Vile: The Faces of Evil Series: Book 8

by Debra Webb

  Apparently, her silence had Dan worried that she didn’t want to talk to his parents tonight. What Jess really wanted was to talk to Corlew, but Dan had called her at half past five and told her to come home. He’d refused to explain. He’d insisted he needed her to come home. Sensing his desperation, she’d left Harper, Cook, and Hayes at the Brownfield farm. Lori had driven her home. Thankfully, she hadn’t asked about the photo. Jess wasn’t ready to talk about that to anyone but Corlew… not until she understood what it meant. She also refused to consider that she had taken evidence from the scene.

  After the fastest shower on record and still no explanation, she and Dan had come straight here. Jess would have preferred to know what was going on before they arrived at the Burnetts’ but, on some level, she’d understood that he wasn’t ready to talk. She’d noticed the haunted look in his eyes the past two nights. Something was wrong and he hadn’t wanted to talk about it. Now they sat in the middle of the street with this whatever it was hanging between them, and a BPD cruiser right behind them waiting for some sort of indication as to what they were going to do.

  “No.” Jess broke the silence. “I’m glad we’re here. We might as well give them the news. Lil knows and your parents should too.” Why not? She had the remains of at least twenty people at the Brownfield farm and the body hunters weren’t finished by a long shot. She’d found a photo of a man who was either her father or his twin in a box kept by the murder suspect. It had been a great day! What was one more drama-filled scene before it was over?

  “We don’t have to do that,” Dan argued quietly.

  The dim glow of the interior lights didn’t allow her to see his face very well and she needed to. Dammit. She needed to know what was going on. “Then why did you call me home from a mass murder scene to come over here and not tell them?” Jess laughed. She had to laugh or she was going to cry. “It’s not like family night couldn’t wait.”

  “It can’t wait.”

  Fear trickled through her. “Dan, please tell me what’s going on.” She reached out and touched his jaw, felt the tension there.

  “Harold came by to see me this afternoon. He suggested I take a leave of absence until this thing with Allen is straightened out.”

  “What?” Anger blasted away any fear that had crept in. She wanted to kick something. Maybe Harold Black for starters. “Why would you do that?” She had an idea. Possibly, so Black could slip into the position of chief of police.

  “He’s trying to help, Jess.”

  “You can’t still believe that.” She wanted to shake Dan for continuing to trust the guy. “He’s trying to take you down.”

  “He warned me about the search warrant being issued on the house,” he reminded Jess.

  “And then your house was virtually destroyed in the fire,” she reminded him. “Doesn’t that smell like a set up to you? Now he can testify that he told you about the warrant. That makes you look all the guiltier, Dan. Can’t you see where this is headed?”

  “There’s more.”

  Jess sagged against the seat. There was only one other time in her life that she’d ever heard Daniel Burnett talk like this—with that defeated, I’m-done tone… when he gave up on their relationship, breaking their engagement, and leaving her in Boston all those years ago.

  He was giving up.

  “Fine. Let’s hear it.” Jess crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Pratt is gathering the necessary support to demand my resignation.”

  Jess scoffed. “Who’s surprised about that? He’s been angry with you since the day you asked me to come to Birmingham and help with the Murray case.” And that was the bottom line. None of this was about Dan. It was about her. She closed her eyes and fought the infuriating sting of tears.

  Damn you, Spears.

  “Harold insisted there were things he couldn’t share, but he kept repeating that it would be best for everyone,” Dan turned to her, “including you.”

  “I will not let you do this, Dan, do you hear me?” She couldn’t allow this to happen. No. She wouldn’t allow it. Dammit.

  He smiled for her but it was far from his usual charming display. “I love you, you know that, right? I would do anything for you and our baby.”

  “Then give me time to end this with Spears.” She battled with the tears stinging her eyes. “Don’t let him get away with this, Dan. He’s taken too much already.”

  “You sure you’re prepared to weather the kind of storm Pratt and the people who run this town are prepared to launch against us?”

  Laughter swelled in her throat. “I’ve been butting heads with people like Pratt since I was ten years old, Daniel Burnett. There is absolutely nothing he can do to me that will shake me. I’ve never given men like him power over me.”

  “You always were the strong one.” He searched her face. “I let you down once, Jess. I won’t let you down again.”

  A fresh wave of tears brimmed. “If we don’t go inside, I’m going to embarrass you right here in the street by starting something neither of us will be able to stop. Your mother will be mortified.”

  He laughed. “All right. Let’s go make my mother the happiest woman on the planet.”

  Jess swallowed back a groan. She couldn’t wait.

  9:30 p.m.

  “That son of mine is working you entirely too hard, Jess.” Katherine Burnett’s face puckered in feigned concern. “You look so tired.”

  “Well, I’ve been digging up dead people all afternoon, Katherine.” Jess heaved a sigh as she set her coffee cup aside. “It does get tiring.”

  Dan’s mother put her hand to her chest. “My word.” She looked to her husband and then to Dan before turning back to Jess. “Are you working on that case up in Jackson County?”

  “I am.”

  Katherine shook her head. “This is related to that little girl left on the street? I saw her on the news. It’s just awful.”

  “It is. Yes, ma’am.” Jess leaned into the sofa and tried for the tenth time to relax. It was never easy around Katherine.

  “I don’t know what this world is coming to,” Dan Senior said with a somber shake of his head.

  “I’m right there with you, Dad.” Dan set his cup and saucer on the coffee table as well.

  Since it had been too late for a proper southern dinner, Katherine had prepared finger foods and a lemon pie. Jess hadn’t meant to eat two slices—a fact Katherine would never permit her to forget. They’d retired to the living room with their coffee after dessert. Jess stifled a yawn. Katherine was right about one thing, she was exhausted.

  Dan took Jess’s hand and cradled it between his. “There may be some trouble brewing at the office.”

  This was so wrong. Jess would do almost anything to take this weight off his shoulders.

  Dan Senior leaned forward and braced his forearms on his knees. “What sort of trouble?”

  Katherine sent a suspicious look at Jess. “Is this related to that monster that followed Jess here?”

  Dan held Jess’s hand a little tighter. He was probably worried she would jump over the coffee table and throttle his mother. She’d gone this long without doing something to his mother she would regret. No need to start now.

  “We can’t be sure where the trouble is coming from, but I’m being investigated in the disappearance of Ted Allen.”

  Katherine jumped to her feet. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. One of those drug people he was trying to stop probably stopped him first. Why in the world would anyone believe you had anything to do with it?”

  “Now, now, Katherine.” Dan Senior patted her arm. “Settle down and let the boy finish what he has to say.”

  As the woman wilted into her seat, Jess couldn’t help feeling sorry for her. She was so proud of her son. This was going to hurt.

  “Evidence suggesting I was involved has been planted,” Dan went on. “I believe the fire at my house is related somehow as well.”

  Katherine was on her fe
et again. “You could’ve been killed!” She blinked and then turned to Jess as if she’d just remembered. “Jessie Lee, too.”

  Dan Senior didn’t bother telling her to sit this time. “This is more serious than you’re telling us.”

  With a heavy breath, Dan nodded. “There’s no way to know what’s going to happen next, but it may get ugly.”

  Katherine’s eyes rounded. “Will this make the news?”

  Dan laughed but the sound held no humor. “I’d say that’s a given.”

  “Oh, good Lord.” Katherine swayed.

  “Sit down, Katherine,” Dan Senior said a bit more firmly. “It hasn’t happened yet. Dan’s only trying to prepare us for the worst.”

  “It’s her fault!” Katherine pointed an accusing finger at Jess.

  Jess stiffened. Considered that she might have to change her mind about doing something she could potentially regret.

  Katherine shook that finger. “You did this. You dragged him away from home twenty-four years ago, and now you’ve come back to ruin him. Why didn’t you stay away, Jess? You’ve never been anything but trouble for Dan.”

  More times than she could count, Katherine Burnett had said things to Jess that were meant to wound but Jess had always let them go. She’d never cared what the woman thought of her. But somehow, this time she couldn’t.

  Maybe because this time Katherine was right.

  The tears came so swiftly and with such force Jess couldn’t hope to hold them back.

  The silence that followed was somehow more excruciating than Katherine’s words. Why wasn’t Dan defending her? When she turned to him, she instinctively recoiled. The look of rage on his face was one she had never seen before. She held her breath. The storm wasn’t coming… it had arrived.

  “As much as I love you, Mother,” Dan said, his voice deceptively calm, “I will not have you speak to Jess that way. If you don’t respect her and care for her, then we have a very serious problem.”

  “Sit down, Katherine,” Dan Senior insisted.

  “You’re going to marry her, aren’t you?” Katherine said, her voice quivering. “I have done everything I know to keep you from repeating the mistake that tore you apart all those years ago and you won’t listen.” Katherine shook her head. “Mark my words, you’ll be even sorrier this time than you were the last.”

  There was a great deal Jess could have said, but this was between Dan and his mother. All she could do was ride it out. She wasn’t so much surprised at how Katherine felt. It was more that she was startled the woman would say it out loud with Jess in the room.

  Dan stood. Jess rose to stand beside him. She hoped he wouldn’t say anything in the heat of the moment that he would regret later. This woman was his mother after all.

  “Good night,” he announced.

  Jess wanted to cheer. Leaving without more hurtful words being exchanged was the right decision. Besides, Jess was so ready to go.

  “Son, wait.” Dan Senior got to his feet and held out his hands in a placating manner. “Your mother’s upset. She doesn’t mean any of this.” He glared at Katherine. “Do you?”

  She said nothing, obviously too overcome to speak at this point. Too bad that couldn’t have happened about five minutes ago.

  “I love Jess,” Dan told his mother. “We’re getting married.” Katherine’s lips trembled. “If we’re all going to be a family, then you need to accept that.”

  Katherine shook her head. “I cannot accept it.”

  “Good God, Katherine,” Dan Senior growled. “You’re making a fool of yourself.”

  Jess held up her hands. She had to stop this. As painful as it was for her, she couldn’t bear to watch what it was doing to Dan. “It’s all right. We don’t have to figure this out tonight.”

  “You need to apologize, Mother,” Dan warned, his face still hard with fury.

  Jess shook her head. “No, it’s—”

  Katherine lifted her chin. “I will not apologize for speaking what’s in my heart.”

  Well, hell. Jess was about ready to walk over and shake the woman. She just wouldn’t give it a rest.

  “Then I guess you won’t mind when we don’t allow your grandchild to come over for play dates.”

  Jess wished she could crawl under a rock.

  Uncertainty flashed in Katherine’s expression. “Well,” she began, “when that time comes—”

  “That time has already come,” Dan let her know.

  Katherine looked puzzled before turning to glare at Jess. “Are you saying she’s…?”

  “Yes,” Dan stated. “Jess and I are having a baby.”

  Like any true southern bell when faced with life altering news, Katherine fainted.

  Dan and his father rushed to Katherine’s aid. Jess didn’t bother. She was positive Katherine didn’t want her help. Suited Jess just fine. The woman had made her feelings perfectly clear. Her news hadn’t really been news at all.

  Jess’s cell rang and she was grateful for the distraction. She fished in her bag until she found it. Gina Coleman’s name flashed on the screen.

  “You have some news?” Jess moved into the kitchen away from the drama.

  “Jess, you need to turn on the television. Channel Three. Where’s Dan?”

  “We’re at his parents’.” Jess went to the kitchen island and grabbed the remote lying there. She turned on the set. “What am I looking for?” Fear started a new journey through her.

  “I called as soon as I heard there’s going to be breaking news about Dan.”

  Even as Gina said the words, the anchor echoed them. “Dan!” Jess shouted, her heart starting to pound.

  “I didn’t know this was coming,” Gina was saying as Dan and his parents hurried into the kitchen. “I usually get a heads up from one of my sources, but they kept this hush-hush.”

  A photo of Dan appeared on the screen behind the anchor. “Former mayoral assistant Meredith Dority,” a picture of Dan’s first wife appeared on the screen next to the one of him, “came forward this evening in an exclusive interview with Channel Three reporter, Gerard Stevens.”

  Jess’s gaze found Dan’s. He shook his head. Was this what he’d been distracted with the past two nights?

  “According to Dority, Chief of Police Daniel Burnett was instrumental in a number of instances of investigation tampering and witness strong arming in his days as liaison between the mayor’s office and the position he now holds. A full investigation has been launched.”

  A video clip of Pratt rolled. “The city of Birmingham has my solemn promise that these allegations will be fully investigated.”

  The anchor droned on but Jess didn’t hear anymore. She’d heard enough.

  Katherine turned to Dan. “Why is Meredith saying those things?”

  “I can’t answer that question.” Dan shook his head. “Until this week, I hadn’t seen her in years.”

  “Her allegations are fabricated,” Dan Senior said firmly. “Know that we’re behind you, son. I still have friends who will rally support for you.”

  Jess wished it were that simple. Her cell rang again. She stared numbly at the screen. Corlew. She’d have to call him back.

  Katherine hugged her son. “I’m so sorry.”

  Dan Senior hugged them both. Tears welled in Jess’s eyes again. Dan needed their support now more than ever. This was going to get even uglier.

  Three weeks ago, Corlew had made some comment about Dan and some fixed cases in the past but Jess refused to believe him. She didn’t believe he’d done any such thing before becoming chief of police as Dority was alleging either. Dan Burnett was not capable of such underhandedness. He was far too ethical and honorable.

  As if he’d heard her thought, he pulled away from his parents and came to her. He drew Jess into his arms and held her tight. “I wish I could make this go away.”

  She bit her lip. Tried her best to keep those blasted tears back but it wasn’t happening. “We’ll get through it.”

  A tug
on her arm had Jess turning from his comforting embrace.

  “I was wrong to say all that,” Katherine implored. “I’m very happy for you and Dan.” Her voice quavered but she got the words out. “The past is the past. It has no place in the present.”

  Jess rustled up a smile. Those words must have hurt. “Thank you.”

  The next group hug included Jess. She decided this part was going to take some getting used to.

  By the time they loaded into Dan’s SUV to go home, Jess felt confident the revelations were over for tonight. She’d heard a few more than she would have preferred but life was like that sometimes.

  Dan started the engine but rather than putting the Mercedes into gear he just sat there.

  Jess put a hand on his arm. “You okay?”

  He looked at her for a long moment before he answered. “I don’t want to wait until this insanity is over.”

  She frowned, tried to read his face. “What do you mean?”

  “Let’s get married tomorrow. We’ll just drive to wherever we want to go and find a judge and do it.”

  Except she had at least twenty murder victims waiting for justice and a sister who would never forgive her if she and Dan eloped.

  Jess patted his arm. “We could do that, but I don’t think our families would forgive us in this lifetime. How about we give the idea a little more thought first?”

  Dan didn’t answer. He just put the SUV in gear and drove away.

  And here she’d thought this night couldn’t get any more complicated.

  18

  Parkridge Drive, Homewood, 10:35 p.m.

  Lori loaded the laundry she’d sorted into the machine and pushed the start button. As the water rushed into the machine, she braced against it and closed her eyes. What was she doing?

  How much longer could she keep doing this to Chet?

  She’d been avoiding intimacy with him since he told her about the complication that came with the surgery. This wasn’t how she’d planned her life. She’d expected to rise high enough in her career to be financially stable with a comfortable savings account before marriage and kids. She’d watched her mother struggle with finances after her father died.