I felt like a first-class jerk. “Charlie Rhodes.” I extended my hand and shook his. Jack introduced himself and did the same. “I hope things work out for you the way you want them to,” I offered. “This is a fun group.”
“Yes, we’re tons of fun,” Millie drawled. “Like last night, for example. Charlie, Jack and I went to stake out an intersection to see if we could catch an incubus, and when our suspect took off I assumed we were coming back here. Instead, they went out and had a grand old time at a bar. Without me. Can you believe that?”
Yup. I knew this was coming. “We’re sorry, Millie.”
“We’re not sorry,” Jack countered, firm. “We needed to fly under the radar. We looked like a normal couple out for a night of entertainment while looking for Liam at the first place we interacted with him. If we’d taken you along it would’ve been like we ... .” He trailed off when Millie pointed a warning finger at him.
“Like we had our older sister with us,” I offered lamely.
“Right, like we had our older sister with us,” Jack echoed, although his expression was dubious. “We didn’t want potential informants to think we were those sort of people.”
Millie rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. “I know exactly what the two of you were up to and I don’t appreciate it ... at all. You guys totally abandoned me. Twice. Yeah, they did it twice.” She seemingly warmed to her story. “The minute they saw Liam, they took off after him and left me to fend for myself. What would’ve happened if the incubus had returned?”
Laura snorted. “The incubus is after young brunettes,” she pointed out. “You’re neither. Your hair is gray and you’re definitely not young. But I don’t understand why Charlie went after him. If something had happened to Jack during the chase she likely would’ve been his next victim.”
Jack stirred beside me. “I didn’t consider that.”
I didn’t want him mired in that frame of mind. “I was perfectly fine. Nothing will happen to Jack.” I would make certain of that, even if I had to unload every ounce of magic I had at my disposal. There was nothing I wouldn’t do to protect him.
“No, but it probably wasn’t smart for you to follow me,” Jack offered. “You would’ve been walking directly into a trap if I went down.”
“Let it go.” I briefly rested my hand on his wrist. “It’s done. Besides, we’re a team. I’m not going to let you race off after a potential demon by yourself simply because you have testicles and I don’t.”
Jack nearly choked on his breakfast sandwich. “W-what?”
“She’s saying you’re being an alpha jerkface,” Laura offered. “You think you should be able to chase the demon by yourself because you’re a man. That’s a double standard and not fair to us women who can hold our own in a fight ... not that I want to take Charlie’s side in any of this or anything.”
“Yes, perish the thought,” Millie drawled.
Casey, apparently oblivious to the current of unease running through the room, seemed perfectly happy to select a breakfast sandwich and sit between Laura and me. “I love McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches,” he enthused. “Is there anything better than a McGriddle?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” Jack said dryly.
“I want to know if you found anything at the bar,” Chris countered. “Your notes weren’t very specific.”
“I’m sorry. We were tired when we got back. We didn’t get much at the bar. But one of the women we saw there — she was there the first day, which is why we decided to question her — said that Liam’s a regular and he leaves with a different dark-haired woman every night.”
“Did she recognize any of the victims?” Hannah queried. “That would be even better.”
“She thought she might’ve recognized them,” Jack replied. “She couldn’t be sure. She said they all looked alike.” Slowly, his eyes tracked to me. “And then she said that Charlie was his exact type.”
I wanted to choke him for pointing that out. “Let’s not go there again,” I argued, my temper getting the better of me. “I don’t want to sit around and stress over this. I won’t let him get his hands on me, so this isn’t an issue. You need to let it go.”
“While I agree we can’t dwell on it, I think it’s best if we make sure Charlie is covered at all times,” Chris noted.
Jack’s lips curved and smugness reverberated from him. “I was thinking the same thing. Thank you for backing me up.”
“No problem.” Chris returned the smile. “With that in mind, I think I’m going to send Laura and Casey with you today. Casey needs to learn the lay of the land and he can serve as an extra protective force. With four of you together, Liam is unlikely to approach Charlie.”
Oh, no. That was the absolute worst idea. Ever. In the history of ideas, that was the idea that sank the Titanic, ignited the Hindenberg and mixed the grape Kool-Aid at Jonestown. We couldn’t spend our day with them.
“I think that’s probably a waste of their talents,” I argued. “Maybe they should go with Millie and Bernard instead.”
“Oh, no.” Millie started shaking her finger. “That’s not going to happen. I took that viper with me yesterday and she made my life a living hell. I’ve done my penance for this group. It’s somebody else’s turn. Hannah took her to the morgue the first day, so I believe you’re up.”
Panic licked my skin as I turned to Jack for help. He looked legitimately caught. “Do something,” I hissed under my breath.
“Before you start arguing about how you don’t want Laura with you — a sentiment I totally understand — you might want to consider this the best thing to keep Charlie safe,” Chris offered pragmatically.
There are times I think Chris is out of touch with reality. There are also times when he comes across as a master manipulator. This was one of those times.
Jack was resigned as he nodded in acquiescence. “I think Laura and Casey coming with us sounds like a fine idea.”
Ugh. If yesterday was my lucky day, today was going to be the exact opposite. I should’ve seen this coming. Things couldn’t keep rolling right along for me in the best way possible forever.
“That’s great.” Chris’s smile never wavered. “Let’s talk about what we’re going to do today. It seems to me that we all need to shift our focus to Liam. It shouldn’t be difficult to track him down. He introduced himself to Charlie that first day.”
“He did,” Jack agreed. “He also lied. He told her that he lived on Drum Island, which is impossible. She didn’t know enough to question him at the time. I tried searching for him and came up empty. He doesn’t exist on paper ... which means it’s a fake identity. It might not be as easy to track him as we would like.”
“Have you tried calling the police?” Chris asked. “You met that detective who was helpful. It might not be a bad idea to tap him again.”
“That’s the plan,” Jack agreed. “We’re going to meet him at the market again and then go from there. I’m hoping he’ll be able to point us toward Liam’s apartment. Even better, I’m hoping he’ll allow us to go with him when he searches it.”
“What are the odds of that?” Laura challenged. “I mean ... why would he possibly want to help us? What’s the benefit for him?”
“I think at least part of him believes that something paranormal is happening here,” Jack replied. “He didn’t come right out and say it, but he made us aware that he was familiar with our mission. He didn’t seem weird about it. I’m hopeful he’ll allow us to play the game — at least to a certain extent — right alongside him. He also seemed to like Charlie, so I’m hoping that helps us. He found her entertaining.”
“Yes, she’s a real laugh a minute,” Laura drawled. “We should all be like Charlie.”
Jack ignored her. “We’ll finish our breakfast and head out. What are you guys going to do?”
“Hannah and I are heading back down to the bar. Uncle Myron has called in a favor and the owner has agreed to let us review the security footage.
We might be able to put Liam with several of the victims, which will help the police.”
“And Bernard and I are going back to the docks,” Millie volunteered. “I don’t have a photo of Liam but I have a good description. We’re hoping someone will recognize it and maybe link him to a ship. I still think there’s a good chance our guy works on a tanker or something.”
“I think that’s a good possibility, too,” Jack agreed. “It sounds like we all have our assignments. It’s time to work them.”
Twenty-Five
Rick met us in the same outdoor cafe. He already had coffee and a muffin in front of him. Jack instructed Laura and Casey to get drinks for us — something that obviously chafed Laura — but she didn’t put up a fight in public.
“I see your group is larger today,” Rick said as he inclined his head in the direction of their retreating backs.
“The case is starting to heat up,” Jack supplied.
“And how is it that you think you’ve uncovered the identity of our killer?”
“It’s kind of a long story.” Jack laid it all out, including showing Rick a photo of the map Chris had outlined. “Chris called the higher-ups in your department to share the information. I’m assuming you saw it.”
“I did,” Rick confirmed. “It’s an interesting idea, but I seem to be the only one who believes that. Others in my department believe the overlapping kills show that it can’t possibly be a pentagram.”
“Unless it’s more than one pentagram on top of one another,” I noted, my mind busy as I thought about the sheer number of ghosts Harley found anchored in the water in the other cities. “Maybe he does more than one pentagram and if we tear it apart again we’ll see that pattern.”
“What makes you think that?” Rick asked.
I couldn’t very well tell him about Harley, so I wasn’t sure what to say. Thankfully, Jack smoothly slid in and answered for me.
“We’ve done a little digging and found clusters of similar victims in other cities,” he explained. “We’re talking Boston, Atlantic City and Virginia Beach.”
“All coastal cities.” Rick stroked his chin, thoughtful. “I didn’t think about doing that. It was smart. How many victims are we talking about?”
“I don’t have firm numbers,” Jack replied. “All combined, I think we could be looking at a total of seventy victims ... not including the eight you have here.”
“Seventy?” Rick was flabbergasted. “But ... that would make him one of the most prolific serial killers in history.”
“We don’t know that it’s a man,” I pointed out. “You know why our group was called in and the things we tend to investigate. We could be dealing with something entirely different from your garden-variety serial killer.”
“This demon thing you were talking about,” his expression was hard to read but I didn’t see outright disbelief reflected in his eyes. “How do you think we’ll catch this man — or beast, if you prefer — if he has magic at his disposal? That is what you’re insinuating, right?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but Laura beat me to it.
“I think we’re dealing with a serial killer who has somehow perfected a poison that doesn’t show up on most of the tox screens,” she offered. She came across as well-informed and diligent when she wanted, and this was one of those instances. “I think he knocks the women out, rapes them, and then waits for the poison to do its work. I don’t think we’re talking about anything more magical than that.”
Her tone grated. “Oh, really?” I didn’t want to argue in front of Rick, but I couldn’t stop myself. “What about the open windows? Why would those women invite him in if he wasn’t paranormal? Also, some of those windows were on the second floor. How did he get up there?”
“Maybe he used a ladder or climbed a tree,” Laura shot back, irritation flashing in the depths of her eyes. “As for the windows, people sleep with open windows all the time. It’s not unheard of.”
“It is in Charleston this time of year,” I fired back. “It’s hot and muggy. Most people have their AC going twenty-four hours a day.”
Laura looked to Rick for confirmation. “People sleep with their windows open at night here, don’t they?”
I’d originally gotten the information from him, so I knew how Rick was going to respond.
“Actually, no one I know sleeps with open windows,” Rick replied. He almost looked amused by the conversation ... and my righteous indignation at Laura’s suggestion. He didn’t mention that I’d believed the same thing days before. I appreciated that. “It’s simply not done.”
“Oh.” Laura shifted on her chair. “I guess I hadn’t considered that.”
I was about to admit I was in the same position as her originally, but Jack stopped me.
“I guess you’re just not as smart as Charlie,” he said, earning a glare for his efforts before he turned back to Rick. “We need information on this Liam we’ve uncovered. He has a place in Charleston ... somewhere. I’m guessing it’s close to Folly Beach.”
“Why would you think that?”
Jack hesitated. He’d essentially talked himself into a corner and we both knew it.
“It’s a feeling we have, and it’s an idea I suggested,” I offered hurriedly. If he was going to step in and save me from myself, I could do the same on the rare occasions when he stuck his foot in his mouth. “It makes sense with our water hunch. We think he likes the water ... or that he works on the water.”
“I don’t really know what to tell you,” Rick said. “But I do like your idea that we’re dealing with a transient worker. It makes the most sense.
“Human serial killers usually start by mutilating small animals,” he continued. “Some even start nuisance fires before building up to kills like this. We’ve had none of that here. Plus, with the sexual component, it seems to me there would’ve been a spate of young women with dark hair and blue eyes complaining about a creepy guy trying to sexually assault them. We don’t have that either.
“If there are similar murders in other cities, it makes sense that our killer is on a ship. I’m going to send some guys down to the docks to ask questions. Maybe we’ll find our guy that way. The thing is, if he’s on a ship, he doesn’t likely have an apartment here. Why would he rent something that he would have to lease for at least a month when he could be called back to the ship at any time?”
“That’s something I didn’t think about,” Jack admitted, leaning back in his chair and sipping his coffee. “Well ... that could be why I couldn’t find anything rented in his name. I assumed it was because he gave Charlie a fake name — and I’m still not convinced that’s his real name because I can find no paper trail on him — but what if he’s staying in temporary digs?”
“What does that leave?” Casey asked, speaking for the first time. To his credit, he seemed to be taking it all in and trying to learn on the job. He was much more dignified than I was when I started. He seemed fine so far, despite his ties to Laura. That could mean he would turn into the devil eventually, but I was still waiting to see horns protrude from the top of his head. “Should we be looking at hotels?”
“Hotels are a possibility,” Rick hedged. “The thing is, they’re expensive in this area. Even the bad hotels aren’t exactly something that’s easily affordable to a guy who spends all his time working on a ship. There’s another option.”
“And what’s that?” Jack asked.
“They’re kind of like youth hostels but for the men who work on the ships. They’re community living spaces. They’re basically big houses, old houses, with multiple rooms, kitchen and laundry facilities, and cheap prices. There are a lot of them over by the docks. There’s also one on Folly Beach. It’s about half a mile from your hotel.”
I straightened as I ran the notion through my head. Something inside dinged and my intuition immediately glommed on to the idea. “I like that idea a great deal. We should definitely check out the one in Folly Beach. By any chance, does it look out at the
water?”
Rick nodded. “It does. It’s a former warehouse. There’s no manufacturing base out at Folly Beach any longer, so the building was refurbished. It can house about twenty, I think. I’m betting our guy is staying in one of those locations.”
“It’s a place to start,” Jack agreed. “We’ll head out to the Folly Beach site while you send guys to the other locations. If we find anything, we’ll let you know.”
“That sounds like a plan.”
THE WOMAN RUNNING THE Folly Beach Temporary Hotel (that was its actual name and it almost made me laugh out loud) was open to questions. She was bubbly, all smiles when we entered, and her gaze immediately went to Jack and Casey.
While I still found Jack the superior specimen, I could see why women might go weak at the knees for Casey. He was attractive, amiable and charming. It was an interesting combination ... and one that had me questioning why Laura was still panting around after Jack if she had this guy available to her.
“The guy you’re looking for is staying here.” Her name was Susie and it seemed to fit. She had dark blond hair and a smattering of freckles over her nose. She was short, barely five feet, and she had one of those ski-slope noses that made her look pert. “He didn’t come back last night. He’s a late owl and usually rolls in around two or so, but not last night. We lock the doors at two and nobody is allowed in after that, so he wouldn’t have been able to enter.”
“Even if he rented a room?” I asked, confused. “That’s a little ... stringent.”
“Nothing good happens after two o’clock,” Susie replied primly. “That’s what the owner says anyway. He sets the rules.”
“Well ... .” I glanced at Jack and found he was equally amused. “Can we look through his room?”
“Sure.” Susie shrugged. She didn’t seem bothered by the thought that she was allowing us to invade Liam’s personal space. She was more than happy to let us in the room and didn’t seem bothered when we started poking into his things. “I don’t really care. But if you find any money, you can’t steal it.”
[Charlie Rhodes 06.0] The Incubus Impasse Page 24