‘Yeah,’ Scarlett managed and cleared her throat. ‘I wish Novak was here to see this. Faith, too. We needed an infusion of happy.’
‘As you wish!’ the three woman chorused.
Scarlett laughed. ‘Nothing like
The Princess Bride
to take your mind off your troubles.’
‘Detective Bishop,’ Meredith teased, ‘I wouldn’t have taken you for a fan of romance.’
Scarlett shot her a look. ‘Romance? Pffft. Not this girl. I only watched for the fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases and escapes.’
‘And true love, of course,’ Meredith said, continuing the quote from the movie.
‘And miracles, most of all,’ Scarlett whispered, finishing it. ‘I’ve always been a sucker for the miracles.’ She studied Arianna’s smile. ‘She’s gonna come down hard when this euphoria wears off, isn’t she?’
‘Yes, but that’s not this moment. We’ll take the happiness where we can get it and deal with the trauma when we must. Do you have any news on Roza?’
‘Not on her whereabouts, but the team did find her mother’s body. Roza had been sleeping next to her grave. She’d buried her mother posed like she was asleep, holding Roza’s only doll.’
Her eyes suddenly bright with tears, Meredith pursed her lips, drawing a deep breath and blowing it out unsteadily. ‘Sometimes this job really sucks, you know, Detective?’
‘Call me Scarlett, and yes, I do know. So let’s soak in some of this happy while we can.’
Meredith gestured her welcome. ‘Come in. I think the girls would like to see you.’
‘Detective Bishop!’ Arianna called when Scarlett stepped through the door. ‘Come in. We’re watching a movie.’
‘I heard. Look at all these flowers. Balloons and stuffed animals, too. Quite a haul.’
‘And candy,’ Arianna said. ‘Although Lauren’s the only one who can eat it right now.’
‘I’m live tweeting,’ Lauren said. ‘Corinne and Arianna: the reunion. You want to make a statement?’
‘I’m happy to see them safe,’ Scarlett said simply. She noticed Corinne searching her face in question and shook her head. ‘Not yet, honey. But we will find her.’
Corinne gave a hard nod. ‘Watch the movie with us, Detective. Feel free to quote along.’
‘For a little while. Sure.’
Cincinnati, Ohio, Wednesday 5 November, 8.45
P.M.
He’d sewn up so many bodies, alive and dead, and had taught himself to suture with either hand, but he simply was not able to reach the bullet wound in his arm. Hours later, it was still bleeding steadily, and if he didn’t get help soon, he might pass out.
And wouldn’t that be lovely?
He looked at the child, still semi-unconscious in the back seat. He didn’t think she was faking it. If she was, she was a far better actress than her mother or her aunt.
It was past time to get a doctor.
For both of us
. He’d been waiting all day for Dr Dani Novak to get off shift, but she hadn’t left the ER. He’d grown tired of waiting in his stolen vehicle. He’d wait for her in a much more comfortable location.
Not willing to take any more chances, he’d already tied Roza’s wrists and ankles securely. And then he’d gagged her. He’d never gagged her before, but he couldn’t be certain what bad habits she’d picked up during her day of freedom.
He made sure the blanket was covering her completely before locking her into the Suburban and taking the stairs up to Dr Novak’s third-floor apartment. He twisted the doorknob for kicks, shocked when the door opened. Dr Dani didn’t lock her front door?
Shame on her
.
He’d expected to have to wait in the shadows, forcing her into her apartment at knifepoint. He normally liked to play with his prey, but tonight he was grateful he wouldn’t have to fight too hard. He slipped into the apartment and stopped short.
Well, hello.
A young man slept on the sofa, his hair black save a wide streak of white in the front.
Ah.
Little brother Greg, who’d made so much trouble for everyone, had come to visit. His hearing aids, a bus pass and a single key lay on the coffee table. An unzipped backpack was propped against the sofa, a laptop and a balled-up T-shirt and undershorts visible. Little brother had come to spend the night.
Excellent.
The more the merrier, especially when it came to brokering a trade for Faith.
He crept across the floor, being extra quiet until he remembered the boy couldn’t hear. He didn’t take prisoners of Greg Novak’s size very often, but he was prepared. From his pocket he drew a handkerchief and sprinkled a liberal dose of ketamine on it. Then he positioned himself behind the sleeping teenager, crouching so that his arms were level with the arm of the sofa. In one movement he set the blade of his knife to Greg’s throat with his right hand and pressed the hankie to the boy’s mouth with his stronger left hand.
As expected, the kid took a big gulp of air before starting to struggle, but went dead still when he felt the bite of the blade.
Ten, nine, eight
. . . He started to slump and gave a characteristic final burst of panicked energy that was again nipped by the bite of the blade.
Four, three, two, one.
And the kid was out like a light.
Like taking candy from a baby
. Coming to his feet, he pulled two zip-tie restraints from his pockets and, rolling the kid over, bound his hands behind him. Then his feet.
He sank to the floor, exhausted. Hopefully Dr Dani would take her time getting home. He wasn’t sure he had the strength to put a gun to anyone’s head at the moment, but that was what he planned to do. When Dr Dani came home, she’d find his gun pressed to her brother’s head. It would ensure her cooperation in tending to his wound and then in getting them the hell out of here before anyone came looking for them.
He’d take them all to his own turf and hold them there until he got what he wanted. Faith. Once he had her where he wanted her, he’d kill her without fuss. And then go back to his life.
Cincinnati, Ohio, Wednesday 5 November, 9.30
P.M.
Faith bit her lip as Deacon punched the elevator button for the top floor of the safe house. He hadn’t looked at her once, not the whole way from the house back to the city. He’d been professional and polite when he’d arrived to pick her up. He’d even been downright cordial to Sophie, who’d hugged him warmly.
But he hadn’t said a word to Adam. She could tell he wasn’t simply angry. He was filled with quietly restrained rage. He was the tiger – predatory, powerful and ready to spring.
‘Are you planning to say anything to me?’ she asked softly.
‘Not yet.’
‘Okay.’ She exhaled carefully. ‘Are you planning to tell me what happened to put you in this mood? Because I have to say that you’re scaring me, Deacon.’
A muscle twitched in his cheek. ‘Not yet.’
Okay
. Whatever had happened had been very serious indeed.
Well, that’s just too damn bad. I’ve had a pretty sucky day too
. Seven more dead. Jars of human organs hidden in the dumbwaiter shaft. Foundation scholarship recipients missing. Fake scholarship applicants invented so that someone could collect their awards. Then there was Roza’s box, filled with books.
And Roza’s mother, buried with my mother’s doll.
The elevator opened and Deacon held an arm out to keep her from darting into the hall while he looked right and left. He must have been satisfied, because he gestured for her to proceed.
Bishop was waiting for them at the condo’s dining room table. So was Adam.
Adam came slowly to his feet. ‘Deacon,’ he started with a sigh. ‘This is cr—’
‘Don’t,’ Deacon snapped. ‘Just don’t. You knew I was worried. You knew I wanted to be there, yet you took her there anyway. Did you think to tell me where she was? About how I’d feel when she wasn’t where she was supposed to be? Did you even wait until I was out of the station this afternoon before removing her?’
Faith had had enough. ‘Stop it! I’m right here, so don’t talk about me like I’m a piece of furniture. If you’re looking for an apology from me, then fine. I’m sorry I’ve made you angry. But I’m
not
sorry I went to the house. I thought I could help. And I did. I’m not a child and you are not my keeper. If you expect blind obedience, you will be very disappointed.’
He spun to face her so quickly that the tails of his leather coat flared out, following his motion. His eyes were wild, turbulent. He seemed bigger, his shoulders broader. His presence filled the room. He looked . . . absolutely magnificent.
‘You think that’s what this is about?’ he demanded. ‘That I want your blind obedience? Goddammit, Faith, I
wanted
you to use the brain God put in your head. I
wanted
you to be safe.’
‘She
was
safe,’ Adam said, clearly offended. ‘She was with me. She is fine. She doesn’t need you hovering over her. She was helpful.’
‘Hovering,’ Deacon repeated so softly that Faith cringed.
Bishop opened her mouth to intervene, then quickly closed it, shaking her head with a weariness Faith understood all too well.
‘You do realize,’ Deacon continued in that same low tone that dripped with sarcastic contempt, ‘that a serial killer whose killing spree has escalated beyond anything I’ve ever seen wants to kill her? You do realize that?’
Adam’s expression grew dark. ‘You are no closer to finding him right now than you were last night or the night before. Each hour you’ve wasted is another hour that Roza has suffered.’
Deacon flinched. ‘You don’t think I know that? You don’t think I hear every one of those hours chiming in my head like a goddamned funeral bell? I hear every damn second that ticks by, but the answer is not to endanger more lives. This man will stop at nothing to kill
her
.’ He threw an arm out, pointing at Faith. ‘He will kill anyone who is around her to get to her. And you know what? You’re right. I’ve been chasing this guy for two days and I don’t know where he is or who he is. But I’m not willing to put innocent lives in jeopardy to find out a few seconds faster.’
A muscle in Adam’s cheek twitched. ‘Roza—’
‘
Is not the only factor here!
’ Deacon exploded, his control visibly shattering. He slammed his hands on the chair in front of him. ‘He kills people for a front-row seat to wherever Faith is going to be. You know how he knew about that Renzo punk’s knife? Because he invaded the home of my neighbor and used his house as a sniper post. And you want to know how he knew which house to pick? He looked for the one that once had
my name
on the deed.’
Adam faltered, confused. ‘What?’
‘He chose my old house. The one I inherited after Bruce and my mother died.’
‘Oh God,’ Bishop murmured. ‘Deacon, he targeted you.’
‘He already targeted me the night he tried to put a bullet in my shoulder. This time he targeted a man whose only crime was to buy my old house fifteen years ago. His name was Mr Lazar and he was a nice man. But now he’s dead. He killed him, Adam, brutally. Then he watched from his window until that punk walked by my new house one too many times. And then he killed that boy. But not before he took a few more souvenirs. That’s what he does. That’s what he’ll do to Faith and anyone around her.’
Faith sank into a chair, the blood draining from her head. Two more dead.
Brutally
.
‘What do you think he’s doing to Roza?’ Adam countered quietly. Accusingly.
‘I
know
what he’s doing to her. I
saw
what he did to the others. I stood in the cold room and I looked at them
all
.’
He hadn’t just looked at them, Faith knew. He’d let their suffering into his mind and it had destroyed a piece of his heart. She’d seen the after-effects of that herself.
Adam shook his head. ‘No, you don’t. You don’t know. You’ve never seen.’
The table jolted as Deacon shoved the chair he’d been holding in a death grip and leaned forward, gripping both sides of the table. His body vibrated in anger and fear and hurt. ‘He cut them apart! Both Lazar and Renzo. He cut them into pieces and dumped them into garbage bags. He used Lazar’s own cleaver to do it.’ His voice broke. ‘He cut off his head, Adam,’ he whispered. ‘He cut off both their heads and stuffed them in the freezer.’
Faith’s stomach heaved even as her heart ached for him. His neighbor. He’d known him. Liked him. And then to have found him . . . like that.
Oh Deacon
.
Adam shuddered out a breath. ‘I’m sorry, Deacon. I’m sorry that happened to your neighbor, but his ordeal lasted a few hours. Arianna’s lasted
days
. He’s had Roza for
years
.
Years.
Do you have any idea what he could be doing to her right now?’
‘Yes,’ Deacon said, quietly now. As if he had no strength to say more. He still gripped the table, but his head fell forward, his pose no longer one of menace, but defeat. ‘I know.’
‘No, you don’t.’ Adam took a step back, his breathing too shallow and too fast. ‘You only see them after. After it’s over. You haven’t seen.
I’ve seen
.’
Deacon lifted his head. Exhaustion had etched lines into his cheeks, around his mouth and eyes. ‘What have you seen?’ he asked with a gentle sadness that brought tears to Faith’s eyes.
‘No. I can’t do this. I won’t do this. I won’t one-up you. I am sorry you found your neighbor dead and . . . mutilated. I am sorry that you probably saw Faith that way, in your mind. I am sorry if you think I put her in danger, but I can assure you that she was never in any peril. And I’m especially sorry if you think I’d deliberately put her in harm’s way. Because I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. I . . .’ He let out a breath. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’