by Karen Rose
She leaned her head against his shoulder. “I dreamed of him last night.”
“I know. It gave me chills.” Bone deep chills that had kept him awake for a while.
“I wish I could make them stop.”
“They’ll pass, Eve, the dreams and the voices. Mine took years, yours may take longer.” He took her hand, threaded their fingers together. “It’ll be all right.”
She pressed their joined hands to her lips. “I believe you.” Then she abruptly turned his hand over, her expression suddenly taut. “Dell Farmer wasn’t wearing a ring.”
Noah stared at his hand, his chest growing tight with dread. “No, he wasn’t.”
“David said the man who ran him off the road was wearing a ring, like yours. So either David was wrong, Farmer lost his ring, or…”
“Or somebody else ran David off the road.” He closed his eyes, trying to remember the scene at Harvey Sr.’s house. “The father wasn’t wearing one either.” He dug his cell phone from his pocket. “I’ll call Olivia.”
As he dialed, there was a knock at his front door. He opened his door to Olivia, holding her ringing phone. “We gotta talk, Web.” She pushed her way in before he could say another word, then stopped, her eyes gone wide. “Well, hello, darlin’.”
Eve halted her attempted flight and leaned against the wall, arms crossed, long legs bare. Her face was red, her scar visibly white. “Olivia,” she said, warningly.
“I was going to ask if you had a good night, Web, but I can see that you did.” She looked at Eve. “And next time my sister asks if you’re happy, I’ll know to say yes.”
Noah dragged one hand down his face. “Give us a minute to get dressed. There’s coffee in the pot. We need to talk to you about Dell Farmer.”
“That’s why I’m here. He was tracking your car, and Jack’s. I found the device under your engine block. Jack’s car had one, too.”
“Well, that explains a lot,” Noah said. “I wondered how he seemed to know when to follow us. He was at every victim’s scene and there when we interviewed the families.”
“I checked Katie’s cell LUDs,” Olivia said. “Lots of calls to Dell’s cell matching up to calls made between you and Jack, going back about three weeks.”
“Since MSP hit the stands,” Eve said, “and Katie hit on Jack.”
“She was tipping off Dell every time Jack got a call. Have you heard anything?”
“They won’t tell me anything,” Olivia said, “except that he’s not conscious.”
“Farmer wasn’t wearing a ring,” Noah said abruptly.
“Somebody else ran David off the road,” Eve said. “Somebody else was after me.”
Olivia didn’t look surprised. “Farmer wasn’t driving a black SUV last night. And he seemed to think it was really funny when we questioned him about it.”
“He said Donner ‘almost got you good tonight,’ ” Noah said slowly, a piece falling into place in his mind. “Did you trace any of his calls to that reporter from the Mirror?”
Olivia’s lips thinned. “The one who wrote that trash story on Jack? Yeah, his number’s in Dell’s call log, not fifteen minutes before the reporter showed up.”
“At the Bolyards’ house,” Noah said. “He knew that’s where we were. And that reporter’s first question wasn’t about the Bolyards’ homicide, it was about Jack.”
“Dell was there,” Eve said. “He saw something. He saw someone try to get you.”
“Get us,” Noah corrected. “That somebody tried to get you first, yesterday.”
“He was there, outside the Bolyards’,” Olivia said. “They both were. Dell and the killer. The other killer.” She scrunched her eyes. “Sorry, it’s been a long night.”
“Why? Why me?” Eve asked, but by the look in her eyes Noah knew she knew.
“It’s all about Shadowland,” he said. “Your test. Your subjects.”
“We almost got him coming out of Rachel’s,” Olivia said. “Because you alerted us.”
Eve leaned against the wall, stunned. “And now he wants me gone. Damn, why do I always get involved with these people? I’m a god-damn trouble magnet.”
“Dell started with the ‘pow’ shit when he heard me say Donner’s name, and the Bolyards told that TV reporter that it was Donner that followed Martha out that night.”
Eve shook her head. “I still can’t see Dr. Donner killing five women, Noah. I can’t.”
“I’m having trouble with it myself. But we won’t know until we find him, and he’s run.”
“Could Dell know where he is?” Eve asked uncertainly and Olivia shook her head.
“He wouldn’t talk. And I don’t want to start out offering him any deals.”
“Let’s talk it with the team,” Noah said. “We’ll get dressed and follow you in.”
Thursday, February 25, 7:30 a.m.
“Hurry,” Liza muttered, rushing down the stairs of her apartment. “Be late, be late.” The words were for her school bus. If she missed the bus, she’d have to walk three miles and miss the test she had first period. She burst out of the apartment building, relieved to see kids at the bus stop at the end of the block.
“What’s your rush?” Liza heard the silky voice a moment before she felt something sharp at her back. “Scream and you die,” a man’s voice promised softly.
She sucked in a breath to scream her lungs out anyway, but his hand covered her mouth, yanking her head backward. He was strong, dragging her into the alley between her building and the next. Fear gave her strength and she flailed, biting his hand. The gun abruptly disappeared from her back, but she was stunned by a blow to the side of her head. Dazed, she tried to fight, until a needle pricked her neck.
Seconds later he had her under his arm, dragging her through the snow. She could see an outline of a dark vehicle ahead. She tried to scream, but she couldn’t move her mouth. Couldn’t move anything. Tom. He wouldn’t know she was gone for hours.
He pushed her eyelids closed and she couldn’t open them. “Your sister is dead,” he whispered in her ear. “And soon you will be, too.” Then she landed hard on the floorboard of his backseat and the car drove away.
Thursday, February 25, 8:00 a.m.
The mood around Abbott’s table was silently grim as the team waited for Abbott to return from his meeting with the commander. Noah had put Eve at his own desk with orders not to move for anyone. Right now she wore the biggest target of them all.
Olivia and Kane were tired after their fruitless hours in Interview with Dell. Micki also looked exhausted, having coordinated multiple crime scenes. Ian had actually fallen asleep sitting up. Four new bodies in the morgue kept the MEs busy through the night.
Carleton’s shoulders sagged, his eyes on Jack’s empty chair. No news was no longer good news.
Abbott returned, and one look at his face said his meeting had not gone well. The commander had a right to be perturbed. Five dead women and they didn’t have shit.
Abbott threw a stack of local newspapers on the table. The headline on every one was Jack’s alleged murder-suicide, but each had an equally damaging variation on the Mirror’s NEW RED DRESS VICTIM FOUND, with the details of Rachel Ward’s death. Below the headline was the smaller “Two Witnesses Slain” and “Cops Have No Leads.”
Ian jerked awake as the papers slid across the table, Micki patting his hand silently.
“Jack is unchanged,” Abbott began tersely, saying nothing about the newspapers. The headlines spoke for themselves. “The doctors aren’t hopeful. His dad’s with him.”
Noah closed his eyes until the fury passed. “Do we know what he took?”
Abbott pursed his lips. “This is delicate. Internal Affairs has the case, but we all know Jack was set up. I’ve been given clearance to give you certain information as it may connect to Dell Farmer, which may connect to Donner…”
“Which may connect to five dead women,” Noah said bitterly. “So IA’s helping us?”
“More like reluct
antly cooperating. There was Oxycodone and Valium in Jack’s whiskey bottle. The empty prescription bottles were in Dell’s car.”
“At Rachel’s he swore he’d only had one drink,” Noah said hollowly. “Katie must have been slipping stuff in his booze all along. I blamed him for getting there too late.”
Olivia gave his arm a brief squeeze. “You didn’t know, Noah.”
“Jack was late a lot before Katie came into the picture,” Micki added softly. “It was a perfect storm, I guess.”
Carleton nodded wearily. “Apt description,” he murmured. “Such a waste.”
“Were Dell’s prints in Jack’s house?” Noah asked.
“Yes,” Abbott said. “Dell was there. So far, however, we have not found Dell’s prints in Donner’s house, so it seems their only connection is Dell’s rant last night.”
“What about Donner?” Noah asked. “We get his LUDs yet?”
“Still waiting for them,” Abbott said. “When we’re done here, we’ll go search his office at Marshall, and check his next of kin. I got the warrants signed overnight.”
“We?” Noah asked.
“We,” Abbott confirmed. “Until I get you a new partner, we’re riding together.”
It was going to be a very long day. “Okay.”
“Glad you heartily approve,” Abbott said dryly. “Kane, anything on Jeremy Lyons?”
“Security at Marshall found his car in one of the lots last night,” Kane said. “He hasn’t called home, hasn’t used his credit cards, didn’t pick his kid up from day care.”
“So Lyons is either gone under or dead,” Abbott said. “Putting us no closer to determining who’s doing this. The one bright spot is that the two potential victims Eve identified weren’t contacted and are still safe.”
“He could be done,” Olivia said. “We almost caught him coming from Rachel Ward’s. Maybe that was enough to convince him to stop.”
Carleton looked unconvinced. “I don’t think he’ll stop until you stop him or until he accomplishes whatever it is he’s trying to do.”
“What is he trying to do?” Abbott snapped. “Goddammit.”
Carleton appeared unoffended. “Do that to you. Make you ruffled. Throw you off.”
“Well, he’s doing a damn good job,” Abbott grunted. “But I take your point. Once we find Donner, we’ll start getting some answers.”
“God, I hope it is him,” Noah murmured.
“But you still don’t think it is,” Abbott said, then shrugged. “He framed Axel Girard, Donner could be a setup, too. We need to know what Dell knows and how he knows it.”
“We should be careful with Farmer. His reality isn’t cogent. He ain’t right,” Carleton added dryly when everyone gave him a puzzled look. “We need to consider what he says accordingly.”
“Right now he’s all we have,” Abbott said, “cogent or no. Ian, anything?”
“The Bolyards were shot with the same gun, a nine-mil. Harvey Farmer and Katie Dobbs were killed with a same, but different gun, higher caliber. Katie’s face had lacerations and bruises, probably from a fist.” He hesitated. “Katie had had intercourse an hour before her death. Unlikely that it was consensual.”
Noah gritted his teeth. “Jack did not rape her. Dell did,” he said even as a new wave of nausea rolled through him at the thought of what Dell might have done to Eve.
“I told IA that,” Ian said quietly. “Based on the blood spatter, Katie’s body temp, and the chemical levels in Jack’s blood, he was already unconscious when she was shot. It might have been harder to definitively say that, however, if we hadn’t gotten there when we did. That open window would have muddied things considerably.”
“So,” Abbott said, “we need to at least ask the question. Open windows at Harvey’s house and Jack’s. Any chance Dell could have killed five women?”
Carleton shook his head. “It’s far more likely Dell just picked up this element of the Shadowland killer’s MO. He seems like a quick study, writing news articles that Buckland’s editor accepted as genuine. He’s not a stupid man.”
“Just not cogent in his reality,” Abbott said sarcastically. “Olivia, Katie was his brother’s fiancée, but he used her to hurt Jack. There’s something there. Use it to froth him up. Get him agitated, then get him talking. I want to know what Dell saw last night. Micki, anything from the Bolyard house?”
“No forced entry. So far no forensics. Looks like he caught them by surprise at dinner. The wife was probably shot from the doorway. She fell face-first into her dinner. The husband was collapsed over her, probably protecting her.”
“Would have better protected her by not confronting Donner in a coffee house,” Abbott grunted. “What else?”
Micki produced a small plastic bag. “Cat hair, found in Rachel’s living room. It matches cat hair we took from Martha’s carpet. It doesn’t give us any more on the killer’s identity, but it’s a connection to give the DA when we finally catch him, just like this one.” She put a photo on the table. “Christy, leaving the diner. Look at her shoes.”
They did, everyone frowning. “And?” Noah asked.
“They’re Manolos, four hundred bucks a pair,” Micki said.
“Spendy,” Olivia said. “I still don’t get it. Why are the shoes important?”
“Because they weren’t in her closet, they weren’t anywhere in her house,” Micki said.
“His souvenirs,” Carleton said. “It’s very common for serial killers to take souvenirs, and shoes are among the most common things to keep. Again, nice connection once you find him, but not terribly helpful to me in forming a profile.”
Micki looked unhappy. “I’m done now.”
“It’s good work, Mick,” Abbott said, trying to smooth over Carleton’s tone.
Carleton winced. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be dismissive. Knowing he collects things is just more of the same. It doesn’t help me, help you.” He glanced at his watch. “I have a patient at nine. Call me if there’s any change in Jack’s condition.”
“Will do,” Abbott said, then turned back to the team. “Today, we focus on finding Donner and cracking Dell Farmer. Noah, you and I will go to Donner’s office at Marshall and execute the warrant. Olivia and Kane, you’ve got Farmer.”
“What about the coffee shop?” Noah asked. “The TV reporter said that Bolyard saw Donner there. They’ll have tapes. Eve says Donner eats at the Deli. Let’s start there.”
Abbott shook his head. “I went by the Deli as soon as they opened this morning. Security video is only of the register and the barista didn’t remember Martha, Bolyard, or Donner. Let’s meet back here at two. I have a press conference at three, so get me something.” He met their eyes, grim. “A killer would be nice. Web, you’re with me.”
Noah stopped at his desk to get his hat and coat and found Eve staring at her laptop screen, her expression intent. “What are you doing?” he asked.
“Trying to keep busy. Natalie won big at the casino last night because Dasich and one other player got thrown out for cheating and—” She pursed her lips. “I’m babbling. Dr. Pierce stopped by on his way out. He said he had dinner with Dean Jacoby last night. They know it was me. He said Jacoby wants to see me this morning, but I told him you’d made me promise to stay here.”
He wasn’t sure what to say. “Eve, you did the right thing. Whatever happens.”
“I know,” she said, then smiled, ruefully. “Luckily I’m a damn good bartender so I’ll still have one career. You take your desk. I know you’ve got work to do.”
“It’s okay. You stay here. I’m on my way out.”
“Noah?” She stood as he buttoned his coat. “They’re releasing David from the hospital this morning and I have to take him home. I can’t stay here forever.”
Yes, you can. The thought rose above the worry and he tucked it away. There would be time for that later. He looked at Abbott, who was waiting impatiently. “Bruce?”
Abbott looked irritated. “I’ll ha
ve someone drive her over later. Now let’s go.”
“Captain, wait.” Faye hurried up to them, a paper in one hand. “Donner’s LUDs. His last call went to 411 at 10:40, but the one before that went to his mother, around 6:00 p.m. Here’s her address. You want me to have the locals meet you there?”
Abbott grabbed the papers greedily. “Yeah, call ’em, but tell them to stay back until we get there. Thanks, Faye. Noah, let’s roll.”
Thursday, February 25, 8:30 a.m.
Olivia and Kane were preparing for another go at Dell Farmer when Olivia got a call from narcotics that left her smiling, albeit grimly.
“What?” Kane asked when she hung up.
She told him about the call from Tom Hunter in the middle of the night and the dealer Damon who might have license plate info. “Two SUVs could be a coincidence, but we can’t afford to assume. That was my old pal in narc. They have Damon in custody.”
“How much did he have on him?”
“Recreational. But that violates his parole, so we’re in business. I want to know if he saw the license plate on that Navigator.”
“He’s gonna want a deal,” Kane said glumly, in his way that reminded her of Eeyore.
“I know. Let’s go to the DA, see if he’ll give us wiggle room.”
Kane paused at the bullpen door. “What about her?”
Olivia turned back to look at Eve, who sat at Noah’s desk, hunched over her computer. “She’s digging in that game, hoping to find something we can use.”
“Wish I’d never heard of that damn game,” Kane said as they walked to the elevator.
Olivia punched the button so hard her finger buckled. “Don’t we all?”
Thursday, February 25, 8:45 a.m.
Liza screamed. She was running, couldn’t get away. Lindsay chased her, her face gray, gaunt. Dead. She’s dead, she’s dead. But the scream never made it out of Liza’s mouth, coming out as a muffled grunt. Her body wasn’t moving. She was tied, she realized. Her hands and feet were tied. She breathed through her nose.