Dead Wrong

by Kate Allenton

  “Looks like you could use a lift,” Marcie announced and led me across the lawn to her car. “Lucky for you I have a new car.” She clicked the fob and slid in behind the wheel and buckled her belt. “You wouldn’t have been able to get out anyway. They’re blocking your drive.”

  She backed out of her drive and sped down the street while glancing in the rearview mirror. “They don’t know this subdivision like I do.”

  “Have you lived here long?”

  “Not long at all.”

  I kept glancing over my shoulder, and within the first five minutes, I had no idea where we were, but there was no one following behind us. Marcie pulled into a parking garage and backed up into a parking space. “Was there somewhere you want me to drop you?”

  The thought of going to the plantation and dealing with more reporters was the last thing I wanted to do. Maybe if I stayed out of sight for a while the news crews would all go away or find another more interesting story to report. Charlotte was probably blocked in at the plantation, Mason was on his way to Washington, and heck, I didn’t even have the numbers for Tweedledee or Tweedledum. Craptastic. I yanked on the door handle and pushed it open.

  “I’ll manage. Thanks for your help and I’m sorry about the trouble.”

  “No trouble. I think it’s cool that you’re psychic.”

  On days like this, that made one of us. I smiled and shut the door and headed back out of the parking garage. I hit the sidewalk and glanced both ways and immediately knew where I was. The mail drop box I liked to use across town to send my special letters from was just across the street. Two men in suits were standing in front of it. One was gesturing to the camera on the outside of the post office building while holding a picture in his hand.

  The other man was staring at me. He nudged the other suit in the arm and nodded his head in my direction.

  “Ms. Blue,” he called out, and they both started jogging across the street as Marcie pulled out of the garage.

  I hugged the evidence package tighter to my chest as they stopped in front of me. The other one spoke. “Cree Blue?”

  “Yes,” I answered, trying hard not to let my flight instinct kick in.

  The man who said my name pulled out a badge and flashed it at me. “I’m FBI Special Agent Samuel Hunter, and this is Special Agent Rick Fernandez. We’d like to ask you some questions.”

  “How can I help you, gentlemen?”

  “We’d like you to come with us,” Hunter said, like it was more of a demand than a request.

  “I don’t mean to be rude, but now isn’t the best time. Can we do this later?”

  Hunter glanced at Fernandez. Neither one of them seemed amused.

  Fernandez pulled his phone out of his pocket and hit a button. “Sir, we have her.”

  I took a tentative step back. Not that I’d be able to outrun these guys, not even on a good day. The last time I’d been on a treadmill was when I had a gym membership. That expired ten years ago.

  Fernandez held out his phone, and I paused in my tracks. “Take it.”

  I shook my head. I didn’t want to know who was on the other end.

  “Take it.”

  “No.”

  “Yes.” He pegged me with his glare and shoved the phone to my ear before releasing it.

  I barely caught it in time and moved it back to where I could hear. “Hello?”

  “Ms. Blue?”

  I didn’t recognize the voice on the other end of the line. It was deep and scratchy and held an air of authority. I bet this man, just based on the tone of his voice, wasn’t used to hearing no. “Yes.”

  “You were very good, but we’re better.”

  “Story of my life, pal. Could you be a bit more cryptic?” My brows dipped, and I glanced at the phone. The display read Deputy Director Harrison Reed, and I knew instantly that any choices I thought I had were slowly disappearing like the veggies on my plate when I was ten. Too bad the dog wasn’t around to turn this phone into a new chew toy.

  “Director Reed.” I covered the receiver. “We go way back,” I whispered to Fernandez and Hunter. “How’s Glenys? Did you catch her stalker and find his secret lair where I told you to look?”

  “You single-handedly gave us what we needed to arrest him for three murders. The sick asshole kept mementos of each woman he terrorized before killing them. But he won’t be harming anyone else, and Glenys is safe thanks to you.”

  I slowly started to pace. “I’m glad to hear it. Not many people would act on an anonymous tip. That’s what it was you know… anonymous.”

  He chuckled into the phone. “You almost stayed anonymous, but you forgot one thing.”

  “Oh?”

  “Each post office scans the address in a code on the envelope so the origin and destination can be tracked. It’s all automated.”

  I hadn’t thought of that. Dang it. I spun around to the post office and shook my head. “That brought you here, but how did you know I was the person who sent the letter?”

  “Did you know that Billson Police Department has the highest success rate of solved cold cases in a three-state radius?”

  “Maybe I need to expand my geography.”

  “Dating as far back as 1952.”

  I grinned. I knew my dad was good, but damn. I had no idea they kept statistics on it. I chuckled. “I guess I can’t take all the credit. I wasn’t even born then.”

  “Poke the right people, and you’ll eventually get answers. It didn’t hurt we obtained surveillance from the post office with what you were wearing. When the agents looked at the surveillance from the parking garage, we traced your license plate.”

  Dang it. I thought I’d been so careful, so meticulous. I might as well have been holding up a freakin sign saying come get me. “I’m guessing you didn’t just call to thank me?”

  “Technically, yes. I owe you, Ms. Blue. But I do have another proposition for you.”

  My brows lifted, and I stopped pacing. “Oh?”

  “Off the books of course.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Is there any other way with you people?”

  “I need your help to solve a thirty-year-old murder.”

  Murder, cold case. Now the man was talking a language I understood. “Don’t tell me any more information. Just send me something personal of the victim’s from the evidence box, and I’ll let you know what I get.”

  “Excellent. I’ll have it hand-delivered by the end of the week.”

  I was about to hand back the phone when I paused. “Oh, one more thing.”

  “Yes?”

  “Mason Spencer is interviewing for a position with your agency. Do yourself a favor, and hire him.”

  “Ms. Blue, we have strict guidelines on who we hire. There’s a process involved.”

  “Cree,” I was quick to amend. “Trust me. It would be like winning the lottery. He was trained by the best, and he was one of the few that believed me when push came to shove.”

  “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Thanks, Harrison”

  “Director Reed,” he amended.

  Funny man. He might not know it yet, but one day he’d be pushy, wanting me to call him Harrison. Some things I just knew. This was one of them. There were people that were meant to be in my life; souls we keep in our circles that we move from one life to another. Harrison was a part of my soul family, even if he didn’t know it. “Oh, I do need one other favor.”

  “Name it.”

  “Do you think your agents can get me into the plantation without having to be bombarded by media and then over to my rental place? Maybe if they used their badges, it might scare some of those pushy reporters off. I’ll call us even for you not letting me stay anonymous.”

  Harrison chuckled. “Is that all you want, a ride?”

  “From these two very intimidating men, yes.”

  “Of course. It’s the least I can do. Put Fernandez on the phone.”

  I grinned as I held the phone out to Fernandez. “Ta
ke it.”

  Chapter 15

  W ell, going to the plantation had been a bust. The others who normally helped me work Insight were either intimidated by the media presence or just busy, kind of like the doctor who would help me connect. It was just my luck. I locked up the evidence bag and had the feds escort me to my rental. The streets were eerily calm. No reporters or vans were sitting around waiting to jump me as I got out of the SUV.

  “Do you need us to walk you in?”

  I dangled my key. “Nope. I think I can handle it from here. It looks like the press got tired of waiting.”

  Both guys pulled out business cards and handed them to me. “We’ve been ordered to escort you wherever you need to go while we’re here.”

  “Really?” I asked with hope in my voice. Maybe having the FBI personally chauffeuring me around might make a murderer think twice about trying to take me out before I revealed his name.

  “We’re leaving tomorrow at three.”

  I had them for less than twenty-four hours. I sighed. “Thanks, guys.”

  I got out of the SUV and waved, giving them a salute before making it to my door. A pest control notice was taped to the wood, along with a little note from the realtor saying she’d let them in. It was scheduled for service and part of my lease. Guess I should have read the fine print and at least amended it to read, “not when a killer is out to get me.”

  Shoving my key into the lock, I ripped the notice from the door and walked inside, turning the lock behind me. I reached for a light two seconds after I saw the dark figure sitting in the corner. A scream bubbled from my throat, momentarily freezing me in place.

  “It’s just me,” Faraday announced, making my heart beat again.

  I flicked on the lights. “Were you trying to give me a heart attack? Because you almost succeeded.”

  The look on his face wasn’t one of those that a godfather would give his goddaughter, similar to a grandparent in whose eyes you could never do anything wrong. No…this was more like a cop’s or parent’s scrutiny, as though I’d stayed out past curfew and come home nine months pregnant. This disapproving look did nothing for his stress lines.

  “Grammy always said if you keep frowning, your face is going to freeze like that.”

  His lips twitched. I didn’t even get a partial smile. The silence lingered, from his end anyway.

  “What are you doing here, big cheese?” My favorite nickname for him, and it just so happened to be the one he hated most. I figured if I wasn’t going to get any type of emotional response, maybe pissy might be better than silent.

  “You’ve got a target on your back.” His voice was gruff, and he winced trying to climb out of the chair with his left arm still in a sling.

  “I couldn’t help the media. They just showed up here. I’m sure the killer wouldn’t chance showing up when the media had just been camped out on my lawn.” I headed into the kitchen to grab him an aspirin and some water.

  “You publicly announced you’re helping Moreno beat his charges. I’m afraid there are more people gunning for you than just the murderer. One guy I could fight, but rumor on the street is you pissed off a bunch of people. Everyone from normal citizens to my brothers in blue who you’re making sound incompetent.”

  “Well, if the shoe fits,” I whispered beneath my breath. “Who dropped you off? I didn’t see your car outside.”

  This time he let out a full grin. “The realtor snuck me in with the cover of pest control. Five of us showed up, and only four of us left.”

  “Sneaky, I like it.” I handed him the water and pill. “You should be at the hospital or at least at the Lady Blue resting.”

  “I got a visit today from the feds.” He lifted a salt and pepper brow in my direction. “Then Mason called. He was worried.”

  I folded my arms across my chest and Faraday’s gaze followed. I quickly unfolded them. Folded arms meant I was being defensive. Hell, even I knew that. I headed back into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine and a glass and poured. “I’m surprised he found time to call, with him going out of town and the woman staying at his place.”

  I sipped my wine watching Faraday for any tell-tale sign. I don’t know what I was looking for, but turnabout was fair play.

  “I didn’t peg you for being a jealous type.”

  “I’m not jealous,” I amended and sat on the couch, sliding my feet beneath my body. “Grammy taught me better than to play with married or unavailable men. I’m just surprised my guides didn’t warn me.”

  “He isn’t married,” Faraday answered, easing back down in the chair he’d been holed up in when I arrived. “But it’s complicated. He and his girlfriend have a kid together. They were high school sweethearts, and he still helps her out from time to time. Kind of like now. He took them in because a fire destroyed their house. They had nowhere to go.”

  My heart sank at the thought. Rekindling old flames would be easy to accomplish if sharing the same roof. “That’s horrible.”

  “They stayed friends for his daughter’s benefit, and he’s just a nice guy. He’d never turn down anyone in need of help.”

  I felt like a heel. Deep down I knew Mason was a good man, but he had a daughter with this woman. I was beginning to feel like Suzie Home-wrecker. “You’re in no condition to be playing babysitter.”

  “I came prepared.” He slid his gun out of his arm sling and showed it to me before sliding it back inside. He winced, and sweat beaded his brow.

  No matter what he said, the only place he needed to be was back at the hospital, being pampered by some cute nurses. He couldn’t convince me otherwise. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll let you stay but on one condition.”

  “I don’t make deals,” he announced.

  I sighed and slipped my phone from my pocket. “Does your brass know you’ve skipped out of the hospital?”

  “You wouldn’t.”

  “My dad and Grammy would expect no less.”

  “What’s your deal?”

  “You can stay, but you’re sleeping on my bed. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

  “Absolutely not,” he grumbled and pushed himself out of the chair with a little more zest than I’d expected.

  “Maybe I need to call my new FBI friends to take you back to the hospital.” I held up both cards and waved them with a smile on my face. I rose from my spot and dropped the cards onto the table. “Come on, let’s get you settled in.”

  “I can’t protect you from the bedroom.”

  “Oh, trust me, old man. You’ll hear my scream if some intruder decides to kill me in the middle of the night.”

  An hour later, I’d changed into my nightclothes and had already made up the couch with a blanket and pillow in hopes this would all be over soon.

  My phone vibrated on the table, and I grabbed it and answered, keeping my voice low as not to wake up Faraday. “Hello.”

  “Hey, Cree. It’s Mason. I just wanted to check in with you.”

  “I’m fine,” I answered, walking over to the curtain and peering outside. Moreno’s Tweedledee and Tweedledum were bent down by my Jeep in the dark and looked to be fixing my tire. “Are you nervous about your interview?”

  “Nervous, no. It’s one of my goals but interview couldn’t have come at a worse time. I left you in the middle of this just when the media found out about what you’re trying to do. You need someone watching your back.”

  “Moreno’s men are fixing my tire as we speak.”

  “Cree.” He sighed.

  “Is that why you called Faraday to babysit me?”

  “I didn’t call Faraday. I’ve been on a plane. Is he there? Let me talk to him.” Mason’s voice turned demanding in that type of way cops ask for your driver’s license after pulling you over for speeding. Of course, I wouldn’t know, but I’d heard.

  I let the curtain drop and turned to find Faraday standing behind me. He had a gun pointed at my back.

  “Tell him you have to go, Cree, or he’s next.” Faraday ges
tured to the phone.

  “He can’t talk right now.” My voice trembled as I tried to keep it together. “He’s sleeping. We’ll talk later.”

  I acted like I hung up the phone and set it on the table. “What are you doing, Faraday? Why are you pointing your gun at me?”

  “I can’t let you do it,” he said as sweat beaded his brow.

  I held up my hands. “Do what? I haven’t done anything.”

  “You’ve made a mess out of everything, Cree. I can’t let you find a loophole for Moreno to use to get out of jail. He’s scum, and he deserves to stay behind bars.”

  “He didn’t kill the librarian.”

  “We have evidence that says otherwise.” I slowly started to inch backward toward my front door.

  “I’m telling you he didn’t. What are you going to do, shoot me?” I screamed at the top of my lungs, hoping Mason or the muscle outside might hear. I wouldn’t be one of the unsolved cases. I’d probably be another one they tried to pin on Moreno or one of his guys, but I wasn’t going down without a fight.

  “You shouldn’t have stuck your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

  “I did that for you!” I screamed. “To find the shooter that almost killed you… and this….” My eyes pleaded only because this man was supposed to be my godfather.

  “You made a deal with the devil.”

  I pressed my back to the door, quietly unlocking the locks.

  “Did you kill the librarian and plant the evidence to charge Moreno?”

  “Hell no. I’ve never planted evidence. That stroke of luck fell into my lap.”

  “I had to ask,” I said, slowly twisting the knob behind my back. “You’re about to kill an innocent person.”

  “You don’t understand. I’m not going to get the chance to arrest him again. He needs to stay locked up. I’m saving hundreds of lives.”

  “By taking mine?” I asked, twisting the knob in my hand.

  He moved closer to me and cocked the trigger, making it difficult for me to breathe. My entire body was frozen, my mind useless. I was about to die by hands that helped raise me.