The Killing Room

by Gerri Hill

“We’ve got some questions. In fact, we’ve got lots of questions. Let’s take a ride.”

  “No way. I’m clean. You call Michael Taggert. I ain’t missed a meeting, I’ve done everything I’m supposed to do. I ain’t going.”

  “This isn’t exactly about a parole violation,” Rick said. “Not exactly.”

  “Your ex-wife was found murdered, her body dumped.”

  His eyes widened. “Jena? And you think I did it?”

  Jake raised an eyebrow. “Now what do you think we think?”

  Rick took his arm. “Come on. Let’s go.”

  “No. I’m not going. I didn’t do it.”

  “Come with us, or I’ll arrest your ass right here,” Jake threatened. “We’ll see how that affects your parole.”

  “Goddamn bitch.”

  “Thought you’d see it our way.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  “Sit down.”

  “I want to call Mr. Taggert.”

  “I already took care of that for you.” Jake pulled out a chair and sat across from him. Rick stood by the door. Frankie Nichols leaned back in his chair, silent for the first time since they’d picked him up.

  “Where were you night before last?”

  “Working.”

  “All night?”

  “Go in at eight, get off at six.”

  “Night before that?”

  “Look, I work every night, eight to six, Monday through Friday.”

  “Where do you work?”

  “Now, I know you already know where I work.”

  “What buildings, specifically, do you clean?”

  “Downtown. Hell, I don’t know the names. They just drop us off and pick us up.”

  Jake sighed. “When was the last time you saw Jena?”

  He rubbed the stubble on his face, then looked up and shrugged. “She was at the trial. However long ago that was.”

  “And you never once saw her since you’ve been out? Six months now?”

  “No.”

  “Didn’t go sneaking around, maybe trying to catch a glimpse of her when she left her apartment?”

  “No. I didn’t. That’s in the past. Besides, I’m not allowed to.”

  “Parole violation. Yes, I know.” A knock on the door interrupted Jake, and Rick moved to open it.

  “I need a word with you two,” Lieutenant Gregory said.

  Jake shoved her chair away. “Stay put,” she told him. When she closed the door, Gregory handed her a file.

  “He’s not our guy, McCoy. Cut him loose.”

  “What the hell?”

  “He’s been a model employee. Never missed a shift.”

  “That means shit. They drop them off at a building at eight and pick them up at six the next morning. Plenty of time.”

  “Four people to a shift. Just so happens, one of the four in Frankie’s group is a supervisor. Talked to him myself, and he says Frankie is his best employee and has never missed. So cut him loose. Salazar and Simpson are checking out the other two leads.”

  “Goddamn it! He’s a janitor! He cleans!“

  “Jesus Christ, McCoy! Will you let the soap thing go?”

  “Not soap. Triclosan,” she murmured as he walked away. She turned to Rick. “Can you fucking believe this?”

  “We got shit, Jake.”

  “Well it goddamn sucks,” she snapped as she walked away, leaving Rick to cut Frankie Nichols loose. She followed after the lieutenant, knocking once on his doorframe before walking in.

  “McCoy?”

  “It’s about Dr. Westbrook. You got the report from last night?”

  “Yeah. You want a detail?”

  “At the very least, yes.”

  He shook his head. “That’s all I can offer. We can’t bring her in. We don’t have the budget for that. Besides, we got no case.”

  Jake met his eyes. “She stayed at my place last night. I don’t mind doing it again.”

  “Well, that’s admirable, Detective. Not exactly orthodox.”

  “She was scared out of her mind. I couldn’t very well leave her at her house.”

  He took his reading glasses off and stared at Jake. “There is nothing personal here, right?”

  “Of course not. But I’m convinced that she’s the target. If we can spare a unit to watch her office during the day, I don’t mind taking the night shift. Of course, I haven’t mentioned any of this to her. She may balk. But last night, she was plenty shook up.”

  “Until we get a suspect and something concrete, the DA won’t touch it. And they’re the ones with the budget for this sort of thing.”

  “Well, I’ll run it by her.”

  He nodded. “I’ll get a unit sent over to her office. You might want to brief them, let them know what we’re looking for.”

  “Thanks, Lieutenant.”

  ———

  Nicole looked up at the light tapping on her door, then bent her head and continued writing.

  “Come in, Catherine.”

  “Jake called. She wanted to let you know that there’s going to be a police car in front of the building. And she said she would come by later. She needed to talk to you.”

  Despite everything that was going on, Nicole felt a smile tugging at her mouth. But she simply nodded without looking up. “Thanks.”

  ———

  Jake sat at her desk, twirling her pen. Gina and Simpson weren’t back yet, and they hadn’t heard from them. She reached out and fingered the mouse, lightly tapping on it as thoughts flew through her mind, bouncing off one another, not pausing long enough for her to follow up on them.

  Nicole had a stalker before. No wonder she was freaked out.

  Jake moved the mouse, wanting to search the database. But when she entered Nicole’s name, there was no match. She then entered Nicole’s address. Again, no match.

  “That makes no sense,” she murmured.

  “What?”

  She looked at Rick and shook her head. “Nothing.” She reached for the phone, dialing Nicole’s office. Catherine answered on the second ring, her voice as professional as ever.

  “It’s me again,” Jake said. “Do you remember when she had the stalker?”

  “Nicole? Yes. It wasn’t very long after I started working for her. It must have been six years ago. Why?”

  “Was she living at the house she’s at now?”

  “Yes. That’s where it happened.”

  “What happened?”

  “Well, the police shot him. Right in her yard.”

  “She told you or you went out there?”

  “She told me. She was so upset, she stayed out of the office for a week. Of course, I wanted her to stay out before that because the guy was showing up here.”

  “In your office?”

  “No. Outside. He’d follow her when she walked to the gym. He’d call, do the heavy breathing thing.”

  “Do you remember the guy’s name?”

  “Oh, no. I don’t have a clue.”

  Jake sighed. “Okay. She’s free after three, right?”

  “Yes. And I told her you were coming by.”

  “Thanks, Catherine.”

  Jake went back to her search, wishing she had the exact date of the shooting. But it shouldn’t matter. If she didn’t get a hit on Nicole’s name, at least her address should match. But it didn’t. And if the guy had been stalking her, calling her, why hadn’t Nicole reported it then? And why hadn’t Nicole told her the whole story?

  “What the hell are you doing?” Rick finally asked.

  Jake looked up, frowning. “Dr. Westbrook said she had a stalker about six years ago. He showed up at her house and she called the cops, and they ended up shooting him, killing him, right there in her yard.”

  “No shit? Damn.”

  “Except there’s nothing in the system. There’s no match on her name or address.”

  “Well, that can’t be. If there was a shooting, there’s got to be a record of it.”

  Jake shrugged. “I�
��ll ask her about it later.” She leaned back and tried to stretch her leg. “Heard from Salazar or Simpson?”

  “Yeah. They checked out Charles Ramsey. He’s now in a wheel-chair, lives with his mother. He’s found God or something.”

  Jake lifted an eyebrow.

  “I know, but that’s what Simpson said. The other guy, Steve Brousard, works as a mechanic. They were on their way to interview him.”

  Jake stared at him. “We got shit.”

  “I’d say.”

  “Maybe our angle is wrong. Maybe it’s not a disgruntled former husband. Maybe it simply has to do with Dr. Westbrook.”

  “Maybe it’s random.”

  “Nothing is random. Just like nothing is a coincidence.”

  “Four dead women. There’ll be a task force before we know it.”

  Jake shook her head. “I don’t think so. If we had some leads, maybe. But we don’t, and a task force will just send him underground.”

  “How long do you think the lieutenant can keep the word ‘serial killer’ out of the papers?”

  “Not much longer, that’s for sure. One more body and I’d say the thing blows up.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  Jake stopped to brief the two officers who were parked across the street from Nicole’s building. She realized it was more for show than anything. If their guy decided to make a move in Nicole’s office, eight floors up, there was little these two could do about it.

  Catherine motioned her inside when she stuck her head in. “She’s still with her last appointment.”

  Jake nodded. “I’m a little early.”

  Catherine glanced once at Nicole’s door, then back at Jake. “She was shook up last night, huh?”

  “Yeah. I don’t blame her. You should have seen her bedroom.”

  “Dead roses?”

  Jake nodded. “Any letters today?”

  “Not a one.”

  Jake cocked her head, watching Catherine. “How do you go home?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Do you take the same route every day?”

  “Well, yes.”

  “Park in the same place?”

  “Yes.”

  Jake raised an eyebrow. “Well, stop it.”

  “You think I might be in danger?”

  “I don’t want to scare you, Catherine, but you’ve got to think about the possibility.”

  Catherine shook her head. “I can’t believe that someone would want to get back at Dr. Westbrook that badly that they’d resort to all this.”

  “I’ve seen so much shit out there, nothing surprises me anymore. So, take a different route home tonight, and park someplace else tomorrow. Deal?”

  “Okay. But, I’ve told my husband about all this, you know. He actually wants me to quit. And I’ve had this job longer than I’ve had him.”

  “I take it you haven’t told Nicole this?”

  “No. I’m not going to quit. Besides, not that I’m blowing my own horn or anything, but Nicole would be lost without me.”

  Jake walked closer, perching on the edge of Catherine’s desk. “So, what do you know about this woman she was out with last night?” Jake asked quietly.

  Catherine smiled. “Cheryl Logan, some hotshot surgeon. She’s a friend of Irene, who is a friend of Nicole’s.”

  “Blind date?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, trust me, they weren’t right for each other.”

  “No?”

  “Not at all.”

  “And you know this how?”

  Jake smiled and leaned forward, causing Catherine to lean back. “Now Catherine, we both know that Nicole told you about our encounter in the mountains.”

  Catherine nodded. “She told me.”

  Jake wiggled her eyebrows. “What all did she tell you?”

  “Enough to make me blush, thank you.”

  Jake laughed then tried to stifle it as Nicole’s door opened, and Nicole walked out with a young woman. She wasn’t quite able to wipe the smile from her face as her eyes met Nicole’s. She nodded once. “Doctor.”

  “Detective,” Nicole greeted, as she moved past her. “Rachel, see you next week.” When the outer office door closed, Nicole turned back to stare at first Catherine, then Jake. “Up to no good?”

  “Just chatting,” Jake said, shoving off Catherine’s desk. “Got a minute for me?”

  “Of course.”

  Jake turned and winked at Catherine before following Nicole into her office and closing the door behind her. Nicole leaned casually against her desk, and they watched one another. Jake much preferred Nicole’s look today. Black slacks and a burgundy blouse beat the hell out of the power suits she usually wore.

  Nicole waited patiently as Jake’s eyes traveled over her body. She felt the involuntary reaction she always felt when Jake looked at her that way—difficulty breathing and the constant rapid pulse that seemed to mock her. Jake must think it was safe here, with Catherine just outside. But last night, when Nicole had innocently kissed her on the cheek, she’d not missed Jake’s quick intake of breath, or her sudden withdrawal.

  “You look nice,” Jake finally said.

  Nicole swallowed before speaking. “Thank you.”

  Jake took a step closer. “The husband checked out. He’s not our guy.”

  Nicole only nodded.

  “So, I want you to stay with me again tonight,” Jake said quietly as she took another step closer.

  Nicole nodded, but was unable to speak. Jake’s eyes held her, and she labored to breathe normally.

  Jake told herself she was playing with fire, but her body wouldn’t listen. Something about being in Nicole’s presence did that to her, made her forget all about that line she vowed she’d not cross. Even then, she was still confident she could control this desire she had to take Nicole in her arms and taste her lips again. But she hadn’t counted on Nicole giving in as well. The rise and fall of Nicole’s chest, the rapid pulse in her throat, and the blue, blue eyes that bored into Jake completely shattered her resolve.

  Nicole wasn’t certain how it happened. In the next instant, her mouth was claimed by Jake, and she opened willingly to her, her arms sliding over Jake’s shoulders to pull her closer. There was nothing gentle about their kisses, and Nicole groaned loudly when Jake’s tongue found its way into her mouth. She felt her body trying to mold itself to Jake’s hard frame, and she let it. Their hips pressed together intimately, and Nicole just barely resisted opening her thighs to straddle Jake’s leg. She could not, however, control her hands as they cupped Jake’s breasts.

  Jake came to her senses, pulling away from Nicole and holding her at arm’s length while she tried to catch her breath. She had been only seconds away from ripping open Nicole’s blouse. You’re on a case. You’re on a goddamn case!

  “I’m sorry. But I’ve wanted to do that since I saw you again,” Jake whispered.

  “I know,” Nicole murmured. “Me, too.” She’s a cop. Not your type, not your type. She moved behind her desk, putting some space between them as she tried to get herself under control again. “So, you want me to just come by your place after I’m done here?” Nicole asked, her voice still husky with desire.

  Jake shoved her hands in her pockets, angry with herself for losing control, still able to feel Nicole’s hands on her breasts. So, she cleared her throat and took a deep breath, finally able to meet Nicole’s eyes again. “I’d really feel better if you’d let me pick you up.”

  “That would mean you’d have to bring me back here in the morning.”

  “I don’t mind.”

  Nicole leaned her elbows on her desk, watching Jake. “We can’t do this indefinitely, Jake. I have to eventually go back to my house.”

  Jake shook her head. “Not until this is over with.” She walked closer to Nicole’s desk again, feeling the need to apologize. “Look, about that…”

  “It’s not like I tried to stop you, Jake.” Jake may not be her type, but Lord, the woman
could kiss. “It’s not like I didn’t… touch you,” Nicole whispered.

  So, it was like that, was it? They could be in really big trouble, Jake knew. Tonight, alone… who would stop?

  “What time should I pick you up?”

  Nicole looked at her cluttered desk, knowing on a normal day she’d be here until well after seven. She knew Jake would never go for that. “Whenever you’re done for the day, just come by.”

  “Rick and I have an appointment with the ME in”—Jake looked at her watch—”fifteen minutes. It’ll be after five before I get back here.”

  “When Catherine leaves, I’ll be sure and lock up.”

  Jake nodded, then stopped at the door. “Nicole, about the stalker?”

  “Yes?”

  “Do you remember when it was?”

  “It was summer. Late July, but I don’t remember the exact date.”

  “Six years ago?”

  Nicole nodded. “It was six years this summer.”

  “And you called 911?”

  “What’s this about?”

  “Nothing. I just wanted to follow up on it. It’s no big deal.”

  Nicole picked up a pen and twirled it in her hands. “Yes, I called 911. They sent two police cars out.”

  “Two units responded?”

  “Jake, why all the questions?”

  Jake sighed, wondering what it all meant. “I can’t find anything in the system.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “There was no hit on your name, no hit on your address.”

  “But…”

  “We’ll talk about it tonight. I’ve got to meet Rick.”

  Jake left quietly, leaving Nicole staring at the closed door, wondering how her life suddenly became so complicated.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  “About damn time, Jake.” Rick stood up, waiting as Jake rushed over. “You know Benson hates it when we’re late.”

  “I know, but traffic was a bitch.” Jake checked her watch again. Only ten minutes late. “Did you get Dave? Will he be able to join us?”

  “He’s finishing up the post on Jena Nichols. He’ll come in as soon as he’s done.”

  “Good.” Jake stopped at the reception desk, smiling at Liz. “Hey, Liz. How are you?”

  “McCoy? I heard you were back. Feeling better?”