by Terri Reed
Dr. Cantwell sat back and regarded them with interest in her expression. “There’s more going on than reopening a thirty-year-old cold case, isn’t there?”
Sami lifted her gaze to Drew. He could read the question in her blue eyes. Did they confide in the doctor in hopes she’d cooperate and give them information that could help bring Corben to justice?
He nodded at Sami’s unspoken question. Corben already knew they were onto him. He’d tried to kill Sami three times. They needed a break in this case, and if the doctor could provide some help, then they had to tell her what was at stake.
Sami turned to the doctor. “Corben Kraft is a person of interest in a string of murders.”
Drew watched Dr. Cantwell closely for some sign of surprise. The woman’s face went completely blank. She blinked several times as if processing the information Sami had just divulged. She did know something.
“Do you have proof?” Dr. Cantwell asked.
Sami held up the drawing in the book. “The killer leaves bird drawings exactly like this one at the crime scenes.”
The doctor sat up. “Really? That is curious.” Her gaze narrowed. “You will need a judge’s order for me to hand over the files you want to see.”
The subtle meaning behind her words wasn’t lost on Drew. The doctor wanted them to see Corben’s file, but she also had to protect the integrity of her practice.
“We’ll get one,” Sami said.
“Please come back when you do.” Dr. Cantwell rose, her expression troubled. “Now, my other patients are waiting. Good day, officers.”
Sami set the book on the desk.
As they left, Drew cast a glance over his shoulder. The crude bird depicted on the page seemed to mock them.
*
“A judge’s order will take a couple of hours,” Sami said after hanging up with her boss. “Until then let’s concentrate on Corben.”
They were seated in the black SUV with Agent Talbot at the wheel. He started the engine. “Do you have an address?”
Sami checked her phone. Sure enough, Jordon had found Corben Kraft’s Renton address. Agent Talbot plugged it into the SUV’s navigation system and then they were off, weaving through Seattle’s congested freeways.
Jordon had also sent Corben’s driver’s license photo. The man in the picture bore a resemblance to her attacker but she couldn’t be sure until they picked Corben up. Though height and weight were close to what she remembered, the DMV listed his hair color as blond, his eyes as gray.
They arrived at a white two-story single-family home in a residential neighborhood bordered by a park and a middle school. The front lawn was brown and the shrubs overgrown. Sami was sure the neighbors weren’t too happy with the lack of yard care.
Talbot brought the vehicle to a halt. They got out and filed up the walkway to the front door with Drew leading the trio. Once they were on the porch, Sami stepped next to him, shoulder to shoulder. Well, almost. She liked that he was taller than her. She also liked how well they worked together, as if they’d been partnered forever rather than a few days.
Talbot took up a rear position to watch their backs as Drew rang the bell. A few seconds later the door opened and a tall man wearing a pilot’s uniform greeted them.
“Hello. Can I help you?” He had dark graying hair and a mustache, both of which looked very real. He was not the man who’d attacked her on the ferry.
“We need to speak with Corben Kraft,” she said briskly as she held up her identification.
Surprise widened the man’s hazel eyes. “He’s not here. I haven’t seen Corben in months.”
“Do you have ID?” Drew asked, beating Sami to the question.
She glanced at him, pleased that their thoughts were so in sync. A good thing in a partner. Would they be so compatible if they weren’t in the middle of an investigation?
She mentally pushed that question aside. Letting herself go down that particular path wouldn’t lead to some rosy romance. Better to remember he was her partner on a case, not a potential life mate.
The man reached into his back pocket and produced a leather wallet. He flipped it open to show his Washington State driver’s license, which gave his name as Alec Delany.
“Corben doesn’t live here?” Drew asked, returning to their reason for the visit.
Sami watched Alec closely to determine if the man was a liar or not.
“Oh, he does, when he’s in town,” Alec said.
Deciding Alec was telling the truth, she asked, “May we come in?” She wanted to see Corben’s domain. Hopefully, they’d find something to lead them to him.
“Sure.” The man stepped aside to allow them to enter. “What is this about?”
The inside of the house was better maintained than the outside, though the living room was sparsely furnished with only a couch, coffee table and a television. No pictures on the walls, no books on the table. Not even a throw pillow. Not very homey.
“We need to find Corben, Mr. Delany.” Sami looked at the man expectantly. “Do you know where he goes when he’s not working?”
Alec shook his head. “I barely know him.”
“But you work with Corben?” Drew asked.
“You could say that, I guess.” Alec frowned. “We work for the same airline, but we don’t pull the same shifts. And he has a second job that often takes him out of town.”
Noticing different sizes of shoes on a rack inside the entryway, Sami asked, “How many people live in the house?”
Alec gave her a half smile. “Well, that depends on the day. Several pilots use the house as a crash pad between flights. Corben owns the house, so he has the master bedroom, which is off-limits to the rest of us. I rent one of the upstairs bedrooms. The other two bedrooms have a revolving door.”
“Interesting.” And weird. Sami didn’t like the idea of people coming and going. “Is there anyone else on the premises?”
“Nope, just me today. I have a twenty-four-hour layover before I fly back out.”
“So where does Corben stay when he’s not here?” Drew asked.
Alec shrugged. “Beats me. Like I said, I don’t know him very well.”
“When was the last time you saw him?” Drew asked.
Alec thought for a moment. “Around Mother’s Day. Has he done something wrong?”
“We have some questions for him,” Sami hedged, not willing to reveal what they suspected. Who knew, maybe this Alec character was in on the murders. Maybe Birdman did have accomplices. She made a mental note to have Jordon dig into Alec Delany’s background. “You wouldn’t happen to have a picture of Corben, would you?”
Shaking his head, Alec replied, “No. He’s kind of funny about cameras. Gets really upset if anyone tries to take his picture. He’s a bit of an odd duck.”
“How so?” Drew asked.
“He doesn’t talk much,” Alec said. “Keeps to himself when he’s here. And from what I’ve heard the others say, he’s not a joy to work with. No personality, you know. If you’re copiloting with him, be prepared to work in silence.”
“Can you show us his room?” Sami asked.
“Uh, sure, I guess.” Uncertainty crossed Alec’s face. “Don’t you need a search warrant or something?”
Sami ground her teeth but she fought to keep her frustration out of her tone. “Are you refusing? Makes me think you have something to hide.”
Alec tucked in his chin. “Me? No, nothing to hide. Though I should contact Corben and get his permission before letting you into his room.”
“You have a way of contacting him?” Drew asked, his voice sharp. “We need that information.”
“I have his cell phone number.” Alec fished his phone out of a briefcase on the dining room table. He scrolled through and found the number.
Sami placed her hand over Alec’s, stopping him before he could push the dial button. “We need that number.”
Alec relinquished the phone. She handed it off to Agent Talbot. “Find out if Kraft’
s phone is on and get a location on him.”
Talbot nodded and took the phone outside.
“Hey, I need that,” Alec protested.
“You’ll get it back,” Sami promised. “Look, we’re up against a ticking clock. A man’s life is at stake.” At least she hoped James Clark was still alive but she wasn’t holding her breath with hope. “It would be so much better for you if you cooperate and let us peek into Corben’s room. You wouldn’t want to obstruct justice, would you?”
“Of course not.” Alec pointed toward the kitchen. “His suite is on the other side of the kitchen.”
“Thank you,” she said, and slipped past him with Drew on her heels.
They passed through the clean though outdated kitchen with worn linoleum and chipped pea-green laminate countertops. A short hallway led to a closed door. She paused outside the door. Alec said he hadn’t seen Corben in months but that didn’t mean their suspect couldn’t be inside that room.
If it had indeed been Corben who’d tried to push her over the ferry railing, then he could very well have come home and could be waiting for them.
With her hand on the butt of her holstered weapon, Sami turned the knob and swung the door open. The large master bedroom was crowded with boxes stacked in every corner. A queen-size bed was topped with books and art supplies. Clothes were strewn across the floor, making Sami think of what her bedroom had looked like when she was a teenager.
Drew checked the adjacent bathroom. “Clear.”
Pulling on a pair of gloves, Sami walked to the bed and inspected the paints, brushes and colored pencils. She found a box marked Stamps. She opened the lid to reveal several ink pads and a collection of rubber stamps in various sizes. All of the stamps had the same exact bird image. A label on the lid of one ink pad gave the name of a company.
Obviously, Corben had uploaded his crude drawing and had custom stamps made of it. Another box had custom-made stickers with the same bird image. There was a stack of drawing pads, as well.
Sami knew what she’d find even as she opened the top pad. More images of the same bird.
Why this bird? Why did Corben draw only the same bird over and over again?
The edge of an envelope peeked out from between the stacks of drawing books. Gingerly, she slid the letter-sized plain white envelope out and opened it. Inside was a folded piece of paper. Carefully, she opened the sheet.
The words scrawled across the page in red pencil screamed at her.
“Special Agent Samantha Bennett, how clever are you?”
She gasped as the implications ran through her mind. Corben had known she’d find him and this place eventually.
How long ago had he written it? Had he followed them to his aunt’s workplace? To his doctor’s?
Or was this a trap? She needed to warn Drew and Talbot. “Drew!”
“Sami, you need to see this,” Drew called from inside the walk-in closet.
Holding the sheet of paper by the edge, Sami hurried to the closet and halted abruptly.
There were no clothes hanging from the rods, no shoes lined up along the floor. Instead the closet was some sort of shrine to Birdman’s madness. The sides of the walls in the small tight space were covered with more bird images and photos.
Corben had documented his killing spree.
Though she stood on solid ground, her stomach roiled as if the world had suddenly shifted.
Drew faced her and stepped closer, putting his hands on her shoulders. “Take a deep breath.”
She stared at his concerned face, focusing on him rather than the panic creeping over her, and did as he instructed. Then slowly, he turned her around while still holding on to her shoulders.
Her gaze landed on a collage of photos on the back wall of the closet.
Photos of her.
ELEVEN
Sami’s face stared back at her from a multitude of images. Icy dismay filled her veins. This was not a trap. It was a taunt.
Her hand convulsed, crumpling the note. Her mind reeled as she took in the pictures showing her going into her home, coming out of her home. At the grocery store, at the bank. Going into the FBI building in Portland.
There were pictures of her at the various crime scenes she’d visited during her investigation into Birdman.
Her breath caught when she realized that several of the photos were from before Lisa’s death.
Her knees buckled. If Drew hadn’t been holding on to her, she’d have gone down for sure. She was grateful for his rock-solid presence.
If she’d had to face this alone… Thankfully, she didn’t. She had a partner. And as much as she’d been wary of taking on another partner after what happened to Ian, she was extremely grateful for Drew.
Pointing to one picture, she told Drew, “This was from Thanksgiving of last year.” A shudder worked its way over her. “Lisa wasn’t killed until January.”
“How often have you flown on Cloud Jet Airlines?”
Dawning horror flooded through her, filling her lungs and making her gasp for air. “Several times,” she whispered. “Before the recent flights, last November I flew to Atlanta for a symposium on—” Her voice faltered. A deep pain engulfed her, nearly drowning her in its intensity. “Oh, no. Did Corben kill Lisa to get my attention?”
The thought chilled her to the bone. Guilt ate at her insides. Tears burned the back of her eyes. Oh, Lisa, I’m so sorry.
But why would he want her attention? Why her?
“What was the symposium on?” Drew asked gently as his hold on her tightened. She leaned against him, absorbing his strength because at the moment hers had abandoned her.
“Serial murder.” She clamped a hand over her mouth as her stomach heaved but there was nothing in her to expel.
Drew turned her around. The concern etched on his handsome face made her want to slip her arms around him and hang on for dear life. But she didn’t. She had to be strong, brave. For Lisa. For all the victims.
“Lisa’s death is not your fault,” he said passionately. “None of this is your fault.”
“He must’ve been there,” she said. “We need to see if there’s an unsolved murder in Atlanta. He must have been laughing at us, the big bad FBI agents converging on a hotel to discuss serial killers while he was roaming around free to take lives.”
“You found him,” Drew said.
“But he’s still out there.”
“Not for long.” Drew led her out of the closet. “We need to get the crime scene people here.”
“There’s more.” She handed him the wrinkled sheet of paper. Her hand shook.
Drew took the note and shook his head. “Smug, isn’t he?”
For some reason Drew’s reaction made her smile. He wasn’t intimidated or freaked out by Birdman. Good. Because they had a battle ahead of them. They’d come so close, failed so many times. They had to find a way to capture him.
Drew slipped an arm around her shoulders. She put her arm about his waist and allowed herself a moment to lean on him. She was so tired she didn’t know how much longer she could go on.
After a moment she disengaged and they stepped into the living room, where Agent Talbot had kept an eye on Alec in case the man decided to run.
“This is officially a crime scene,” Drew announced briskly. “Mr. Delany, you’ll need to step outside.”
They went out of the house and Sami searched for any sign of Corben watching her. As he apparently had been doing for some time now. She shuddered with revulsion. She couldn’t wait to see the menace put behind bars for the rest of his miserable life.
“Agent Talbot, anything on Kraft’s cell phone?” Drew asked.
“He must have turned it off. Our tech is monitoring the number in case he turns it back on,” Talbot said. “The last incoming call was from the airline. No outgoing calls at all.”
“Too bad,” Drew said. “We need a CSI team to process the house.”
“Also contact the airlines and something called The Smit
hen Group,” Sami added. “We need Corben’s flight schedules for both entities going back to when he first was hired by both the airline and the private corporation.”
Talbot nodded, then stepped aside to make the necessary arrangements.
Sami phoned Special Agent in Charge Granger to fill him in on what they’d found in Corben’s house. As she spoke, she sank down on the curb, her legs no longer willing to hold her up.
“A closet full of photos of you?” Granger growled. She could picture his jaw hardening and his eyes narrowing to slits as they always did when he was angry. “Okay, that’s it. I’m pulling you off this case. You need to return here where we can protect you.”
Her stomach dropped. “No, sir, please. I’m so close to catching him.”
“He’s obviously obsessed with you.”
She couldn’t deny that fact. “I can’t stop now. I have to see this through.”
After a moment of tense silence, Granger said, “I want you formally under protection, Agent Bennett.”
Though the words chafed, she wouldn’t argue, not if it meant she could stay active on the case. She sought out Drew, who stood a few paces away on his phone, no doubt talking to his boss or the IBETs team.
She thought of the many ways Drew had been there for her. He’d comforted her, strengthened her, even sacrificed his own body to shield her from the flying shrapnel that had once been her house. Affection for the man spread through her chest. She was glad to have him on her side, and in her life. “I know the perfect person for the job. Inspector Kelley is a tough man to shake.”
Granger grunted. Sami took that as approval.
“Find out when Kraft’s next flight is,” Granger instructed. “Have airport security be on the lookout for him, too. Get the local police involved, as well. If they can detain him before he gets to the plane, that would be optimum. And the less the public knows about this, the better. We don’t need to stir up a media circus.”
“On it, sir.”
“And, Samantha…” Granger’s voice took on a harsh note.
“Sir?”
