Closer Than You Think

by Karen Rose

  Deacon’s hands were steady as he reached for the bag on top, but his heart ached, knowing what he was going to find. How many more would have to die before they caught this SOB?

  The bag wasn’t tied. He pulled the edges apart and glanced inside, then quickly looked away, not bothering to control his flinch. ‘Yes,’ he said hoarsely. ‘That’s him. Just his head.’

  Most of it. The retired engineer had been shot point blank with a rifle or a handgun with a caliber large enough to take out the back of his skull.

  ‘Oh hell,’ Zimmerman said as he lifted the lid of the second freezer. ‘We’ve got a second victim.’ He looked inside the bag on top and flinched much as Deacon had, then spread the sides of the bag wider to reveal the contents.

  It took Deacon a few seconds to realize what he was looking at. ‘Fucking hell.’

  ‘That pretty well sums it up,’ Zimmerman said as he dialed his cell phone. ‘Gonzalez? You can call off the search for the Renzo kid. We just found him. Looks like he was tortured, maybe with his own knife. His nose is gone. Ears too. Looks pre-mortem.’

  ‘How the hell did he end up in the freezer?’ Deacon demanded.

  ‘Just my theory,’ Zimmerman said, ‘but Renzo’s friends said he was coming to your house to teach your brother a lesson. The serial must have seen him creeping around your place. Pope brought Faith back from the precinct at seven thirty-five last night.’

  ‘After she talked to her uncle Jordan,’ Deacon murmured.

  ‘Right. But Pope wasn’t killed until nine twenty-five. The shooter waited for her to pass a window or come outside or even be visible in the car, but he was laying low and he couldn’t get to her. And then the kid skulks up to the house, maybe with his knife already out. One of your neighbors saw the boy. He walked the length of the street several times, probably summoning his gumption. Your brother’s a big enough guy and Renzo was all by himself. But I’d think this killer would want the kid to try to break in and distract Pope. It might make the woman come to the door to see what was happening.’

  Deacon frowned. ‘Maybe he was afraid the kid would trigger a red alert and make it even harder for him to get to Faith. Plus it would have to be a big deal for her to disregard security and come outside. He’s tried to lure her many times already and he knows she’s become very careful. He might have figured killing Pope would be enough.’

  ‘So he leaves the safety of his hideout to grab the kid to keep him from spoiling everything? Maybe. I would have thought the kid would have spilled his guts without all that, though.’ He pointed to the mutilated head.

  ‘Maybe that wasn’t torture. Maybe he did it for fun. And souvenirs.’

  ‘Wonderful. We’ll wrap things up here.’ Zimmerman sighed. ‘At least your sister’s safe.’

  ‘I didn’t want it to be like this,’ Deacon protested. ‘Not like this.’

  ‘I know, but the result’s the same. Renzo’s no longer a threat.’

  ‘True, but like you said, this killer has made it personal. I need to alert my family and make sure they’re kept safe. When can we have our house back?’

  ‘Should be tomorrow. I’ll call you when you can go home.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Although Deacon wondered if they’d ever be able to live there in peace, or if there would be a constant reminder of the death that had occurred there.

  He took my house, Deacon thought. Both his current house and the house of his youth. Neither would feel like home again. Both were now tainted.

  I took away his house too, he realized. Yeah. This had become very personal.

  Cincinnati, Ohio, Wednesday 5 November, 5.45 P.M.

  ‘Just a few minutes, Detective Bishop,’ the charge nurse said. Which was what they always said, Scarlett thought. She nodded as she always did. And then proceeded to ignore them, just as she always did.

  Marcus O’Bannion looked better than he had when she first saw him, but that wasn’t saying much. ‘How is he?’ she murmured to Jeremy, who sat at his side holding Marcus’s hand with his left. Which was bare, Scarlett noticed. Jeremy had removed the glove he’d been wearing the day before, revealing heavily scarred skin. His right hand, she noted, remained gloved and stayed in his pocket.

  Keith stood with his back to the wall, ever on guard.

  ‘He’ll live,’ Jeremy said, and Scarlett felt a weight roll off her chest.

  It had become increasingly hard to breathe as she’d come closer to Marcus’s room, the sense of dread a palpable force. She had been worrying over his condition since they’d put him in the Medevac chopper, but she’d had to put him from her mind and do her job.

  Now she could draw an easier breath, so she did. ‘I’m glad,’ she said simply.

  ‘Why are you here?’ Keith asked.

  ‘I have a few questions for all of you.’

  ‘Marcus can’t answer your questions,’ Keith said. ‘And Jeremy won’t. So go away.’

  ‘No.’ Marcus opened his eyes, waving two fingers, gesturing for Scarlett to come closer.

  She leaned over his bed, giving him a visual once-over. He was pale, and sweat beaded on his forehead, but he was still a very handsome man. ‘You look better.’

  ‘Feel like shit.’

  One corner of her mouth lifted. ‘No shock considering the punctured lung.’ She looked over at Jeremy. ‘I need to know when you left your property via the back road and when you arrived at your ex-wife’s house.’

  ‘Why is it important?’ Keith demanded.

  She met Keith’s eyes over Marcus’s bed. ‘Because I’m trying to catch a killer,’ she said sharply. ‘Who is currently holding an eleven-year-old girl hostage.’

  ‘He took her away,’ Marcus whispered. ‘We tried to stop him.’

  ‘I know,’ Scarlett said, softening her tone. ‘Thank you. You saved Corinne’s life.’

  ‘Right thing to do. Does she know the man . . .’ a deep rasping breath, ‘who killed Mickey?’

  ‘She never saw his face. But we have an excellent therapist on our team who can dig details out that a witness doesn’t even realize they know. She’ll work with Corinne. We want to find the man who killed Mikhail. We want to put him away.’

  Marcus’s dark brows crunched together. ‘You put Jeremy in an interview room. Left him there for hours.’ Another deep breath. ‘And now we have a guard. Why?’

  Scarlett glanced over at Jeremy. ‘Because we’ve found more bodies than we’ve shared with the media. So far all of them have been autopsied, with neat, surgical-style stitches. The bodies today were found in your cabin, Dr O’Bannion. And you evaded federal surveillance, making it look like you had something to hide and invalidating any alibi you might offer.’

  ‘Circumstantial bullshit,’ Keith growled. ‘Your LT let him go because she knew that.’

  ‘My LT let him go because Faith begged her to. Faith didn’t feel it was right to keep Jeremy apart from Marcus, especially after losing Mikhail. She’s got a soft heart. I hope it doesn’t get her killed, because somebody is still trying very hard to do just that. Somebody who knew the contents of Barbara O’Bannion’s will.’

  ‘That person is not me,’ Jeremy said firmly. ‘But tell Faith thank you. And to be careful.’

  ‘I will. And don’t think I didn’t notice that nobody answered my question. When did you leave your home in Indian Hill and when did you arrive at the Yarborough house?’

  Marcus’s lips twitched in an almost-smile. ‘You’re quick.’

  ‘Thank you. A real answer would be nice. Before the nurse kicks me out.’

  ‘I met Stone at a bar at eleven last night,’ Marcus rasped. ‘Came prepared to do a switch.’

  ‘Prepared?’ Scarlett asked. ‘What does that mean?’

  ‘Padded coat and baseball cap. In the dark, I look like him. He said he had a big lead on a story, but that the Feds were on his tail. Done this before. Lots of times. Water, please.’

  Jeremy sprang to it, placing an ice chip on Marcus’s tongue. ‘Marcus got to my ho
use at about one A.M., driving Stone’s car and wearing the padded coat. I knew right away it wasn’t Stone. I always knew, even when you were boys.’

  ‘You didn’t,’ Marcus protested weakly, his lips curving in a smile that Scarlett somehow knew was meant to ease Jeremy’s worry.

  Jeremy blotted the sweat from Marcus’s brow with a tenderness she found hard to disbelieve. ‘I was an identical twin, boy. I know about switching places. You two were sad amateurs.’ He lifted his eyes to Scarlett, intensely green. ‘Marcus has done nothing wrong.’

  ‘I believe that. He saved Corinne’s life when he didn’t have to. His actions speak for him. Perhaps you’d like to follow suit by answering my damn question. It’s not a hard one, Doctor.’

  ‘Della called me at about two in the morning. She’d returned from a trip and found Mickey wasn’t at home. She didn’t know he’d run away.’ His jaw tightened. ‘Audrey knew two days ago, but she didn’t want to frighten her mother – or hurt me – so she told Stone instead. Stone had been searching for Mickey. That’s why he came in and out of my house Monday night. He was hoping Mickey was with me, that Audrey was wrong. I didn’t know that until after we learned he was . . . gone.’

  ‘Why would Audrey and Stone think that Mickey’s running away would hurt you?’ Scarlett asked, wanting to compare Jeremy’s answer with the reason Stone had given earlier that day.

  Pain flashed across Jeremy’s face. ‘Because Mickey was angry with me. He thought I knew that I was his father all along, that I’d been lying to cover up my . . . indiscretion with his mother. That wasn’t true. I loved that boy like my own, even when I thought he belonged to a Russian businessman. I would have proudly given him my name, for what little it’s worth.’

  ‘It’s a good name,’ Marcus whispered. ‘Dad.’

  Jeremy clasped Marcus’s hand tightly. ‘I loved him. I always wished he was mine. I wish Della had told me, but she didn’t want to risk—’ He cut himself off.

  ‘Don’t stop now,’ Scarlett said dryly. ‘Della didn’t want to risk what?’ She glanced at Keith, who wore an expression of rigid control. ‘What – or who – was she afraid of?’

  ‘Me,’ Keith said flatly. ‘She was afraid of me. Della never trusted me.’

  ‘And why might that be, sir?’ Scarlett asked softly.

  Keith averted his eyes. ‘Because she thought I was the one who caused Jeremy’s car accident. Because I was jealous of his old partner and wanted Jeremy for myself.’

  Jeremy’s head whipped around to stare at Keith. ‘She didn’t! She never thought that.’

  ‘Yeah, Dad,’ Marcus said weakly. ‘She did.’

  Scarlett lifted her brows. This is getting better and better. ‘And were you jealous, Keith?’

  ‘Yes, but I never would have risked Jeremy. He almost died in that wreck.’

  That I can believe, she thought. ‘Why would Della think the accident wasn’t an accident?’

  More jaw-tightening and teeth-grinding from Keith. ‘Because she suspected that the car had been tampered with. I checked the wreckage. She was right.’

  ‘Keith!’ Jeremy exclaimed. ‘Why didn’t you tell me this? Why didn’t you tell the police?’

  ‘Because I thought you’d believe I’d done it too.’

  Jeremy’s shoulders sagged. ‘I wouldn’t have. I know you wouldn’t hurt me.’

  ‘That’s why you’re his bodyguard?’ Scarlett said, and Keith nodded. ‘Because someone did try to kill him. Do you have proof that the car was tampered with?’

  ‘No, but I’m a decent enough mechanic to know. Why?’

  ‘Just being thorough,’ Scarlett said. ‘So Della was afraid of your wrath and didn’t tell anyone that Mickey was Jeremy’s son. Do I have that right?’

  ‘Yes,’ Keith said flatly. ‘I didn’t like the boy. That was no secret. He didn’t give Jeremy the proper respect because he was gay. And when Mickey found out that Jeremy was his father, he threw a fit.’ He looked Jeremy in the eye. ‘He was ashamed of you.’

  ‘No, he thought I was ashamed of him,’ Jeremy insisted.

  ‘He thought both,’ Marcus said, starting to wheeze. ‘He was confused. He was seventeen.’

  Jeremy’s body seemed to deflate before her eyes. ‘And now he’s dead.’

  Scarlett’s heart squeezed, but she kept her expression neutral. ‘I’m sorry for your loss, Dr O’Bannion, but I have to know when you arrived at Della’s house.’

  He gritted his teeth, ruthlessly controlling his emotion. ‘A little before three.’

  ‘And why did you find it necessary to slip past the agents?’

  ‘Because Della was frightened. She thought Mickey had been kidnapped at first. So did I. It happens when you’re wealthy. I wanted to call the police and she insisted that we didn’t. So I slipped out of my own house like a thief in the night,’ he finished bitterly. ‘We didn’t know Mickey was dead until your lieutenant came to tell us. And then she took me away. I couldn’t even stay to comfort my wife. Ex-wife,’ he corrected. ‘I’m sorry, Keith. I can’t pretend I don’t love her, because I do. Just not the way I love you. You have to understand that. That Mickey was killed running away because of me . . .’ His shoulders sagged and he covered his face with his left hand. ‘How can she forgive me for this?’

  ‘She loves you too,’ Marcus whispered. ‘She won’t blame you. Go to her now, Dad. I’ll be all right. I need to sleep anyway, and Mom needs you.’

  ‘I’ll take you,’ Keith said. ‘Come on.’

  ‘The officer will have to follow you,’ Scarlett said gently. ‘I’m sorry.’

  ‘What about Marcus?’ Jeremy asked. ‘That killer might come back for him.’

  ‘I’ll get a guard posted and I’ll stay with him until that happens. Okay?’

  ‘Thank you, Detective.’ Jeremy stood up, supported by Keith’s strong arm around his waist. ‘Find the man who killed my son. Please.’

  ‘We will. We have to.’

  Scarlett watched them go, Jeremy leaning on Keith, the officer discreetly trailing behind.

  ‘Thank you.’

  The words had come from behind her. Scarlett turned back to the bed. Marcus suddenly looked a thousand times worse, and she realized he’d been holding it together for Jeremy’s benefit. ‘For what?’

  His lips quirked. ‘For getting him out of here before I collapsed. That would have worried him.’ He closed his eyes on a quiet moan. ‘And for treating him with respect. He’s a good man. Better than he believes.’

  Scarlett took the seat Jeremy had vacated. ‘I want to believe that.’

  ‘It’s true. You don’t know how many people he’s helped. He treats everyone he takes in like his own children. Ask Hailey.’

  ‘His housekeeper. We wondered about her. Who is she?’

  ‘She’s Audrey’s friend. She came from a bad home, got thrown out when she was still in school. Nowhere to go. Jeremy took her in. Now she runs his house. Fiercely loyal to him, just like the rest of us. He is a good man. He could not have done these terrible things.’ Marcus’s face had grown even more strained, his breathing more labored.

  ‘Sshh. Relax. Then someone wants him to look bad. Any ideas?’

  He seemed to settle. ‘If his mother were still alive, I’d look at her. Since she’s dead, I’d follow the family tree.’

  ‘You mean your uncle Jordan.’

  ‘He’s the only one left.’

  ‘Except for Faith,’ Scarlett said, watching his reaction.

  His eyes still closed, he shook his head. ‘She’s a target. Nothing to gain.’

  ‘True enough. What time did you get the text from Stone?’

  ‘You have our phones, Detective. You know this. But it was at nine this morning. It just said, “Come to blind.”’

  She’d seen the text. ‘I assume a deer blind?’

  ‘Stone has a permanent one in the woods, but it’s pretty far from the cabin. I figured he’d gone out to the cabin to look for Mickey and something had happened
. Idiots hunting out of season. I was already out looking for Mickey. Jeremy and Mom were so upset, I didn’t tell them about the text. I just drove. Got there about eleven, but I didn’t go into the cabin because Stone said to come to the blind. We’d switched cars at the bar, so I was in Stone’s car, which wouldn’t go more than three feet off-road. I had to leave it by the cabin and hike to the blind.’

  ‘I saw it. Red Corvette. Boy’s got serious style.’

  Another quirk of Marcus’s lips. Really nice lips, actually, Scarlett thought. ‘Stone’s a force unto himself,’ he said. ‘Hard to keep up with him, so I don’t even try.’ He sobered, his body sagging in exhaustion. ‘I found him near the blind, weak from loss of blood. He had a fist-sized goose egg on the back of his head – and your card in his pocket, Detective. It took me a while to find where he’d left my Subaru – in the woods behind the cabin. That’s when I saw the blood on the back wall and knew something had happened.’ He paused, licking his dry lips. ‘Ice, please.’

  She ran an ice chip over his lips and slipped it into his mouth. ‘So you called me,’ she said.

  ‘After I saw what was inside the cabin. I figured Stone had a reason for not calling the cops, so I didn’t give you my name. I should have. I was . . . I saw Mickey and I couldn’t think.’

  ‘Didn’t matter,’ she said. ‘I think I would know your voice anywhere.’

  A tiny, sad curve of his lips this time. ‘Thank you, Detective,’ he said, then he began to cough. ‘Dammit,’ he wheezed.

  She gave him another ice chip. ‘When you’re ready, tell me the rest.’

  ‘Not much more. I drove the Subaru to the blind and managed to get Stone in the passenger seat.’ Another small smile. ‘He needs to lose a few pounds. Don’t tell him I said that.’

  ‘Your secret is safe with me.’

  ‘I think it would be,’ he murmured. ‘He came to after I got him in the car, of course. Started going on about a scary broad with a shovel.’

  Scarlett’s lips twitched. ‘Line drive to the outfield!’ she said in a baseball announcer’s voice. ‘You round those bases, girl.’

  Marcus huffed a chuckle, then moaned. ‘Don’t make me laugh. He told me he’d scared her, that she thought he was the one who’d kidnapped her. That he should have told you about the bodies he’d found when you came to Jeremy’s house, but he was afraid.’