by Webb, Debra
Jess didn’t have to work too hard to present a smile. As much as she hated to admit it, she did feel better now that she’d eaten. “Thank you. I’ll remember that.”
Not anytime soon, but there was no need to mention that part.
“You tell your sister, too,” Wanda urged as they moved back into the living room and toward the front door. “I’d love to have y’all over so we could catch up.”
Jess clenched her jaw to hold back the retort that came immediately to mind. She’d put the past aside for a moment, but she couldn’t hold it at bay for long. There was nothing between her and this woman except hurt. Why in the world would she pretend otherwise? She appreciated her efforts—or at least she tried to—but no amount of fried chicken and potatoes was going to change the past.
What was with all this waffling back and forth?
“When you have more time,” Wanda went on, oblivious to Jess’s irritation, “I’ll show you the photos I have from when you were a baby.” She literally beamed. “I didn’t realize I had so many. But when your friend dropped by, we started talking about those days and the next thing I knew I was digging out all kinds of family photos.”
Uncertainty made it impossible for Jess to move. “A friend of mine stopped by?”
Wanda nodded. “He did. A very nice man. He said he was doing a feature on you and all the work you’re doing to keep Birmingham safe.”
“Was his name Gerard Stevens?” Jess didn’t know the man but she disliked him immensely for trying to make Dan look bad in a recent interview with Corlew, of all people. The thought made her mad at her old friend all over again.
“Oh no. It wasn’t that reporter fella,” Wanda assured Jess. “It was your old friend from the FBI in Virginia. His name was Ross. Ross Taylor. Said he was retired now and doing some writing for some big newspaper in Washington D.C.”
Fear blasted through Jess. Special Agent Ross Taylor was dead. Eric Spears had murdered him.
“When was he here?” It took everything Jess had to keep her voice from shaking. She wanted to scream. She wanted to hunt Spears down and rip him apart with her own two hands.
“Must’ve been about two weeks ago. Right about the same time that policeman’s wife killed his partner’s wife. That case was all over the news.”
Jess quieted the storm of emotions whirling inside her. “Wanda, I need you to start at the beginning and tell me everything you told him.”
12
Birmingham Police Department, 1:30 p.m.
Dan signed the last requisition form and closed the folder. It was already half past one and he hadn’t heard from Jess or anyone in SPU. Hayes should have checked in with him already. He scrubbed at his eyes and exhaled a weary breath.
The idea that Jess was out there on the streets—an open target—was driving him out of his mind. He understood her reasoning for staying on the job. She needed to be working. Hell, he needed her on the job. But the reality that any one of the warped fans Spears had watching her could so easily reach her was killing him.
Add to that the undeniable reality that the FBI was getting nowhere on the Spears investigation. They had no idea where the bastard was. He could be right here under their noses. Dan closed his eyes and forced away the images that came with that thought. Spears had touched Jess at Friday’s press conference. He had been close enough to hurt her—or worse—with cops all around him.
How the hell were they going to protect her if they didn’t know where the son of a bitch was?
He stood and walked to the window that overlooked the city. Ensuring the safety of the citizens of Birmingham was his responsibility. Taking care of Jess was his responsibility. He’d never felt more helpless.
With everything that was going on, he hadn’t even managed time for lunch with Andrea before she went back to college for the fall semester. So much had happened this summer, starting with his stepdaughter’s abduction. Those had been some scary days. But Jess had come when he’d called and she had found those girls. No one else could take credit for that incredible feat. She was a hero.
He wanted to be hers.
If anything happened to her—
The intercom on his desk buzzed and was followed by, “Chief, Mayor Pratt is on line one for you.”
“And the day just gets better,” he grumbled. Mayor Joseph Pratt wanted Jess gone. He was just itching to find a good reason to try and force Dan’s hand. “Thanks, Sheila.”
Dan blew out a breath and took the call. “Afternoon, Mayor.”
“Why is Harris working this investigation? Logan Thomas’s uncle called me. He, like everyone else in this city, is worried sick about Harris’s ability to somehow draw these devils into our community. How long do you plan to pretend she’s an asset, Dan? It’s time to look past your personal feelings and do the right thing.”
For a moment Dan was lost as to how to respond to such ridiculous accusations. It took no time at all for the mayor and his cronies to forget all Jess had done for the city. Dan was well aware of Pratt’s problem. The mayor’s family had come under scrutiny during the ‘Five’ investigation. Pratt wasn’t going to let that go easily.
“Joe, I understand that Jess’s work to find the truth has made your family uncomfortable at times,” Dan told him straight up, “but she’s the best thing that’s happened to this department in a very long time. Furthermore, the murders Jess is investigating at this time have nothing to do with her or Eric Spears or any damned thing else that you can logically complain about.” He hadn’t meant for his voice to rise as he uttered that last statement but he was sick to death of Pratt’s jabs at Jess.
“That may very well be,” Pratt argued, “but I’m maintaining a close watch on this situation. I will not ignore my responsibilities to this city. I would suggest you follow my example.”
“Always nice to hear from you, Mayor.” Dan slammed the phone down. “Narrow minded old bastard.”
A rap at his door hauled his attention to yet another intrusion. “What?” Damn, he was on a roll here. If his secretary was on the other side of that door, he’d probably damaged his relationship with her permanently.
Harold Black poked his head in. “You have a minute, Chief?”
Dan took a second to find control over his frustration. “Sure.” He waved in the deputy chief of the department’s Crimes Against Persons Division. Harold was also working closely with Gant on the Spears investigation. Maybe they’d just gotten lucky and there was good news for a change.
Harold paused at Dan’s desk, a folder tucked under his arm. “I thought I’d bring you up to speed on the Allen case.”
Captain Ted Allen, head of the Gang Task Force, had gone missing almost three weeks ago. His personal vehicle had been discovered abandoned, but no other trace of him had been found until last week when his cell phone appeared in Dan’s garbage. An internal investigation into Allen’s activities was ongoing. No cop wanted to accuse another of wrongdoing but it was looking more and more as if that were the case.
Another sticking point in the investigation was the very public disagreements between Allen and Jess. According to his cell phone carrier, Allen had last used his cell near Jess’s apartment. The fact that the same phone was found in Dan’s trash made both him and Jess look suspicious. It was an uncomfortable situation, but all they could do was ride it out. Truth was on their side. Eventually that truth would come to light. Allen was either dead for things he had or had not done when dealing with one of the biggest gang leaders in the country or he’d taken a handsome payoff and disappeared for parts unknown. Either way, his return was unlikely.
“Have you uncovered new evidence? Found a witness who saw him after the night he disappeared?” If Allen hadn’t gone rogue, hope of finding him alive was pretty much nonexistent at this point. For the man’s family’s sake, Dan wished the case was solved, one way or the other.
Harold shook his head. “Nothing like that.” He opened the folder he held. “We did discover some documents in h
is office that are quite troubling.”
Seemed a little sudden, or perhaps convenient depending upon what these documents showed. What dirty cop kept damning evidence in his office? Whether he was dirty or not, Allen was smarter than that.
Harold passed a handwritten report across Dan’s desk. “Apparently, Captain Allen was planning to file a complaint against you.”
“Against me?” Dan snatched up the report and skimmed it.
“He claims in that statement that you threatened him on two occasions in regard to his interactions with Chief Harris.”
“This is absurd.” Dan tossed the report aside. “I assume you’ve had the handwriting analyzed.”
Harold nodded. “It’s his handwriting.”
Dan flatted his palms firmly on his desk and fought to hold back his outrage. The best way to handle this was to keep his cool—unlike the way he’d handled the situation with Pratt. “This is getting old, Harold. First it’s the cell phone. Now this.”
“I agree. But these documents were found in the due course of the investigation. I can’t exactly dispose of them, Dan. Detective Roark brought them directly to me before turning them into evidence. No one wants to set this kind of nasty business in motion, but we simply have no choice. We must treat you the same way we would any other person of interest on a case.”
“Don’t patronize me, Harold. I know what we must do. But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
Harold nodded. “No one likes it, Dan. We’re working as hard as we can to solve this mystery.”
“You do what you need to do,” Dan reminded him. “But along the way, remember that this,” he gestured to the report, “is pure fiction. If Ted Allen wrote that report he was either out of his mind or lying.”
“I agree.” Harold stood. “I’ll keep you apprised of any new developments.”
“Thanks. I appreciate the update.” Better to be aware of potential trouble than to be blindsided.
When Harold was out the door, Dan picked up his cell. He couldn’t wait any longer. Jess should have checked in with him by now. He needed to hear her voice as often as possible.
The idea that Spears could be watching her every move from right here in Birmingham had him on edge. His phone vibrated with an incoming text.
“It’s about time.” He tapped the screen expecting to see Jess’s image along with a text.
He stilled. Not Jess. The number wasn’t one he recognized. He opened the text.
Want to know how this story will end? Oak Hill. Near Linn Mausoleum. Cheers, ES
“Son of a bitch!” Dan shoved his phone into his pocket and rushed around his desk. He stormed out of his office. “Have Chief Black and someone from the crime scene unit meet me at Linn Mausoleum at Oak Hill Cemetery,” he said to Sheila.
His secretary was already passing along the order before Dan was out of earshot. He bypassed the elevator and took the stairs.
At least Spears was playing his game with him today and not Jess and that suited Dan just fine. If Spears made the mistake of getting close again, Dan planned to be the only one walking away this time.
Oak Hill Cemetery, 2:33 p.m.
Dan strode through the gates of Birmingham’s oldest cemetery. Many of the city’s pioneers were laid to rest here, including Charles Linn. The park where the press conference had been held last Friday was named after him. Spears apparently wanted to remind Dan that he’d missed his opportunity there.
“What’s going on, Dan?” Harold Black hurried to catch up with him. “A tech from the crime scene unit is on the way.”
“Shortly after you left my office I received a text from Spears. He said there was something here that would tell me how this story is going to end.” He glanced at Harold. “I guess he doesn’t want to keep me in suspense.”
“Have you called Gant?”
“Not yet. Let’s see what we’re dealing with first.” There was no need to have the FBI over here until they had confirmation this was more than a wild goose chase.
Harold surveyed the headstones, statues, and mausoleums that dotted the hillside. “What is that monster up to now?”
“We’ll soon know.” Dan paused long enough to find his bearings. He hadn’t been in this cemetery in ages. He spotted his destination. “There. The Linn Mausoleum.”
“Did he give you any indication of what we’re looking for?”
“No. Just that it was here.” They reached the mausoleum but if Spears had left anything it wasn’t readily apparent.
Dan turned all the way around, scanning the hillside. “It could be a setup.”
“I considered that,” Black said as he, too, looked around. “I figured you would be too angry to think of it before showing up here.”
The uniforms came into view. Cops were heading their way from every direction.
“Thanks.” Dan railed at Jess all the time for doing this very thing. He’d acted on impulse, without thought as to the danger. “Let’s have a look around the mausoleum.”
Harold went one way and Dan took the other, circling the stone house that stood as a monument to one man’s contributions to the Magic City. On the other side of the mausoleum, beneath the shade of a big oak tree, was a headstone. This one wasn’t aged by time and the elements.
“Oh my,” Harold murmured. “I think we’re going to need a forklift to take this chunk of evidence to the lab.”
The date of birth was chiseled into the stone, month, day and year. Where the date of death should have been were two words: Very Soon.
The name inscribed in large, sweeping letters across the front was Daniel T. Burnett.
13
Birmingham Police Department, 3:00 p.m.
Harper stretched a map of the city on one end of the case board. Lori added new notes beneath the photos of victims and the persons of interest they had so far. As of now, the video was all they had on the Thomas murder. Not one soul in the building had seen or heard a thing until the music woke the closest neighbors. Evidently the two women, if they were indeed the killers, had set the timer on the iPad for the music to go on at just the right time. Neighbors would be roused and the cops would be called. All accomplished long after they were gone.
Officer Cook was still interviewing the young man’s coworkers. No forensic reports were back yet. Hayes was coordinating the surveillance details. Wanda and Lil’s homes were on the top of his list. Jess had called her sister as soon as they’d left Wanda’s. Lil assured Jess she hadn’t seen any strangers in her neighborhood, and she promised to cooperate with the detail assigned to her. A call to Mr. Louis had been next. He needed a detail, too, though he insisted the extra trouble wasn’t necessary. Jess had added one to Dan’s parent’s home as well. They couldn’t take any risks with the people closest to them. Corlew outright refused to have a cop following him around. Jess didn’t want to know his reasons. The business of private investigations occasionally skirted the law. Corlew would be no exception just because he was an ex-cop.
The department’s budget was going to take a major hit. Something else to put Dan in the hot seat with the mayor and it was her fault.
For almost twenty years her job had been to help find the monsters among society. She had made the decision to put herself in harm’s way by going into this line of work. It was just wrong for her family and friends to suffer because of her choices.
Don’t dwell on what you can’t change. Do what you have to do. Agonizing over what wasn’t right in all of this wouldn’t change a thing.
Jess reread the lines in her notes she’d reviewed twice already. The ability to concentrate eluded her. They were almost forty-eight hours into this investigation and she couldn’t seem to catch up. Her mind wouldn’t stay focused. She was relying heavily on her team for interviews and fieldwork. Generally, she preferred to be involved in as much of that work as possible herself. Not this time. As much as she wished she could blame it on hormones, it wasn’t that at all.
What she felt was guilt. These pe
ople were dead because of her.
She set her notes aside and stood. Lisa Templeton had come here for a new beginning. A fresh start. Instead, she and the woman she loved became ensnared in Spears’s evil scheme. Now both were dead. Burgess’s family had come to Birmingham and identified her body. Templeton’s, on the other hand, had chosen not to bother. Instead, they had ID’d the body from a photo faxed to the police department there. One last injustice to a woman who only wanted to live her life her way. When the body was released, it would be shipped like a box of fall bulbs to her childhood home to be planted.
Home. Jess closed her eyes. Wherever it was, it should be a place where you felt happy and safe. The homes these victims had chosen had cost them their lives.
Her eyes flew open and she stared at the faces on the case board. Fury blazed a path through her. And here she was feeling sorry for herself.
“The house where you and your sister grew up is here.”
Harper’s voice jerked her to attention. She adjusted her glasses and moved to the case board to view the map. He circled the Irondale address where she had lived until she was ten with her parents. The sergeant was wrong about growing up there. That part of her life had ended abruptly at age ten. She and Lily had been snatched away from their home and dropped off in Druid Hills to live with Wanda.
Even with loving parents and a cozy little home, they hadn’t been safe from the ugliness that fate had thrown in their path.
“Your sister’s home in Bessemer is right there.” He made another circle. “This is Lori’s old apartment and the one you rent from Mr. Louis.” Harper circled those two, and then glanced at Jess. “The chief’s house is here.” One last spot on the map was ringed in red. “Did I miss anything, ma’am?”
“I wish I knew, Sergeant.” How far back did she go? Did she consider the homes of kids she’d known in school? She’d had her share of sleepovers. It was impossible to guess how deep Spears would dig to find relevant details about her past. “With what little we have to go on, it seems reasonable to say he’s targeted places where significant life events took place.” She glanced over at Hayes. “Do we have someone at the Irondale house yet?”
