by C. M. Sutter
Liz raised her brow. “How would he know where they are?”
“I don’t have that answer for you, but like I said, it’s just a precaution.”
Billings’s cell phone vibrated on his desk, and we turned toward him. He lifted it and looked at the screen. He sat up straight and gave us a nod. “Here we go, guys. It’s Todd.”
“Put it on Speakerphone,” Jack said. “Todd, it’s Jack. What have you got?”
“Hey, Lieutenant, Keith Hadley’s car just alerted at the plate reader near Black River Falls, and it’s headed north.”
Jack scratched his cheek. “He should have been to Hudson by now. Alert the state patrol to the car’s location and have them apprehend Keith. I want a call and a visual ID the second he’s in custody.” Jack nodded for Billings to click off.
“Nice call on that one, boss.”
“Thanks, Amber. It shouldn’t be long now. Keith Hadley’s murder spree is over. Unfortunately, it’s too late for Leslie, Tyler, and Stan, and little comfort for their families.”
“Would it be okay if I went home, then?” Liz asked.
“Can you meet me halfway?” Jack asked.
“Meaning?”
“You have a sister who lives in town, right?”
“Yes, Shirley.”
“Can you stay overnight at her house, just until Keith has been taken into custody and we have a positive ID on him? I’ll even give my brother a buzz on his landline. He can have Chuck call you once you’re settled in at your sister’s house.”
“Okay, you have a deal.”
Jack raised his brows at me. “Amber, would you mind driving Liz home to pick up a few things?”
“Not a problem, sir. Whenever you’re ready, Liz.”
Liz stood, and we left the bull pen. Moments later, we crossed to the first cruiser in our lot and climbed in.
She smiled with apparent relief as she snapped the seat belt across her lap. “I haven’t been in one of these cars since before Chuck retired.”
I laughed. “That’s a good thing. I don’t think most civilians want to be in a police car on purpose.”
The Clark home was a five-minute drive away and located only nine blocks from the sheriff’s office. I pulled into the driveway, killed the engine, and pocketed the key.
Liz looked toward me as she grabbed the passenger-side door handle. “What are you doing?”
“Going in with you. It’s protocol.”
“But I’m driving myself to my sister’s house.”
I stepped out of the car and closed the door. “I know, but I’m going to give the house a quick once-over, then I’ll follow you to your sister’s place.”
Liz waved me off. “Is that really necessary, Amber?”
“Do you want me to get Jack on the phone?”
She chuckled. “Not particularly. Okay, come on in. I won’t be long.”
I followed her to the front door, and she unlocked the house. Once we entered, Liz tipped her head toward the hallway.
“Go ahead and do whatever you’re going to do. I’ll grab my nightgown and a change of clothes. I’ll only be a few minutes.”
“Take your time.” I entered the kitchen and did a quick scan of the room. I flipped on the outdoor light that illuminated the patio, adjusted the vertical blinds, and looked out. The backyard appeared quiet and normal, so I continued on. The laundry area was only a few feet long. I crossed that in two strides and opened the door that led into the garage. I hit the lights, stepped down, and circled Liz’s car. Back inside the house, I would clear the living and dining rooms next and then the bedrooms. We’d be on our way in five minutes. My phone buzzed in my pocket just as Liz called out to me from the back of the house.
“Amber, I need you in my bedroom right away!”
“I’m coming.” I passed by the living room and went down the hallway instead.
Chapter 62
Todd was in direct contact with the state patrol cruisers. He brought his laptop to the bull pen and set it on Amber’s desk as the group crowded around.
“They’re taking him down right now, sir. This is live action from the third cruiser’s camera.”
Jack leaned in and stared at the video streaming from the officer’s dash cam. Two state patrol cruisers pulled around the Lexus and slowed it down while the third car at the rear closed in. The last cruiser’s video camera caught the entire takedown. The driver in the Lexus slowed to a stop—he had no other choice and was boxed in. Four officers leapt from the front cruisers with guns drawn. Commands were yelled toward the Lexus, and the driver was ordered out of the vehicle.
Jack compared the plate number—which was clearly visible—to the notes lying on his lap. He nodded to the group. “That’s his car. Now show us your face.”
The officers ordered the man to the ground, where his hands were cuffed behind his back. He was lifted to his feet and spun around to face the dash cam.
“Wait a minute. Something isn’t right.” Kate jerked her head toward Jack. “That isn’t Keith Hadley. Not even close!”
“Son of a bitch.” Jack slammed his fist on the desk and had Todd radio the cruiser with the dash cam. Jack yelled out the second the officer picked up. “That isn’t our guy. He switched vehicles with somebody. Have your men check his ID immediately!”
They watched the action play out in front of them as one officer pulled the wallet out of the man’s back pocket. He flipped it open, shook his head, and pressed the ID against the windshield in front of the camera.
Jack yelled out. “Who the hell is John Krell from Baraboo? Keith set a trap. I’ve got to warn Amber.” Jack dialed her number as he grabbed his pistol and secured it in the holster. “Everyone head to Chuck’s house with lights only. Go dark a block out and station yourselves on Center Street. We’re going in on foot.” Amber’s phone continued to ring, then shouting and a male voice sounded in the background.
Chapter 63
I rounded the master bedroom door to see what Liz needed. Backed against the closet, she wore a panicked expression. A thick arm hooked around her neck and held her in place. Keith stood behind her, only feet from me, and stared with wild eyes and an evil grin. About to answer Jack’s call, I palmed the phone, pressed the green Talk icon, and dropped it back into my jacket pocket.
“Get your hands up! Don’t even think of reaching for that gun or I’ll drop both of you right now.”
“Keith, let her go. Liz hasn’t done anything wrong. Look at me. Hey, eyes over here! Focus your attention on me. It’s law enforcement you hate, isn’t it? She’s just a housewife. She has no idea who you are or why you’re here.”
A look of recognition suddenly covered his face. “You’re that stupid bitch who was snooping around my yard with the other woman. You’re a cop?”
“Yeah, I’m a cop. Now let her go!”
His laughter made my skin crawl. I had to get Liz out of his dangerous grip. His choke hold could end her life in seconds.
“Pull that gun out of the holster with two fingers and toss it on the bed. One wrong move and I snap her neck. Do it now!”
“Calm down, Keith. I’m removing my gun.”
“Two fingers, I said!”
“Right—two fingers.” I lifted my pistol out of the holster. It dangled from my thumb and index finger.
“Throw it on the bed and get on the floor. You’ve got one second before she’s dead.”
“I’m doing it.” I knelt to the floor while keeping my eyes on him.
“Lie flat, facedown.”
Liz whimpered with each of his commands.
“Shut up before I break your neck.”
“Liz, stay calm, please.” I inched myself lower and watched for any opportunity I could get. As soon as Keith reached to the bed for my gun, I made my move—it was the only chance I had. I leapt up and threw my body weight against him. The gun bounced across the bed and fell to the floor. I saw my phone fly out of my pocket and spin out of sight.
“Liz, run to the
neighbor’s house!”
Keith tossed me across the room like a rag doll. I hit the wall, and the impact forced the air out of my lungs. I gasped and coughed. I needed a breath before the next hit. I had a split second before his fist would come down on my skull. I kicked him as hard as I could in the groin. It stopped him long enough for me to make a run for it. I jumped to my feet, but he had me by the ankle before I reached the bedroom door. My face smashed against the floor as I was knocked senseless. I heard the crack of gunfire just before I blacked out.
Chapter 64
I squinted and blinked hard. My focus was blurry.
“You okay? You took a few hard hits.”
“Jack?” I tried to lift my head.
“Whoa there, hold your horses. You need to be checked out, Detective Monroe.”
“Checked out for what? I’m fine.” I looked around. I was on a gurney. “What the hell? Get me off this thing.”
He laughed. “Why are the Monroe sisters so damn stubborn?”
“It’s genetic. What happened to Keith?”
Jack jerked his head toward the other ambulance. “He’s in there but cuffed to the rails and sedated. Clayton got a round off below Keith’s right clavicle just before he clubbed you in the head. We heard everything that was going on when you left your phone line open. Nice job, Amber. We got to the house just as Liz ran down the driveway.” Jack slapped the ambulance door. “Get her out of here.” He grinned at me. “I’ll see you at the hospital as soon as we wrap things up with Liz. Kate and Billings will ride along with you. I’ll go with Clayton.”
“Wait—where is Chad?”
Jack looked around then whistled. He waved his arm, and Clayton jogged over. “I’ll leave you two alone, but you only have a minute.”
I smiled and squeezed Chad’s hand. “Hey, buddy. Jack said you put one in the bad guy’s chest. Sounds like you saved my skull from being split open.”
“Yeah, Jack exaggerates. All in a day’s work.”
I chuckled then coughed. “Not one for praise, eh? I’m saying thanks whether you like it or not, so suck it up and accept it. Seriously, Chad, thank you.”
He leaned down and kissed my forehead then waved it off. “It was nothing. You’re like a kid sister to me.” He turned to the ambulance driver. “Get her out of here. Tell the doctor on duty to make sure her brain is working right before he releases her. It looks like she’s going to have a few black eyes, though.”
I laughed. “I’ll tell everyone that the Goth look is back in style.”
Kate climbed in the ambulance with me, and Billings followed in his cruiser. It would probably be midnight before my scans would be done and I’d be released to go home.
Chapter 65
I was back at work on Monday with the rest of the clan. I looked like a Halloween ghoul, but other than a few bruised ribs and two black eyes, I was physically fine. I was thankful my nose wasn’t broken.
We sat in the conference room as Jack led our usual morning meeting. He smiled every time he looked at me.
I rolled my bloodshot eyes. “Seriously? Why do you keep grinning at me?”
“I was just wondering how it looks from your point of view. Like, are we a sight for sore eyes?” He chuckled.
“You’re a real comedian, Jack.”
“Okay, on to serious business. First off, Clark and Jamison are back from their hunting trip, a bit early due to the Keith fiasco, but I’m happy to report they each got a buck.”
Kate groaned. “Poor deer.”
“Liz and Chuck are spending some quiet time together, as they should. Bob Shoal and his wife returned home Saturday from wherever they were. They were immediately picked up and arrested by the feds for operating an illegal dog-fighting enterprise.”
Kate smirked. “Good. I hope they rot in prison for a while. Don’t even get me started on people who abuse animals.”
Jack smiled and waited until Kate was done.
“Sorry, boss. Go on.”
“Anyway, story was, they had a nephew take care of the dogs while they were out of town. Apparently, the kid forgot to latch the main gate that leads out from the runs. Every dog that went outside to do their business had the capability of escaping. Friends for Life is officially shut down, and the Humane Society and the ASPCA are removing the rest of the animals.” Jack cleared his throat then continued. “I stopped in at Jamison’s house yesterday, and he showed me a letter—postmarked from Milwaukee, without a return address—that was among the mail the neighbor had picked up for him while he was gone. Like the others, it was from Keith. That will go into evidence with the rest of them.” Jack stopped to take a sip of coffee from his favorite chipped mug. “Keith will recover from his wounds and stand trial for what we thought were three murders and two attempted murders.”
I cut in. “What we thought? What do you mean by that?”
Jack shook his head and paused. He seemed to be gathering his thoughts. “I stopped at the hospital yesterday for two reasons. First, I wanted to check on Judge Amato’s condition. I’m happy to report he’ll be okay, but it’s going to be a long recovery. I sat with the judge and his wife and asked a few of the questions he was expecting of me. Because Keith was certain the judge would die, he revealed something that he had never shared with anyone.”
We leaned in closer—Jack had our full attention.
“And?” Billings asked.
“Turns out it was Keith who killed both parents on Halloween night eleven years ago. Kevin didn’t have anything to do with it, and that’s likely why he said he didn’t remember the murders. People probably mistook his confusion for a lack of remorse. Personally, I think the poor kid was in shock.”
I slapped the table with my open hand, causing Kate to jump. She gave me a dirty look as I spoke up. “I don’t believe that psycho! What was his motivation?”
“I didn’t know until I went to his hospital room and sat down. I read him his rights even though we did that Friday night. I figured in the condition he was in with a fresh gunshot wound, he might not have remembered. Yeah, he’s a sadistic son of a bitch but not that bright. He didn’t lawyer up, so I began questioning him. He killed his parents for money. Apparently, that vault in the backyard was full of gold and silver coins. That’s what originally started Keith thinking about killing his folks. He thought by framing Kevin, the rest of the family money would go to him too. He had no idea that the entire estate was in a trust that was handled by an outside party. If anything happened to the parents, Keith would be Kevin’s legal guardian and would receive an allowance to care for the mentally challenged brother until the time that Kevin died. At that point, everything would be donated to special needs charities, and the money train would end. That’s what set Keith’s recent killing spree in motion.”
Clayton whistled. “So Keith blamed everyone who had a hand in getting Kevin sent to a hard-core prison instead of a facility for mentally challenged people.”
“Exactly. He was outraged because the monthly income was about to stop. Not only did Keith fess up about the murders eleven years ago, he also said he killed a jewelry store owner in Milwaukee last week and a hooker in Nashville a few days earlier. We’ll check out those confessions and see where they lead us.”
“Why would he confess to something that nobody would have tied him to?” I asked.
Billings said what I was thinking. “He’s either nuts or a psychopath who’s proud of his accomplishments.”
“Have the families been told yet?” Kate asked.
Jack tapped the table with his fingers. “We’re going to make rounds today and talk to each family. Of course, Keith hasn’t been convicted yet, but that’s just a formality.”
I shook my head in disbelief.
“Amber, you have something to add?” Jack asked.
“It’s like the saying, ‘What goes around comes around.’ Now Keith will probably have somebody assigned to evaluate his mental capacity. The question is, does he belong in a psychiatric ward or
a real prison? Kevin was innocent and sent to one of the worst prisons in the country, but Keith actually belongs there. He’s evil and has murdered who knows how many people. He hides his actions under the guise of avenging his brother, but if that’s the case, then why kill a jeweler and a hooker? They had nothing to do with Kevin.”
Jack nodded. “All good points, Amber. I’m sure he’ll have a high-profile trial, and we’ll all be compelled to testify.”
“That’s just creepy, like déjà vu,” Kate said.
I gave her the side-eye. “You of all people should be used to that kind of stuff.”
She shrugged.
“Anyway, the rest of the year will be busy getting this Keith Hadley case wrapped up and behind us. I want to thank all of you in advance in case I forget once the you-know-what hits the fan.” Jack air quoted the words. “The press will be all over this and tie everything back to the original case. It’s going to be a shit storm in grand proportions.” He smiled at all of us. “With that said, I’m taking all of you out for dinner and drinks tonight at the Washington House. You deserve it, and you certainly won’t have time to relax over a nice meal in the weeks to come.”
We high-fived each other, knowing that Jack was in for an enormous bill that night. I pictured a medium rare filet mignon on my dinner plate—and a good share of cocktails.
“Oh, and by the way, you’re each limited to twenty bucks for dinner. Anything after that, you’re covering on your own.” He grinned as he slapped his hands together. “Come on. We have a full day ahead of us. Let’s get to work.”
THE END
Thank you!
Thanks for reading Avenged, the second book in the Amber Monroe Crime Thriller Series. I hope you enjoyed it!
Start at the beginning of the Monroe sisters’ saga by reading the Detective Jade Monroe Crime Thriller Series. This is where it all began, and Book 1, Maniacal, the flagship book, introduces the newly promoted Sergeant Jade Monroe, a detective in the sheriff's department of a fictitious Wisconsin town. Jade has more crimes to solve and murderers to apprehend than most detectives, but she's a tough cop, determined to prove herself, and gets the job done. The books are listed in order below: