by W L Knightly
Silent Crime
Hangman #1
WL Knightly
BrixBaxter Publishing
Contents
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Description
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
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Description
The pension is earned, and it’s time to retire.
Time to leave the darkness behind and make bribery and corruption a part of the past.
No more trying like hell to keep his nose clean.
Detective Jake Thomas is done.
Or is he?
Moments before he walks out, his chief assigns him one last job.
Just a simple assignment to show his replacement the ropes.
But it’s never that easy.
When one of the city’s prosecutors is brutally killed, followed by the murder of a crooked cop, Jake and the rookie discover a new serial killer is on the rise.
It’s up to them to find the bastard before someone else ends up playing the Hangman’s deadly game.
And the evidence is stacking up—one letter at a time.
Chapter 1
Jake
During a sleepless night, Jake stared at the popcorn ceiling above him and thought about all of the shit happening in the world. As if to solidify every opinion he had, his phone rang, reminding him that he was right in the middle of it. He rose up and leaned across the woman beside him, their skin peeling apart like it had been glued together with sweat as he grabbed his cell phone from the bedside table. But he didn’t answer it right away. He laid back against his pillow, putting a little space between them so he could cool off.
Jake saw no need to hurry for bad news. It couldn’t be anything else. No one called in the middle of the night with good news. No, good news waited until morning.
He had already spent the past the four hours in bed. Two of those were spent fucking the blonde beside him, while the other had been spent trying to clear his head from the pallid stares of death. Those still, lifeless eyes haunted him.
It wasn’t as if he could really do anything to stop the evils in the world. Nothing was going to change because of him. Jake had once thought he was really going to make a difference as a cop, but with each dead-eyed stare, it became clear that it was an impossible task.
“Are you going to answer that?” asked the sleepy voice beside him. “At least make it stop ringing.”
He could silence it, but he didn’t. He took a deep breath and looked at her. She was no one to him. Just a piece of tail he’d picked up at a bar. But even though she meant nothing to him, she meant something to someone, somewhere. And he’d sworn to protect everyone.
Jake tapped the screen of the phone and brought it to his ear. “Detective Thomas,” he said, not bothering to look at the ID first. He had a pretty good idea it was his boss calling with more fuel for his sleepless nights.
“Thomas, there’s been another homicide. I need you to see this.” Chief O’Connor’s voice was gruff, the kind of voice you’d expect to deliver bad news and not lullabies. He had been with the force for a few years and had transferred to Spokane from New York after the last chief retired, even though he wasn’t too far from making his own exit.
“I’ll be right in.” He hung up the phone and placed it on his chest, not wanting to move.
“You’re a detective?” asked the girl.
“Yeah, and you have to leave. I have to go in.”
She rolled over and rested on her elbow. “What kind of detective are you?”
“The kind who detects things,” he said, getting up from the bed. He didn’t have time to tell her all about himself, especially since he never planned to see her again.
“You’re funny.” She moved to the edge of the bed, still naked, her breasts bouncing as she got to her feet. She had an amazing body, but he’d already fucked things up by forgetting her name.
He wanted to tell her that he was anything but funny, that he’d first have to be humored to be funny and that there was nothing humorous about getting called out of bed in the middle of the night to witness the atrocities that one human being had done to another. Instead, he pulled on his jeans and a white tee from his top drawer. As long as he threw on his blazer, he’d look like a professional, or at least enough like one to those who cared.
By the time he looked up, she had put on the dress he’d picked her up in, a tight red number that showed just the right amount of her ample cleavage and long legs that were perfect for wrapping around his waist.
“Are you going to call me?” she asked.
“Sure, I’ll see you at Blue’s sometime.” It wasn’t a promise, but it made her smile.
“Okay, Detective Jake.” She gave him a kiss on the cheek, and while it was nice, he had no interest in any form of romance. “Bye.” With that, she walked out ahead of him, and he let her get ahead while he checked for his keys, his gun, and his badge. Jake had everything he needed.
After listening in on the radio for the location, which was deep in the woods about half an hour away, he finally reached a brick house where cop cars from the neighboring county had already grouped like a clusterfuck on the street and driveway.
Pulling behind the other squad cars, he parked his ’67 Camaro. The car looked a lot nicer in the flashing blue and red lights that made the flat black and primer paint job almost appear cohesive.
“Sir, I’ll need you to wait out here,” said one of the uniformed officers.
Jake held up his badge and kept walking past him. He went right in the front door to find a crowd of officers and the forensics team already hard at work collecting evidence.
As he waited for them to take their photographs, he looked around the house. A box of toys sat in the living room near the sofa, and behind him was a photo of a little boy with fat, apple cheeks and a cheesy grin. The victim, who was still kicked back in what had to be his favorite chair, was the kid’s father. Jake let out a sigh.
“He’s divorced, and the kid lives with his mother,” said a voice beside him. He turned, and the officer shook his head. “Doesn’t make it any less a shame, does it?”
“Any idea what happened here? My chief didn’t offer any details.” Jake could tell right away that the crime was out of his jurisdiction, and that was why he didn’t recognize too many of the officers around him.
“Most likely homicide, but they tried really hard to make it look like a suicide.”
Chief Harrison from the next county walked in with a smug look. “Detective Thomas. I thought that was your car I saw out there.”
“Yeah, she’s a beauty, isn’t she? I haven’t decided what color to paint her.” Jake knew the chief was about to kick him to the curb, and he didn’t waste any time.
“Well, perhaps you can go home and think about that. This is a Stevens County matter. Tell O’Connor we don’
t need any help up here.”
“Suit yourself. I’m just here because the chief asked me to be.” Even though he thought it was a waste of time.
“Well, we have it under control.” Harrison hiked up his pants and took a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his brow.
“Good to know. You boys enjoy yourselves.” He was content to leave the carcass for the hungry. He’d had his fill for way too many years, and since he’d just qualified for his pension, he was going to retire early and try to find something that didn’t keep him up at night.
As he walked out the door, Chief Harrison had to get in one more dig. “I hope that pile you’re driving gets decent gas mileage.”
Instead of responding, Jake waved a hand at them and fought hard not to put up his middle finger, which would no doubt land him in a cell somewhere in Stevens County.
Jake made the drive back to Spokane and took a detour for breakfast at Speed’s, his favorite mom and pop diner on the edge of the town. Then he went to the station and found Chief O’Connor had already made it to work. And he didn’t miss Jake walking past his door.
“Jake?” he called to him as he passed.
Jake huffed, knowing O’Connor wouldn’t be happy to see him back and because he didn’t want the lecture he was about to receive. Jake stopped in his tracks and took two steps back to stick his head in the door. “Yeah?”
“How’d it go? You’re back a little earlier than I expected.”
“Yeah, Chief Harrison sends his regards, but he said they had it under control.”
“So, you left? Boy, you really do give up easily, don’t you?”
“It was their jurisdiction, and you knew that when you sent me out.” He’d been busting Jake’s balls since he’d put in his notice four days ago.
“They don’t have a detective, so I thought that you might want to help them out.”
Jake walked inside the chief’s office and shut the door, hoping things weren’t about to get ugly between them. “As if I don’t have enough killing around here to keep me busy?” The crime rate had exploded over the past year, and with the drugs, robberies, and other dirty dealings, he had his hands full.
Chief O’Connor held up his hands as if to diffuse some of the growing tension between them. “I just can’t believe you aren’t interested.”
“That’s because you really don’t know me, Chief.” In the past few years since they’d met, the chief had never gotten to understand Jake fully. It didn’t bother Jake since he had one foot out the door already.
“You’re wrong,” the chief said, folding his hands on his desk. “I do get where you’re coming from, but I’m trying to light a fire under you. You need something that will revive your spark. You need to do something that will remind you why you got into this line of work to begin with.”
“With the corruption around here, I’m not sure anything can do that. I’m sick of it.” Jake didn’t have to go into how much corruption there was in the town and with the town politics. O’Connor had learned enough in his few years as chief to know how rotten the system was.
A man could get a slap on the wrist for killing mothers and their babies, and people could be caught red-handed and let go because of who they would support in the next election. There didn’t seem like there was much hope.
Jake shook his head. “Stop trying to light a candle without a wick. I’d be out of here next week if I could swing it, and as soon as you find a replacement, I’m gone. Nothing is going to change my mind.”
“Well, not so fast. I happen to have a job for you before I let you burn out and fade away.” He picked up his office phone. “Meg, could you send Officer Calloway on down, please?”
“What’s this? Who is Officer Calloway?”
“You’ll see.” The chief kicked back in his chair, his bald head shining like a freshly waxed floor.
All of a sudden, there was a thud against the door. Jake reached over and opened it to find a wide-eyed blonde, whose spring green eyes were as sunny as her smile. “Sorry,” she said. “I fell into the door.” She closed her eyes and gave him an apologetic look. “Scratch that. I mean I’m here to see Chief O’Connor. He called me down.”
Jake’s first impression was that this little lady couldn’t be his replacement. She looked better built for being a Sunday school teacher in her flowy yellow top and heels, or perhaps someone’s trophy wife, but a cop? He gave her a hard look, staring through her, which made her smile fade. At least until O’Connor called out from behind his desk, “Officer Calloway, please come in.”
Jake stepped aside and held the door so she wouldn’t trip over it again, but inside, all he could think was that his chief had to be kidding.
Being replaced by a bubble-headed blonde didn’t make him feel any more vital to the department, and he had a feeling O’Connor was trying to scare him into staying. But what did he care if the future of his position was left to her?
“Jo, I’d like you to meet Jake Thomas. He’s going to help you get your feet wet around here, but don’t get too used to his sunny disposition.” The chief’s voice dripped with enough sarcasm to almost be offensive. “He’s the man you’ll be replacing.”
“Hello, Jake,” she said, holding out her hand. “It’s so nice to meet you.” She cracked her gum, and the Chief and Jake exchanged a look as he reached out and took her soft hand.
Fucking great.
Chapter 2
Jake
Even though he had already had his fill of early morning breakfast, he couldn’t get enough of the coffee at Speed’s. Their rich, dark brew had given him the energy he had needed to function on a daily basis for as long as he could remember. So as he drove that way, Jo wrung her hands together in his passenger seat.
“Are you taking me to check out a case?” she asked, cracking her gum for the fiftieth time.
“Are you going to spit that out, or am I going to have to go into your mouth and get it?” He gave her a hard look.
She rolled down her window and reached into her mouth to lose the gum. “Sorry. I crack my gum when I’m nervous.” She sat up straighter in her seat. “You know, you’re a little intimidating with the whole dark eyes and bedroom look.”
“Bedroom look? What the fuck is that?”
“Your eyes. They’re dark and deep set. You’ve never heard of bedroom eyes? Your constantly furrowed brow makes you seem a bit moody, though. Unapproachable.”
“Makes me seem? Trust me, sweetheart. It’s not an illusion. It doesn’t get better than this. I appear moody because I am. Unapproachable? Check. I’m used to riding alone, and I like my peace and quiet.”
As if she didn’t get the hint, she reached up and ran her hand across the dash. “This could be a beautiful car with a little work. My friend’s dad used to have one of these. He had just gotten it finished, and someone t-boned him and totaled it.”
Thankfully for Jake, they arrived at the diner a minute later, and after getting out of the car, not waiting for Jo, he grabbed one of the local auto-traders as he walked inside.
“Are you going to sell your car?” she asked, catching up to him.
“No,” he answered with a blunt tone as he led her to her favorite booth. Before he could sit, Ruth Anne, the owner’s daughter, came over with his usual cup of black coffee.
“I see you’ve got a passenger today,” she said. “Is this your new girl, or—”
“Trainee,” Jake said before Ruth Anne could embarrass them both. “She’s taking over my spot so I can quit.”
Jo stuck her hand out. “I’m Officer Jo Calloway.”
“Pleased to meet you,” said Ruth Anne, shaking her hand. “Jake is one of our best customers.”
“That’s because it’s usually a quiet place to read my auto trader and forget about the ugly world around me.”
“Isn’t he a joy?” whispered Ruth Anne, earning a giggle from Jo. “May I get you something? Coffee, tea, a nice big slice of apple pie?”
The two were seriou
sly interrupting his quiet time, and he couldn’t wait until the next two weeks were up and he didn’t have to deal with Ms. Sunshine anymore.
“Oh, pie sounds nice.” Jo turned to him. “Have you had the pie before?”
He gave her a blank stare, and she pulled her lips in tight as if she finally realized how annoying she’d been. “Sorry. Yes, I’ll take a slice with a cup of coffee, please. Sugar and cream.”
“A la mode?” asked Ruth Anne.
“No thanks. Ice cream gives me a headache.” As Ruth Anne walked away, Jo drummed her hands on the table until he cleared his throat.
“Speaking of headaches, do you have to be making noise at all times?” So far, it had been clicking gum and chatter, and now he could add drumming on tables to the list of her annoying habits.
She stopped. “I never noticed, but I guess I do. I just have a lot of energy, and I’m excited. I’ve worked hard to be here, and well, I know a lot of the other officers think I’m only here because of my dad and that I’m just a dumb blonde, but I love my work, and this is a huge opportunity for me.”
“Who is your dad?” He only asked because it seemed that she wanted him to, and he imagined he was one of the hot-shot attorneys or business owners of the community. Was it time for her to do some posturing to try and impress him?
But then she clammed up, bringing her shoulders up next to her ears. “You know what? Never mind I said that. You probably don’t know him anyway.” She quickly turned her attention to Ruth Anne, who brought the coffee. “Thank you.” Jo smiled before taking a sip.