The room had quickly grown warm without the air conditioner’s steady stream of damp air and each face glowed with the heat. Junie’s attention was split between Cass and the men on the couch, and she took a small step back to give herself a wider angle.
“How nice to see you, Detective Elliot. I never thought we’d have a chance to spend time together as girls.”
“Nice to meet you, Calvin,” Cass said.
Junie’s dark eyebrows shot up. “Really? You figured it out?”
Cass nodded.
“I’m impressed. How?”
“You look very much like your father, Calvin, when he was a young man.”
“I do not,” Junie snapped. She turned a fraction more to face Cass, and the hand holding the shotgun trembled. From the corner of his eye, Emmet watched as Joseph slipped a revolver from a holster on his ankle and slid it under his thigh. He caught his breath and indicated with a slight movement of his finger for Joseph to pass the weapon over. Joseph ignored him. Emmet glanced back at the two women and saw an awareness in Cass’s eyes. She’d spotted the gun. Suddenly, the situation looked less grim.
“You can’t fight genetics, Calvin. You look like your father and you act just like him. Coming to Arcadia to kill these people when their only crime was to have their daddies stolen by your father. That’s something Calvin senior would do.”
“They’ve killed, too,” Junie shot back. Color crept up her neck and Emmet realized that the slight tremor in her hands was gone. Adrenaline, he thought. Not so good for us.
“Perhaps. Someone killed the men who lynched their fathers. These were some of the same vermin who abused you, I’d imagine.”
Junie’s eyes narrowed. “What do you know about me?”
“Enough to know that Boyd Dudley turned you into a little girl when you were only nine years old.” Cass’s expression softened. Her body shifted and Emmet spotted the open clamshell of a phone sticking out of her back pocket. Dear God, this is one smart woman, he thought. “I can’t imagine what you went through, Calvin. How many times you were raped, what that did to your self-esteem.”
“I said that’s not my name,” Junie growled. Her voice fluctuated in timbre between a man’s and a woman’s. “Shut up before I kill all of you.”
“The house is surrounded, Calvin. You won’t kill all of us. You might wound some of us. But then you’re done. There’s no escape.”
“Bullshit.”
“You waited one day too long, Calvin. We figured out who you were this morning.” Cass flicked her eyes at the bloodied officer. “If Petchard over there was any kind of cop, he’d have the connections to know what was going on with the case. But he’s not, Calvin. You chose badly. He’s a terrible cop. Everybody knows it and nobody trusts him.”
Junie licked her lips. “Why haven’t I heard sirens?”
“They came in silent. Pull back the curtains and check. And then put the guns down, Calvin. It’s over.”
CHAPTER 146
MUNK AND KADO HUDDLED together behind the barn with their heads tilted over Munk’s phone. Kado pulled away and looked at Munk’s sweating face. “It must be a front window if Cass wants Junie to check for patrol cars,” he whispered.
“Call Truman and asks what he sees.”
Kado turned away to have a murmured conversation with the young officer, then ended the call. “He’s in position behind the tree and can see a window in the front of the house with a pane shot out.”
Munk covered his phone’s mouthpiece with a hand. “Can he hear anything?”
“No. I told him that if he has a clear shot at Junie when she opens the curtains, to take it. He’s calling two patrol cars to come up the driveway and park on either side of the pickups. Lights on, sirens off. They’ll take cover behind the car doors and wait.”
“Good,” Munk said. “Meanwhile, you and me get close to that house. I’ll take the porch and front door. You go around back in case Junie tries to run.”
“The only way that’s happening is if Cass is down.”
“That’s why you’re going around back. The last thing I need is for the man who loves her trying to go in to get her.” Kado flashed him a surprised glance. “It’s written all over you, man. The only advice I can offer is to grab her while you’ve got a chance. Life’s too uncertain to wait.”
CHAPTER 147
MITCH POKED AT THE truck’s instrument panel and breathed a sigh of relief as cool air rushed through the vents. Bernie Winterbottom backed out of the courthouse parking lot, checked traffic, and punched the accelerator. The truck flew around the square and cleared a yellow light, barely missing the curb and a fire hydrant. A smile creased the Englishman’s face. “I’ve always wanted to drive a big truck like this. Lights? Siren?”
“Lights,” Mitch answered, and flipped the appropriate switch. “We’ll go in silent so we don’t jeopardize whatever Munk has going on.”
“How’s the leg, Mitchell?”
Mitch glanced down at his brace. The fabric around the heel and ankle was gone, ripped off when Bernie spotted Elaine coming out of the courthouse and panicked. Mitch was trying to finagle his leg into the truck and Bernie had shoved it past the door frame. His leg throbbed now, and he wondered if they’d moved any of the pins. “It’s a little boogered up, but I don’t see why it matters. The brace comes off next week.”
“Good. Now, on to more serious matters.” Bernie paused while Mitch directed him to the highway. “What do you plan to do once we’re at this Junie person’s house?”
Mitch flipped open his phone and dialed Munk, but got sent straight to voicemail. Then he called Kado but got no answer. Same with Truman. “No idea. We’ll weigh it up when we get there. My crutches are in the pickup’s bed?”
Bernie nodded, then paled. “Darla. Should we call to tell her that you’re not at the station?”
“Hell no,” Mitch said. “She’ll torture somebody until they give up my location and then she’ll come out to get me.” He paused. “That’s not a bad idea, actually. Darla’d be so mad she could probably take Junie down with a single shot.”
CHAPTER 148
CASS WATCHED AS JUNIE blinked, almost in slow motion. The woman gave a slight shake of her head. “If there’s no way out, Detective, we might as well all die right here. I’m not going to jail in Arcadia. Three worthless souls will live, but I’ve got nothing left to lose. Do you?”
An image of Kado flashed through Cass’s mind and a fist of longing slammed into her gut. Yes, she did have something to lose. But fear was what this strange creature wanted and Cass refused to give it to her. The hostages had an edge. There was a fourth weapon in the room, well hidden from Junie. Cass smiled. Kado and Mitch were right that Joseph was still alive. Moses couldn’t have kept this quiet or still. But she was glad to have Joseph here. He might not be a cop, but he had street smarts. “Everybody dies some time, Calvin.”
“That’s not my name,” Junie growled, face contorting as her forefingers tightened on each of the guns she held.
Time slowed. Cass saw Emmet and Petchard shrink from the shotgun aimed in their direction, but Joseph didn’t seem to notice. He sat straighter now, having edged himself to an upright position. His hands rested on the sofa, near his thighs. His breathing was slow and even, and Cass could feel his attention focused on Junie.
Cass drew a slow breath and put pressure on the trigger. Without warning a man in a scarlet robe materialized in her mind. Twin dots pierced his chest and he flew back, arms wide, robe billowing. He landed on his back with a thud, a rush of air knocked from his lungs. Cass blinked the vision aside. Easy, girl, she thought. You told Maxine you could take another life if you had to. Five pounds of pressure on the trigger. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
Junie’s eyes were focused on Cass with an eerie intensity when a small dark figure darted from beneath the sofa and twined between Junie’s legs. The woman stumbled and deafening gunshots sounded. A bullet slammed into Cass’s body. She felt no
pain, only a vague astonishment that she had been hit. Reflexively, she released her two-handed grip and squeezed the trigger, adjusting her aim even as she spun away. The blow twisted her body toward the curtained windows and she lost sight of the men she had hoped to rescue. Her head smashed into the windowsill and a searing heat sucked the breath from her as she hit the floor.
CHAPTER 149
GLASS EXPLODED ONTO THE front porch and Munk ducked, then climbed up and onto the cool concrete and twisted the front door’s knob. Locked. Heart racing, he stood and lifted a pudgy leg to kick at one of the panels. Once, twice, and then the old wood splintered. Munk yanked his leg out of the jagged hole and reached up, feeling for the interior knob. He twisted the thumb lock and then found the deadbolt and unlocked it. The door stopped as he shoved, caught by a security chain. With a growl, he threw his shoulder into it and the chain popped free. He moved into the foyer in a crouch, gun sweeping the dim area.
____________
TRUMAN CROUCHED BEHIND THE wide oak tree. When the gunfire subsided, he yelled to the four patrol officers, “Two of you, circle to the back, watch the windows for shooters. Two stay in front. Call for an ambulance.”
And then in a burst of speed he hadn’t put on since his high school football days, he darted across the yard and up the porch steps, racing across the glass strewn space with two long strides. He stepped into the dim interior behind Munk and shadowed the older man as he inched toward a hallway.
____________
AT THE SOUND OF gunshots, Kado shoved open the kitchen door, blood pounding through his veins, the borrowed revolver in his hand. The kitchen was clear, but he was faced with two closed doors and a choice. The sound of splintering wood came from behind the door to his left and a man’s furious screams from the door to his right. Kado chose the right hand door. Panting, he pushed it open and hid behind the door frame.
When no fire came, he stepped into a dark hallway. Movement caught his attention and he pivoted, revolver aimed at Munk and behind him, Truman. The older officer’s glance shot to the door on the left at the far end of the hall. A man’s angry voice and a strange thudding sounded from that direction, followed by a sputtering cough and Cass’s shouts. Kado moved forward but Munk stopped him and stepped in front, motioning for Truman to follow him. Tamping down the frustration swelling in his chest, Kado stood aside.
____________
MUNK REACHED ACROSS THE door for the knob, glancing at Truman behind him. In most situations, Truman would be on the other side of the door, allowing them each to see half of the room before they entered. In this case, the door was in the corner of the hallway and only Munk would have a view into the room. It was awkward at best; dangerous at worst. He drew a breath, thinking hand, no hand, turned the knob, and shoved.
Munk entered the room and faced a wall bearing a fireplace. He took two mighty steps forward before stopping short. Truman bumped into him and gaped at the devastation. A bloodied Petchard sat astride someone, slamming their head on the floor over and over, muttering under his breath. Mojo was on the couch, a hole in the left side of his chest whistling as he sucked air through it. Emmet Hedder’s right arm was punctured in several places and streamed blood in narrow rivulets. Mojo’s eyes were fixed on Emmet’s face, and as Munk watched, his lips peeled back in a bright red grimace. Mojo spoke and droplets of blood peppered Emmet’s cheek.
Kado pushed between Munk and Truman, his gasp startling them into action. Before they could stop him, Kado hurdled over Petchard and the body on the floor and rushed to the far side of the room. Petchard blocked his view so Munk pushed the door against the wall and stepped forward, relief making his knees weak. Cass was on the floor, gun aimed at Petchard as she struggled to sit upright. Her face was covered in blood and a dark stain spread across the left side of her torso.
Truman shouldered Munk aside and grabbed Petchard by the neck of his uniform, yanking the smaller man aside. Munk stooped and checked for a pulse. Finding nothing, he looked closer at the face. Unbelievable. When he squinted, he could see both Calvin Whitman Jr. and Junie Archer in the features. Gingerly, Munk pushed against the chin to display a battered skull and a dark pool of blood.
“What a mess,” Munk breathed. He pulled a phone from his pocket, disconnected from Cass’s call, and dialed 911, requesting an ambulance and telling the dispatcher to contact John Grey and let him know that at least one body was on the scene.
Munk turned to check on Truman. The young officer had handcuffed a red-faced Petchard and left him in an overstuffed chair in a corner. The man’s uniform was smeared with blood and he still muttered to himself, glaring at the body on the floor. Truman was now working on Emmet Hedder, using his belt as a tourniquet around the man’s upper arm. Truman glanced up at Munk, then down at Mojo. He met Munk’s eyes and shook his head.
Munk turned to check on Kado. He had pushed Cass onto her back and was applying pressure to her left shoulder. Munk hurried to her side. “How is she?”
“She’s pissed off,” Cass hissed through clenched teeth. “Is that freak dead?”
Munk nodded.
“Guess that means I’m suspended again.”
Munk grinned. “How’s the wound?”
“She’s hit high in the shoulder. The entrance is clean, but the exit wound…” Kado was as pale as Cass. He moved her body to check her back, and she groaned. “Well, maybe it’s not too bad, but there’s a lot of blood.”
“Full metal jacket?” Munk asked.
“Let’s hope so.”
“And her face?”
“It’s a gash near her eye. She’ll need stitches, but I think that wound is manageable.”
Munk turned at the rattle of handcuffs to see Petchard stretching upward in his chair, chin jutting toward Emmet Hedder. “Arrest him. He’s killed a bunch of people. And that’s not Moses, man. That’s Joseph. Arrest him for impersonating an officer.”
At the sound of Petchard’s voice, Truman whirled. “Keep your mouth closed, you idiot. Not another word, do you hear?”
Petchard flinched back, his murky green eyes wide, and then started to cry. “She screwed with me, man. How was I supposed to know she was a dude? She had tits and everything.”
“Shut up, Petchard, or I swear I’ll put a gag in your mouth. Understand?” Petchard wiped his nose on his shoulder and slowly nodded. Truman looked down at him. “Are you injured?”
“She shot me in the ear.”
Truman examined the wound. “You’ll live, unfortunately. Just sit there and keep your mouth shut.”
Truman turned, his jaw set, and saw Munk watching. “Good job,” the older man said. “Keep an eye on Emmet. I’ll go get a medical kit.”
____________
THIS WASN’T HOW I imagined it happening, Kado thought. His fingers trembled as he unbuttoned Cass’s blouse. “Sorry,” he said. “I need to get a better look.”
She nodded and closed her eyes. He peeled the saturated fabric back from her shoulder, surprised to see that she wore a jogging bra. He tugged at the shoulder strap and then gave up and called to Truman. The young officer zinged a pocket knife across the room and Kado sawed through the stretchy material. He peeled the blood-soaked bra away to expose Cass’s wound.
The shot had struck below the collar bone and left a neat hole oozing blood. Kado lifted her again and saw that the exit wound was larger than the entrance wound but not by much. The bullet probably was fully jacketed and had mushroomed only slightly on impact. Because the shot was fired from such close range, the bullet’s velocity and jacketing would’ve helped minimize tumbling and mushrooming. Whether intending to or not, the shooter had undoubtedly saved Cass a far more serious injury and provided a shorter recovery time than if he had loaded even partially jacketed rounds.
He gently wiped the blood from her face. Cass’s complexion had gone waxy and her skin was cool to the touch. “Cass?” Kado asked.
Her violet eyes fluttered open.
“We need to get you horiz
ontal and raise your legs. You’re going into shock.”
She helped him as best she could and he propped her feet on the fireplace’s hearth. Her eyes slipped closed as he opened her shirt again and gently wiped blood from the entry wound. Kado stopped, a wad of gauze hovering over her chest. He wiped again, but it was still there. The thin tail of a pale scar started at her collar bone then circled and loped along the swell of her breast and disappeared beneath the edge of her jogging bra.
Talk and I’ll cut them off. I’m watching.
Tears stung his eyes. A lone siren sounded and he willed the paramedics to hurry.
CHAPTER 150
MITCH WATCHED AS THE paramedics eased Cass onto a stretcher and wheeled her out of the front room. He lowered himself to the overstuffed chair Petchard had vacated only moments earlier and called Darla and then Abe Elliot, watching as Truman ushered the still cuffed Petchard from the room. John Grey knelt beside Junie Archer’s body, answering Kado’s questions about entry wound angles. The forensic man was in the corner where Cass had fallen. Truman hurried to stand near the couch and help figure trajectories, avoiding Porky, who squatted in front of Mojo, his head bent and lips moving silently.
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