“Security guards at a school.” Ashley shook her head, trying her best to stay calm despite her rapidly increasing heart rate. “You’d never get that in Connecticut.”
“This isn’t Connecticut.” The guard wasn’t having any of her small talk. He stepped forward and reached out to grab Ashley as his partner spoke into a radio. “You need to stop.”
“Just leave us alone!” Ashley shouted and stepped away from him, her voice hoarse with emotion. “Mind your own business!”
The guard didn’t move an inch. “The welfare of our students is our business. Now, you need to let go of her and take a few steps back.”
Ashley’s grip on Lucy loosened just a little bit, but it was enough for the girl to wrest herself free. She pulled away hard and fell to the ground, propelled by her own momentum. Ashley reached out to grab the girl as she fell, but Lucy started to cry and turned her head away. The gesture broke Ashley’s heart, and her resolve. She looked up at the security guards, who weren’t going anywhere, and then slumped onto the grass.
“Why do you keep doing this?” Lucy spoke between heaving sobs, her voice laden with accusation. “I don’t like it, Mommy.”
Ashley turned to face her daughter, who was looking up at her with big, sad eyes that were puffy from crying, and realized that she couldn’t answer the question without sounding ridiculous. She was a grown woman who was drowning emotionally, and in scrambling to save herself by latching onto the one person she loved more than anything, she was drowning Lucy.
Ashley reached out to touch Lucy, but the girl recoiled from her touch. Ashley felt like her whole body sagged at that point, and she closed her eyes and covered her ears. One of the guards stood next to her, and she could hear police sirens in the distance, growing ever closer. It was a pattern that was becoming all too familiar, but this time the consequences could prove to be more permanent. She’d screwed up yet again.
But halfway through this screw-up she’d realized just how much things needed to change. How much she needed to change. As she sobbed, she hoped she’d get the opportunity to make that change.
17
Duncan
Duncan pushed the door open and stepped into the store. The chime that announced his arrival did nothing to rouse the bored teen staring at his phone behind the counter, who seemed unconcerned that a customer had entered the store. The internet café was empty, and the kid was probably earning seven bucks an hour working the graveyard shift, when only gamers, stoners, and those who couldn’t afford a Verizon plan came in.
Or those who intended to break at least seven federal and state laws.
Duncan approached the counter and put down 20 bucks. “I just need half an hour. If you keep anyone else away from me, you can keep the change.”
The attendant grunted, took the twenty and handed Duncan an access card, all without looking up. “Insert that into the card reader. And clean up after yourself.”
Duncan tapped the card against his palm as he walked through the café. He chose a machine near the back, making sure the screen was visible to nobody else and there were no security cameras around. It wasn’t really necessary – he’d scouted this location the day before – but caution had kept him safe over the years. He sat at the machine, inserted the access card and waited as the computer granted him access.
First he checked out a few news websites and browsed casually, careful not to log in to anything that could identify that he’d been here. After a while, once he was sure he wouldn’t be disturbed, he logged into Chelsea’s social media accounts. He paused for a second while he cracked his knuckles, mentally psyching himself up for the hurt he was about to inflict upon her.
Duncan was glad to find that the passwords he’d hijacked off her phone when he’d met her at the bar hadn’t been changed. He’d also purchased a pre-paid cell phone and inserted a mirrored SIM of hers, which meant he’d seen every text message she’d sent or received since. He was genuinely shocked by what he’d seen. She was a far nastier woman than he’d expected.
Next, he dug around in his pocket for his USB and plugged it into the slot. The computer whirred for a moment, then a folder appeared. Duncan smiled when he saw the thumbnails of the dozens of images on the USB, a curated collection of nudes and near nudes he’d pulled off her phone. The pictures were confirmation, yet again, that what he was doing was right. As best he could tell, few of the images had made their way to her husband.
It only took a few moments to upload a selection of the nudes to her social media accounts. He even made one of the photos her profile picture on LinkedIn, even though he had never figured out what that site was for. He didn’t put every shot on each site, but instead spread them widely, so as many people as possible saw her true nature.
Once the pictures had been widely circulated, he logged into her work email. He didn’t bother reading anything in her inbox, though the volume of messages there suggested that plenty of people and projects relied on her. He’d learned in his time with her that Chelsea’s career was more important to her than anything, even her husband.
This was Duncan’s final play. He composed a new email, addressed to her boss. He took his time typing the message, in which she professed her undying shame about their affair and told him it had to end. Duncan then attached the most explicit of the nude shots, which she’d offered as a gift for him to remember her by. Once that was done, he carbon copied the entire office distribution list of 8,000 staff all across America.
Duncan licked his lips as he read over the email several times. The email would end her career, and carpet-bombing the nudes across her network would destroy her remaining professional and social links. She’d be isolated, cast aside as a crazy bitch. Already teetering from the other damage he’d caused her, this might just tip her over. Duncan was quite proud of this one. He pressed send, a malicious smile crossing his face.
It was her own fault, anyway. Every time he’d seen her, she’d dressed like she wanted it and acted as flirty as hell. She was the same as all the others he’d targeted. Ruining her was a favor to humanity, and to her husband. It was also a way to soothe Duncan’s own pain. Like each one before her, she’d given Duncan something to focus on, distracting him temporarily from the gaping maw in his own heart.
But no matter who he chose and what he did, it was never enough. No victim could ever be the same as her – the woman who’d broken his heart.
At least this time he’d mixed it up a bit. It was the first time he’d let a victim see him and interact with him before he killed her. Though it had been a risk, getting close to her had been interesting. That was vital, because recently it had been getting a bit tedious. With each new kill, the payoff was a little bit less, and never quite what he’d imagined it would be. His new approach mightn’t have fully replenished the thrill, the rush, but it had certainly helped.
With a sigh, Duncan stood and wiped down everything he’d touched with the sleeve of his shirt. Although the chances of the police linking him to this crime and getting prints from this location were almost zero, he hadn’t stayed free by being dumb so he took the precaution anyway. As he walked out of the internet café, his mind drifted back to Chelsea, imagining her reaction as she found out what he’d done.
He was going to enjoy killing her.
18
Chris
Chris pulled the Chevy Suburban over to the side of the road, right out front of the police station. He killed the engine and turned to his partner. “You sure?”
Manny frowned at him. They’d had several long days without much sleep, now both of them were short with each other. “What do you mean?”
“I’m not sure this is the right move.” Chris unbuckled his seatbelt. “Maybe we should let the US Attorney handle it?”
“No.” Manny’s tone suggested there was little room for debate. “Laverri was found not guilty after she screwed up her testimony. If there’s going to be an appeal, we need to keep her out of prison and in the right frame of min
d. Obrist is already cooling on an appeal, so we need to do whatever we can do to heat up the chances.”
Chris shook his head. “You’re the one telling me I bend the rules too much.”
Manny shrugged, the conversation clearly over.
Chris let it go. God knew he had his own issues, so who was he to begrudge Manny this one. He knew this woman was important to him. They’d made straight for the station the minute they’d found out she was being held by the NYPD. He opened the door, climbed out of the car and followed Manny across the sidewalk to the station entrance.
Before they entered, Manny paused and looked Chris in the eye. “Let me do the talking. She trusts me.”
Chris nodded. He understood. Every cop had cases that stuck with them, and suspects they wanted to put away. For Manny, it was Laverri. It had been one of his highest profile cases and he’d convinced the only witness to testify. She’d only been willing to speak to Manny, but when she did, the truth had poured out. It had been a huge scalp for a junior agent.
Once they were inside the station, Chris stayed back as Manny approached the desk and flashed his badge. “Evening.”
The duty sergeant looked up from his newspaper and flashed a weary smile. “What can I do for you gentlemen?”
“We’re following a rainbow and I think the pot of gold is in one of your cells.” Manny pocketed his badge and rested his arms on the desk. “Her name is Ashley Wheeler.”
“One second.” The sergeant worked his keyboard and then tapped the monitor in front of him. “Yep, got her in here on minor stuff. She harassed her kid at school, mouthed off at some cops and was showing signs of being drunk. The boys decided she needed to cool off so we threw her in a cell.”
The relief on Manny’s face was clear. “She’s a witness in the trial against Saul Laverri. I promised the US Attorney I’d get her to a meeting in the morning to discuss an appeal.”
“Laverri? No shit?” The sergeant whistled. “If you can talk her straight and it helps keep that bastard inside, you can take her off my books. Wait, isn’t she in witness protection?”
“She slipped past the Marshals guarding her in her hotel.” Manny’s voice was grave. “Can we speak to her?”
“On one condition.” The sergeant shrugged. “She needs to agree to stay away from her daughter. She’s lucky not to be facing felony attempted kidnapping. This is the second time.”
“Understood.” Manny smiled.
With a nod, the sergeant stood, led them to an interview room and left them to wait. A short while later the door opened and Ashley Wheeler entered. She looked like shit, dressed in jeans and a crumpled blouse. Her red hair was a mess, tied up in a rough ponytail. Chris figured she was in her mid-thirties, about the same age as…
“Tamara!” Chris screamed as he saw her body, sitting upright on the sofa but with lifeless eyes. He drew his pistol and searched the living room. Empty. He checked for a pulse. None. He let out a wail of anguish, then fumbled in his pocket for his cell phone. His hands felt like bricks and his fingers felt like stumps, but he managed to call 911…
Chris blinked. Manny had punched his arm. “What?”
Manny gave him a death glare, then stood and held his arms wide for a hug. “It’s good to see you. This is my partner, Chris Horan.”
The woman stepped into Manny’s hug. They embraced quickly, then separated. Her eyes locked onto Chris. “Why’re you both here?”
Chris tried to keep quiet, but couldn’t. “You need to worry less about me and more about staying out of trouble, Ms Wheeler.”
“I—”
“Take a seat.” Chris knew Manny would be pissed at him. He’d promised to keep quiet, but Chris felt he had to speak. Manny was clearly compromised.
She glared daggers at him and then looked at Manny, who nodded. After a deep breath, she sat. “Fine.”
Chris snorted. “Sneaking past the US Marshals and attempting to kidnap your own daughter, for starters, right after you blew a major trial. What were you thinking?”
Wheeler’s face twisted in apparent fury and she leaned forward, locking eyes with Chris. “Fuck you, okay?”
“He’s right, Ashley,” Manny said. “I know you’ve had a tough time, but you need to hear some tough words. There’s a chance Obrist won’t launch an appeal against Laverri because you’re flaky. You need to get your shit under control, or Laverri will walk. Obrist is on the edge. You already missed a meeting with him.”
“I don’t care!” Wheeler flared. “Ever since I saw that bastard kill the other bastard, my life has been ruined. I’ve lost my identity, my husband, my little girl – everything. Obrist just used me, the judge let me get smashed on the stand, my counselor is fucking useless and even the cops here harass me.”
Chris raised his voice. “Ms Wheeler, you need to calm—”
She ignored Chris and spoke to Manny. “I’ve had enough. If the authorities won’t look after my interests, I’m done helping them.”
“You were lucky you weren’t killed by one of Laverri’s guys.” Manny sighed again. “You not showing up to that meeting damages me too, Ashley.”
Wheeler flared again, then paused and took a breath. It was almost as if Manny had pierced her armor. “You’re the only one who hasn’t screwed me, Manny.”
“I appreciate you saying that.” Manny placed a hand on top of hers. “Now, you’ve got a choice to make. You come with us to the meeting, or you go back into a cell and try your luck with this precinct. If you come with us, you need to stay away from your daughter and front up to Obrist.”
It took a while, but finally she nodded. But her eyes flared again as she pointed to Chris. “I’ll come with you, Manny, but Sheriff Dan over there keeps his mouth shut.”
Chris raised an eyebrow and locked eyes with her. For the first time, he considered her properly. She looked like shit, but beneath the grime and the messed-up hair, he could see how beautiful she could be. Chris squinted. She actually looked a hell of a lot like some of the victims his serial killer – if there was one – had attacked. He leaned forward and looked at her closely.
“What do you want?” She scowled at him. “I just told your friend over there I’d help him and now you’re getting in my face?”
“I don’t suppose you’ve been attacked by anyone lately?” Chris said it before he had a chance to catch the words.
Her eyes went wide. “What? I—”
“Chris.” Manny’s voice was abrasive. He knew exactly what Chris was thinking. “Go sort out the release with the desk sergeant.”
Chris sighed and nodded. He stood, walked to the door and then turned back to Wheeler. After another glance at her, which sent all sorts of questions racing through his mind, he left the room. A quick conversation with the desk sergeant was all it took. As the other man filled out the paperwork, a sharp pain bit into Chris’s jaw, and he realized he’d been clenching his teeth.
It wasn’t just that she looked like a potential victim. It was also the reminder that if he dropped the ball and ignored what was so clear to him, there’d be more victims. He’d tried to stay on the safe path, but he couldn’t do it. He knew then that no combination of psychologists and busy work would mask the urge inside him. He couldn’t ignore it.
He knew what was happening and he was the only one who could stop it. The longer he tried to deny that, the more likely it was that another woman would end up dead. Even though he’d been ordered to stop, he couldn’t turn his back on it.
19
Ashley
Ashley looked down at the carpet, wondering how many times Obrist had walked over it since last having it replaced. “You need some new carpet.”
Obrist let out a long sigh, his anger barely restrained. He’d been that way for the last thirty minutes, during which he’d been talking and she’d been looking anywhere but at him. He’d shared his thoughts on her breakdown on the stand, which had led to the not-guilty verdict and put Laverri back on the streets. Then he’d moved on to her de
cision to skip their meeting. Then he’d scalded her for getting arrested. It was a tour de force of Ashley’s recent screw-ups.
“I don’t think you appreciate how bad this is, Ashley.” Obrist placed his coffee cup down on the table. “Best we can tell, Laverri has had a hand in at least eighteen murders. But this was the first we had a chance to get him on. Others will end up dead now that he’s back on the street.”
Ashley kept her eyes on the floor. She wanted to stand up and walk out, but she didn’t. She knew he was right. After her first attempt to snatch Lucy, she’d started to get back on track. But her failure on the stand had destroyed her fragile progress, leading to her current situation. Manny’s words at the police station had rammed it home. She was further away than ever from getting Lucy back, and she’d hurt others.
Manny had convinced her to front up to Obrist and face the consequences. She’d promised to leave her daughter alone. That hadn’t been much of a concession, given that Ashley had already decided to do that. Her daughter deserved more than a mother who tried to snatch her out of the playground. She needed to get her head straight, and then try to get Lucy back the right way.
“I think you should appeal.” Ashley’s voice was soft as she looked up at him for the first time. His face showed a mix of anger and fatigue. “I’ll do better next time.”
Obrist sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Falling apart on the stand is one thing. I can deal with that. But disappearing when I have to decide whether to appeal or not, and then getting picked up by the police? Your continued focus on your daughter has made my position almost impossible.”
His words stung. “I just miss her. I need her back. If the courts hadn’t taken my daughter while I was under pressure for agreeing to help you, I might’ve performed better!”
Dead and Gone Page 186
