“Thank you.” Blaze blew her nose which sounded like a fog horn.
“Here, here.” Kelly wrapped her arms around Blaze and held her. “Sweetie, you can put your head on my shoulder and cry it out.” She pulled several tissues from the box and handed them to Blaze. “Consider this as your kiss and cry moment.”
Blaze turned her head toward Kelly. “I don’t get it.”
“You know, kiss and cry booth. Figure skating.”
Blaze cried more. “That doesn’t help.”
“Maybe this will. The sun is coming up, the night is officially over and you’re alive. We should try to get some shut-eye.”
“Did you know May thirteenth is my birthday?”
“We have another thing in common. I was born on Mother’s Day. I’m a May baby too.”
“You should open the envelope Matthew gave you. I got an envelope from my father for my birthday present.”
“What was in it?”
“I haven’t opened it yet. I’m waiting for it to be my birthday. Don’t let that stop you. Open yours.”
“You don’t have to tell me but once.” Kelly hopped out of bed and retrieved the envelope from her sequined purse. She unsealed it and peeked inside. “It’s a money order.” She looked at the amount. It zapped her breath away. She jumped and bounced on her toes overly excited.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m going to be a woman.”
“You mean, you’re not?” Blaze dropped her jaw.
CHAPTER 50
I’m Right Here
Alight soothing rain beat against the car’s windshield as Matthew slept and waited for the pawn shop to open. By his unguarded body jerks, rapid eye movement and the way he talked in his sleep, a nightmare fast approached the point of no return.
***
Matthew and Livia sat on a blanket by the pond at their childhood park. The full moon illuminated the sky and reflected on the water.
“Be back in a few. I gotta go.”
“I’ll come with you.”
Livia pointed to the bathroom. “It’s right there. I’m not a kid anymore. Remember, when I get bigger and you get smaller, I’m going to beat ye butt.”
Livia and Matthew shared the special moment with laughter in their eyes.
“You’re bigger now. Have it your way.”
Livia hurried to the restroom as a dark luminous figure grabbed her from nowhere. They vanished into the darkness.
“Livia! Where are you?”
***
Liz’s call snapped Matthew awake at 8:55 AM. As a habit, he glanced at the caller’s name before he answered. “Thanks for waking me up. I was having a bad dream.”
“We need to talk. Can you meet me at my office?”
Matthew eyed the owner who unlocked the door and switched the neon open sign on. “I can’t right now. I have meetings all morning. Later this afternoon or tonight is a possibility. Look, my first appointment is here.”
“Didn’t you just thank me for waking you up?”
“I have lots of things to get done today. I’ll come by your office when I can. Bye.”
Matthew bolted from his car toward the entrance. Once inside, he took a deep breath and headed to the owner behind the counter. He retrieved the pawn ticket and handed it to him. “I want to pay back the money for this item and take it into my possession.”
The pawn owner recognized the ticket belonged to Lorenzo Garcia. He had his own method to mark pawn tickets belonging to his friends or family. “Where did you get this? This belongs to Lorenzo Garcia.”
“I’ll show you.” Matthew opened the video app on his cell phone and scrolled until he found Lorenzo’s dying request. “I’m the man who tried to save his life and fired back at the shooter. I’m Matthew Raymond. Look, I recorded this at Lorenzo’s request. Watch it.” He handed over the phone.
The owner viewed the video. “I would have given it to you, but someone beat you to it yesterday. Paid high dollar. The money was too good to pass up.”
“Damn it. Who was it?”
“He never told me a name.”
“What did the guy look like?”
“Shorter than you. Bald head. A Nazi tattoo.”
***
Milo wore a business suit disguise, toupee and sunglasses to visit Dr. Angela and to receive his reward. He handed him the charm bracelet. “Job complete.”
Dr. Angela sipped his bourbon. “I watched the news last night.”
“If you’re referring to your former employee’s execution, I didn’t do it.”
“I know that. You made the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted list.”
“I should be number one. I’m insulted.”
“I’m not sure you should admit that in the range of others.”
“You know anything about that copy-cat?”
Dr. Angela tightened his jaw.
Milo’s eye’s focused to gain his mental strength.
“Don’t even try. Who do you think taught Red? He was one of my first experiments. Now, let’s discuss your payment and your next assignment.”
***
The FBI team assembled for the mandatory morning briefing in the conference room. Agents Mansfield and Locklear stood in the corner engaged in conversation.
Liz entered and stomped briskly toward them as she clenched her jaw and fists. “Why wasn’t I notified you moved in on Milo last night? I had to hear it on the news?”
Agent Mansfield’s body tensed. “There was no need. We didn’t need a forensic psychologist on site. We had every reason to believe we would capture him.”
“How’d that work out for you?” Liz’s tone sliced as sharp as a razor. “If someone had notified me, I could have assessed where he could have been hiding. I know him better than you or any of these agents. It was a foolish decision not to include me. Don’t let it happen again or I’ll go to Director Gaius.”
Agent Mansfield looked at the clock. “Everyone, please take a seat. Let’s begin.”
The team sat and waited for further instructions from their superior.
“Last night we came close to capturing Milo Evans. Somehow, he eluded us. We cannot let this happen again.”
“No kidding.” Liz quipped the words low and beneath her breath.
“He’s in this city hiding. It’s our job to bring him to justice. That is our focus today. Bring me Milo Evans. Anyone who has any additional information needs to share it now with the team.”
Agent Curenton raised his hand. “Not on this case, but on the Surgical serial killer.”
“What is it?”
“I took the lead on investigating medical personnel in the area who owned boats. When I ran the report, there were more than a hundred thousand boats registered with the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Out of those, I isolated the owners by profession. Of those, nineteen thousand and forty-one are registered to medical professionals. So, I broke it down further and isolated boat owners in the medical field by doctors, nurses, psychologists, anesthesiologists and so forth. That narrowed the haystack to thirty-six hundred. The remainder are in the animal kingdom field such as swamp tour boat captains, charter fishing boat captains, veterinarians and several surgical assistants who work in a vet clinic.”
Agent Mansfield scratched his nose. “That’s still one big haystack.”
“The hayfield gets bigger. Some of those individuals docked their boats at local marinas and harbors. Some are in dry dock. The troublesome aspect is there are a thousand more docked or stored out of state. However, one name came up that piqued my interest.”
“Who is it?”
“Dr. Frank Franklin. He owns a very nice boat. This got me thinking. He has inserted himself into every investigation.”
Liz stepped forward to object. “Dr. Franklin does not fit this profile. He’s been nothing but helpful over the last ten years.”
Shocked chatter filled the room.
Agent Mansfield raised his hand chest high. “Everyone, please. I think it wo
uld be prudent to check him out. We can’t leave any stone unturned.”
Liz, exasperated, huffed as she clenched one fist. “You might as well throw in Matthew Raymond. He owns a boat.”
Sudden chatter filled the room again.
Agent Mansfield slammed a book onto the table. “Quiet! I’ve already looked into Mr. Raymond and his pontoon boat. He has some very strong alibis – WITSEC. During the time most of the early murders occurred, he was in New York working as a U.S. Marshall. He wasn’t even in the same state when any of those murders occurred, apart from the last two here in New Orleans. Hell, he’d be a great asset on our team if he joined the FBI. I’d take him in a New York minute. He’s not the Surgical serial killer and we have the Sorority serial killer on ice. Agent Curenton, check out Dr. Franklin’s boat and let’s clear him. We need to move on from this hurdle. Also, put together a five-man team and follow through on every boat owner who fits our profile. The rest of you, find Milo Evans. Dismissed.”
The agents filed out of the conference room. Agent Mansfield touched Liz’s shoulder. “Dr. Wright. May I have a word with you in private?”
She yanked his hand away and glared at him. “Don’t touch me. So, are you going to accuse me too?”
“Not at all. It is about Matthew Raymond.”
“I’m all ears. You have my attention for at least thirty minutes. Then I have an interview with Samantha Breland.”
***
A banner hung over Mr. Hammer’s office door - “Happy Retirement.”
Debra assisted Mr. Hammer as he packed his belongings in his office.
Matthew worked at his desk, stretched and yawned. The last couple of nights sleeping in his car took a toll on him.
Peterson dropped two files onto his desk. “This Milo is a bad ass. Lots of history between you two.”
“Now that’s an understatement. What did you find out about Blaze?” Matthew reached for the thin file.
“Not much. Her juvi records are sealed. She’s clean as an adult. What’s your angle?”
“I owe it to Lorenzo to look after her. I need to know if she’s hiding any secrets. That’s it, plain and simple.”
“There’s nothing plain or simple about you. You’re the master of complication.”
“You’re one to speak. I didn’t marry my ex-girlfriend’s stepmother.”
“Now you’re getting personal. Let’s stick to our clients.”
“I will, if you will.”
“Sorry about Lorenzo. Tough break.”
“Bad timing on both of our parts. He decided to turn the corner. I failed him. I couldn’t protect him.”
“It wasn’t your job.”
“Then who, if not me? I couldn’t keep him alive no more than I could my sister.”
“You can’t talk about your sister right now. Mr. Hammer has put a lid on it. Remember? He’ll put you away in the looney bin for real this time.”
“My sister is real!”
“I believe anything you say man. Get control of yourself. Have you thought maybe they placed her into witness protection and that’s why you can’t find her?”
“No way. I was there when she vanished.” Matthew disconnected himself from the world and dazed out. A blindness crossed in front of his eyes that stayed out of focus.
“Matthew. Are you all right?”
Matthew remained deep in his own thought.
***
Milo held the knife against Livia’s throat. His eyes showed the mark of the Devil. A devilish grin of pure evil crossed his face as he tilted his head and kissed Livia on her cheek. “What will big brother do when you can’t stop this? You’re one fool.”
“You know I’ll kill you.”
“I don’t think so.” Milo megalomaniacal demeanor swelled. “You’ll never be right again.”
***
Peterson leaned closer to Matthew. “You okay?”
Matthew jerked back to reality. “I thought we agreed to keep our conversation to our clients.”
“I don’t know where you were, but glad you’re back. You want to talk about it?”
“I won’t fail again.”
Matthew’s monitor flickered as Debra came from Mr. Hammer’s office. She stopped at Matthew’s desk. “The old man wants to see you.”
Matthew rolled his eyes as he stood. He trudged to the old man’s office.
“How do you like that?” Debra slid her butt onto the corner of Peterson’s desk to view the action.
Inside the glass office, Mr. Hammer motioned for Matthew to take a seat.
“I’d rather stand.”
“How long have I known you?”
“You and my granddad were partners when I was born; so, I’d have to say all my life.”
“That’s right.”
“Did you call me in here to reminisce or do you have a job for me?”
“I have a job.”
Peterson rubbed his temples. “He must be handing over the company to him. We knew this would be coming.”
“I don’t know. Matthew looks pissed.”
“Well, Hammer handed him a sealed envelope.”
Matthew grasped the envelope as he stomped from Mr. Hammer’s office. “I’m not taking this case. There are more important people to trail other than a sixty-three-year-old banker having an affair on his twenty-four-year-old wife. She knew what she was getting into when she ousted his third wife.”
A smirk juddered across Peterson’s lips. “That’s what we get paid to do. You don’t own the company yet.”
Debra wiggled to stretch her spine. “You’ve never had a problem bringing down an adulterous affair before.”
“I do now.”
Peterson released a paper airplane in Matthew’s direction. “After five years you have a problem tailing a man having an affair on his young and innocent bride.”
“This is about revenge. It has nothing to do with young and innocent.”
Debra quickly stood. “Bullshit. Young and innocent my ass. She’s the today’s Anna Nicole.”
“You two take the case. Take my cut. I’m on another one.” Matthew flung the envelope toward Peterson.
“A case we’re not contracted for. There’s no money in it. What gives?”
“I think this case is connected to my sister’s murder.”
Debra put her index finger on her lips. “Lower your voice. The last thing you need is for Mr. Hammer to hear us.”
Peterson retrieved the envelope and nodded toward Matthew. “Listen to us. There is no proof your sister ever lived.”
“That doesn’t mean she never existed. It means someone, somehow, has removed every piece of information about her.”
Debra rubbed her hands together. “How do you justify that your parents don’t remember her? Hammer, who has known you for your entire life doesn’t either.”
“I can’t. It’s as if someone presses the delete button and zap, they are dead and everything about you is gone.”
Peterson’s eyes widened. He pursed his lips. “You’re trying to convince me there is a serial killer who can murder someone by pressing the delete key and make everything about the person vanish including the body. Do you know how crazy that sounds? You really think there’s a Keystroke serial killer? If you do, you’re crazier than I thought and should be placed in a psycho ward.”
Debra found humor in Peterson’s discourse. “Very funny. The Keystroke Killer deleting innocent people.”
Inside his office, Mr. Hammer dialed a number. He never quit his gaze through the glass toward Matthew.
It rang three times before Mr. Snead answered. “So, you called to tell me this is it? You’re finally retiring.”
“You got that right on one account. We got ourselves a bit of a dill pickle. Matthew is figuring it out. He knows the concept of deletion. It’s only a matter of time before he finds Project Dimension and what happened to Livia.”
“Have you informed the Consortium?”
“You run the damn thing. So, yes
. I did.”
“That boy is a lot smarter than we give him credit. Don’t tell anyone. I have a plan. Everything will fall into place. The only thing you must do is to provide him with a nudge for him to go see our fallen archangel. I’ll do the rest. We can kill two birds with one stone.”
In the bullpen, Matthew paced in front of his desk. “Peterson. I’m telling you. Whoever is in control of this has to be a computer programming genius. Everything about my sister vanished. Explain that.”
Debra massaged her neck. “For Christ’s sake, you were a witness protection agent before you became a P.I. You know how the game works. You can make anyone disappear. Hell, you’ve even done it yourself.”
Peterson leaned forward. “We’re the best in this business. If we can’t find her, she didn’t exist.”
Matthew retrieved Livia’s picture from his wallet. He pointed at her picture. “This is my sister. How do you explain this?”
Mr. Hammer lobbed a pencil at the glass barrier. “Matthew! Get your ass in here now!”
Matthew, disgusted, ambled to Mr. Hammer’s office as he tried to remain calm.
Peterson stood and stretched. “This won’t be pretty.”
Debra blew air from her lips. “I’d like to be a fly on that wall. Mr. Hammer looks pissed.”
Matthew entered the glass enclosure and faced Mr. Hammer.
“Boy sit your ass down. And, I mean it.” Mr. Hammer’s face turned beet red.
Matthew glowered at the old man.
“Son. You’re one step away from the looney bin. If you can’t prove anything to anyone about your sister, find someone who can.”
“Why am I the only one who can remember anything about her?”
The sun set through the blinds. Mr. Hammer handed Matthew a card. “Go see him. He’s a computer wizard and a friend. Go get yourself a peace of mind.”
Matthew looked at the card for Dr. Judas Greenberg.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“It’s a very old card. Turn it over. I wrote his home address on the back. That’s where you’ll find him. Now, git on out of here.”
***
Blaze opened a bottle of Apothic red wine, grabbed her favorite stem glass and took both to the living room. The computer screen flickered. Exhausted, she flopped onto her couch and poured a glass of the deep red wine. She took a huge gulp and gazed at the legs slowly flowing down the wine glass. Her laptop beside her took her breath unsure if she wanted to open it. “Deedra, turn the television on.”
The Keystroke Killer Page 41