They had already gone through the mantra of suspects. “How dare you accuse me?” “How could you ask me these questions when my daughter’s body isn’t even cold?” “I am going to sue the department.” “If anything happens to my children while in your care, I’m going to kill you.”
All the normal stuff. Self-righteous indignation pretty much ruled the day.
* * *
Nicole felt like she was stuck in a room with a broken record. Mrs. Ash had denied any involvement in every possible way, giving alibis when none were needed. Her lawyer had tried to shut her up several times, but clearly Mrs. Ash was used to running the show.
She had hoped the woman would run off at the mouth, but so far, Mrs. Ash had stuck to her story, however lame the denial may have sounded.
Nicole’s phone vibrated at her hip. It was a call, though, not a text. She ignored it. It would roll over to voice mail. Sure enough, a few seconds later her phone pinged, indicating that there was a message waiting. Then the phone rang again.
If it were an emergency, Ruben would just walk in the door, which pretty much left only one other person to phone urgently.
“Sorry, I need to get this,” Nicole said, grabbing her phone. Sure enough, “unknown caller.” She answered it. “Hello?”
“Stalemated, I take it?” Kent’s smooth voice asked.
“You could say that,” Nicole said, smiling at Mrs. Ash’s lawyer. It was very poor interrogation form to take a call.
“Pretend to hang up but leave the phone on the desk so I can hear.”
“Okay, goodbye then,” Nicole said, setting the phone down and turning off the screen but leaving the call intact.
“You know after this, you really are going to have to admit how much you need me,” Kent said.
Of course, Nicole couldn’t answer him, not and keep their cover up.
“We need to strike at the heart of the motive,” Kent explained. “So repeat everything I say.”
Nicole’s skin crawled with gooseflesh. There was something so wrong and yet so provocative when she was the one to act out Kent’s mental traps.
“How did it feel?” Kent asked. Nicole repeated the question to Mrs. Ash.
“What feel?” the woman responded, perhaps for the first time slightly off balance. That was how fast Kent worked.
“To have your husband spend his nights in Megan’s bed. Did your sheets get cold?” Kent coyly asked in her ear.
Nicole tried to convey the same oily quality to her voice.
“I have no idea what you are talking about,” Mrs. Ash contended, but Nicole noticed that the woman pushed off away from the table. As Kent would say, distancing herself from the truth.
“How did it feel to know that your husband preferred your daughter over you?” Kent demanded. Nicole echoed the words.
“She was young and hot. And what were you? A shriveled up old woman?”
Mrs. Ash’s cheeks blotched with color and her fingers balled up into a fist.
Nicole took it from here without Kent’s help.
“Do you know what that ‘W’ stands for? It isn’t for Juanita, it’s for witch. That’s what your boys call you everyday. Even your boys hate you. They use ‘D’ for dad, but ‘W’ for you.”
“They do not!” Mrs. Ash shouted, slamming her fist on the table. The motion bounced Nicole’s phone nearly off the edge. She caught it just in time.
“Mrs. Ash,” her lawyer tried to soothe. “The detective is just trying to bait you. Don’t rise to it.”
The woman took in a deep breath and smoothed her blouse. “Of course.”
“You shared a wall, didn’t you? Could you hear your husband as he made love to Megan? Coursing his hands over her curves?”
Nicole pressed on.
“Could you hear her moans of ecstasy?” Kent asked.
Nicole stopped short on that one. Not willing to sully Megan’s memory quite so much.
“My dear, we have got to go there. We’ve got to dig deeply into this woman’s jealousy to override her desire to protect herself and her family.”
“Could you hear her moans of ecstasy?” Nicole asked.
Again, the woman’s face blotched, and the vein at her temple throbbed, pounding against the skin. So Nicole didn’t hesitate to repeat Kent’s next question.
“Could you hear her come over and over again?”
“That whore!” Mrs. Ash shouted, coming out of her chair at Nicole. Only her lawyer’s quick grab saved Nicole from a punch to the face.
“Ah, you have to love the crazies. Once you hit their leverage point, they can’t keep the crazy in,” Kent chuckled in Nicole’s ear.
“After everything I did for her,” Mrs. Ash sobbed, “she still took him away.”
“What do you mean everything you did for her?” Nicole asked.
But the woman crumpled into a chair. “And now she was sullying herself with that biology boy?”
“So you knew about Deacon?” Nicole asked.
“It was only a matter of time before it came out about Megan and Roger. And then our family would be ruined by that little whore.”
“So you poisoned her?” Nicole asked over the lawyer’s protests for Mrs. Ash to shut the hell up.
“What else could I do?” Mrs. Ash said, her eyes brimming with tears. “She’d betrayed me. Betrayed us all.”
Nicole’s phone vibrated again. This time it was a text from Joshua.
“Mr. Ash is not packing the family jewels. I repeat, he has no cojones.”
Nicole had to read the text several times to understand what he meant. She sent it to Kent, who seemed to get it right away. “No testicles?”
She texted quickly back to Joshua. “Are they undescended?”
His response was lightening fast. “No, man. He’s got the basket, just no eggs in it.”
“Oh my,” Kent said. “Her crazy runs deeper than even I suspected. You’ve got to give her credit, though. The woman doesn’t just talk the talk, she walks the walk.”
Kent’s admiration of Mrs. Ash was not helping anything, though.
“When you said ‘you’d done everything,’ Mrs. Ash, did that include castrating your husband?”
Mrs. Ash looked up, and for the first time seemed clear-eyed. Present. Connected with reality. “I found out years ago. Like you said, we shared a wall. I insisted he stop, but he wouldn’t. Even tried to sedate me at night so he could carry on his dirty work. Well I showed him.”
Nicole gulped, imagining what was coming next. The woman was an RN, after all.
“So I skimmed some Propofol from the hospital and did what I had to.”
“You thought neutering him would stop the abuse?”
Mrs. Ash nodded. “But Megan must have been asking for it. The whore took my husband away. The whore ruined out family.”
How the woman got from her daughter being abused to it being Megan’s fault was the leap of an unstable mind.
“So you admit to surgically castrating your husband and murdering your daughter?”
“Yeah, she’s going to have to give back all of her best wife or mother coffee cups,” Kent said.
Mrs. Ash slowly nodded. “What else could I do?”
The woman actually seemed to believe that she was the victim in all of this.
“Okay, well, this has been fun, but it looks like the insurgents are at it again,” Kent said. “See you soon.”
The click of the disconnect sounded loudly in Nicole’s ear. Somehow, this victory felt a little less bright without Kent to share in it.
Nicole had a job to do, though. She couldn’t mope over Kent.
She rose from her chair. “Mrs. Ash, you are under arrest for the murder of Megan Ash.” Nicole got out her cuffs. “You have the right to remain silent…”
* * *
Ruben opened the door as Nicole escorted Mrs. Ash out of the room, finishing up her Miranda rights. Glick moved out of the way as they passed.
“If you book her now,” the captain s
aid, “we should be able to arraign her this evening.”
“Yes, sir.”
Glick turned back to Ruben. “That was quite the feat your partner just pulled off.”
“Yes, but I’m not sure if she can claim it for her own.”
Glick’s eyebrow went up.
“I think she got a call from Kent…”
“Ah,” Glick said. “While we may hate the man, we must respect the profiler.”
“Must we?” Ruben challenged. He resented that fact that even his captain deferred to Kent. “That tactic could have completely backfired.”
“But it didn’t,” Glick said. “Just like it never does.”
What was worse was that the captain was right. Which only proved to Ruben how disturbed the profiler really was. How could you think that much like a psychopath and not be one yourself?
“And just in case you were worried, the boys are fine.”
“What do you mean?” Ruben asked.
“I mean,” Glick said, indicating to his groin, “they’re fine. Mom hadn’t gotten around to them yet.”
“Well, there’s a silver lining, then.” Not much of one, of course. The boys were going to have to live with the fact that their father was a sex offender and their mother was a murderer. Having their testes was probably going to be only a small comfort.
“When is Harbinger due back?” Glick asked.
“Only God knows,” Ruben answered, hoping the date was far, far off.
* * *
Nicole got into her Mustang and put the key in the ignition but stopped, leaning back into the leather seat. It had been a long day, but a good one. They’d gotten a molester and a killer off the streets. That had to go down as a win in anyone’s book.
But damn, the case had wiped her out. It was hard to know that people like that not only existed, but couldn’t be picked out of a lineup of normal people. How long had both Mr. and Mrs. Ash kept their secrets? Decades? They had gone to PTA meetings and bake sales, no one knowing the horror going on under their roof.
“Need a shower to wash it all off?” a voice from the backseat asked.
Nicole twisted around. “Kent!”
Instead of her eyes going to his chiseled features, she was drawn to a long and ragged cut that went all the way across his neck. The wound was stitched together, however its edges were still swollen, and the wound oozed. The injury had happened less than twelve hours ago.
“What happened?”
Kent shrugged. “A little disagreement with some locals. You know how it goes.”
No, no, Nicole didn’t. It looked like the wound was meant to take his head off.
“What’s a little decapitation between friends?” Kent said, confirming her fear.
“You should be in the hospital,” Nicole said.
“Naw. I missed my girl,” he said.
If anyone else in the world had called her ‘girl’, Nicole would have punched them. However, the profiler with the ragged wound could get away with it.
“I missed you, too.”
“Yes,” Kent said, slipping back into his arrogant demeanor. “I could tell from all the texts. I certainly hope that you have an unlimited plan.”
So that was it. Their reunion after months apart.
Nicole turned the key in the ignition and enjoyed the roar of the engine.
Time to get them both home and into the shower.
AfterwordThank you so much for going on this journey with Nicole. I had so much reader feedback wanting to see Nicole on her own, that I knew that I had to write My Soul to Keep.
Be looking for Wallflower, the full length sequel to Plain Jane in the summer of 2013. If you haven’t already you should read Plain Jane, Anatomy, and Dark Lullaby before then.
Need to track more serial killers? Check out the next section.
Other Works by Carolyn McCray
Plain Jane – A Patterson-style thriller with a dash of Hannibal
If you enjoyed the twists and turns of Dark Lullaby, you might want to try Harbinger’s first novel the #1 Bestselling (Police Procedurals and Hard-Boiled Mysteries).
In the words of New York Times best-selling author, James Rollins (Altar of Eden and Bloodline)…
“The suspense is drawn out to the last drop, right up until you discover the shocking truth! To catch a killer, just how far would you go? Read Plain Jane: Brunettes Beware and you will discover that there’s a fine line between madness and genius!”
Brighter Scribe
Amazon Reviewer
The purchase or sample Plain Jane: Brunettes Beware simply click here.
* * *
All Hallow’s Eve – The one night it’s BAD… to be good
If you are in the mood for some more great serial killer catching I also have, All Hallow’s Eve: The One Night it’s BAD to be Good.
People are being martyred but not for their faith. Instead the deaths are part of a serial killer’s sick game as he chooses his victim by their name… then kills them in that Saint’s grisly manner.
What people are saying about All Hallow’s Eve…
“Scary and smart, All Hallow’s Eve is perfect for anyone who wants to read a horror story that makes them think. From the intricate psychopathology of the serial killer, to the hair-raising tension, to the skewering of pop culture, All Hallow’s Eve is simply a great read.”
Your Need To Read
Book Reviewer
To sample or purchase All Hallow’s Eve, click here.
* * *
9 th Circle – 9 Circles. Infinite ways to die
From the wicked mind of Carolyn McCray comes another taut, fast paced hunt for a serial killer.
Praise for 9th Circle…
“The first episode of this serial grabbed my attention immediately, and I couldn’t turn my Kindle pages fast enough! The sharp sensory detail drops you into every scene, and the superb characterization adds unexpected layers to the storyline. Detective Robi Darcmel is simply fascinating, and the characters around him are the perfect foil for his brilliant peculiarities. 9th CIRCLE is vividly cinematic. I can’t wait for the next episode to be delivered to my Kindle!”
Stephanie Bond
Author- Licensed to Thrill
Overview:
A madman terrorizes Seattle, attempting to recreate the nine circles of hell using the blood and bodies of the innocent… and not-so-innocent. Detective Darcmel, a gifted savant with Asperger’s Syndrome, is the only one standing in the path of this pathological killer. As the timer runs down on the fate of the entire city, it is the love of a little girl that can lead to either his salvation or utter destruction.
To sample or purchase 9th Circle click here.
* * *
Gauntlet – An All Hallow’s Eve prequel short story
Gauntlet, the action packed 8,500+ word prequel short story to the bestselling Mystery/Horror novel All Hallow’s Eve…
Praise for Gauntlet…
“This short started out fast and only got faster. Weird and imaginative, a mix of mickey spilane and SAW. I’m off to read ALL HALLOWS EVE! Great read! Also check out 30 PIECES OF SILVER.”
Issac Leeper
Amazon Reviewer
Overview:
Detectives Paxton Prover and Ruth Matte have one hell of a first day as partners. They’ve entered a gauntlet of horror they may never escape.
To sample or purchase Gauntlet click here.
* * *
Dark Lullaby – A Harbinger short story
Dark Lullaby is a 12,000+ word stand-alone short story (with no spoilers) that takes place after the Plain Jane: A Patterson-style thriller with a dash of Hannibal.
Praise for Dark Lullaby…
“Wow - what a punch packed by this short story! Quickly develops the characters, lots of interesting details and segues, and then, pow! a surprise ending. What more can you ask?”
Tawny Lee
Amazon Reviewer
Overview:
Girls have gone missing.<
br />
Can Kent find the killer before another child dies?
Find out in Dark Lullaby! Click here to purchase.
* * *
About the Author
Carolyn has had a long and extremely interesting road to become a bestseller.
When she head to veterinary school those many years ago she had no idea decades later she would be writing controversial historical thrillers, gut wrenching mysteries and roller coaster-style action/adventure tales!
Born in San Francisco and raised in the beautiful Napa Valley, Carolyn always had an overactive imagination. As a child you could usually find her dragging the neighborhood children out to the haunted barn to make her Nancy Drew-style audio tapes. Oh and did she mention, there was an entire life-sized recreation of the nativity scene in the rafters? Yeah, that wasn’t just a little creepy.
Which of course was great practice for writing such blockbusters as Plain Jane: A Patterson-style thriller with a dash of Hannibal and 30 Pieces of Silver: An Extremely Controversial Historical Thriller.
With over 250,000 books sold, Carolyn now lives on a beautiful lake in the Pacific Northwest where the fog rolls in over the water, snuffing out all signs of life around her. Yep, she still loves the creepy!
Contact Info:
Website
[email protected]
Acknowledgments
My very first acknowledgment must go to Gary. Somehow through everything, he raised me right.
Then, of course, must come Jim. My best friend for over two decades. Mentor, hero, and fellow video game junkie.
And Dee Dee, always loud and proud. Who has somehow convinced me to #ack go out and meet new people #weird
Copyright InformationThis book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, places, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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