***
Making one lemon pound cake turned into making five other cakes. I delivered them to shut-ins from church. I also stopped by the community center and used part of my paycheck to help out some kids who couldn’t pay for some sports and dance classes. I made an anonymous donation to the local crisis pregnancy center and sent a whole tray of sandwiches over to my brother’s election headquarters for staffers to eat.
I was digging into my savings, but I figured I couldn’t take it with me. I might as well put that money to good use before the government decided to take most of it as part of the death tax.
After doing all of that, I stopped by the youth center. I walked in feeling a certain amount of trepidation. Would Abraham suspect me? Did he know I sold him out?
“Hey, hey, hey, Ms. Holly,” Little T said. He reached out his hand to give me a high five. “How goes it?”
“It goes just fine. What’s going on here?” I slapped his hand and snapped my fingers, just the way the kids had taught me.
“Is that cake?” He stared at the loaf in my hands.
“It sure is. Would you like a piece?”
He licked his lips. “Would I ever. You’re going to make some man very happy one day, Ms. Holly. Very happy.”
“You staying out of trouble, Little T?”
“You know it.”
I leveled my gaze with him. “You promise?”
He put a hand over his heart. “I’d never lie to you, Ms. Holly.”
I wasn’t so sure about that. “There’s a lot of crazy stuff going on around here.”
“Don’t I know it?”
“My friend’s brother is missing. His name is John Duke. You know him?”
Something clouded his gaze for a minute. “Can’t say I do.”
“His family is worried sick. If you hear anything, let me know, okay?”
“I will.”
I kept walking toward the kitchen. Part of me wanted to drill him more, but I’d always had more subtle ways of doing things. I didn’t want him to not trust me anymore. If he knew I’d followed him, he’d never have any faith in me again. “Where is everyone?”
“Abraham’s in his office. The rest of the guys are playing basketball out back. None of the girls are here right now.”
I handed him the cake. “Why don’t you just take this outside? I’ve already cut it into slices.”
“Much obliged.” He hurried out the back door.
Good. This would give me a minute to talk to Abraham alone.
I knocked on his door, and he called for me to come in. I ignored my nerves as I stepped into his office.
“Holly. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I just wanted to check on everyone.”
He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “It’s been an interesting day.”
“Why’s that?”
“The police stopped by. Apparently, there’s a boy missing from the area. They wanted to know if I knew anything about him.”
I tried to keep my expression neutral. “Why would they ask that?”
“I’m assuming it was because of my involvement here at the youth center.”
I swallowed hard. “And did you know anything?”
He shook his head. “Not a thing. I don’t think this boy has ever been here.”
“Hopefully, they’ll find him.” I shifted. “Abraham, I saw you talking to Little T the other night after I left. It looked heated. Is everything okay?”
He let out a long sigh. “Yeah, Little T is just getting involved with some things he should stay away from. I caught him exchanging a white, powdery substance with someone and confronted him. He tried to tell me he wasn’t doing drugs.”
“But you didn’t believe him?”
“No, I didn’t. It’s a shame, too, because that boy has so much potential.”
I took a step back when he called to me.
“Holly?”
“Yes?”
“There’s something I think you should know.”
I shifted in the doorway. “Okay.”
“I’ve taken on a part-time job.”
I stared at Abraham, processing his words. “What?”
He nodded. “It’s true. Donations are down here at the center, plus we didn’t get that grant we were trying for. Hannah’s been more vocal lately about how hard it is to live on my salary, especially since we want to have another baby. So, I got a job working from midnight until 8:00 a.m. at an infomercial call center.”
“Really? I had no idea things were so tight.”
He nodded. “I’m making more working at minimum wage at that job than I am here.”
“Why’s it a secret?”
He sighed. “Sometimes donors don’t like it when they feel like the person they’re supporting isn’t dedicating all of their time to the cause at hand. I was trying to keep it quiet. There’s something about being in ministry that seems to make people think that money is inconsequential.”
“I didn’t know you were struggling so much. I’m sorry, Abraham. There’s no shame in getting paid a fair wage.”
Sirens cut through the air, and I bristled.
It wasn’t just one siren. It was a lot of sirens, rushing down the road right outside the youth center.
My first thought was John.
Please let him be okay, I prayed silently.
“Listen, I’ve got to go. I’ll check in later.”
I hurried to my car, desperate to find out what was going on.
CHAPTER 32
I slowed as I pulled into a cul-de-sac. There were two ambulances, three police cars, and even a fire truck blocking the road farther down. I spotted a brown sedan and realized that Chase was here, too.
I stopped my car and stared at the run-down house. I’d never been here before. This wasn’t the home of one of my clients. But I had a feeling that I knew exactly what was inside: heartbreak.
I climbed from my car, walked to the police line, and waited. I prayed. I hoped I was reading too much into this. I longed for this murder streak to be over, but in my heart I knew it wasn’t.
The city was facing a terrible serial killer, and I was somehow mixed up in all of it. It was enough to make me feel light-headed.
Thirty minutes into my stakeout, EMTs wheeled someone out on a gurney. A sheet covered the body. I knew what that meant.
The Good Deeds Killer had struck again.
Lord, please watch over this family. Place your hand of comfort on them. Bring the person behind this to justice.
Two hours after I arrived, Chase ducked under the police line and made his way toward me. He took my elbow and led me away from the crowds.
“How’d you know to come here?” he asked.
“I was out and I heard the sirens. I was hoping I was wrong, but my gut told me I wasn’t.”
“Your client?”
I shook my head.
“Your business card was inside the home.”
I sucked in a deep breath. “That can’t be possible.”
“T.J.’s bent on bringing you in for questioning. He said my relationship with you is clouding my judgment.”
“Do you want me to come in?” I trembled at the thought. I was a terrible liar. I’d pour out the whole story. Which they wouldn’t believe was the whole story, of course.
“I’ll hold him off. In the meantime, get out of here. Okay?”
I nodded and went back to my car.
***
Instead of going home, which I didn’t want to do, I went to Jamie’s. It was nine o’clock at night, but her family was all night owls. Her dad was always playing at some jazz club downtown, and the evenings were the only time Mama Val could grab a minute to herself.
Mama Val answered the door when I knocked. “Holly! Not used to seeing you out here this late at night.”
“I hope you don’t mind. I wanted to check on all of you. Any news?”
“Come on in, child. No, there’s no news. I’m just trying to trust t
hat the good Lord is handling all of this. There’s not much else I can do.”
“Prayer is for the strong, not the weak. Isn’t that what Pastor Melvin said?”
“Oh, Holly. You are so right.” She put her hand on my back. “You’ll never believe who is here.”
“Who?”
I stopped at the entryway to the den. Before she could answer, I spotted a familiar figure sitting on the couch beside Jamie.
“Rex Harrison,” I mumbled.
“Now, don’t you take this personally. My Jamie is walking on clouds,” Mama Val whispered.
I nodded and put on my best happy face. “Jamie. Rex. I hope I’m not interrupting.”
Jamie was practically glowing. “No, you’re fine. Rex heard about what happened and stopped by to see how I was doing.”
I looked at Rex, trying to keep my expression neutral. “You heard about John? Is it on the news?”
“No, I still have friends within the police department, though. I heard the last name and worried that John might be related to Jamie. I was right.”
I sat across from them. “Your mom just told me there are no updates.”
Jamie’s smile dimmed as she nodded. “It’s true. I hope he’s just being stupid and irresponsible. Is that too much to wish for?”
“I hope for the same,” I told her.
I felt Rex studying me. I might have—just maybe—scowled. What kind of politician tried to strike up a romantic relationship right before an election?
“Anything new with you?” Jamie asked.
“Someone broke into my home, they caught the guy who shot at me, and there was another murder,” I told her. “Someone down on State Street.”
“The Good Deeds Killer?” Her eyes widened.
I nodded. “It appears that way.”
“I’ll get back to the other things you said in a moment,” Jamie started. “Who could be doing this? Killing all of these people in our little neighborhood? Gangs and drugs kill enough of those guys. We don’t need a serial killer going after them, too.”
I’d give anything to figure out that answer. “It all seems to point back to drugs. That’s what I hear every time I turn around.”
“An angry drug dealer taking it out on his minions?” Jamie asked.
“Drug dealers don’t seem to have an affinity for cleaning homes before they leave after killing someone.” I shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe a gang initiation?”
“That’s a scary thought.” Jamie shivered. “Maybe none of us are safe.”
“I also heard that these kids had been breaking into homes, stealing things, and pawning them. Maybe the police are looking in the wrong direction entirely. Maybe this is some homeowner retaliating.” Should I be saying all of this in front of Rex, I wondered? I figured he knew most of it already or he could find out. Right now, he sat quietly, listening.
“Obviously, that’s more complicated than most people assume,” Jamie said.
“I guess this guy has influence and connections.” I tried not to look at Rex, for fear he was guilty. Then I remembered that someone with his status would have to be pretty desperate to manufacture drugs and sell them while running for state office. “This isn’t just some kid off the street.”
“Then who is it?” Jamie asked.
“It’s someone who knows how to use chemicals to alter organic substances and make them practically lethal, in the least psychedelic. It’s someone who has connections with these kids.”
“I can see you two would make great junior detectives. And I’m not being sarcastic.” Rex leaned forward. “Tell me about the victims.”
I ran through my mental checklist. “They all worked different jobs. Two went to the same high school but really didn’t seem to know each other. None of them go to the same church or seemingly have any affiliation. Except they did all play basketball.”
“Together?” Rex asked.
I shrugged. “Usually at the community court down off of Grand.”
Rex flinched. I almost didn’t catch it, but I could see his wheels turning.
“What are you thinking?” I asked.
He shook his head, something close to melancholy coming over him. “It’s probably nothing.”
“Share anyway. We’ll let you know if it’s nothing,” Jamie said.
He leaned toward us, his elbows perched on his knees. “One of my campaign sponsors is trying to clean up his image. He’s been playing basketball down in the Hill. In fact, he paid to have the whole court redone not long ago.”
“Who is it?” I held my breath as I waited for his response.
“Orion Vanderslice. Even worse: he knows exactly how the manufacturing process works. That’s what he’s in the business of.”
Jamie and I exchanged a glance. Could Rex be right?
Even more: Was he being the bigger person and putting his campaign in jeopardy for the sake of finding a killer?
Maybe I had let my own bias play too harshly in my feelings toward the man. Maybe he was a good guy after all.
CHAPTER 33
Brian was waiting for me on the porch when I pulled up to my house.
I glanced at my watch.
It was past ten at night. What in the world was he doing here?
Then I remembered him going to that warehouse. Visiting with Desiree.
Maybe having Brian here wasn’t a great idea, especially with my mom being out of town.
I slowed my steps on the sidewalk as he stood from the iron chair on the porch. “Brian. What are you doing here?”
He stepped toward me. “I heard about everything going on. I wanted to make sure you got inside okay. Ralph told me about the break-in.”
I nodded, but my heart didn’t slow down. Not enough, at least. “That was thoughtful of you.”
He cocked his head. “I’m a thoughtful kind of guy.” He reached for my arm to help me up the steps.
Why did I feel so nervous? Did I really believe that Brian could be behind these murders? The idea was crazy.
“You’re shivering,” Brian said. “We should get you inside.”
My mind raced but came up with no graceful way to deter him from entering my home. I made the quick decision to trust him. I only hoped I didn’t get killed in the process.
My hands still trembled as I stuck my key in the lock. It clicked, and I pushed the door open. To my relief, the lights flickered on when I hit the switch.
I scanned the interior of the house. Everything looked clear.
Brian appeared behind me.
I knew the heart was a strange thing, but mine, at the moment, twisted when I realized I’d much rather have Chase here.
It made no sense that I trusted Chase and I feared Brian. When all the facts were laid out, Brian’s past was squeaky clean. He’d always treated me well. He’d bent over backwards to make me feel like a lady.
Chase, on the other hand, had rejected me publicly. He had a history of drinking. A slight leaning toward having a temper.
Brian closed the door behind him. “So, I did have slight ulterior motives for stopping by.”
To kill me?
I gulped. “Did you?”
Quickly, I moved toward the kitchen. At least I could grab a knife. I’d have a fighting chance.
He reached into his pocket. I waited to see a gun or something else equally threatening.
Instead, he pulled out his phone, typed something in, and held it up. “Look what went viral today.”
I leaned closer. It was a picture of me talking to Rex Harrison that day down at the Serpentine Wall.
I frowned. “Oh, that.”
“Fraternizing with the enemy?” He cocked his head to the side, accusation in his eyes.
I couldn’t tell if he was being playful or serious. The guy was tightly wound sometimes, and he took life very, very seriously.
“I wouldn’t call it that,” I told him. “I just happened to run into the man. People, of course, had their cameras ready . . . she said with a touc
h of disdain to her voice.”
Brian grinned. “You’re cute when you refer to yourself in third person, you know.”
I crossed my arms and shoved my hip against the kitchen counter. “Why does this matter? Is my brother losing points or something?”
“The election is only a few days away. Your brother has been losing a little of his lead every day. I worry about him. He’s staked a lot on this election. If he loses . . .”
“What? What will happen if he loses?”
“I think he’s buried himself in his work since Melinda died. I don’t know what he’ll do with himself if he doesn’t win.”
“Melinda died a long time ago. I know he misses her—she was his wife, for goodness’ sakes—but I think he’s moved on.”
He shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. It was just one theory.”
Brian always said things with a purpose; he wasn’t one to speak off the top of his head. So why had he said that? I’d have to think on it for longer. “Why’s Ralph losing his lead? Nothing’s changed.”
Brian let out a quick puff of air through his nose. “But everything has changed. People are scared because of this Good Deeds Killer. They look at a guy like Rex Harrison, a former police officer, and see someone who knows how to protect our area. He’s always been an advocate for the poor. I’m afraid they see your brother as a starched-shirt politician.”
I bit my lip. Ralph wasn’t like that. He’d make a great state senator, and I knew he’d look out for the interests of the people. But Rex was charming and charismatic in his own right. I could see how people would fall for him, just like Jamie had. Heck, after today, I’d almost put my faith in him. Not many politicians would be willing to implicate a man who’d practically single-handedly funded their campaign.
Brian put away his phone and stared at me a moment. “Do me a favor and try to avoid any more candid shots with Rex, especially ones where you look like you’re enjoying yourself. That’s the last thing we need.”
I might as well lay everything out there . . . everything except the fact that I’d broken into someone’s home, that is. “There is a small problem, Brian. Apparently, Jamie and Rex are kind of dating.”
Random Acts of Murder: A Holly Anna Paladin Mystery, Book 1 (Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries) Page 18
