Authors: Morgan Kelley
The men headed out.
“I’m telling your fiancée you were getting some action from a geriatric,” Luke teased.
“Uh, I’m marrying Oracle. I’m pretty sure she saw it coming before I even did it.”
“Good point. What now?”
“We’re going to head back to the cabin, check on the women, and then think about what Adelaide told us. I think we should probably split up and take care of some interviews.”
“Please tell me I’m going to be helping you.”
He laughed. “Yeah, you are. I figured we’ll leave the Marines to do the guard duty detail.”
“What about the sheriff?”
“Yeah, I have to admit that I’m curious. He found us the first day, and then today your car is carved up.”
“Don’t remind me.”
“We found him IN your vehicle.”
“What?”
“You heard me. He was digging for information. Now we have some on him, and we need to decide what to do with it.”
“Kick his ass for putting his hands all over my baby?”
He laughed. “You know that pisses your wife off, right? Besides, I have a far better idea.”
“Whenever you get that look, it usually means someone is shooting at us by the end of the day. It’s nearly gotten us killed a few times.”
Nate glanced over. “Come on. It has not!”
“The Westwood killings?” he reminded him.
“That was a fluke. I wasn’t to blame.”
“The case we covered in New Mexico with the drugs and corpses used to transport cocaine?”
“That wasn’t my fault either.”
“How about the one where we got locked in that crazy woman’s basement, and she was going to try and cut us to pieces with a circular saw after she rode our junk?”
“Okay, well that one may have been on me.”
Luke laughed. “Yeah, only that one. What’s your genius plan?”
“I say we give the sheriff a tail.”
“What do you mean?”
“Now that Maura is here, she can protect Avalon. We send Jagger out to play in the shadows. He loves doing that.”
“To do what?”
“He’s going to babysit the sheriff. If he follows him the next couple days, and a body turns up, well know that he doesn’t have anything to do with it.”
“That’s really paranoid. He’s the town sheriff. Do you really think he’s out there raping and burning women alive?”
“Do you want your wife hurt?” he asked, as they approached the clearing.
“No, no I don’t. It’s a genius idea, and I love it. Deploy the Marine.”
Nate started laughing, until he saw the familiar truck. “Well, well. We had an intruder that we lost in the woods, and then we find the sheriff here.”
Even Luke found that suspicious. “What if it’s him?”
“We need to cover our asses and keep an eye on him.”
It worked for Luke.
The last thing they needed was an issue popping up to bite them in the ass. With all the cases they worked, they’d had a few where the suspect was right under their noses, trying to be helpful to the investigation.
It could happen.
“Let’s get in there and see what we missed.
Luke followed his partner toward the cabin. Now he was worried too. Coming back seemed like a good thing. Unfortunately, it might have been safer in the tropics with a horny Marine.
* * *
O R A C L E * * *
He had barely escaped.
It wasn’t easy to outrun the two Feds, but somehow, he managed to pull it off. When he headed toward the old lady’s cabin, he knew that he could get away.
They would see it and head right toward the place.
It was a good plan.
He also knew he wasn’t far from his vehicle. Once he got there, he would be safe.
It was close, but he won that round.
Now he knew what he was up against, and he gave a face to the enemy.
They were going to be on his ass, so he had to be very careful. The last thing he wanted was to get caught and go to jail.
No, he’d die first.
There was no way he’d live out his life in orange.
Fuck that.
He was going to finish up his plan, find the woman who saw into his head, and get out of there.
Lucky for him, they couldn’t tie him to the first town. No, he was too cleaver for that.
Now it was time to get down to business. In fact, he was going to screw with them in the process. He knew what would work.
It was a matter of time before they weren’t chasing him, and on someone else.
He laughed.
It was good to be him.
It was bad to be them.
* * *
O R A C L E * * *
Juliett’s Cabin
When they arrived inside, the sheriff was sitting on the couch with two Marines not far from his side. Jagger, as usual, was lounging against the wall, watching everything around him.
Maura was pacing back and forth, not far from the sheriff. They could tell from her body language that she wasn’t thrilled with what was going on.
“What happened?” Nate asked, when he entered the room. “Why do you look pissed, and the sheriff look like he’s worried you’re going to shoot him?” he asked.
“He came in without knocking, so imagine how that played out.”
Jagger grinned from his stationary point. “I didn't hit him. I want that put on the record.”
Maura didn't flinch. “It was me.”
They glanced over at the man. He didn't look any worse for the wear, and Juliett was sitting right beside him, holding his hand.
“Am I still being held hostage?” he asked, jerking his head toward the female Marine. “It looks like she’s getting ready to call in the firing squad.”
“What happened?”
“I got here and stepped onto the porch, only to find that the door was open a crack. I got worried. I wanted to make sure Juliett—I mean the ladies—were okay. I then ran headlong into GI Jane. She handed me my ass. That’s twice in two days a woman in this house has gotten their shots in.”
Nate shrugged. “Sorry about that, but you arrived at a bad time. When did you get here?”
“Five minutes after you took off,” Maura offered.
Luke glanced over at his friend. The sheriff could have been the one in the woods. He could have circled back if he’d parked his vehicle not far away.
This didn't make either of the men happy.
“Well, we had a run in with a little old lady,” Nate said.
“I see you like kissing women when I’m not around to keep you in line,” Avalon said, laughing. “Nathaniel Carter, do we have to have the talk?”
He snorted. “See? I told you, Luke.”
“She gave us some leads.”
That had the sheriff’s attention. “What did you dig up?”
“We have to do some interviews. We’ll tell you about them as soon as we get them handled. How about you head to your office, and we’ll meet you there? I want to give the team their assignments before Luke and I head out.”
“Okay, I can do that. Are you sure she’s not going to jump me before I hit the door?” he asked, pointing at Maura.
She laughed. “You’re safe, sheriff.”
When he got up, he glanced down at Juliett. “Dinner tonight?” he asked. “Since I missed our coffee date, I’ll make sure no one assaults us in my home.”
She smiled. “I’d like that.”
“I’ll see you gentlemen in a bit.”
Luke watched him head out. If he didn't know the man was a sheriff, he wouldn’t think he was. While he was wearing a badge and gun, he looked more like some rough and tumble backwoods cowboy.
“Avalon, can you and Juliett give us a minute?” Nate asked. “We need to talk about the case.”
Avalon got the hint. They were going to discuss something that the other woman shouldn’t hear. She was good with that. Avalon could distract her with a discussion about the previous night’s date.
As soon as they were gone, Nate and Luke told them everything.
After they laughed about the woman and the hose, they got serious.
“What if he’s part of this?” asked Maura. “This is why I asked if he was fully vetted.”
“We’re going to work on that this morning. When we meet him in his office, we’re going to ask him about his ex-wife and discuss what she claims had happened. I want you to do a deep run on him.”
“I ran him,” Jagger stated. “He’s clean. Remember?”
Yeah, they did, but they wanted a second check on the man. This time, they would pull out all the stops.
“I want to see if you can find any police reports, or if his family has any secrets. Adelaide said his father was a mean drunk, and his brother ran into the law at one time.”
She made her notes.
“Also, search social media. I need to know where the two women were before they died. If that doesn’t work, ask Avalon. She saw the last murder. Maybe she can give us something.”
Maura agreed.
“Jagger, you’re to tail him later. We’ll keep an eye on him while we work, but you’re on night duty.”
They were good with that.
“I’ll crash so I can be up until tomorrow.”
“If someone dies tonight, we know the sheriff isn't responsible. I hate that we’re doing this until another victim turns up, but we have to cover our bases. He found us on day one, and now the Hummer gets a message.”
“Bastard,” muttered Luke.
“See you in a few hours,” Jagger said, heading toward his room.
“Where are you two going?” Maura asked.
“We have a couple of interviews to do, starting with the sheriff. It’s time to lay it all out on the table.”
Nate headed toward his room to get changed.
When he was gone, Luke grabbed his wife and pulled her into his arms. “So, GI Jane, want to rough me up later?” he asked, finding her mouth with his.
Maura sank into the kiss. When they broke apart, she grinned. “Yeah, I can do that. Bring the handcuffs, and not the play ones.”
He laughed. “I love being married. It rocks.”
Chapter FOURTEEN
Sheriff Rhett Longfellow’s
Office
No one was looking forward to this conversation. They knew this was going to be an uncomfortable meeting for all parties concerned. While the sheriff was all gung-ho, planning on saving the day, Nate and Luke had to burst his bubble.
As of that moment, he was on the suspect list.
Whether he liked it or not, he was under the microscope. There were some things to clarify before they could let him assist further.
As soon as they got to Rhett’s office, they found the man sitting behind his desk. He was signing his name on countless sheets as he tried to keep ahead of the paperwork.
Nate totally got that.
In a way, he felt bad for the big guy.
Here, they had this lumbering man who appeared to genuinely care about his town. They didn't doubt that he was going to be pissed when they started this conversation. Now they could only hope he wouldn’t take their two heads and crack them together like coconuts.
“Hey! Come on in. I’m just approving payroll. I hate paperwork, but now that Caitlyn is dead, I’m a woman short of running this team.”
They took a seat, saying nothing at first.
“What’s up?” he asked, sensing their hesitation.
“We need to talk, Rhett,” Nate said.
“Yeah, get me up to speed on the case. I want to help, despite the violent women you two hang around with,” he teased.
Neither man laughed.
“Okay, this is a really tough crowd.”
“We have a problem.”
“What?”
“You’re officially on the suspect list.”
“What?” he asked, standing up.
Both Feds went for their sidearms in response to his fast movements.
“Hey! I’m not coming over the desk after you. Chill out. I’m just a little shocked that I’ve managed to end up on the wrong side of this investigation. Exactly what did I do to point you in my direction?”
“We need to talk to you about your marriage.”
Both men saw it.
The visible flinch told them a lot. It proved that this man had his heart shredded. While he might be over it, he still hurt from the events. Now they needed to see if his past forged his future.
“What about it?”
“What happened?”
Rhett sat. This was the last thing he wanted to do, but he knew they were trying to help. So, he steepled his fingers in front of his mouth as he pondered their question.
“I made a mistake.”
“Can you clarify?”
He leaned back in his chair. “I married my high school sweetheart. Nadine was my world. When she came back from college, I thought everything was fine.”
“And?”
“She destroyed me. When I asked her to marry me, I thought I could make her happy. Only, I couldn’t. She wanted out of this place, and I didn't plan on leaving. I wasn’t rich enough, suave enough, or man enough for her.”
They knew where this was heading.
“So, she cheated on me—a lot. We divorced, and then she moved on. The man she was sleeping with wasn’t what she wanted either. He was just a means to an end. He was her way out of the marriage, and when she was free, she dumped him too.”
Nate felt bad for him. “Where does she live?”
“Miami, or that’s where the last postcard I got came from. Nadine keeps in touch. She sends me pictures of herself partying. She’s happy, and she knows I’m not there yet. My ex likes to rub salt in the wound.”
Could that make him a bitter woman killer? Nate hoped not.
Luke knew how he felt. He hurt for so many years. Now he’d found his happiness, but it took time.
“Did you, at any time in your marriage, assault her?”
He stared openmouthed. “Hell no! I don’t hit women. The other day, I took a nut shot from your girlfriend, and I let your wife drop kick my ass. I don’t retaliate against them. I’ve seen too much of that in my life.”
“Your dad, huh?”
He went red.
When they thought he was going to get pissed, he didn't. He simply closed his eyes to regain his focus.
“Well, I see you hit up every single piece of gossip on my life. The only one left is where I’m impotent and that’s why Nadine cheated on me.”
“Listen…”
He cut them off. “No, you listen. My dad was many things. He was a damn good lawman. He was a decent father—when he wasn’t drowning his sorrows in a bottle of whiskey. When my mother died, his life ended. When my brother took the wrong path, Dad took it as a personal affront. He wasn’t a wife beater any more than I am. He became a drunk, and he drank himself to death.”
Both men said nothing.
“He wanted to die, so he found it in the bottom of a bottle. I don’t condone his actions, but I can swear he never lifted a finger against a woman or us boys.”
“And your brother?”
“He’s a fuck up. He opted to be a Casanova and screw around to have fun. He didn't go to college, and I don’t know where he is. He drifts around, cons people, and gets drunk.”
“You don’t have an address?”
“Why would I?”
“Because he’s your brother.”
“So, you think I’m killing these women, or my own blood is?” he asked. “Why? To avenge my shitty marriage?”
Both men paused. Nate finally had to ask. “Why would you say that?”
Rhett closed his mouth.
If he lied, they’d find out.
If he lied, he’d sully his integrity.
It meant there was only one choice.
“Nadine was sleeping with the mayor. That’s who she had the multiple affairs with.”
This made him look worse, and he knew it. At this point, he had to hope that the two men before him were really good at their job. If he was investigating this, he’d be suspicious too.
“I know you’re thinking that I killed his daughter in vengeance, but I didn't.”
“So you work with the man who slept with your wife. That has to be…”
“Uncomfortable? Awkward? It is. I’m over it. It was years ago. At first, yeah, I was pissed. I wanted to hurt him, and her, but I’m not that kind of man. I like to believe that I have a brain in my skull. I’m good at my job, and I wasn’t willing to toss the last ten years away. I earned my badge, and I earned the respect that goes with it.”
“We need to prove it isn't you. That’s the only way we can have you help us, Rhett. It’s nothing personal. It’s about us keeping Juliett safe and finding this killer.”
He leaned forward. “I would never hurt her. I care about her. I wouldn’t risk her life or harm a hair on her head. I know you look at me and see some big giant who could crush people, but that’s not me. I’m not cruel.”
They wanted to believe him.
“It’s for her.”
“You know what, that’s the ONLY reason I’m not pissed right now. I get why you’re doing this, and I appreciate that you’re doing this man to man. So, I’ll offer up my services because you WILL clear me. What can I do to help keep her safe?”
“Have the ME run your DNA against the semen found inside the dead girls. We need to eliminate you.”
He stared at them.
They waited.
Rhett picked up the phone and started dialing. When the ME came on the line, he hit speaker.
“Doc, I need a favor.”
“I’m a little busy, Sheriff.”
“The FBI actually needs it. It’s part of the process of this investigation.”
“Oh, okay. What is it?”
“My DNA is on file. Run it against the dead girls’ attacker. They want proof that I’m not the serial rapist,” he said, barely able to spit it out.
There was silence. “Oh, okay. Just give me a second.”
Rhett didn't hang up. Instead, he crossed his big meaty arms across his chest and waited.
Nate hated putting him through all this. Only, he didn't have a whole lot of choices.
A few minutes passed.
“Sheriff? Are you there?”
“Yeah, Doc. What do you have?”
“I’ve got both samples here. You are excluded from being a match.”
“One hundred percent?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you.”
Rhett hung up the phone. “Is that good enough? Do you want me to take a polygraph too? Want me to sign over my first born if I ever have one?”
“That’s fine. Don’t be angry. This is our job.”
“I am angry. I’m a good man—despite what you heard. I’m not pissed that you suspect me or believed the gossip. I’m angry that you think I could hurt a woman. That’s not me, gentlemen.”
“We also were told that your secretary was trying to get in your pants.”
He didn't even flinch.
“She did at every given chance, but I can explain that. She was barely twenty two. She was trying to get into everyone’s pants. Maybe she wanted my attention, because Crosspointe doesn’t have a whole hell of a lot of bachelors, but I like to think I can control myself. I took Juliett out, and I managed not to assault, molest, or do anything to her. If I was the killer, you handed me the prize. He knows there’s a woman seeing what he’s doing, and you told me.”
They were well aware.
“Yet, she’s still alive. I didn't do anything inappropriate. I’m a gentleman. I’m still being one now, even though you two have come into my town and made me feel like I’m less than human by listening to two bit gossip.”
“We’re sorry.”
“Don’t judge a book by its cover. I’m not some beast. I’m actually very easy going. You have to be when working with the FBI.”
They got the picture.
“Am I cleared, or do you want to continue?” he asked.
“You're clear. Would you like to help us out today with the interviews?”
He opened his desk drawer. “Yes, I would, but before you shoot me, I’m going to reach in to get my gun. Try not to think I’m going to do anything stupid. I’d like to leave my office in my boots, not a body bag.”
“We’re sorry. You have to know we hated doing this.”
He didn't say a word.
“We’ll clear this up.”
He didn't care. If other people thought he was capable of doing that to women, his career as sheriff was probably over after his next term.
He would be tried in the court of public opinion.
They all knew it.
“I want to help because this is my home. While I’m sheriff, I took an oath. I’ll keep Juliett safe. She deserves to have someone care about her for a change.”
They knew he was smitten.
Both Nate and Luke could hear it in his voice.
“Where are we heading first?” he asked, snapping his holster to his belt loop.
“We were told that Mandy Ryan had a sexual relationship with someone in your town.”
“Well, it wasn’t me.”
“We know.”
“Who?”
“Reverend William Clay. He was getting up close and personal instead of counseling her.”
“That’s going to piss most of this town off. Half the residents go to that church to worship. The other half will want to lynch him if he’s involved.”
“Well, that’s why you’re with us. You’re the local law. You get to keep the peace.”
Great.
That was just the shit mess he wanted to deal with.
His day sucked and didn't look like it was going to get much better.
* * *
O R A C L E * * *
Juliett’s Cabin
Maura was working the files, trying to find anything she could on the women, their lives, or their acquaintances. It wasn’t going well. She was on social media, digging for dirt.
The ladies were clean.
Yes, they had some questionable posts, but neither mentioned where they were heading the nights they died. So, it looked like Maura had to find something else to get them a lead.
As she sat there, staring at the screen, she had to wonder. Did the women get abducted from somewhere, or were they at home?
She knew she never left their home without her cell, yet she didn't see anything on the list of items found burned with the women. In fact, the fire department went through the house, and they didn't find anything that looked like melted electronics.
Nowhere.
So, unless deputy fire chief Trent Calvin was incompetent, that had to mean one thing.
They didn't burn in the fires.