by Lolli Powell
“Oh, yeah,” he said. “I remember her now. Didn’t she come on to you once?”
Rick nodded and looked embarrassed.
“She was pretty drunk that night,” he said to Jen and Will. “It was almost closing time, and I guess the pickings were getting slim. She made it pretty clear I could have just about anything I wanted.”
“Did you take her up on it?” Will said.
“No way. I’ve got a girlfriend I don’t care to lose. Even if I didn’t, I don’t like to live that dangerously. Who knows what somebody like her might have?”
“Do you remember anybody in particular that she took home?” Jen said.
“Not really.” Rick shrugged.
“It’s usually pretty busy in here”—Jack waved his arm to encompass the room—“as you can see. We don’t have time to keep track of everybody’s sex life.”
“What about a woman named Victoria Kaufmann?” Jen held out a photograph of Vicki. “She’d have been with another woman.”
“Names don’t ring a bell.” Jack looked at the photo, shook his head, and handed the picture to Rick.
“Yeah, I remember her. She was with a blonde.” He glanced at them. “They sat at my end of the bar all night, or I probably wouldn’t have noticed them.”
“Had you seen them in here before?”
“Not that I recall.” He shrugged. “Usually I’m too busy to notice anybody unless I’m serving them at the bar. Unless they’re like Judy. Everybody knew her.”
“Did anybody hassle the two women last night?”
“Not that I noticed.”
“How about your servers?” Will said. “Were the same ones working last night?”
“Yep,” Jack said. “You want to talk to them?”
Jen and Will showed the pictures to the six young women and two men who worked the floor. The women all remembered Judy and not with affection; the men remembered her as well and swore they never had anything to do with her even though she’d offered them the chance. One thought she’d served Carla once but couldn’t say more than that.
Jen and Will finished their coffee and left the club. As the double doors closed behind them, the sudden quiet made Jen feel as if she’d gone deaf.
“That is one noisy place.” She rubbed her ears. “You don’t realize how noisy till you come out.”
“Don’t tell me you don’t like the meat markets, Detective Dillon.”
“Don’t tell me you do, Agent Anderson.”
“No, I don’t.” His voice was soft. “I find that the most interesting women are to be found where you least expect them.”
He took her arm and guided her across the lot. She could feel the warmth of his hand through the sleeve of her jacket and was surprised at the conflicting urges she felt to both pull away from his touch and lean into it. Before she could decide which urge to follow, they were at the car, and he was opening the passenger door for her.
The last traces of twilight had disappeared while they were inside, and Jen suddenly felt very nervous sitting in the darkened car so close to this man. Daylight had kept him on his good behavior. What was even more important was that it had kept her on hers. If he wasn’t as controlled now that no one could see what was going on in the car, how would she react?
She sighed with relief—or maybe disappointment—when he started the car and pulled out of the lot. It felt as if she’d been granted a reprieve.
“Apparently Ms. Sams led a double life,” Will said. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t the people who knew her claim she never went to bars?”
“You’re not wrong. It’s not unusual for single women to hit the bars with girlfriends. The fact that Judy did her trolling alone indicates a problem. Whether it was with alcohol, sex, or both, who knows?”
“The connections are finally starting to show,” Will said. “All three victims patronized the same health club at one time or another, and at least two visited the same nightclub.”
They drove the rest of the way in silence. As he shut off the engine in the parking lot of the municipal building, Will turned to her.
“After we report in, how about that sandwich and beer?”
“I don’t know.” She hesitated. “I should get home to Brandon.”
“How long will your neighbor keep him?”
“She doesn’t exactly ‘keep’ him. She’s just across the hall, and they kind of go back and forth between the two apartments.” She smiled, thinking of Ada. “Now that both of them have gotten older, I think Brandon sits Ada as much as she sits him. They’ve even watched out for each other all night when I’ve been called out.”
“That’s good to know.”
Jen’s face grew warm as she realized it had sounded as if she were letting him know she could stay out and play all night.
“I really think I should get home.”
“I’d appreciate it if you’d show me a good place to eat,” Will said. “I mean, considering as how I’m new to the area.”
“I’m sure Agent Hawkins could show you around.”
“Don’s got to get home to his wife and kids—if he hasn’t already.”
He was leaning against the driver’s door, his blue eyes amused, his lips curled at the corners. She felt her body responding to him. Part of her wanted to run as fast as she could from the car, while the rest of her wanted to throw herself on him. If I had any sense, she told herself, I’d stick to my guns and head for home.
“I guess we could go to Tango’s,” she said, wondering when the last time was that she had displayed good sense. “It’s kind of a department hangout. Good sandwiches and cold beer.”
At least at Tango’s she’d be on her turf, with lots of people around who knew her. Not wanting everyone to get the wrong—or would that be “right” idea—should make it easier for her to resist the charm he was sure to turn on her.
“It sounds great.” Will opened his door before looking at her, smiling. “Especially considering the company.”
Oh, Lord, Jen thought, as she opened her own door. What have I gotten myself into?
CHAPTER 14
Jen insisted they take separate cars to Tango’s. She pulled into the lot a few seconds ahead of Will, parked, and hurried to the door. Once there, she stopped and waited for him to cross the lot, and when he was a few feet away from her, she stepped inside. The place was crowded, but a booth came empty within seconds after they walked in the door. Jen hurried to the booth and sat down on the outer edge of the seat facing the door. From the amused look on his face, Will recognized her choice of position on the bench seat as the blocking maneuver it was and took the seat opposite her. They ordered two draft beers, and when the waitress returned with the drinks, Jen ordered a Reuben and Will decided on a steak sandwich.
Tango’s was a comfortable place with peanut shells on the floor, cold beer, and good sandwiches. It was a favorite hangout of the lot of the officers, and Jen spotted a few familiar faces in the crowd. She didn’t think anyone had noticed them yet, but sooner or later someone would. By tomorrow afternoon, the rumor mill would be buzzing with speculation.
This was a bad idea, she thought. Their appearance here together would only lend fuel to the gossip fire that Jamie and Lonnie had started. On the other hand, Tango’s was neutral ground. There was no way Will could construe this as anything more than two law enforcement officers stopping for something to eat and drink.
“I suppose we’ll be the topic of conversation at the building tomorrow, won’t we?”
“What do you mean?” She knew she sounded flustered. The man had the most unnerving habit of speaking as if he had just read her mind.
“You said this was a favorite haunt of the city’s cops. I’m assuming some of these customers wear a badge. Right?”
She nodded.
“I know how cops are, Jen. I used to be one, remember?”
“Everyone knows we’ve been working late on the case.” She shrugged, trying to appear unconcerned. “Nobody would thi
nk anything if Al and I stopped in after work for a bite to eat.”
“True. But I’m not Al.” He leaned back in the booth, stretching his long legs. One brushed against Jen’s, and she jerked away as if she had touched something hot. “There’s another reason our appearance here tonight will cause a stir.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s my fault. I should be ashamed of myself.” He didn’t look ashamed of anything. “I’m afraid I haven’t done a very good job of hiding my attraction to you.”
Jen didn’t know what to say, so she didn’t say anything. Her heart was hammering double time, and the temperature felt as if it had jumped twenty degrees since they’d entered the place. She took a sip of her beer, trying to appear nonchalant.
“Not that I care if the world knows I want you.”
Her breath blew out in a little gasp of shock at his bluntness, spraying foam onto her nose. So much for acting cool, she thought, blotting the moisture with her napkin. Will grinned at her, obviously enjoying the effect he was having on her.
“I just hope you’re not ashamed to be seen with me,” he continued.
“Why would I be ashamed?”
“Like I told you, I know how it is with cops. Being friendly with a fed could net you a lot of grief from the people you work with.”
“Who said I was going to be friendly?”
“A guy can always hope, can’t he?”
He looked at her the way he had earlier, his gaze a billboard displaying his desire for anyone to see. For a few seconds, she stared back, unconsciously running her tongue across her suddenly dry lips, feeling her body being pulled to him like metal to a magnet. Then she remembered where she was and looked away, breaking the connection.
“Hey, Dillon, what’s happening?”
Jeff Holloway, a patrolman on the midnight relief shift and apparently celebrating his night off, stood at their table, beer in hand. Neither Will nor Jen had seen or heard him until he had spoken.
“Nothing good.” She hoped the flush she could feel creeping into her cheeks didn’t show in Tango’s lighting. “We had another killing. Like the Edwards girl.”
“Yeah, I heard,” Jeff said. “Saw it on the news just after I got up this afternoon.”
Jen didn’t particularly like Jeff Holloway, and she had never been able to pinpoint why. He was new to the area, having made a lateral transfer from a department in northern Ohio. Around thirty, he was slender but muscular. He wore his brown hair in a buzz cut, and his brown eyes were a little on the buggy side, making her wonder if he had issues with his thyroid. He wasn’t married, and as far as she knew, he wasn’t in a relationship, straight or gay. Nothing she knew about him could explain her dislike of him. It was a gut reaction, and try though she did, she could not dispel it.
Holloway extended his hand to Will and introduced himself.
“Will Anderson,” Will said. “I’m one of the two FBI agents you’ve probably heard about.”
“Yeah, I did hear. Seems you’ve had experience with a similar killer before?”
“We don’t know if there’s a connection, but, yes, something similar.”
Jen noticed Will seemed to be examining Holloway closely, almost frowning in his concentration. Jen wondered if he was experiencing the same reaction to Holloway that she did.
The three of them talked for a few minutes about the cases. When the waitress brought their sandwiches, Jeff moved on to another table.
“Well, that’s that,” Will said. “Your reputation is ruined now.”
“I suppose it could be worse.”
“Thanks a lot.”
Jen chuckled and took a huge bite of her Reuben. She was hungrier than she’d thought, and it was delicious. For a few minutes they ate in silence, then Will spoke.
“How long has Holloway worked for your department?”
“About a year. He transferred from a department in northern Ohio. Why?”
“He looked a little familiar, that’s all. Not the name, just the face. I thought maybe I’d run into him somewhere, but I’ve never been assigned to northern Ohio. Guess he just looks like someone I know.”
He picked up his mug and drained what was left of his beer. He looked at Jen, suddenly serious.
“Have you realized he’s speeding up?”
For a second, Jen thought he was referring to Jeff. Then she realized he was talking about the killer.
“Our killer started killing six weeks ago,” she said. “At the very least, it was his first time here. Maybe it was his first time anywhere. The second murder was four weeks later, and now only two weeks later, we’ve got another. Yeah, we noticed.”
Will motioned to the waitress for a refill and looked at Jen to see if she wanted one. She nodded her okay.
“When Carla Edwards was killed in the same way as Judy Sams, we knew we had a serial and sent alerts out nationwide to see if other jurisdictions had had similar crimes. We got nothing. So if he did kill before, somewhere else, he did it differently.”
“I don’t think he killed before six weeks ago,” Will said. “I think that whatever makes him kill makes him kill the way he does. I don’t think there’s any other way he could do it.”
“That’s why you think it’s Arthur Kelty, isn’t it? Because the killings mimic Wayne Kelty’s style.”
Will nodded.
“Yes, I do think it’s Arthur and for that reason. Something triggered him. It’s like his madness finally came to a head, and now he can’t stop. My guess is he won’t wait two weeks for the next one.”
The waitress arrived with their beers. Jen leaned back in the booth, sipping hers.
“What happened in Minneapolis?”
He looked at her questioningly.
“When you were telling your story this morning, I had the feeling there was more to it. It looked to me like the case was personal for you.”
He stared at her for a few moments without speaking.
“You’re very perceptive,” he said finally. “Or maybe I don’t do as good a job of hiding my feelings as I think I do.”
He stared into his beer for so long that Jen began to wonder if she had offended him by probing. Then he raised the mug and took a large swallow. Putting it back down on the table a little too hard, he nodded.
“Yeah, there’s more to it.” He clasped the handle of the mug so hard that his knuckles were white. “Wayne’s fourth victim, one of the two that I told you had the misfortune to live next to someone he’d done work for, was my sister. My baby sister. She was only twenty-one when Wayne got to her.”
“Oh, God!” Jen wished she could take back her question about Minneapolis. She had no desire to probe what was obviously still an open wound. “I had no idea, or I wouldn’t have pried.”
“It’s okay. It’s been a long time. I’ve learned to handle it.” His smile was bitter. “Even if it does hurt.”
He took another long drink of his beer.
“Is that why you left the Minneapolis police?”
“It was part of it. I had just passed the bar and was trying to decide if I really wanted to practice law after all. Police work was just the means to the end to begin with. It paid tuition and kept my family and me eating. Before I knew it, though, I was enjoying it.”
He chuckled.
“That surprised me as much as it surprised my family. So when I passed the bar, I faced a dilemma. Like my wife kept pointing out, if I didn’t do anything with the law degree, it had been pretty much a waste of time. No education is really a waste, of course, but I had put in a lot of time and effort to get that far. But I didn’t want to give up being a cop. Federal law enforcement seemed like a good compromise.” His face darkened. “Then Wayne picked my sister for his sick games, and that made my decision for me.”
He drained his mug and looked at her, his eyes full of pain.
“I didn’t say anything this morning because I don’t want the Task Force to focus on that. Some might think I’m obsessing about Artie
because of what happened to Kathy. I don’t want people to blindly discount my theory any more than I want them to blindly accept it. Your killer may not be Artie, but the particulars of the two are too similar to be ignored. It has to be considered.”
“I see your point,” she admitted. “I won’t say anything to anyone.”
“Then you don’t think I’m obsessing?”
“No, I don’t. You’re right—the particulars are too similar to be ignored.”
They stared at each other across the table, her heart going out to him for the pain he had suffered. She knew from her own experience that the pain of losing someone you loved never left. Even though she and Jake had been having problems, his death had felt as if she’d had a part of herself amputated. If his death had been an intentionally cruel one at the hands of another as the death of Will’s sister had been…
As she looked into Will’s beautiful, sad eyes, she was filled with contradictory emotions. She had to work alongside this man for as long as it took to find the killer. He attracted her more the longer she was around him, and she was afraid that at some point she would give in to the temptation. She had to keep their relationship on a professional level because she suspected if she ever gave in to the temptation, she would get in too deep.
“It’s getting late,” she said, glancing at her watch. “I’d better get going.”
“I’ll walk you to your car.”
He started to get up, but she waved him back down.
“It might be better if you don’t.”
She rolled her eyes toward the bar’s patrons, and he laughed.
“When you said this was a department hangout, I should have suggested we go somewhere else.”
“Well, too late for that now. See you tomorrow.”
She turned, but he grabbed her hand and stopped her. When she looked at his face, she was surprised to see he’d turned serious.
“Be careful,” he said. “We don’t know who this guy is. I mean, yes, it might be Artie, but we don’t know who Artie is now. You may have already come in contact with him and not know it.”
“I’ll be fine,” she said, pulling her hand from his grip.