Seconds to Live

by Susan Sleeman

  “Look away if you have to. No one will think less of you.”

  “Do you really think Phantom did this?”

  He nodded. “You know Phantom’s paranoia is through the roof. He saw us talking to Enzo and probably assumed he told us something. Phantom can’t abide betrayal, and the need to silence Enzo had to be like an itch he couldn’t help but scratch. Plus he’s proven his instability in the past by having killed his own partner. And we both know that once someone commits murder, it’s easier to commit another one.”

  “True.”

  “Like the text to Dustee, this murder just might be a message to us. To tell us he can get to anyone, anywhere.”

  “You really think Phantom was watching when we talked to Enzo?”

  “After the shots he took at Dustee, it’s clear he’s keeping tabs on her and the people around her.”

  The thought of this killer watching her sent a deep shudder through Taylor. “Yeah, I guess so.”

  “We’ll soon see if this killing shares the same MO as Phantom’s partner.” Sean marched up to the body and the detective standing over it.

  Taylor took a quick look at the tall, thin detective dressed in a worn leather jacket over a white shirt and wrinkled khaki pants. His square face, silvery-gray hair, and large nose gave him an unapproachable vibe. He held out his hand to Sean. “Jesse Roderick.”

  Taylor shifted her attention to Enzo. One look and she spun away. She didn’t care what anyone thought of her skittish behavior. Her actions were instinctual to preserve her sanity. She blinked a few times, trying to wash the image of Enzo’s bloodstained body from her mind, but it remained, along with images of the murdered partner. The similarities stood out like blinking neon lights.

  “It is Phantom.” She quickly turned back but kept her focus on Sean. “He did this. The wounds are identical to those of Phantom’s partner.”

  “That’s pretty farfetched after only a peek at the knife wound.” Roderick frowned at her. “Granted a wound of this severity isn’t common, but I’ve seen it before.”

  “There’s blood near Enzo’s mouth. Check his tongue. Phantom cut . . .” Her stomach roiled, and she couldn’t finish the sentence.

  Roderick knelt down, but Taylor planted her focus on Sean. His face was tight. Angry. Most likely over the senseless murder. She’d been too upset at seeing Enzo this way to feel anger for the pointless killing, but now it boiled up.

  “It’s missing.” Roderick got to his feet and turned to Sean. “Tell me more about this Phantom guy.”

  Sean didn’t answer right away, likely deciding which of the investigative details to start with. “He’s a notorious hacker who killed his partner a few years ago. He thought the partner was going to out him to law enforcement.”

  “I see,” Roderick said. “So he silenced him.”

  “Ditto for Enzo here,” Sean said. “Phantom rode Enzo’s bus, and we interviewed Enzo as part of our investigation.”

  Roderick nodded, his expression that of a seasoned detective searching for answers. “So you believe this Phantom dude saw you talking to Enzo and thinks he snitched?”

  Sean nodded.

  Roderick got out a small notebook and a pen. “I’ll need your contact information and a copy of your reports.”

  “Sorry,” Sean said. “You don’t have clearance to be read in on our investigation.”

  Roderick raised his eyebrows, the many lines in his forehead squishing together, but he didn’t speak.

  “I have an evidence response team on the way,” Sean continued. “They’ll work alongside your team to process the scene.”

  “What? You’re not taking over the investigation completely?” Roderick’s sarcasm was probably called for, but Taylor didn’t like that he directed it at Sean, who was just doing his job.

  “I’ll be conducting an independent investigation.” Sean’s forthright reply impressed Taylor. She knew he interacted with local law enforcement all the time and had experience dealing with them, and yet she could see how easy it would be to become sarcastic in return.

  Roderick shoved his hands into his pockets. “Can you at least direct me to the case files for the prior murder?”

  Taylor fired Sean a questioning look. He nodded.

  “Give me your business card,” she said to Roderick. “I’ll email the detective’s information to you.”

  He dug out the card and slapped it in her hand far more forcefully than needed.

  Sean raised an eyebrow. She shook her head, telling him to ignore Roderick’s behavior and move on.

  “I’ll also instruct the ME to compare this wound and the tongue removal to that earlier murder,” Sean said.

  “You think this is a copycat?” Roderick asked. “Not the real deal?”

  Sean shook his head. “Just being thorough. I assume since you’re touching the body and the hands are bagged, that the ME has examined the body.”

  Roderick nodded. “He and his assistant are grabbing the gurney.”

  “Did the ME provide a time of death?” she asked.

  “Rigor hasn’t set in so less than two hours. That’s all he’ll commit to at this point.”

  So they’d probably arrived before anyone had a chance to disturb the crime scene. Not that Taylor expected Phantom would leave much evidence behind. His ability to evade law enforcement for years proved he was too careful for that.

  “With the tongue removed, we might get lucky and find the killer’s DNA on the body,” Sean stated. “That is, if the killer didn’t wear gloves. Have you requested your forensic staff to swab for DNA?”

  Roderick frowned. “I’ll make sure the swab is completed.”

  A liberal dose of skepticism raced across Sean’s face. “I assume the Portland Police Bureau isn’t equipped to process the DNA, and it will go through the state lab.”

  Roderick nodded.

  “State labs are usually backlogged. Will you rush that DNA, or should I take care of having it processed?”

  “I’ve got it.” Roderick clenched his teeth.

  Taylor didn’t think he had a right to be upset with Sean. Sure, Sean was dictating instructions and questioning the man, but again, that was Sean’s job.

  “I’ll expect you to notify me the minute the results come in,” Sean said.

  “I’ll do my best.”

  Sean ran a hand over his face. “Any witnesses?”

  Roderick shook his head. “Uniforms canvassed the surrounding buildings, but if anyone saw anything, they aren’t talking. Not unusual for this neighborhood. There’s a sizable illegal immigrant population here, and they don’t often trust the police.”

  Taylor tried to visualize Enzo visiting the neighborhood, especially on a dark and rainy night. “What was Enzo doing here? Does he live nearby?”

  “No. We have no idea of his reason for being in this area.”

  “Who discovered him?”

  Roderick pointed at a phone lying next to the body. “There was an anonymous call to 911 using his phone.”

  “I don’t want anyone touching that phone before it’s taken into evidence,” Sean said.

  Roderick’s lips pressed into a white slash. “Look. I get that you all think you can run roughshod over me. Think I’m a peon. But I’m gonna give my sarge a shout-out and get him down here before we go any further.”

  “Sure, fine,” Sean said. “I’d like to do this the right way—in a spirit of cooperation and sharing of what we’re able to divulge. But know this. No matter how we handle things here, the outcome will be the same. I will get what I need for my investigation. You can count on that.”

  Sean kept his focus on the road during the drive back to the safe house, carefully navigating the foggy night and slick pavement. Taylor had locked her eyes on him the moment he’d exited the parking lot, and he could feel it resting there ever since. If she wanted to say something or talk, all she had to do was start the conversation. But he felt personally responsible for failing to apprehend Phantom before he
got to Enzo, and he was in no mood to talk, so he didn’t ask about it. Now, as he parked in the sloping drive, he wanted to know what was going on in that beautiful head of hers.

  He removed the key and faced her. “What did I do wrong?”

  “Wrong?”

  “You’ve been staring at me since we left. It’s like I have the plague or something.”

  She didn’t answer, but sat there staring at him, her eyes glazed and vacant. She was thinking. He wanted to push her to speak, wanted to know what she was thinking. From his past experience, though, he knew she didn’t often blurt out the first thought that came to mind. She weighed and crafted her responses. So he sat back and looked at the drive lined with evergreen shrubs, their leaves shiny with rain, to give her the time she needed.

  “I don’t know exactly,” she finally said. “I guess . . . I haven’t ever seen the side of you that you showed at the crime scene. You totally surprised me.”

  “What side?” he asked, confused.

  “Over-the-top intense. A foe that no one would want to go up against. Intimidating.”

  “You mean with Roderick?”

  “Yeah, with Roderick.”

  Sean ran through the conversation in his mind. Maybe he had been over the top in his demeanor, but the investigation was everything. And Phantom needed to be stopped at all costs. “Roderick’s a big boy, and I don’t have time to worry about his feelings. I have a killer to catch. It’s nothing personal.”

  “The LEO in me gets it. But as your friend . . .” She shrugged. “I’ve just never seen it.”

  “It seems to bother you.”

  “Not really. I mean, I should know you wouldn’t be on the RED team if you were all wishy-washy, but the forceful and aggressive part of your personality doesn’t jive with the guy I’ve gotten to know. That’s all I’m saying.”

  He got her point, but . . . “I could say the same thing about you.”

  “Me? Aggressive?”

  “Yes, when it comes to your witnesses.”

  She raised her chin. “Well, yeah, I have to be. They’re my responsibility. I’d die for them if I had to.”

  “And keeping someone from getting murdered is my responsibility. Right now that’s Dustee and all the witnesses. So I’m just doing my job like you are.”

  “You’re right. I am different on the job, more forceful. I suppose that’s something we didn’t know about each other.” She took a deep breath. “And the other Sean? The one who’s my best friend? Where’s he in all of this?”

  “He’s still here.” He smiled and touched her shoulder. “I can tell one of my great jokes if you want me to prove it.”

  She held up her hands and mocked a horrified look. “Please no. Anything but that.” She laughed, and the tension in her face washed away.

  In a flash of a moment, the mood changed. The air heated up between them, charged with emotion. His brain refused to process, and he could hardly think straight.

  All he knew was that he was looking at a beautiful woman who had slipped into his heart. First as a friend. Now, as what, he didn’t know. Didn’t care at the moment. More important, he knew he had to touch her again.

  He raised his hand and cupped the side of her face. “I’m this guy, Taylor. The one who knows you and cares for you. I’ll always be there for you. Always. I’m not going anywhere, no matter what Phantom or anyone else does.”

  Instead of a joyful response, she flinched. Had he gone too far by touching her so intimately? She didn’t pull away. In fact, she nuzzled into his hand. But the horrified look remained in place, one mixed with sadness.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  She shook her head, tears glistening in her eyes.

  He’d evoked something in her. Something big. What had he said to cause her to react like this? He racked his brain for an answer. Then a lightbulb went off. Her parents. Was she thinking about them? About how they’d blamed her for her brother’s death and essentially abandoned her?

  She removed his hand from her cheek, held it, and looked directly into his eyes. “I know you think you’ll always be there for me, that you’ll never leave. But you can’t predict the future. No one can. We never know what we’ll do when faced with a challenge or situation that’s bigger than we are.”

  He didn’t know how to respond. She’d put up a huge wall on this issue, and he didn’t know if he could ever break it down or if he should even try. But he had to know if he was going to find a way to help her. Maybe asking questions would bring things out in the open.

  “Please, tell me more about your brother’s suicide,” he encouraged.

  She cringed and shook her head. “I’ve already told you.”

  “Yeah, in a cursory overview. But not about what actually happened. How you felt. Feel.”

  She released his hand. “What’s the point in discussing it?”

  “I want to help you get through it, but to do that, I need to understand why your parents would turn their backs on you. Did you have something to do with Jeremy’s death?”

  Her mouth fell open, and she gaped at him. “N-no. Of course not.” She took a long, lingering look at him and then bolted from the SUV.

  She hurried up the steps while he took his time searching through the shifting fog for answers. He’d obviously hit a nerve, and despite wanting to know what had happened, he’d leave it alone for her sake.

  What a pair they were. Seemingly so right for each other, and yet neither of them could pull the trigger on going beyond friendship. He got the feeling she wanted to. He thought he wanted to as well, but no matter how much he thought about having a woman in his life, or even wanting such a relationship—as he was coming to learn he wanted with her—he knew it wasn’t going to happen.

  CHAPTER 22

  THE MORNING STARTED OUT DARK, rainy, and foggy, and the view outside the lobby window of the Portland Metropolitan Forensic Laboratory matched Sean’s mood. He still felt responsible for Enzo’s death, and he’d let it eat away at him all night long. Plus he hadn’t let go of Taylor being shot. Changing her bandage each morning had reinforced that. Today, though, she visited the doctor, and he cleared her to remove the sling. Sure, Sean understood that he wasn’t personally responsible for these things, but if he’d found and arrested Phantom first, neither of them would have happened.

  The door behind Sean opened, and he glanced back to see a young woman peering at him through large round glasses. The brown frames matched her bangs and hair tied in two ponytails near her shoulders. She looked like a high schooler, not the experienced scientist he’d expected, but she wore a pristine white lab coat and was likely the person he’d come to see.

  She crossed over to him, her sneakers slapping on the tile floor and echoing in the small space. “I’m Anna Coleman, criminalist. Detective Roderick called me in to head up evidence recovery at the Russo crime scene. I’ll be walking you through our findings.”

  Sean shook her hand in greeting, introduced himself, then said, “And this is Deputy Taylor Mills.”

  Anna nodded at Taylor and spun. “Follow me.”

  Sean stepped back, allowing Taylor to go before him, and he had to admit to liking the gentle sway of her hips and the way her high heels made her legs seem about a mile long as she hurried after Anna, who moved rapidly through the building. At a second-floor lab, she swiped her card and opened the door to an organized and sterile work space with tall lab tables and stools in the middle of the room. Various computers, machines, and other equipment Sean couldn’t identify filled the room.

  Anna went straight to a large machine holding evidence hanging from clips. Sean had to hurry to keep up with the little dynamo.

  She rested against the counter and boldly met his gaze. “I didn’t necessarily ask you here to share our findings when I could have done that via the phone. But I wanted you to see our lab in person to give you confidence in our results.”

  “I don’t know why I—”

  She held up a hand. “The FBI�
�s super lab in Quantico is the standard by which every other lab is judged. Your evidence techs made that perfectly clear at the crime scene last night and pointed out that you would want to wait for their results. But as you can see, we’re nationally accredited, and I know by the time you leave, you’ll be confident in our results and won’t feel a need to wait on Quantico.”

  “You’re right,” he said, catching her off guard. “We are snobs when it comes to our lab, and visiting here helps allay any concerns.”

  “I didn’t expect you to admit it, but I’m glad you did.” She turned to the counter and tapped fingerprint cards lying there. “Our first task was to process the victim’s phone for prints and DNA. We lifted several good prints, but unfortunately, they all belong to the victim. DNA hasn’t finished running yet for the phone. We’ll have that information later today.”

  “Great.” Sean smiled. “Were you able to collect touch DNA from Enzo’s body?”

  “Not yet.” She puckered her lips. “Detective Roderick charged the ME’s office with collecting the DNA. He should’ve let me take a sample at the crime scene too, but he authorized the removal of the body before I could do so.”

  Sean didn’t often feel the need to curse, but he had to stifle the urge to do so now. He thought he’d communicated a sense of urgency to the detective. Obviously not, and Sean would probably need to call Roderick and get him moving on other aspects of the murder investigation as well.

  Anna squared her shoulders. “I called the ME the minute I discovered he’d taken the body. He said Roderick made him aware of the need for the DNA swabs, and he authorized me to take samples at the autopsy later today.”

  “Excellent,” Sean said, and meant it. “I also asked the ME to compare this murder to a prior one. You might want to talk to him about that too.”

  “I’m glad to do so.”

  “Thank you for being so diligent,” Sean said.

  And thank you, God, for placing such a talented tech on our investigation.

  Sean’s phone sounded in Mack’s ring tone. Anna frowned at the interruption. “Sorry. I don’t mean to be rude, but I need to get this.” He answered it and stepped away for privacy, leaving Anna and Taylor to talk between themselves.