Copycat Killer

by Laura Scott

  “Let’s go.” Ignoring the weather, Vivienne and Hank went one way as Nate and Murphy went the other. More K-9 cops joined them and together they widened their search area, wiping the rain from their eyes as they scoured the ground.

  After roughly twenty minutes, they returned to the SUV. Nate scowled. “Nothing.”

  Vivienne shrugged. “Likely his aim was off.”

  If that was the case, Willow was thankful for it. She felt blessed. God had truly been watching over them.

  Nate brought Murphy toward the car, trailed by the additional K-9 cops. “Willow, this is Officer Max Santelli, his K-9, Sam, and you met Tyler Walker and his K-9, Dusty, earlier today.”

  She nodded. “Thanks for your help.”

  “We’re a team,” Max said with a shrug. “We always have each other’s backs.”

  “I’m going to take Willow and Lucy home.” Nate glanced back at them. “I’ll follow up with Sarge later.”

  “Okay. Thanks for the backup, Max and Ty.” Vivienne waved at the two K-9 officers as she and Hank headed for her vehicle.

  “Anytime.” The taller of the two, Max had dark hair and eyes; his K-9, Sam, was an intimidating-looking rottweiler. Ty Walker’s K-9, Dusty, was a pretty golden retriever. She was impressed with how well they all worked together as a team.

  Nate opened the back to let Murphy jump in, then came around to slide in behind the wheel.

  She glanced at Lucy, relieved to find that the little girl had fallen asleep. All the playing and crying had worn her out to the point that the car doors closing didn’t wake her up.

  Nate’s gaze met hers in the rearview mirror. “I’m sorry.” The words were quiet in deference to Lucy’s sleeping.

  “For what? This wasn’t your fault. Thanks to Murphy and your quick thinking, we weren’t hurt. God was watching over all of us today.”

  Nate’s self-recriminating expression indicated he felt otherwise. But he didn’t say anything more as he pulled away from the curb, his attention now on the rain-washed road in front of him. It troubled her that he didn’t lean on God or his faith. Because he hadn’t grown up hearing God’s word? Or because he’d lost it along the way?

  Something never learned could be taught and something lost could be found.

  If the will was strong enough.

  She wanted, needed to help Nate find his way, to learn to accept God’s strength and support.

  The pelting rain didn’t let up until they neared her apartment. Nate found a parking spot that wasn’t too far and pulled in. He glanced back at her. “You want me to carry Lucy?”

  She felt physically and emotionally exhausted. “Yes, please.”

  He nodded, sliding out from behind the wheel. She pushed out of the seat as he let Murphy out, standing back as the dog once again shook off the dampness. She joined Nate on the other side of the vehicle, waiting as he gently lifted Lucy from the car seat and cradled her against his chest.

  The sight of him holding Lucy as if she were something precious made her throat swell with emotion. Alex had once carried Lucy like that, until he allowed himself to get swept away with Debra’s desire for a good time.

  Nate would be a wonderful father someday.

  They walked down the sidewalk toward her apartment building, Murphy on alert. Willow didn’t relax until they were inside her unit with the door securely locked behind them.

  “Put her on my bed,” she whispered, leading Nate through to her room. Nate gently settled Lucy on the mattress, then stepped back. She drew the sheet up over her, then followed Nate back to the living room. Murphy was stretched out on the floor, resting his head between his paws. He looked content, as if he liked being there with her and Nate.

  “Thank you.” Tears pricked her eyes, the events of the day abruptly overwhelming now that they were home.

  “I shouldn’t have suggested going to the park.” Nate’s blue eyes were dark with regret. “My carelessness exposed you and Lucy to danger.”

  “No, Nate. You saved us.” She took a step closer, aching to reach out to him. “You put yourself at risk to shelter us.”

  “Willow.” Her name was nothing more than a whisper, his blue gaze clinging to hers. They were both soaking wet from the storm, but that didn’t matter.

  She took another step forward and suddenly he pulled her into a crushing hug, burying his face against her damp hair.

  His woodsy scent filled her with a mixture of peace and joy. Safety and excitement. From the moment they’d first met she’d longed for this. To feel his strong arms around her.

  The cadence of his heartbeat matching hers.

  Time hung suspended between them, enclosing them in a cocoon of warmth, until his phone rang. Nate sighed, then released her.

  He glanced at the screen and grimaced. “My boss. I have to take this.”

  She nodded, unable to speak. Nate lifted the phone to his ear.

  He ran a hand over his damp hair, his expression serious. She knew in that moment she was in trouble. Deep, deep trouble.

  Because she cared about Nate Slater far more than she should. And knew, deep down, he’d only break her heart.

  * * *

  “A dead body?” Nate repeated, gathering his scattered thoughts. Making the leap from Willow’s comforting embrace to yet another crime wasn’t easy.

  “Yeah, found in the alley behind the Burgerteria.” Gavin’s voice held a note of urgency. “There’s a possibility this latest murder is related to whatever is going on with Willow Emery.”

  “Yeah.” Nate glanced at Willow, still reeling from the near miss at the park. He found it incredible that she didn’t blame him for what had happened. That she’d actually thanked him. “Was any evidence found at the scene?”

  “Yep, a shell casing.”

  That pricked Nate’s interest. He pulled the evidence bag from his pocket, looking at the one he’d picked up from the area where Murphy had alerted on Craggy Face’s scent. “I have one from the park shooting, too.”

  “Good. We also have a witness.” His boss had saved the best news for last. “I’d like you to get over there to interview him. Show him the guy in Willow’s photo, see if he can ID him as the shooter.”

  Leave Willow and Lucy? Every cell in his body wanted to stay. But he couldn’t ignore this potential link to finding Craggy Face. “Okay, but I need you to send someone here to watch over Willow and Lucy. It’s clear they’re still in grave danger. That gunshot was far too close.”

  “Yeah, okay. I’ll send Vivienne and Hank. I have Ray and Abby on scene in the alley. They’re waiting for you.”

  “Ray?” Nate was good friends with the narcotics officer and knew his springer spaniel was a great drug-sniffing dog. “Why send him to a homicide?”

  “There’s a possible drug connection. You’ll find out more when you get there. Vivienne and Hank should be there in less than five minutes.”

  “Got it.” He disconnected from the call and looked at Willow. Her apprehensive gaze made him feel bad. Was she upset about their embrace? Or because she knew he and Murphy had to leave for a while? He updated her on the situation.

  “You really think this new murder is connected to me?”

  He wasn’t sure how to respond. “I don’t know, but the location suggests a connection to the Burgerteria.”

  “Craggy Face.” Her face went pale. “It all comes back to the stupid photo I took of Damon and Craggy Face.”

  There had to be more behind this than a simple photograph, but he didn’t want to add to her concern. “Their involvement in something criminal isn’t your fault, Willow. You just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, with a camera.”

  “I don’t understand. Is he coming after me because he thinks I have the camera on me?” Willow had given the camera to Nate as evidence in the case. “Or does he just want me out of t
he way because I can ID him?”

  “I wish I knew.” The escalating threats against her had to be related to something more than the photograph or camera. But what? “Listen, Vivienne and Hank will be here soon. I want you to think back to your time at the Burgerteria. The day you saw Craggy Face talking to your boss. Was there anything else going on that you can remember? Anything that may have seemed out of the ordinary?”

  She shook her head, but then sighed. “I’ll try, but nothing comes to mind.”

  “All I can ask is that you try.” He smiled and moved toward the door. “I’ll wait downstairs for Vivienne so the buzzer doesn’t wake Lucy. Come, Murphy.” The dog stretched, then joined him.

  “Okay.” Willow didn’t move as he and Murphy crossed the apartment. There was no reason to feel as if he were abandoning her, yet it was difficult to keep walking, carrying her lilac scent.

  He and Murphy took the elevator down to the lobby. They emerged just as Vivienne and her black-and-white border collie, Hank, arrived.

  “Thanks for coming. I won’t be long.” He brushed past her, heading outside. The rain had stopped, but the air was thick with moisture, gray clouds hanging low.

  He and Murphy walked the short distance, rather than risk losing his primo parking spot. As he approached the alley, he caught sight of a police SUV similar to his, parked so that the entryway to the back alley behind the building was blocked.

  Edging past it, he and Murphy made their way to the crime scene. Murphy was on alert, his partner no doubt remembering they’d been this way before.

  Ray Morrow and Abby were standing several feet from the dead body, next to a young kid wearing a bright yellow hoodie and carrying a skateboard. Probably their witness. As Nate approached, he could see the victim was lying facedown, his head turned to the side, a bullet hole in his back, in an eerie replica of how he’d found Willow’s brother, Alex and his wife, Debra.

  “Hey, Nate.” Ray moved away from the guy in the yellow hoodie to meet him. He gestured to the dead man. “Vic’s name is Paulie White.”

  Nate’s gaze sharpened. “You know him?”

  Ray nodded. “He’s a low-level drug dealer. We’ve popped him a couple of times for intent to sell, but he never had more than a few grams of coke on him. He didn’t play in the big leagues.”

  Nate crouched down to see the victim’s face. The guy didn’t look at all familiar to him. He glanced back up at Ray. “You don’t think his murder is drug-related?”

  “Maybe, but since we found the body here, Sarge wanted me to bring you in.” Ray knelt beside him. “Interestingly enough, we found a brand-new top-of-the-line phone in his pocket. It’s odd, because drug dealers lean toward using throwaway devices. Even better, we found a slip of paper in his pocket with a name and phone number.”

  A name and number! Nate felt a surge of adrenaline and rose to his feet. He and Ray took a few steps away from the victim. “I’d like to see it.”

  Ray handed him an evidence bag. The paper looked like it had been ripped from the bottom corner of a spiral notebook. The name Carl Dower was scribbled across the top, with a phone number written beneath.

  “Did you run the name?” He looked at Ray.

  “Not yet. I think that’s why Sarge wanted you here. We also found this.” Ray lifted an evidence bag holding a shell casing.

  Nate pulled his shell casing out, too, comparing the two side by side. They looked identical, but he knew that alone didn’t mean anything. They’d need the forensic team to prove they came from the same weapon. He handed the evidence bag to Ray. “Would you make sure the crime scene techs process both of these?”

  “Absolutely.” Ray took the bagged shell casing.

  “What’s the story with the witness?” He looked to where the kid was shifting his weight from side to side as if anxious to get out of there.

  “Claims he was about to take a shortcut through here on his skateboard when he heard the shot.” Ray gestured with his hand. “His name is Aaron Kramer and he just turned eighteen, so no need to wait for his parents to question him.”

  “Good. Come, Murphy.” Nate strode to where Aaron waited.

  “I already told the other cop everything I know. Can I go home now?”

  “Just need a few more minutes of your time, and I appreciate your help.” Nate smiled to put the kid at ease. “Would you mind starting again from the beginning?”

  Aaron sighed heavily. “Like I told the other cop, I’d just turned the corner to cut through here on my skateboard when I saw this old geezer pull out a gun and shoot the skinny dude in the back.”

  “You saw the gunman’s face?”

  Aaron bobbed his head. “Yeah, man, it was freaky. Although I only saw him from the side, not directly.”

  A profile view was better than nothing. “Did he see you?”

  “I don’t think so. I immediately jumped off the board and ducked down behind that green dumpster back there.” Aaron screwed up his face, then shook his head. “He didn’t look in my direction, just took off that way,” he added, pointing away from the dumpster. “I heard the sound of a car engine and assumed he had someone waiting for him. Man, he was in and out of here in less than a minute.”

  Less than a minute to kill a man in cold blood.

  “Can you describe the guy?” Nate asked as he pulled out his phone.

  “He was old and kind of heavyset.”

  Nate glanced at Aaron. “About how old?”

  The kid shrugged. “I don’t know. He had like wrinkles and stuff. Gray hair. You know, old.”

  The kid’s description was far from helpful. He used his phone to call Eden, the unit’s tech guru. “Hey, can you pull together a quick six-pack of mug shots for me to show our witness? Make sure they are all the same age and similar characteristics of Craggy Face and include his photo, too.”

  “Sure thing.” Eden’s fingers tapped on the keyboard of her computer. “Sending it now.”

  He heard the ping on his phone and pulled up the six-pack. Using a small phone screen wasn’t ideal, but it would work in a pinch. He held the device toward Aaron. “There are six men here. Any of them look familiar to you?”

  Aaron took the phone and used his fingers to enlarge each picture. To the kid’s credit, he took his time. Then he nodded. “Yeah, man, this guy. He’s the old geezer who killed the skinny dude.”

  Nate sucked in his breath. The witness had identified Craggy Face as the killer.

  ELEVEN

  Lucy awoke from her nap asking for her dolly. Willow gladly played with her niece, hoping the early-afternoon gunfire was long forgotten.

  Vivienne and Hank helped keep Lucy occupied and for that Willow was grateful. When Vivienne’s phone rang, Willow glanced over, wondering if the caller was Nate.

  “Really?” Vivienne’s eyes widened in surprise. “That’s great news. Now we just need to find out the guy’s name.”

  There was a brief pause as Vivienne listened, then the cop’s knowing gaze met hers.

  “Yes, I’ll let her know. Thanks, Nate.” Vivienne tucked the phone back in her pocket. “Nate stopped at his place to pick up a few things, but he and Murphy are on their way here now.”

  “What’s the good news?” Willow unfurled herself from her seat on the floor.

  Vivienne hesitated. “It’s best if I let Nate fill you in.”

  Willow tamped down a flash of impatience. “I understand that there’s only so much you can share about an ongoing investigation, but my life is in danger.” She glanced down at Lucy, who was still seated on the floor with her doll. “Lucy’s, too.”

  Vivienne nodded, her gaze solemn. “I know, but this is Nate’s case. Sarge is letting him take the lead.”

  Her stomach clenched at the thought that Nate and Murphy would soon leave her in the care of other officers. Not that she could blame him. He’d been wit
h her for well over twenty-four hours now. She was grateful for his protection and support, but sensed Nate wouldn’t be happy unless he was in the center of an investigation, rather than watching from the sidelines.

  “Sure.” She forced a smile, then startled when there was a knock on the door. She moved forward to answer, but Vivienne was faster.

  “Let me.” The K-9 officer peered through the peephole, then stepped aside, glancing at Willow with a frown. “Are you expecting a visitor?”

  “No.” Her stomach clenched with fear and she swiftly picked up Lucy from the floor. “Who is it?”

  “I’ll find out.” Vivienne waited until she took Lucy into the bedroom.

  Several tense seconds went by before Vivienne opened the door with a sheepish expression on her face. “It’s Jayne Hendricks, Lucy’s caseworker.”

  “Oh.” Her shoulders slumped in relief, but then tensed again. This woman would be key in deciding whether or not she was an appropriate guardian for Lucy. She straightened her shoulders and followed Vivienne into the living area.

  “Ms. Emery?” Jayne Hendricks looked to be in her late forties, with dark hair and glasses. Her deep brown eyes reflected a keen intelligence that made Willow believe she wouldn’t be a pushover when it came to doing whatever was best for Lucy.

  “Yes, I’m Willow, Lucy’s aunt.” She shifted the little girl in her arms so she could take Ms. Hendricks’s outstretched hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Likewise. And this must be Lucy.” Ms. Hendricks’s expression softened as she looked at her niece. “How are you, Lucy?”

  Shy with strangers, Lucy hid her face against Willow’s neck without answering.

  “She’s doing very well, considering.” Willow forced a smile, wondering if she was required to tell the social worker about the recent gunfire at the park or the failed kidnapping attempt.

  “I’m sure.” Jayne Hendricks’s gaze was compassionate. Then she glanced around the apartment. “You have a nice place here. Two bedrooms?”