"She suffered," Turner murmured.
"Dammit, we failed her." Jake spun around before he got sick. He'd seen evil before, but knowing the pain this young woman endured was almost too much to bear.
"He’s out of control," Turner said. "That made him careless. Maybe he left something behind this time."
"Since Violet’s step-dad was in prison, his DNA should be in the national database."
"I got Judge Pinkerton to okay warrants to gather samples from Timms and Perez. I’ll send officers to collect."
Steeling his nerves, Jake rotated to face the victim again. Felix Pena clicked off his recorder. "He didn’t dress her in lingerie this time," Pena said over his shoulder.
"He didn’t have time to swipe any from the last victim since he was interrupted," Turner deduced.
"What was she wearing?" Jake asked.
"A black sweater," Pena said. He used a glove to lift the silver zipper with a logo. "Brand name Dinky."
Dread swept over Jake. "DKNY," he corrected. "It’s Violet’s missing sweater."
"You better prepare yourself," Turner said. "There’s more." He picked up the plastic bag containing the latest note and handed it to Jake.
Roses are black
Why Violet why?
On me you’ve cheated
This you can’t deny
Your boyfriend can’t stop me
Better say goodbye
For your shameless sins, Violet
You must die
CHAPTER 24
January 21
It was close to three a.m. when Jake picked Violet up from the station. How would she take the latest developments? Probably not very well. Hell, he wasn’t taking it well, either.
He parked in the back lot and hurried inside. The sight that greeted him when he opened the door made his heart skip a beat. She lay curled around Zeus on the small cot, a blanket covering them both. They were sound asleep until Jake flooded the room with light from the hall. Zeus scurried to sit up and his movements woke Violet. She lifted her head and stretched her arms in a yawn, her hair a tumble around her face. "Jake?"
He moved into the room and sat beside her, pulling her into his arms. He kissed her passionately, reassuring himself of her safety.
"Um, what was that for?"
"I missed you." He kissed her again, unable to stop himself. Finally, he pulled away. He couldn’t put it off any longer. "I need to tell you something, Violet."
"Okay," she said slowly. "Was there another murder?"
"Mary Lou Victor."
"No," she whispered.
"One of your students?"
She nodded.
He wasn’t going to hold the truth from her. "This one was bad, honey. He left your missing sweater at the scene and he made it clear that he’s mad at you for your relationship with me…and that you are his next intended."
She gasped and he pulled her close. "Don’t worry. I won’t let the bastard near you."
"I trust you," she said, fighting to keep her voice steady.
He stroked her hair. "Are you ready to go?"
She nodded and he helped her into the borrowed jacket. Lifting Zeus’ leash, he guided them out of the room and down the hall. The click, click, click of the dog’s toenails was the only sound as they maneuvered through the deserted corridors, ending up in a service garage. She looked at him questioningly.
"We needed to get out of here without being seen. That means disguises and a change of vehicles."
He directed her to a green Marquis with darkened windows. Once inside, he retrieved a bag from the back seat, pulling it out from under Zeus’s sniffing nose. He handed Violet a curly burgundy wig and glasses. He donned a blond wig and tugged on a baseball cap. If not for the heavy cloud of death hovering over them, they both would have laughed.
He started the car and waited until one of the mechanics opened the bay door before he drove outside. Navigating the streets like a native, he drove a circuitous route, checking the mirrors often to make sure they weren’t followed. Finally he steered them to an exclusive neighborhood on the banks of Lake Champlain. Pulling up to a locked iron gate, he lowered the window and punched in a series of numbers. The gates effortlessly slid open. He drove through and waited for them to close before he continued up the cobblestone driveway. An impressive stone house came into view and he pressed a button on the visor. A door rolled up to reveal a four-bay garage. Jake eased into an open slot, the door whispering closed behind them.
"Where are we?"
"This is your safe house. We spare no expense," he added with a smile. They entered the home and Violet inhaled sharply at the luxurious interior.
"This is magnificent. Whose house is it?"
"Turner’s brother is a surgeon," Jake explained. "He and his wife are in Europe and Turner’s been taking care of the house. You’ll actually be doing the slacker a huge favor by staying here, watering the plants, cleaning out the fridge."
"This place is a mansion," she said with awe as she moved from room to room. The main level featured a huge sunken great room with cathedral ceilings, a soaring fireplace and wraparound deck with a million dollar view of the lake.
"Turner said to sleep in the master bedroom. He just changed the sheets so they're clean. The back yard has a fenced, heated dog run that Zeus can use. He said you can access it via a door off the indoor pool."
"Indoor pool!" Violet shrieked, her image a blur as she raced through the house. He heard an amazed, "Oh my gosh," from the general vicinity of the downstairs. He followed the voice and entered what could only be called an exercise in decadence. An arcing bridge spanned the width of the pool. Violet had flipped the switch to activate waterfalls cascading from each side, emptying into the blue water below. Carved marble statues and pots of green foliage decorated the perimeter. Strategic lights illuminated the area, giving it a feeling of a secret grotto. Jake was duly impressed.
"It’s magnificent," she whispered in awe. Jake wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight against his chest.
"That it is." He held her a moment and then said, "I need to head back to the station. Are you going to be okay here by yourself?"
"Are you kidding? I may never leave."
He chuckled. "I’ll be back as soon as I can. I have to don my disguise to come here, so don’t panic if you see a dashing blond Don Juan outside your window."
Violet laughed huskily. "I hope the dashing blond Don Juan doesn’t panic when he sees a flaming red-head skinny dipping."
Jake’s groin tightened at her taunt and he groaned as he kissed her neck. "I’ve really got to go." One last nibble and he turned to leave. "Lock the door behind me."
"Can I at least keep up with my messages by checking the machine at home?"
"Yes, Turner made sure the line was secure." He swooped down for a sweet peck on the lips and then climbed the stairs to leave. He reached the car when he remembered that he forgot to tell her something. Spinning on his heel, he headed back just in time to see a very naked Violet execute a graceful dive into the pool. He could do nothing but stare, his lower body rock hard. She surfaced, rising from the water with her head thrown back, nipples hard, her hands shoving wet locks away from her face. He almost came on the spot. She was a siren, a water nymph calling him to her lair. He wanted her so much it was a physical ache.
She shook water from her face and looked straight into his aroused eyes. With a shriek, she hunkered down, covering herself with her arms. "I-I thought you left."
He tried to pry his gaze from the depths of the cobalt water. He really did. It took every cell in his brain to concentrate enough to speak. "I forgot to tell you not to let a soul, no one, know where you are." He was still focused on the enticing curves under the water but caught her nod out of his periphery. "Only three people in the world know you're here: you, me and Turner. Let’s keep it that way."
His feet felt cemented to the ground. With everything he could muster, he forced his legs to move the hell out of t
here before he stripped naked and joined her.
#
Violet rolled over in the luxurious sheets, reaching for Jake. When her hand came up empty, she blinked her eyes open. Light poured in through the wall of windows and she quickly slammed her lids shut. Bright sunlight reflecting off the icy surface of Lake Champlain beamed directly into the bedroom. It was a sharp contrast to the soaring Maples she usually woke up to in the mornings, reminding her where she was and why.
She really had it bad that she smelled Jake’s unique scent when he hadn’t even slept in the bed. A glance at the clock assured her that it was well into the morning. Zeus!
She launched out of bed and grabbed her robe, quickly belting it as she called for her dog. She waited for thumping footsteps that never came. She padded down the steps, hollering for her precious pooch. The scent of coffee filtered through the air and she inhaled deeply. Following her nose, she entered the kitchen to a full pot of brew and a box of tasty-looking donuts. Lifting the attached note, she scanned Jake’s scribbled message.
Good morning, sweetheart. I had to leave and didn’t want to wake you. Coffee is in the pot, breakfast on the table and Zeus is frolicking happily in the heated pen. I’ll check in soon. Remember, don’t tell a soul where you are. Jake.
Well, he hadn’t written "love Jake", and the part about not telling a soul was a bit condescending—did he think she forgot his order already?—but the rest of the note was sweet.
She must have really been tired if he slipped into bed and she didn’t even notice, nor when he slipped out.
What was she going to do when he left? Excluding the nightmare of the last few weeks, which was practically impossible, the time spent with Jake had been the best in her life. She loved him but had no idea how he felt.
With a sigh, she poured a steaming cup of coffee and carried the mug downstairs. When she opened the door to the dog run, Zeus came hurdling toward her. She laughed and held her mug away from her body as she tried to calm her playful dog. "Zeus, stop." He paid no attention to her command, jumping and weaving between her legs. She stumbled, spilling hot liquid over her fingers. "Damn." Switching the mug to the other hand, she stuck her burning digits in the pool. Zeus quickly lost interest and bounded across the bridge and up the steps.
"Just like a man," she muttered. "Knock a woman off her feet and then run like a bat out of hell." Shaking drops from her throbbing hand, she followed her wayward canine.
Loud crunching greeted her as she entered the kitchen. Zeus looked up from his bowl, a doggie smile on his face. Swiping his tongue across his chops, he dropped back to eat. She smiled wistfully at him and refilled her cup.
She plunked the cordless phone from the side of the cabinet. After finding a pad of paper and pencil, she plopped into a chair and dialed her home number. She expected Maya to pick up but when the machine clicked on, she punched in her retrieval code. Three new messages. The first two were from Chris, wondering where she was. She made a note to call her back. The third was a barely-legible message from Melissa’s mother, the time stamp just a few minutes earlier. She could only make out a few words so she hung up and dialed Ms. Walters.
"Where is she, you bastard? What did you do with her?"
"Ms. Walters? It’s Violet Anastasia. What’s wrong?"
"You! This is your fault!"
Cold fingers danced down Violet’s spine. "Ms. Walters," she tried to calm the frantic woman. "Tell me what happened."
"He took my baby," the woman wailed. "Melissa is gone. My baby is gone."
CHAPTER 25
"I knew you was trouble when you showed up here with that cop. Now my kid’s gone and it’s your fault," she keened.
The icy fingers wrapped around Violet’s spine and twisted. "Ms. Walters, please calm down and tell me what happened."
Violet waited while the woman blew her nose. "Melissa was waiting at the bus stop with a couple of other kids." Violet heard the click of a lighter in the background and then a deep inhale. "Some man pulled up and told her that you wanted to see her and he would take her to you." Pause for a long drag. "I told her never to get in a car with a stranger but she did. She got in because she thought you wanted to see her. She got in the car and he stole my baby!" The last sentence was screeched.
Violet dropped the receiver from her ear and stood motionless. Someone kidnapped Melissa. It had to be Willie Jack. Hysterical moans echoed off the walls but she was too numb to hang up. Somehow, Willie Jack found out she volunteered as a big sister and he was determined to hurt her for sending him to prison. He would rape Melissa like he had Daisy, maybe even kill her. And it would be her fault. Again.
"Are you there?"
She lifted the receiver to her ear. "Yes, I’m here."
"The man who took her, he called me. Told me not to call the cops or Melissa would be k-killed." Her voice broke. "Don’t you be telling that boyfriend of yours. If the monster kills Melissa it will be your fault. Hell, it is anyway." A faint beep interrupted their conversation. "Hang on, I’ve got another call."
Violet considered her options while she waited for Ms. Walters to return. She couldn’t tell Jake. She had no doubt Willie Jack would kill Melissa. He'd made it abundantly clear that he would get even.
"It was him, the man who took Melissa," Ms. Walters said breathlessly. "H-he put her on and she was so scared." The last word drug out in a sob.
"What did he say?"
"He said if I deliver you to him, he wouldn’t hurt her."
Violet dropped into a chair, fighting her own sob. "What did you tell him?"
In a stunning reversal, Ms. Walters moaned, "I want my baby back, but much as I hate to admit it, you’ve been good to us. He gave me two hours to contact you and he is calling back."
"I’ll be right over," she said, fighting the urge to run upstairs and hide under the covers. Melissa needed her. It was time to face her past.
After changing into jeans and a sweatshirt, she pocketed the wooden rosary Grandma June gave her and though she hadn’t been to church in a long time, she prayed, hoping God forgave her lapse of practice.
So this is it, she thought as she descended the stairs. She would finally meet Willie Jack again after all these years. Jake would be irate if she left without telling him. She didn’t have a choice.
The phone rang and she dashed for it. "Ms. Walters?"
#
"What do you mean Timms is missing?"
"We tried to execute the warrant for a DNA sample," Officer Gray explained. "We did the knock and announce, waited a good ten minutes and no answer. We entered the premises and found it vacant. We took the sample from a hairbrush in the bathroom." He held up a baggie. "We attempted to contact him at work but discovered he was put on administrative leave."
"What about his car?"
"In the garage," Gray stated.
"Put an APB out on him," Jake said.
"Already done. We got a sample from Mr. Perez. He willingly submitted it to us and he had an airtight alibi."
"What is it?"
"Dinner with Emilio Valdez and his family. Valdez is the interim Dean replacing Glasgo. He’s originally from Columbia like Perez."
"Looks like we can clear him," Jake said, relieved his intuition hadn’t failed him. He didn’t think the guy could be a cold-hearted killer.
"Kincaid," Turner yelled through the crowded squad room. "Come here. You'll want to hear this."
Jake nodded to Gray and hurried over to where Turner perched on the edge of his desk in the loud area called the bull pen, which perpetually operated in a state of organized chaos. Desks overflowing with folders and paperwork were shoved close together, phones rang constantly and it smelled of stale coffee and sweaty bodies.
Turner’s phone was plastered to his ear. He jotted down notes and Jake tried to make out some of his chicken scribble. Really, the guy should’ve followed his brother’s footsteps and become a doctor. He had the penmanship to succeed in the profession. He could only make out a couple of
words, Melissa, Dandelion Trace.
Jake’s knees buckled. Violet’s Melissa lived on Dandelion Trace. Shifting feet, he waited for Turner to finish.
Turner hung up and said, "That was a woman whose daughter’s friend was potentially kidnapped this morning. They were walking to the bus stop when a man claiming to be a friend of a friend coaxed the girl into his car. The girl’s name is Melissa and the friend the man said he knew was Violet."
Jake closed his eyes. "Violet volunteers as a big sister to a girl named Melissa. He kidnapped her to get to Violet."
Turner nodded somberly. "That would be my guess. The bad thing is that it happened this morning and the girl waited until dinner to tell her mom. She confessed that Melissa never showed up for school. The mom tried calling Melissa’s mom and when no one answered, she called us."
"I’ve got to call Violet and warn her." He spun away and dialed her number, moving to a spot where he could hear. She picked it up on the first ring. "Ms. Walters?"
"No, it’s Jake. Have you heard from her or Melissa?"
"You know?"
"Yeah, someone just called it in."
"It’s Willie Jack, I’m sure of it."
"I agree."
"He said he would exchange her for me. I’m doing it," she said fiercely. "I won’t let him hurt her, too."
"Calm down, Violet. You are not going to exchange yourself for her, I don’t care what he said," he argued.
"Let me talk to her."
Jake spun around at the sound of Maya’s voice. She plucked the receiver from his hand. "Violet, it’s Maya. What does he want you to do?" She listened and then said, "I’ll meet him in your place. I’ll send a squad car to pick you up so you can give me a rundown of what I need to know to deal with him."
Maya hung up the phone and turned to Jake. "You’ll have to send the car. I don’t know where she's staying."
Violets Are Blue Page 26