by Mary Eason
She smiled and said, “We should try to eat. I’ll make us something while you talk to Ryan.”
Davis called Ryan’s cell repeatedly, but it went straight to voice mail each time. He tried the office number, but when the assistant picked up, he hung up without leaving a message.
“He’s not answering,” he told Kara when he joined her in the kitchen. “I’m hoping that’s a good thing. Maybe they’ve tracked the professor down.” He sat down at the table and rubbed his hand across his eyes. “God, I wish I knew what to do next.”
Kara knelt in front of him and took his hand in hers.
“I know it’s frustrating.”
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Yes, but I’m so glad you’re here with me. I don’t think I could make it through this again without you, Kara.”
“Davis, don’t give up. We’re going to find him.”
“I’m trying. I’m really trying.” Neither of them had much of an appetite but they tried to eat. They’d been working off adrenalin and coffee for so long it was hard to think clearly anymore.
As much as Davis wanted to forget about the case for a little while, he knew that would be impossible. The Angel had been bold enough to play games with Kara. He was growing more confident in his abilities with each kill. While Ava was safe, the Angel’s next victim was not.
“It’s time for him to take his next victim. AM. Who do you know with those initials?”
Davis got to his feet and began pacing around the room. Moving around helped him to concentrate.
“I’ve been thinking about that for hours now, but I can’t come up with anyone!”
“What about an acquaintance? Someone from your past. Someone you may not know as…well as the others. It could be someone you worked with in the past.”
He shook his head. “Nothing. I’m drawing a blank. I’m going to try Ryan again. Maybe something’s popped there.”
Kara cleared away their plates then joined Davis in the great room.
“Ryan, thank God, I’ve been trying to reach you for a while.” When Ryan didn’t say anything, he asked, “Has something happened?”
Ryan Anderson had never once refused to discuss evidence with him. Davis could tell something was wrong.
“What is it, Ryan?”
“Nothing. Not now…”
“For God’s sake, tell me. Whatever it is, I can take it.”
“I can’t. I have to go. I’ll call you later.” Before Davis could ask anything further, Ryan hung up.
“Anything?” Kara asked.
“No, at least nothing he could tell me. But he knows something. I could feel it. He sounded agitated and he never used my name. Something’s up.” He felt so helpless. He didn’t know how to handle being the Bureau’s number one suspect in the very crimes he’d once worked so hard to solve.
“Davis, something you mentioned earlier has been bothering me. You said Frankie took the entrance exam to join the Bureau. So what happened when he failed?”
Davis considered this for a moment. “Well, that’s just it. He didn’t fail. He met all the qualifications. In fact, he even attended the academy for a short time. He was there for almost a week and then he just disappeared. This was shortly before we found the first victim’s body.”
“Did anything unusual happen to him while he was there?” she asked.
“Not as far as anyone remembers. In fact, most of his instructors said he showed promise. They all believed he had what it took to make an excellent agent. He was a model student. We’re at a dead end until we find out if Harrison actually instructed there at the same time as Frankie.”
“Did he become friends with anyone in particular? I’m wondering if maybe someone might remember something new about him.”
“We checked out everyone who attended the academy at the same time as Frankie. Just about everyone who came in contact with Frankie’s life during that time was interviewed.”
He stopped for a moment, remembering something he’d almost forgotten.
“What is it?”
“I was just thinking about something Victoria told me. She said the last time she saw Frankie was right around the time he started at the academy.” Davis’s gaze fixed on Kara’s expression. “I think we should talk to her again.”
It was dark when they reached Victoria Anders’ townhouse. She invited them inside and then waited for them to sit.
“Can I get you something? Coffee?”
Davis smiled but shook his head, “No, I think we’ve had way too much of that already. Victoria, I wanted to talk to you again about the time Frankie was at the academy. Do you remember anything in particular about that time?”
“No, not really. Why? Is it important, Agent Martin?”
“I think so,” he told her slowly. “Can you tell me what you and Frankie might have talked about during that time?”
“I only saw him a couple of times while he was there, so I don’t know how much help I’ll be. I remember how excited he felt about joining the Bureau though. It was his dream to become an agent.”
“Did he mention anyone in particular? I’m wondering if he made a friend there that we don’t know about.”
“He never mentioned anyone, I’m sorry.”
Davis tried to keep the helplessness growing inside from showing. He wanted to be strong for Kara, but with each passing moment, a little more of his hope disappeared.
“There was something strange that happened. I remember he became very withdrawn. You’d have to know Frankie to understand how odd that was. Frankie was always so sweet, always so positive about life. He was a good person.” When she saw his skepticism, she added, “I know you don’t believe that but it’s true. This was completely out of character for Frankie.” She paused for a moment and then added, “There’s something else…”
“Whatever it is, just tell me, Victoria.” Davis tried to remain patient but time was running out for the Angel’s next victim.
“I saw Frankie shortly before his death.”
Davis and Kara glanced at each other in surprise.
“You did what?” he asked incredulously. “Why didn’t you mention this before?”
“I told you it didn’t seem important. It wouldn’t have changed anything. And I guess I thought it might make you think he did those terrible things after all,” she added at last.
“What happened?”
“He called me one day.”
“And?”
“He asked me to meet him at my parents’ place, by the old tree, after dark. I thought that was strange, but the person who met me there wasn’t anything like the man I knew. God help me, for a while after the news of Frankie’s suspected involvement in those murders broke, well, for a while I wondered if maybe he really might have been the Death Angel.”
“What made you think that?” Davis asked, trying not to get ahead of her in his thoughts. He needed all the details.
“When I got there, Frankie appeared very agitated. He couldn’t stand still. He kept pacing around the tree and saying, ‘He’s watching me, he’s going to kill me. He knows I’m weak.’ It was creepy.”
“Did he give you any indication what he meant by that?”
“No, he just kept looking around as if he expected someone might have followed him there. I asked what he was talking about but he simply laughed. Agent Martin, I’ve never heard anything like that laugh before and I hope I never do. It sounded…deranged. That’s the only way I can describe it. I thought that maybe he was on something.
“It scared the hell out of me and so did Frankie. I tried to talk to him. To reason with him, but he wasn’t making any sense. So I left. I ran away from my friend. Frankie needed me and I deserted him.”
Something or someone had pushed Frankie over the edge. Maybe his partner in murder? Could Alec Harrison be the true mastermind behind the Death Angel?
“Anything else stand out in your mind as odd?”
“No, as I’ve said, I left. I was scare
d out of my mind. I remember the whole way back to my car I kept looking over my shoulder. Frankie’s paranoia really freaked me out. I expected someone to come after me as well.”
“Did you see anything or anyone suspicious?”
“No… Wait. Now that you mention it…I didn’t see anyone on the property but when I left there was a car parked along the road.”
“Could it have been Frankie’s?” Davis wondered if it belonged to Frankie’s partner.
“No, Frankie walked. I know that sounds strange but Frankie loved to hike and he was very good at it too. He walked to my parents’ place.”
“Do you remember anything in particular about the car?”
“Not really. It was dark, nondescript. I’m sorry. Is it important?”
“It may be.”
“I’m sorry, Agent Martin. But I didn’t see anyone in there. When my headlights swept over it there wasn’t anyone inside.”
“It’s okay,” Davis told her and then got to his feet. “You’ve been a tremendous help. It’s something to consider and I’ll check it out.”
“You’ll let me know, won’t you?”
“Of course. I promise I will.”
“What do you think it means?” Kara asked once they’d left Victoria’s townhouse and stood outside in the clear fall evening. The storms from earlier in the day were all gone now. But there was still one more storm gathering that threatened to be the most destructive of them all.
“It means Frankie was scared of someone. Probably the real deviant mind behind the Death Angel. If it’s Alec Harrison, then he’s the one calling the shots. We need to find this guy, Kara, and soon.”
“Try reaching Ryan again.”
“I was just thinking the same thing.” Davis waited until he’d put the car into motion before dialing his friend.
“You must be reading my mind,” Ryan told him after picking up on the first ring. Davis hit the speaker button so Kara could listen in. “I’m sorry I couldn’t really talk earlier, and I saw you’d called, but I wanted to wait until I had something for you.”
“You’ve found out something about Harrison?”
“Yes, well, sort of… I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be evasive. The truth is, I don’t really know much yet, but the details are unfolding even as we speak. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find anything to indicate Harrison taught at the academy around the same time Frankie was there.”
“Dammit. Are you positive? I would have bet money he was there.”
“Me too, and I’m not ready to rule it out entirely just yet.”
“Why is that?”
“There are a couple of substitute instructors who taught around the time that we can’t locate just yet. One in particular only taught there once. A man by the name of James Young. But oddly enough, no one remembers anything about him.”
“That’s strange.” The academy was extremely strict when it came to selecting its instructors. They only picked the best of the best. And their record-keeping was impeccable. “Something doesn’t add up there, Ryan. You’d better take a closer look.”
“Yep, that’s exactly what I thought as well. I’ll let you know the minute I have anything, oh, and Davis, Sean found something interesting after searching Harrison’s parents’ place near Buckner Ridge.”
“Please tell me it’s good news.”
Ryan laughed shortly. “Not good news but certainly promising. Sean’s team searched the place thoroughly. It was empty but they found evidence that someone had been there recently.”
“The killer? And we just missed him.”
“It appears that way. But he couldn’t have been gone long. Sean’s combing the area, looking for any witnesses. I think this may just be our biggest break yet.”
Davis blew out a long breath. “I hope you’re right, Ryan. We need this. Let me know the minute you hear anything.”
He hung up the phone and turned to Kara. She was smiling.
“This is good news. Finally, we have something tangible to go on.” She reached for his hand and squeezed it. “Is there anyone at the academy you trust? I’m thinking maybe we can help speed things up in Ryan’s search for this missing instructor.”
“Not at the academy, but there is someone I trust,” Davis told her. He thought about the man who had changed his life all those years ago. “My old instructor, Rocky St. Clair. He retired a few years back after being the director of the Bureau’s academy in Quantico for more than twenty years. He and his wife Louise live outside Richmond. I’d trust him with my life. And you’re right. Ryan needs our help. I think we should talk to Rocky right away.”
“Davis? Davis Martin—come on in here, man!” Rocky was clearly surprised to have them show up at his doorstep unannounced.
“Rocky, how are you? This is Kara Bryant. She’s helping me out with a case.” Rocky took Kara’s hand then showed them through to the living room.
“Sit. Sit. It’s been years, hasn’t it? I guess the last time I saw you was at my retirement party three years ago. How’ve you been? The Bureau keeping you busy?”
“Yes…actually, Rocky, that’s why I’m here. Bureau business.” Davis hesitated, wondering where exactly to begin.
“I kind of figured as much. I heard about Rachel. I’m sorry, Davis. What can I do to help?”
“Where’s Louise?” While he trusted both Rocky and Louise emphatically, the fewer people involved with the case, the less likely another slip-up would occur that might allow the killer to get away again.
“She’s visiting her parents in Vermont. Since I retired, she tells me she sees way too much of me.” Davis’s attempted laughter didn’t fool Rocky.
“What’s wrong, Davis? Is this about the copycat case?”
Davis hesitated. How much of the reality of the case should he reveal to Rocky? “Yes, in a way. We, Kara and I, are investigating the case’s possible connection to the original Angel killings.”
“Now that’s a name I’d just as soon never hear again.”
In the end, Davis decided Rocky needed to know the truth. “Rocky, there’s some question now as to whether or not Frankie Shepard acted alone in those killings or if in fact someone else might have been calling the shots. We’re not even sure Frankie was involved in the killings at all.”
Rocky didn’t say a word for a long time. “Damn, Davis. If you didn’t get the Angel, then where’s he been?”
Davis wished he could answer that question. He felt inept in simply shaking his head.
“You know, I never did quite believe that Shepard kid could be responsible for those killings.”
“What do you mean?” Davis watched as Rocky considered the question for a moment.
“Well, I know you had the evidence and all, but the kid just didn’t seem capable of such violence. In fact, I often wondered if maybe he’d had some medical problem or something that no one knew about. Because the kid I spoke with, well, he was a good kid.”
“Everyone who knew Frankie felt the same way. They’ve insisted upon his innocence from the beginning. But we have evidence now to believe that maybe Frankie wasn’t involved, certainly not the mastermind.”
“Which means, we’ve got ten Angel victims now?”
“Yes, and he’s probably targeting his next one even as we speak. So time is of the essence here, Rocky.”
“I see.” Rocky look intently at him before adding, “What can I do to help? What do you need me to do?”
“I appreciate your offer but I think you need to know, I’ve been removed from the case. Kara and I are conducting our own investigation and right now and I could really use your help.”
“If Ed Zamora is foolish enough to think you’d be involved in anything like this then he’s not the man I believed him to be. Tell me what you need. Anything. You name it.”
“I need you to do some checking on the instructors who worked under you at the time Frankie was there.”
“What are you thinking here?”
“We’re got
a suspect we think may be connected to Frankie’s time there. A man who teaches at UV by the name of Alec Harrison. He’s been a guest lecturer at the academy recently. Ever heard of him?”
“Alec Harrison.” Rocky repeated the name but Davis could tell the name didn’t sound familiar. “Do you have a photo of the guy?”
“No, but I can get one sent over. Ryan’s been checking the connection and so far he hasn’t found any record of an Alec Harrison working at the academy until recently, but here’s the catch. There are a couple of instructors who filled in around the same time Frankie was there. Ryan can’t locate one in particular by the name of James Young and no one he’s interviewed remembers the man.”
“I see. So you’re thinking this could be Harrison using an assumed name?”
“Maybe. I know it’s a long shot but it’s all we’ve got. I’ll have a photo of Harrison sent over along with all the information we have on the instructor in question.”
It was a long time before Rocky answered. “You know, something about the way Ed rushed to close that case always bothered me. I mean, why not be certain? After all, this was the biggest case in the unit’s history and you aren’t going to wait for the killer’s body to show up before closing it?”
Davis couldn’t help but agree with Rocky. After the third victim’s death, someone leaked detailed pieces of the crime scene—pieces that could have helped solve the murders sooner—to every paper around town as well as the national media. Before long, the Bureau drew fire from all around, and pressure to solve the murders became overwhelming to those in charge.
DC was a community paralyzed by fear. After Frankie’s death, an outcry from various government leaders forced an investigation of the unit. At the time, Davis had agreed to go along when Ed ordered him to stop seeing Kara for a while. He’d been foolish to listen to Ed and it had almost cost him everything.
Unfortunately, even after a thorough investigation, the name of the person responsible for leaking the information went unknown. Davis had to wonder if it were the same person responsible for the breach now. Perhaps the person working with the Angel was one of their own.
At the time, the Bureau assumed it had been a subordinate looking for publicity or possibly a plush book deal. There certainly were enough of those to follow. Now, in light of the new information security breach, it seemed like too much of a coincidence.