What am I missing? I can’t shake the feeling it’s staring right at me.
Trying an old tactic from his early days as a detective, he took a sheet of paper, cut a hole in it, and started at the top of the class list. The hole in the paper revealed one name at a time, as he moved it down the list. He paused on each name, saying it out loud once, twice, and then a third time, making sure it didn’t trigger a memory.
Vanessa got up to get more coffee. “You want a cup, Jason?”
“No, thanks.”
She left him there talking to himself.
“Tonya Murphy…Tonya Murphy…Murphy.”
Nothing, so he moved down a line.
“Barbara Hearn…Barbara Hearn…Hearn.”
Nothing, down another line.
“Charlotte Simmons…Charlotte Simmons…Simmons.”
He repeated. “Simmons…Simmons…Simmons!”
Vanessa came back into the room. “What about Simmons?”
Jason’s pulse pounded now, and he began speaking and moving quickly, despite his exhaustion.
“Simmons is the last name of Nikki Bostik’s best friend.”
“Okay, what else?”
“Do you remember the phone call I got when we were at Stumpy’s? The one that said Lori Mason was Nikki Bostik’s attorney?”
“Sure.”
“That was Carly Simmons. And the last appointment Lori Mason had on the night she was killed was with Simmons.”
“Yeah,” Vanessa looked at the class list. “What about New Life Spa?”
Jason handed over the class list. “Emma Perkins had a student named Charlotte Simmons.”
Vanessa looked at the top of the list for the school number and dialed. After three rings, Lindsey Roland picked up. “New Life Spa, this is Lindsey.”
“Miss Roland, this is Detective Layne. My partner and I were there the other day.”
“Yes, of course. What can I do for you?”
“There was a name on the class list you sent us, Charlotte Simmons. Do you know who that is?”
“Sure, that’s Carly. Why?”
“I can’t explain now.” Vanessa hung up. “It was Carly.”
Jason pulled out his phone and scrolled through his recent calls. After a minute or so, he found the call on his phone from Carly Simmons. He pushed ‘call back.’ It rang at least ten times.
Chapter 10
The phone in Carly’s jacket pocket started to vibrate. She never kept it on ring when she was with a client, but Chris heard the vibration anyway. He reached into her coat, pulled out the phone, but didn’t recognize the number. “Maybe it’s Mr. Young calling to cancel.”
He enjoyed his joke, laughing loud enough to make Carly wince. “You won’t get away with this. Someone will spot your car or figure out why you did it.”
His smile was wicked. “The car’s a rental. And no one will figure it was me. After all, I’ll be the poor spouse who’s mourning a serial killer’s fourth victim.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Haven’t you heard? There’s a serial killer loose in San Antonio.”
“Of course I heard. He killed Nikki, Lori, and Emma. What are you going to do, imitate him?”
“Imitate him? You still don’t get it, do you? I am him!”
She stared at Chris, unable to reconcile the man before her with the man she’d been married to. “You killed them all?”
“Why, yes, my dear. All of them.”
Her head spun and she thought she was going to throw up. “What...Why?”
“Well, let’s start with your best friend. If that witch had kept her mouth shut, you wouldn’t have left me. She was the one who said to get someone better, wasn’t she?”
“What…No. I only confided in her, but she never told me what I should do.”
Chris stood and started to pace in front of her, and Carly became aware of a knife in his hand, instead of the gun. A chill ran through her.
He was angry, spitting as he yelled. “Don’t lie to me! I know she put you up to leaving. She even hooked you up with that lawyer.”
“Yes, but only after I told her I’d made a decision.”
He stopped and looked down at her, the knife turning over and over in his hand. “She was a gem! I enjoyed giving her what she deserved.”
Carly forced herself not to cry, trying desperately to remain calm, and stall for time.
“What did she do to deserve such a death?”
“What did she do? She took my son, my house, my money, and my future. She made sure you got everything and I would be left with nothing!”
“But you agreed to the terms, some of them were even your idea. You said the terms were fair.”
“Of course I did! That’s what I wanted you to think. I can’t be involved in a contentious divorce, now can I? Who would believe the grieving widower then?”
She pulled at the ropes, testing the knots for a weakness, but they were tight.
“Why Emma? You didn’t even know her?”
“Oh, the yoga witch! That should be obvious.”
“Chris, none of this is obvious to me.”
He stomped his foot in frustration. “She was the one who set you up with that guy you were seeing.”
“What guy?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. I saw you having lunch several times.”
For the life of her, Carly couldn’t be sure who he was talking about. It had to be some business lunches because she hadn’t dated anyone. She tried looking into his eyes, trying to find the person she knew.
“I don’t understand, Chris. How did the man I married turn into the man standing in front of me.”
“You don’t understand! You should, because you created him. When you said you were going to leave, I had nothing left to live for.”
“That’s not true.”
His smile was wicked. “It’s certainly not true now. I’ve made sure of that.”
*******
When he got no answer on Carly’s phone, Jason got out the card from Sunshine Realty. This time the call was picked up on the second ring.
“Sunshine Realty, how can we help you?”
“Is Sam Barrow there, please?”
“This is Sam.”
“Sam, this is Detective Strong, SAPD.”
“Yes, Detective. What can I do for you?”
“Your agent Carly Simmons, is she in the office?”
“No, not right now. She’s out showing property. Why?”
“I tried to reach her but got no answer.”
Sam sighed. “Yeah, I know. She puts her phone on vibrate when she’s with a client. It’s great for the client, but she doesn’t always get my calls when I need her.”
“Could you give me the address where she’s showing property?”
“Sure, it’s on Hunter Green.”
Jason wrote down the number of the house, handing it to Vanessa so she could find it on the map. “What time was her appointment?”
“Three.”
Jason looked at his watch. It was three-twenty. “What about the client, do you have a name?”
“Hold on,” there was the sound of rustling paper that came through the phone. “Andy Young, but there’s no number here for him.”
“Thanks, Sam.” Jason hung up without saying goodbye.
Vanessa pointed at the spot on the map. “Hunter Green is here, at least ten minutes drive.”
“Then we better get going.”
*******
Jason spun the wheels as he pulled into traffic, the blue light stuck to the top of the car, and the siren blaring. Vanessa was on the phone to dispatch.
“I need a black-and-white sent to 14455 Hunter Green. Tell the officer to approach with caution and determine who is there.”
“Very well, Detective. Do you want me to patch the officer through when he gets there?”
“Yes, patch him to the radio in Detective Strong’s vehicle. Also, I need you to do a record search. Andrew Young, addr
ess unknown.”
“Okay, please hold.”
Several minutes later, the dispatcher came back on. “Detective?”
“Go ahead.”
“Patrol is two minutes from address. Andrew Young comes back clean.”
“Thank you.”
Vanessa hung up. “Nothing on the name Andy Young.”
Jason nodded. “I’m not surprised.”
*******
Chris Simmons sat back in the chair he’d placed across from his wife. She’d started to cry as the scope of what he’d done began to sink in. It was time to finish this and make his getaway.
“So, here’s the deal. I get the house, the insurance money from your death, and our son. He will be raised in the only home he’s ever had, and by the only dad he will ever have, and I will explain to him that mommy went to heaven.”
She looked at him, tears streaming down her face. “You’re an animal!”
He laughed. “Maybe so, but I’m a smart one!”
“You’re not smart! You’re a cruel animal. Joey is the one who’s smart, and he’ll figure it out. He’ll make you pay!”
Chris stood, angry she would suggest his son would turn on him.
“Witch!” He reached across and slapped her hard, drawing blood from the corner of her mouth. He moved behind her, placing the knife across her throat. It was time.
“This is the police! Show yourself!”
Chris stopped, not quite believing what he’d heard.
“The occupants of this house must exit immediately. Come out front with your hands where I can see them.”
Chris hunched down and moved across the floor, peaking up over the windowsill. A police car sat blocking his rental car, the lights flashing, with an officer behind the open car door with his weapon drawn. Chris needed time to think. “Don’t come in here! I’m armed and I have a hostage.”
*******
Jason and Vanessa rolled up on the scene to find the officer ducked down behind his car door, his gun drawn. The detectives jumped out, drew their own weapons, and kept low as they went over to the officer’s position. He turned to look at them as they came up. “Are you the detectives that called this in?”
“Yeah, I’m Strong and this is Layne. What have you got?”
“When I called out for the occupants to exit the house, a man yelled back he was armed and had a hostage.”
“Did you see him?”
“No.”
“Okay, call Captain Patton and fill him in. Tell him we need a hostage negotiator and a tactical team.”
“Yes, Sir.”
The officer retreated to the back of the car to make the calls. Jason pointed to the far side of the home.
“I’m going over there. It’ll give me access to the backyard. Wait for my signal, then talk to him while I move down the side of the house.”
Vanessa nodded and watched Jason move to a position where he could see anyone coming to the front window. When he was there, he touched his lips, pointed at her, and then the house.
Vanessa cleared her throat. “Carly, are you okay?”
*******
Chris nervously paced across the back wall of the living room, stopping to look at his wife, then restarting the pace. It was clear he’d miscalculated somehow.
How did they find out? What do I do now?
“Carly, are you okay?”
Chris moved quickly around in front of his wife. He threw down the knife and drew the gun from his jacket. “Tell them you’re okay but not to come in.”
She nodded. “I’m okay! Don’t come in or he’ll hurt me.”
Chris crept up to the front window and peered around the drapes. Another police vehicle was out there, this time blocking Carly’s car. It was clear he wouldn’t be going out the front.
“Who’s in there with you, Carly?”
Chris turned toward his wife and drew a line across his throat with the barrel of the gun.
“I can’t say!”
“Can he hear me?”
“Yes.”
Chris located the voice; a female cop crouched down behind the patrol car door. She stood slightly when she called out. “Whoever you are, you need to come out with your hands up. There’s nowhere to go.”
Chris doubled back to the kitchen and looked out the window. Movement behind the large blackjack tree told him the cops had already blocked the rear exit. He returned to the living room.
“I said come out with your hands up! Now!”
Chris ignored the order and restarted his pacing along the back wall.
“Chris?” Carly’s voice quivered. “What are you going to do?”
He walked around in front of her so she could see him. The blood at the corner of her mouth had dried, but the fear was still in her eyes.
“I don’t know.”
A commotion brought his attention back to the front window. He crouched and moved to where he could see. A car and a large van pulled up on the scene. The van bore the letters SWAT, and he knew what that meant. His time was almost up.
It’s over. Somehow, they’ve figured it out and now I have no hope. I’ll never get to have my son to myself. I’ll have to face him and try to explain, but there is no explanation that would make sense to a boy. Will Joey hate me for what I did to his mother?
“Chris, if you kill me, Joey will have no one.”
The truth of her words struck him as if he’d been shot. He crumpled inside, afraid for the first time that what he’d done wouldn’t be in the best interest of his son. Instead, it looked like every part of his plan would bring pain to Joey. The kind of pain that’s born out of loneliness, sadness, and shame.
“Chris…please.”
He looked down at the woman he once loved, still loved, and realized what he had to do. Chris walked behind Carly and raised the gun.
*******
The sound of a single gunshot echoed around the estate. The tactical team had not set up yet, but Vanessa knew they couldn’t wait. She keyed the radio.
“I’m going in. Go, Jason, go!”
She rushed the front door, kicked it open, and rolled onto the entryway floor. Coming up to one knee, she peered around the edge of the living room, her gun trained to the back of the room.
“Police, put your weapon down!”
Vanessa heard glass break from the back of the house, and assumed it was Jason. Her field of vision included a single form lying on the floor. Carly Simmons was tied in a chair, looking toward her with terror etched on her face. When Carly tried to scream, it came out as a weak plea. “He’s behind me… Help me, please.”
Vanessa rose to a standing position. “Jason!”
“Yes!”
“Do you have a visual on the body on the floor?”
Jason came out of the kitchen, leaned over Chris to check for a pulse, and then stood while putting his weapon away. “I do now.”
Vanessa put her own gun away and tried to steady her breathing. Adrenaline coursed through her as she undid Carly from the chair. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” She didn’t turn around. “Is Chris dead?”
Vanessa nodded. “You knew him?”
“Chris Simmons, he’s my husband. We were separated.”
Jason was speaking with SWAT members who’d followed the detectives in as Vanessa helped the woman up and moved her outside the front of the house. While Carly tried to stop shaking, Vanessa sat next to her. “Can you tell me what happened?”
Vanessa listened and took notes as Carly relayed what Chris had told her. Eventually, an ambulance took Carly to the hospital to be checked out, and the coroner arrived to pick up Chris Simmons’s body.
Captain Patton had arrived at the same time as the SWAT team. Once the coroner had removed the body, the two detectives and the captain leaned against the front of his car. Both men shook their heads as Vanessa finished relaying the story.
Patton laid his hands on the detectives’ shoulders. “You two call it a day. I’ll fill Banks in when I
get back to the station.”
The detectives nodded and walked silently to their car.
Epilogue
Jason, Sandy, and Nina were at the front door of the Layne house. Jason held Nina, dressed in a red Christmas dress complete with a white bonnet. Sandy knocked.
The door opened and Rob stood there, a large red and green bow tie around his neck.
“Merry Christmas! Come in, come in.”
Sandy went first, and as Jason walked by, he whispered to Rob. “Nice tie.”
Rob laughed. “A gift from Vanessa, and you know what that means.”
Jason grinned. “Oh, yeah. If the wife bought it, we love it!”
“That’s right, buddy. You could be one of the three wise men!”
When they got to the living room, Vanessa was already embracing Sandy, who was looking over her friend’s shoulder at the two girls standing next to the tree. “Vanessa, introduce me to these two angels.”
Just then, a woman who could have been Vanessa’s twin came into the room. “Don’t let them fool you! They’re always angels at Aunt Vanessa’s house, but they can be quite a pair of munchkins when they want.”
Vanessa turned and held her arms out to the girls, who ran to their aunt. “Sandy, that’s my sister Rachel, and these are her two daughters. Mandy and Melissa, can you say hi to Sandy?”
“Hello,” the two girls chimed.
Sandy nodded toward Rachel. “Nice to meet you. I can’t believe these two ever get in trouble.”
Jason walked up and introductions were repeated. Sandy took Nina and lowered her down to where the girls could give the baby a kiss. Rachel came over to see Nina. “Do you mind?”
“Of course not.” Sandy held Nina out for Rachel to take. Rachel cooed and retreated to the sofa to cuddle with the baby.
Jason went in search of Rob as the doorbell rang. When Vanessa answered it, she found Sarah Banks standing in the entryway, next to a tall, well-groomed gentleman with black hair tinged with gray and deep, brown eyes.
CRUEL DECEPTION (Det. Jason Strong(CLEAN SUSPENSE) Book 9) Page 8
