Sinful Deception

by Mel Comley

  “I ain’t going to no station. The kid ran off after her mother caught her coming on to me.”

  “I’m confused. Mrs. Granger, you said the pair of you were in the bedroom together, and when you came out, you discovered Candy had packed her bag and gone.”

  “That’s right. The incident happened before we went in the bedroom.”

  “I see.” Tamara could sense Reefer turn his head to look at her, but she ignored him. MacIntyre and Granger shifted uncomfortably on the spot.

  “Tell me, Mrs. Granger, why didn’t you report your daughter missing the second you realized she’d packed her bag?”

  “I thought she’d done it out of spite and would come home when she calmed down a bit.”

  “That’s exactly what most teenagers would do unless they felt insecure about their surroundings.”

  “Meaning what?” MacIntyre challenged, his lip curling up at the side.

  Tamara met his gaze head on. “It’s merely an insight, Mr. MacIntyre, into how teenagers’ minds work. We’d like to see Candy’s room and get a current picture, Mrs. Granger.”

  “Ain’t got no current picture. Barely have enough money to feed the ungrateful child.” She walked to a closed door and threw it open. “There you go, but don’t blame me for the mess. She left it that way.”

  Tamara entered the room, which contained nothing more than a small closet and a bunk bed. Clothes littered the floor. “So you’re saying she left it like this?”

  “That’s what I said. You got a hearing problem?”

  “No, my hearing is fine.” Tamara handed the woman a card. “Here’s our card. Don’t hesitate to contact us or call the station again if you think of something that might help us locate your daughter or if you hear from her.”

  Mrs. Granger took the card and threw it on the counter in front of her. “You can see yourselves out, right?”

  Tamara and Reefer left the trailer, and MacIntyre slammed the door shut behind them. All was quiet until they reached the car, then an argument broke out inside the trailer. Tamara tried to hear what was being said, but she got the impression the couple were deliberately keeping their voices low.

  “I want to drive,” Tamara said.

  Reefer tossed her the keys and climbed into the passenger seat.

  She slid behind the wheel, started the car, backed out of the drive, and joined the highway, burning rubber.

  “Honey, I don’t want to buy new tires, okay?”

  Tamara let her foot off the accelerator. “I don’t like her, Reefer. In fact, I pretty much hate the bitch. No wonder the poor kid ran away.”

  “We don’t know she’s a poor kid, Tamara. She could be worse than the mother. Let’s head in, file the report with Commander Frost, and let his men follow up on going to the school. This isn’t our case. Truth of the matter is it isn’t anybody’s case. You heard her say she didn’t call it in. Odds are Candy made the call, hoping her mother would be drugged out of her mind and get herself arrested. Maybe Candy did come on to the boyfriend.”

  Memories of her own mother drifted through Tamara’s mind. She and Candy had a lot in common when it came to mothers.

  “Tamara?”

  “You’re right. It’s not our case.”

  “Good, because right now, I could sleep for a month.”

  “Lay your seat back and close your eyes. I promise not to drive too fast.” A soft sigh escaped her lips as his eyes closed. He was right. Chief Brown had only asked them to handle the interview so they could show the pictures of the five girls found so far. If they did find Candy alive, Tamara would make sure Child Protective Services kept an eye on that family.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Alex splashed cold water on her face, grabbed the towel from the rack, and patted it dry. Her cell phone rang, and she answered it, “Hello?”

  “Hello, love. I’m sorry I had to punish you. Please don’t make me do it again.”

  She closed her eyes, breathed deeply, and counted to ten. “Why did you have to punish me, Samael?”

  “Our phone calls are personal now. They shouldn’t be shared with anyone else, and you were rude to me in the park.”

  “How was I supposed to know it was you? I thought it was some bloke wanting to flirt.”

  He chuckled. “I wouldn’t like you showing interest in another man, Foxy.”

  “You have nothing to worry about, because I don’t have any interest in other men.”

  His voice became harsher. “Did you like my present?”

  “The roses were beautiful, especially the white ones. They’ve always been my favorite.”

  “I’ll have to remember that. And my second gift?”

  “It wouldn’t be proper for me to like that one, would it?”

  “But you did, didn’t you, Foxy? I wish you had been there. He whimpered like a baby in the end. Did they tell you he soiled himself?”

  “No, I’m not allowed near that case. Most of my time is taken up with the one we’re presently working.”

  “Ah, the three butchered young girls. An intriguing case, wouldn’t you say? I’ve been following your progress.”

  Alex shuddered. “Then you know as much as we do at the moment.”

  The sound of his laughter grated on her nerves, as did his next comment. “Would you like some help?”

  I’ve got to end this before I scream. “I’m sorry, Samael, people are waiting to talk with me, and if I don’t go soon, they’ll come looking for me. Could we continue this later?”

  “Of course, love, just tell me when to call.”

  “It might be better if you don’t call this number anymore. I’m pretty sure they’re watching it closely. Maybe you could give me a number where I could call you?”

  The line went silent, and Alex hoped she hadn’t played her hand too quickly and asked for too much. “I’ll send you a new phone, one that’s safe. When you’re ready to talk, punch zero. I’ll see you soon, Foxy.” He ended the call.

  Alex dropped the phone, bent over the sink, and vomited until there was nothing left but dry heaves. She stood up straight and stared in the mirror, meeting her own tortured gaze. You can do this, Alexandra Fox. You will do it, for Scarlet.

  Alex avoided looking at Nobby and Blake when she entered the kitchen. “What did the ME say?”

  “Same thing he said about the tox screen. Bacteria from the sewer pretty much made it impossible to pinpoint anything definite. Complained about his caseload with the two new girls and the couple they found poisoned earlier today.”

  “Three days, seven bodies. Isn’t that a little high, even for us?” Alex asked.

  “What are you thinking, Alexandra?” Blake asked.

  “When we were working the missing babies’ case, the one thing that kept tripping us up was not knowing if the three cases were connected. What if these three cases are connected? The first three girls, the second two, and now this couple?”

  Blake typed on the keyboard. “I’ve set up a new database with the idea the cases are connected. How do we go about proving it?”

  “I’ll give Crimshaw a call, and we’ll pay a visit to the morgue, view the victims, and visit the crime scenes where the last two girls and the couple were found. Maybe we’ll see something someone else missed.”

  “Now you’re thinking.” Nobby winked at her. “If anybody can find something someone missed, it’s Morgan.”

  Blake closed the computer. “It’s almost five now, and it’ll be dark long before we get to either crime scene. Let’s fill the rest of the crew in on what we want to do and start first thing in the morning.”

  Alex nodded. “How long do we have you for?”

  “Until Gabriella joins the team next week.”

  “Being out like this, won’t that make it even harder to go back?”

  “Might not have to if the chief can get that pardon,” Nobby said. “Damn red tape is all that’s holding him up now.”

  Dixie barked, and a knock came on the door. Nobby rose and heade
d for the front door. “I’ll get it.”

  “To answer your question, Alexandra, yes, being out will make it harder to go back. Among other things.”

  Alex heard Crimshaw’s booming laugh, followed by Reefer’s, “Bloody hell”.

  “I hope they’re not planning another pajama party.” She met the cool blue gaze across the table. Something in his eyes made her breath catch and her heart beat faster. Among other things.

  “Happy birthday for real this time, partner.” Crimshaw placed a package in front of her. “And if you don’t like it, blame my wife. She’s the one who spent the last two days online trying to figure out what to buy.”

  Alex stared at the package but made no move to open it. “Oh, hell, I’m an idiot. I’m sorry, Alex. I wasn’t thinking.”

  Alex grinned up at him and reached for the huge pink ribbon. “Got ya.”

  He flopped into the chair beside her. “Damn, woman, don’t do that to me again.”

  Alex ripped off the paper, aware of Tamara’s dark eyes studying her. She’d have to watch her step when Tamara was around. Alex opened the box and pulled out the figurine of a golden retriever next to a small black cat. “Oh, my God, Jacob, it’s beautiful. Did your wife pick this out?”

  Crimshaw flushed a light shade of pink. “I might have told her a little bit about what you liked. Hell, Alex, the only things I know you like are Dixie and Cinders.”

  Alex leaned in close and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you, Jacob, and thank your lovely wife for me.”

  The pink turned a darker shade of red, and Crimshaw cleared his throat. “Sure could go for a piece of cake, if there’s any left, and a cup of coffee.”

  Nobby grumbled something under his breath and walked to the refrigerator.

  “What did you say, Matt?” Reefer asked.

  “I said she likes me, too.” He removed the remainder of the cake and carried it to the counter. “Don’t get no damn appreciation around here.”

  Reefer chuckled, pulled out a small blue package, and handed it to Alex. “Happy birthday from me and Tamara.”

  Alex opened the package and extracted a small figurine of Nobby, the Harry Potter figure. “It’s perfect.”

  Tamara laughed. “We thought you might like the complete set: Dixie, Cinders and Nobby. Of course, you do realize the character’s name is actually Dobby?”

  “Yes, but Scarlet had the figurine and always called him Nobby.” Alex chuckled. “When I met Matt, I took one look and dubbed him Nobby.”

  Nobby didn’t say anything, but Alex could tell he was touched by the gesture. He placed a piece of cake in front of Crimshaw. “Gonna spoil your dinner.” Crimshaw picked up his fork. “What are we having?”

  The doorbell rang. “Guess we’ll find out soon enough. Reefer, you and Tamara get the door.”

  Alex raised an eyebrow. “You’re not cooking? It’s my birthday.”

  “Did that last night.” Nobby grinned at her. “Somebody else cooked for you tonight.”

  Reefer carried a box into the kitchen, with Tamara, Gabriella Sams and Derek Frost following. “Look what we found on the doorstep. The gang’s all here, so let’s get this party going.”

  Gabriella placed her box on the table, and Alex stood up for the hug she knew was coming. “I’ve missed you guys,” Gabriella said.

  “We’ve missed you, too. I think Crimshaw is starving, so tell me there’s something good in all those boxes.”

  Gabriella grinned, checked the boxes, and opened the one marked “Appetizers”. “For starters, we have a nice spinach, mushroom and bacon salad.” She passed the bowls around the table. “Followed by a delightful chicken breast scaloppini, with shrimp, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, lemon sauce, and capers.” She emptied a second and third box. “And finally, we have a New York cheesecake with raspberry sorbet. Nobby, can I borrow your refrigerator?”

  “Help yourself.” Nobby pulled down glasses and filled them with iced tea. Tamara joined him at the counter and distributed them.

  Crimshaw looked over at Frost. “Damn, I feel like we’ve died and gone to heaven. All the wife was doing tonight was ordering pizza. Here, I got a good meal and people waiting on me.”

  Frost smiled at him. “I say good bread, good meat. Like Crimshaw, I’m starving. Let’s eat.”

  Gabriella sat in the chair next to Alex. “I’m dying to hear about the cases. Derek filled me in on Patterson.”

  Alex forked up a bite of salad and whispered, “We’ll tell you all about it as soon as we’ve finished eating. Otherwise, Nobby will throw us all out in the street.”

  ~

  Alex thoroughly enjoyed her birthday dinner, as well as the comradery of the group surrounding her. She smiled at all the right places and laughed at all the jokes. Several times, she found Tamara staring at her. Did Reefer still have the phone tapped and they heard me? Even if they did, they would have heard him warn me not to share my phone calls with them. “I’m going to make a pot of coffee to go with the cheesecake.”

  “Done made.” Nobby pointed toward the counter. “Just hit the button.”

  A cheer went up around the table when Crimshaw groaned and pushed his plate away. “I don’t think I can eat another bite.”

  Alex took a moment to stare out the kitchen window, her mind going over her conversation with the Escape Artist. She had no doubt he’d meant what he said about punishing her again, and next time, it wouldn’t be just stripping her naked and leaving her for the team to find. The tingling in her stomach warned her Blake was near before he moved beside her. “Penny for your thoughts, Alexandra?”

  “You’d be overpaying.” She opened the cabinet and reached for the cups, her hand briefly brushing his.

  He laughed, the sound turning the tingling into ripples. “I guess great minds do think alike. Here, let me help you.”

  What if Samael is watching? Alex stepped away from him. “Since it’s my birthday, I’ll let you do it.”

  Fifteen minutes later, with the table cleared and coffee served, Blake booted up his computer. “Alexandra thinks there might be a connection we’re not seeing between the cases. Derek, did you bring the files on the two girls that were murdered and the couple found this morning?”

  “In the car. Give me a minute.”

  “How did the missing-girl thing go?” Alex asked.

  “A bitch of a mother, nasty boyfriend and disgusting trailer. Mrs. Granger didn’t even have a current picture of her daughter,” Tamara said. “I can’t say I blame the kid for running away.”

  “She also said she didn’t call it in,” Reefer replied. “We figure it was the daughter.”

  Blake clicked on the computer keys. “Should we keep an eye on them?”

  “Definitely,” Reefer said. “I’m pretty sure I’ve seen that guy before, and the name Duke MacIntyre sounds familiar. I’ll search our databases when we’re finished here.”

  “Sounds familiar to me, too.” Derek Frost dropped the files in front of Blake and took his seat. “Drugs, most likely.”

  Blake passed the pictures of the two girls to Alex. She stared at the bodies of the two teenage girls, ligature marks surrounding their necks. “The Escape Artist used some type of rope around the necks of his victims.”

  Crimshaw came to stand behind her. “You think maybe he did this?”

  “I don’t know, but I don’t think he’s stopped killing. It could be him.”

  “All right, we’ll post those two as ‘possible’ under his case.” Blake passed her the next two pictures. “John and Elisa Campton.”

  “He looks familiar,” Alex said, passing the photo to Crimshaw.

  “Yeah, like a younger version of that old geezer at Second Chance,” Crimshaw responded.

  “What’s Second Chance?” Tamara asked.

  “Mrs. Sims said it was a state home for troubled girls. Shane Hardy said Belinda Montgomery spent the first night there after she ran away. Mrs. Sims confirmed Belinda was there, but she asked the girl to leave because
she caused a fight with one of the regulars,” Alex said.

  “I doubt that,” Derek Frost piped in. “I interviewed the parents and some of her teachers. According to everyone I talked to, Montgomery was a sweet kid. Quiet and well-mannered.”

  Blake typed again. “So we have possible lies at Second Chance.”

  “Which reminds me,” Alex said, “who do I report possible abuse to? I think Shane Hardy’s mother is one of the vilest creatures I’ve ever encountered. She threatened me and said she was going to put her two-year-old grandson in a dog cage.”

  “Child Protective Services,” Derek answered. “I’ll make a note and have them check on it tomorrow.”

  “It looks like Alex may be right,” Gabriella said. “If Second Chance is connected to one of the first three victims, and the murdered couple are also connected there, that’s a good place to start on the last two.”

  “What if Reefer and I check it out tomorrow?” Tamara asked. “We can interview the old man you talked about and serve a search warrant. Once we pick up her books, we can see if there are any names there that might match our victims.”

  Alex shook her head. “She looked in a diary to find the name of Belinda Montgomery. I think she’s smart and cagey. I doubt she’s written the names of the runaways down anywhere, even if they were there.”

  Tamara grinned. “Some places have two books. One for the public and one for themselves. You just have to know where to look.”

  Alex yawned. “Sorry.”

  Blake closed the computer. “It’s been a long day for everybody. I say we shut it down for tonight and get a fresh start in the morning.”

  “I’ll take Dixie for a short run.” Alex stood, not surprised the rest of the crew stood also. She was sure one of them was going to insist on going with her, and she didn’t want Blake to volunteer. “Gabriella, feel like a short jog?”

  “Love to,” Gabriella said, “but I’ve got more finals tomorrow, so I need to get home.” She gave Alex a hug. “I’ll see you soon.”