’s been barricaded.” He glanced at a row of side windows. “Over there!”

  Kendra followed him as he took off his jacket, wrapped it around his
arm, and struck the nearest window. The glass shattered and fell around them. They both climbed inside and scrambled through the dark house.

  Silence. Yet that shattered glass would have had to be heard.

  “Hagstrom!” Kendra shouted.

  Silence.

  She flipped a light switch on the wall. Nothing.

  “You’re right, the power’s been cut.” She went rigid, her gaze searching the darkness. “Do you hear that?”

  There was labored, tortured breathing issuing from the front room.

  Evidently Lynch did, because he pulled out his automatic and a pocket flashlight and moved in front of her. “Keep behind me.”

  Then they rounded the corner, more light here streaming through the window from the glow of a streetlight. But they still couldn’t tell where—

  And then they saw him.

  Hagstrom’s body was crumpled in the middle of his living room rug. He was still twitching, blood pooling from his chest and neck. On the far side of the room, a strong breeze was buffeting the room from a broken window, and the curtains billowed outward toward the street.

  “Shit!” Lynch fell to his knees beside Hagstrom, grabbed a throw blanket from the couch and pressed it against his chest. Before he could even complete the motion, Hagstrom gave a last gurgle and stopped breathing.

  Lynch looked up at Kendra. “There’s nothing I can do for him. His throat’s been cut.”

  “I know.” She was gazing down at Hagstrom’s throat. The cut was clean and the sweep of the incision clear. So clear. Why hadn’t she been able to see it before? Why hadn’t she been able to see everything before?

  Lynch jumped to his feet and ran to the window. “No one out there I can see. Wherever he went—”

  “It wasn’t a he,” Kendra said numbly.

  “What?”

  “Zachary isn’t a man.”

  Lynch’s gaze narrowed on her. “And you know that how?”

  “Because I know who our killer is. And you know, too.” And she knew something else, she realized in sudden cold panic. Zachary would never have executed this kill and then gone out that window. He would know that by showing up here she had signaled the end of the game.