“I know you did, and maybe I’ll let you if you answer my questions.”
Darcy looked like she didn’t believe her. Smart woman.
Anja took a seat across from her and placed a file on the table. “Do you know why you’re here, Darcy?”
“Because of the murders.”
“That’s correct.” Anja opened the folder and slid a photograph across to Darcy. “Do you recognize this box?”
Darcy’s nose wrinkled. “It looks like any other box.”
“It does, but this one is different. We found your fingerprints on it.”
“That’s because I touched it.”
She was making this way too easy. “Why did you touch the box?”
“To deliver the crosses to Finn.”
Was any suspect this accommodating? “So, you admit to creating the crosses and engraving the initials on the back.”
Darcy rolled her eyes. “Didn’t I just say I did?”
“And you admit to making the other three as well?”
“They all look alike, don’t they?”
Snippy, but not the least bit scared. Darcy was a conundrum. “Did you take these pictures?” She spread the photos of Kayla she’d confiscated last night across the table. Darcy’s mouth pursed as if she’d sucked on a pickle.
“I don’t like her.”
“I didn’t ask you how you felt about her. I asked if you took the pictures.”
“Why?”
“Why are you asking why?”
“You don’t make sense,” Darcy mumbled and sat back.
Anja didn’t want her to clam up, so she moved along. “You, Darcy Dawn Driessen, confess to the murder of Nina Ortega.” She slid a picture of Nina’s rotting corpse after being recovered in the river to Darcy, who gagged. “Fred Russell.” The photo of Fred lying in a dirty alley surrounded by garbage, rats and blood went next. Darcy covered her mouth. “Megan Fletcher.” Her snapshot wasn’t as gruesome as Nina’s since she’d been found sooner. “Sally Sue Nolan.” Finn’s high school sweetheart looked beautiful even in death. “Georgiana Westfield.” Across went the picture of Georgiana deceased in her bed. “Mona Little.” She glanced at Darcy as she nudged the photo across the table. Darcy’s face had lost all color. “And Mark Foster.” It was hard to look at the image of the handsome COBRA Securities agent. He’d been so strong and virile. “Oh, and Tammy Ladd once we locate her remains. You might do yourself a favor by letting us know where you stashed her. Might lighten your sentence.” Not a chance in hell.
“Yes, I did it.”
Anja leaned forward. “Speak up so the microphone can hear you.”
Darcy looked into Anja’s eyes. “I did it.”
“You’re confessing to eight murders, Darcy. You understand that, right? That’s multiple life sentences. You’ll never see the light of day again. And I haven’t even mentioned the attempted murder charges for shooting Jaxon Hart and trying to run over Kayla Hepburn.”
“Yes, I am confessing to all of it.”
Something was off. “How did you kill them?”
Darcy crossed her arms over her chest. “I want a lawyer. I know my rights.”
Anja sighed. She’d lost her. She couldn’t legally ask any more questions, so she pushed from the table. Darcy was hiding something. Maybe if she granted her request to talk to Finn Bates, she’d open up. Tugging her phone from her pocket, she dialed Kayla.
#
Kayla woke with a congested head and a heart split in two. One side was heavy with sadness and despair at Mark’s death, the other filled with hope and love for the man beside her. No more kidding herself. She loved him. She wasn’t even embarrassed about her crying jag. She’d known she would be safe falling apart in his arms.
She slid out of bed and headed for the bathroom, cringing when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her eyes were red and swollen, her cheeks splotchy, and her hair a tangled, ratty mess. She tried to tame it with a brush, but it was a lost cause. Running a washcloth under cold water, she pressed it to her eyes, hoping to relieve some of the swelling.
Though she didn’t feel like working out, she needed to keep a routine going, or she’d be crawling back in bed and staying there all day. She’d thought to grab her workout gear before she snuck into Finn’s room last night, so she changed and then stepped into her sneakers and tied the laces. Finn was already dressed when she came out. He held his arms open and she walked into them.
“How do you feel?” he asked.
“Sad. Determined to catch the killer.” In love. That, she kept to herself.
Finn left first and checked the hallway, letting her know it was safe for her to come down. Kaiya’s door was still closed. Halfway through their workout, she joined them, looking much the same as Kayla with puffy red eyes. No one felt like talking, so Finn cranked up the music.
Once they finished, they retreated to their rooms to shower. Since Kayla was still acting as Finn’s girlfriend in public, she chose a top that would allow her to wear her Kevlar vest and tactical pants. A shirt with the COBRA Securities logo would be a dead giveaway, but she needed the pockets in the pants to hold much-needed gear.
Her phone rang as she headed to the kitchen. She recognized the ringtone she set for Anja before checking the screen.
“Tell me you caught Darcy,” she said in lieu of a greeting.
“We did,” Anja confirmed. “And she confessed to everything.”
Kayla closed her eyes and exhaled. With Darcy behind bars, Finn would be safe. Anja’s next words punctured the bubble of relief.
“I’m not convinced she’s guilty. She’s hiding something. She asked to talk to Finn. I’m hoping she’ll open up to him.”
“We’ll be there as soon as possible.”
She found Finn adding finishing touches to three protein shakes in the kitchen. He looked up and smiled, and she couldn’t stop herself from moving to him. She needed to touch him. Just as she reached for him, Kaiya came bounding down the steps. Dropping her arm and clearing her throat, she announced, “Detective Johansen called. They’ve arrested Darcy Driessen. She confessed to the murders.”
#
Finn paused in the act of adding straws to the shakes. Darcy confessed? Last night, he’d been convinced she was the killer, but after going over facts in his head this morning, his conviction wavered. “She admitted to the murders?”
“Yes, and to making the crosses, too.”
“The crosses I can see, but murder…” Finn shook his head as he handed each of the women a glass. The more he thought about it, the more he was sure she didn’t do it. Nina was skinny, but she was feisty. She took kickboxing classes and earned a black belt in Tai Kwan Do. She’d have fought back. At the very least, Darcy would’ve been battered and bruised.
“Anja thinks she’s hiding something. She asked to talk to you.”
“Let’s go.”
They finished their drinks and placed the glasses in the sink. Kayla and Kaiya were both dressed in light gray cargo pants with several pockets to hold their weapons. Kayla’s top was a pretty lilac color decorated with flowers. Kaiya wore a shirt with the COBRA Securities logo stitched on the upper right side. His Punishers polo fit over the bulletproof vest Kayla insisted he wear when they left the house. With dread, he climbed into the back seat to hide from the reporters. He was getting damn tired of not being able to leave his house without cowering out of sight.
“There aren’t as many as last night,” Kaiya said as they approached the gate. She honked and threatened them until they moved. Soon they were on the road.
He pushed upright just as Kayla looked in her side mirror and said, “Uh oh. They’ve caught on to us.”
“Hold on,” Kaiya instructed as she stepped on the accelerator. Finn was tossed against the door, not having been able to secure his belt. The next curve had him sliding across the seat. He felt like a pinball in one of his arcade games, getting slammed from one flipper to the next. When she stomped the brakes, he tu
mbled onto the floor again. With a groan, he stayed where he was until Kaiya called out the all-clear. Still, he was hesitant to leave his spot. He’d have more aches and bruises from the ride.
Kayla called Detective Johansen to let her know they were on the way. Once they arrived at the station, she met them in the lobby and led them inside to a room with a two-way mirror. Detective Mitchell and another man Finn didn’t recognize were off to the side in conversation. Darcy sat at a table in the interrogation room, drumming her fingers and looking bored.
“She’s composed now, but when I showed her the pictures of the crime scenes, she almost passed out,” Anja told them. Her phone rang and she checked the screen. “Excuse me. I need to take this.” Stepping away, she answered.
“How could I have been so wrong about her?” Kayla murmured.
“You and me both.” Finn studied Darcy through the mirror. She didn’t have any bruises or marks on her face or arms. Nina or one of the other women would’ve fought back.
Anja returned, her jaw set. “We have a team going through Darcy’s house now. They found Tammy Ladd.”
“Alive?” Even though he asked the question, he already knew the answer.
“No. She was hidden beneath a tarp in Darcy’s shed.” She tipped her head towards the glass. “You should go in by yourself. I think she’ll open up to you.”
Finn paused with his hand on the doorknob, breathing deeply to calm his raging emotions. He was about to face the person responsible for killing eight people and trying to run Kayla over. He needed to be sympathetic so she’d open up to him, but all he wanted to do was wrap his hands around her neck as she did with Nina and Megan and the others.
Darcy’s head snapped up when he entered, and her face lit with excitement. “Finn! You came.”
He took a seat across from her. She tried to reach her cuffed hands to him, but he kept out of reach. “Why did you do it, Darcy?”
She blinked owl eyes. “Aren’t you glad to see me, Finn?”
He ignored the question. “Do you hate me so much that you wanted to destroy my life?”
“What? No!” When she tried to rise from her chair, the cop standing guard in the corner barked for her to remain seated. She plopped back down. “I love you, Finn. That’s why I’m doing this. I will always protect you.”
“What are you protecting me from, Darcy? You?”
She indicated the room. “No. This. Don’t worry, I won’t tell. It’s our secret, just like you said.”
Finn’s brows narrowed. “What are you talking about?” She wasn’t making sense. Had she finally gone over the edge?
“When you called and asked me to take the box to your foundation. You told me it was our special secret. You said not to tell anyone.”
Finn shook his head. “I never called you, Darcy.”
She rolled her eyes like he was an imbecile. “Yes, you did. We talked for five minutes and twenty-one seconds. I timed it.” She lowered her voice. “I made the second batch of crosses just like you asked, too. Did you like them?”
No, they were grotesque and macabre. “Refresh my memory. When did I call you?”
“You know. It was Friday night. You called during the party.”
“You mean the fan appreciation event at the arena?”
“Duh. Yes.”
“Were you there?”
“You know I was. I told you I was there to cheer for you.”
“Did you see me up on the stage?”
Another dramatic eye roll. “Yes.”
“Did you see me make a phone call?”
Her brows narrowed. “No, but you did.”
“What exactly did I say?”
“You asked me to make four more crosses, just like the others. Then you told me what initials to hammer into the iron. When I finished, you instructed me to deliver them to your foundation headquarters last night at seven p.m. sharp and leave them at the side of the building.”
He glanced over his shoulder at the mirror, knowing Kayla and Detective Johansen were listening. Hopefully, they were tracing Darcy’s phone to locate the caller.
“Then you told me to spend the night at the motel and pay cash so no one would find out about us. Remember? I waited for you all night, but you didn’t show up.”
Poor, naïve Darcy. “Did you make any other crosses?” He didn’t want to lead her on since the police hadn’t released the information about the first three he found hanging in his locker.
“Yes.”
“How many?”
“You know I made three.”
“Who asked you to make them?”
She looked confused. “Finn, you did.”
“When did this conversation supposedly take place?”
“I didn’t actually talk to you. You left a voice mail with your credit card number. Remember? You asked me to leave the package at the arena on Monday night, which I did. And don’t worry, I didn’t charge you.” She blinked at him adoringly.
“Did you keep the message?”
“Of course. I would never erase your voice, Finn.”
He hoped the police had her phone and could trace the number and credit card. He certainly didn’t make the call. They might be able to track the person who did.
“Did I ever ask you to kill someone for me?”
“No.”
“Then, why did you?”
She shrugged.
“You have a gun, Darcy. Where is it?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know the location of your firearm?”
“It was taken from my car when it was stolen.”
“Did you report it to the police?”
“No.”
He was getting nowhere. Darcy was bonkers, but she didn’t commit the murders. He was sure of it. “I never called you, I didn’t leave a voice mail, and I didn’t ask you to lie for me.”
“But you did. That’s why I’m…” She paused and glanced around before lowering her voice. “I don’t want you to get into any trouble. Don’t fight me on this. I’d do anything for you, even if that means going to jail. Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”
“Tell me the truth, Darcy. It’s just you and me here. Did you kill Nina and Megan and the others?”
“Yes.” She winked, and none too subtly.
“Where did you leave Tammy Ladd’s body?”
“Uh…”
He stood with a sigh. Darcy wasn’t the killer. She thought she was covering for him. She truly believed he was the murderer. “Tell the police the truth, Darcy. You might’ve made the crosses, but you didn’t kill anyone.”
“No, Finn, wait! I did! I killed them. Don’t go. I love you.”
He walked out as she started to sob, feeling guilty. It was overwhelming how much she cared about him that she was willing to go to prison for crimes she didn’t commit.
He rejoined Kayla, Kaiya, and Anja. Kayla took his hand. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” He was now that she was back at his side. He wanted to protest when she quickly released him.
“Our tech team found a call on Darcy’s phone from yours, Finn. It was at the same time she indicated on Friday. Where was your phone during the ceremony?”
“I left it in my locker. I didn’t call her.”
“And there are about thirty thousand fans who can confirm that,” Kayla pointed out.
“Anyone with access to the locker room could’ve made the call,” Anja stated. “The technicians also found the earlier message. The caller altered his voice but identified himself as you, asking her to make the first three crosses. The credit card number was yours.”
This was looking bad.
“Someone is setting him up,” Kayla insisted forcefully.
Anja held up her hands. “I agree. He’s not a suspect.”
“Are you going to let Darcy go?” Finn asked.
“She confessed. We’ll go through a formal interview with her lawyer, check alibis. I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep the FBI o
ut of the investigation now that we know she’s innocent. We still have a serial killer on the loose.”
“Can you find enough charges to hold her? Darcy would be safer locked in jail.”
“Finn’s right,” Kayla concurred. “Whoever’s setting him up might want to clean up unfinished business. Darcy has been a big part of his game. She’s one gigantic loose end.”
#
Kaiya stayed behind at the station to watch the detectives question Darcy again with her lawyer present. Since they’d arrived in her SUV, Anja promised to have someone drive her back to Finn’s house when they finished.
Darcy wasn’t guilty. Until they found the person who was, Finn was in danger. The murderer might’ve started out killing his former girlfriends and associates, but after Sunday night, his or her objective changed. Finn could’ve just as easily been hit as Mark had. He was now a target.
“We should go to my home. You’ll be safe there.” Kayla was stunned she’d offered to take him to the compound. It was the most secure place, made impenetrable after bad guys broke in a couple of months ago and caused mayhem. But she hadn’t planned on recommending it until it was out of her mouth.
“I was just about to suggest you get out of town. The killer is obviously fixated on you now with the stack of pictures. Going back to your house would be the ideal solution.”
“You’d come with me?”
He shook his head. “If I leave, we may never catch whoever is doing this. I’ll have to come back, eventually. What would stop him from coming after me then?”
Good point.
“Besides, I’d rather he come after me instead of innocent people. I can’t have another death on my conscience.”
“If you stay, I stay.” There was no argument. She wasn’t leaving him to deal with a sociopath by himself. Besides, he was right. They needed to catch the perp and put an end to his or her crimes. They’d lost too many lives already.
As they drove back to Finn’s house, she went over the details in her head. From her original list, she could cross off Georgiana and Darcy. That left Trevor Short, who hated Finn, and Ricky Westfield, who hated Georgiana.
Could one of them be the suspect?
Her phone trilled Tyler’s ringtone, and she answered.
Iron Cross (COBRA Securities Book 20) Page 20