Dead End

by Nancy Mehl

  Kaely put her money in the bill carrier, then grabbed her box of salad and stood. Could Noah be right? Was God’s will for her to do the unthinkable—to look into the eyes of the man she’d despised all these years?

  Five

  He relished the written accounts of his deeds, and he watched the TV as horrified news reporters shared the findings uncovered in the ground at the deserted railroad yard. He was surprised they’d found the bodies so quickly. He’d planned to call in an anonymous tip telling police to search the yard. But before he could do it, some unsuspecting jerk had stumbled onto his latest achievement. After he thought about it, though, he realized this was better. Much better.

  As he pored over every report he could find, no one suggested his work was connected to Ed Oliphant. He wasn’t surprised the police were trying to keep that quiet, but he was disappointed. He’d phone the media on an old burner phone in a couple of days—anonymously, of course. The kind of phone without the GPS chip. He’d bought several, purchased before the chip was added. Whatever phone he used would be thrown away anyway—just to be completely safe. And if they didn’t respond, he’d write letters. He respected the way the Zodiac had kept authorities on their toes. Maybe he’d emulate him . . . just a little. Of course, The Raggedy Man hadn’t written letters. If he stayed true to Ed Oliphant’s legacy, he’d have to stay silent. He’d wait to see how things progressed.

  He’d heard the police had asked the FBI for help. Exactly what he’d hoped for. That didn’t mean they’d request Ed’s daughter to join the investigation, but that’s why he’d added the Bible verse—to lure her in. If that didn’t work, he had another plan. He was determined to get close to Kaely Quinn.

  Kaely was working in her war room when she heard the doorbell ring. Mr. Hoover, who was curled up in a pet bed next to her, lifted his head and looked up as if asking her to explain the interruption.

  She closed the files she had on her desk, cases from other parts of the country not assigned to her. She wasn’t allowed to officially serve as a behavioral analyst since being kicked out of Quantico, but bringing killers, rapists, drug dealers, serial arsonists, and especially sex traffickers to justice was the cry of her heart. Something she couldn’t turn off even if the FBI told her she wasn’t allowed to pursue it—something she believed was her calling. And working on her own, she’d phoned in several anonymous tips that had led to the capture of criminals.

  “It’s Noah,” she told Mr. Hoover, who stood and stretched his large body.

  Usually, she’d get a call from the security guard before someone was allowed into her gated community. Noah was the only exception. All the guards knew him.

  Kaely got up and followed Mr. Hoover, who ran down the stairs and stood at the door meowing. Kaely laughed at him. He was a smart cat who didn’t like most people. He had reason to feel that way after being abused, and he especially didn’t like to be around men. Except Noah. It was weird. It was like the big cat was so in tune with Kaely that he knew who was trustworthy and who wasn’t.

  Kaely picked up Mr. Hoover before she answered the door. He’d never tried to get out, but the possibility worried her. If he suddenly ran outside, would she lose him? It was a chance she didn’t want to take.

  The bell rang a second time before Kaely swung open the door. Noah was holding a large bag of food from her favorite Chinese restaurant in one hand and another bag in the other. Two large drinks sat tucked into the crook of one arm.

  “About time,” he grumbled on his way into the kitchen, where he sat the food and drinks on the counter.

  “Sorry,” Kaely said. She closed the door and locked it. Then she put Mr. Hoover down, and he immediately ran over to Noah, who leaned down and stroked his back.

  “Hey, big fella,” Noah said. “How you doin’?”

  “You gripe at me and then cozy up to my cat?” Kaely said with her hand on her hip. “I’m not sure what to think about that.” Noah was wearing jeans and a dark blue polo shirt that brought out his gray-blue eyes. His black wavy hair was getting a little long. Not a standard cut for an FBI special agent, but she really liked it.

  “Sorry I’m late,” Noah said, straightening up. “When I went to pick up the food, they had the order all wrong. I had to wait while they got it right.”

  “And that put you in a bad mood?”

  Noah sighed and crossed his arms across his chest. “Yeah, this is a defensive move. Once in a while couldn’t we eat something besides Chinese food?”

  “You mean there’s something else? I had no idea.”

  “Very funny.”

  “We eat other things. I just like Chinese because you always buy too much. It keeps my fridge stocked for days.”

  Noah’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s . . .” He laughed. “Actually, it’s pretty ingenious. You could have just told me, you know.”

  “Where’s the fun in that?”

  Noah shook his head and started taking food out of the bags.

  “You’re upset,” Kaely said. “And not about the restaurant messing up our order.”

  Noah stopped what he was doing and stared at her. “What in the world did I do to make you think that? You know, sometimes I’m afraid to move because you’ll use it to figure out what I’m thinking.”

  Kaely sat down on one of the stools next to her breakfast bar. “I told you, I’ll try not to read you. We’re friends. You’re hardly a suspect, but I’m not blind. You’re tense. You keep swallowing. What’s the problem?”

  Noah pushed Kaely’s food toward her, along with the root beer she’d wanted. After getting forks and napkins, he came around and sat down next to her.

  “I guess the more I think about what you’re being asked to do, the angrier I get.” He opened his container of food and grabbed his fork. “Let them figure this out on their own.” He lowered his fork and gazed into her eyes. “I’m attempting to be objective. I’m just here so you can talk it out and make your own decision. But . . . well, you’ve been through so much over the past several years. Asking you to do this just doesn’t seem right.”

  Kaely smiled. “Thanks. If the situation were reversed, I’d feel the same way.” She hesitated a moment. “Look,” she said, “I need you to do what you just said. Just listen to me. Let me figure this out myself. Please don’t guide me toward the choice you want me to make.”

  “I know. I won’t. I promise.” He sighed. “But it’s hard. I remember Tracy asking me to listen to her when she was upset, to not offer my opinion. Wish I’d tried harder to do that, but I was raised to believe men are supposed to protect women. My first reaction is to help. Fix things. You’ve taught me that’s not always the right reaction.”

  “I’m sure Tracy understood. She was a smart woman.”

  Noah stared at his food, turning his fork around and around as if his chow mein needed to be stirred. “She was,” he said softly. “Except for you, she’s the smartest woman I ever met.” He looked up and smiled sadly. “You would have liked her. Have I ever told you that?”

  Kaely shook her head. “I don’t think so, but I’ve thought the same thing. I think we would have been friends, and as you know, I don’t make them easily.”

  The expression on Noah’s face pulled at Kaely’s heart. What would it be like to be loved the way he loved Tracy? She couldn’t imagine. She’d wondered once if someday Noah might feel that way about her, but not anymore. He’d closed that door. As she watched him eat his food, a wave of deep-seated emotion washed through her. It startled her enough that she let out a small cry.

  “Are you okay?” Noah asked, his eyebrows arched in concern.

  Kaely felt heat rise in her cheeks. “Yeah. Sorry. Knocked my foot against the bottom of my stool.” She immediately felt guilty about lying, but no other excuse had come to mind.

  “Sure you’re all right?”

  “Yeah, I’m positive.” Kaely picked up her root beer and took a drink. She needed a moment to collect herself. When she finally put down her cup, she realiz
ed Noah was studying her.

  “You must be really thirsty,” he said.

  “Who’s reading who now?” Kaely asked, unable to keep a note of irritation from her voice.

  Noah didn’t say anything, just stuck another forkful of chicken in his mouth.

  Maybe inviting him over tonight had been a mistake. She was still feeling the shock of being asked to confront her father. Although she’d tried to push away the fear that threatened to overtake her, it was sliding through her mind and body like a snake looking for a place to strike. She and Noah were both upset about this turn of events, but she needed him to be calm. Analytical. Usually she was the logical one, but tonight she wanted him to take that role.

  She put her fork down. “Thank you,” she said softly.

  “For what? Making things worse?” He shook his head. “I came to help, and now I’ve upset you. We’ve been snapping at each other ever since I got here.”

  “You’re concerned about me,” Kaely said, mustering a small smile. “That doesn’t upset me at all. But I need you to push that aside and be the rational one tonight. Can you do that?”

  The muscles in his face seemed to tighten. “I can be whatever you need me to be. We’re friends.”

  “I know.”

  He frowned at her as Mr. Hoover curled up at the bottom of his stool. “Can you actually talk about this unemotionally? Not sure I could.”

  Kaely didn’t respond. Instead, she just stared down at the food she didn’t think she could eat. She still had her salad from lunch in the fridge, and this meal was probably going to join it. Uneaten food was beginning to pile up.

  She was horrified when tears filled her eyes. Twice in one day. This had to stop. “The truth is I’m terrified.” Her voice trembled. “I’ve helped catch serial killers. I’ve even faced them one-on-one. But this is . . . different.”

  “This is your father,” Noah said.

  “That’s just it.” Kaely tried to find words to express what she was feeling, but she wasn’t sure she could. “I’ve had awful dreams for years because of him. Horrible nightmares. Sometimes I wake in the night screaming. I’m afraid, but I’m not sure why. And . . . I’ve worried that something in my genes might make me like him. I’m not sure I should ever have children. What if one of them turns out to be . . . like him?”

  “Kaely. Nothing suggests those traits are passed down.”

  “I realize that.” She pointed at her forehead with her index finger. “I know it here. It’s here where I have the problem.” She jabbed at her chest.

  “But . . . you’re a Christian. Why doesn’t your faith give you peace?”

  Kaely opened her mouth to answer him, but no words came out. Noah was right. Right now, her fear felt bigger than her faith. She was no longer Ed Oliphant’s daughter. God was her Father. Why couldn’t she walk in that? Why was she having so much trouble grabbing her real Father’s hand?

  She leaned on her elbow and looked past Noah. “You’re right.” She took a deep, shuddering breath. “But just when I think I’m free of my father, he pops back up.” A tear slid down her cheek. “What am I going to do, Noah?”

  “You’re going to face this like you have everything else. With courage and strength. I have faith.”

  She laughed lightly. “I thought you didn’t believe in faith.”

  “I may not have faith in God, but I have faith in you, Kaely Quinn. Now, let’s figure this out.”

  Six

  Noah encouraged Kaely to eat at least half her food, then he packed up all the leftovers and put them in the fridge. He brewed some coffee, poured it into cups, and carried them into the living room. It was a lovely spring evening, so Kaely opened one of the windows to allow the air to drift inside. If their conversation wasn’t going to include a vicious serial killer, this visit would be relaxing.

  Noah reached into a plastic bag he’d tossed on the couch when he’d come into the condo and took out a long stick with a string. At the end of the string was a feather.

  “That’s it? This is what will enthrall Mr. Hoover?” Kaely asked with a grin.

  “Sure. It’s foolproof. I’ve never seen a cat that could resist it.”

  “And how many cats have you personally played with using this . . . toy?”

  “My sister has four cats, and they love it,” Noah huffed.

  “You told me your family lives in Vermont, but I don’t remember you mentioning a sister.”

  “Yeah, Zoe is five years younger than me. I haven’t seen her for a couple of years. I need to take some vacation and catch up. We’ve always been close. This job tends to force everything else into the background.” Noah sat down on the couch and called for Mr. Hoover. The big cat usually followed Noah around like a love-starved puppy, but now that Noah wanted him, he stayed where he was, curled up in his second pet bed positioned across the room.

  “Come here, Hoovy,” Noah said, prodding. “Here, kitty, kitty, kitty.”

  He heard Kaely snort and looked over to see her biting her lip to keep from laughing. He grinned and continued trying to get Mr. Hoover’s attention. But the cat wasn’t having it. Like most felines, he wasn’t fond of following instructions. Any interest he showed had to be his idea. Finally, Noah gave up and went over to where the big cat lay, watching Noah through half-opened eyes. Noah sat down on the floor next to him and brought the toy out from behind his back. He jiggled it in front of the uninterested cat.

  “Get it,” Noah said, urging him. “Come on, Hoovy, get it.” When Mr. Hoover still failed to respond, Noah put it in his face, tickling the cat’s nose. Before Noah had time to pull it away, Mr. Hoover grabbed the feather in his teeth. Then he yanked it off the string and spit it out. Noah sat there for several seconds with the stick and string, not sure whether to be hurt or offended. Kaely burst out laughing behind him.

  He smiled to himself. Hearing her laugh made him feel great. He got up and walked over to the couch, then placed the stick with the empty string on the coffee table.

  “I think you owe me five dollars,” Kaely choked out between giggles.

  With a sigh of defeat, Noah took his wallet out of his back pocket and then handed Kaely a five-dollar bill. “I don’t get it. Never seen a cat not respond to that thing.”

  “Oh, Mr. Hoover responded okay. I think he was telling you to get it out of his face. Either that or he was reacting to you calling him Hoovy.”

  “I just thought he needed a nickname. Mr. Hoover seems so . . . formal.” He stared at Kaely and raised one eyebrow. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

  Kaely nodded, her auburn curls bouncing. “I really am. Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” When Noah slumped down onto the couch, Mr. Hoover immediately ran over and jumped onto his lap. Then he turned around and flopped down.

  “Are you kidding me?” Noah said. “After costing me five bucks?”

  “He may have hated your toy, but he loves you.” Kaely’s smile slipped. “I guess even when someone you care about does something you don’t like, you still . . . accept them.”

  Noah stroked Mr. Hoover’s fur as the big cat began to purr. “I still accept you, Kaely. I’m here, aren’t I?”

  Kaely sat down on the other side of the couch. “Yeah, you’re here. Just not all of you.”

  “You told me you lost your friends after your dad was arrested,” Noah said, trying to change the subject. “That’s one reason you created Georgie. You’ve shared a little about the real Georgie, but I’d like to know more.”

  “Yeah, why?”

  “Just trying to get a better idea about your past. You know, with your dad. Maybe it will help you decide what to do. Besides, I’ve been curious about her.”

  “Okay,” Kaely said with a sigh. “Georganna—Georgie—and I met in first grade. When her mother brought her into the classroom the first day of school, she was crying, afraid for her mom to leave her. For some reason I decided to help, and I stayed by her side so she wouldn’t be scared. We bonded immedi
ately. Imagine my surprise when I found out she lived three houses away from me. It was like we were meant to be together. It didn’t take long for us to become best friends. I guess that’s why I turned to her when I needed someone to talk to.”

  Kaely picked up one of the pillows on the couch and hugged it to her chest. She had taught him this was a pacifying gesture. He wondered if she realized it now. “I still see her as a teenager. The way she was the last time I saw her.” Kaely paused for a moment as if trying to remember. We spent all our extra time together,” Kaely continued. “Her parents were great. They had such a wonderful family. Lots of love and warmth.” She looked past him. “Not like my house. It wasn’t as if my parents weren’t involved in our lives. It was just . . . well, there was a detachment there, you know? My father was never abusive to me or to my mother. That’s rather surprising, actually. Many serial killers come from violent homes and pass their anger along.”

  “What do you know about your grandparents?”

  “Loved my mom’s parents. They lived in Arizona. I didn’t get to see them a lot, but they were super. They’re both gone. I never met my dad’s parents. His mom died when he was a teenager. Suicide, I think. His father took off not long after that, and his sister died when she just a child.”

  “He had a sister?”

  Kaely nodded. “He never brought her up to Jason and me. I found out about her from Mom. I asked Dad about her once, and he snapped at me. Told me she was long gone and talking about her wasn’t going to bring her back. Her name was Melissa, but my dad referred to her as Missy.”

  “I have to wonder if his background had something to do with his . . . activities.”

  “I’m sure it does, but no matter what happened, it doesn’t give him the right to slaughter innocent people.”

  “You’re right. What happened to the real Georgie?”

  Kaely shrugged. “I told you about this already, but if you want to hear it again . . .”