Upon entering the home where the gunshots were believed to have originated, the police found the body of teenager Samantha DeVoss. DeVoss had been stabbed eight times. There were also indications that she had been raped before the stabbing. Lying at the bottom of a pool near DeVoss was the body of Raymond Hoyt. Hoyt was forty-one and an unemployed house painter. He’d been shot several times by more than one weapon.
Police stated that Hoyt had a record that included lewd & lascivious behavior, such as being a peeping Tom. He’d also been arrested as a youth with a charge of sexual assault, but the charge had later been dropped.
Tanner put down the article and thought things over. If the man shown in the photo was the one he and Romeo had killed years earlier, then how had the other man escaped them, the one he knew as Ray Hoyt?
They had followed Hoyt to that house, had heard the girl’s screams, and after breaking into the home, they discovered the girl’s body and seen the fresh stab wounds. Soon after, they’d spotted Hoyt near the pool… or so it seemed at the time. When Hoyt reached for a gun, he and Romeo had shot the man several times each, then watched as he fell into the pool, his blood fouling the clear blue water.
If they had killed Raymond Hoyt, then what was the true name of the younger man who’d been using Hoyt’s name?
They must have been partners. The younger man calling himself Hoyt lured in the girls while the older man murdered them.
Had they both raped the women?
Did they both slay the women?
If so, then where had the younger Hoyt hidden when he and Romeo had entered the house and walked through to the pool?
It was all a mystery, but one Tanner intended to solve.
23
A Hole In The Ground
TUCSON, ARIZONA, MARCH 1998
Cody and Romeo rose early and went to a nearby coffee shop, where they bought breakfast sandwiches and coffee.
As they stepped off the elevator they saw a woman leaving Spenser’s room. The woman was thirty, tall, and curvaceous. Her long red hair framed a beautiful face, and as she passed them, she smiled as her green eyes sparkled.
“Hello, boys.”
“Hey,” Romeo muttered, while staring at her ass.
The two of them watched the woman until she left their sight by stepping onto the elevator.
“That was Spenser’s date? Damn!”
Cody laughed. “No wonder he wanted an extra hour of sleep. He probably needed it to recover.”
Spenser, fully recovered, drove his pickup truck toward a secluded stretch of desert where he was to meet the go-between who had a contract for him to consider. It was a cool March day and the temperature back in the city had been only sixty-two degrees. That changed as they neared the desert, so Cody shed the sweatshirt he’d been wearing over his T-shirt.
They arrived in the area where the meeting site was hours ahead of schedule. Other than an old gas station on the highway that did little business, there was nothing around for miles.
Spenser spent nearly an hour checking out the expanse of desert to make certain there was no one else around. Once he was satisfied, he drove to the meeting site. If anyone approached in a vehicle, the sound would carry to them and they could conceal themselves.
The only structures visible were an old house that had sustained serious fire damage, along with a detached wooden garage that was leaning to one side and looked as if a strong wind could blow it over. There were also the remnants of a driveway. Its surface was cracked, and its edges were crumbling.
Spenser drove down the bumpy strip of asphalt, then turned the truck around as if he were going to back inside the garage.
When Cody and Romeo stepped from the truck Romeo pointed at the house, which no longer had windows and was missing a section of its roof.
“Is that the hiding place you were talking about?”
Spenser answered him by walking to the double set of garage doors and swinging them open, revealing an empty space.
“This is where we’ll hide if we need to.”
Cody and Romeo looked at each other, then broke out in laughter.
“Spenser, I don’t think your hiding place is as hard to find as you like, said it would be, dude,” Romeo said. “Anyone could find you in here.”
“No, anyone would look in here, but they wouldn’t find us.”
Spenser walked toward the rear of the garage. At the back wall, he used both hands to apply pressure to a thick plank of wood. The plank moved back an inch, then was slid aside, revealing chains and a system of pulleys. There was also a lever; it was made of metal. When Spenser shoved it to the other side, a clunking sound came from beneath the floorboards. He had just unlocked several latches.
As Spenser began yanking the chain, a section of the garage floor moved downward on an angle. Cody and Romeo watched mesmerized as the floor became a ramp. The ground beneath the barn had been hollowed out leaving a space big enough for two vehicles.
Cody took out a pen light he carried and shined it down inside the space. There were support beams and a ladder in one corner that could be used to climb even deeper underground.
“Dude, did you build all this?” Romeo asked Spenser.
“Tanner Five showed this to me when I was his apprentice. He said it was dug out by a group of thieves who robbed a county fair near here back in the eighties. There’s a ladder down there that goes to living quarters and the ventilation system still brings in fresh air. Despite the heat, it’s cool down there below ground.”
“How long did the thieves stay underground?” Cody asked.
“Six days. By then, the law had called off its search. They stole a good sum of money for the time. About two hundred grand, which they split four ways.”
“How did Tanner Five find out about this place?”
Spenser smiled at Cody.
“The law stopped looking for the thieves, but Tanner Five didn’t. He had a contract on the gang’s leader. After splitting up the money, the men left here one by one and spaced an hour apart, so as not to attract attention. Tanner Five’s target was the last man to leave, the gang’s leader. Tanner Five fulfilled the contract and took the man’s share of the take. He also knew a great place to hide out when needed.”
“Is it cramped down there?” Romeo asked.
“Hop back in the truck and I’ll show you.”
When they were in the truck again and Spenser had eased the vehicle to the lip of the ramp, Romeo jumped out to close the garage doors. Once hidden from view, Spenser backed the truck down the ramp and onto a concrete slab.
He’d brought along a few battery-operated lanterns. Once the lanterns were on, he used the chain to raise the floor back into a level position, then pulled on a second lever to lock the floor in place.
“If the chain breaks, or the locks refuse to disengage, we can still exit by climbing up and out a second smaller hidden panel in the floor. From up top it would be easy to drop the ramp and drive on out.”
Spenser led the boys down the ladder to the living quarters. There were four slats built into the wall which were covered with old thin padding.
“Those were what the men used for beds,” Spenser said. He pointed along a wall, where a narrow passage was visible. “Down there is the latrine, which Tanner Five said stunk to high heaven. I would bet the men were going stir crazy during the waiting period.”
“I’ll bet,” Cody said. He then rolled his shoulders. “It is cooler down here, plus we’re out of the sun.”
Spenser sat at a table, as he took a pack of cards out of his pocket.
“We have some time to kill, but we’ll climb the ladder and go topside an hour before the meeting. We’ll use the binoculars to see if the go-between has a partner, or if he’s shown up with cops. If he shows up alone, then we’ll meet with him and learn the details of the contract.”
The time moved quickly while they were playing cards. Once above ground again, they spent the remaining minutes getting ready for the meeti
ng. When they saw nothing unusual, Spenser drove his truck back up the ramp. Before closing up the garage, he sprayed lubricant on all the ramp’s moving parts to keep them working well. While he was doing that, the boys were wiping the pickup truck down to obliterate fingerprints.
Spenser told the boys to remain silent and to let him do all the talking while the meeting took place. They were there to learn, not participate. He also reminded them that the contact only knew him as Tanner, and not Spenser. He was only Spenser when he wasn’t working.
“One more thing. This guy is an asshole. Don’t let him get to you.”
“If he’s such an asshole why do business with him?” Cody asked.
“Because he’s a useful asshole, for now. I’ve been working on developing a new contact named Herb Barker. As soon as I know Barker is reliable I’ll stop dealing with this guy.”
Around noon, Spenser left the boys and drove to the gas station, where he used a pay phone to call the go-between and give him the location. The man arrived in a green pickup truck twelve minutes after Spenser had rejoined the boys.
“How did he get here so fast? Cody asked.
“There’s a location near here that I’ve used before. He waited for my call at a truck stop. If we spot trouble, head back into the barn through the rear door and use the hidden ladder to get below.”
“That’s why you had us wipe the truck down?” Romeo asked.
“Yeah, the truck is expendable, and they still won’t have our prints.”
Both Cody and Romeo were surprised by the youth of the go-between. The man was only a few years older than they were. He was handsome, dressed in a suit with no tie, and he swaggered toward them with a cocky look on his face.
When the man reached them, he threw a chin toward Cody and Romeo.
“What the hell, Tanner, you bring your little brothers along?”
“They’re my associates. That’s Xavier on the right and Romeo on the left. Boys, this is Ray Hoyt.”
Hoyt sent a smirk Romeo’s way.
“You got a sister that hangs out at Ringo’s bar?”
Romeo shook his head no. Spenser said he would do the talking, and so he remained quiet.
“You sure?” Hoyt said. “Because I nailed this bitch I met there last night, and damn if she didn’t look just like you. You know, she was all girly looking, just like you.”
Romeo opened his mouth, but then closed it. Hoyt grinned at him, then turned his attention on Cody.
“What about you, buttercup? You look a bit tougher than blondie here, but I bet you’re as big a pussy as he is. Am I right?”
Cody remained silent. It was as if he hadn’t heard Hoyt at all.
“Leave them alone, Ray,” Spenser said. “They’re only here to listen and learn, so let’s get on with business.”
Hoyt smiled at the boys as he waved a dismissive hand at them.
“You two are a couple of pussies.”
Cody stepped forward and grabbed ahold of Hoyt’s wrist.
“Romeo, look at this. He’s got a teddy bear tattoo on the back of his hand, just like the guy that took Anna.”
Romeo stared at the tattoo.
“And he has the same name too. Monique said the guy’s name was Ray.”
“What are you two talking about?” Spenser asked.
Cody shoved Hoyt, sending him sprawling atop the sand.
“You’re going to need a new contact, Tanner,” Cody said. “This one is a dead man.”
24
Digging Deeper
NEW YORK CITY, JANUARY 2018
Duke had continued to dig into the past, and a day later, he sent Tanner more information about the murders that happened in Tucson back in 1998.
Raymond Hoyt, although dead, was the assumed murderer of four young women. There was no indication that he’d had an accomplice, although a bartender came forward and claimed that he’d often seen Hoyt with a younger man.
Raymond Hoyt had an older sister named Donna. The sister believed that her brother was incapable of committing murder and tried for years to get the police to reopen the case. She stated that her brother was the pawn of another man, a young man she knew as Cliff. Her attempts failed. At her own expense Donna Hoyt and a private detective talked authorities into doing a DNA test on the semen found inside the last victim, Samantha DeVoss.
The tests results proved that the fluid belonged to Raymond Hoyt and his sister stopped her campaign to prove his innocence. That was the latest news article about the case and it was ten years old.
If the man Tanner knew as Ray Hoyt was the accomplice of the real Ray Hoyt, the man Donna Hoyt knew as Cliff, he had gotten away with four murders. If so, Tanner didn’t for a moment think he had changed his ways. If the phony Ray Hoyt was the man he’d seen in New York City, that man would still be hunting down young women.
Tanner might search the city for years and never come across him again, but it would be much easier if he discovered the man’s true name.
Sara entered the room and gave Tanner a kiss. She was carrying her purse along with a fur-lined jacket.
“Where are you headed off to?” Tanner asked.
“I have a meeting with a potential client. The case involves employee theft.”
“If they’re smart, they’ll hire you.”
“If they do I might have to go undercover. That’s usually the best way to find the thief,” Sara said, then she noticed the newspaper headlines Tanner had been perusing. “Are you still looking into that serial killer?”
“Yes, and something is not right.”
Sara checked her watch. “I want to hear about it, but right now I have to run, or I’ll be late.”
They shared another kiss before Sara headed for the elevator.
Tanner stared at the information he had gathered and decided to learn more. He opened his laptop to begin an internet search. When the computer was ready, he typed in the name Donna Hoyt.
25
Teddy Bear
OUTSIDE TUCSON, ARIZONA, MARCH 1998
“Step back, Xavier, now!” Spenser ordered.
Cody looked at Spenser with eyes seething with rage, but he did as he was told and backed away from Hoyt.
Ray Hoyt got to his feet while shouting at Cody.
“What the hell is the matter with you?”
“Where’s Anna?” Cody said. “Anna Hopewell, tell us what you did with her.”
“I don’t know any bitch named Anna, asshole.”
“What’s going on, Xavier?” Spenser asked.
“Anna was last seen with a guy named Ray. Barbara and Monique said that Anna told them Ray had dark curly hair and a teddy bear tattoo, just like this guy.”
“Hey, prick, do you know how many men are named Ray? And so what if I have dark hair? Lots of guys have dark hair. You have dark hair.”
Romeo pointed at Hoyt.
“What about the tattoo?”
Hoyt spit on the back of his hand, then rubbed at the tattoo, causing it to fade.
“My little girl put that on there yesterday. She’s two-years-old, loves teddy bears, and likes to play with temporary tattoos. Last week I walked around with a kitten tattoo on my cheek.”
“Where were you Thursday night?” Cody asked.
“What are you, a cop now? Go fuck yourself, asshole.”
“Let’s all calm down,” Spenser said. “And Xavier, there are a lot of guys named Ray.”
“I know, Tanner, but… the tattoo.”
“It could be a coincidence.”
“Maybe,” Cody conceded.
“Tanner, I don’t know any girl named Anna. I’m sorry if she’s missing but I didn’t take her.”
“Give us a minute, Ray, then we’ll talk business.”
Hoyt sauntered over to his pickup truck and leaned back against it. The man oozed arrogance.
Spenser glared at Cody.
“Is that your idea of being quiet and letting me do the talking?”
Cody hung his head.
<
br /> “I’m sorry, but when I saw that tattoo I just went off.”
“Controlling your emotions is something you’ll learn in time. Right now, I want to hear what the man has to say about the contract.”
“But what if he really is the guy who took Anna?” Romeo asked.
“We’ll deal with that, but not now.”
Cody raised his head. “You think he’s lying?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll look into it.”
“Really?” Romeo said.
“Yes. If he is the Ray that took that girl then I’ll put him down, but for now, stay cool and be quiet.”
Spenser walked over to Hoyt with the boys following.
“What’s the contract, Ray?”
“Seriously, Tanner? Shouldn’t I get an apology?”
“The contract. We’ve wasted enough time.”
Hoyt made a sound of disgust as he reached inside his truck and brought out a large envelope. After opening the envelope, he passed several photos over to Spenser.
“That’s Gregor Rossi. He stole eight million from a drug gang he was running with in Italy then hightailed it here to America. The dude got away with it for three years, then got stupid and called his parents.”
“The parents phone was tapped for three years?” Spenser asked.
Hoyt grinned. “Nope, but his little sister ratted him out. She got a cool twenty thousand for doing it too.”
“Nice sister,” Spenser said.
“Thanks to the call they knew Gregor Rossi was here in Arizona, but not where. The sister came through again and told the gang that wherever her brother was, he would make sure he had a supply of a certain wine he liked. Château something or other. Anyway, a private eye tracked Rossi down by looking into wine sales and discovered that a man going by the name of John Brown buys a case a month. John Brown is Gregor Rossi.”
Young Guns Box Set - Books 1-4: A Tanner Series (Young Gun Box Sets) Page 9