by Angela Kay
“Agent O’Reilly?”
They looked at the doctor stepping out of the swinging operating room doors.
Pushing himself off the wall, he asked, “How is she?”
“She’ll be fine. We’re going to take her to recovery, then move her to a room where she’ll stay for about a week or so for observation. But there shouldn’t be long-lasting damage. Just a lot of physical therapy. She has a long road ahead of her.”
“Thank you,” Aidan breathed. He tapped his head against the wall, then looked back at the doctor. “Can I go see her?”
The doctor nodded and took him into the recovery room. Cheyenne was medicated but seemed to be sleeping peacefully. They’d stitched the cut on her neck, as well as some of the deeper cuts on her skin. His heart broke as he scanned her bruised body.
He put his hand in hers and leaned close to her ear to tell her she was safe now and he loved her.
After minutes passed, one of the orderlies arrived and Aidan was told she needed to be moved. He kissed Cheyenne’s forehead and left the room.
Monroe still stood in the hallway, glancing at her cell phone. Zane must have left.
“Aidan!” Laura came rushing toward him, eyes clouded with hysterics.
He wrapped her in a tight hug and whispered that Cheyenne was out of surgery and would be fine.
“What happened?” she said through her tears.
Monroe motioned that she’d touch base with him later and he took Laura’s hand and led her to a nearby bench. He told her most of what he was allowed to say to the family of victims, which was that Cheyenne had been kidnapped, but she survived.
Laura’s eyes filled with tears.
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“Everything happened so fast. I didn’t want to worry you,” he replied. “And I was too focused on finding her. But Cheyenne’s fine. She’s strong.”
“Did you catch him?”
Aidan swallowed, knowing the question was coming but wishing he could avoid it.
“Not yet.” Wrapping his arm around Laura’s shoulder, he kissed the top of her head. “But we will. We know who we’re looking for now. It’s only a matter of time.”
80
IT HAD BEEN a week since they've discovered who The Carnations Killer was. They still hadn’t found him, despite stationing a good number of law enforcement on every possible exit route including all airports in the state of Georgia.
Monroe made arrangements to place Kent's wife and daughter in protective custody and stationed men outside his house in case he returned.
There were speculations that Kent had managed to escape before they'd issued the blockades, but Aidan still believed he was somewhere in the state.
Possibly still in this very city.
Kent liked to lay low, so Aidan figured he’d find a place to do just that if he hadn’t already planned one in advance.
The question was where.
Cheyenne was still in the hospital recovering from the injuries she had sustained. Laura and Aidan fussed over her to be sure she didn’t need anything, and although she told them they didn’t need to, Aidan was pretty sure she enjoyed the attention.
He was torn between the need to stay with Cheyenne as she healed or joining the manhunt. In the end, it was Shaun who insisted Aidan deal with family first and let him handle the serial offender.
It didn’t keep Aidan from digging deeper into Grant Rivers' past, however. Because his records were sealed, Aidan had to cut through a lot of red tape at the hospital Grant was admitted to in order to learn that he spent months in shock therapy. His parents had hoped to “shock” him into getting rid of the desires to inflict pain on others.
Aidan also learned that when Kent was a child, he’d suffered sexual abuse by his sister, which he imagined had helped elicit the desire to hurt women who resembled her. It was undetermined whether his adopted parents knew it and looked the other way or were blind to what their older daughter was doing.
His biological parents were drug users and the court had taken him away from them, so he spent two and a half years in foster care. Very often, foster situations weren’t the best for a child, which was in the case for Grant.
Except for one.
According to the families of Grant’s foster parents, they adored the four-year-old. It was said that Grant was a bright child, and fun-loving. The couple who took him in had been murdered, along with the three other kids who lived with them.
The first responders to the murder found Grant hiding inside a wooden chest. The young boy didn’t say much of anything about the incident. Inside the chest was a bouquet of carnations.
Because Grant’s foster mother was found a few feet away, it was assumed she’d attempted to hide Grant. It was unclear whether the killer knew Grant was inside the chest or not.
After the murders, Grant was moved to two more foster homes until he was adopted by the Rivers.
Aidan wanted to feel sorry for him.
He really did.
But he didn’t believe people were born evil.
Neither did he believe the situations they are put through make them evil.
Every human being is given a choice whether to be good or bad.
Grant Rivers made his, and more than ninety people paid the price.
Aidan rubbed his tired eyes. He started realizing how little sleep he had earned since the hunt began ten years ago.
And it had only been a week since Cheyenne was kidnapped.
A lot had happened.
His cell phone vibrated, and he looked at the caller ID.
It read unavailable.
He glanced at Cheyenne, who slept, and her sister, who sat next to the bed, reading a magazine.
The phone continued to ring as he told Laura he was going to step outside. After he entered the hallway, Aidan pressed accept call.
“O’Reilly.”
“How is she?”
Kent didn’t bother disguising his voice this time. They knew who he was, so why should he even bother?
“She’s doing great, no thanks to you.”
“Ah, that’s wonderful,” Kent said, masking joy. “I’m so glad she’s back with you, Aidan...you don’t mind if I start calling you by your first name, do you? I mean, after all, we’ve been through a lot these last ten years, haven’t we? Anyway, I have to admit, it didn’t turn out exactly as I'd hoped, but it has been dreadfully fun working with you. But you don’t have to worry about me any longer.”
“Why? You going to do us a favor and kill yourself?”
Kent released a low snicker.
“Not quite, friend. Not quite.”
Aidan heard a whistle in the background, but couldn’t make out what it was, or where it was coming from.
“Well, Aidan, I believe this is where we part ways,” Kent said. “I’ll have to catch you one of these days and see how you’re doing. Enjoy your lovely Cheyenne.”
He ended the call as Aidan spotted Shaun walking toward him.
“How’s Cheyenne?” he asked.
Looking at him, his mind reeling, his question barely registered.
81
THE STEAM ENGINE blew smoke into the clear blue sky and the whistle echoed into the distance.
Kent leaned against the wall of the empty boxcar, ready to leave Georgia for his next adventure. He knew he couldn’t accept the job in South Dakota like he’d planned, so he decided to try something new. Maybe he would spend a year, possibly two, in Hawaii.
He unzipped his backpack and pulled out his passports. He had four different names to choose from. Kent decided it’d be interesting to build a brand new career as Caleb Jenkins. He figured Caleb could be a great writer. He could see it now: a writer of mysteries. He could even draw from his own experiences. After all, write what you know, right?
Kent chuckled at the thought.
It was a very good idea.
So he put his new identity in his shirt pocket and slipped the others back in the bag. Next, K
ent took out a photo album. It was his original of all of his women. He was disappointed he lost two of them. And he wished he could have retrieved a few of his tapes so he didn’t have to rely on his memories.
But it would have been a major risk going back.
He needed to get to the train when it departed, so he could get over the state line. Kent had disguised himself with a mustache and goatee. If one of the engineers happened to discover him, he wouldn’t be immediately recognized.
From the rags he stole, he'd look like a homeless man trying to find a place to sleep.
So far, most everything had gone according to plan.
He’d managed to get under O’Reilly’s skin. He could tell by the strain in his voice. And that day when they came face to face, the look of fear in his eyes was priceless.
Even Kent had to admit he was lucky to escape. Thankfully there were enough trees around to conceal himself as he ducked behind the other houses.
Kent looked at his watch. It was seven thirty. The train should have started moving by now.
He frowned.
It seemed quiet outside the walls. The whistle didn’t even sound anymore.
After waiting another five minutes, Kent decided he should take a peek outside to see if he could tell what the holdup was.
He pushed to his feet and slid the door open.
“Can we see your ticket please?”
Agent O’Reilly stood before him, with what looked like an entire army. They had their weapons drawn, pointed directly at him.
Well.
That’s interesting.
Kent smiled at O’Reilly. “You’re smarter than I give you credit for. How did you know where to find me?”
“Next time you call, I suggest you end the call before your transportation toots its horn,” O’Reilly said.
He heard the sense of satisfaction lacing his words.
“Thanks for the tip,” Kent retorted.
“Grant Rivers, step off the train,” O’Reilly ordered.
Kent did as he was told and stood in front of the agent who had spent ten years of his life tailing after him.
“Well, guess all good rides must eventually come to an end,” Kent told him with a smirk.
“Turn around.”
When he obliged, O’Reilly began to cuff him as another agent read him his rights.
“I figured you’d want to kill me, Agent O’Reilly,” Kent said, “If you ever got this close to me again.”
“I thought about it,” O’Reilly admitted. “But then I decided my idea of fun is watching you rot in prison. So, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
Kent snickered.
“Want me to bring the popcorn?”
O’Reilly pushed him toward another agent and he was led away from the train yard.
82
“SO, WHAT WAS it like when you caught him?” Laura’s tone was evident of excitement. “Did you have to fight him?”
Shaun laughed, and Aidan rolled his eyes.
“No, I think all the guns in his face kept him from resisting,” he replied.
Laura turned her lips to a frown. “I thought you guys had action in your type of career.”
“Trying to find the identity of one man for ten years isn’t action enough for you?” Aidan said.
“How does it feel to finally have caught him?” Cheyenne asked.
Aidan considered the question.
He knew some of his peers would begin to feel empty after hunting a killer for so long. They searched for them relentlessly until it engrossed them, and they’d forget who they were before.
So how did he feel about it?
Aidan regarded Cheyenne, remembering the pain his sister felt when she learned of Candace's murder, how he felt arriving at the crime scene and seeing Candace. He reflected on the chase and remembered the fear when Cheyenne was missing.
“Relieved,” Aidan told her. “Like I can finally rest.”
She smiled at him and reached for his hand. He kissed her.
“Oh,” Aidan said, suddenly remembering the bet he and Cheyenne had made a while back. He turned to Laura. “So, you were dating someone in Florida, right? A heart surgeon. How’d that work out?”
Laura shrugged. “Turns out he wasn’t my type.”
“How long did it last?” Aidan questioned.
“I don’t know, a month?”
“Oh, really,” Cheyenne said, her face brightening in amusement. “You chucked him to the side before you had to return home?”
“Well, chucking is kind of harsh,” Laura replied defensively.
Shaun chuckled as he watched the banter.
“Either way, I have a slave for a month,” Cheyenne replied. Aidan could hear the edge of satisfaction in her words.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Laura said, narrowing her eyes. She looked from Aidan to Cheyenne, whose smile stretched from ear to ear.
“Well, doesn’t make much of a difference,” Aidan said, pointing to her leg. “You can’t walk anyway, so I’d say you’ve got a slave no matter.”
Cheyenne shook her head with admission. “Nice try, buddy. But this doesn’t count.”
“Aww, c’mon,” he whined. “Not fair.”
“Well,” Laura interjected. “While you two work that out, I’m going to run to the cafeteria and get myself some lunch.” She looked at Shaun. “You seem like you’re aching to buy. Care to join me?”
A broad smile spread across his dark face. “I’d be honored.”
“Well, what’s the hold up?” Laura insisted, a smirk forming on her lips.
“I like her,” Shaun said to Aidan as Laura went ahead of him.
“I like her too,” Aidan told him. “But I also like you, so let me warn you. She goes through men like underwear.”
Shaun let his shoulder rise, then fall as he made his way for the door. “Who knows? I just might be the one. Catch you later.”
When the door closed after him, Aidan climbed onto the bed to get close to Cheyenne.
“I was really scared I’d never see you again,” he admitted. “I didn’t know what I’d do without you.”
“I wasn’t,” Cheyenne muttered. “I knew you’d find me.”
“You did? How?”
“I had faith in you even when you didn’t,” Cheyenne said. “I always did.”
“I’m sorry I worried you all this time. Things will change from now on. I promise.”
“First,” Cheyenne said, running a hand through his hair, “don’t make promises you can’t keep. Second, don’t change yourself for me. I love you for the man you are and the compassion you show to others. And third, I think you should turn down the Quantico job.”
Aidan pivoted so he could see her better. “When did you come to that decision?”
“When he was holding me. You had just lowered your gun.”
“So…he was about to kill you in front of me and you made the decision that you didn’t want me to be a teacher at Quantico?” Aidan laughed, but it was an uneasy one. The image of seeing her in Kent’s grasp was still unsettling.
“I’ve never seen you work in situations like that,” Cheyenne replied. “You were amazing. And this is something you’ve done for ten years. It’s something you love doing. If you go to Quantico, you won’t be happy.”
“You’re a hard woman to figure out,” he said.
She laughed and wrapped her arms around him.
Shaun and Aidan debriefed Monroe and Zane, with Hansford on a conference call about the events at the train yard. They’d congratulated Aidan for a job done well; however, he told them it was a team effort. Shaun told Aidan he was only being modest, but Aidan didn’t want to take all the credit. It didn’t sit right with him.
After the briefing, he took Cheyenne home to Laura’s house and helped her get settled on the couch. The doctors told him to be sure she kept her knees elevated and on ice. She was going to have to walk with a cane around the house and ride in a wheelchair if she happened
to go out.
Shaun had asked Laura out for a real date and she accepted. Aidan was being honest to Shaun about wanting him to be careful where Laura was concerned, but he figured Shaun was a big boy. He’d been warned and as a federal agent hunting serial offenders, Aidan was sure he could take care of himself against Cheyenne’s wild sister.
Aidan stepped into the kitchen to get Cheyenne a glass of water she’d requested.
When he got the ice, his cell phone rang. Multitasking by filling the glass with water, he answered the phone without first checking his caller ID.
“Hello. This is a collect call from ‘Kent Ory’ at Georgia State Government Corrections. Press one to accept, two to decline.”
Aidan set the glass on the island and gripped the edge.
He was calling again.
Why?
Curiosity had him accepting the call. Once he agreed to the payment, Aidan was connected.
“Hello, Aidan. It’s Kent.” His voice appeared undisturbed despite being in prison awaiting trial.
“Grant,” Aidan said, keeping his voice collected. “Why should we keep beating around the bush? Your name’s Grant.”
Kent sighed. “Very well. Call me whatever tickles your pickle.”
“What do you want?” He stepped out back so Cheyenne couldn’t hear the conversation.
“Oh, you know. Just wanted to have some decent conversation,” Kent said with a heavy sigh. “It’s just so boring in here. Once you’ve lived certain ways for so long, you get accustomed.” He clucked his tongue. “You know exactly what I mean, don’t you, Aidan? In the end, you’re just like me.”
“I’m nothing like you, Grant.” Aidan forced himself to compose his breathing.
“But you are,” Kent insisted. “I saw your eyes that day at the house. When Cheyenne was close to me. If you could, you would have killed me.”
Aidan swallowed hard.
Yes, I would have killed him, he admitted to himself. But would that have made me the same as him?
