“Shield you from what?”
Cassidy sighed. “From becoming part of that program,” she said.
“Sounds like 007.”
“It’s not,” Cassidy said. “It’s much deeper, much darker, and it’s real. People get hurt.”
“Like when Alex got shot?”
“That’s one way,” Cassidy said. “There is worse pain than a bullet wound,” she told him. “Alex would tell you that.”
Dylan looked at his mother curiously. Cassidy had grown reflective in an instant. She looked sad to him. That was not an emotion he saw from his mother often. “Mom?” Cassidy’s strained smile nearly broke his heart.
“I know that you have suffered because of my choices,” she said.
“No…”
“Yes, you have, Dylan. I know you love Alex. God knows, she loves you. But, you missed out on getting to know your biological father. You are more like him than you realize. And, I know that Jane has told you this, but he did love you.”
“I know,” Dylan said. “But, you think I miss him more than I do. I don’t think about it as much as you all do.”
“I know that,” she replied. She chuckled at the look of skepticism in her son’s eyes. “I do know that. I also know that your relationship with your father was sometimes painful. I also know that you loved him.”
Dylan looked at the table. “Maybe. That doesn’t mean he ever cared all that much about me.”
Cassidy reached for Dylan’s hand. “Not true,” she said.
“Mom, you and Dad…”
“At one time, Dylan, I did love him. I was never in love with him,” she confessed. “And, I don’t think he was ever in love with me. One thing I do know, we both loved you; even if he struggled to show you that at times.”
“What does he have to do with this?”
“Everything,” Cassidy said. “Every wound leaves a scar. Some leave lasting pain in their wake. I lost my father to that life, to what people like to call ‘Intelligence.’ Alex lost hers. Claire lost both her parents because of it. Eleana lost her brother. You lost both the men who would be fathers in your life. Jane lost her husband. You lost out on years of knowing your grandfather, and ever having the chance to know Alex’s father. Those wounds never completely heal, Dylan. You learn to live with the pain. You learn to love despite it. It never goes away—never. It shapes you.”
“What if I did decide to…”
Cassidy smiled. “Oh, Dylan, Alex and I will support you no matter what you decide to do if it is what you truly feel is best for you. Don’t ask either of us not to worry or not to express concern. Like it or not, we’ve both lived a little longer.”
“Is that why Grandpa is really here? To talk me out of going to the Naval Academy?”
“No,” she said flatly. “He’s here for me.”
“For you?”
Cassidy picked up her spoon and dipped into the ice cream again. “Yep, for me,” she said. She swallowed her bite and grinned. “He is trying to get me fat, I think.”
“What?” Dylan laughed.
“Never mind,” she waved him off. She smiled but grew serious. “I have a lot of anger toward him.,” she confessed.
“I get that,” Dylan said thoughtfully.
“I’m sure you do,” Cassidy said.
Dylan looked at his mother. “I wish I could remember more of the good things about him.”
“You were small,” she said. “Your father was in Washington most of the time.”
“It feels strange, you calling him my father.”
“Would you prefer I call him Chris?”
“No,” Dylan said. “I just always think of Alex as…”
Cassidy smiled. “I know you do.”
“I wish she was,” he said. “That hurts.”
“I understand.”
“How do you deal with it?” he asked.
“You mean how do I deal with what I know or how do I handle the loss?”
“Both.”
“Well, for all the pain and all the craziness that has happened in my life, it brought me you,” she said with a smile. “I can tell you that I was never happier than the day you were born.”
“I’m sure that’s not true.”
“No? It is true. Don’t misunderstand me. I love your sisters and your brother every bit as much. I love Alex more than I could ever express. You were always my light, Dylan. You were first,” she told him. “I could never regret my time with your father. In a strange way, it did bring about you. And, if it hadn’t been for your biological father, and for all the things I didn’t know about back then, I would never have met Alex. That’s how I deal with it. I focus on all the people I love.”
“And, if I decide to go to college instead? Would you think it was a cop-out?”
“I think you need to make the decision that calls to you,” she said.
“What did they do?” he asked. “Grandpa and Alex’s father?”
“That’s not my story to tell, Dylan. If you want to know that answer, you need to ask your grandfather.”
“He won’t tell me.”
“Not everything,” she agreed. “Don’t underestimate him. Just be sure you are prepared for the truth. Because one thing I do know; he will not lie to you.”
Dylan nodded.
Cassidy spooned some more ice cream into her mouth. “Eat,” she handed him his spoon.
“Can I ask you something else?”
“I don’t know,” Cassidy said. “This is the last half gallon of ice cream I have.”
Dylan laughed. “Who were you on the phone with when I came in?”
Cassidy licked her spoon. “Candace.”
“You kind of seemed upset.”
“And, you thought that it would be a good time to talk about spies?” Cassidy teased him.
“No, I just…”
She laughed. “I wasn’t upset—just thinking.”
“About what?” he asked.
“Candace wants me to work on the campaign as a speech writer.”
“Seriously?”
Cassidy had a mouthful of ice cream. “Why’s dat suwrwising?”
Dylan laughed. “Oh, my God, you sounded just like Abby.”
“Why is that surprising? Cassidy asked.
“It’s not, I guess. Are you going to do it?”
“I don’t know. Think I should?”
“Yeah!” Dylan said.
“I don’t know,” Cassidy shook her head. “I already have my hands full.”
“What did Candace say?”
“She said she thought I could find her voice better than most.”
“You two are kind of alike,” Dylan said.
“You think so?”
“Seriously, Mom? Aunt Jane always says you should have been the one in Congress.”
“No, thank you,” Cassidy replied.
“I think you should do it.”
“We’ll see.”
Dylan smiled and dug into the ice cream.
“What are you smiling about?” Cassidy asked.
“Nofin,” he replied with his mouth full.
“Now, who sounds like Abby?”
“You know, you could write a book,” Dylan said.
“You think so?”
“Yeah. You have experience with presidents. Call it The Spy Wife at The White House.”
Cassidy choked on the ice cream in her mouth she laughed so hard.
“What?” he chuckled. “Sell it as fiction, no one would believe it was true anyway.”
Cassidy kept laughing. That’s the truth.
***
“I don’t like this,” Claire said.
“I don’t like it either,” Alex replied.
Claire moved her flashlight side to side. “Under the barn? What do you want to do? Dig the barn up to see if Brad Lawson is under it?” she asked. Alex made no reply. “Alex?”
“I don’t think that will be necessary,” Alex said.
Claire turned around and fo
llowed the light from Alex’s flashlight. “Ugh.”
“I think we found our missing landscaper.”
“That’s under hay, not under the barn.”
Alex nodded. “Well, the original rhyme has Little Boy Blue asleep under the hay.”
“I remember. What’s with the rhymes anyway? You’re the profiler.”
Alex crouched down beside the body. She cringed. “He’s been dead a while.”
“Smells like it.”
“Claire!”
“What?”
Alex stood back up and took out her phone.
“Who are you calling?”
“Bower. We need a team out here. He needs to know what we found.”
“And, how exactly are you going to explain that we were in that house without a warrant?”
“I’ll blame you.”
Claire chuckled. “That’s what I’d do.”
***
“Mom? What’s going on?” Michelle Fletcher asked her mother.
Candace smiled. “Relax, Shell. Just sit down.”
“Oh, this can’t be good. Please tell me you’re not quitting the campaign.”
“Hardly.”
“Then why are you telling me to sit down? Oh, God! You and Jameson decided to have another kid!”
“You have a vivid imagination, Shell.”
“Well, what? Someone’s sick?”
“Shell!” Candace sniggered. “Take a breath.”
“Sorry, too much coffee.”
Candace nodded. “Jane’s flying in tomorrow.”
“Jane Merrow?”
“Yes.”
“Are you planning to campaign together?”
“Eventually,” Candace said. “She’s going to spend a few days at headquarters taking the lead with the press.”
“Why? Did I do something that…”
“No,” Candace held up her hand. “Hopefully, it’s only for a few days. Jed Ritchie is out making the rounds on the morning shows. Having a serial killer on the loose is not helping bolster confidence in me. And, Lawson Klein is happy to help fund Ritchie’s crusade.”
“You’re not the FBI,” Michelle pointed out.
“Facts are sometimes less important than optics, Shell. You know that better than most.”
“I hate those assholes.”
Candace laughed.
“What else?” Michelle wanted to know.
Candace sobered. “Remember when I told you to keep your eye out for anyone that seemed to be lurking?”
“Yeah?”
“No concerns?”
“No lurkers,” Michelle replied. “Some new volunteers. No one that has made me suspect anything.”
Candace nodded. She made her way over to her desk and retrieved the pictures that Alex had given her. “I need you to let me know immediately if you see either of these men.”
Michelle looked at the picture of Brad Lawson first. “Nope.” She put it behind the second photo and froze.
“Shell?”
“This is Brad.”
“What?” Candace asked.
“This—this picture is of our new volunteer, Brad Lawson.”
Candace looked over Michelle’s shoulder. “Shell? That’s a picture Alex gave me of some man named Jack Carter.”
Michelle shook her head. “No, that is Brad Lawson.”
Candace grabbed her cell phone.
“Mom? What are you doing?”
“Alex?” Candace began.
***
“I’m surprised Bower didn’t hand you your ass,” Claire said.
Alex shrugged. “Bigger fish to fry.”
“Think it’s him?” Claire asked as they looked on.
“Yeah. Don’t you?”
“Yeah, but I wonder what the deal is with that rhyme. You never answered me. What do you think?”
Alex shook her head. “If I were to place a bet, I would say he has some childhood attachment to them. Maybe he had an abuser that used to read them to him. I don’t know. It’s like a sadistic fantasy.”
“But, why Lawson?”
“Good question. Maybe he just needed cover. Maybe Lawson was onto him. The rhyme… It’s like his justification.”
“Mm.”
“What do you think?” Alex asked.
“Me? I’m not the legendary profiler.”
“You’re every bit as proficient at profiling. Let’s hear it,” Alex said.
“I just keep thinking about that line he wrote, ‘where is that boy who set him free?’ That’s gotta’ mean something.”
Alex sighed. She’s right on point. “The question is what.” Alex’s cell phone began to ring. She looked at the caller. “Candace?”
“Alex…”
“What’s wrong?” Alex asked.
“Shell recognized the photo of Jack Carter as someone who started volunteering a couple of days ago.”
Alex held her breath.
“But, she knows him by the other man’s name—Brad Lawson. What’s going on?”
Shit. “I’m not totally sure. Is Shell with you?”
“Yes.”
“Keep her there.”
“What?”
“Candace, if he knows Shell, he might know where she lives. She’s secure with you. No one’s coming after any of you there.”
Candace sighed. “I can’t keep her in the dark.”
Alex groaned. “I know. I can’t get there right now. I’m in the middle of something.”
“Alex…”
“Listen, I am going to send someone to you. Don’t let Shell or Jameson leave alone.”
“Jameson isn’t here. She worked late.”
Alex groaned. “At her office?”
“Yes. Do you think Jameson is in danger?”
Alex took a deep breath. “Jameson can handle herself,” she said. “Just call her and tell her to stay put until someone gets there.”
“Someone? Alex…”
“Candace, please—trust me on this one.”
“What do you want me to tell Shell?”
“Tell her I will fill her in when I get there.”
“You’re coming here?”
“As soon as I can. I need to deal with some things where I am first.”
“All right. I don’t know why, but I feel like I need to tell you to be careful.”
“I always am,” Alex said. “Shit.”
“What’s up in Governor land?”
“He’s been to Candace’s campaign office. Shell recognized him. We need to look through that house again.”
“What do you hope to find?”
“Some idea of where he might be. What he might be driving. I don’t like the idea of using anyone as bait.”
Claire nodded. “What are we waiting for? Nothing we can do to help him,” she gestured to the body.
Alex grimaced. No, nothing at all.
***
“Damnit!” Alex yelled in frustration.
Claire appeared in the small bedroom a moment later. “You okay?”
“There has to be something here. Something of Lawson’s—something.”
“There’s a lot here, Alex,” Claire said. “Maybe you need a break.”
“I don’t have time for a break.”
Claire nodded. “They’re your friends; I get it.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The governor, her family—they’re your friends.”
“That’s not…”
“It’s gotten close,” Claire said. She shook her head. “It always gets close sooner or later.”
“They’ll be okay.”
“I agree. We know where he is.”
“Approximately.”
“Alex, unless he knows we are onto him, he’s gonna’ show up to that campaign office again.”
“Maybe.”
“You think he knows we’re onto him?”
“He will when this hits the news,” Alex said.
“What about the governor’s daughter?”
>
Alex snapped to attention. “No way. We are not using Shell as bait.”
“You have a better idea?”
Alex shook her head. “Even if I did agree, Candace would never allow it.”
“Is she a minor?”
“What?”
“The governor’s daughter. Is she a minor?”
“No.”
Claire shrugged. “Seems to me it’s her call then.”
Alex pinched the bridge of her nose.
“Can’t you use the governor’s spin machine?”
“What?” Alex asked.
“She offered; right? Spin the fact that we don’t know who we found out here.”
Alex stared at Claire. “He’ll want to make a move before we figure it out.”
Claire nodded.
“She’ll never go for it,” Alex said.
“Alex, it’s our best chance to end this.”
Alex sighed nervously. “Yeah. That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
Claire nodded. “If things were the way we liked, we wouldn’t have jobs.”
Alex looked at Claire for a moment. Right again. “I wish there was another way.” She groaned. “He left just enough breadcrumbs. Just enough to put us on his scent. Not enough to lead us home.”
“But he has,” Claire said.
Alex nodded.
“You want me to drive?” Claire asked.
Alex shook her head. “Keep looking here. I’ll talk to the governor.”
“Good luck with that.”
“I think I’m going to need a lot more than luck.”
***
“Absolutely not!” Candace raised her voice.
“Candace, just listen,” Alex implored the governor.
“Mom,” Michelle pleaded for her mother’s attention.
“You want to use Shell to lure this sadistic son of a bitch? You’ve lost your mind.”
Alex shook her head. “We have a window.”
“You know what he looks like. Arrest him!”
“We have a warrant out. We’ve notified law enforcement of the Crow Electrical vans and their plate numbers. Nothing. There’s been nothing, Candace.”
“You said he’s close to the airport,” Candace said.
“I did—within twenty miles. There’s no record of Brad Lawson or Jack Carter owning or renting property here. We tried pinging the phone. He’s not using the numbers that either Jack Carter’s wife or Brad Lawson’s receptionist gave us—nothing, Candace. He’s a serial killer. Serial killers are sadistic. They are not stupid.”
Untold (Alex and Cassidy Book 5) Page 36
