by D. K. Hood
“Why are you staring at the door?” Lyons turned and followed Colt’s line of sight and then turned back. “Waiting for someone? Ah, don’t tell me, you invited Emily along?”
“Nah, but I hoped you’d have lived up to your reputation and organized some entertainment.” Colt snorted. “Emily wouldn’t come. She finishes classes and then jogs every afternoon before heading home. Apparently she lost her mom some time ago and helps with the other kids.”
“Hmm, shame, but she must get some downtime.” Lyons puffed out a sigh. “I haven’t gotten close enough to speak to her yet but I’m working on it.” He grinned. “I’m inclined to meet up with her this Friday.”
Colt’s stomach cramped at the idea of him alone in the forest with Emily. “I think you’re wasting your time. I tried to get close but she shut me down. She made it clear she’s not interested in getting involved with anyone until she’s through college.”
“Well, she hasn’t come up against the Lyons charm yet. Actually, Dylan planned some entertainment for tonight but the girl he invited is a no-show. I gather she insisted on driving herself too, which is another strike against him. He should know better, but I guess he didn’t have a choice.” Lyons shook his head. “I like to get one of the guys to give them a ride here. Then they get offered a drink along the way, and by the time they arrive, they’re starting to mellow.” He rolled his shoulders. “I don’t have time to sweet-talk them. They know why I’ve asked them here.”
Colt frowned. “Do they? You only invite them here for sex?”
“Yeah.” Lyons sipped his beer. “I have a girl back home, we’re engaged. When we marry, we’ll join two companies together.”
Colt had no idea such archaic practices happened anymore. “You mean it’s an arranged marriage?”
“Kinda.” Lyons shrugged. “I don’t love her if that’s what you mean, but she’s old money. She looks okay and I’ll have my own life. Once she produces a couple of heirs, she can take a lover if she wants. We’ve discussed everything and she’s down with it.”
“Nice deal.” Colt grinned. “One of the benefits of being on the football team is the women. Man, I got laid nightly the last time I played, and I’ve really missed being on the team. We knew how to party, if you know what I mean?” He scanned the room again, noticing Court ushering a guy through a door at the end of the hallway.
“I figure we do too.” Lyons tipped his head to one side as if examining him. “But most guys are just talk.” He snorted. “Are you just talk, Colt?”
“Need proof, huh?” Colt pulled out his cellphone, glad Kane had moved a few confiscated images from past crimes into his files. He waved his screen in front of Lyons’ eyes then pulled it back. “Still figure I’m talking shit?”
“I somehow knew you and I would fit together.” Lyons smiled. “You’re what we need on the team—a man after my own heart.”
Colt continued the talk about women with Lyons to discover if Lyons and his friends could be the serial rapists who’d attacked Chrissie Lowe. Phrasing his questions without causing suspicion wouldn’t be easy. He dove in, hoping he hadn’t pushed his luck too far. “I can’t believe I came this close to sharing the girl you invited last week.” He held his thumb and forefinger an inch apart.
“There’ll be more.” Lyons shrugged. “I’ll ask the guys if they want you to join in. We’ll need to be careful.” He gave him a long look. “Everything that happens here stays here.”
Colt frowned. “The women agree to party, don’t they?”
“You’ve never heard a complaint, have you?” A slow smile crept over Lyons’ face. “Yeah, they like to party with us and come back for more. The freshmen in particular come across all sweet and innocent, and once they have a few drinks they turn into nymphomaniacs. The guys are more than happy to oblige.”
Colt took a long drink then met Lyons’ gaze. “They also tend to change their minds once they’re sober. It’s hard to believe none of them have complained.”
“That’s because I have insurance.” Lyons chuckled and pulled a cellphone out of his pocket. Colt noticed it was a cheap burner and not the one he usually carried. “I’ll show you a few images but we have a library of these and they’re well-hidden. No one could find them, and if anyone went to the cops and complained, I have a few cut versions to show them. The way I’ve edited them, they prove the girls were into everything we did to them.” He opened the file and passed him the cellphone. “Take a look for yourself.”
A wave of disgust hit him like a tsunami at the sight of Chrissie Lowe in indecent poses. He zoomed in on her face. Her hooded eyelids hadn’t disguised her huge, dilated pupils and the blank, slack expression told him she was barely conscious if at all. He kept his eyes lowered as if taking in the images and tried to control his rage. He’d blow his cover for sure if he wasn’t careful. How he handled his response now was crucial to catching this SOB. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Oh man, this is hot. Ever had two at the same time?” He forced a chuckle. “Now that would be fun.”
“Oh yeah, and we’ve got videos too.” It was a boast and now Lyons’ eyes were dancing with delight. “Although watching reruns is a turn-on, it’s nothing like being there.”
Colt went in for the kill. “When’s the next party?”
“Hmm.” Lyons shrugged. “I’m not sure, maybe Saturday. The guys need to come down from the game. I’ll see what I can arrange but I’m going to have Emily one way or another. I can’t resist a challenge and I always win.” He gave him a long look. “If you want to earn your way into our group, you’ll have to hook up with a girl after the game. If the guys know you’ve supplied one of them, they’ll agree to you joining us.” His mouth raised at the corners. “Look, I’ll make it easy for you. If we work together, the girls won’t be able to resist, and they’ll believe there’s safety in numbers. Don’t worry, the guys can easily handle three at once.”
Woah, this plan is going way too fast. Colt frowned. “Sure, but three, isn’t that risky?”
“Nah.” Lyons chuckled. “Don’t worry, the moment the jet hits their systems, they’ll be demanding to get laid.”
Colt wished he’d been wearing a wire. The confession that Lyons used a date-rape drug on his victims was all the proof he needed. Dammit, everything he says to me is hearsay. He’d recognized the street name for ketamine, a date-rape drug, and forced a smile. “Count me in.”
“We’ll see, my eager friend.” Lyons chuckled. “Wait here and chat with some of the guys.” He motioned to a group of men chatting close by. “I need to use the john.” He strolled toward the hallway.
Surrounded, Colt had the weirdest sensation of drowning. The men’s faces all had the same suspicious expression and looked at him, saying nothing as if he’d become the enemy. It was obvious Lyons didn’t fully trust him yet if he had to run his presence past his boys. He glanced casually at his tracker ring and calculated how fast backup would arrive if they decided to kill him. Not fast enough.
Thirty-Seven
Dylan Court used his key to open the door to the cellar. He glanced around, making sure no one had followed them. “I’ll get the light. I need to stash my flash drive in the safe.” He stepped inside the room and flicked the switch to turn on the lights.
“Something I gotta know.” His friend paused in the doorway. “Where else have you been keeping your copies?”
“Nowhere, only in the safe.” Court’s gaze slid around the room. Big, comfortable sofas surrounded a gigantic flat-screen, and it seemed every time he came down here he found another luxury. The fully stocked bar and coffee machine were new additions to their special room. He walked toward a framed picture of the team, pressed a button hidden under the mantel, and the picture flipped back to reveal a safe. “See, I’ll lock it away, safe and sound. I just needed to add a few things.”
“That’s good.” His friend pulled out his cellphone and offered Court a few seconds of video. “This is what I have—like it?”
Court had never seen anything so professional filmed on a phone. “Man, that’s almost porno quality.” He looked into his friend’s eyes. “Can we put it up on the screen?”
“Later. I want to see what you’re hiding on your flash drive first.” His gaze became intense. “Give me a look.” He waved his cell. “And I’ll download a copy of this right now, for your personal collection.”
Unable to resist the chance to see the rest of the footage, Court dove into the safe and found his flash drive. He led the way to a desk at the back of the room, booted up the computer, entered his password, and then inserted the drive. “There, now can I see the damn video?”
“Thanks, I’ll transfer the files now.” His friend smiled at him. “It will give you something to do while I look at these.”
Moments later, Court’s cellphone chimed with a message. He waited for the file to download then dropped onto the sofa to play the files. Engrossed, he didn’t notice his friend until the sofa dipped as he sat beside him. He paused the clip, slightly annoyed at being disturbed, turned, and looked straight into the muzzle of a gun. “W-what the heck?”
“Push up your sleeve, the left one.” His friend’s expression had hardened to granite. “That’s right. Now take the rubber tubing and tie it around your arm. I wanna see those veins popping. Then use the syringe.” He nudged him with the cold muzzle of the gun. “You know how to do it, don’t you, Dylan?”
Court stared at the two syringes. “What is it?”
“Something just for you.” The man’s lips curled in a sinister smile. “You’ll enjoy the ride. You should thank me.” He jammed the muzzle harder into Court’s temple. “Hurry up, I don’t have much time.”
Panic made his hands shake but he took the rubber tubing, tied it around his arm using his teeth to assist him, and then pulled it tight. “You know this will show up on a drug test? I’ll be off the team for sure.” Court pressed the needle into his vein. “Is that what you want?”
“Yeah.” His voice had become a low growl. “Do it.”
The moment the drug hit his vein, Court became drowsy. It was a good feeling, like floating away. He could deal with being high. It wasn’t the first time. At least he wouldn’t remember much about his ordeal, and he’d been smart and only squeezed a small amount into his arm. He’d be awake in an hour or so, and once he told Seth what had happened, they’d make this SOB pay for what he’d done. The next moment, leather-covered fingers closed around his hand and a rush of cold liquid shot up inside his arm. The high dose would kill him if he didn’t get help. Sheer terror had him by the throat. I’m going to die.
Disoriented and trembling, he forced his heavy eyelids open and stared at the syringe hanging out of his arm. His friend was loosening the rubber band but hadn’t removed it and watched him with dark, stone-cold eyes. He wanted to say something, plead for his life, but his mouth went slack and he couldn’t speak. His heart pounded and then slowed, missing beats as if fighting to pump the blood through his veins. Sweat poured into his eyes, stinging but not for long. As he slipped into oblivion, he heard him emptying the safe. The room plunged into darkness and the last sound he made out was the door clicking shut as his killer left him alone to die.
Thirty-Eight
Friday
It was going to be one of those days. Jenna could feel it in her bones. Dashing to the office without stopping for breakfast was affecting her thought processes. She stared at the whiteboard and shook her head. They had made little headway on any of the cases and the reports she’d ordered had not arrived. When Rowley knocked on her office door, she waved him in. “Have you found anything we can use?”
“Not specifically, no, I’m afraid, ma’am.” Rowley dashed a hand through his unruly curls and sighed. “Seems just about every man and his dog has a beef against the college football coach. He has a string of complaints against him from other teams, and players who he benched over the years are all out for his blood.”
Baffled by Rowley’s information, she cleared her throat. “How the heck does he keep his job?”
“I guess because every team he coaches wins.” Rowley frowned. “It’s all about reputation, ma’am. The college holds football in the highest esteem. You see, Black Rock Falls is one of the first places the scouts come looking for suitable players for the NFL.” He smiled at her. “That’s why we get kids from all over wanting to join the team.”
Jenna nodded. “Okay, so we could have a disgruntled parent, ex-player, or any number of people intent on destroying the team?” She sighed at Rowley’s apologetic shrug. “No one in particular? Or have there been any recent threats?”
“Yeah but I spent most of last night and this morning chasing down everyone involved and none of them came anywhere near here around the time Jacobs or Devon died. Another thing: Wolfe called and said the casts of the suspects’ hands were inconclusive. He couldn’t prove either of the suspects’ nails made the marks on Devon’s ankles.” Rowley met her gaze. “I’ve more bad news.”
Jenna’s stomach dropped. “Okay, give it to me.”
“Walters chased down the design of Jacobs’ ring.” Rowley frowned. “The team made it to the National Championships last year and all the players on the team have one.” He frowned. “Which means every resident of Lyons’ house, with the exception of the guy with epilepsy. He’s the brother of Seth Lyons’ fiancée, so he lives in the house.”
Astonished, Jenna stared at him. “Lyons has a fiancée?”
“Seems so.” Rowley shook his head. “Not for long, I guess, once she finds out what he’s been doing.”
“Unless she plans on visiting him in jail.” Jenna rolled her eyes. “I hope Kane has found something or we’re back to square one.”
“Did I hear my name?” Kane hung in the open doorway, hands on both sides of the doorframe, his jacket hanging open like the wings of a bat.
Jenna smiled at him. “You did. Have you checked Jones’s alibi?”
“Yeah.” Kane nudged Duke into the room. “Give me a second, I’ve left some takeout in the truck.” He glanced at Rowley. “Wanna give me a hand?”
“Sure.” Rowley followed him out the door.
Jenna stared after them. She somehow knew Kane would come back from Aunt Betty’s Café laden with food for breakfast. A few moments later, they reappeared carrying takeout bags and go-cups of coffee. “Okay, sit down and tell me what you’ve found.”
“Jones was in the library, and since Aunt Betty’s installed a CCTV system, I was able to look over the tapes. He did drop by for a burger at eight thirty, but I spoke to college security, and they have him scanned back in the library at ten. He had plenty of time to eat and then go kill Devon.”
Jenna stood and added the information to the whiteboard. “Hmm, seems all our suspects went missing around the time of Devon’s death.” She glanced at Kane. “If Stein went for a walk, would he be picked up on any other CCTV cameras?”
“Not likely.” Rowley frowned. “They’re in the parking lot and around the entrances mainly. You might be able to pinpoint the time Jones arrived back on campus and when Lowe left.”
“Already looked.” Kane sipped his coffee. “When Jones arrived at nine, he walked out of the parking lot and wasn’t carrying anything. I figure he ate his burger in the vehicle. I couldn’t pick him up anywhere near the pool because, as you know, the CCTV cameras were down.” He shrugged. “Lowe left at nine fifty, so he had time as well.”
“Okay, so Jones arrived back at nine and wasn’t seen again until ten at the library. From the scanner records, Stein and Jones arrived at the library at ten. How strange.” Jenna shot a glance at Kane. “You don’t think they’re both involved in these accidents, do you?”
“It’s possible.” Kane shrugged. “They both have different motives but could be working together.” He put down his cup and frowned. “One thing about Jacobs’ death still bothers me and it’s been mentioned before. Both Jones and Stein argued with him recently; sure as hell Jacobs woul
dn’t trust either of them to spot him lifting that amount of weight.” He met Jenna’s gaze. “Devon, maybe. If they both jumped in the pool, grabbed a leg each, and hauled him under the water… but standing over Jacobs when he was that vulnerable? Nah, no way.”
“What about Lowe?” Rowley was scanning the case file. “Does he use the gym?”
“No, he said his job involves a lot of lifting.” Jenna sat down and dropped her head into her hands. She lifted her gaze to her deputies. “Who did Jacobs trust above all others?”
“Lyons.” Kane leaned back in his chair. “What if he knew Jacobs had left distinguishing marks on Chrissie? Perhaps we’re looking at this all wrong. Maybe Jacobs became a liability.”
“And Devon had image files on his burner.” Rowley frowned. “If he’d broken the rules, maybe Lyons decided to eliminate him as well.”
Jenna looked from one to the other. “So we’ll need to find out where Lyons was at the time of both deaths. I figure if he is capable of rape, murder would be second nature to him.” She made a note in her daybook and then leaned back in her seat. “We still need more than circumstantial evidence to prove Lyons and his friends were responsible for raping Chrissie. Has anyone heard from Webber? I was expecting a report from him by now.”
“He was heading out to the house last night.” Kane reached in a bag for a sandwich. “They had a wake for Jacobs and Devon. Maybe he stayed over, and he’d be training this morning. I doubt he’d have found any alone time to contact us. He wouldn’t risk sending a message in case Lyons got suspicious and checked his phone.” He blinked then stared at Jenna. “See if he logged into the files last night.”
