Web of Deceit

by Susan Sleeman

  “Want to talk about what’s keeping you awake?” He’d softened his tone.

  Something about him being here in the middle of the night, his shirt off, barefoot and beltless, seemed so intimate. Though she’d be happy to ask him if he had any knowledge about how children of serial killers handled the notoriety, the last thing she needed was to be alone with him. “Not really.”

  “Oh.” One word, but it sounded like he was hurt.

  After all he’d done for her, she didn’t want him to feel bad. If she put a physical obstacle between them, they could have their little talk, and she’d be fine. “Since we’re both up, how about I make a pot of coffee?”

  “Sounds good.”

  In the kitchen, she flipped on the lights and started filling the coffee pot with water. Better. Less intimate.

  “Have a seat.” She gestured at the island and moved to the other side of the kitchen. She poured beans into the grinder and pressed the lid, the whirr of the motor and blades slicing into the beans the only sounds. She dumped the grounds into the basket and flipped the switch on the pot.

  “Smells good,” he said as he straddled a stool.

  She watched coffee fill the carafe while she gathered her thoughts before facing him. She leaned against the counter and recounted her concerns about Lily having a serial killer as a father. “Do you have any experience with this kind of thing? Maybe some advice to share?”

  He shook his head. “I’ve never worked a serial case, but I have seen my share of kids with incarcerated parents come through juvie.”

  “Great. Juvie. Something to look forward to.” Figuring he liked his coffee as sweet at his tea, she put sugar, milk, and a teaspoon on the island.

  “Lily isn’t going to wind up in juvie, Kait,” he said. “She has you and your parents as role models.”

  “True.”

  The pot signaled its readiness with a set of shrill beeps. She retrieved mugs from the cupboard and filled them, the steam curling up and evaporating.

  She slid a mug across the island to him. “Learning about Fenton is still going to throw Lily for a loop.”

  He added copious amounts of sugar to the coffee, then cupped his hands around the mug and leaned back on the barstool. “You mentioned looking for a counselor before. He could give you direction in this area, too.”

  “Actually, I haven’t followed through on that. I was looking for someone because I thought Lily was imagining a man coming into her room at night. But now . . .”

  “Now we know that she didn’t imagine it,” he finished for her. “You should still seek professional advice soon. Counselors can help in ways lay people can’t.”

  “That’s a surprise coming from a cop. I thought all you guys were too macho to admit counseling’s a good thing.”

  He shrugged. “Sometimes seeing a shrink is the best answer.”

  She sipped her black coffee and watched him for a moment. He hid his thoughts so well. It frustrated her, yet at the same time she saw it as a challenge. One she would keep plugging away at. “You sound like you’re speaking from experience.”

  He looked down at his hands for a few moments, then seemed to make a mental shrug. “I never realized how hard it is to be a parent.”

  Right. Change the subject like you always do. His continued evasiveness hurt. Deeply.

  “With you in her life,” he added, “Lily will be fine.”

  His comment succeeded where she’d been failing. He pulled her thoughts away from him and the challenge of getting to know him, and put them back where they needed to be. On Lily. On Fenton. And most importantly, on the time ticking down to a murder Fenton had promised to commit.

  “AT LAST,” FENTON said to J.J. “I didn’t think Toby would ever log onto the Internet.”

  Fenton opened a private chat window on his computer, and his fingers flew over the keyboard. Would you like to meet for a drink tomorrow, Toby?

  You’re in Portland? came Toby’s reply.

  Fenton typed, On a layover for business. Staying at a hotel near the Hillsboro airport. Is that convenient for you? He knew exactly where his ace in the hole, Toby Bradley, lived, but Fenton couldn’t very well admit that.

  Toby responded, Sure. When?

  Fenton peered at J.J. “Let’s see. I’ve promised my next surprise for Kait at 5:30 tomorrow, so that means I’ll what? Need about two hours to implement by plans for Toby? Yes, two hours should do it.”

  Fenton looked back at the screen and typed, 3:30 work for you?

  “Sure.”

  Great, Toby, Fenton typed, the thrill of making a conquest flooding his body. Then we’ll finally meet in person. I’m sure it will be memorable for both of us.

  SAM HELD HIS second cup of coffee and waited for Kait to speak. She’d been hugging that counter across the room and looking at him oddly since they’d come in here. If his cop sense was right, she was thinking about what it was like to have him in her home in the middle of the night. At least, that’s what he was thinking about, but it wasn’t odd to him. It felt right. Comfortable. Until she’d suddenly clammed up.

  She looked up and caught him watching her. “I suppose all of this talk of Lily and juvie has put you off wanting to be a parent.”

  “Nothing could do that,” he said, instantly regretting the longing he’d allowed in his tone.

  Her interest intensified. “Were you and your wife planning to have children?”

  He was tired of not telling her the truth, but he didn’t know if he could get through the story, so he sipped his coffee and ignored her question.

  “What is it, Sam?” she asked crossing the room to join him. “Why do you keep shutting me out?”

  He shrugged.

  Her shoulders drooped. He’d found a vulnerable spot, and he’d hurt her.

  “Fine,” she said. “I get it. Be that way. Expecting me to share, and then shutting down when the conversation turns to you.”

  He couldn’t add to her pain. He could at least tell her part of the story.

  “I was a father. Once,” he said, his hand automatically going to the dog tag. “Almost, anyway. Hannah was seven months pregnant when she died in a car accident. A son. We were going to call him Daniel after Hannah’s father. Danny for short.” He held the tag out for Kait to see. “But Hannah was pinned in the car too long, and they couldn’t save him.”

  “Oh, Sam.” She laid her hand on his arm, the warmth giving comfort. “I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine the pain of losing a child.”

  “Worst part is, I’m the one who sent them out that night. We argued. Hannah took off. It was my fault.” He dropped the tag and met her eyes, dark with pity just as he’d expected. Raw, empathetic pity. The very opposite of what he wanted from her.

  He wanted her. Plain and simple. As a woman. In his life for as long as she’d have him. But with his issues, how long would that be? She might not want to get involved with anyone right now, but after they apprehended Rhodes, she’d heal and be ready to move on. He knew that. Could feel that. And she’d want children of her own. Children he had no right even to begin to think about fathering. Not after Hannah’s warning.

  “Did I say something wrong?” Kait asked, clearly confused.

  “No.”

  “But you—”

  “It’s nothing you’ve done or said. It’s all about me.” He smiled to ease her concern, but confusion lingered in her eyes, and it hurt to see her this way. Like a boxing glove to the gut.

  Without thinking it through, he ran his thumb over her cheek. He’d meant the touch innocently, but it quickly changed, and he cupped the side of her face. Her breathing sped up, and a small “Oh” of surprise slipped from her lips. He slid his fingers into her hair, the silky stands caressing his fingers. His mind consumed with kissing her no matter the consequenc
es, he moved his hand to the back of her neck and drew her closer. Her lips were inches from his. Her sweet fragrance wrapped around him, her lips open and waiting.

  His heart beating a wild rhythm, he lowered his head the remaining distance.

  She suddenly stiffened and stepped free. Her chest heaved as she drew in air. She obviously wanted the kiss as much as he did, but she was walking away. “We can’t do this, Sam.”

  “Do what?” he asked.

  “Pursue this thing between us.”

  He knew she was right. Now, anyway. After she’d put space between them and commonsense prevailed. He wouldn’t follow through on his feelings, but he wanted—no, needed—to know why she didn’t want him to. “As far as I know, I’m single and you’re single, so why don’t you think something between us would work?”

  “Because . . .” Her voice trailed off, and she watched him for a long moment, that raw pain back. “When I look in your eyes, I see myself.”

  “So I’m letting my feminine side out?” he asked, hoping to lighten things up when he knew what was coming next.

  “I’m serious, Sam.”

  “Sorry. Go on.”

  “I see my pain. The anguish that never leaves. And now that you’ve told me about your wife and son, I know the reason for yours. You haven’t put your loss behind you, just as I haven’t.”

  She did see him. Better than he could imagine. Deep inside where the pain lingered. And, despite her plan to push him away, it made him even more attracted to her.

  “And that means we need to put these feelings on the shelf.” She shrugged. “Who knows, things could change someday. But for now . . . now, we’re colleagues only.”

  She started to walk away.

  He slipped his hand around her wrist. Lightly, so she could pull away if she really wanted to. “I’ll still be sleeping on your couch tonight. That’s not optional.”

  She looked at him long and hard. “That doesn’t mean I’ll do anything about the other.”

  “Got it,” he said.

  “It’s nothing personal, Sam. You’re a great guy. We’re both just in bad places.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m good.” He smiled and dropped her wrist.

  Surprisingly, he really was good. It had been a long time since a woman had told him she was interested in him. An even longer time since it really mattered. For the first time in eons, he had hope for the future he desperately wanted.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  FENTON LOOKED at the clock. An hour. Toby had an hour to live and the idiot sat there behind his monitor, three sheets to the wind, oblivious to his upcoming fate.

  Of course, Toby wasn’t all that much different from Fenton’s other conquests. They hadn’t seen their maker coming either.

  Fenton wouldn’t use the vent on Toby, though. J.J. was still using it. Plus, Fenton didn’t need Toby for anything other than this house. A place to hole up close to the airport until his plane was ready to depart. So, after Toby’s starring role in a World of Warcraft game, and a quick shot of roc, he would slip away. Fenton would rush back to J.J.’s house, retrieve his belongings, and set up Toby’s basement to receive Lily and Kait.

  Ah, yes, Kait. He couldn’t forget Kait. She needed one last scare to distract her while Fenton freed his baby from the feds. Then, and only then, would his grand plan unfold so his daughter once again lived with him, and his darling Abby could finally rest in peace.

  KAIT CHECKED HER watch. The day had flown by. Of course it had. Fenton’s deadline saw to that. Each disappearing second more important than the last. A mere thirty minutes until he killed again, and they were no closer to stopping him. At the morning task force meeting, they’d decided to focus on the World of Warcraft lead, find Youngblood’s van, and follow up with detectives in the cities of Fenton’s initial killing spree.

  Never leaving the war room except for short breaks, Kait and Jae researched WoW while Sam and Nina worked with the detectives. The table, littered with coffee cups, candy wrappers, and takeout containers, spoke to their frustrations.

  Sam lifted his focus from dog-eared files spread in front of him to Jae who sat behind her laptop. “Can you turn that blasted thing down?” he snapped.

  “Crabby much?” Jae said above the WoW audio. She wadded up a piece of paper and threw it at him. “Everyone’s gone to the dark side in here.”

  “Not everyone,” Nina said, her drawl thick. “I’m still my usual charming self.”

  “Right, keep telling yourself that.” Jae suddenly jerked her gaze to the computer screen.

  Hope coursed through Kait’s body. “You have something?”

  “Maybe.”

  Kait couldn’t sit and wait, so she got up.

  Jae eyed her. “You know how I feel about backseat drivers. When I’m sure of what I have, I’ll show you.”

  Kait lowered herself back into the chair.

  “Don’t look so down,” Nina said. “I’m following a promising lead on Minneapolis.” They’d taken to calling the out-of-state victims by their city to keep them straight. “He was questioned by our Minneapolis office for a hacking case before he died, and I’m just waiting for the case agent to call me back.”

  Kait looked at her watch. “With the time zone difference, the agent’s likely gone for the night.”

  “Ooh, ooh, ooh,” Jae said.

  Kait started to rise.

  Jae held up a hand. “Not yet.”

  “She always this aggressive?” Sam asked, scowling at her.

  “Hey, what can I say?” Jae grinned. “I’m good, and I know it.”

  “Which means we give her a lot of leeway,” Nina added.

  “No freakin’ way!” Jae shot to her feet, her eyes glued to her screen. “It’s better than I thought.”

  Kait resisted the urge to stand.

  “Well what’re you guys waiting for?” Jae’s grin widened. “This is it.”

  Kait hurried around the table, but Sam had beaten her to Jae. He looked at the screen and frowned. “Exactly, what am I looking at?”

  “World of Warcraft.” Jae’s well-duh tone showed her lack of understanding for non-gamers.

  “Have at it, Kait.” Sam stepped aside. “You can explain it to me.”

  Kait quickly took in the WoW scene where several characters stood in a grassy spot outside the city of Stormwind. A human character named Abby4Ever and another called AgentOfDoom stood facing each other.

  Kait cringed and took a step back.

  “What?” Sam asked. “What is it?”

  Jae tapped her finger on each woman. “They’re identical, and look at their names. Abby4Ever is obviously Abby, and the other, AgentOfDoom, is a play on Kait’s status as an agent.”

  As Kait watched, the characters both walked toward the city. “Fenton can’t be playing both characters at the same time.”

  “No, he can’t,” Jae said.

  “Since I’m sure he’d want to be the Abby character, he’s conned someone else into being me.”

  “Can someone explain this to me?” Sam asked sounding frustrated.

  “When you start playing WoW, you choose and customize an avatar—an electronic image of a person or thing.” Jae pointed at the Abby4Ever character. “Rhodes created a human avatar that resembles Abby, and it looks like he had someone else create Kait.”

  “Are you sure this is right?” Sam squinted at the screen. “Wanting to be a woman while playing a game doesn’t sound like Rhodes.”

  “Actually, it’s quite common for guys to choose attractive females as their avatars,” Nina answered without looking away from the screen. “Gives them something sexy to look at while they play.”

  “And naming the character Abby4Ever means he was likely paying homage to Abby,” Kait said.

 
“Or fantasizing that she’s still alive,” Nina added.

  Sam eyed Jae. “How did you find this, and how can you be sure Rhodes is behind it?”

  “I trailed Congdon all over the web, leading me to his WoW account. That gave me his character name, AgentOfDoom. I figured the agent part meant something, so I checked out the players in his guild and found Abby4Ever. That name couldn’t possibly be a coincidence, so I started looking for the names of Rhodes’s other victims in his guild, but didn’t find any. Then I got to thinking maybe Rhodes played with other guilds, too, so I searched for other Abby4Ever characters.”

  Kait listened to the discussion, but couldn’t take her eyes off her character. Her avatar look-alike was attacked by a character from the other guild, and she suddenly dropped to the ground. Kait gasped and waited for the avatar to get up, but she lay in a heap on the stones. “Do you think—”

  “He just killed another one?” Jae asked. “Yeah. I think so.”

  “For real killed someone?” Sam asked clearly confused.

  Kait glanced at the clock. “His twenty-four hour deadline just passed, so it’s reasonable to assume he’ll soon lead us to the body of the man he conned into playing me in this game.”

  “I don’t get it.” Sam stared at the screen. “You said he doesn’t control other characters, so he couldn’t arrange to have AgentOfDoom be attacked and die like this.”

  “Actually,” Nina corrected. “Abby4Ever’s job in the game is to protect Kait, but clearly that didn’t happen. Which means, if Rhodes is controlling Abby4Ever like we think he is, he withheld support from Abby4Ever and let Kait’s avatar die.”

  Like in life, Kait thought.

  As a heavy cloud settled over the room, Jae dropped into her chair and navigated to a WoW stats page that displayed a list of Abby4Ever and AgentOfDoom characters.

  Kait counted down the screen. “Nine. He’s killed nine?”