“Glad to hear it, Mr. Grant. Let’s get back to the girls. You said that you did not know Allison or Debra, is that right?”
“Yes,” Graham tried to hide his smirk, he was unsuccessful.
“What about Shelby Torrent?”
“No, that name is not familiar to me. Why?”
“We found her dead on the side of the road in Clevestone. We believe that the person who killed Shelby is the same man who abducted Allison and Debra.”
“You think that Thomas killed someone?” Graham feigned the required amount of shock. “Oh, my, I never would have believed it of him. Of course, I would never have believed that he would be capable of kidnapping, either. Or theft, for that matter.”
“How well did you know Thomas?”
“As well as one can know an employee. I trusted the service who sent him to us, we hire all of our household help through the agency.”
“It sounds like you spent a lot of time with him, going over the household accounts, and what not. What do you know about him personally?”
“Let’s see, I really hadn’t thought about it.” Graham appeared to consider the question carefully. “I suppose you could say that he was a strange duck, he rarely smiled, never spoke of himself, of course.”
“Why ‘of course’?”
“It simply isn’t done, Ms. Forbes. If you’ve ever had a butler, or any household help, you would know that the first rule is to maintain decorum. That includes keeping one’s personal life to one’s self.” Graham nodded as if he were granting Jeri needed wisdom.
Ethan cleared his throat, but manage to remain silent. Grant’s affected arrogance was getting to him.
“Thank you, Mr. Grant, for enlightening me,” Jeri smiled. “I’ll keep that in mind, should I ever require the services of a household staff.”
“Of course,” Graham nodded, not believing for a moment that she would never be in such a position.
“So, you weren’t aware that Thomas was homosexual?”
“What? Thomas was homosexual? How do you know that?”
“We interviewed his family, just before we came in to speak with you. Don’t you find it odd that someone who preferred the company of men, would kidnap and rape teenage girls?” Jeri kept her voice even, made it seem that she was actually asking for Grant’s opinion.
“I,I,I….I have no idea why Thomas would do such a thing,” Grant finally sputtered. “I am not a psychiatrist.”
“No, no, neither am I,” Jeri agreed. “But I’ve never heard of another case like this one, where a homosexual killer selects victims of the opposite sex.” Jeri lied, but she wanted to rattle Grant as much as possible. She didn’t stretch the truth too much, cases such as the one she described were extremely rare.
Graham felt like he’d been hit with a two-ton truck. Thomas was gay? How could that be? And how could he now spin it so that the cops would continue to focus on Thomas, and not on himself?
“As I said, Ms. Forbes, I am not a psychiatrist. Perhaps you should consult one to obtain an explanation.”
“Perhaps I will, Mr. Grant. Are you familiar with iGold?” Jeri threw the question at him with no preamble.
“What? IGold? Isn’t that some sort of internet currency?” Graham felt his stomach begin to form into a knot. What did they know?
“Yes, it is. Do you have an iGold account?”
“No, of course not. That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it? Have you ever heard of the dark web?”
Graham swallowed hard, trying to assimilate his composure.
“Dark web? Is that some sort of homosexual term?” Graham used the first thing that came to his mind.
“No, Mr. Grant. It’s an alternate internet, an underground host of websites that are, shall we say, seedier, than the ones typically found on the internet we are all familiar with,” Jeri explained, watching him carefully. He was starting to sweat, she could see the water droplets beading on his upper lip.
“I’ve never even heard of such a thing,” Graham shifted in his seat as he spoke.
“Do you own a bank account in Samoa?”
“Ms. Forbes, I fail to see how my choice of bank is in any way relevant to Thomas, or to this case.” Graham chose to deflect, so he could think. How was it possible that they knew about his Samoan account? The bank promised absolute privacy, or he would never have opened the account in the first place. But the feds had their greedy hands in everything, he reminded himself. It was possible that someone paid someone, and his information was compromised.
“Oh, but it is relevant, Mr. Grant. You see, we’ve discovered that whoever is responsible for kidnapping Allison and Debra, and murdering Shelby, also sold the rights to watch his activities. The consumers paid with iGold, with the proceeds eventually being routed to an account in Samoa.”
Graham was stunned. How had they uncovered all of that? If they knew that much, it was only a matter of time before they unraveled his shell corporations, to discover that he was the sole owner.
She’s bluffing. The thought came to him in a moment of clarity. Grabbing onto the possibility, he began to look at things logically. If she knew that he was behind it, he would already be under the jail. She was fishing for information, information that she would not get from him.
“That’s very interesting, Ms. Forbes. I was not aware that Thomas was such a criminal genius. But I fail to see how that relates to my personal business.”
“It’s all relevant, Mr. Grant.” Jeri kept her smile in place, but she knew that she’d lost him. He was suddenly much too cool. Thankfully, she had one more ace up her sleeve. “Are you aware that two prostitutes were murdered, a week ago, and also left in Clevestone?”
“I may have heard something about it on the news,” Graham hedged.
“Well, whoever purchased time with the prostitutes paid for their services using iGold. The same iGold account that is connected to the account in Samoa.”
“What does that have to do with me?” Graham held himself very still.
“Nothing, unless you’re the killer,” Jeri grinned, spreading her hands on the table.
“I’m surprised you haven’t asked the girls you rescued. Can’t Allison and Diana tell you who kidnapped them?” Graham never realized that he’d given himself away, in that moment.
“No, they are much too traumatized, as yet. But their help will be invaluable, as soon as they’ve recovered. It’s amazing what kidnap victims remember, once they’re out of danger, and the shock has worn off.” Jeri didn’t call him on knowing Diana’s correct name. This interview was being recorded, and Diana’s name had never been made public. It was the one bit of proof she needed to confirm everything she believed about him.
“Well, if there’s nothing else you need from me, I really should be on my way. I’m sure that my poor mother is equally traumatized, and I should be at home, tending to her.” Graham stood to leave.
“Actually, there is one more thing, before you go,” Jeri hated that she had no choice but to let him walk out. They had no evidence, whatsoever, to dispute the fact that Thomas was the perpetrator. At least she could try and make certain that he wouldn’t take any more girls, until they could find evidence of his guilt. “We’ll be monitoring the situation closely, as you can imagine. The video feeds from the cellar led us to a server, bouncing signals all over the world. We have our best technicians working on tracing the signal, and it’s only a matter of time before we trace it back to the killer.”
“I know very little of such things, but I assume that the trace would lead you to my home, if Thomas used my internet feed to orchestrate everything.”
“Yes, we fully expect that. But if Thomas is on the run, as you say, then he’ll tap into the server in another location. When he does, we’ve got him.” Jeri lied, that was not the way it worked at all.
Graham paled. He had no idea if the feds had the capability to backtrack, and isolate, a signal to a buried server. Was his entire operation in jeopardy?
“And what does this have to do with me?”
“We would like your permission to monitor your internet signal. Tech tells me that it’s possible for anyone to piggyback on your service, from anywhere. It’s possible that Thomas will continue to use the familiar setup, especially if he is still in the area.”
“What makes you think he’s still in the area? If I were him, I would be long gone,” Graham grinned to cover his discomfort.
“He has other ties to the area,” Jeri offered, but did not mention Clevestone. “So, do we have your permission? You did mention that you wanted to help our investigation.”
“Yes, you have my permission,” Graham said, grudgingly. “Now, may I leave?”
“Of course, you’re free to go. Please don’t leave the state, unless you advise us first,” Jeri said, pleasantly. “As a witness to an ongoing investigation, we may have more questions for you.”
“I’m not planning any trips out of state. Good day.” Graham walked out of the interrogation room, his head held high.
Chapter Twenty-One
“You have no idea how much I wanted to wipe that saccharine smile off of that bastard’s face,” Jeri seethed as she and Ethan left the police station.
“Oh, I think I do,” Ethan draped his arm around her as they walked. “The most difficult part was letting him walk out of there.”
“Tell me about it. But the bastard was smart. He planted evidence against the butler, and made sure that nothing led back to him.”
“We do have a few things on our side. The Samoan authorities are at least considering giving us the account holder’s information. That’s something. And Anna is still unraveling the iGold information. Either of those things can lead us straight to Grant. Not to mention the girls themselves. When they’re ready, they could tell us something helpful.”
“They’ve already said that he wore a mask, that they never saw his face.”
“What we need is Thomas the butler’s body. Maybe then we could convince the District Attorney, the FBI, everyone who believes that Graham Grant is innocent, that he’s really a devious psychopath.”
“Do you really think that would be enough? His mother called in favors from here to Washington, to get her son released. I’m surprise that he agreed to speak with you for as long as he did.”
“He liked it, at first. He believes that he’s superior to everyone, that he’s untouchable. But I know we rattled him with the Samoa account, and with the iGold info. He’s smart enough to know that if we know that much, it’s only a matter of time before we get to him.”
“Why did he agree to let us monitor his internet?”
“He really didn’t have much of a choice. He’d already stated that he wanted to help, so how could he deny us such a small favor?”
“You could tell he didn’t like it,” Ethan opened her car door.
“As long as it keeps him from perving on other teenage girls, I don’t care what he likes. You caught the part where he knew Diana’s name, right?”
“Of course. Brilliant,” Ethan grinned as he slid in beside her. “Too bad it’s not enough to convict him now.”
“His attorney will say that he heard a cop mention it. But we know differently. Whatever doubt I may have had about his guilt, he squashed in that moment.”
“Did you have doubts? Really?” Ethan was surprised.
“No, but it’s nice to have confirmation.”
“It’s Monique,” Ethan told her as his phone buzzed with a text. “She says that Grant just arrived home. She and Chloe will take the first watch.”
“I can imagine how infuriated he was when he found out that his attorney had been waiting at the station, nearly as long as he was.”
“Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy,” Ethan smiled, then headed for the hospital.
~~~
“But, Mom, I just want to go home.” Allison hated the tubes attached to her arms, and the way her mother kept looking at her, like she would instantly disappear into thin air. She wanted things to be normal, she wanted to forget the last few days, never think of them again. But the stupid tubes tied her to the bed, much like the duct tape that awful man had used. Same difference. She couldn’t get up, she couldn’t get comfortable.
“Allie, we’ve talked about this. You have to stay here until tomorrow, at least. Your body needs to be replenished, so you can get better.” Trudy Wells still had trouble believing that her daughter had been found alive. She’d prayed for it, hoped for it, but part of her thought that she would never see her beloved Allison again.
She had yet to process what that vile man had done to her baby. Allison refused to talk about it, hated it when the doctors examined her, so Trudy knew that she had gone through hell.
But she was alive. That was the most important thing. They could work through everything else, no matter how long it took, or what they had to do.
“I can get better at home. I promise that I’ll eat anything you like. Just make them let me go home!” Allison turned on her side, taking care not to pull the tubes from her arms.
A quiet knock on the door prevented Trudy from answering.
“Come in,” she called, taking Allison’s hand for support.
“Hi, Mrs. Wells. Hi, Allison,” Jeri opened the door enough to step in. “Do you mind if I speak to you for a moment?”
“Of course, please come in,” Trudy smiled down at Allison. “This is Jeri Forbes. She’s the lady who rescued you.”
Allison perked up, her momentary discomfort forgotten.
“Really? A lady cop? Cool,” Allison put on her best brave face, the one she gave her mom, each time she asked about her ordeal.
“Not a cop, but I used to be an FBI agent,” Jeri smiled at them both. They had decided to leave Ethan in the hall. Allison might not be ready to deal with a male stranger. “Now I’m a private consultant. How are you feeling, Allison?”
“I’m fine, but I’d be better if they’d let me go home!” Allison scooted up in the bed. “Thanks for finding us.” Allison smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Where did he have us?” she asked, quietly.
“You were in an old, underground cellar,” Jeri answered, coming to stand beside Trudy. “If you feel up to it, I’d like to ask you a few questions. What do you say?”
Allison eyed Jeri speculatively for a long moment. Finally, she nodded.
“Good. Can you tell me what you remember about the man who abducted you?”
“I don’t remember his face. I only saw it once, the night he took me.” Traces of disgust were evident in Allison’s voice.
“That’s okay,” Jeri reassured her. “Just tell me whatever you do remember. Like how tall he was, or if he was skinny, or fat. Anything you can remember will be helpful.”
“I thought you arrested someone, the man who owns the property where you found her. Are you saying that the monster who took my baby is still out there?” Trudy felt her panic rise. How could they be safe, if the man was free?
“We questioned the property owner, but all indications are that he is not the man who abducted your daughter.” Jeri spoke directly to Trudy. She hated lying to her, but legally, she had no choice. “We are doing everything we can to find the man responsible.” Turning back to Allison, she placed one hand on the girl’s arm. “Please don’t worry. We will arrest the right man, I promise.”
“Do you think he’ll come back for me?” The resignation in Allison’s question made Jeri want to strangle Graham Grant. The psychological torture he orchestrated would haunt this girl, and Diana, for years.
“No. I think he’s smarter than that,” Jeri met her eyes. “But I’ve ordered private security for you, and your family, until we catch him.”
“You mean I’ll have a bodyguard?” Allison wasn’t sure how she felt about that. On one hand, it would make her feel safer, but it might be a pain, having someone watch everything she did.
“Something like that,” Jeri nodded. “He’ll be outside the door, for as long
as you’re here. And when you go home, he’ll watch your house, and follow you to school, and wherever you go. You won’t even know he’s there.” Jeri glanced at Trudy, wondering how she would feel about this.
“I’m not sure that we can afford that,” Trudy began, but stopped when Jeri held up her hand.
“Don’t worry, it’s part of the service my company provides. Consider it your tax dollars at work.”
“Well, then, thank you. I think we’ll all feel safer, knowing someone is keeping watch.”
“Of course. But I really don’t think he’ll show up. You told the police officer that he wore a mask, the entire time, yes?” Jeri knew that Allison and Diana had spoken, very briefly, to a local officer when they first woke up. Since then, no one had tried to question them, at her request.
“Yes, he did. Like I said, I never really saw his face. Can you tell me about the cameras?” It was as if Allison suddenly remembered the cameras, blinking red at her the entire time she was held captive.
Jeri dreaded answering this question. She didn’t want to lie, but she didn’t want to tell this victim, and her mother, that videos of her were transmitted all over the world.
“He was keeping watch over you electronically.” It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth, either.
“I thought so,” Allison nodded.
“There’s something else you need to know, Allison. Something you need to be aware of, going forward. We think he targeted you, and his other victims, through the camera on your laptop. It would be best if you covered the camera, whenever you aren’t using it.”
“You mean he was watching me in my room? Oh, God, who does that? How did he do that?”
“He hacked your laptop, got control of the camera, and used it to watch you. Actually, it’s not hard to do, but I was also surprised that it was possible. One sure fire way to prevent it, is to put a piece of tape over the camera on your computer. It’s that simple.”
“That’s so creepy,” Allison shuddered. “I can’t describe how it makes me feel.”
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