Deadly Obsession (17 page)

The boat dipped as he and Perry boarded. The only thing keeping Braden sane was the fact that Lilly was safe. He’d called while canvassing the marina and his grandmother and three other ladies from the church were already at the house helping her set up.

“Did you hear that?” Braden stopped and held a hand up.

There it was again. A low moaning coming from inside. He placed a finger to his mouth and withdrew his gun. He motioned for Perry to follow him. After easing the wooden hatch door open, he descended the few steps into the interior cabin. The small living room and kitchen area were immaculate and empty.

“Hmmpfff.”

Braden swiveled toward the bedroom door, which was halfway open, and pushed it open with his foot. Lloyd Redford was stretched out on the queen sized bed with his hands tied behind his back and a gag in his mouth.

“Are you alone?” Braden asked without stepping inside.

When Lloyd nodded, Braden holstered his gun and pulled out his pocket knife. As soon as he’d freed the older man’s hands, Lloyd ripped the gag out of his mouth.

“Son of a bitch got the drop on me,” he growled.

“What happened?” Braden sat on the bed next to him while Perry stood guard at the door.

The older man straightened and stretched his legs. “I heard a clinking noise this morning, like someone was throwing rocks at my door so I went to check it out. I’d taken two steps outside when someone shoved a gun into my back.”

“Did you see what he looked like?”

He shook his head. “No, he wore a mask.”

“What did he want? Did he take anything?” Braden pushed.

“Didn’t say more than a couple words the whole time he was here. He just took my cell phone and plugged it into some kind of black box. When I asked him what he was doing, he said he wanted to have some fun with you.”

“Me? Or Hudson Bay S.O.?”

“
You.
He said he liked watching you chase shadows. And he muttered something about seeing how fast it would take the golden boy sheriff to get here. Then he knocked me out. I woke up not too long ago like this.”

“What did he knock you out with?”

“His fist.”

“Did you notice any rings or distinguishing features on his hands or anywhere else on his body?”

“He wore gloves and with that mask I couldn’t see much else. I did notice that his eyes were a funny color.”

“Funny?”

“Yeah, kind of like a blue or purple. Probably wearing some of those fancy contacts.”

Braden stood and motioned for him to do the same. “Why don’t you take a look around and see if he took anything.”

Lloyd nodded and stood up on shaky feet. As they exited the room, Braden tried to see if he could catch the other man off guard. Even if he’d been a victim, he’d still seen his boat leaving Lilly’s aunt’s house the other night. It could have been someone else driving it but that had been days ago.

“Were you at Debra Carmichael’s house Tuesday evening? I saw your boat there and haven’t been able to get hold of you since.”

At the question, Lloyd froze by the small island in the kitchen and turned to face Braden. He glanced at Perry, then back at Braden before focusing on his feet. “Can I talk to you in private?”

Braden frowned, but nodded at Perry to leave. “Well?”

The older man cleared his throat and to Braden’s surprise, a red flush crept up his neck. “Debra and I were seeing each other…socially. I’d left a few things at her place and I didn’t want her reputation sullied.”

“So you and Debra were sleeping together?”

Lloyd glared at him. “It was more than that. I loved her. Proposed to the stubborn woman three times. She said she was too old to get married, but—”

His voice cracked and a thread of guilt twined its way through Braden. The man was mourning and couldn’t even show it because he didn’t want to hurt Debra’s reputation. “How’d you get into her place?”

Lloyd’s gaze strayed toward Braden’s left. “I have a key.”

Braden looked toward the key rack. There was a cluster of keys on one silver ring, then a separate key dangling from a key ring with a miniature martini glass at the end. Not exactly something the fisherman would have bought himself. “What about the alarm?”

Lloyd wrung his gnarled, shaking hands in front of him and shrugged. “I got confused and punched in the wrong code. When it went off, I panicked.”

Braden was a pretty good judge of character and his instinct told him Lloyd was telling the truth. It was obvious Lloyd had arthritis and there was no way he could lift and transport bodies. Not to mention he’d been living in Hudson Bay his entire life and there wasn’t one possible thing he could have against Braden or Lilly. Braden barely knew the man.

“Do you know Lilly Carmichael?” He watched for some kind of reaction.

Lloyd shook his head, but his expression was otherwise neutral as he answered. “I don’t know her personally, but Debbie sure was proud of her. Had pictures of her all over the house.”

Debbie.
The way the fisherman’s voice softened when he said Debra’s name cinched it for Braden. “Do you need to go to the hospital?”

“No. I’m sore but I’ll live.”

“Well, you’ll need to make a statement, but I can pick you up from the station in an hour or so. I’ll be heading over to Debra’s place for the wake then. You can ride with me if you want.”

His pale eyes flared with hope. “You don’t think her niece or anyone else would mind?”

“Hundreds of people are going to be in and out today. I’ll explain to Lilly about your relationship, but no one else will think twice about you being there. One of the deputies can escort you to the station now.”

“Let me grab my jacket.”

While Lloyd retreated to his room, Braden ascended the stairs to the back deck. “Lloyd’s not involved but I’m sending him down to the station to make a statement. Do you have a crime kit in your car?” He directed the question to Vanessa. He noticed she’d driven her personal car, not a squad car.

She glanced sharply at Perry, causing her red ponytail to bob, before returning Braden’s gaze. “Yes.”

Braden briefly wondered what was going on between the two of them, but brushed it away. “I doubt he left anything behind but I want both of you to comb Lloyd’s place. Once you’re done, I want you to join me in canvassing the surrounding boats. Maybe someone saw something. Most of these are empty, but I saw Mitch Byrne earlier. I’m going to send Officer Jordan out to some of the motels to see if anyone has seen the Allbright girl, but we’re going to set up a search party as soon as we’re through here.”

They both nodded as Lloyd stepped onto the back deck. The older man handed the key ring to Debra’s house to him so Braden shoved it in his pocket. Then he handed his boat keys to Perry. “Would you lock up when you’re done?”

As Braden stepped onto the dock, he resisted the urge to help Lloyd. Something told him it would make the older man feel weak, especially after what happened.

“So, what did this guy want from me?” Lloyd finally asked while they walked toward the parking lot.

Braden weighed his options before answering. Even though they’d released Murphy’s picture to the media, so far the general public didn’t know the details of the killings. With the exception of the last victim, the first three didn’t have close family so there hadn’t been any locals privy to the methods of the murders. “All I can tell you is that he’s dangerous and you’re very lucky to be alive.” He wasn’t sure why the killer hadn’t just murdered the old man and maybe they’d never know. Braden was glad they didn’t have another victim on their hands.

“This have anything to do with the picture of Greg Murphy I saw on the news?” he asked as they reached the parking lot.

Braden paused as they stopped next to one of the deputies’ cars. “It’s possible, but don’t repeat that to anyone.”

Lloyd snorted. “Don’t worry about me. I don’t talk to most folks in town anyway.”

After sending Lloyd back to the station with one of his guys, Braden headed to the farthest row of slips and began knocking on the doors of each one. He wanted to put his fist through a wall for how he felt. They’d been so close to finally catching this guy and the fact that he was so damn short on manpower was their biggest disadvantage.

The only thing that made him feel a little better was the fact that they’d caught the killer by surprise. Braden had seen it in every line of the man’s body. Maybe he’d finally screw up now. If he got rattled enough, he’d make a mistake. When he did, they’d be waiting for him.

Lilly ripped open a packet of cobalt blue paper napkins and laid them next to a plate of brownies. Technically the wake wasn’t supposed to start for a while, but people had been showing up all morning. When Alma Donnelly and her friends had arrived at eight, Lilly had been taken aback until she realized they planned to set everything up for her.

She hadn’t even had to make coffee or tea. They’d rushed in like gangbusters and taken over. She’d forgotten how thoughtful people were in small towns. Even though she craved space, being surrounded by all these caring people made her want to cry.

She resisted the urge, however. If she started crying, she’d likely never stop. Her aunt was dead and she knew there was nothing she could do about it. Still, getting through this day had turned out harder than she’d expected.

“You’re staring at those napkins like they hold the answer to all life’s questions,” Braden’s deep voice murmured close to her ear, causing her to spin around and stumble right into his chest.

“I didn’t even hear you come in,” she murmured.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. How are you holding up?” He placed a protective hand on her hip.

“Fine. Did you find out anything at the marina?”

He shook his head and glanced over his shoulder. “No, but Lloyd Redford is here. Turns out he and your aunt had a thing. It was real hush-hush, but he wanted to pay his respects.”

“What about the missing girl?”

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. We’re setting up a search party for Barbara so I’m going to have to leave you alone for a couple hours.” Braden didn’t meet her gaze but looked at a spot over her head as he spoke.

“Don’t worry about that, I’ll be fine…What aren’t you telling me?” She wasn’t exactly surprised her aunt had been seeing someone. Her Aunt Debra had dropped enough hints over the past six months but Lilly could tell she hadn’t been ready to tell her who she was seeing so Lilly hadn’t pushed. Something else was bothering Braden though. There was something about his rigid stance that told her he was holding something back.

“Nothing. Listen, as I drove up I saw the reverend arrive so I know he’ll want to speak to you. I’ve really got to go though.”

“I’ll walk you out.” Lilly wrapped up a couple brownies for Braden in a napkin so he’d have something to eat then grabbed a small one for herself. She devoured it before making her way to the other room. She hadn’t had a chance to eat all morning and the hollow feeling in her stomach was making her nauseous.

As she passed through the foyer, she frowned at the sight of the bright flowers on the table. Bursts of yellow, pink, white and purple Peruvian lilies overflowed from a clear vase on the foyer table. Since practically everyone she knew had already sent their condolences, she couldn’t imagine who these were from.

She plucked the white card from its holder and opened it up.
Maybe I’ll send these to your funeral.

Bile burned the back of her throat. She clutched onto the table as a flash of cold assaulted her. Instead of fear, raw anger burned through her. She walked the few steps to the living room and stepped into the entryway.

“Lilly? What is it?” Braden murmured low enough for only her to hear.

Wordlessly she handed him the card then scanned the people in the living room. There were about thirty somber looking people scattered about, all dressed in black. Lilly’s gaze landed on Alma. When the older woman saw her, Lilly waved her over. She didn’t want to make a scene, but she wasn’t going to play the victim.

“Do you know where these flowers came from?”

Alma smoothed a hand over her black dress as her eyebrows furrowed. “I think they came from Delaney’s Flowers and Gifts…Yes, they did because I remember the delivery man’s hat.”

“Thanks. Will you tell the reverend I’ll be in there in a second? I need a minute.”

“Of course. Take your time.”

Lilly waited until Alma had disappeared into the other room before turning to Braden. People normally ordered flowers online and that meant they had to pay with a credit card.

“He probably used a credit card unless he ordered them in person,” Braden said, practically reading her mind. He pulled out his phone and punched in a number. Lilly’s heart raced as she waited for Braden.

“Hey, is Perry or Vanessa there yet?…Fine, I need you to follow up on something.” He placed a hand over the receiver and spoke to her. “What kind of flowers were they?”

“Peruvian lilies. A huge bouquet like that would cost close to a hundred dollars.”

“Go down to Delaney’s Florist and find out who sent the Peruvian lilies to Debra Carmichael’s wake…I don’t care if she’s your ex-girlfriend…Damn it, find out who bought those flowers and find out if they paid in cash or with a credit card.”

After a few more grunted orders, Braden snapped the phone shut.

“You think someone might have paid with cash?”

“If they did, it means they were in the store and as far as I know, Delaney’s has an in-house security system.”

She frowned. “Since when?”

“About a year ago there were a few break-ins downtown. Just some teenagers looking to get some easy cash, but a lot of the locals installed security systems.”

“Hudson Bay finally caught up with the rest of the world.”

“In more ways than one,” he murmured.

“What else are you holding back?” He was leaving and she didn’t want to waste time dancing around her question. Something was bothering him. She could sense it. When he didn’t respond she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him. “Keeping me in the dark won’t help the case.”

He let out a long, tired sigh. “He was there, Lilly.”

“
He,
as in the killer?”

“We caught him sneaking out of Lloyd’s boat. He dove into the water before we could stop him.”

“Who is it?” She dropped her arms and clutched onto the dresser.

He shook his head. “He was wearing a mask.”

“What about Lloyd Redford?”

“The guy tied him up and was using Lloyd’s phone. From what Lloyd remembers, it sounds like he’s using some sort of modifier for his voice.”

She smoothed a hand down her black slacks. “Is it horrible that I wish today wasn’t the wake? I feel like I should be out there doing something.” Saying the words aloud only intensified her guilt.

Pulling her away from the entry to the living room—and away from curious eyes—he brought her closer to the front door before enveloping her in his strong arms. “You’re not alone,” he said against her hair.

Leaning into him, she savored his embrace for a few moments. Simply being this close to him got her heart pumping overtime and heat flowing to all her nerve endings. Letting herself get close to him again was just plain stupid. Her head knew it, but her heart didn’t want to listen. Even if they caught the guy, Lilly knew she’d have to come clean about the real reason she left and take the chance that Braden wouldn’t believe her. After a few long moments, she took a step back. “You’ve got to go.” Her words came out raspy.

“I know.” The look on his face told her he didn’t want to leave but she understood he had to. If it wasn’t for the wake, she’d go with him.

“Go. I’ll be fine here.” It was barely eleven and she was ready to go back to bed. Her aunt had been murdered and now it looked like some poor girl might be suffering unbelievable torture. When the hell had the world gone so mad?

Hours later Lilly collapsed onto one of the chairs at the kitchen table and stared at Braden. “I’m so glad everyone is gone. Today felt like four days. I want to go to bed and sleep for a hundred years. Are you sure you should have left the search party?” she asked him. He’d told her to call after everyone had gone so she had.

He nodded as he leaned against the counter. “We pulled in all the volunteer firefighters and the search dogs haven’t been able to find a lead past Main Street. We’ve been searching for hours. They can live without me for ten minutes.”

“I don’t know what I did to deserve you.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. He wasn’t hers. Sure, they had a past, but they’d only shared one night together. That didn’t mean they had a relationship.

When his dark, heated gaze met hers, she swallowed hard, but somehow found her voice. “I didn’t mean anything by that,” she mumbled.

He straightened. “What do you want from me, Lilly?”

She inwardly groaned. After last night she’d known this was coming but admitting what she wanted was too much right now. Biting her bottom lip, she met his gaze. “I want…” Her throat seized, refusing to let any words pass. What if she admitted that she wanted a second chance and he rejected her? She wasn’t a kid anymore and the break up the first time had wrecked her. She didn’t know if she could deal with that kind of pain again. And this time she knew it would be worse. After seeing the man Braden had grown into, she knew there would never be anyone else who made her feel the way he did. “I think I need to get some fresh air.” The chair made a scraping sound as she stood.

Braden pushed away from the counter. “You can’t answer my question?” He sounded angry and she didn’t blame him.

The room felt suddenly stifling. She hated that she was being a coward and couldn’t just answer him but she couldn’t find the right words. What if he didn’t believe her? “I just want a few minutes of fresh air on the beach.” When he made a move to follow, she held out a hand. “Alone, Braden. I’ve been cooped up all day and I want to think without anyone hovering over me. I’ll take my gun with me.”

He shook his head. “I’ll give you space, but I’m coming with you.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but knew it was pointless. Before she could respond, he lifted his pant leg and pulled out a .38. “Tuck this into your jacket.”

Nodding, she did as he said. Her weapon was upstairs and she didn’t feel like running up to grab it.

“I’ll stay in your aunt’s yard, but that’s as far away as I’ll let you go.”

After shrugging into her jacket, she let herself out the back door and made her way to the beach. A glance behind her told her that Braden wasn’t far behind. Even though she might not admit it aloud, his presence made her feel safer. Immediately the fresh salty air enveloped her and some of that tension ebbed from her shoulders. The house was beginning to feel like a prison and this was exactly what she needed.
Just a few minutes of down time.
Then it was back to reality.

The beach was empty for miles in each direction. As she started to sit on the soft sand, her phone rang. The number wasn’t private, but she didn’t recognize it.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Lilly. It’s been a long time.” The voice on the other end sent chills down her spine. It wasn’t mechanical, but it was the voice of a dead man. Someone she hadn’t even considered.

“Who is this?” Fear clawed at her insides because she already knew the answer. She might want to deny it, but his voice was unmistakable.

“I think you know.”

“You’re dead.” Her voice was a whisper and she briefly wondered if he could hear her above the crash of the waves. When she’d heard the news of his death she’d actually been glad—no, relieved—even as she’d felt bad for Braden for losing his family.

“Exactly,” James Donnelly—
Braden’s dead brother
—said.

“Are you the one doing this?”

“Who else would it be?” His voice was taunting.

“But why?” An icy fist wrapped around her throat, threatening to suffocate her. She glanced behind her. Braden stood about twenty yards off. He half waved at her.

“Because it’s your fault I got sent to that shitty military school my senior year.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“After that night, my mother told me I’d be punished. I didn’t realize what she had in mind until after summer.” His heated voice rose above the wind and waves.

She gritted her teeth at the way he said “that night” so calmly. “You tried to rape me, you psycho!” She pushed up from the sand, unable to stop the rising pitch of her voice. She’d been through a hell of a lot worse and she was a decade older. Not some scared teenager. She wouldn’t let him frighten her.

“You wanted it. I bet you still want it.” The way he calmly spoke, as if he really believed his own words, made her want to vomit.

She couldn’t find her voice though and he just continued. “Do you think of me when you touch yourself or when you’re fucking other men? Did you think of me last night when my brother was touching you? What do you think sweet Barbara’s thinking of right now?”

“What?” Lilly gasped.

“That’s right. She’s here with me, begging me to let her die. Do you think I should kill her? Say the word, Lilly, and I’ll put her out of her misery.”

“Let me talk to her!”

“Help me,” a terrified voice whispered.

Lilly couldn’t tell if it was even male or female. “Where are you, you sick son of a bitch?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” He chuckled.

“You want me, not her. Why not trade me for her? I can meet you right now.” If she could just keep him talking longer maybe he’d give her some sort of clue where he was. Turning around to motion to Braden, she saw him running toward her.

James paused for a moment then laughed, the sound hollow and eerie. “I’m not stupid.”

“We’re going to catch you.”

“Have fun trying.” The phone line went dead.

Her hands shook as she stared at the silent cell phone. Her battery beeped once, telling her it was about to die anyway. But that was the least of her worries. For years she’d been battling memories of him. She refused to be a victim to that monster again. She didn’t understand how he was alive but she knew what she’d heard. There was no mistaking his voice. That voice had haunted her for too many years. And as far as she knew the rescuers had never found his body. Her aunt had told her that much.

“What’s going on, sweetheart? Was that him?”

“Oh, that was him all right,” she ground out.

“What did he say?” Braden’s dark eyes called out to her, begged her to tell him the truth.

She cursed under her breath. She knew it sounded crazy but maybe if she explained everything…Hell, either he believed her or he didn’t. She’d been keeping this bottled inside for too long. “I know who’s after me and I don’t think it’s Greg Murphy.”