The Guardians Complete Series 1 Box Set: Contains Mercy, The Ferryman, Crossroads, Witchfinder, Infernum

by Wendy Saunders

  ‘That’s why the ritual could not be completed last time,’ Theo’s eyes widened in shock.

  ‘That’s right,’ Olivia answered numbly, ‘because he needs my blood to open the devil’s trap.’

  22.

  Tammy looked up from her desk as the door to her office opened, smiling as Layton Macallister walked in with his trademark confident swagger. His dark hair was graying, as was the day old stubble on his face, and his denim blue eyes sparkled with mischief. His face broke into a grin, causing the creases in his cheeks, which had once been dimples, to deepen. Even at fifty Layton was devastatingly good looking. Tammy fought the ridiculous urge to smooth down her hair and sigh like a schoolgirl. She was a grown woman for God’s sake and the Mayor at that. The problem was the man not only had a face as handsome as sin, but when he opened his mouth...

  ‘Hello Tammy,’ his voice was a deep sexy drawl, which always gave her a jolt in all the right places.

  ‘Layton,’ she stood and rounded the desk.

  ‘You look good.’ His gaze swept her trim figure encased in lilac and down her legs to the ridiculously high heels the woman insisted on wearing, but damn she had a fine pair of legs.

  ‘What’s this?’ she tugged at the scruff on his face.

  ‘I thought I’d try a beard,’ he shrugged and he stroked his chin in amusement.

  ‘It doesn’t suit you,’ she replied. Actually it did suit him, it was as downright sexy as the rest of him, God dammit.

  ‘Well, maybe if you made an honest man of me, I could be persuaded to shave it off.’

  The laugh bubbled out before she could stop it.

  ‘When are you going to stop asking?’

  ‘When you stop looking at me like you want to nibble on me.’

  ‘Layton,’ she warned.

  ‘Alright,’ he held up his hands in mock surrender, ‘tell me where you’re at with the case.’

  ‘I have copies of the files here for you to go over.’

  ‘And Walcott?’

  ‘Getting worse,’ she shook her head. ‘I had a phone call from George Banbury, the Manager of Old Mercy Mutual. He has made a complaint against Chief Walcott; he says he physically assaulted him yesterday.’

  ‘What happened?’ he took the files she offered him.

  ‘Apparently a resident had been in the bank taking something from a safety deposit box and the Chief wanted to know what it was. When Mr Banbury wouldn’t tell him what that item was, the Chief pinned him to the wall and tried to choke him.’

  ‘Jesus, what a mess,’ he flipped the file open and started to scan through the notes. ‘Where is the Chief now?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ she glanced down at her watch. ‘He was supposed to be here ten minutes ago.’

  ‘Who was the resident?’

  ‘What?’ she replied distractedly.

  ‘You said a resident, at the bank, who was it?’

  ‘Oh, her name is Olivia West.’

  ‘Olivia West?’ his head snapped up. ‘Charles Connell’s daughter?’

  ‘Yes,’ her eyes narrowed, ‘how did you know?’

  ‘After he kidnapped his daughter and escaped from Mercy, he made it as far as Philadelphia. I was one of the arresting officers that night.’

  ‘Small world,’ Tammy murmured as she watched him thoughtfully.

  ‘It is,’ he agreed. ‘You know, some cases just stick with you. I remember that one as clear as day.’

  ‘Why is that?’

  ‘Because of Charles Connell,’ he cast his mind back. ‘He was mad when we took him in and I don’t mean angry, I mean absolutely ranting, something about a demon and a trap. Last I heard he was locked up in a mental institution.’

  ‘Not anymore.’

  ‘What?’ his eyes widened. ‘They let him out?’

  Tammy shook her head.

  ‘He escaped, he’s on the run. I would have thought you would have heard about it. They sent out a news bulletin to all law enforcement agencies.’

  ‘I’ve been out of the loop since the shooting.’

  Something about the way he said that, made her wonder if there was more to his leave than he was saying.

  ‘Well, anyway,’ Tammy glanced again at her watch, ‘I have a meeting in an hour that I need to prepare for. Audrey has booked you in at The Black Cat.’

  ‘The motel over on North Hill road?’ his voice softened, ‘yeah I remember it.’

  Tammy blushed, avoiding his gaze.

  ‘If you have any questions with regard to the case files just contact my office.’

  He nodded as he turned to leave.

  ‘You know Tammy,’ he turned back to her as she looked up, ‘last time I was here I never did get an answer to my question.’

  ‘I know,’ she answered quietly, ‘but you already know the answer and nothing’s changed.’

  For a moment she thought she saw something flicker in his eyes then it was gone.

  ‘I’ll call once I’ve reviewed the files.’

  She nodded, watching in silence as he clicked the door closed quietly behind him.

  Chief Walcott climbed into his car and started the engine. Looking down at his watch he cursed, he was already running late to meet with the damn Mayor. He was just about to put the car in reverse and ease out of his parking space when the radio crackled.

  ‘Chief.’

  ‘Walker,’ he answered, ‘I’m running late. What is it?’

  ‘Just thought you’d want to know, the county search team found Lucas Campbell’s body, or what’s left of him. It’s pretty bad.’

  ‘God damn it,’ he hit the dash in frustration. ‘Where are the remains now?’

  ‘They’ve been sent over to Doc Hughes, for a formal ID and autopsy.’

  ‘Alright, I’ll head over there now and see what he’s found out.’

  ‘I thought you had a meeting with the Mayor?’

  ‘It was cancelled.’

  It was a lie, but that wasn’t important. He’d get the Mayor her proof then she’d have to listen to what he was trying to tell her, to tell all of them. That Olivia West was as much a murderer as her father.’

  ‘Alright Chief, we’ll see you back at the station later.’

  As the radio went dead he reversed out and headed toward the medical center, hoping that this was the smoking gun that he needed.

  Doctor Hughes looked up as a shadow fell over his notes.

  ‘Chief,’ he nodded, ‘I wondered if you’d be by.’

  ‘Cam says you have Lucas Campbell’s body.’

  ‘Well, what’s left of him, if it’s him,’ he pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

  ‘What do you mean?’ he took a seat in front of the desk.

  ‘The remains are in pretty bad shape,’ he blew out a deep breath. ‘He was skinned, the entire corpse, right down to the muscle layer. Lucas was missing for the longest time, so his remains were exposed to the elements for longer. Not only was the corpse badly damaged from the skin being removed, but with decomposition and animals picking at the remains, it all makes a definite ID very hard.’

  ‘Have you requested his dental records?’

  Doc Hughes nodded.

  ‘I did that back when he first went missing, just in case. But the truth is, Lucas didn’t have up to date dental records. The ones we have are no good for a formal ID. The corpse appears to be roughly the right height and weight and it’s definitely the right sex, but I’m afraid confirming the victim’s identity will take some time. Fortunately Lucas came by the medical center for blood tests, a couple of days before he went missing. His younger cousin has Leukemia and he was being tested to see if he was a match for a bone marrow transplant. I’ve taken some tissue samples and I’m just about to send them to the lab for a DNA comparison.’

  The Chief’s gaze fell to the desk, where there sat a large padded envelope and a couple of vials of blood.

  ‘Do you have a c
ause or a time of death?’

  ‘Again, because of the state of the remains, it makes it very hard to establish a credible time line. I can’t tell you when he died. I’m not even a hundred percent sure what the cause of death was. The internal organs are all present and intact. I’m waiting on the tox screen, I’m pretty confident at this point I can rule out stabbing or shooting, but unfortunately that leaves a million other possibilities.’

  ‘So we don’t have anything?’

  ‘Sorry Chief,’ he shook his head. ‘At this point all I can tell you is, the skin was removed and that there was a brand on the chest. It’s not as clear as the other victims, but it’s there.’

  Dr Hughes looked around the Chief as a porter poked his head around the open door and knocked lightly.

  ‘Sorry to disturb you Doc,’ he apologized.

  ‘That’s alright Cole, what is it?’

  ‘The funeral home is here to collect Mrs Brady and I can’t find her.’

  ‘She’s in drawer 3.’

  ‘Begging your pardon Doc, but she isn’t, I’ve checked. It looks like the cadaver the students were working on is in there.’

  ‘Oh for heaven’s sake,’ he stood abruptly. ‘Sorry Chief, I’ll be right back.’

  Chief Walcott clenched his jaw and his fists impotently. Once again they were at a dead end with no physical evidence. He didn’t even have a time of death to establish whether or not Olivia West had an alibi.

  Resisting the urge to slam his fist into the desk in front of him, his gaze fell on the two vials of blood on the desk. Before he’d even registered what he was doing, his fist wrapped around one of them. Rolling it over in his palm, he checked the name on it. It was definitely Lucas Campbell’s blood. An idea began to form in his mind and as much as he tried to resist it, it persisted, seemingly the answer to all his problems. It wasn’t ethical, but if it got the end results what would it matter? If ultimately it saved more lives, it was the right thing to do. If luck wasn’t favoring him, then maybe it was time to make his own luck.

  He slipped the vial into his breast pocket and stood abruptly as Dr Hughes shuffled back into the room, muttering something about unreliable students.

  ‘I have to be on my way,’ the Chief nodded. ‘Let me know when you have the full autopsy report and I’ll have one of my deputies run over and pick it up.’

  He nodded.

  ‘Will do, sorry I couldn’t be more help.’

  ‘Don’t worry Doc,’ his mouth curved slightly, ‘you’ve been plenty helpful.’

  Doc Hughes watched suspiciously as Chief Walcott left, trying to shake a strange uneasy feeling. Then he sat back down at his desk and picked up the notes he’d been working on, and the matter slipped from his mind.

  Chief Walcott stepped out into the crisp cool air and glanced up at the sky. At least the rain was holding off for the moment. His gaze tracked over the street, it seemed serendipity was smiling on him today, surely a sign that he was doing the right thing. He pulled back into the shadow of the building and waited, watching patiently as Olivia headed into the Vets office holding what looked like a small golden spaniel pup. Alongside her was the Beckett man again. He’d run checks on him, but he’d come up clean, still he didn’t trust him. He was practically Olivia West’s shadow these days, it just didn’t add up for him. They seemed awfully cozy for two people who say they’d not known each other long.

  Shaking off the thought, he watched them disappear into the office and shut the door. Checking to make sure no one was watching he crossed the road and headed over into the small parking lot, located behind the Vet’s office. The lot was quiet and secluded and not easily seen from the office. Even better, Olivia’s old car was parked furthest from the building under the shade of a huge old tree.

  It was the perfect opportunity, but he knew he needed to be quick. Turning around, he headed back to his car to retrieve the items he would need. Mindful that he must not be seen, he was heading back to Olivia’s car within a matter of minutes. Removing the tire iron from under his thick jacket, with a quick tug he popped the trunk easily. Working quickly, he removed the small vial of blood from his pocket and cracked the seal, tipping the contents inside the trunk and allowing it to seep into the interior carpet. Slamming the truck closed, he slipped the tire iron back under his jacket, threw the empty vial into a nearby dumpster and headed out, smiling to himself. Now all he needed was a warrant and he knew exactly who to go to.

  The drive out to Salem was quick; he barely noticed the time passing. Ignoring the tourist areas he headed to the richer, more influential part of town. Although he’d never visited before, he had no trouble finding the house he was looking for. Pulling up to the security gate he buzzed and waited.

  ‘Hello?’ the voice came in a buzz of static.

  ‘It’s Thomas Walcott, here to see Judge Lloyd.’

  The line went dead for a minute.

  ‘Tommy?’

  ‘Hello Drew,’ he replied, ‘are you going to let me in or not?’

  The gate buzzed again and swung open. The Chief drove in, following the neatly curved driveway up to the house. As he stepped out of the car, he looked up at the impressive three storey building with its whitewashed walls, a slight stab of envy ran through him. Heading toward the door, he watched as it swung open and a man with reddish blond hair stood waiting.

  ‘Well I’ll be damned Tommy, it’s been years.’

  ‘Yes it has,’ he agreed as he stepped up to the door.

  ‘Well come in then,’ Drew invited him in.

  He followed him through to the study, taking in the expensive decor.

  ‘It’s not quite to my taste,’ Drew laughed, ‘but I’ve not long moved in, so I haven’t had a chance to redecorate yet. Scotch?’

  Drew moved to a decanter and poured himself a generous glass.

  ‘No,’ he replied, ‘I’m on duty.’

  ‘Is this an official visit then?’ Drew turned and took a sip, regarding Chief Walcott with amusement.

  ‘I sent you over a request for a search warrant on Olivia West’s property and car.’

  ‘You did,’ he agreed, ‘but after reading the file I can find no reason to sign off on a warrant.’

  Walcott’s jaw clenched.

  ‘Look,’ he began, ‘we go back a long way Tommy. I feel bad about what happened to James and to Isabel. But I can’t, in good conscience, condone a search on Olivia West’s property, just because we’re pissed at her dad.’

  Walcott’s expression hardened.

  ‘Charlie was my friend too, I hate what he did to Isabel. She sure as hell didn’t deserve it and although I’m still not convinced he had anything to do with Jimmy’s death, I feel sick about that too. But I have worked my ass off to get where I am. I’ve come a long way from the nerdy red haired kid from Mercy. I’ve finally been made Judge and I’m not about to start off my career by approving a warrant on a potentially innocent woman, without good reason. The press will eat that shit up.’

  ‘So, this is all about your career? Never mind that it might save lives.’

  ‘Don’t be such a self-righteous prick Tommy. No jury in the world is going to look at the West girl and believe she’s a murderer.’

  Walcott snapped and grabbed Drew by the neck, squeezing his throat painfully. The glass Drew had been holding crashed to the floor, leaving small shards to scatter across the polished wood.

  ‘You pathetic little maggot,’ he growled, ‘you dare call me self-righteous. I knew you when you were still a snot-nosed little nerd pissing your pants every time one of the quarterbacks shoved your skinny ass into a locker. You seem to have forgotten who it was you went to when you needed protection.’

  ‘Be that as it may,’ Drew wheezed, ‘my answer is still no. You can’t bully my signature out of me.’

  ‘We’ll see,’ he grated as he smashed his fist into Drew’s face. He watched dispassionately as his nose exploded, spraying blood across the
desk. He pulled his fist back and punched him again and again.

  The sun was beginning to dip in the sky as Chief Walcott headed back to his car. Unlocking it and slipping back into the driver’s seat, he dropped the warrant onto the passenger seat and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, absently wiping the blood from his knuckles. Starting the engine he pulled out of the driveway.

  Drew slumped over the seat at his desk with the decanter in front of him. One eye was swollen shut. Bloodied tissue was shoved up both of his nostrils to try to stem the bleeding from his nose, which was swelling and set at a slightly off kilter angle. With shaking hands he tried to raise a fresh glass of scotch to his lips, but his mouth was swollen and split, allowing him no more than a noisy slurp.

  ‘I hope you know what you’re doing,’ he murmured to the person he could feel standing behind him, watching as he moved more fully into his eye line. ‘You’re playing a dangerous game Charles.’

  Charles Connell looked down at his childhood friend, noting the darkening bloodstains marring his expensive sweater.

  ‘It was never a game,’ he replied quietly. ‘Did he get the warrant?’

  ‘Yes,’ Drew nodded, wincing in pain.

  ‘You know what to do next?’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ Drew took another noisy slurp of his scotch, ‘I know what to do.’

  ‘Would you like a straw?’ he answered, dryly raising one sculpted brow.

  ‘Fuck you Charles,’ Drew set his glass down. ‘Next time you can be the one who gets his face smashed up.’

  ‘Andrew,’ he nodded derisively, ‘always a pleasure.’

  Drew watched silently as Charles disappeared back through the doorway and raising his glass once again he mockingly toasted the empty room.

  Olivia stepped out of the car and locked it, turning to Theo, who was holding the traumatized puppy in his arms.

  ‘Poor baby,’ she smiled as she stroked Beau’s head softly.

  Beau had been less than impressed by his visit to the Vet to get registered and get his shots. Unfortunately for Olivia, he’d shown his displeasure by peeing all over the back seat of her car.