Johnny Revenge

by Remington Kane

  Owens spoke to the coroner, echoing and giving voice to Erica’s thoughts.

  “Please tell me the victim was dead before he was forced to endure the pain of having his body broken like that.”

  The coroner shook her head. “I won’t know for certain until I get him on a table, but from the pained expression on his face, I’d say he suffered some before passing out or dying. This killer has one sick sense of humor.”

  “Just like in the books,” Erica said softly, as if to herself. She had finished the second Johnny Revenge novel and started on a third. The character in the books would have thought Wesley’s death quite fitting.

  “How long would you say he’s been dead?” Owens asked.

  “Two weeks or somewhere about there,” the coroner said. “I can be more accurate once I’ve autopsied him.”

  “That means he was killed around the same time as the others,” Erica said. “He might even be the earliest victim.”

  * * *

  They left the apartment and returned to the black SUV they had been driven to the scene in by Carson. The young man was standing outside and taking in deep breaths of the cold night air. Although there was a coating of snow on the ground, Derry had been spared the several inches of powder that awaited them back in Sanguine.

  “That was brutal in there,” Carson said. “How can someone do that to another person?”

  “It takes a lot of rage,” Erica said.

  “This might sound like an odd question,” Owens said, “but is anyone else hungry?”

  “I’m not, but I could go for a cup of coffee,” Erica said.

  Carson hit a button on his key fob and unlocked the doors. “I know a 24-hour diner in Londonderry. Climb in and I’ll have us there in ten minutes.”

  * * *

  Carson’s estimate was off by only a minute. The diner was located in a travel plaza. It was well-lit, warm, and the food smelled delicious. The aroma was so good that it ignited Erica’s appetite. The three of them ate an early breakfast of eggs, pancakes, and bacon.

  “I’m going to have to run extra miles on a treadmill for a week to burn off this meal, but it was worth it,” Erica said.

  As they sipped on their second cups of coffee, they discussed the case. It hadn’t escaped their notice that the latest victim was killed a short drive from Jude Rowland’s home.

  “Let’s assume for a moment that Rowland is being framed,” Owens said. “Then we have to ask, who’s doing it?”

  “I want to take a deeper look at Connors,” Erica said.

  “The chief or his son?”

  “Maybe both, although I can’t see the chief as a mad killer.”

  “What about Rowland? What does your gut tell you?”

  Erica sighed. “I get mixed signals from him. He’s clever enough to have committed the murders and I can imagine him being driven to kill his critics. Still, this all has the feel of a frame.”

  “Even more so now that the story has been leaked. If I find out who did that, I’ll fight to have their badge taken from them,” Owens said.

  Carson, who had been sitting quietly while listening, spoke up.

  “You think an agent talked to the Techno-Tattler, Brad?”

  “I don’t know. It had to be someone involved in the case, someone who knew the details.”

  “Chief Connors would be my bet,” Erica said. “I can’t imagine anyone at the Bureau doing it, but Connors might have done it to harm Rowland.”

  Erica’s phone rang; she raised an eyebrow when she saw who was calling.

  “It’s Deputy Perkins.”

  “She’s calling awful early,” Owens said.

  Erica answered the call. “Hello, Linda, is everything all right?”

  “I’m good, and I’m sorry to call so early, but I thought you would want to know what’s going on.”

  “What is it?”

  “The chief has a warrant to search Joey’s house and grounds. He’s headed there right now with half the force.”

  “What does he expect to find?”

  “I don’t know, but I can guess. They have a cadaver dog with them, Erica. The chief must think that Joey is burying bodies out there.”

  Erica gripped her phone tightly. “They might find the chief’s body when we’re through with him. He’s interfering in a federal investigation. Thanks for cluing me in about this.”

  “No problem, just don’t let the chief know that it was me who told you.”

  “I won’t, and we’ll be back there soon.”

  “You’re not in town?”

  “No, a new victim was found in Derry.”

  “Oh my God.”

  “Thanks again, Linda.”

  Erica told Owens what was happening at Jude’s home in Sanguine. Owens tried to phone the chief and got no answer. Owens’ face was reddening with anger as he put his phone away.

  “If Connors bungles this investigation, he’ll wish he’d never met us. Let’s get back there.”

  * * *

  A tipped over tractor-trailer with a fuel spill on I-93 delayed the ride back for an hour. Fortunately, Carson knew the area well and made up some of the time by taking a shortcut along a back road.

  The snowfall levels climbed the closer they got to Sanguine, which sat at a higher elevation. However, the main roads were being plowed and salted. The same could not be said for the narrow road Carson had chosen, despite that, the SUV handled the snow and kept its traction.

  They found the chief inside Jude’s house. He was looming over Jude, who was seated on a sofa with an officer on either side of him. Police officers had climbed over the fence to reach the house. They had woken Jude and not given him a chance to get dressed. He was wearing a blue robe and had on a pair of worn slippers.

  Outside the home, other officers searched the property. Jude was wearing a stoic expression. However, a thin smile appeared when he spotted Erica walking toward him.

  “Why are you searching the property, chief?” Erica said. “Do you know something we don’t?”

  “Lady, I know more than you’ll ever know, and I told you from day one that Joey here was a murderer. We’ve already recovered a weapon. It was found atop his night stand.”

  “A handgun?”

  The chief held up an evidence bag. It contained a pocket knife.

  Erica’s tone conveyed the incredulity she was feeling at Connors calling a Swiss Army Knife a weapon.

  “You consider that to be dangerous?”

  “He used a blade like this to scar my son for life, so yes, I consider it a weapon.”

  Jude caught Erica’s eye. “Do you know what’s happened to my dogs? They won’t tell me.”

  Erica looked at the chief for an answer. He gave it, although grudgingly.

  “The damn dogs are fine; animal control has them.”

  Jude looked relieved by that answer. What he didn’t appear was nervous. Jude Rowland might be naturally calm and composed, but if he were Wildcard, shouldn’t he be at least a little worried at having the police raid his home in the early morning hours?

  On the ride in, Owens and Erica agreed to standby and let the search take place. At this point, they had nothing to lose and everything to gain by it. Even so, if the chief came up empty, Owens planned to lodge a formal complaint against Connors for interfering in their investigation.

  At Erica’s urging, Jude was allowed to get dressed. And yet, Chief Connors insisted that Jude not be allowed to leave his sight.

  “Do you have underwear on under that robe, Joey?”

  Jude nodded yes, and the chief instructed one of his deputies to bring a set of clothes into the living room. The man came back with a pair of jeans and a green chamois shirt that buttoned up the front. Along with that he had selected a pair of black wool socks and blue sneakers.

  “Get dressed here,” the chief said, and as he said it, he looked over at Erica. The chief knew about Jude’s scars. By making him expose his torso in front of Erica, he hoped to embarrass him.
>
  Erica understood this and thought of excusing herself, but the temptation to view the scars was too great. Those scars, in large part, helped to mold Jude’s reclusive nature. She was curious to find out just how severe the damage was.

  When Jude realized she wasn’t going to leave, he breathed out heavily, stood, and shed his robe. He was wearing a pair of white boxer briefs that did little to hide the heft of his manhood. Erica glanced down at the area then raised her eyes to take in Jude’s torso.

  The first thing that caught Erica’s attention wasn’t the scars, no, it was Jude’s chiseled abdomen. Jude Rowland was in fantastic condition. He was muscular without being bulky and each muscle was well-defined.

  As for the scarring, yes, it was bad, but not the horror show that it must have grown to be in Jude’s mind. There were more than a score of them across his back and chest, like smaller versions of the scars seen in old photographs of black slaves who’d been punished. Those photographs were horrific. Jude’s more minor scars were not.

  Erica walked up to him after he’d placed his arms into the sleeves of his shirt. As she and Jude stared into each other’s eyes, she buttoned his shirt for him, wordlessly. She hadn’t meant the gesture to be sexual nor suggestive, she just wanted Jude to know that she was not repulsed by his scars. Despite that intention, desire rose within her. She kept it concealed behind a placid expression.

  When she was finished buttoning his shirt, Erica went back to where she’d been standing. A glance at the chief revealed his look of disappointment. His attempt to humiliate Jude had failed.

  * * *

  As noon approached and the search began to wind down, it looked as if the chief had wasted the taxpayers’ money.

  That changed when a cop wearing a parka opened the front door and asked Connors to join him out on the porch. Through a window, Erica saw a wide smile split the chief’s face as he patted the cop on the shoulder.

  Deputy Chief Dix was in the room with them. When Connors came back inside, Dix asked his boss if something had turned up.

  “You’re damn right something has turned up. The cadaver dog unearthed the location of two bodies on Joey’s property.”

  The chief rushed Jude and yanked him up out of his seat by the arm.

  “You’re under arrest for murder, boy. I finally got you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  SANGUINE, NEW HAMPSHIRE

  Erica reached into her purse and took out a warrant. It allowed for the removal of the van Jude had used on his recent travels. The vehicle belonged to Molly Jackson and was parked inside her garage. FBI forensic technicians would go over it and find any evidence that might have been left behind.

  “I’m sorry to have to do this, Mrs. Jackson, but we need to take your van.”

  “Because Joey used it?”

  “Yes.”

  “And when you find nothing in it, will you apologize to Joey for suspecting him?”

  “I won’t apologize for doing my job.”

  “You’re a tough woman, but I guess you have to be in your profession.”

  “Tough but fair, if Jude is innocent, he has nothing to worry about.”

  “What if he’s being framed?”

  “We’ll determine that too. All we’re after is the truth, and we will track down Wildcard.”

  The two women watched as a tow truck backed up to the garage.

  “When will I get it back?” Molly asked.

  “I’m not sure, but they’ll make processing it a priority.”

  Molly gestured toward her front door. “Would you like a cup of coffee?”

  Erica smiled. “I’d love one, and I need to talk with you.”

  Molly returned her smile. “You mean you want to interrogate me about Joey, yes?”

  “I’m told you know him better than anyone.”

  “That’s true,” Molly agreed.

  * * *

  Erica removed her jacket as she entered Molly’s home. The furnishings were as new as the house and in a traditional style.

  Molly shook her head sadly when Erica informed her of Jude’s arrest.

  “Two bodies?”

  “Yes ma’am, but they haven’t been identified yet.”

  “Joey can’t be responsible. I just won’t believe that.”

  They sat together inside the kitchen. The space was modern and well-equipped. Erica noticed that the appliances were high-quality and not the cheaper builder-grade that came installed in newer homes. There was fresh coffee, along with banana-nut bread that Erica thought was the best she’d ever had. It took an act of will not to accept the second piece Molly offered her.

  Owens was back at the station awaiting word from the town’s coroner. All that was known so far is that two bodies were recovered from the backyard area of the cottage. Someone had buried them there about ten feet down, filled it in, and poured a concrete platform over the spot. Atop the platform was a gazebo. If not for the cadaver dog, the bodies would have gone undetected. The amazing hound had sniffed out the bodies beneath all that soil and concrete, along with a layer of fresh snow.

  * * *

  As they ate and sipped on their coffee, Molly answered Erica’s questions, one of which took her by surprise.

  “Why do you dislike the chief’s son, Mrs. Jackson?”

  “Call me Molly, and what makes you think I don’t like Zach?”

  “Yesterday, you asked Chief Connors how his smart and beautiful girls were; you gave no such words of praise when you asked about Zach.”

  Molly smiled. “That’s true, isn’t it? I bet you catch your share of criminals.”

  “I try to, now, tell me about Zach Connors.”

  Molly looked down into her cup as she answered.

  “I’ve never liked him, even when he was little, because he was always a bully.”

  “I know that he had a fight with Jude Rowland; I also heard he was fifteen and Jude was only nine when it happened.”

  “Yes, and Joey defended himself as best he could. If he hadn’t had that pocket knife on him, he might have been hurt worse than he was.”

  “What injuries did he have?”

  “A black eye, a bloody nose, and a few scrapes. It wouldn’t have been that bad if he had stayed down after getting hit.”

  “You witnessed the fight?”

  “I was a grade school teacher and Joey was in my class. I was on the other side of the playground when it started.”

  “Someone mentioned to me that you were friends with Jude’s mother, is that true?”

  “Sarah and I grew up together after my parents moved us here when I was three. I still miss her.”

  “She’s never contacted you?”

  “No, but we grew apart after she married Chet Revene. She knew I was against the wedding, and Chet was already beating her before they wed. I’ll never understand why she married that animal, although, I guess it was because he had money. Sarah and I both grew up dirt poor.”

  “And what about Chief Connors? I understand he was in love with her.”

  Molly let out a little laugh. “That’s an understatement. Gary worshipped that girl. Sarah would never give him the time of day, but Gary kept asking her out and so she finally agreed to date him. They went out three times and then she left him for Chet Revene.”

  “Sarah broke up with the chief to be with Jude’s father?”

  “She did, and Gary was so mad that he went after Chet. That fight lasted about three seconds and I don’t think Gary even landed a punch. You know how they say that if you stand up to a bully they back down?”

  “I’ve heard that said, yes.”

  “Well, that wasn’t true of Chet. Chet was a bully who liked to fight, and he was good at it. He broke Gary’s nose and knocked out a tooth. After Sarah married Chet, Gary joined the army. I think he couldn’t bear to stay here and see the two of them together.”

  “Getting back to the chief’s son, do you think he’s capable of committing murder?”

  “Oh, I
don’t like him, but I don’t think Zach is evil. The truth is, he’s mean, and just not very bright.”

  “Does the name Keri Jones mean anything to you?”

  Molly frowned. “Keri Jones, that was another cruel kid. She teased Joey about his scars. I was glad when she left town.”

  “Does she still have family here?”

  “It was just her and her mom if I remember right, and the mom moved away soon after Keri did. Why are you asking about her? That wasn’t her body they found, was it?”

  “I don’t know who those bodies belong to. That’s yet to be determined.”

  Molly surprised Erica by weeping. There were no deep sobs, just quiet tears.

  “Mrs. Jackson, Molly, what’s wrong?”

  “I think I know who was buried at the cottage. I think it’s Sarah and that Frenchman of hers. I always thought it odd that Chet put up that gazebo after she’d left, then he never let anyone use the cottage again.”

  “Did you report your suspicions?”

  Molly wiped at her eyes with a napkin.

  “I didn’t suspect this back then; it’s just something that’s nagged at me over the years, and Chet’s been dead a long time now. Besides, I could be wrong.”

  “He wouldn’t be the first man to murder his wife over unfaithfulness.”

  “No, he wouldn’t, the damn hypocrite.”

  “Are you saying that Chet Revene had an affair of his own?”

  “The woman was named Yolanda; she was my late husband’s sister. She passed away some time ago.”

  “What was her full name?”

  “Yolanda DeVeaux.”

  “The clerk at the hotel in town is named Simon DeVeaux. Is he your nephew?”

  “He is,” Molly said.

  “I noticed that he bears a resemblance to Jude.”

  “The boy’s father, Marcus DeVeaux, he noticed that too; he divorced Yolanda when Simon was three. Of course, Chet never acknowledged Simon as his boy, and this was back before it was common to test DNA.”