Killer in Sight (A Tom Lackey Mystery)

by Sandra Carrington-Smith

  broke up with him, Tracey deleted his number from her

  phone, but his e-mail address might still be in her

  computer. Tracey mentioned that he e-mailed her all the

  time, even after she asked him to stop. She would block

  his address and he would create a new one.”

  “Can you give me a description of Mr. Little?”

  Rose closed her eyes for a moment, as she focused

  on a mental snapshot of the man. “Short, maybe fiveseven or five-eight, dark hair and a tattoo of a dragon on his neck.”

  Tom scribbled the description on his notepad and

  created an entry to remind himself about Tracey’s

  computer. “Did you ever talk to him, Mrs. Howard?”

  “Yes, on more than one occasion. I met him in

  person the two times we were visiting, and I spoke with

  him over the phone a few times before he and Tracey

  stopped seeing each other. If he was over her apartment,

  he always answered the phone because he was afraid

  some other man would call and try to talk to Tracey.”

  Tom kept his expression impassive as he listened.

  Rose continued. “He was jealous of everything.

  Tracey couldn’t even talk to a male friend if she ran into

  one at the grocery store, or Jack would lose it. He got

  mad once because some young guy at a cash register

  smiled at her. He accused her of flirting with him, and

  ranted all the way back home. His sick jealousy was the

  main reason why she felt she had to break the

  relationship with him – he scared her.”

  “I see. How did he treat Tracey when you were

  there? Did he seem attentive?”

  Rose laughed bitterly. “Attentive? That’s not the

  right word to describe his behavior toward Tracey,

  Lieutenant. The correct term is overwhelming. He kept

  an arm around her at all times when people were in the

  room; as if he wanted everyone to know she was his

  property.”

  “Do you know if he is still working at the hospital?”

  “I’m not sure. I guess you can check with the

  administrators there. I don’t think he was employed by

  the hospital; he worked for a landscaping contractor.”

  “Good enough. I will check with the hospital.”

  Rose leaned back and closed her eyes. Her husband

  took her hand into his and caressed it. “I think my wife

  is tired, Lieutenant. If you would like to talk further,

  maybe we can go downstairs in the lobby while she

  rests.”

  “That’s not necessary, Mr. Howard. This is enough

  for now.” Tom stood up to leave and Mike Howard saw

  him to the door.

  “By the way, Lieutenant, please give my regards to

  Ms. Spencer. She has really been a life saver – Alexis

  loves talking to her. She has been kind enough to call

  and check on us.”

  Tom arched his eyebrow in surprise – Kathy didn’t

  tell him about her continued contact with the family. “I

  sure will, Mr. Howard. She really is a great person, and I

  am glad she and Alexis hit it off.”

  “They did. Alexis was very withdrawn when we

  first arrived, and she seems more relaxed now, in spite

  of the storm that hit our family.”

  Tom nodded and smiled. Maybe Kathy was right in

  encouraging the little girl to talk. As his mind wandered

  to the discussion they had the night before about Alexis’

  imaginary friend, he immediately thought of the photos

  Kathy showed him before he went to sleep. He was

  suddenly curious to know if Kathy had shown the

  photos to Alexis. He left the room and took the elevator

  down to the lobby. Tracey’s face, screaming from the

  photos, was stuck in his mind as he walked to his car.

  The sound of his mobile phone shattered the mental

  image and he answered by the third ring. The voice on

  the line sounded raspy and labored, but the words it

  produced hit Tom in the chest.

  “I am sorry to bother you, Lieutenant Lackey, but I

  think you should know who killed Tracey Newman.”

  #

  Shannon Brinkley knew she was in trouble. She

  suspected it from the moment she ran into an old school

  friend at the mall and hugged her in front of Mary.

  Mary’s face darkened a few shades when Taylor Martini

  almost collided with Shannon, instantly squealed and

  threw her arms around her old girlfriend. When Taylor

  suggested they eat a late lunch together Shannon tried to

  refuse, but Taylor wouldn’t take no for an answer. She

  grabbed Shannon by the hand and led her to the food

  court, all the while talking non-stop and behaving as if

  Mary wasn’t even there. Mary didn’t appreciate being

  excluded, especially when the person cutting her out of

  the circle was a drop-dead gorgeous brunette from

  Shannon’s past. The chemistry between Shannon and

  Taylor Martini was almost palpable to her, and it made

  Mary sick to her stomach. She pushed her plate away as

  if it were covered with slugs and sat in the inside corner

  of the booth quietly seething. She answered if someone

  asked her a question – and in fairness to her, Shannon

  tried to include her into the conversation several times –

  but for the most part she felt like an intrusion in a party

  for two.

  The moment Mary and Shannon got in the car –

  after Taylor Martini profusely hugged her old friend and

  made her promise to stay in touch – Mary exploded.

  Shannon was driving since Mary’s truck was in the

  shop, and Mary screamed at her the whole way home.

  Shannon was scared. It wouldn’t be the first time Mary

  hit her, and Shannon was petrified; she wanted to say

  something to defuse the situation, but fear kept her

  tongue tied. When they pulled into the parking lot in

  front of the apartment building, Mary got out first, and

  said she was going for a walk. Shannon ran upstairs, her

  heart beating wildly, and for a moment she considered

  locking Mary outside. But of course, doing that would

  anger Mary even more, and from previous experience

  Shannon knew better than to do something like that –

  Mary would retaliate.

  She opened the door and walked inside. The living

  room was dark and cool, and Shannon passed it without

  turning on the light, as she headed to the kitchen to get a

  glass of water. Her throat was parched and she felt

  dizzy. The fingers of her right hand went instinctively to

  her eye, and they touched the bruise Mary had given her

  just the other day. She couldn’t go on like this any

  more…something had to change.

  Her mind shot in a million directions as she

  desperately tried to come up with a plan fast enough to

  save her from another beating, but unfortunately it

  didn’t come up with one quickly enough. When the front

  door slammed, Shannon felt her insides twist and her

  heart beat so fast she thought it would explode.

  “So, did you call your girlfriend while I was gone? I

  saw her giving you her number. Do you think I’m />
  blind?” Mary’s voice thundered in the silence of the

  room and echoed inside Shannon’s head until her ears

  rang.

  “No, of course I didn’t. Taylor is only someone I

  went to school with. There was never anything between

  us.”

  “Oh, really?” Mary walked quickly toward Shannon

  until she was only a few inches away from her. “Is that

  why the two of you couldn’t take your eyes off each

  other?”

  Shannon started to weep. “It’s not true, Mary. We

  were just happy to catch up. That’s all…”

  Mary snickered as if she found Shannon’s words so

  ridiculous they were amusing. She got close enough that

  Shannon could feel her hot breath on her face. Mary’s

  smile suddenly turned hard and bitter and her eyes

  flashed an anger Shannon had never seen before. It’s

  going to get worse every time…she is going to kill me.

  “That’s all? That’s all you can say for yourself? You

  stupid little slut!” Mary’s eyes became small dark slits

  and her voice came out as a hiss. She grabbed Shannon

  by the shoulders and dug her fingers into her skin.

  “Mary, you’re hurting me! Let me go!”

  Mary released her grip. “I’m hurting you? Really?

  This is nothing, Sweetheart. The good stuff is yet to

  come.” She ran her hand over Shannon’s head, closed it

  around her untied hair, and yanked hard. Shannon

  screamed and started sobbing. “Please don’t hurt me…

  you know I only love you, Mary. I’ve never loved

  anyone like you, not even Tracey…” The moment she

  uttered those words, Shannon was sure she had dug her

  own grave. Mary dragged her by her hair to the living

  room and ripped off her shirt before she threw her on the

  couch. “Show me then. Show me you love me more

  than you loved Tracey.”

  Shannon continued to cry as Mary pulled off her

  pants and her head disappeared between her legs. She

  felt a wave of nausea wash over her. She didn’t want to

  be there, but by now she was so trapped she didn’t know

  where to turn. She should have listened when Tracey

  told her to kick Mary out once for all.

  #

  Tom dialed Parker’s mobile phone number and

  tapped his fingers against the steering wheel of his car

  while he waited for his partner to pick up. When Parker

  got on the line, his voice was as unhappy as always, but

  Tom ignored it.

  “Parker, have you found anything about Jack

  Little?”

  “Not yet. Lots of people with the same name, but

  their ages don’t check.”

  “Tracey Newman’s mother believes Jack Little

  harassed her via e-mail. We need to get her computer.

  Do you think we can get Judge Harris to sign a warrant

  by tonight?”

  Parker huffed. “That old goat has probably already

  gone home, but I will call and check.”

  “Thank you. Also, I just got a call from a woman

  who claims to know Tracey’s killer.”

  Parker whistled. “Yeah? Who is she?”

  “I’m not sure. She wouldn’t give me her name. She

  said she doesn’t want to get involved but she knows the

  killer. She called me from a payphone.”

  “Seriously? I didn’t think people even used

  payphones any more. So, how are you going to get in

  touch with her?”

  “She said she is going to call me back tonight at

  nine. I guess I will have to wait for her phone call.”

  “Strange bird, that one is. Sounds like she watches

  too many police shows. Probably just a weirdo.”

  Tom laughed. “Yeah, maybe you are right, but we

  can’t afford to take anything for granted.”

  Parker’s voice sounded more cheerful now. “I agree.

  No chances. I’m going to call Harris right now. Wish me

  luck.”

  “Good luck, Parker. Call me as soon as you know

  something. I am going to call Brad Johnson and see if I

  can talk to him.

  “Ten four.”

  Tom clicked the red button on his phone to end the

  call, and immediately dialed the number Shannon gave

  him for Brad, but he got his answering machine, so he

  left a message. He decided to go back to Tracey’s

  apartment – warrant or not, Shannon Brinkley seemed

  agreeable to letting him in without too many formalities.

  He drove north on Capital Boulevard and damned

  himself for not taking a different route when he got

  stuck in traffic near the intersection with Sumner

  Boulevard. The nearby mall was considered a blessing

  by many who purchased homes in the area, but it was a

  curse for anyone trying to drive through there during

  rush-hour traffic. He finally made it through the next

  two intersections and sped until he got to Perry Creek

  Road. He turned right and drove quickly to the

  apartment complex, and he parked his car in one of the

  spaces farther away from the building – he certainly

  didn’t want to occupy one of the spots assigned to the

  residents who were probably, by now, ready to go home

  after a long day. If anything, growing up in a small town

  taught him good manners; and, he thought smiling, what

  the town didn’t teach him, his mother surely did. Mrs.

  Lackey had no tolerance for poor manners or lack of

  consideration toward others. He went up the stairs two

  steps at a time and knocked on the door. No answer,

  even though the lights were on inside. He knocked again

  and waited, his ear close to the door to see if he could

  detect any sounds coming from within. He heard

  someone weeping softly, so he knocked once more.

  “Police! Please open the door!”

  He stood by the closed door, uncertain of what he

  should do. He couldn’t just barge in, and yet his instincts

  told him he needed to do just that. He was ready to

  knock again, when the door opened. The sight of

  Shannon Brinkley made him suck in his breath. Her hair

  was disheveled and she had on a powder blue robe

  stained by the blood that ran profusely from her cut and

  swollen bottom lip. Her eyes were red from crying and

  the fear in her eyes was intense enough to make Tom

  shiver. “Ms. Brinkley…what happened?”

  The gentleness in Tom’s tone crumbled Shannon’s

  resolve to keep quiet and she collapsed against his chest

  sobbing. Tom held her up and walked her toward the

  living room where he helped her sit on the couch. Torn

  clothes were abandoned on the floor beside it. When he

  noticed that Shannon’s eyes darted from side to side of

  the room and back to the open front door, Tom went

  quickly to close and lock it, then he returned to the

  couch and sat beside Shannon.

  “Tell me what happened, Shannon. Who did this?”

  Shannon continued to cry as if she didn’t hear him,

  but before he could ask again, she raised her eyes and

  looked into his face to see if she could trust him. Her

  voice was as small as the vo
ice of a wounded child. “It

  was Mary. She got jealous because I ran into a friend

  from school, and she accused me of liking her.”

  “Has she ever done this before?”

  Shannon nodded, and she pulled down the shoulder

  of her robe to expose a large scar. “I got this when she

  threw me into the kitchen table one night. I hit the

  corner and I had to go to the hospital to get stitches.

  That night she was mad because I told her that Tracey

  didn’t want her to stick around as much as she did.”

  A light flickered in Tom’s mind. “Tracey didn’t get

  along with her?”

  Shannon laughed bitterly. “Who could get along

  with her, Lieutenant? She is mean and hateful, and she

  doesn’t think twice about using violence to get her

  way.”

  “Shannon, do you think it is possible that Mary

  harmed Tracey? She obviously felt Tracey was an

  obstacle in her relationship with you.”

  Shannon licked her bottom lip and grimaced when

  she tasted iron from the fresh blood that continued to

  seep from the wound. “I’ve wondered about that too,

  Lieutenant. Mary hated Tracey. She was sure there was

  something going on between the two of us, and she went

  through my things constantly, looking for evidence.

  When she didn’t find anything she got even angrier and

  accused me of hiding things from her.”

  Tom paused to think for a moment. Everything was

  moving too fast for him to properly process the

  possibilities.

  “Shannon, could I take Tracey’s computer? I know I

  should have a search warrant, and my partner is working

  on it, but could I take the computer in to be analyzed?

  Your cooperation would save us a huge chunk of time.”

  Shannon nodded. “I don’t see why not.”

  Before he got up from the couch to go to Tracey’s

  room, he asked: “Where is Mary now?”

  “She went to work. She has a lot of debt she is

  trying to pay off, so she is working graveyard shift

  because it pays more. She took my car because hers is in

  the shop.”

  “Do you want to go ahead and press charges,

  Shannon?”

  Shannon shook her head. “No. It’s going to be okay

  now. After the pressure has been released she is good for

  several days.”

  Tom didn’t insist. From previous experience with

  victims of domestic abuse, he was well aware that

  pressing charges unless the abused victims were fully