by Kris Norris
Cole released a weary breath. “Fuck. We are some kind of weird threesome.”
Mallory patted his thigh as he rested one hip on her desk. “You can sleep in the middle if it makes you feel any better about it.”
“Very funny.” He dropped his gaze to a manila envelope on her desk. “So are those the photos Fisher was asking about?”
She clenched her jaw but nodded. No sense worrying about Cole seeing the images, not when he’d already walked in on her and Sawyer. She grabbed the envelope and handed it to him. “Fisher ran a bunch of tests, but the bastard didn’t leave anything other than the obvious prints.”
Cole opened the flap and removed the pictures. “I assume they belong to Davies.”
“A positive match. Blood, too.”
“Fantastic.”
She watched Cole as he flipped through the images, studying some before going to the next. She knew the moment he’d stumbled upon the photos of her and Sawyer. His eyes bulged wide and he swung his gaze towards Sawyer before meeting hers. She gave him a tight smile, not daring to look at Sawyer. With the way he’d been acting lately, she wouldn’t be surprised if he jumped up and started pounding his chest as he strutted around the desks.
Cole tsked as he shook one of the pictures. “The Jeep? Damn, I have to ride in that car, you know.”
Mallory shrugged it off as best she could. “I have to ride in your truck, and I know the inside of that thing has seen more action than G.I. Joe.”
“Now you’re just being nasty because someone caught you doing some sort of sexual yoga with lover boy over there.” His face lit into a wide grin. “How the hell did you manage not to throw your back out?” He held up his hand when she opened her mouth. “Don’t bother. After all I’ve seen with you two, nothing surprises me.” He shuffled again and laughed. “You should really go to a tanning salon, Mal. Your ass is pasty white.”
Mallory grabbed her water bottle and gave Cole a mock toss.
He laughed as he swatted her in the shoulder, motioning to the disk on her desk. “What’s that?” He grinned. “Don’t tell me Davies got movies, too.”
She sneered at him, trying not to smile. Damn but the man was more trouble than Sawyer at times. She held it up. “Actually, it’s the footage of the execution. The penitentiary had it couriered over. Sawyer thought we might see something useful on it.”
Cole frowned. “Not that it isn’t a great idea, it’s just… You up for that?”
“I’ll give it the college try, but no promises.”
Sawyer scraped his chair closer. “Cole and I can watch it. There’s no reason to upset you.”
She sighed, hating that she was so transparent to him—hell, both of them. “It’s not that it upsets me, but… Shit. I wish I knew what it was about Davies that creeped me out so much, besides the obvious stabbing incident. There’s just something about him.” She shivered. “I can watch at least as far as we got before my phone rang.”
Sawyer nodded, staying conspicuously close. The simple gesture sent heat spiralling through her body and she had to look away from Cole before the flush in her cheeks betrayed her feelings.
Cole dragged another chair over as Sawyer slipped the disk into the computer, launching the movie once it was loaded. There was a burst of static and white light before the room morphed into view on the screen, the thick glass centred in the frame. The curtains were still closed as people moved about the room, changing seats and talking quietly. The hushed murmurs played in the background until the screech of the curtains rang out, plunging the room into a deadly quiet.
A couple more people walked in front of the lens before the doors on the other side of the glass opened, and Davies entered, his head held high, his thin lips pulled back into a snarl. Just staring at him made her feel light-headed. Damn, that was the same face she’d seen in the alleyway and just thinking he might still be alive curdled her blood.
The scene played on, and she watched as Davies was escorted to the gurney and strapped down. This was where she’d ditched the proceedings the first time. Emotions warred inside her as they had that night, and she had to consciously slow her breathing to keep the room from dimming at the edges. Sawyer’s hand cupped hers and she glanced at him, not even bothering to hide the fear roiling through her. He gave her a sincere smile and motioned at the break room.
She sighed but nodded, knowing she wouldn’t be any help at this point. She twisted around, giving the computer one last passing glance before stopping dead. “Wait!” She hit the space bar, freezing the DVD.
Cole leant forward, giving her a concerned raise of his eyebrow. “Mal? You okay?”
She grabbed the mouse and popped up the controls, reversing the footage. “Did you see it?”
He snorted. “See what? All I see is Davies and his creepy grin.”
She shook her head, slowly playing the movie forward frame by frame. “No. The reflection in the glass of one of the guards. God, it can’t be.” She advanced a few more times before drawing a sharp breath as she stared at the image on the screen.
Sawyer’s head appeared beside her as he leaned in. “Is it my imagination or does that guy’s face look very familiar?”
Cole whistled as he touched the screen. “I’ll be damned. That’s Carter.” He hit a few keys, enlarging the image. “The image is pretty grainy, and he’s changed his appearance somewhat, but that’s definitely Derek Carter.”
Mallory pushed to her feet. “How the hell did Derek Carter get inside the room? Christ, he’s wearing a guard’s uniform!”
Cole slipped out his cell as he punched some numbers. “No fucking idea, but I intend to find out.” He moved away, talking sternly into the phone.
Mallory stared at the picture, jumping when Sawyer touched her sleeve. She turned, nearly bumping into his chest. Her gaze swept the room, but no one seemed to be interested in why he was standing so close to her. She gave him a nod, but he held his ground. “Sawyer—”
“I’ll back up when you tell me why you didn’t call me and ask me to be there that night.”
She drew her brows together. “What?”
He pointed at the screen. “Why the hell didn’t you call me and tell me how hard it was going to be for you? Hell, I would have come, awkward or not.” He slapped a fist against his thigh. “I knew you’d be uncomfortable, but I never guessed it was this bad.” He gave her a stern shake of his finger. “You should have called me.”
“You were requested by Washington to attend. I thought that might be enough.”
He ran his hand through his hair, looking as if he wanted to pull some out. “I don’t give a shit about Washington. But I would have come for you…no questions asked.”
She sighed. “You’re here now. Isn’t that what matters?”
“Are you sure that’s enough? I know you’ve said you forgive me, but… Damn, Mal. Davies and now it seems that Carter might be involved. This is way beyond anything I ever imagined. If there’s even a chance that creep is alive…”
“You said it yourself. It’s highly unlikely. Even if Carter is in on this and he managed to bribe the doctor into pronouncing Davies dead, there’re a thousand other details that could have blown up in his face before he actually got Davies out of there…alive. More likely Carter’s the guy sending us everything. Now we just have to figure out why and where Davies fits into it, if he even does.” She took another quick look around before tiptoeing up and giving him a quick kiss. “And you are forgiven. Just say the word and I’ll walk into Don’s office and tell him everything, though he mostly knows already.”
Sawyer released a harsh breath and stepped back. “I just hate watching you hurt like this. Damn good thing your father is dead because I’d be paying him a visit otherwise.”
She smiled. “One small mercy, I suppose. And you can take your frustrations out on the creep behind all this once we find him.” She pointed at Don’s office. “Should I go say hello to the Director now?”
“We’ll do it together…after we crack
this case. I don’t want to take any chances he might reassign me before that happens.”
“Fair enough. And for the record, I wanted to call. I was just too chickenshit to finish dialling.” She gave his hand a squeeze. “But I wouldn’t hesitate now, not that I plan on letting you get away from me again.”
“Oh for the love of God, would you two just get a room before someone else gets you both on film?” Cole shouldered up beside them. “Seriously. I might need to go back to the hospital if you start giving each other goo-goo eyes.”
Mallory hit his good shoulder. “Fuck you.”
“You keep saying it but you never come through.”
She rolled her eyes. “And you’re an ass. Now tell me you got something useful.”
Cole grimaced and held up a picture. “I got something, but it’s just more bad news. I’d like you both to meet Corrections Officer James Reeves.”
Mallory gasped. “Who?”
Cole nodded. “I know. Just another blow to you that he used your father’s name. Actually, according to the file they just sent me, he used a bunch of your father’s personal information—his birthday, that old house address. Hell, he even fabricated a fake family with the same names.” He eyed Mallory. “You look pretty sophisticated for a ten-year-old.”
“This just keeps getting stranger and stranger. I’d never really met Carter until we worked the Davies case together. How can he know all of this?”
Sawyer held up his phone, her father’s information glaring back at her. “If the guy can create false IDs, I bet my ass he can access old police files. Even if he can’t, there are more public records than you’d think. Everything he needs to know is out there. Shit, it only took me a minute to get this.”
“But why? What am I to him?”
“Maybe he had a crush on you and didn’t take it well when Sawyer moved in on what he considered his territory.”
“I barely saw the guy. How the hell was I ever his territory?”
Cole shrugged. “The guy’s obviously a nut job. I don’t think things need to be rational in our terms to make sense to him. But figuring out why might be the break we’ve been hoping for. He’s made this personal. That’s what we need to explore.”
Mallory palmed her head when her cell rang, the steady beat of the music filling the sudden quiet. She groaned inwardly as she reached in her pocket, lifting the phone out and swiping the smooth surface. “Reeves.”
A heavy breath rasped in her ear, followed by a dark chuckle. “Hello, Agent Reeves. Have you missed me?”
Mallory tensed, glancing at Sawyer before forcing herself to swallow. “Davies. Didn’t know they had phones in Hell. The long distance rates must be a killer.”
“Clever, aren’t you? If only this case was that simple, you’d have solved it by now instead of waiting for more victims so you can get the answers to all of your questions, though I’ve already given you four plus Mr Thomas. I’d have thought you’d have some by now.”
“I’m working on it. But I am starting to think that the rumours regarding your death are highly exaggerated.”
He laughed. “You might have guessed at that if you’d bothered to stay that night. Shame you had to run off before it really got started.”
“It’s okay. I’ll catch the next one.”
“There won’t be a next one. I believe I told you at our last meeting that you couldn’t kill me.”
“You probably did. But I’m fairly certain I can pay someone to drag your sick soul back to Hell.”
“That’s what I like about you, Agent Reeves. Always looking at the positive side of things.” He cleared his throat. “I see Agent Kent is back in town, not to mention your bed. You must be very happy.”
The mention of Sawyer’s name made her stomach flip-flop and she had to clench her jaw to keep from tossing her breakfast across her desk. She glanced at Sawyer as he hovered beside her ear, trying to hear every word.
She took a deep breath. “You should have stayed longer at the house. I’m sure he would have enjoyed saying hello in person.”
“Perhaps another time. But I’m sure I’ll be seeing you both soon. After all, you are tracing the call, aren’t you?”
“Standard protocol, as you’re obviously aware of. Though you could save me the trouble of talking with dispatch and just tell me where you are.”
He laughed again, the sound just as nauseating as before. “And spoil all the fun of working it out? I wouldn’t dream of it. How’s Cole’s shoulder?”
“Healing. He’s standing right here. Would you like to talk to him?”
“I think we both know I only called to talk to you. It’s always been about you.”
“I’m starting to get that impression. Don’t suppose you’d agree to a meeting? Just you and me?”
Sawyer growled under his breath as his hand curled around her arm. She didn’t need to look at him to know there wasn’t a chance in Hell he’d ever agree to that, but then she didn’t think Davies would, either.
“A nice offer, but I’ll have to turn you down this time. But soon, I promise.” He released another raspy breath. “Until next time, Agent Reeves.”
The phone clicked and went dead, the eerie silence more sickening than his voice had been. She closed her eyes as she lowered the phone, praying her hands weren’t shaking as much as she thought. God, what was it about that man that got to her? That turned her back into the scared little girl hiding under her bed?
A strong hand closed over her shoulder and she jumped, opening her eyes as she stared into Sawyer’s handsome face. His eyes were narrowed and the edges of his mouth were turned down into the beginning of a frown.
He gave her a gentle squeeze. “You okay?”
She nodded, knowing her voice would confirm the worry she saw creasing his forehead. He seemed to study her face for a moment before sighing and straightening, turning to Cole. The man was talking on his cell and gave them the signal to hold on.
Mallory chewed at her bottom lip, trying to reconstruct the conversation in her head. There had to be a specific reason he’d called, a reason he wanted them to track his location. But it went completely against his profile.
Sawyer moved in front of her. “Let’s hope dispatch was able to pinpoint his location. Too damn bad he called on your cell. No way to record the conversation and run it through voice analysis. I’m sure that was his intent.” He leaned in closer. “Could you tell if that was really Davies on the phone?”
“It sure sounded like him, but… Shit. I haven’t heard the creep talk in over a year. I’d have to listen to voice comparisons to be certain. It could be someone trying to sound like him.”
“Damn. I was hoping we could narrow things down a bit.”
“All I know is that it didn’t sound like Carter that I remember. But again, I haven’t seen him since the case was closed, either.”
“Go over everything he said. Was any of it unusual? Maybe something Davies wouldn’t have said?”
Mallory reran the conversation again when something struck her as odd. “Wait. He called me Agent Reeves.”
Sawyer frowned. “So?”
“He always called me Mallory, as if calling me by my first name made the killings more intimate or something. He never did say.”
Sawyer pursed his lips. “Maybe—”
He cut off as Cole muttered a goodbye into his phone and lowered it, his expression more sombre than she’d expected.
Dread tumbled through Mallory’s gut and she braced herself for more bad news. “Just tell us, already.”
Cole shuffled on his feet. “Dispatch traced the call, but…”
“But what? Where is the bastard?”
Cole steeled his expression. “He’s calling from Gig Harbor.”
Sawyer furrowed his brow. “What the hell is he doing in Gig Harbor and why would he want us to know…” His expression changed. “Shit.”
Mallory stood there, staring at him when it hit her. “The women’s correctional centre
is in Gig Harbor.” She inhaled roughly. “My mother.”
Cole grabbed her as she tried to push past him. “They’ve already notified the superintendent. They’re doing a lockdown and checking everyone as we speak.”
“I’m still going. She might not consider me her daughter, but she’s still my mother.”
“Of course you are, but we’re coming and Sawyer’s driving.”
She palmed the desk for support as fear swept over her. “God. I haven’t seen her since…”
“Mal—”
Mallory glared at him, pushing off. “I’m fine, Cole.”
“No, you’re not. And you’ll be less fine in forty-five minutes when we get there. So we’re playing this my way, end of discussion.”
“Fine.” She pulled her arm free and grabbed her jacket, not meeting either of the men’s gazes as she headed for the elevators, tossing Sawyer the keys to the Jeep back over her shoulder. She had a bad feeling Davies had just changed the nature of his game, and it was more personal than ever.
Chapter Twelve
“Goddamn, son of a bitch.”
Sawyer slammed his hand on the wall as he stared into the small cell, noting the increasing pool of blood spreading across the floor. He’d made the drive in under an hour, but it hadn’t been fast enough. The superintendent had met them at the door, her mouth a thin line across her face as she’d lowered her head and informed them Pamela Reeves was dead.
Mallory hadn’t spoken a word, choosing to follow the woman through the bowels of the facility in complete silence until they arrived at Pam’s unit. The door had been left open and the body perfectly arranged on the floor. The only deviation was a photo of Mallory pinned to her mother’s sash.
Cole came up beside him and gave him a nod. “This is insane. What the hell have we stumbled into? This isn’t the work of a typical serial killer. Shit, this guy doesn’t have a MO anymore. All he seems to want to do is make Mallory suffer.”
“I can assure you, he’s succeeding.”
Cole sighed. “You think she’ll be okay?” He cursed. “You know what I mean, Sawyer. She’s not going to be good, but…should I be worried?”
