The Broken Doll (Inheriting Evil Book 1)

by Paris Hansen

  Like a man who knew his surroundings, their unsub never once looked at the camera. He did everything he could to keep his face from being seen, the baseball cap he wore doing most of the work. Cade watched as the man opened up the back of his van, then walked toward the victim. He deliberately put himself in her path, and since she was paying more attention to her phone than her surroundings, she walked right into him like he’d probably planned.

  A brief conversation was followed by him offering to carry the box she held in one arm—the good Samaritan act, wholly unassuming and non-threatening. Sloane had been right about that too. There was no way a man like Jared Bryant could approach a woman alone and get her to agree to let him help her. Even he would feel the urge to turn around and walk away if he saw Bryant walking toward him.

  Isaac Camp was shorter in stature and less menacing looking, but since he’d been in their custody when the latest victim was abducted, he couldn’t be the man in the video. The idea Camp had not one, but two accomplices didn’t sit well with him. It was highly unlikely, but it was the theory Morgan wanted to run with, despite Cade’s assertions that it was more than a long shot.

  The more he thought about it, the more Cade realized Sloane was probably right about Zach Bennett. And if not about him, then definitely about the men they had in custody not being responsible for killing their victims. It didn’t add up, no matter how badly Morgan wanted it to.

  After watching the video twice, Cade realized the other three people in the room were concentrating on whatever they had pulled up on their screens. He highly doubted any of them would notice if he swapped his computer with the one Sloane left behind.

  He took a deep breath and then held it while he quickly moved the computers, so Sloane’s was sitting in front of him. Pushing the screen open, he let out the breath he’d been holding as the screen lit up. She had a bunch of search tabs open, property records, vehicle registrations, information on Zach Bennett, and his sister, Bethany Gibbons.

  Cade poured through obituaries for Bethany’s husband and her in-laws and the reports regarding their separate yet very similar accidents. Pieces of the puzzle started to fall into place. But even if Zach Bennett had killed his sister’s husband and his parents, why would he kill a bunch of women and their children?

  Then he read about the death of Bethany’s unborn child and the brain damage she’d sustained during the accident. The only baby that survived during the initial attacks was a girl. Bethany’s unborn child was a girl. Was that why he stopped? He’d gotten what he wanted, so he didn’t have to keep going.

  If that was the case, what happened to Maggie Whitten’s daughter? Did they still have her? Was she the little girl Sloane saw in the Bennett house? If they still had her, why did he feel the need to start again?

  With more questions than answers, Cade read through the records for property owned by the Gibbons family in Winfield. He had to admit it would be the perfect place to take women so they could be cut open, then murdered. Winfield was just east of Mt. Diablo, which explained why he chose the park for a disposal site. It was the halfway point between the victim’s house and the killer’s new hideout.

  Cade only had one more tab to look at, but he didn’t need to. What he’d seen up to that point was convincing enough to get a warrant, hopefully, but more was always better. This case was too big for them to get turned down on circumstantial evidence, especially since they already had suspects in custody.

  And none of that even took Morgan into consideration. Getting him to listen to reason when he’d already made up his mind seemed like an exercise in futility. Cade had no idea how anyone could work with the man regularly. He was a bullheaded pain in the ass.

  Clicking on the last tab, Cade knew immediately Sloane had found their smoking gun. Mark Gibbons owned a white cargo van, one that looked remarkably like the van in the video. No longer caring if anyone noticed he was looking at two computers, he pulled the video back up on his laptop and fast-forwarded to just before the van pulled out of its spot. Cade hit pause, then compared the grainy license plate number to the one on the vehicle registration form.

  He bit back a litany of swear words as he sent the information to his phone, then closed both laptops. Sloane had known as she left the building that she was 100% headed to the right place and didn’t say a damn word. Instead, she was running straight for danger, on her own, and unarmed.

  Knowing there was a slim chance he was wrong, he sent a quick text to Maggie to see if Sloane had shown up at her house. When he got back the answer he expected, he sent another text to her with pictures of Camp, Bryant, and Bennett to see if she could ID any of them. His phone rang not even thirty seconds later.

  “That’s him. Oh my god, the man with the reddish-blond hair. The third picture you sent. He’s the one who attacked me and stole my daughter.”

  “Fuck,” Cade growled as he stepped into the elevator. He quickly went through the motions to get it moving while Maggie asked questions he couldn’t answer.

  “Look, I don’t have any information I can give you, Maggie. Right now, I need to find Sloane to see what else she knows. If she shows up at your place, can you please call me or have her reach out? It’s crucial.”

  “Of course. Oh god... she’s…” she paused and took a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll keep an eye out for her, Agent Cade. Please keep me posted.”

  After agreeing he would, he said a hasty goodbye and nearly sprinted out of the elevator as soon as the doors opened. He climbed into his car and pulled out of his spot; a car he hadn’t even noticed honked behind him. He gave them a grateful wave even though they were probably cursing him out, then slammed his foot on the gas, his tires squealing against the cement as he peeled out.

  Even Maggie Whitten seemed to know Sloane well enough to know she’d go after a killer without back-up. What the hell was wrong with Reid Morgan that he couldn’t see what was happening right in front of him? Or maybe he was turning a blind eye on purpose. Perhaps he knew the only way to catch the guy was to let Sloane go rogue.

  Cade tried calling Sloane, but it went straight to voicemail. He attempted the call again, then sent a text hoping she’d get that instead. He knew he needed to call Morgan and tell him what was happening, but he needed to get on the road first. Looking at the clock on his dash, he did the math, figuring Sloane had maybe half an hour on him. With any luck, traffic held her up a bit, and he’d be right on her tail.

  Unfortunately, he didn’t think he was going to end up being lucky. And he wasn’t sure he wanted to be, at least as far as the newest victim was concerned. The sooner Sloane got there, the better chance she had at saving her and her baby. But that also meant there was a better chance Sloane could get hurt. He knew he should be more worried about the victim, but that wasn’t what was happening.

  He weaved expertly between cars, wishing he had one of the FBI-issued vehicles with the lights and sirens instead of his rental car. Once he merged onto State Route 24, he used the rental car’s Bluetooth to call Morgan. He knew the other man was going to be pissed, but he’d deal with his anger later when Sloane wasn’t walking right into a potentially lethal situation.

  “Morgan.”

  “It’s Cade. We’ve got a problem.”

  A groan filtered through the line. “Let me guess. Sloane’s gone off on her own to do something stupid.”

  “So, you knew she was up to something and just let her go? She’s on her way to a serial killer’s secret hideaway, unarmed and by herself.”

  Reid let out a half-hearted laugh. “There was absolutely nothing I could do to stop her; we both know it. I had to trust she was going to do the right thing. I could’ve sent someone to follow her or made her take a buddy, but I’m sure you know how that would’ve gone.”

  “She would’ve figured out a way to ditch them.”

  “Exactly. So how do you know she’s heading to a serial killer’s secret hideaway?”

  Cade quickly explained everything he’d found on Sl
oane’s laptop and that he’d talked to Maggie Whitten to verify she’d never shown up to get an ID on her attacker.

  “Sloane was right. Zach Bennett is our guy.”

  Cade could almost picture Morgan scrubbing a hand over his face as he mumbled a few swear words under his breath.

  “So, she’s headed to this property in Winfield? That’s where you think he’ll be?”

  “If he didn’t have an actual victim he’d just picked up, I would say I wasn’t so sure, but there’s no way he’d take a victim to the house in Hayward. That’s his sanctuary, the place he shares with his sister and the little girl. They’re likely still there, though, so we should send someone over to pick them up.”

  Morgan grunted. “I’ve already got agents headed that way. Morrissey just got back from the hospital. The vics name is Casey Stevens. He and I will get on the road as soon as we can. King and Gardner are on their way back now that the babies have been reunited with their fathers. I’ll have them meet us in Winfield.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “Cade. Please keep her from doing something stupid she can’t come back from.”

  Cade sighed, noticing Morgan hadn’t asked him to keep her safe, which would’ve been most people’s request.

  “I’ll do my best. I’m going to try calling her again. It went straight to voicemail before. I have a feeling she doesn’t want to hear me tell her this is a stupid plan.”

  “You know why she did this, don’t you? It’s not just because we didn’t believe her again, but she knows she doesn’t have to wait for a warrant or anything. She’s a civilian. What’s a little trespassing if she can save a life or two?”

  “She’s fucking ballsy.”

  Morgan laughed. “You don’t even know the half of it. Keep me posted. We’ll be there as soon as we can. Please don’t go in without back-up unless you can’t help it. She can handle herself, but this case is beyond personal now. It’s eaten away at her for years. She’ll want to end it on her terms.”

  Before Cade could respond, Morgan disconnected the call. What the hell had he meant by Sloane wanting to end the case on her terms? If she was so volatile, why had he brought her back to help with the case?

  It only took Cade a second to remember he was the reason she was there. He was the reason she was about to put her life on the line to save a woman and her baby and reunite another mother with her daughter. It seemed like ages ago that they’d stood in Diane Jennings’s office talking about bringing Sloane to San Francisco but it had only been a few days.

  Nothing had gone the way he’d planned. But he figured that was what life with Sloane Matthews was like. She was unpredictable; a wild card none of them had any hope in taming. He didn’t know what it meant for his investigation, but none of it mattered when so many things hung in the balance. He needed to make sure she was safe and didn’t do something stupid, then he could worry about the rest.

  None of it would make any difference anyway if neither of them made it out alive.

  Chapter Forty

  She was just starting to come around when he made it back to her side. Her eyes fluttered open as he stared down at her, then widened as her brain processed her situation. As he expected, she struggled against her restraints and tried to scream despite the tape placed over her mouth. She was scared, and he really couldn’t blame her. He was certain there wasn’t anything he could do to help her with that feeling, but he wanted her to know how much her sacrifice was going to help him and his family. She deserved that much.

  He smiled down at her, which only seemed to scare her more, then turned away so he could start to gather his tools. The task he was about to undertake wasn’t easy on him either. Especially this time. Everything was riding on the surgery going smoothly, but after years of working in a hospital and his own time performing surgeries, he knew just how often things didn’t go as smoothly as everyone hoped.

  No matter how nervous he was, somehow, laying out his tools and getting everything ready always seemed to calm him. He honestly didn’t know how people did this sort of thing for a living. Though, he’d known enough surgeons to know they had some kind of God complex that made them feel invincible. But that’s not how Zach felt. Not now, and not any of the times before.

  That didn’t mean he couldn’t fake confidence. If neither of them realized how nervous he was, then everything would go according to plan. Not that his guest would be all that aware of what was going on anyway. The first time around, he’d learned early on that he needed to drug them, so they didn’t move around while he cut them open.

  At first, he injected too much, and then another time not enough. Now, he’d figured out the right amount. He’d perfected his methods even if it didn’t quite seem that way.

  His first guest this time had gone smoothly. From beginning to end, no hiccups or issues to be seen and a beautiful baby boy for his efforts. The next one, well, how was he supposed to know she’d go into labor. At least that had gone smoothly, and he was rewarded for his patience with another beautiful baby boy.

  And then there was Amber. If only he hadn’t allowed himself to be blinded by her beauty. Maybe he would have noticed the bracelet and realized she didn’t make a good candidate in the first place. He could have saved both of them so much time and grief. If he hadn’t allowed himself to be distracted, maybe he could have made them both happier than they’d ever been.

  If he’d noticed the pattern earlier, he could’ve saved himself a lot of time and effort too. All she wanted was another little girl, yet he kept bringing her boys. No wonder she rejected them all. But this time, he knew the woman on the table had exactly what his sister wanted. Thanks to her constant chattering around work about what she was having.

  “I know this may not make it easier for you, but I want you to know how much this means to us. Your daughter will want for nothing. She will be loved and taken care of. She’ll have a mother who will dote on her and a big sister who will teach her everything she knows. You don’t have to worry about a thing.”

  Tears sprang to her eyes, though he couldn’t be sure they were from sadness or relief. It didn’t much matter either way. No amount of tears could keep him from following through with what needed to be done. They needed her baby more than she did, and there was nothing anyone could say to change his mind about that.

  Picking up the syringe, he double-checked the amount of Diazepam inside of it, then pushed her sleeve away from the inside of her elbow. He found a vein easily and inserted the needle. Once he was sure the placement was perfect, he pressed down slowly on the end of the plunger until the syringe was empty.

  He didn’t like using his sister’s medication for his guests, but it wasn’t like he could steal it from the hospital without someone noticing. Bethany wouldn’t miss the dose. Especially not once she had the baby in her arms. And if he was wrong, he could always tell her doctor he spilled some of it or dropped the syringe. Two plausible stories he was ready to give if the occasion arose, which he hoped it didn’t.

  Bethany’s doctor wasn’t a fan of Zach’s. Every time they went to see him, he tried to convince Zach he should put his sister in a home. He was just as bad as Bethany’s in-laws had been before they died. He wouldn’t leave her behind. He wouldn’t shove her in some God-forsaken assisted living facility and forget about her. That was never going to happen. He owed her his life, and he would spend the rest of his days repaying her for standing by his side when he was a ten-year-old boy with nowhere to go.

  “Bethany is an amazing woman. You’d love her if you got a chance to know her. She’s an amazing mom, and Rebecca is the greatest little girl. I know it doesn’t make sense to you, but this is the only way to make our family whole. She needs another little girl, and I need to give that to her.”

  He paused for a moment, wondering how much he should tell her. It didn’t really matter in the long run, but maybe if she understood things better, she’d let resolve sink in. Or maybe he just felt the need to talk. He didn’t real
ly have anyone he could talk to. Not really. Rebecca was far too young, and Bethany...well, it wasn’t like he could tell her the lengths he went to in order to get her what she wanted. Ask, and you shall receive. That was the world Bethany lived in because that was the world she raised him in after their parents died.

  “My sister was born to be a mom. From the minute I came into the family, she acted like I was her baby. I was her living, breathing baby doll. She used to feed me and change me and carry me around the house. She never wanted to let anyone hold me, not even our parents.”

  He paused again, this time to compose himself. He was starting to get emotional for some reason, but he couldn’t let her see it. He needed to keep his emotions in check. Once the baby was out and in Bethany’s arms, he could let it all out. The happiness. The relief. The joy. All of it.

  “I owe her this,” he admitted as he pushed her shirt up over her belly. “I owe her this and so much more. She saved me after our parents died. She took me in when she could have left me behind, and then I stole her ability to be a mother on her own terms. This is the absolute least I can do for her. I will spend the rest of my life taking care of her and giving her everything she wants and more.”

  Despite the tears filling them, her eyes started to flutter close, the injection finally taking hold. It wouldn’t knock her out completely, but it was enough to make the next step of the process easier. She wouldn’t fight against him now that the drugs were taking hold.

  It was finally time to bring his new niece into the world. He hadn’t even met her yet, but his heart was already bursting at the seams with love for her. Taking a steadying breath, he held it in his lungs until they ached, then let it out as he picked up the scalpel.

  As he pressed the deadly sharp edge against her skin, he smiled. Hopefully, his girls were ready with the perfect name for their new family member. She was going to need it soon.