The Perfect Murder--A Novel

by Kat Martin

  Not recognizing the number, Chase didn’t pick up. Reese texted him, then dialed again, and his brother answered on the first ring.

  “More trouble?” Chase asked.

  “Big trouble. Two men broke into Kenzie’s town house and kidnapped her son. They warned her not to call the police or involve you or Bran, but I can’t do this alone. And don’t tell me this could be part of a setup because if you could see the beating Kenzie took trying to save her boy you would know she would never do anything to hurt him.”

  Silence fell as Chase assessed the information. “She okay?”

  “She refused to go to the hospital. Doc Chandler is with her now.”

  “Charlie’s good. He’ll make sure she’s all right.”

  “She must have put up a helluva fight. The room is completely destroyed and not all the blood in there is hers.”

  Chase grunted. “It’s a wonder they didn’t kill her.”

  His stomach knotted. He’d thought the same thing.

  “We can’t let them know you’re involved,” Reese said. “We need to meet somewhere safe.”

  “Where are you?”

  “Her town house on Gilbert in Oaklawn.”

  “How about that little place near Turtle Creek Park? Mel’s Diner. It opens at 6:00 a.m.”

  “That’ll work. I’ll meet you there.”

  “Try not to corrupt the crime scene,” Chase said. “Maybe we can get some fingerprints, something to help us run these guys down. I’ll bring a forensics kit, whatever else we need.”

  Reese nodded. “Thanks.”

  “Disable your phone and make sure you aren’t tailed.”

  Advice he didn’t need. The hard lessons he’d learned as a member of a teenage gang were buried but not forgotten. What he hadn’t told Griff the day of his father’s funeral was that Bass Garrett’s constant absence and the lack of any parental guidance had resulted in a year in juvenile detention.

  That and a deadly car accident not even his brothers knew about had changed Reese’s life. As bad as those days had been, there were occasions like this he was grateful for the skills he had learned.

  Dr. Chandler finished examining Kenzie, gave Reese a rundown on her condition, and suggested she return to her own room to lie down. Kenzie refused.

  “There’s no way I can sleep. Not when my son is in danger.” She sounded stronger, only a faint tremor remaining in her voice. “I’m sure Gran has coffee made. It’s almost daylight. I’m going to put on some clothes and go downstairs.”

  Reese felt a rush of admiration. Kenzie was a strong woman. She had fought the men who took her son and she was ready to do it again. She swayed as she rose from the edge of the bed and Reese slid an arm around her waist to steady her.

  “You’re in pretty rough shape. You sure about this?”

  “My son has been kidnapped. Those men are going to call, and when they do, I need to be ready.”

  He clenched his jaw. They’d taken Griff for a reason. They’d call—sooner or later. He needed to be prepared when they did.

  Kenzie leaned against him as he guided her down the hall into her bedroom, helped her sit down on the edge of the bed.

  “I’ve got to go out for a while,” he said. “I won’t be gone long and I’ll explain everything when I get back. Till then, just take it easy, okay?” He leaned down and kissed the corner of her mouth, where he was sure he wouldn’t hurt her. Even battered and bruised she looked beautiful. Reese felt a twinge of desire that under the circumstances embarrassed him.

  “I don’t think they’ll call for a while. They’ll want to get everything in place. But if they do, just tell them we’ll pay whatever they ask, then we’ll figure out our next move. In the meantime, I’ll send your grandmother in to help you get dressed.”

  In the hall, he stopped Florence as she approached. “You need to leave Griff’s room the way it is for now. There might be fingerprints, DNA, other clues that will tell us who these men are.”

  “Kenzie said they were both wearing gloves. I guess I should have mentioned that before.”

  “It’s all right. We still might find something. Take care of her till I get back. Lock the doors and don’t let anyone in except me.”

  Florence nodded. Her short silver hair was unkempt and circles darkened the skin beneath her pale blue eyes. She looked ten years older than she had the last time he had seen her.

  “We’ll get him back,” Reese told her, his voice a little gruff.

  Florence said nothing. Reese prayed he could keep his word.

  TWENTY-FIVE

  Mel’s Diner looked like an old railroad car, chrome with bright red trim. It sat beneath a cluster of live oaks next to a little stream. As Reese pushed through the door, he spotted Chase’s dark gold hair at a booth at the back. Reese made his way down the aisle and slid onto the red vinyl seat across from him.

  “How’s she doing?” Chase turned over the china mug on Reese’s side of the table and motioned for a dark-skinned waitress with corkscrew curls to fill it up.

  “Those bastards beat the hell out of her,” Reese said as the woman finished pouring and walked away. “She fought them, sliced one of them up pretty good with her house keys. Still wound up with bruised ribs, a split lip, and a black eye. Doc says she’s got a slight concussion but it could have been a lot worse.”

  Just saying it had his hand tightening around the handle of the mug.

  “What about mentally? She ready for what’s coming?”

  “Kenzie’s strong. But she’s scared, Chase. She loves her son with everything inside her, and she’s terrified what might be happening to him.”

  “She give you a description?”

  “It’s pretty basic. One my height only heavier. The other short and homely, with curly black hair. She may remember more once the shock wears off.”

  Chase grabbed a black canvas bag off the seat beside him and set it on top of the Formica table.

  Reese took a sip of his coffee, needing it, glad it was black and strong.

  “There’s a fingerprint kit in here,” Chase said. “Bags for any trace evidence you find. If Kenzie cut one of them, see if you can get a blood smear for DNA.”

  Reese nodded. “Apparently, they were wearing gloves, but there’s definitely blood in the room that isn’t hers.”

  “I brought you a couple of throwaway phones. I’ve already programmed my cell number into each of them. We can stay in touch and not have to worry about them tracking us.”

  “Good idea.” He should have thought of that. At least he had disabled his cell. His worry for Kenzie and Griff had left his mind a little fuzzy, but his focus was returning. Soon he’d be able to proceed with his usual unshakable control.

  “There’s no way to know where this is headed,” Chase said. “I assume you’ve got your own weapon, but there’s an S&W .380 in the bag you might want for backup.”

  Reese pulled back the navy blue windbreaker he was wearing with jeans and a dark blue T-shirt, flashing the Nighthawk .45 holstered on his belt. “I’m armed, but a spare piece might come in handy.”

  He was an extremely good shot. This wasn’t the first time he was glad he had taken the classes for a concealed-carry permit.

  Chase took a drink of his coffee. “I’m going to say this right up front. Even if you give the kidnappers what they want, there’s still a chance they’ll kill the boy.”

  His stomach clenched. He knew it. Didn’t want to believe it, but he knew it was true. “We have to find them, go in, and get Griff out ourselves.”

  “That’s right. Once they call, you need to draw out the negotiations as long as possible, give us time to find out where they’ve got him stashed. Make sure you ask for proof of life and make sure they understand the boy can’t be harmed in any way or they don’t get the money.”

  Reese nodded. His
brother had to know the money would be coming from him. Chase didn’t mention it. A child’s life was at stake.

  “You need to call Tabby,” Chase said, taking a drink of his coffee. “Have her set Kenzie’s phone up to track the ransom call when it comes in. Once you’re back at her house, enable your phone and do the same in case they contact you directly.”

  He nodded, anxious to get back to the town house. He didn’t like leaving Kenzie alone. “Anything else?”

  “I’ll put the word out. Hawk’s back in town. I’ll talk to him, see what he can find out. Lissa’s in Denver, but I’ll bring Jax and Wolfe up to speed, make sure they keep their eyes and ears open.” Detectives who worked at The Max. “If there’s word on the street of anything going down, we’ll know about it.”

  Reese rose from the booth, tossed money on the table to pay for their coffee and a generous tip. “I’ll see what I can find in Griff’s bedroom.” It would take some time to get the results from the lab Chase used, but the information could be crucial.

  “Keep in touch,” Chase said, also rising.

  Worried about Kenzie, Reese grabbed the canvas satchel and headed out the door.

  * * *

  Kenzie sat at the breakfast table, holding a plastic bag of frozen peas against the side of her face. Her cell phone rested on the table in front of her. She had no idea when the men would call. She just prayed that they would. Prayed that wherever Griff was, he was okay and the men hadn’t hurt him.

  The thought sent a shaft of pain straight into her heart. Griff was just a little boy. By now he was probably awake and terrified. Maybe afraid something horrible had happened to her and Gran. He had no way of knowing.

  Silently, she willed him not to fight the men. Just hold on until she could bring him home. A sob caught in her throat but she forced it away. She couldn’t afford to break down. She had to be strong for Griff.

  “Reese should be back soon,” Gran said, pulling Kenzie’s mind out of the dark place it had wandered.

  She set the bag of frozen peas on the table. “Maybe Reese decided he doesn’t want to get any more deeply involved. Maybe he figured we’ve brought him enough trouble already.”

  One of her grandmother’s silver eyebrows arched up. “You think he’d abandon you?”

  Her throat tightened. She couldn’t believe she had said the words out loud. “No. Reese wouldn’t do that.”

  “I know he wouldn’t. The man has real feelings for you, honey. It’s in his eyes every time he looks at you.”

  Kenzie leaned back in her chair, her body aching, every muscle moving as if she were wrapped in chains. “Even if he cares for me, he’s not interested in a long-term relationship. A couple of months, then he’ll be looking for someone new and he’ll want us to just go back to being colleagues.”

  Which his other women seemed able to do, but not Kenzie. She was in too deep. Her days as his assistant were limited. But she trusted him to help her get settled somewhere else. The thought sent fresh pain into her already battered heart.

  “You don’t know that’s what’s going to happen,” her grandmother said.

  “I’m his assistant, Gran. I know how he thinks. For heaven’s sake, I arranged his dates for him.”

  Her mind flashed back to Arial Kaplan and the list of beautiful women Reese had dated. None of them had lasted long. At the moment, thoughts of losing Reese where wildly overshadowed by worry for her son. What was happening to Griff? Where had they taken him?

  An insistent knock came at the door, and nerves shot up her spine. Would the men come back? Would they be bold enough to knock on her front door?

  “It’s probably Reese,” Gran said, reading her fear. “I’ll be sure and check before I let him in.”

  He appeared in the kitchen a few seconds later, tall and imposing, like a man who could conquer the world. He was carrying a black canvas satchel, which he set on the counter, then he bent down and gently kissed her lips.

  “How are you holding up?”

  Her throat constricted. “I feel like my world has collapsed around me.”

  “He’s going to be okay. You have to believe that.”

  She nodded. “I know.”

  “No phone calls?”

  “Not yet.”

  He unzipped the bag and set a disposable cell phone on the table in front of her. “From now on, any calls you make, use this phone. Yours has been set up to track incoming calls. With any luck we can figure out where they’re coming from. Mine’s set up the same way.”

  “Your friend Tabby?”

  “That’s right. She’ll help us any way she can.”

  “You think they want money?”

  “Most likely.”

  “I don’t have the kind of money they’re going to want.” She glanced up. “Maybe they know about the life insurance policy. The three million dollars coming to Griff.”

  “It’s possible.”

  “Oh, God, if that’s what they’re after, it won’t work. I went to see Lee’s attorney on my lunch hour yesterday. The money belongs to Griff, but not until he turns eighteen. In the meantime, I have to submit a monthly budget. There’s no way I can get the full amount even in an emergency.”

  “Griff’s grandfather owns half of Black Sand Oil and Gas. Maybe they figure you can get the money from him.”

  She pressed her lips together. “I don’t know if Arthur would be willing to pay. It would probably depend on how much they want.” She looked up at him. “Should I call him? Maybe I should call him.”

  “You aren’t calling Arthur. He’ll want to take control and you can’t let that happen.”

  Kenzie raked back her hair. Her hands were shaking. She clamped them between her knees under the table. “I wish they’d call. Why don’t they call?”

  Reese caught her chin, forcing her to look up at him. “Listen to me, honey. Getting the ransom money isn’t a problem. I can take care of it. The problem is that even if we pay them, they might not let Griff go.”

  She straightened. “What do you mean?”

  “We need to find Griff ourselves. That’s the only way we can be sure he’ll get home safely.”

  She started shaking her head. “No. No, no, no, no, no. We have to give the kidnappers what they want. Then they’ll let Griff go.”

  Reese just stared at her, those piercing blue eyes willing her to understand. She wanted to put her head down on the table and weep. She wanted to scream out her terror. Instead she steeled herself. “You really believe they might...they might kill him?”

  “If he sees their faces, he’ll be able to identify them. Even if he doesn’t, letting him go poses all sorts of problems.”

  “What...what are we going to do?”

  “Do you trust me?”

  With everything but her heart. “You know I do.”

  “Then we’ll work together to bring him home, figure things out as we go. In the meantime, I’m going upstairs, see what kind of evidence those two scumbags left behind.”

  She stood up from the chair. “I need to do something. Let me help.”

  Reese reached out and took her hand, wrapped his warm fingers around it. “All right. It’s going to take both of us to make this work. Let’s go.”

  TWENTY-SIX

  Reese knew how to use a fingerprint kit. You didn’t have brothers, uncles, aunts, and friends all in law enforcement and not know the basics of how things like that worked. But Kenzie was sure the men had worn latex gloves, so their best hope was blood DNA.

  His smile turned wolfish. There was blood on her keys and on the carpet, blood on her robe. She’d made them hurt and good for her. Unfortunately, Kenzie had showered off the blood and skin under her fingernails. His jaw hardened. She had fought them hard. Reese wanted to send both the bastards straight to hell.

  Instead, he swabbed blood samples and bagg
ed them, bagged the robe Kenzie had been wearing, then they went outside to see what else they could find.

  “They must have carried the ladder in through the back gate and left the same way,” Kenzie said, her gaze going around the small enclosed patio.

  Reese looked up at the window, still open, the curtain fluttering in the faint, moist breeze. “Takes a good-sized ladder to get up that high. They must have been driving a van or a pickup.”

  “Maybe one of the neighbors saw something.”

  “Maybe. But until we know what’s going on, we can’t risk asking too many questions.”

  “Mrs. Landsdale has frequent insomnia. She’s our neighbor across the street. She’s a nice old lady but she’s nosy. Maybe she saw something that could help us.”

  He nodded. “Let’s finish this and get it off to the lab. If we still haven’t gotten a call, maybe you can talk to her.”

  As soon as they were back in the house, Reese called the office and spoke to his executive VP, Vincent Salvador. Reese told Vince he had a family emergency and was taking time off, asked him to take the helm until further notice.

  “Anything I can do to help?” Vince was smart, ambitious, and good at his job.

  “Yeah,” Reese said. “Keep everything running smoothly. If you have a problem, call my private number.” Reese gave him the disposable number. “But it better be important.”

  “I’ll handle things, Reese. Don’t worry.”

  Next he spoke to Louise, told her roughly the same story, gave her the same number, and added that Kenzie would be helping him until the situation was resolved.

  “Let me know if there’s anything I can do,” Louise said.

  “I will. Thanks.”

  Next he called for a messenger to pick up the evidence he had bagged at Kenzie’s house. The package was to be delivered to Dallas Diagnostic Services, a private DNA testing lab that Chase used, a business primarily involved in determining paternity.

  In this case, once the results were back, they’d be run through DNA databases in search of a match. Nothing they found would stand up in court, and without law enforcement, getting results could be tricky, but Reese figured Chase or Tabby could get it done.