Lacy took out her phone and tried Dylan’s number. She held her phone close to see the screen because the shadows from the forest blocked out the dying sunlight. “I don’t have a signal.”
Grace took Megan’s hand. “We’ll go back to the clearing and call Josh. He’ll send someone.”
“Tell him to let the DA know we have found her. Maybe we are not too late.” Lacy prayed the DA had not made a deal with Bret.
Grace asked, “Should we tell Josh we think we found her, or that we actually found her.”
In a strong, forceful voice, Lacy ordered, “Tell him we found her.” She prayed Richard was correct. The DA would not stop the proceedings if he knew they were out in the middle of nowhere with a psychic looking for a body that had been buried months ago. He would probably think their efforts ludicrous.
Silent as death, the forest was unnerving. Not a single sound could be heard. Where were the birds, the squirrels? Something should be angry that they had disturbed their sanctuary. The air was so still Lacy thought she would suffocate. She took deep breaths to keep from panicking. Secrets filled the forest, horrible deadly secrets.
“He killed her here. He drove as far as he could and then he forced her to walk the rest of the way. He raped her and then strangled her to death.” His eyes looked hollow and cold when he lifted them to peer into her face. “Two others are buried there and there.”
She turned and looked at the locations he pointed out. “He did the same thing to them. They were forced to walk in the dark knowing something tragic and horrible was about to happen.” Several deep breaths kept her from panicking. In her mind she was walking the path feeling the same terror the three women had felt. After spending time with Megan, she felt she knew Elizabeth. She could feel how Elizabeth’s heart pounded in her chest as she was forced to walk into the forest knowing something horrid was about to happen to her. Hopeless was how she felt. It almost brought Lacy to her knees.
Lacy peered at the areas but could see nothing proving bodies were buried in the ground. Grey knew how to cover his tracks. Leaves and debris covered the ground leaving no evidence the area had been disturbed. A chill ran up her spine. She ran a finger over her temple knowing she was in the midst of three dead bodies.
****
It was dark by the time a team of crime scene investigators arrived on the scene. In the distance Lacy could see the glow of their flashlights and hear voices. Exhausted and dirty, she was sitting on a stump with Megan when Josh and Dylan, the first two to emerge from the darkness, made their way up the hill and into the forest. Both were carrying shovels.
Lacy bolted to her feet. “Has Bret made a deal with the DA?”
Dylan took her in his arms, hands rubbing her back. “Sorry, honey. The papers were signed this afternoon at two o’clock. He will be a free man in two days.”
Her heart dropped to her stomach. She had so hoped they’d be in time. Dylan cupped his hands to her face. “Are you okay?”
Giving him a weak smile, she leaned into him. “I’m fine.”
Josh reached out and took his mother’s hand. “Where is Richard?”
“He thought he’d trek a little deeper into the forest.” Megan had not uttered a word. She sat staring straight ahead as if seeing nothing. Grace took her arms and pulled her to her feet. “I’ll take Megan home. Call us when you know something.”
Megan’s spine straightened. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Dylan draped his arm over her shoulders. “We’ll keep you informed of the progress with the excavation, Mrs. Cooper. Go home and wait with your husband. He’s probably worried sick.” Megan had refused to call her husband until she was sure they had found Elizabeth’s body. She didn’t want to give him false hope.
Josh propped his shovel against a tree. “I’ll accompany you back to Lacy’s jeep.” He took Megan’s arm and together he and Grace led her out of the forest by the light of Josh’s flashlight.
“Did Bret give an accurate description of where Elizabeth’s body is buried?”
“No, it was very vague. He said to take Miller Road out of town for approximately twenty miles. He described the field with a huge persimmon tree in the center. Grey told him the body was buried south of the field in the forest.”
“And the DA made a deal from that flimsy description. It may have taken forever to find Elizabeth’s body.”
“The Coopers had pressured him to make the deal. They wanted results.” He held her gaze. “Did you call Michelle?”
“Yes, Michael Smith is going to stay with her until we get home. I don’t think she needs to be alone.” After her visit with Chad, she had been a basket case. She didn’t need any more trauma like walking around in the woods looking for dead bodies that her ex-boyfriend had buried.
Like a well oiled machine, the forensic team worked together to raise lights on poles. Ten men and women worked diligently preparing the site. The excavation was in full swing fifteen minutes later when Josh returned to the site. “Mrs. Cooper said Megan was wearing a red button up shirt and black slacks when she was abducted.”
Not wanting to see the body when it was exhumed, Lacy went back to the stump just out of range of the bright lights. It had to be a terrible sight to witness a decaying body unearthed. The sounds of shovels, and soft whispers filled the night air. The sounds and smells of the forest mingled with the sounds of work.
Thirty minutes passed before she heard a male voice. “We’ve got something.”
Lacy closed her eyes and prayed. It always seemed to comfort her in times of worry and fear.
“We’ll take it from here.”
She opened her eyes in time to see Dylan and Josh move to her side. “Is it a body?”
Placing his hands on her thighs, Dylan crouched in front of her leaving dirt smeared on her jeans. “Too soon to tell. Whatever it is was wrapped in a quilt before buried.” He flexed his shoulders. He had stripped down to his starched white shirt which was now filthy. “If it’s Elizabeth or one of his victims, he buried her deep. He was going to be sure no one ever found her.”
Lacy asked, “Why do you think he changed his MO? Why didn’t he bring Tiffany Swift here and strangle her?”
“I don’t think he had any intention of killing Tiffany. His intentions were to have sex, but he got too excited and lost control. It was his only mistake killing Tiffany in front of Robertson. He left a witness. He is a very disturbed man.”
She rubbed her hands over her chilled arms. “At least he’ll never hurt anyone else.”
No one said a word as they waited for confirmation. She clutched her hands together in her lap with white-knuckled fingers. Her stomach tightened and she remained very still while she listened to the soft whispers of the forensic team. Now was when things slowed down. They had to be meticulous. She sound of the soil going through the sieve caused her skin to crawl.
One of the men shouted, “Red button up shirt and black slacks! The corpse has black hair. I think it’s Elizabeth Cooper! We’ll have to wait for DNA analysis to be sure.” They placed the body in a black body bag and then zipped it up tight. Lacy would never forget the sound as long as she lived.
Richard returned at that moment and showed the team where the other two bodies were buried. Hours passed as the forensic team took their time looking for any shred of evidence. It was painstakingly slow work.
He stepped behind Lacy and placed his hands on her shoulders. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m fine. Did you find any other graves?”
“No, if there are others, they are not buried here.”
It was possible there were other women Grey had murdered. There were a total of five women that had gone missing from the time Grey relocated to Durham. Now that he didn’t have anything else to lose, maybe he would confess to more murders.
“Do you want me to drive you home? I’m sure I can use Josh’s vehicle.”
“No, I’ll wait.” She looked at the screen on her phone. “My phone is dead. Ca
n I use yours?”
“Sure.”
Richard handed her his phone and flashlight. She turned on the flashlight and followed the beam making her way toward the clearing until she had a signal. With a trembling hand, she tapped in Michelle’s number. She answered on the first ring. “The forensics team is pretty sure it is Elizabeth Cooper.”
“Are you okay?” It was just like Michelle to think of others before she thought of herself.
“I’m fine. I’m going to hang around. Richard found where Chad buried his other two victims.” Dead silence had Lacy worried. “Are you still there, Michelle?”
“Yes, I’m here.” She hesitated. “Now maybe Chad will get the needle.”
“We can only hope. Is Michael still there?”
“Yes, he refuses to leave until you get home.”
“It may be some time tomorrow. Do you think he can stay?”
Lacy heard Michelle ask Michael if he could stay. “Yes, he said he wouldn’t dream of leaving me alone. He can sleep on the sofa.”
“He’s a great friend. We are lucky to have him.”
“Yes we are.” Her voice broke. “I’m sorry the DA had made a deal with Bret before the bodies were found.”
“It’s okay. Dylan will find the evidence he needs to keep him behind bars.” Not sure that would happen, Lacy felt cold fear vibrate through her whole body. She tried to put on a brave front for Michelle. She wanted her to believe everything was going to be okay. Deep down she feared she would never be free of Bret.
“I have all the confidence in the world in Dylan. You are a lucky to have him.” It took a moment for Lacy to realize she had ended the call. Michelle didn’t even tell her good-bye.
She turned and made her way back to the forest. She could hear the soft voices of the forensic team, and the sounds of shovels digging into the dirt as she returned to her stump where Richard waited for her. Side by side, Lacy and Richard sat on the uncomfortable stump for hours as the other two bodies were exhumed from the forest floor. Sometimes they talked about Grace, and Dylan. Sometimes they spoke of Twelve Oaks Farm. Sometimes they said nothing, too caught up in their depressing thoughts to carry on a conversation.
The sun was breaking over the trees when the last body was carried away in a black body bag. It was a tired and exhausted group who made the long trek back to the vehicles.
Again she imagined what it must have felt like for Elizabeth to walk the same path. The images going through her mind had to be horrific; the not knowing her fate. She must have realized she was going to die. How long did Grey torture her before he finally killed her? That question would always haunt her.
****
Lacy stood on the other side of the two-way mirror observing Grey. She wanted to see his face when they told him all his secrets had been revealed. Josh passed Grey the pictures taken of the three corpses from the crime scene. Taking his time, he flipped through each one.
Josh’s uncle Tate entered and stood beside her. He cupped his hands behind his back and rocked on his heels. “Great job today with the psychic. I’m sorry we couldn’t get the DA to wait any longer.” Tall with dark hair, Lacy could see the family resemblance. Both Josh and Grant had the same features.
“It’s okay.” In reality it wasn’t okay. Bret would be released from prison in two days if Dylan couldn’t get the other girls he drugged and raped to give a statement. They needed them to bring additional charges against him.
Tate asked, “Where is Dylan? It’s hard to believe he would miss this.”
“He has gone to see Sherry Wallace. It is possible she is one of Bret’s victims. Dylan is doing everything in his power to find someone to testify against Bret. He has put in a lot of hours to solve the case. It’s not fair he is going to be released. I can’t believe the DA would make a deal with a rapist.”
“I agree. Sometimes we don’t get the justice we seek.” He changed the subject abruptly. “I thought Michelle was going to watch the interrogation.”
“She’s on the way.” Lacy had begged her to forgo the interrogation, but she insisted on being present. “A good friend of ours, Michael Smith, is driving her.”
Focused on the interrogation taking place on the other side of the mirror, she heard Josh ask Grey, “Can you identify each body.”
He tapped his finger to one of the photos taken at the crime scene. “This is Elizabeth Cooper.” He slid his hand to the next photo. “Callie Greene.” Then he touched the last photo. “Nahla Comer.”
From her position, Lacy couldn’t see the pictures. But then she didn’t want to see the decaying bodies of the women. Dylan divulged that their bodies were so badly decomposed that the only way to identify them were their clothes. Each woman had been stripped, but Grey had buried the clothes with the bodies. It would take DNA to prove the identity of each woman and that would take time. They would need verification before they notified the parents of the other two young women.
“Are there others?”
Grey stacked the pictures together and pushed them back across the table as if he could no longer look at them. “No, I’ve killed a total of five women. Kenly Gardner, Elizabeth Cooper, Callie Greene, Nahla Comer, and Tiffany Swift in that order. You know about each and every one.”
Lacy wondered if he was telling the truth. Could there be more bodies. There were still two other women unaccounted for that had been abducted from the Raleigh Durham area.
“Tell me about Kenly Gardner.”
Grey rubbed his hands over his face. Seconds passed before he spoke. “She was so beautiful. From the time I was thirteen, the first time I had sex, the urge to wrap my hands around a girl’s neck and squeeze was strong.”
Michelle opened the door and rushed in. Lacy nodded her head in acknowledgement and turned her attention back to the conversation taking place on the other side of the mirror. She didn’t want to miss his explanation of why he felt the need to kill.
Grey dropped his head and stared at his hands; the hands that had strangled five women to death. “I went too far with Kenly. I didn’t mean to strangle her. I usually choked my sexual partners to the point of passing out. Then I would revive them.” Either he was a great actor or he really did feel remorse. She could see it in his expression. “For some unknown reason, I couldn’t stop squeezing when I had sex with Kenly.”
“Why didn’t you bury the body?”
“I panicked, dumped her body in the river.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe because I was young and immature.” He hesitated. “I relocated to Troy, North Carolina and lived there for a few months. I got bored with the small town life and decided to further my education. I stole Tommy Ross’ identity, a student I went to high school with. All my friends thought we resembled each other. I think you know the rest of the story.”
Tate whispered, “I guess we need to see if there are any missing women in Troy. That is if his story checks out. Do you think he regrets his actions?”
Lacy answered, “An evil person feels no regrets.”
“I thought I had my impulses under control. It had been a year since Kenly Gardner. I thought I had it beat.”
“What happened?”
“Elizabeth Cooper happened.” He smiled. “One night I was restless and couldn’t sleep. I decided to go for a drive. She was standing outside the White Tiger all alone. I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. Legs up to her neck, long dark hair all the way down her back. She was so beautiful.”
“How did you get her in the car?”
“I asked her for directions. She leaned into the car. I grabbed her by the hair and jerked her inside. I knocked her unconscious then drove her out to this quiet little spot I knew about. I drove my vehicle a good distance from the road so no one would spot me. I tied her hands, then woke her, and we walked the rest of the way.” He closed his eyes and the look on his face made her sick to her stomach. He was reliving what happened. “I love the forest at night. The sounds are so romantic.” He smiled. “The chirping of the bugs, the so
und of the wind blowing through the tree limbs.”
Josh asked, “Did she fight?”
His eyes suddenly popped open. “Like a wildcat. I’m sure you’ll find my skin under her fingernails.”
Lacy heard Michelle sniffling. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She took the handkerchief Tate offered her and blew her nose. Lacy grabbed her hand. “You shouldn’t be listening to his description of what happened.” She tugged on her hand. “Come, let’s get out of here.”
“No, I want to know what he did. I need to hear what a monster he is so I can go on with my life. I want to hate him.”
Even though Lacy didn’t think she could handle much more of his story, she stayed for moral support. It wouldn’t be right to leave her best friend to hear the details without being there with her.
“How did you abduct Callie Greene?”
“I met Callie at a party. She wasn’t quite as tall as Elizabeth, but she was just as beautiful. I like them tall.” Lacy felt Michelle stiffen. Only five-two she must be wondering why Grey fell in love with her. “I waited until she left the party and I followed her. She stepped out of her car and was rummaging through her purse for her house keys. I snuck up behind her and knocked her out with one blow to the head with my fist. Then I threw her over my shoulder and carried her to my car. No one saw me.”
“And Nahla Comer?”
“Picked her up in a bar. If I would have remained solo, I would never have been caught. Robertson messed up everything. I had been doing cocaine when I stumbled upon Robertson having sex with Tiffany Swift. I was so stoned I couldn’t dispose of the body. Robertson dumped her right out in plain sight. He should have at least weighed the body down. It was possible no one would have ever discovered her body in the pond. I would have finished school and married spunky, little Michelle. No one would have known what I did to those women.”
“That son of a bitch. I could stick him like a pig and watch him bleed to death.”
Blood of the Falls (Twelve Oaks Farm Book 4) Page 10