Atrocity

by C. M. Sutter

  Kate spoke up. “The only way to find Trish is by pulling Nick’s tax returns. The cabin’s address should be itemized with the other rental properties. If we go back fifteen years and pull Brian’s returns too, it ought to show us if he and Nick worked at Prentice at the same time. It’s the only way to connect them.”

  Jade nodded. “I agree, Kate. Amber, get Jack on the line. He has to call in some favors, and I mean quick. You need to get eyes on Brian’s tax returns tonight. I’ll call Spelling so we can do the same with Nick’s. If he is responsible for those heinous acts and killed multiple women before Candy, then as much as I hate to say it, it does make him a serial killer. We have to know if we’re barking up the right tree and if there is a connection between Nick and Brian. Once we get that confirmation and the location of the cabin, we can track them down. That has to be where they’re holding Trish.”

  “Is there a medical way to tell if somebody had a lobotomy?” Natalie asked.

  I gave Jade and Kate a curious look. “Is there?”

  “I don’t know, but we’re about to find out. I’ll make the call to St. Paul PD, and they can ask the coroner who examined those three dead women.” Jade tapped the keys on her cell phone again. “Ah, here’s another phone number I need. Candy was examined at the Lutheran Hospital in downtown St. Paul. I’ll call them too. There has to be some kind of scan or test that would show if Candy had a lobotomy. They can get her back there first thing tomorrow and check specifically for that. Every woman in the St. Paul case had horribly black-and-blue eyes, and that’s why they were thought to have been beaten to death. If Nick actually performed a frontal lobotomy on them, it would explain why their eyes were black-and-blue.”

  Carolyn burst into tears. “I’ve been married to Nick for thirty-five years. Wouldn’t I know everything there is to know about my husband?”

  Jade gave Carolyn a comforting hug. “Not necessarily, and please don’t blame yourself. Spouses who hide their true identities from each other are far more common than you think, especially if it’s something as horrible as these crimes. We’ll get to the bottom of this, Carolyn”—Jade gave Natalie a reassuring nod—“for your sake and for the Philips family too. They need their daughter back home in one piece before Nick and Brian make a test subject out of her.”

  Chapter 47

  “Give me Carolyn’s address, Amber. What are the odds that this could all be related to Brian Cox and Trish’s abduction?”

  “I don’t know, boss, but it has to be. I almost had a heart attack when Kate held out that picture of the cabin. There’s no question in my mind that it’s the same place. I’m ten thousand percent positive.”

  “Okay, it sounds like a shit storm is brewing. Driving to you guys is the easiest and fastest way for me to look over the evidence Carolyn has there, and time is of the essence. So you’re saying we need Brian’s tax returns going back fifteen years?”

  “Having them would establish a connection between Nick and Brian if they both worked at the same place. Somehow they became acquainted, and it was most likely when the Connor family still lived in North Bend. Jade has already called Spelling. He’s working on getting Nick’s tax returns. Boss, if Nick committed these crimes, he’s considered a serial killer, even if he wasn’t trying to kill the women. He continued what he was doing and put their lives at risk.”

  “And that resulted in their deaths.” Jack let out a long sigh. “That’s the very case Jade and J.T. were asked to join in St. Paul, right?”

  “It is, but they were working a crime in Ohio at the time.”

  “What are the odds? Okay, I’m coming around the corner. I’ll be there in a minute.”

  “Got it.” I hung up my phone and returned to the kitchen table.

  Jade looked up. “You got ahold of Jack?”

  “Yeah, he’ll be here in a second.”

  “Good. Spelling is pulling warrants for both Nick and Brian’s tax returns. He might be able to expedite things because of his status.”

  “I’m sure Jack will appreciate that.”

  The doorbell sounded, and Carolyn stood.

  “Stay put and take a breath,” Jade said. “I’ll get it.” Moments later, Jade returned with Jack at her side. She made the introductions.

  Jack looked at Carolyn then me. “And your families were neighbors years back?”

  “Yep.” I tipped my head to the left. “We lived in the next house to the north.”

  “Wow. Life is definitely a mystery.” Jack looked over the newspaper clippings spread out on the table. “These go back sixteen years to women’s disappearances in Milwaukee. Amber mentioned you saying that the dates correspond to your moves to and from the cities where these crimes took place?”

  Carolyn nodded. “It’s just too much of a coincidence not to take seriously.”

  Jack raised a brow. “Ma’am, we’re taking this very seriously.” He gave Kate a glance. “Where’s that photo of the cabin?”

  “Right here, boss.” She lifted it from the countertop and handed it to Jack.

  “Holy shit.” He grimaced at the words he couldn’t take back. “Sorry for my language, ladies, but this is almost unbelievable. You have no idea where this cabin is?”

  Natalie took over for her mom. “We don’t. Only that Dad used to go fishing there with his buddies. Does he still, Mom?”

  “Yes, every year.”

  “Okay, proving there is a connection between Nick and Brian on paper isn’t the most important thing at this moment. What is, is finding out where this cabin is located. If that’s where Trish is being held, then the likelihood of taking down both Brian and Nick is relatively high. Supposedly, Nick stayed behind to close on the house you sold in Minneapolis?”

  “Yes, that’s how we do things every time we move. I come ahead to the new house and wait for the moving truck, and he stays behind to wrap things up at the old house.”

  “Understood.”

  I handed a cup of coffee to Jack, and he gave me a thank-you nod.

  “When is the closing date?” Jack asked.

  “He said the closing was today, but that may have been a lie. He’s supposed to arrive here sometime tomorrow afternoon, though.”

  Jack scratched his cheek. “So, he’s driving to North Bend?”

  “That’s correct.”

  “Okay, I need the year, make, model, and plate number of the car he’s in. I’ll put out a BOLO for that vehicle, and with any luck, he’ll be apprehended before he’s too far away from the cabin. Chances are, he closed on the house the same day you left Minnesota and he’s been with Brian Cox ever since.”

  I had my pen and paper at the ready as Carolyn gave Jack the description of Nick’s vehicle.

  “He drives a burgundy 2015 Honda Accord, but I don’t know the plate number.”

  Jack caught my eye and gave me a nod. I made the call to Jamison so he could pull it off the DMV’s database. I returned to the kitchen seconds later. “The BOLO is going out as we speak. Jamison took care of that and contacted the state patrol too. Digital freeway signs will give the plate number and description of the vehicle, and if he passes any plate reader, it will flag the car.” I added that nothing showed for the Lumina, and it had been four full days since Brian vanished from our county. Wherever Brian had the car, it was well-hidden, and he wasn’t using it.

  “Nick coming home tomorrow means he and Brian have to part ways. Brian will have to bring the Lumina out of hiding,” I said.

  Kate spoke up. “Unless he ditched it and stole a car.”

  Jack sighed. “There’s always that possibility too.”

  Jade’s phone rang, and she excused herself. We continued our conversation during her absence.

  “Carolyn, do you remember when Nick bought the property that the cabin is on or even what county it’s in?”

  She shook her head, clearly overcome with sadness. “I’m so sorry, Lieutenant. I’m no help at all, and the fact that I’ve never taken an active part in our rental properti
es is inexcusable. I’ve been a housewife for the last twelve years. I had a good job back in North Bend, but I quit it when we left. I guess I haven’t been anything but Nick’s wife since then. Nick runs the show and doesn’t tell me anything.” She held her hands against her face. “I’m so ashamed. I thought I was living the life most women would envy, but in hindsight, I was just burying my head in the sand.”

  “Mom,” Natalie said, “don’t be so hard on yourself. You had no idea what Dad was up to.”

  Carolyn pulled a tissue from the box on the table and wiped her nose. “That’s exactly my point.”

  Five minutes later, Jade returned to the kitchen. “That was Spelling, and the warrants are being issued for the tax returns. He should have copies of both of them within the hour. I made the call to the St. Paul PD. They’re going to get in touch with the coroner and find out how to check for signs of lobotomies on the bodies of the three women found dead. They’ll call me back when they know something.”

  Jack gave Jade a nod. “Thanks, partner.”

  “Sure thing, so now what?”

  “I think Carolyn should call Nick,” Kate said.

  I turned to Carolyn to check her temperature on the idea. Fear covered her face.

  Natalie reached out and took her mother’s hand. “Mom, can you do it? You know anything Dad says could help these detectives in finding the wife of Brian Cox. He sounds like a dangerous man, and if the accusations against Dad are true, then he’s even more dangerous than Brian.”

  “I don’t know what to say. Will my fear give me away?”

  Jack took over the conversation. “I have a better idea. A normal call will only tell us what he wants you to know, which could all be made-up stories. As helpful as that conversation may be, it’s extremely important to be able to pinpoint the nearest cell tower that his phone is pinging off of. That information could get us very close to his location. When was the last time you spoke to Nick?”

  Carolyn wrung her hands. “What is today?”

  “It’s Thursday night, Mom.”

  “Okay, then the last time I spoke to him was Tuesday night when I was waiting at the airport to fly out.”

  Jack looked hopeful. “Good, then you have some catching up to do, and he shouldn’t wonder why you’re calling.”

  I noticed Carolyn’s uncertain expression. “Nick isn’t the catching-up type.”

  “That’s why I’m having my tech department bring their equipment here. I’d have you call him from the station, but the likelihood of him picking up from an unknown number is slim. You’ll call him right from your house phone, and my guys will set up their equipment to track where the strongest signal is coming from. They’ll be able to ping his location to the nearest cell tower in less than a minute. That should give us enough information to track him down. Give me a second to make my call.” Jack stepped out to the patio.

  “Mom, you’ll do fine. It’s time to feel good about yourself, and helping the sheriff’s department with this case is definitely something to be proud of.”

  Jack pushed open the slider and stepped into the kitchen. “The guys will be here in a half hour.”

  Chapter 48

  Natalie jumped up to answer the door.

  “That has to be Lee and Luke,” Jack said as he and I cleared the newspaper clippings from the table.

  Seconds later, Natalie walked into the kitchen, followed by our nightshift tech department guys.

  Jack extended his hand and thanked Luke and Lee for bringing their equipment to us. Then he made the introductions and explained our plan.

  “Setting up the tracking device and installing it on her landline should only take a few minutes,” Luke said. “We can pinpoint the cell tower nearest to his location in a matter of seconds.”

  Jack tipped his head toward the living room. “Let’s sit in there and review what you should say to Nick.”

  We left Luke and Lee to set up in the kitchen while the five of us moved our conversation into the living room.

  Once we were all seated, Jack gave Carolyn a reassuring smile, and Kate and I were ready with our notepads and pens.

  “Okay, Carolyn, we believe in your ability to do this. You’ll start by asking how the closing went. You have a right to know, plus you haven’t spoken to Nick in two days. Don’t let him get away with one-word answers. Ask if there were any hiccups, if the new owners seemed excited, how long it took, and so on. Always try to talk in a natural voice. Don’t rush or sound anxious since it may raise a red flag. Let him know that the truck arrived safely, all of the furniture is in place, and that you and Natalie have been busy unpacking. Finally, ask when he’s leaving Minneapolis and when you should expect him home. Listening in on the conversation will tell us plenty since we’re trained to catch lies. It should seem like any husband-and-wife conversation.”

  “Lieutenant?”

  “Yes, ma’am?”

  “Nick and I don’t have husband-and-wife conversations.”

  Natalie looked alarmed. “Mom? What haven’t you told me?”

  “Let’s just say I’m happy to be back in Wisconsin around you and my dearest friends. I spend a lot of time alone, honey, and now it’s all beginning to make sense. Dad has been overly distant for years, starting when we moved away from our friends and family.”

  Jack nodded. “If Nick is responsible for these crimes, he’ll be spending the rest of his life in prison. You’re in the best place possible, Carolyn, around the people who care for you. Okay, back to the task at hand. I have a good crew that can quickly pick up the nearest cell tower to Nick’s phone. If you start feeling uncomfortable with the conversation, go ahead and cut it short. We’ll still be able to locate the nearest tower, but if he’s going to offer up intel that we can use, keep him talking.”

  “I don’t want anything to seem unnatural.”

  “I understand, Mrs. Connor, and I’m confident that everything will go according to plan.”

  Luke peeked around the corner. “We’re all set up and ready to go, boss.”

  Jack slapped his hands together and nodded at Carolyn. “If you want to make a difference, now is the time to do it. What do you say?”

  Natalie seemed concerned. “Mom, I can call Dad just to say hi. They’ll still be able to track his location.”

  Carolyn stood, took several deep breaths, and smoothed her pants. “I say yes. It’s about time I did something I can be proud of.”

  “Okay, let’s begin.” Jack led the way into the kitchen and pulled out a chair for Carolyn. “These headphones are so we can listen in and record the conversation. You’ll be wearing a pair as well.”

  “Will it sound different on his end? Will he be able to pick up anything unusual?”

  Luke spoke up. “No, it will sound perfectly normal to him.” He turned his head toward the living room. “Has the TV been set up yet?”

  “Yes, the technician was here this morning.”

  “Good, turn it on for background noise. For some reason, it reassures people that everything is okay, a sort of white noise in a sense.”

  Natalie rose and went to the living room, where she turned the television to an old classic movie. She returned to the kitchen and sat down.

  “Everyone ready?” Jack asked as he mounted the headphones over his ears.

  After helping Carolyn with hers, Luke and Lee put theirs on too. Kate and I passed our notes across the table to Carolyn. Bullet points outlined the conversations she should have with Nick so she wouldn’t stumble over her words.

  “What’s his cell phone number?” Luke asked.

  Natalie had her contact list open to Nick’s number. She handed her cell phone to Luke, who entered the number into the tracking device attached to Carolyn’s house phone. He gave Carolyn a nod and pressed the dial button.

  I watched as Carolyn took a deep breath and began the conversation as soon as Nick picked up on the other end.

  “Hi, honey. How did the closing go?”

  Chapter 49
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  Carolyn hung up after a five-minute conversation. She sucked in a gulp of air and squeezed her eyes closed. “I’ve never been so nervous in my life, and I was talking to my own husband. I need a glass of water.”

  Natalie went to the cupboard, grabbed a glass, and filled it for her mom. “Here you go.”

  “You did great, Carolyn. The guys triangulated the location of his phone, and it’s between three towers that are nearly the same distance apart. He’s somewhere between Tomahawk, Manitowish Waters, and Three Lakes.” Jack turned to Lee. “Pull up a map of Wisconsin. I want to see what towns are between those towers.”

  “Doesn’t sound like Nick is much of a talker,” Kate said. “The only thing we actually got out of him is that he’ll be home sometime tomorrow afternoon.”

  “He’s only that way with me, and I don’t know why. He’s completely lost interest in our marriage. It’s like I’m not interesting enough to have a conversation with.”

  I started to tell Carolyn it was only a midlife crisis on Nick’s part, but I knew better. If he was the psychopath who killed at least three women and nearly one more, then he had turned into a criminal who needed to be apprehended quickly. His actions were far from a midlife crisis, and he had changed dramatically over the years. Nobody knew the dangerous man he had become, especially his wife and daughter.

  Lee opened their tracking program on his laptop and dropped in a map of Wisconsin. He plugged in the cell tower locations and drew a perimeter around those towers. He looked over his shoulder at Jack. “Okay, here’s what we have.” He tapped the screen. “Nick and possibly Brian Cox are somewhere within that area. It’s odd that there isn’t a corresponding tower to the west.”