Yeah, he remembered that all too well. The case had made the national news. He’d made the mistake of watching the news one night and had caught a press conference about the investigation. Honor had been front and center, answering questions. He’d sat there, stunned, because it was the first time he’d seen her in years. Instead of changing the channel or getting up and leaving the room, he had devoured every expression, every subtle shift of her body as she talked about the case.
The press conference had lasted about ten minutes. Seth had found himself still staring at the television an hour later, barely aware that another program had started. When he’d finally pulled his head out of his ass and realized what he was doing, he’d turned the television off. He hadn’t watched the news for the rest of the year.
He had, however, found himself following the case in the newspapers. When her name had been mentioned, Seth had studiously overlooked it.
“I remember reading about that case. The kids were found, weren’t they?”
“Yeah, but by LCR, not us.”
“I don’t remember LCR’s name being mentioned.”
“That’s what they prefer. Getting credit or press is something they’d rather avoid.”
“Was that a hard adjustment for you when you got to LCR?”
Her nose scrunched up. “I hate press conferences. Even though they can be helpful in an investigation, being on camera and answering the same question, posed in twenty different ways, was one of my least favorite things.”
That was too bad, because Honor had the kind of face the camera loved. Beautiful, high cheekbones, a heart-stopping smile, and the kind of earthy sensuality that would attract people to tune in to a press conference if only to see her on their television screen.
She had a timeless beauty, almost flawless. His gaze dropped to the scar on her neck. It was still fading, but he doubted it would go away completely. She had almost lost her life and he’d never known it. Might not have ever known if she’d died.
“The bastard who cut you. What were you after him for?”
“We went to question him about several young girls who’d been abducted and murdered. A new one was missing, but we were out of leads and down to talking to one-time offenders. This guy had served time for molestation of a minor a few years back. Idiot went berserk. We found out why, later. He wasn’t responsible for those murders, but turns out he had moved a block from an elementary school and was back to stalking little girls.”
“Did you find the girl you were looking for?”
She dropped her gaze to the meal in front of her, but not before he saw the answer in her face. Hell, he wished he hadn’t asked. Was finding Kelli and the other girls alive just as hopeless? Was he just fooling himself?
“Did you at least catch the bastard?” Seth growled.
“Yes. The week before I left the Bureau, he was stopped for a minor traffic violation. The cop noticed a pair of panties on the floorboard. That was information we’d never let leak to the press—that the guy kept the underwear of his victims.”
“If that hadn’t happened, you might not have found him.”
She leaned forward and grabbed his hand. “I know what you’re doing. You have to stop. We will find Kelli. I swear to you … we will find her.”
“How do you know that?”
She released his hand and gave him the quietly confident words he needed to hear: “Because I won’t stop until we do. And neither will you.”
Honor rose from her chair and stood at the front of the large LCR conference room. The four men sitting at the oblong table before her had completed their review of one another’s files. Now it was time to brainstorm and figure out, within the mass of notes, observations, and theories, just how these disappearances were related. If they could tie them together, see a thread or pattern, their chances were a hell of a lot better.
Before she could begin, Noah said, “Just want to alert everyone that there’s a new disappearance.”
“Related to this case?” Seth asked.
Noah shook his head. “Don’t know yet. She was reported missing yesterday. She has a live-in boyfriend, and when she didn’t come home, he called the police. She’s a student at Penn State. Fits a couple of the similarities of the other victims. She’s twenty and a transfer from a smaller school. I’ve got a call in to the campus police. As soon as I know something more, I’ll let you know.” He shot a look at Honor. “Let’s get started.”
If possible, the room was now even more somber. She gazed around the table at everyone. “Okay, if the new one is related, the more we can learn about these disappearances, the better our chance of helping the new victim, too.”
At their agreeing nods, she continued: “I’m going to detail our investigation. Everyone please jump in and add anything that comes to your mind. Nothing is off the table or too crazy. What we’re hoping for is some commonality we might have missed.”
As Honor went through the litany of each girl’s disappearance, family and friends’ interviews, and personality profile, everyone listened intently, looking, as she was, for a thread. If there wasn’t one, then, by rights, they were going to have to let go of all of the investigations, with the exception of the one they’d been hired to do—for Seth’s niece.
“We’ve also checked to make sure the girls didn’t know each other. They had no sororities in common, no people in common.” Honor shook her head, suddenly disgusted with her own lack of ideas. “Hell, from what I can tell, they don’t even like the same foods.”
Without a word, Seth abruptly stood and went to the dry-erase board to her right. Before the meeting, she had attached the photos of the girls, along with a time line and the location of where they were last seen.
“You see something, Cavanaugh?” Noah asked.
“Not yet.” He flashed a look at Honor that sent an odd chill up her spine. Something was definitely on his mind. “Keep talking. Let me think.”
Trusting he’d share what he was thinking when he was ready, Honor returned to the discussion.
“What about the transfer thing?” Aidan asked. “With this new disappearance and the girl being a transfer student, could there be something to that after all?”
Honor sighed and shook her head. “I just don’t know. Four of them transferred. Missy’s the only one who didn’t.” She shrugged. “There’s nothing really special about a transfer that would cause students from different parts of the country to have anything to do with each other.”
“Except having no friends.”
Honor turned at Seth’s soft murmur. “What?”
“Missy’s the only one who wasn’t a transfer, but she’s also the shyest, most introverted of the girls. And she had no friends, no family support. She’s completely alone.” He shot a glance at Jared. “Right?”
His expression grim, Jared nodded. “Yes to all.”
“Okay.” Seth began to pace in front of the board. Not wanting to be in his way, Honor stepped aside and sat down at the table.
A magnetic kind of energy surrounded Seth as his eyes, gleaming with excitement and optimism, swept over the room. “Go with me on this. Okay?” Without waiting for an answer, he turned back to the board. “All of these girls were in some sort of transition or crisis mode.”
Picking up a marker from the tray in front of him, he began to jot facts underneath the girls’ names. As he wrote, he said, “Missy wasn’t a transfer, but as Jared said, she’s shy and awkward. She was also out of a job until the pizza joint opened again.” He turned to Jared. “I’ll bet if you check some kind of employment database, Missy had been trying to get employment elsewhere. Problem is, jobs are tough enough to come by for anyone. As shy and socially awkward as Missy is, she probably really struggled to find someone to hire her. Which could make her even more vulnerable and open to a predator.”
Honor glanced around the room. The varying expressions told her the men were listening intently but were also not seeing where this was going. She had the same
doubts, but after working with Seth, she trusted him to lead them somewhere significant.
Seth continued: “Drenda, Anna, Kelli, and Karen were all transfers. Meaning, whether they were confident young women or not, they were dealing with uncertainty. Drenda went from a large university to a small one where people probably already knew one another. Friendships that were formed in the local high schools probably carried over to college.
“Anna moved two states away.” He looked at Honor as he added, “And Honor and I both believe she did it to get away from her parents, who are going through an acrimonious divorce. Most likely using her as a pawn to hurt each other. Which means, even as confident and mature as Anna is, she’s got some major anxiety going on.”
The atmosphere in the room suddenly changed as everyone began to see where Seth was headed. Honor looked around again. Where there had been confusion and doubt, there was now a cautious hopefulness.
“Karen’s parents indicated that she had a terrible first year at Michigan State,” Jared said. “They hoped the smaller school would suit her personality more.”
Her excitement growing, Honor said, “And Kelli transferred because of a breakup with her boyfriend. New school, broken heart, away from her family for the first time. All leading to a very vulnerable mental state.”
The approving look Seth shot her sent ripples of excitement through her. Her silly, foolish heart leaped for joy.
Aidan’s grim voice penetrated the increasing enthusiasm in the room. “Being the cautious voice of reason is damn uncomfortable for me, but I just gotta say two words: so what? The majority of young people are going through some sort of transition or trauma in their personal lives.”
Seth acknowledged the other man’s concern with a nod. He appreciated the question … and Thorne had a right to wonder where this was going. Seth just hoped to hell his thought process was leading them in the right direction.
“You’re right, Thorne. But there’s one place two of the girls went a day or so before they disappeared.” He turned back to the board and pointed at the scribbles he’d added. “Drenda went to a new student support group. Mrs. Greene told us she’d been struggling to find new friends and thought this might introduce her to some people who were feeling the same way.
“And when I spoke with Joel, Kelli’s father, he said something I didn’t think was significant until now. Kelli was having problems settling in, but she told her parents she was looking into some student support groups to help her adjust better.”
Turning back to the group, he gave his conclusion: “I believe this man is targeting vulnerable young women and that he’s using groups such as those as his method of finding them.”
Before anyone could question or object to this vague hypothesis, he added, “Before we go further, I’d like us to stop to see if we can determine if the other three girls might have done something similar. A social group, new student orientation … hell, even a party. Anywhere a young woman might feel safe going to find new friends or get better adjusted.”
Giving no indication that it bothered her that Seth had taken over her meeting, Honor nodded her agreement. “I’ll give Mrs. Bradford a call and ask her about Anna.” She turned to Livingston. “Jared, you okay with getting that information as soon as possible on Karen and Missy?”
“Yeah. I should be able to get it on Karen quickly. Missy might be another matter.”
Seth breathed out a silent sigh. Having no friends or family made Missy the odd person out even within this group of missing girls.
Honor stood. “Do what you can. Let’s get back together when—”
“Damn,” McCall growled.
Everyone turned. McCall had been the most silent person in the room since the meeting started. His expression was now even grimmer than before.
“What’s wrong?” Honor asked.
He held up his BlackBerry. “Text message on the missing Pennsylvania girl. Unless the guy’s evolving into something even worse, I don’t think the young woman’s disappearance is related.”
“Why?” Seth asked.
“Her body was found floating in a river, close to the campus. She’d been raped and strangled.”
seventeen
Tranquillity
The shrill screams that had threatened to shatter the windows of the house were less frequent and had grown weaker. Breathless and feeling the exhilaration that comes from the release of pent-up fury, Alden drew back a muscled arm and cracked the whip against his son’s naked back once more. Forty lashes so far and still he wanted to do more. The little SOB had tried to ruin it for him. Everything he’d worked so hard for could have gone up in smoke.
Feeling that fury reignite again, he put everything he had into the next swing of the whip. John cried out in misery again, but with much less force. Alden walked around to the front, where he could see his son’s face. Tears poured from his eyes, combining with the sweat that dripped from his chin. Having him strung from the ceiling gave Alden the opportunity to use the whip on his front as well as his back. From his shoulders to his feet, John was covered in welts of punishment. Days, maybe weeks would go by before the idiot could lie down comfortably.
“Have you learned your lesson, John?”
“Yes, Father.”
“And what is that lesson?”
“To abide by your wishes, no matter what they are.”
“Excellent. And now that you’ve learned that lesson, it’s time for another.”
John’s head had been drooping against his chest, but he lifted it and managed to ask, “What?”
“Do you think this measly punishment is all that you’re due to receive? Son, when I get through with you, you’ll wish you were lying alongside that little dead bitch in Pennsylvania.”
“No, Father, please, I beg of you. I’ve learned my lesson. I promise.”
Alden smiled. “Then let’s just call this a reinforcement.” He turned to the woman at the door. “Is the healer here?”
“Yes, Father.”
Turning back to his son, he gave him the information he would need before the next event. Soon he would be in such severe pain, he would hear nothing but his own screams. “You will not die from your punishment, John. The healer is here to make sure that doesn’t happen. However, this will be your final warning. Defy me again, do anything that could bring worldly attention to our community, and even the fires of hell will not be as painful as the punishment I will give you.”
“Please, Daddy,” John sobbed. “I’m so sorry.”
Alden stiffened. His children never called him “Daddy.” Something fluttered in his chest at the term. Before he could wonder at his strange response, Tabitha was there beside him, touching his hand. He looked down to see the satisfaction on her face. Her expression confirmed that he was doing the right thing. Children needed discipline. Tabitha had received hers, and now his son’s punishment must be completed.
Taking the knife his daughter handed him, he went to his son and cut his ties. Before John fell to the ground, Alden caught him in his arms. Carrying him like a baby, with John sobbing against his shoulder, he took him to the tub that had been prepared.
He gave the healer a nod of approval. The possibility of death was minimal, but he wouldn’t take the chance of John dying. What was the point of punishment if death was the final outcome? Kissing his son’s furrowed, sweaty brow, he lowered him into the tub of liquid—a mixture of lemon juice, vinegar, and alcohol.
Shrill screams once again echoed through the house. And then there was blessed silence as John succumbed to unconsciousness.
“Check him for shock and then revive him.”
Watching the healer carry out his orders, he caught a glimpse of his daughter’s face. Pure happiness brightened her features.
“His vital signs are steady and he is awake.” The healer reported the observation in his dry, matter-of-fact way.
“Excellent.” Alden stood over his son, who lay back against the rear wall of the tub, his eyes
only half open. “Your punishment is at an end, son. You stood up quite well.” He turned back to the healer. “Get him to his room, tend his wounds. Give him what he needs to recover.”
Satisfied that John had indeed learned his lesson, Alden turned his back on him and walked out of the room. The only thing that had saved the young fool’s life was the fact that Alden had waited till they returned home to give him the punishment he deserved. Hundreds of miles of roadway had returned his control and lessened his fury. The boy would be scarred, but he wasn’t dead. Anyone else, he would have killed outright. John should be grateful for that favor.
Tabitha had also been punished, but to a much lesser degree. She should have been able to detect the young woman’s cruel streak and warned them. His daughter knew she had failed and had taken the punishment as a lady should. Because of her submission, she would be able to return to her regular duties in a day or two. His son was a different matter. Weeks would go by before the boy didn’t feel the agony of his father’s wrath.
And now Alden would do what he should have done in the first place. He would choose John’s woman for him. The window of opportunity was about to close. Early fall was the best time to find women in a college setting. Young, vulnerable, and needy of friendship, they were like plucking ripe apples from a tree. Practically fell into his hands. He had planned to add four to their numbers this year, but only had three so far. The other men in the community trusted him to bring in healthy, amiable woman of childbearing years. Because of John’s immaturity, he had squandered his right to choose his own. Never send a boy to do a man’s job.
With weeks of recuperation ahead of him, John would have an opportunity to evaluate how he’d handled the situation, and it would also give him the chance to mature. By the time the woman was trained and ready for her new husband, John would be wiser and less inclined to lose his temper, ensuring a more harmonious marriage.
Initiation and training could take up to three months, depending on the particular young women’s needs. Adaptation to their way of life was not always easy; some needed more convincing than others. He used to train them individually, but he’d found it too time-consuming. The first time he’d trained the women as a group, he’d realized he had been missing a great opportunity. Not only did he enjoy it more but the women were able to witness what the others went through. When their turn came, they behaved so much more obediently.
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