Merciless

by Mary Burton

  “What happened to you?”

  “You can’t recognize burn scars when you see them?”

  The pieces of this dark puzzle connected. Her sister Eva had nearly died in the fire that had killed her rapist Josiah Cross. Micah’s brother. “You were at the fire that nearly killed Eva.”

  His eyes brightened with appreciation. “I was. But there is more.”

  Eva had spoken of Micah years ago. Gentle. Soft. Nothing like his violent twin. “Eva never saw you there.”

  “No, I arrived just as the blaze started to eat through the house. After my brother was dead.”

  “You tried to save Josiah?”

  He tapped the edge of his nose with his fingertip. “You’ve got it half right.” He leaned forward a fraction. “There’s a big secret that I’ve been keeping for a very, very long time.”

  The intensity of his gaze had sharpened to razor points.

  She raised her hand to her throat. “You escaped the fire.”

  Appreciation gleamed as he waited for her to guess the rest of the story. “I did.”

  “I read all the reports until I memorized them. They found your body.”

  “Not mine.”

  The dark truth dawned. “They found Micah’s body.”

  Josiah had been in so much trouble with the law, but Micah had not. Darius Cross wanted to keep his troubled, surviving son out of jail. Josiah Cross might not have been able to weather a trial and avoid jail time, but Micah could. Darius had changed other evidence in the case. It made sense that he’d alter autopsy reports.

  “You’re Josiah?”

  Laughter rumbled from his chest. “Bingo.”

  “Josiah Cross is alive!” Garrison barely controlled the rage burning through his body.

  Malcolm wove in and out of traffic, the lights of the marked cars flashing. “I always thought that guy was too good to be true.”

  Garrison fisted his fingers. The woman he’d loved had been savagely raped by Josiah Cross and suffered at the hands of his family for it. And now he had the chance to right a wrong. “Drive faster.”

  Malcolm prayed they would be in time to prevent another tragedy.

  * * *

  “You’re Josiah,” Angie said. Terror knifed at her in-sides, but she kept her voice calm. Keep him talking. He wants to talk about himself. And she intended to use that fact to buy as much time as possible.

  “Surprise!”

  “How? What happened?”

  “Micah and I liked to play games with people. Often we’d switch places. It was a rush to know we could fool anyone. We did that a couple of times with his girlfriend in college.”

  “Her name was Kristen?”

  “Good memory.”

  “Why did you go to the sorority house that night?”

  “Your sister fascinated and angered me. I wanted her, and she’d have nothing to do with me. Here she was the daughter of that lowlife Blue Rayburn, and she turned me down. I wanted to teach her a lesson.”

  Angie remembered what a bright and motivated kid Eva had been in high school. She’d been making herself into a success despite the fact that she’d lost so much. And these monsters wanted to strip her of her successes.

  She could barely keep her rage contained. “How did Micah figure into your plan?”

  “He was along for the ride. He wanted to watch.” Josiah shook his head. “He and I had always been a team, and I was willing to share.”

  Tears choked her throat. “What happened?”

  “You know what I did to your sister? After I burned her, she passed out from the pain. Micah came inside and, we switched. It was his turn. I went out the front door for a smoke. I had no idea Kristen had come in the back door. She struck and killed Micah and set the house on fire. I tried to go in and save my brother, but when I looked at him on the floor I knew he was dead. The place was already in flames, so I ran.”

  He’d left Eva to die.

  “The curtains were on fire and fell on me. That’s how I got my burns.” He shook his head. “But your Eva found her way out the other door. She’s a survivor. Like me.”

  “Your father sent you to Europe during Eva’s trial so no one would guess.”

  “It wouldn’t have taken any guessing. I was burned and in pain. There was no hiding it. Father had lost one son, and knew if the truth was discovered he’d lose his other one. Josiah attended Price University so the cops assumed it was Josiah.”

  “And you became Micah.”

  “Unfortunately, yes.”

  “You got off.”

  “Not really. Father kept me heavily medicated for years. When he got sick, I tossed away the pills. But it took over a year to get back to my old self.” Anger hardened his features. “So much time lost because of your sister.”

  “She had nothing to do with Micah’s death.”

  “She is the dark temptress. She drew me to her. If she’d not done that I never would have been at that damn house.”

  He grew silent, and she panicked. Keep him talking. “What about Dixon?”

  “He and my father crossed paths years ago. Under very similar circumstances as a matter of fact.”

  “Dixon killed Fay for your father?”

  “No. Dixon never had a taste for killing. His dark appetites were sexual. He and my father shared a woman once.”

  “What happened?”

  He seemed relaxed, happy to talk. “Fay thought she could manipulate my father into marriage. She knew he and Blue were running guns through the museum, and she tried to blackmail him. When that didn’t work, she took up with Dixon. He was young and weak. When Father approached Dixon, he threatened to kill him. Dixon confessed that he and Fay had cheated. Dixon said he wished he’d not been so gentle with Fay. Father suggested that they could both get revenge and have a bit of fun if they worked together. Dixon agreed. Dixon took Fay, and when he was finished with her, Father brought her here and killed her.”

  Her heart tightened. “Did my father help him?”

  For a moment he hesitated. “I could lie but what’s the point? The truth is so much more interesting. Darius learned of the process from your father. The idea of stripping the flesh from his mistress’s bones appealed. When Fay’s body was found later, your father put the pieces together. He confronted Darius and threatened to go to the police. Father simply reminded Mr. Carlson that he had your safety to consider. After that, your father kept his mouth shut.”

  That’s why her father had kept her from the museum and why he’d grown so distant. You’ll never be vulnerable. Those had been the words he’d uttered after her surgery. Oh, God. He had been protecting her.

  Josiah leaned toward her as if they were best friends. “You’re lucky, you know. If Dixon and I were still working together you’d be in fairly rough shape by now.”

  She was at the mercy of a killer and oddly grateful that she’d not had to face Dixon. “What happened with you two?”

  “We met at a charity function a couple of years ago. I could see the dark need in him hadn’t faded with the years. I suggested we team up. He’d been excited. We killed three prostitutes. And then he got bored. He hired Lulu. Got sloppy. Said too much. She ran, and you know the rest.”

  “What happened after the trial?”

  “I demanded he stop and he did. Then this past summer he contacted me. He swore he’d be careful. So we started hunting again. But the whores were like shooting fish in a barrel. I wanted more challenging prey. I saw Sierra on stage and knew she’d be the next one. I told Dixon about her and could see the delight in his gaze. The things he wanted to do to her …”

  “You could each work it so that you had alibis when women vanished.”

  “Exactly. When Dixon finished with a woman, it was my turn. But then he broke the rules a second time.” He shook his head. “I forgave him once, and then he went against me again.”

  “What did he do?”

  “He wanted to keep you all to himself. He didn’t want me to kill you.” A
grin tipped the edge of his mouth. “My father taught me well…. If someone crosses you, you take everything from them.”

  “Your father took Fay’s beauty. And you were smart, so he drugged you and took your ability to think.”

  He frowned, pensive. “Yes.”

  “Did Dixon tell you about Fay?” Her words sounded rough, like sandpaper.

  “Father told me about Fay before he died. He thought I’d not remember because of the drugs. But I remembered. I suppose Daddy needed to cleanse his soul.”

  “Did Blue know?”

  “Blue ran the guns. He knew about Darius’s affair with Fay, but he wasn’t involved in the murder. Blue was so worried about being respectable and getting one over on your father. Poor dumb Blue wanted the reputable life. And he had a thing for your mother.”

  The download of information had her brain reeling. She couldn’t talk any more about her parents or the destruction of their lives.

  “Who is your next partner?”

  “I don’t want another partner. There’s a certain pleasure in doing things by yourself.”

  There was nothing left for him to tell her. Nothing left to talk about, and still she scrambled through her memory searching for something to talk about. “What’s next for you?”

  “I don’t know, long term. I’ll lay low for a while. Maybe a trip to Europe. But in the short term you and I have unfinished business. The time for talking has ended.” He grinned. “I must say, though, I’ve enjoyed it. You are smarter than the others, and your quickness is refreshing.”

  Desperation coiled in her gut. “Then keep talking to me.”

  He shook his head. “Time to play, Angie Carlson.”

  Malcolm, Garrison, and three other squad cars pulled up in front of the Cross house. They’d cut the sirens several blocks back, fearing that Josiah would hear their approach and kill Angie.

  Guns drawn, they moved to the front door and rang it. A maid answered.

  Malcolm raised his finger to his lips, telling her to be silent. “Where is the basement access?”

  She pointed toward the kitchen. He and Garrison moved through the house and down the stairs. They could see the outline of a secret door illuminated by an interior light.

  They rushed the door.

  Josiah lifted Angie to her feet. “So how do you want to die? I have many ways I can steal the breath from you. I’m feeling generous, so you can choose.”

  Her legs wobbled, but she tightened her gut and straightened. “How did you kill the others?”

  “More talk. You were wise to choose law as your profession.”

  He dragged her toward a metal table. “I’ll cut your wrists and watch the blood drain. I was nervous with Sierra and rushed. With Lulu, I had a bit more time. But with you, I’ve been careful to clear my entire night. If I do this right, it’ll take all night for you to die.”

  Angie jerked free of his hold. She whirled, ready to run for the door, but the drugs in her system made her dizzy. The sudden movements made the room spin, and she fell to her knees.

  Josiah laughed. “It’s why I drugged you.You’re awake enough to know what is happening but not mobile enough to run. Great combination, if I do say.”

  He wrapped his fingers around her arm. Thoughts of Malcolm, Eva, even David swirled in her head. So much love had come into her life. So much she should have embraced but didn’t.

  She should have grabbed the chance with Malcolm and loved him despite the risk of loss. She should have tried harder at life after her second chance.

  “You monster.” She reached around and raked her fingernails over the back of his hand. “I might die, but I want you to carry scars from me forever.”

  “Bitch.” He drew back his hand and slapped her hard across the face. She fell back to the floor. Her brain rattled against her skull. He grabbed a knife from the workbench.

  And then in the next moment the world exploded.

  The door burst open and Malcolm appeared. His face a mask of anger and fury he shouted, “Back off, Josiah!”

  Hearing his real name threw Josiah off for an instant before he rallied and raised his knife to stab Angie.

  She braced for pain.

  Malcolm fired his weapon. The bullet struck Cross in the chest. The man stumbled back. He hit the wall and slid to the ground, a plume of blood exploding on his scarred chest. He dropped the knife clutched in his hand, and his head slumped forward. Malcolm moved forward and kicked the knife far away from Josiah.

  Garrison moved into the room, his gun trained on Cross as his gaze swept the room for any other threats. When both detectives were satisfied Josiah worked alone, Malcolm holstered his weapon.

  With Garrison still alert, Malcolm knelt beside Angie. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes.” Her voice was a raw whisper.

  Garrison loomed over Cross as the uniforms arrived.

  Angie glanced at Josiah. Wincing, she looked away and up at Malcolm. “I can’t stand so well. He drugged me.”

  “It’s okay, Angie.” Malcolm cradled his hand under her elbow. “I’m here. I’m here.”

  She leaned into him, savoring his scent and the feel of his body against her.

  “Everything is going to be okay, Angie.” His voice was low and rough. His grip was firm and tight and so very soothing. “I swear.”

  Angie gripped his arm. “I believe you.”

  Epilogue

  Three months later

  Angie glanced down at the dried milk stain marking the shoulder of her silk blouse. “More dry cleaning. Great. At the rate I’m going, I’m going to be wearing a raincoat every time I hold you.”

  One-year-old David gurgled up from his car seat secured in Angie’s backseat. He grabbed his sock, pulled it off, and tossed it on the floor. It was a game they played a lot. She’d put a hat on him. He’d toss it away. It had gotten to the point where he had only one hat left and most of his socks didn’t match.

  “Kid, you are going to break me,” she said softly.

  He laughed. When she leaned forward to unhook his seat he grabbed a handful of her hair. David was strong and had a grip that could be hard to break.

  “Hey, mister. That hurts.”

  Angie laughed, tickled him under his shirt until he released her. She hefted him out of the back of the car and glanced toward King’s.

  So much had happened in the three months since Josiah had nearly killed her.

  The diary Martin had given Angie had confirmed what Josiah had told her about Darius and her father. Darius’s donation to the museum had been his foot in the door—the leverage he’d needed to get Frank to do just one favor. That favor had led to a decade worth of arms dealing.

  The cops had searched for Martin. They’d found him in Kentucky several weeks ago and he’d been extradited back to Colorado to face the pending charges against him.

  The second body had then been identified as Donovan’s. The man who’d called in the missing persons report, Robert, had been trailing Angie. He’d been the one at group and the one at the newsstand. Donovan had hoped she’d reveal personal information that he could use in his story. The police had also tracked down the drug dealer Tony who had identified Lulu’s abductor as Micah, a.k.a. Josiah Cross. When the cops had asked why he’d done nothing, Tony had simply shrugged and said, “It wasn’t my business.”

  In Josiah’s house they’d found so many pieces that appeared to be ivory but were in fact human bone. He’d been working on a chess set. The pawns were in place, and he’d left notes to himself that next he’d carve the queen. He’d planned to make Angie his queen.

  With Josiah’s death so many questions had been answered. Louise had been enraged when she’d heard about her son’s death, and she’d threatened to kill both Angie and Eva. Garrison and Malcolm had made calls to the prison bureau and had Louise transferred to an out-of-state prison. They’d also severed all her contact with Angie, Eva, or anyone else they knew.

  Angie had been shell-shocked by the entire sce
nario but as her mind cleared, she’d begun to question the course of her life. She’d gone into law to prevent injustice, and yet all her efforts had brought so much pain and heartache.

  Eva and Garrison had married ten weeks ago in a quiet ceremony. Garrison’s folks had been present and so had Angie and Malcolm.

  Through it all Malcolm had been at her side. They’d spent quiet evenings together, making love and trying to build upon the foundation that they’d created. However, she’d never wrestled free of her worries that one day Malcolm would leave her.

  And then Vivian had contacted Angie nine weeks ago seeking advice. The older woman knew she couldn’t raise David in the face of her own health issues and wanted help making an adoption plan for the boy. Angie hadn’t hesitated before saying, “I’ll take him.”

  Vivian had been shocked by Angie’s offer. But as they talked and discussed the boy’s future Vivian had seen that if Angie adopted the boy, Vivian could still remain a part of his life.

  Through tears, Vivian had whispered, “I want to be his grandmother. Not his mother.”

  And so, Angie had hired an adoption attorney to draw up an agreement. They signed the final papers two months ago. Though Angie loved David as her own from the moment she’d held him, he’d legally become hers yesterday when the judge had signed the final decree.

  Without the stress of raising David, Vivian had had the time to grieve for her daughter. Slowly, her health had begun to return.

  Angie had visited Lulu’s grave several times. She prayed for the girl who had made so many mistakes but had desperately wanted to change her life. She’d vowed that she’d tell David about his birth mother often.

  Malcolm had been supportive, but the adoption had created a space between them that seemed to grow by the day. She’d assumed he wasn’t ready or willing to parent David. She’d let him go, knowing her path was first and foremost with David. They’d not seen each other in a month, and as much as she adored her son, she missed Malcolm.

  “Now we get to go see Aunt Eva and see if she’s gotten the test results back.”

  Angie glanced through the picture window into King’s. There appeared to be a crowd. “David, we are going to have some company.”