by Robin Mahle
“A few of the women in the surveillance pictures and posts talked to Detectives Gibbons and Avery last night. Turns out the guy leans a little too heavily on the side of aggression. He’s done a pretty good number of some of those women.”
“Okay. That doesn’t help me out much, Katie. He’s being held for murder. What else you got?” Scarborough replied.
The line was turning to static and so her next words came across in spurts. She essentially indicated her intention to talk to Shaun Hudson. For a moment, Katie was concerned he hadn’t heard any of it. Either that, or he was considering her idea.
“Is Gibbons going with you?”
“I’m going to the campus. I’m pretty sure I’ll be safe there.” She paused, waiting to see if he would continue to dissuade her, but he remained silent on the other end. “I just want to know how close he is to Shalot. If he has any personal information on him. That’s all.
“You’re on the right path, Katie. I think we know what we’re dealing with now. Agent Myers and I have had a chance to come together on a few of her ideas. Geographically and methodically, we are not dealing with one individual and Lindsay Brown may have been some sort of payback for Shalot. We don’t think she was supposed to be part of the five. There’s going to be another one; we just need to find out when and where. It can’t hurt to get a handle on who Shalot is. He’s tangled up in this shit; we just don’t know how yet.”
The five. Katie recalled Myers’ profile, realizing they must have discovered more information leading them to believe there’d be another. “I think so too.”
“One last thing. Please be sure you let Avery or Gibbons know where you’re going. We’ve got to go now. Talk to you later.”
“Thanks, Nick. And thank you, Agent Myers.”
Nick ended the call.
“She calls you Nick?” Myers asked.
He turned his head slyly for a moment. “What? You jealous?”
“Not at all.” Myers returned her eyes to the road. “Just didn’t realize you two were chummy like that.”
“Georgia, Katie has been through a shit storm and back again.”
“I know. I’m familiar with her case and the fact that you were lead on it.”
“Then you know that it was me who put that bullet in her. I’ve never forgiven myself for that.”
“Christ, Nick, everyone knows what happened down there in that cellar. It was dark and the situation turned bad in a hurry. It was an accident. Plain and simple.”
“There’s nothing plain and simple about that day, Georgia. Or what happened after that.” He paused for a moment, staring at the lines on the road. “Katie is an amazing woman. Knowing what she went through and how she handled it, well, I respect the hell out of her. And yeah, we’re on a first-name basis. I consider her a friend. Even though before this, we hadn’t spoken much. Nothing can change the way I feel about her and the fact that I think she made a huge mistake not coming to work for us.”
“You asked her to join?”
“I did. She turned me down. Maybe she wasn’t ready, I don’t know. But I’m guessing Marshall Avery had a lot to do with her decision. And that’s okay. She deserves to be happy.”
“Well, maybe after getting a taste of it again; working with you, I mean. Maybe she’ll reconsider?” Myers said.
“Doubtful.” Nick pulled into the parking garage. “Let’s find out what the ME’s got. Hopefully, something that will help us catch these people.”
15
AS PER AGENT Scarborough’s request, Katie informed Detective Gibbons and Marshall of her intentions. Gibbons insisted on accompanying her, but she made a good case as to why it would likely scare Hudson off. If he believed he was being questioned in connection with Shalot, knowing he’d taken a payoff to copy her files, the guy probably wouldn’t answer anything. Not without a lawyer anyway.
Katie’s way, she convinced Gibbons, would make it appear to Hudson that he was helping to further indict Shalot. He had to know that the cops would find her file in Shalot’s possession. She would make it seem as though Shalot had used Hudson’s position to get information about her.
“Remind me, Ms. Reid, to never underestimate you,” Gibbons replied. “That being said, you need to contact me the moment you’re finished. Got it?”
“Understood.”
The sun hadn’t yet burned off the coastal clouds that were still looming overhead. Katie removed her sunglasses under the shade they offered. Ahead of her, about fifty feet or so, was a large industrial-looking building. She disliked contemporary architecture and preferred the Spanish-Colonial buildings that were prevalent throughout much of southern California. But this was a large campus, appealing to a world-wide student base and preferred to boast of its energy-efficiency and modern conveniences.
Katie continued her approach to the Administration building, where she would seek to find Shaun Hudson. Already somewhat familiar with its internal structure, as a result of attending registration, Katie knew that Student Records was on the third floor.
The elevator doors opened to reveal a sea of beige. Walls, tile, and even much of the hanging artwork consisted of varying shades of beige. The only splash of color came from the vase full of beautiful fall foliage, exploding in hues of orange, yellows, and fiery reds that sat on the front desk in the records office.
“May I help you?” A young woman, probably a student, greeted Katie with a pleasant smile.
“Yes, can you tell me if Shaun Hudson is working today? I needed to ask him if he could look up my file. I’ve misplaced last semester’s report card and I wanted to get another copy.”
“Oh sure. I can help you with that.” The girl began typing something into her computer. “What’s your last name?”
Shit. Katie needed another excuse, clearly overlooking the fact that others could offer assistance. “Um, actually, I kinda wanted to see Shaun, if I could.”
The girl raised an eyebrow, tilting her head as if somehow this would make her understand what Katie was saying.
“I mean…” She leaned over the raised reception desk and dropped her voice. “I’m sorry. It’s just that I met Shaun the other night and we seemed to hit it off pretty well. But I lost my nerve to ask for his cell number and he seemed a little shy too.” Katie darted her eyes as if confirming secrecy. “He mentioned he worked here in the afternoons. Do you think you could get him for me?”
The girl smiled wide, acknowledging Katie’s predicament. “Of course I can. And, don’t worry; I won’t say a thing.” She raised the receiver of her phone and dialed an extension. “Could you send Shaun up here for a moment? There’s a girl here who needs some assistance.” She replaced the receiver and looked back to Katie. “He’ll be right up.” The girl raised her shoulders and displayed a thumbs-up sign with each hand. “Good luck.”
Katie took a few steps back, glancing down the hall where she expected his approach. She would recognize him from his Facebook profile picture.
And it seemed, as Shaun Hudson walked down the corridor, he might have recognized her as well. Color drained from his face and he slowed his approach considerably.
Don’t spook him. “Shaun?” The most pleasing and non-threatening of smiles crossed her face as she moved toward him with an extended hand. “I’m Katie Reid.”
He cleared his throat and looked at the girl behind the front desk. She still had the enormous grin plastered on her face. He returned his attention to Katie and looked down at her hand. It seemed to have occurred to Shaun that he would have to respond and could not simply run away. Not with the girl at the desk watching so closely.
“Yes. Hi. I’m Shaun. What can I do for you?”
“I’d like to talk to you for a minute, if you’ve got the time?” Katie replied.
“Um, yeah. Sure. We’ve got a small conference room down the hall, if you’d like to follow me.” Shaun cast another glance to the girl at the desk and led the way to the room. “Right in here, please.” He stood aside to let Kati
e enter first.
Shaun closed the door behind him. “So, Katie, how can I help you?”
He was still pretending he hadn’t a clue as to who she was. Katie waited for him to sit down. “I understand you’re friends with Edward Shalot?” she asked.
“I, um, hung out with him a few times, but I wouldn’t exactly call us friends.”
Katie would have to let him in on what brought her to him if she wanted answers in a timely manner. “Look, Shaun, I know Edward took some files from you. My files. I’m not here to blame you. I’m just here to find out what you know about him and why he would want my personal information.” She had to ensure he felt she wasn’t hurling accusations at him. That she believed he had been taken advantage of. It would be the only way he would talk. She was learning the art of manipulation with tremendous speed.
Shaun dropped his shoulders, sighing as he sat across the table. “I don’t know how it happened. He seemed pretty cool. We had a few beers a couple of times.”
Some of the color had returned to his face, but as Katie watched him speak, she noticed he was working hard not to make eye contact with her. If she was going to get any real information out of him, she would need to convince him she was on his side.
“Shaun,” she began, “did he steal your password? Is that how he got into the school’s files?”
That was enough to capture his attention. He was looking at her now, appearing hopeful that he wasn’t about to lose his job, or worse.
“I’m sure you know that Edward’s been arrested for the murder of Lindsay Brown.” She paused for a moment, assessing his reaction. Of course he had known. Everyone on campus knew. Everyone in the city knew now that Scarborough and Hearn held the press conference yesterday before Nick left for Phoenix. “Shaun, what I need to know is why Edward wanted my file.” Katie called on a look of fear, as if she was in danger. “Do you know if I was to be next?”
He lowered his gaze. “I don’t know. I don’t think so. He just—really liked you, I guess. He wanted to know more about you.” Shaun leaned in. “Edward wanted you more than he wanted Lindsay Brown. She was just a distraction. She wasn’t even his type. Do they really think he killed her?”
“They’ve got some pretty compelling evidence, Shaun. That’s why I’m here. I need to understand Edward. Who he is. The things he likes. What he is into.”
At this, Shaun pulled back again. “What do you mean, ‘what he is into’?”
“The man is no angel, Shaun. He’s a murderer. But with no prior record, nothing to indicate this pattern of behavior, I know we’re missing something. And I think you, as an acquaintance, maybe even a reluctant friend, might be able to shed some light on him. Clearly, he displays obsessive behavior. Shaun, please. What do you know about him?”
The stocky, blonde-headed man flexed his biceps, appearing almost as if it had been a nervous tick. His fists curled, turning his knuckles white, as he began to shift his head slowly back and forth.
Katie had gotten to him and now she had to wait. The silence continued. She would not break it and used the quiet to make him even more uncomfortable.
Shaun inhaled, preparing to speak. “I don’t know much about him. I really don’t. Except that he stole my password and broke into the school’s files to get information about you. Look, I don’t want to get fired, okay? I need this job. I’m not one of those privileged pricks whose moms and dads pay for everything.”
“I’m not going to tell anyone what Edward did, okay? That’s not why I’m here. You won’t get fired,” Katie reassured him.
“He asked me once, after we’d had a couple of beers, if I’d ever had a threesome. I told him no and he said he had—a lot of them. He said he went to this swingers club or something like that and wanted to know if I’d be interested in that sort of thing. What man isn’t, right? I mean, at least as a fantasy, but that just isn’t me. I told him no. After that, we didn’t hang out as much. I saw him a few more times, but he was distant. Well, until a couple of weeks ago when he asked me to come down and meet him at the bar.
“I figured he just wanted to hang out. And it started out that way at first, but then he started asking about my job. The kind of information I had access to.”
“So, somehow, he got a hold of your password and found my file?”
“I guess.”
There was no truth in his eyes. Katie had given him an out and he had latched onto it. Edward hadn’t stolen anything from him. Shaun had given it willingly and she had to know why. It was more than money. There had to be another way. So far, she had only gotten information already known to her. What was Shaun hiding?
Katie thought for a moment about Agent Scarborough and about the profile Agent Myers so diligently crafted. The poem came to mind. I’ll be back tomorrow. And her theory of the Law of Fives. Order from chaos.
All these things swirled in her mind, trying to fit together, but the pieces weren’t matching up. Four weeks, four murders, four different locations, except for Lindsay, Nick was sure she was an anomaly. Another one was coming and, somehow, Edward had become entangled in it. He knew someone or someone knew of him. This obsession he had with her didn’t seem to fit anywhere in the equation, unless she was to be number five.
Katie dropped her head, closing her eyes tightly. It just wasn’t making sense.
“Are you okay?” Shaun asked.
She noticed his look had changed. He seemed almost pleased by her obvious frustration. “I’m fine. It’s just that I’ve been through a lot, you know?” she began, wondering if an attempt to play on his sympathies might work. “More than a few people have taken to my story, wanting to know more about me and it’s hard to tell where their curiosity ends and obsession begins.” Katie pushed up from her seat. “If you recall anything else about Edward, or know of anyone who was close to him, I’d really appreciate you letting me know. Edward’s in a great deal of trouble and I guess I should be grateful that he’s off the streets, but I’m not entirely convinced of his guilt. I’m not entirely convinced that he intended to harm me, either. But, the FBI’s got him now and I guess I’ll never know his true intentions.” She began walking toward the door, hoping he would stop her. And he did.
“Katie.” Shaun rose quickly. “Do they really think he’s the Highway Hunter?”
Katie saw the curiosity now swimming in his eyes. “Did Edward ever mention anything to you about that case?”
Shaun immediately retreated. “Caught it on the news last week at the bar. That’s all,” Shaun replied.
“He’s in a shitload of trouble, Shaun. They’ve got a strong case against him.” She opened the door. “Thanks for your time. I won’t get you into any trouble, I promise.” Katie proceeded into the hallway and found herself back in the reception area.
The girl behind the desk had an anticipatory grin on her face. Katie replied with two thumbs up and a smile before leaving.
When Katie returned to the station, Marshall was back in his office and she stopped in to see him. “So you got another case?”
“Yep. We’re looking for a missing husband. Thirty-nine, white collar job with an investment firm. The wife doesn’t seem to know much about what her husband does for work. She stays at home with their two young kids. He works late hours.” Marshall pushed his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know. I’m running background checks on them now. How about you? How’d you fare with Shaun Hudson?”
Katie cocked her head slightly.
“Gibbons told me.” He raised a hand before she could speak. “It’s okay. You don’t have to account for every second of your day to me. You have a job to do and so do I. And frankly, I’m glad to see you’re helping Gibbons out with this—and Scarborough.”
“Hudson is hiding something, I just don’t know what yet.”
“What makes you think that?” Marshall asked.
“The kid was a nervous wreck, first of all. More than you’d expect him to be just for copying a set of files he shouldn’t have. He start
ed talking about how Shalot wanted him to go to those same ‘parties’ you learned of from those women.”
Marshall shook his head. “So what’s he hiding, then?”
“He asked if they thought Shalot was the Highway Hunter; asked if he really killed Lindsay Brown.” Katie turned away. “I don’t know. He seemed more than a little curious. He seemed—scared.”
“Maybe we ought to find out a little bit more about him. Have you said anything to Gibbons yet?”
“No. Not yet. I just got back. But, you think it’s worth looking into him further?”
“Why not? Scarborough and his team need all the help they can get. I don’t know if it’ll amount to anything, but better to be sure, rule it out, you know? I mean, the guy repaid Shalot with your personal information. I don’t like him already.”
The haze that hung in the air mingled with the clouds as the sun fell behind the mountain. He’d never seen such a beautiful sunset before. The sky looked like an enormous water-colored painting. Maybe Phoenix wasn’t so bad after all.
Nick turned from the stunning view, retreating back inside from the balcony of his hotel room where Georgia lay resting on the bed.
Agent Jameson was still at the sheriff’s office, working in the lab with the local CSI team, still evaluating the crime scene.
The post-mortem revealed once again what Nick had already known, with one exception that could perhaps be the break they needed in this investigation. The exception was what Jameson had remained behind to work on. Getting a possible DNA hit in CODIS. They would again have to wait for confirmation.
It seemed the perpetrator may have gotten careless, leaving a trace amount of semen in the crease of the victim’s inner thigh. From what they knew so far, none of the other victims had been sexually assaulted. This further confirmed what Nick had already seen coming, that the suspect or suspects, had become more unpredictable and began taking greater chances. This often happened when body counts were on the rise and a killer believed himself to be untouchable. Negligence would prevail.
