Betrayed

by Shelly Knox

  Her alarm chimed and Keri grabbed her cell, saying, “Oh, no! I’m late with my appointment with Bob.”

  Thirty-minutes later, she sat in a chair in front of her lawyer’s desk. Bob Vaughan might have a plain name, but that was the only thing that was plain about him. Not only a pit-bull lawyer, but his looks were knockout gorgeous. His light-gray eyes mesmerized everyone who met him and gave them a false sense of calm and peace—and then he’d let you have it like a cheetah from hell.

  “So, Bob. What’s going on with the case?”

  “What’s going on is that Jack Allen doesn’t want to give up parental rights. You can’t make him.”

  Keri sighed; her heart heavy. “Bob, I didn’t want to admit this because I’m embarrassed. I’m really doing Jack a favor.” She paused and sucked in a big breath. Her voice quivered as she added, “He’s…he’s…” She glanced down at her fidgety hands then over at the dark walnut bookshelf filled with law books of all shapes, sizes, and colors.

  Bob supplied the answer. “Not the father?”

  “I’m such a horrible person.” She exhaled the deep breath she had held. “I didn’t want my family to find out. They already think I’m a fuck-up. Oh, pardon me, Bob. That slipped out in the heat of the moment—but it’s true.”

  “Keri Morgan! No one thinks that of you. You are a wonderful, giving person. Who is the father?”

  She shook her head. She really couldn’t tell him. She couldn’t tell anyone. No one could ever know, not ever. She pursed her lips for a moment and finally said, “You can’t repeat anything I say to anyone, right, Bob? You can’t tell anyone what I’m about to tell you?”

  “That’s right. It’s called privilege.”

  She pulled a tissue from her purse and dabbed at her lips. She regarded the law books again, then Bob and then the framed degrees on the other wall. She gathered her words and then blurted out her story. “I don’t know who’s the father. I got really drunk at an office party after Jack and I were engaged. Everyone from the office left, and I stayed to have a few more drinks. I remember dancing with this guy and going into a one-room bathroom with a lock and we had sex. We didn’t exchange numbers. He didn’t go home with me, and I didn’t go home with him. I never saw him again, and I don’t know his name—not even his first name.” Keri hung her head, not able to meet Bob’s gaze.

  “Jack will probably want a paternity test to prove he’s not the father. I don’t think he will take this at face value.”

  “Can you also have him sign a non-disclosure agreement so he can’t tell anyone about the baby and he can only say we grew apart and decided it was a mistake to get married? Luckily we realized it now—or something like that.”

  “I can, but, do you really think that’s necessary?”

  “My family cannot find out, Bob. They just can’t. And I know Jack. He’ll be blabbing it before we even get our blood drawn.”

  “If that’s what you want. I’ll take care of it. In the meantime, go ahead and get your DNA test started.” Bob searched through his iPhone’s contact list for just the right connection. “Here it is. I’m going to Airdrop this to you. Call the number, make an appointment, and we’ll be halfway home. In the meantime, I’ll draw up the non-disclosure document, have Jack sign it, and then tell him what’s going on. We’ll see if he will cooperate.”

  Keri stood, nodded and left his office. Once out in the hallway, she shook herself from head to toe like Tazzie after a bath.

  “I’m glad that’s over with.” She straightened herself and confidently walked into the afternoon heat.

  Chapter 30

  Jon and Jaxson searched the junglesque area they were assigned. Teams of twos were assigned so no one was alone. Safety came first.

  “Where have you been since we arrived? Que chingados. You ditched me and I had to work leads on my own.”

  “Oh, poor Jon. Let me play the tiniest violin for you,” he said in baby talk as he rubbed his index and thumb pads together. “Maybe you need some applause too.” He clapped his two index finger pads together. “And, if memory serves, it was you who ditched me after I said it was a serial killer—and who, who was right about that?”

  “You’re not going to make me say it, yet. We only have two bodies.”

  “Yes I am. If you count the babies, it’s four. Say it or I will hit you so hard you will fall to your knees.”

  “Encabronar.”

  Jaxson pulled his arm back to ready himself to strike Jon near the shoulder joint.

  Jon held his hands in acquiescence. “Okay, okay. Oh, great serial psychic, you’re correct once again. Please forgive that I ever doubted you.”

  He laughed as Jon rolled his eyes more than once and then joined in on the laughter. “In all seriousness, I didn’t want it to be a serial, for lots of reasons, but most of all because Piper is here.”

  Shocked, Jon couldn’t speak for a moment. Finally, he found his voice. “Piper, like in your ex?”

  A smile grew just hearing his partner mention her name. He couldn’t help it. He couldn’t imagine this grin ever going away. Piper was back in his life and he, for one, was going to make sure that never changed. “Yes. That Piper.”

  “Isn’t she wacko or something?”

  As quick as his smile came only seconds ago, a rage erupted inside him. “Fuck you! Don’t you ever talk about her like that, Jon. We realized yesterday that it was her manipulative younger sister who broke us up. The bitch. She played us like a couple of puppets. If I ever get my hands on her, I don’t know how I will stop myself from shoving her head into a wall or something.”

  “I must have hit a nerve to elicit a cuss word from you. What did the bitch do?”

  Jaxson stopped.

  “Chew gum much? You can’t keep walking while you tell me?”

  “Wait. Do you hear that?”

  Turning to the sound he heard, he continued to listen. A dog barked in the distance. Jaxson pointed to the northeast. “That must be the cadaver dog. It doesn’t sound like Tazzie. Let’s head that way.”

  “Tazzie?”

  “Piper’s dog.”

  “You know how her dog sounds? You do have it bad.”

  They took off through the jungle of vines and low-hanging branches, ivy hanging from the trees and small roots growing up in arches from the ground just waiting to trip someone.

  It turned out that the cadaver dog and its handler searched an area only a quarter of a mile to the northeast of them. A few minutes later, they arrived. Jaxson pointed to the golden retriever regally sitting in front of a depressed area covered with leaves and fast-growing plants.

  The primary and secondary concave areas, not much longer than six feet, or wider than three feet, had an inordinate number of weeds growing on top—more so than any other area they had walked. All around the depressions were old, brown leaves; not the pretty red, orange, and yellow ones that the East Coast had in the fall. These were dead, brittle leaves that gave no one joy.

  He lightly hit Jon on his upper arm. “If it hadn’t been for the dog and his great nose, the site might never have been found. The concave depressions are too hard to find in a dense area like this.”

  Jon corrected him. “We don’t know for sure this is a grave. No one has been found yet. We just have a dog sitting next to a dip in the ground.”

  The handler glanced back at Jon and gave him a dirty look. Jaxson noticed it and couldn’t blame the guy. They took their training very seriously. And after he witnessed Tazzie’s accomplishment—he definitely believed in her. “Okay, doubting Thomas. You wait and see. Or, maybe you’d like to put your money where your mouth is. I’ll bet you one hundred dollars there’s a body under that depression.”

  “Hmph.”

  “Hey, put up or shut up.” Jaxson noticed the handler was watching out of the corner of his eye. When the handler realized Jaxson had caught him, he gave Jaxson a thumbs-up sign.

  The handler finally turned and said, “My cadaver dog doesn’t react to
bumps, mounds, or depressions in the ground. He reacts to the scent a cadaver gives off—hence the term ‘cadaver dog.’”

  “I don’t smell anything,” Jon said.

  After rolling his eyes at Jon, he turned to the handler. “I’m Texas Ranger Jaxson Wyatt. You can call me Jaxson and this is my partner, Texas Ranger Jon Torres.”

  “Nice meeting you both. I’m Steven Wright. By the way, Ranger Torres, your nose isn’t as sensitive as a dog’s nose. Humans only have about six million olfactory receptors. Dogs have three hundred million. That’s why you don’t smell anything and Jugger does.” The handler tilted his head with his chin in the air as if telling Torres, so there!

  “Whatever.” Jon strolled off to three Texas Rangers who were walking up the trail. “You guys need to stop where you are. The cadaver dog hit on a tiny depression in the ground.”

  Jaxson followed him over. “Jon. Stop that. You’re insulting Steven.”

  “Who’s Steven?”

  “The handler. I’m surprised you’re still married! You never listen to anyone talking but yourself.”

  “Chingados. I’m the only one who has anything important to say.”

  The handler asked, “Did someone call the ME?”

  One of the Rangers behind Jaxson answered, “We need to verify there is a body under that small depression in the ground. We can’t take the dog’s nose on it. Then we’ll call the forensic team.” He turned to the group of Rangers who had gathered. “Does anyone have shoe covers or a couple of plastic bags I can use?”

  “Do you have gloves? I have some in my pocket if you need them,” Jon volunteered.

  “Thanks, but I have gloves.”

  A young Ranger, probably newly hired, headed toward Jaxson. He shrugged off his backpack. After grabbing it with his free hand, he said, “I have shoe covers and I put together a small kit in my backpack in case we found a body. I have two sizes of hand-held shovels, three sizes of brushes—”

  “Just give me the kit, baby Ranger,” Jon sniped.

  The kid’s cheeks flushed, but he handed the kit to his superior, along with the shoe covers. Once he had shared his wares, he returned to the group.

  Jaxson didn’t like all this movement on the peripheral edges of the possible crime scene. “Jon. While I’m checking for a body, see if anyone has crime scene tape. If you find a roll or two, set up a perimeter. Give the forensic team plenty to work with.”

  “I called it into the HQ van. They’re getting a team ready. Once you verify there’s a body, the team will depart for our location. They’ll bring the tape and everything else we need. In the meantime, I’ll check and see what we can do to mark off the area even if no one here has tape.”

  After Jaxson put on all the protection garments, he made his way to the cadaver dog. He marked the spot with his gaze. “Steve, call him off but make him come straight to you. Try to follow the footsteps you made when you followed him to the spot. Then the two of you are free to leave the area. I don’t want any contamination of the crime scene. Follow Jon’s lead. You might have to get Jon’s attention.”

  Jaxson was only partly aware of the cadaver team leaving; he focused all his attention to the depression. He noticed a smaller dip in the ground below the larger one. He needed to decide where he would start. He finally chose to go with the larger depression. He knelt down on the ground. A rock dug into his kneecap and he had to reposition. Once settled, he glanced through the kit and chose the smallest shovel the baby Ranger brought. He began the slow process of removing soil into a pile. He’d only removed three shovelfuls when he lightly tapped an obstruction that blocked his progress. He switched to the medium-size paintbrush and started sweeping dirt aside until he noticed bone. He continued to move topsoil until he uncovered a skull.

  “Call it in. We have a body. They need to call the forensic anthropologist; it looks like all that’s left is a skeleton. I only uncovered the skull, but that’s enough for me. I’m not going to disturb this scene any more than it has been.”

  No one could do anything until the forensic anthropologist arrived, so they all stood around and speculated whether this was part of the same case. The question was whose body was in that grave. No one else had been reported missing in this area.

  His attention turned to Piper. He didn’t know how she would handle the news if the forensic team confirmed the same modus operandi of the other two bodies. It would officially become a serial killer case. He had to protect her this time.

  He failed last time.

  Chapter 31

  He sat in the booth, tearing up napkins and letting the small strips fall to an ever-growing pile. He’d screwed up and he knew it. It was bad enough they found Sarah—but, to find Angela too? What was he thinking, using that wilderness so many times? If they found all the bodies hidden there…shit…shit…shit!

  A tall brunette approached him, stopped and said, “Nice weather we’re having.” Then she imperceptibly moved her head to the side for him to follow her.

  He did as ordered. Does she think I’m a fool? I recognize all her disguises.

  She continued walking until they passed through a small alcove that opened up into a whole other dining room. Not many people were in this oak-paneled room. The tables were adorned with red and white checked tablecloths and red cloth napkins. Medium-sized chandeliers hung from the ceiling, the light causing a brilliant dance as it reflected off the hanging crystals. The woman finally chose a booth and sat on the cushiony red bench seat. He plopped onto the bench across from the woman.

  She cleared her throat and then began. “I don’t know who you think you are, letting them find not one but two dead bodies! Did you ever hear of burying the bodies in different locations so you don’t get caught? What an idiot!”

  “Hey,” he said in a deep voice, louder than he meant. “Don’t talk to me like that.”

  “How many bodies did you bury there?”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  “Don’t worry about it? I’m not going to jail. Fuck! Fuck! And now we have the biggest order yet. With all this scrutiny, I hate to go through with it while the Texas Rangers and FBI are right under our noses. But I’ve had a request for a very special baby from a very, very rich man in Mexico. His wife can’t conceive so he wants to give her a baby.”

  “What’s so special about that? Most of the customers are rich or they couldn’t afford a new baby.”

  “That’s not the special part, if you would listen. I need a Hispanic baby. The mother has to be Hispanic. It would be nice if you found a couple where the father is Hispanic, too. I know that’s not always possible. But if we can show some kind of proof both parents are Hispanic, he will pay a bonus.”

  “Yeah, the father’s heritage will be harder to learn. Unless I find one who’s married. That will help. It may take a little time to find a pregnant spic, but—”

  “Don’t use that term.”

  “Oh, that’s where you draw the line. I can kill them and cut the babies out but not call a spic a spic.”

  She glanced around to see whether anyone overheard him. Not seeing anyone paying attention, she shot back, “You need to shut the fuck up so we both don’t fry.”

  “Chill. As I was saying, I can stalk the place until I get photos of both.”

  “Fine. Make sure you go far away from here. I don’t want to read about another pregnant woman murdered in this area. Call me on my private cell when you have the baby.” The woman stood and faced the exit, hesitated and then turned back to the man. She placed both hands on the table and stared right into his eyes. “You’re getting sloppy. You used to travel out of state, different states for each kill. All these bodies in Plano is very, very dangerous for both of us. Don’t make another mistake.” She pushed herself off the table and exited before he could say buffalo burger.

  “I may need to take care of her.” He knew this place had the best bison burgers. He planned to stay and have one or two. He needed his energy before he stalked his next pr
ey.

  Chapter 32

  The forensic anthropologic team arrived at the grave entirely suited-up in their blue protective hooded plastic suits. The three of them wore goggles, a face mask, gloves, and shoe covers. A short female in the group asked, “Where’s the grave site?”

  Jaxson studied the credentials to ensure no one entered the area without the proper identification. Once satisfied, he said, “I’m Texas Ranger Jaxson Wyatt. I’ll lead the way.”

  “Thank you, Ranger Wyatt. I’m Dr. Heather Kamille. You can call me Heather. This is the rest of my team, my interns Joe and Tom.”

  The anthropologic team followed Jaxson to the potential grave. Jaxson watched as Joe and Tom dropped their heavy backpacks to the ground and then Tom set a skinny square black bag down. The bag contained a portable table. Joe also dropped a sizeable olive-green canvas bag he had carried by the handles. First, they set up the table and then they unpacked the matching black backpacks. As they removed their gear, Dr. Kamille gave each one their assignments. Joe pulled equipment from his knapsack, including metal stakes, a spool of string, a large and small tape measure, pruning shears, and a folding saw.

  Jax took the tool from Joe and held it in the air for a second, before returning it to him. “This is great! We can use this to cut through all the vines and tree branches.” From past cases, he knew they would establish a grid in order to identify where they found each bone and they would need that saw.

  Tom had almost emptied his bag as well. He brought out two sizes of spades, a pickaxe, and several trowels. Tom turned to the green bag and pulled out a thick white canvas cloth folded to a two-foot square. “This makes a nice tent,” Tom said.