Closer Than You Think

by Karen Rose

  ‘He didn’t look afraid to me,’ she said mildly.

  ‘Well, we all wear our outside faces. I wanted to take him straight to the ER, but he insisted we look for them. He’s not a bad guy. He just . . . thinks differently. I told him we’d look for an hour then I was taking him to the hospital. I’d given up and was on the main road when I saw Corinne on the side of the road. I guess I’m lucky she lost the shovel somewhere along the way.’

  Scarlett didn’t smile. ‘Corinne has a debilitating disease, Marcus. She went a whole additional day without her medication because Stone was afraid. She was in terrible pain and still walked all those miles to protect the little girl. If we’d been able to get to her before the guy in the ski mask, we’d have them both back safe and sound. Now that child is with a monster. Because Stone was “afraid.”’

  Marcus’s eyes flew open and Scarlett was surprised to see molten fury in his gaze. ‘He’d seen his brother in a grave with his brains blown out,’ he hissed. ‘You have no idea what that did to him. I am sorry that Corinne suffered. I am beyond sorry that the little girl was taken. I tried to stop it. But until you’ve walked a mile in Stone’s shoes, don’t you dare criticize him.’

  He started to cough and a nurse came running. ‘You have to leave, Detective,’ she said.

  ‘No,’ Marcus said, gasping for breath. ‘Let her stay.’

  Unsettled by his outburst, Scarlett moved out of the nurse’s way.

  ‘Don’t leave,’ Marcus commanded her. ‘Don’t leave.’

  ‘Sshh,’ she said. ‘Don’t worry. I won’t leave until I know you’re safe.’

  Cincinnati, Ohio, Wednesday 5 November, 6.45 P.M.

  Deacon flicked the switch that controlled the light on the inside of Greg’s bedroom door, the only way to get his attention if his hearing aids weren’t on.

  ‘I’m not hungry,’ Greg called. ‘Please go away.’

  Deacon opened the door. ‘It’s only me. No food tonight.’

  Greg sat on his bed, engrossed in a video game on his laptop. ‘What is it?’ he asked without looking up. At least that meant he had his aids turned on.

  ‘I have news for you. It’s important. Please look at me.’ He waited until he had Greg’s full attention. ‘Renzo is dead.’

  Greg’s eyes went wide with shock, then alarm. ‘How? When? I didn’t do it!’

  ‘I know you didn’t do it. Nobody thinks so. I need you to keep this quiet until after my lieutenant makes a statement, but Renzo was killed by the man who’s been after Faith. It looks like he was on his way to challenge you to a knife fight, but the killer saw him, waylaid him somehow, then killed him. It had nothing to do with you.’

  Greg’s face had drained of color. ‘Yes, it does. If I hadn’t made it look like he had HIV, he never would have come here. He’d still be alive. I wanted to make him unpopular. I wanted people to think he was a liar. I didn’t want him dead.’

  ‘I know,’ Deacon said again. ‘I feel the same way. But Greg, you didn’t make him come after you with a knife. He bragged to his friends that he was going to teach you a lesson and then he’d teach Dani one too. None of his friends would come with him and a few told the FBI agents that they tried to talk him out of it. Now, I’m sorry he was murdered, but to tell you the truth, I’m relieved that he can’t hurt either of you anymore.’

  Greg nodded numbly. ‘Yeah, but . . . whatever.’

  Deacon put his arm around Greg’s shoulders and gave him a hard hug. ‘I have to go now, but I want you to stay here. Please don’t go anywhere.’

  ‘But Renzo is dead. He can’t hurt me now.’

  ‘No, but the guy who killed him can. He’s made this personal against me. I don’t want him able to touch you or Dani. Okay?’

  Greg bobbed a nod. ‘Okay. Fine. How is Faith?’

  Safe at the station. Surrounded by cops with guns. ‘She’s okay, but I know she’ll be glad to see all this over too. Keep your phone close by. If you see anything out of the ordinary, text me. I don’t care if you’re being paranoid. I’d rather have a false alarm than lose you. Got it?’

  Another nod. ‘Got it.’

  Deacon hesitated, his cheeks heated. ‘I love you. I don’t say it enough, but it’s true.’

  Greg looked away. ‘Dammit, D,’ he huffed, exasperated. ‘Me too,’ he mumbled.

  It was exactly what Deacon had needed to hear. ‘Stay here,’ he said fiercely. ‘Stay safe.’

  He found Jim in the kitchen and told him about Renzo’s death. They’d had to tell Jim and Tammy about the situation at Greg’s school when they’d shown up at the station last night to collect the boy. ‘I didn’t tell Greg the details. I don’t want to put those pictures in his head. But this killer has just upped the ante.’

  Jim nodded grimly. ‘Killing in your old house, killing outside your new one. He’s coming after you and yours. I’ll watch over Greg. Who’s going to watch over Dani?’

  ‘I’m going to request a protection detail for all of you.’

  ‘We don’t need one.’ Jim patted his hip where his service revolver stayed holstered. Deacon thought he might disarm to shower, but he wasn’t sure. ‘I got Greg. You watch over yourself. Don’t get yourself killed.’

  Deacon’s brows lifted in surprise. That might have been the warmest thing Jim had ever said to him. ‘Thanks, Jim.’

  Jim gave him a crusty look, as if daring him to smile. ‘Your aunt would be sad.’

  ‘Nobody wants that. I’ll be careful. Thanks.’

  He walked to his car, his heart a little bit lighter. He was going back to the station now. Back to Faith.

  He buckled himself in and dialed Isenberg’s phone again. He’d tried reaching her on the way from the Lazar crime scene to update her and request the protection detail, but he’d gotten her voicemail. He dialed again now, with the same result.

  He dialed Bishop, but she cut off his call after a single ring. A text came through a second later. In hospital w/O’B boys. Call u later.

  Frustrated, he called Adam’s cell, but once again was sent straight to voicemail.

  Tanaka was next on his call list. To his relief, the forensics leader answered. ‘I was just about to call you,’ Tanaka said. ‘You want the good news or the bad news?’

  ‘Bad first,’ Deacon said. ‘I wanna end on good news. I could use some right now.’

  ‘What happened?’ Tanaka asked, concerned.

  ‘We found the shooter’s hiding place near my house, but he was gone. We also found the remains of my neighbor and the Renzo kid in the basement freezers. Your turn.’

  ‘Sophie found a body we believe to be Roza’s mother buried in the dug-out room. She slept in the same room where her mother was buried.’

  Deacon sighed. ‘What’s the good news?’

  ‘It’s kind of a relative term. Faith helped us find an old dumbwaiter he’d retrofitted to hold layers of trays. That’s where we found his stash of souvenirs.’

  ‘Good, that’s—’ Deacon froze. ‘Faith helped you? She’s there? In that house?’

  ‘Um . . . yes, she’s here. With me and Adam.’

  Adam. Deacon closed his eyes, seeing the two severed heads with terrifying clarity, and fury bubbled up within him, cleansing and revitalizing and, at this moment, more necessary than drawing his next breath. Sonofafuckingbitch. I told him not to take her out there without me.

  ‘Is Detective Kimble still there?’ he asked softly.

  ‘Um, yes. Look, if you’re gonna yell, don’t yell at me. Yell at Kimble. But Faith’s fine. I think helping us helped her too.’

  Deacon started up his car. ‘I’m on my way.’

  Cincinnati, Ohio, Wednesday 5 November, 7.00 P.M.

  Scarlett was a little relieved to find Stone O’Bannion asleep when she got to his hospital room. She wasn’t sure if she could take any new O’Bannion family drama and was still wrestling over Marcus’s heated words.

  Until you’ve walked a mile in Stone’s shoes, don’t you dare criticize him. />
  She’d watched over the sedated Marcus for nearly an hour, waiting for the uniform who’d been assigned to guard his room. Isenberg hadn’t been happy about taking an additional uniform off patrol, but Marcus was the only patient still in Intensive Care. Stone, Corinne and Arianna were all on a regular ward now, a single uniform watching all three rooms.

  So it was just a short walk from Stone’s room to Corinne’s, where Scarlett heard the happiness before she pushed open the door. For a moment she stood there in the doorway, taking it in, her throat suddenly too thick to swallow. Arianna lay on a hospital bed next to Corinne’s, the beds placed only a few feet apart. Arianna’s roommate Lauren sat on the foot of Arianna’s bed, an iPad in her hand. The room was filled with flowers and balloons and the television murmured quietly in the background.

  Meredith Fallon got up from her chair in the corner, crossing to Scarlett when she saw her standing there. ‘When it works out, it gets you right here,’ she said, tapping her heart.

  ‘Yeah,’ Scarlett managed and cleared her throat. ‘I wish Novak was here to see this. Faith, too. We needed an infusion of happy.’

  ‘As you wish!’ the three woman chorused.

  Scarlett laughed. ‘Nothing like The Princess Bride to take your mind off your troubles.’

  ‘Detective Bishop,’ Meredith teased, ‘I wouldn’t have taken you for a fan of romance.’

  Scarlett shot her a look. ‘Romance? Pffft. Not this girl. I only watched for the fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases and escapes.’

  ‘And true love, of course,’ Meredith said, continuing the quote from the movie.

  ‘And miracles, most of all,’ Scarlett whispered, finishing it. ‘I’ve always been a sucker for the miracles.’ She studied Arianna’s smile. ‘She’s gonna come down hard when this euphoria wears off, isn’t she?’

  ‘Yes, but that’s not this moment. We’ll take the happiness where we can get it and deal with the trauma when we must. Do you have any news on Roza?’

  ‘Not on her whereabouts, but the team did find her mother’s body. Roza had been sleeping next to her grave. She’d buried her mother posed like she was asleep, holding Roza’s only doll.’

  Her eyes suddenly bright with tears, Meredith pursed her lips, drawing a deep breath and blowing it out unsteadily. ‘Sometimes this job really sucks, you know, Detective?’

  ‘Call me Scarlett, and yes, I do know. So let’s soak in some of this happy while we can.’

  Meredith gestured her welcome. ‘Come in. I think the girls would like to see you.’

  ‘Detective Bishop!’ Arianna called when Scarlett stepped through the door. ‘Come in. We’re watching a movie.’

  ‘I heard. Look at all these flowers. Balloons and stuffed animals, too. Quite a haul.’

  ‘And candy,’ Arianna said. ‘Although Lauren’s the only one who can eat it right now.’

  ‘I’m live tweeting,’ Lauren said. ‘Corinne and Arianna: the reunion. You want to make a statement?’

  ‘I’m happy to see them safe,’ Scarlett said simply. She noticed Corinne searching her face in question and shook her head. ‘Not yet, honey. But we will find her.’

  Corinne gave a hard nod. ‘Watch the movie with us, Detective. Feel free to quote along.’

  ‘For a little while. Sure.’

  Cincinnati, Ohio, Wednesday 5 November, 8.45 P.M.

  He’d sewn up so many bodies, alive and dead, and had taught himself to suture with either hand, but he simply was not able to reach the bullet wound in his arm. Hours later, it was still bleeding steadily, and if he didn’t get help soon, he might pass out.

  And wouldn’t that be lovely?

  He looked at the child, still semi-unconscious in the back seat. He didn’t think she was faking it. If she was, she was a far better actress than her mother or her aunt.

  It was past time to get a doctor. For both of us. He’d been waiting all day for Dr Dani Novak to get off shift, but she hadn’t left the ER. He’d grown tired of waiting in his stolen vehicle. He’d wait for her in a much more comfortable location.

  Not willing to take any more chances, he’d already tied Roza’s wrists and ankles securely. And then he’d gagged her. He’d never gagged her before, but he couldn’t be certain what bad habits she’d picked up during her day of freedom.

  He made sure the blanket was covering her completely before locking her into the Suburban and taking the stairs up to Dr Novak’s third-floor apartment. He twisted the doorknob for kicks, shocked when the door opened. Dr Dani didn’t lock her front door? Shame on her.

  He’d expected to have to wait in the shadows, forcing her into her apartment at knifepoint. He normally liked to play with his prey, but tonight he was grateful he wouldn’t have to fight too hard. He slipped into the apartment and stopped short. Well, hello. A young man slept on the sofa, his hair black save a wide streak of white in the front.

  Ah. Little brother Greg, who’d made so much trouble for everyone, had come to visit. His hearing aids, a bus pass and a single key lay on the coffee table. An unzipped backpack was propped against the sofa, a laptop and a balled-up T-shirt and undershorts visible. Little brother had come to spend the night.

  Excellent. The more the merrier, especially when it came to brokering a trade for Faith.

  He crept across the floor, being extra quiet until he remembered the boy couldn’t hear. He didn’t take prisoners of Greg Novak’s size very often, but he was prepared. From his pocket he drew a handkerchief and sprinkled a liberal dose of ketamine on it. Then he positioned himself behind the sleeping teenager, crouching so that his arms were level with the arm of the sofa. In one movement he set the blade of his knife to Greg’s throat with his right hand and pressed the hankie to the boy’s mouth with his stronger left hand.

  As expected, the kid took a big gulp of air before starting to struggle, but went dead still when he felt the bite of the blade. Ten, nine, eight . . . He started to slump and gave a characteristic final burst of panicked energy that was again nipped by the bite of the blade. Four, three, two, one.

  And the kid was out like a light. Like taking candy from a baby. Coming to his feet, he pulled two zip-tie restraints from his pockets and, rolling the kid over, bound his hands behind him. Then his feet.

  He sank to the floor, exhausted. Hopefully Dr Dani would take her time getting home. He wasn’t sure he had the strength to put a gun to anyone’s head at the moment, but that was what he planned to do. When Dr Dani came home, she’d find his gun pressed to her brother’s head. It would ensure her cooperation in tending to his wound and then in getting them the hell out of here before anyone came looking for them.

  He’d take them all to his own turf and hold them there until he got what he wanted. Faith. Once he had her where he wanted her, he’d kill her without fuss. And then go back to his life.

  Cincinnati, Ohio, Wednesday 5 November, 9.30 P.M.

  Faith bit her lip as Deacon punched the elevator button for the top floor of the safe house. He hadn’t looked at her once, not the whole way from the house back to the city. He’d been professional and polite when he’d arrived to pick her up. He’d even been downright cordial to Sophie, who’d hugged him warmly.

  But he hadn’t said a word to Adam. She could tell he wasn’t simply angry. He was filled with quietly restrained rage. He was the tiger – predatory, powerful and ready to spring.

  ‘Are you planning to say anything to me?’ she asked softly.

  ‘Not yet.’

  ‘Okay.’ She exhaled carefully. ‘Are you planning to tell me what happened to put you in this mood? Because I have to say that you’re scaring me, Deacon.’

  A muscle twitched in his cheek. ‘Not yet.’

  Okay. Whatever had happened had been very serious indeed.

  Well, that’s just too damn bad. I’ve had a pretty sucky day too. Seven more dead. Jars of human organs hidden in the dumbwaiter shaft. Foundation scholarship recipients missing. Fake scholarship applican
ts invented so that someone could collect their awards. Then there was Roza’s box, filled with books. And Roza’s mother, buried with my mother’s doll.

  The elevator opened and Deacon held an arm out to keep her from darting into the hall while he looked right and left. He must have been satisfied, because he gestured for her to proceed.

  Bishop was waiting for them at the condo’s dining room table. So was Adam.

  Adam came slowly to his feet. ‘Deacon,’ he started with a sigh. ‘This is cr—’

  ‘Don’t,’ Deacon snapped. ‘Just don’t. You knew I was worried. You knew I wanted to be there, yet you took her there anyway. Did you think to tell me where she was? About how I’d feel when she wasn’t where she was supposed to be? Did you even wait until I was out of the station this afternoon before removing her?’

  Faith had had enough. ‘Stop it! I’m right here, so don’t talk about me like I’m a piece of furniture. If you’re looking for an apology from me, then fine. I’m sorry I’ve made you angry. But I’m not sorry I went to the house. I thought I could help. And I did. I’m not a child and you are not my keeper. If you expect blind obedience, you will be very disappointed.’

  He spun to face her so quickly that the tails of his leather coat flared out, following his motion. His eyes were wild, turbulent. He seemed bigger, his shoulders broader. His presence filled the room. He looked . . . absolutely magnificent.

  ‘You think that’s what this is about?’ he demanded. ‘That I want your blind obedience? Goddammit, Faith, I wanted you to use the brain God put in your head. I wanted you to be safe.’

  ‘She was safe,’ Adam said, clearly offended. ‘She was with me. She is fine. She doesn’t need you hovering over her. She was helpful.’

  ‘Hovering,’ Deacon repeated so softly that Faith cringed.

  Bishop opened her mouth to intervene, then quickly closed it, shaking her head with a weariness Faith understood all too well.