This place was actually a small fortress—no matter how well camouflaged it was as an elegant home. Brett had seen other criminals with similarly pleasant-looking homes that housed entire arsenals.
“Mr. Barillo, I admit to being in a quandary,” Brett said. “I assure you that neither of us is wearing a wire, so I hope we can speak frankly. We both know that you’re a businessman. All kinds of business. You’re almost a small country unto yourself, with your own army. And desertion from that army amounts to treason. We know this. But you made a point of coming to me to tell me that you didn’t kill women, that you were innocent of Maria Gomez’s death, and that you didn’t even kill her husband, a former employee of yours. But now, Mr. Barillo, things are getting very complicated. You see, a man disappeared from a funeral home. A man named Randy Nicholson, who supposedly died in a hospital from heart failure. Except that he wasn’t really dead.”
“It’s my fault a hospital makes mistakes?” Barillo asked.
Brett ignored that and said, “I believe he was poisoned, that someone administered puffer fish toxin to simulate death. I think someone who works for you—someone in your ‘family’—found out about Randy Nicholson’s condition and figured he’d be a nice specimen for your experiments. Easy to slip into the room and poison a guy with a heart condition. And there you go. He’s ‘dead.’ Then he disappears from a funeral home. And the man who arranged that? None other than Jose Acervo. Another member of your fine family. Or should I say, a late member of your family?”
Barillo was good; he kept his features impassive. But there was something in his eyes. Something that told Brett he had been blindsided.
He hadn’t known that Acervo was dead.
Barillo stared at him. “I knew nothing of this,” he said, confirming Brett’s suspicions. “Yes, I knew the man. I even called him a friend. But I can’t be held responsible for the criminal activity of others. This thing… This whole thing with Miguel and Maria… I am innocent. I am grieved to hear about Jose Acervo, as well as the death of Mr. Nicholson. But I don’t know anything about any of these things.”
No, Brett thought, Barillo hadn’t known—until now. But now that he knew, he was suspicious of those around him.
Because someone was using his power and his private “army.”
Diego nudged Brett’s foot with his own, nodding toward the windows.
A half dozen of Barillo’s men had gathered on the lawn and were staring steely eyed into the room.
Brett thought that he had discovered what he needed to know, for the moment anyway, so there was no point in tempting fate—and Barillo’s bodyguards—by pushing further.
He rose. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Barillo. If you think of anything that can help us solve Mr. Acervo’s murder, we’d greatly appreciate hearing from you.”
Barillo rose, as well. He was visibly shaky.
“Gentlemen,” he said, nodding. “Cecelia will see you out.”
Brett thanked him. He glanced at Diego. He realized that neither of them had known that the smartly dressed young woman who had led them in was Barillo’s daughter.
When they reached the car, Diego turned around and waved at the phalanx of bodyguards who had come to watch them leave.
“I feel like we just visited the Hispanic version of the Godfather,” Brett said. “I have a revision on an old theory here. Maybe, oddly enough, I think someone made him an offer that he could refuse, but someone in his circle of power decided to accept it.” He shook his head. “We’re still back to why?”
He thought about the meeting they’d just had. And he thought back to the night Barillo had come to his house. He looked at Diego and said, “I know. I know what they’re doing. Or trying to do.” He paused. “At least I think I do. I think I know how it began, and why. But what I don’t know is who’s behind it, or what power he wielded that let him take control over Barillo’s men, or how he managed to blackmail, threaten or bribe so many people. Now we just need to figure out who he is.”
* * *
Lara knew she needed to tell Meg about the paint, and the person who’d been watching her in the shower, but with so many people still at Sea Life, half of them needing her for one thing or another, finding a free and at least semiprivate moment was turning out to be impossible.
When she emerged from the shower, she was immediately approached by a reporter from a national news show. No sooner had she finished the interview than Sonia approached her, full of enthusiasm for a new line of clothing to benefit Just Say Thanks. As frustrated as she was by being unable to talk to Meg, Lara had to admit it was a great idea, and she was thrilled that Sonia had thought of it.
Meg was never far away, of course, and Lara wondered if her friend knew she needed to talk to her.
She probably did. Since they’d been kids, they’d had that bond.
But as the day wore on, the opportunity still eluded her. She began to wonder if she should just tell everyone to move aside, she needed to talk to the FBI. But she realized that whoever had taken the paint had undoubtedly disposed of it where it would never be found by now, so time wasn’t of the essence. She might as well focus on her job making sure everything ran smoothly and the veterans had the wonderful time they deserved.
And today had been as wonderful, thanks to everyone at Sea Life who had worked so hard to make sure every detail was taken care of. She wanted to see it through to the end, say goodbye to the veterans and applaud for them as they left.
She was near the gift shop exit when Sonia came over and gave her a huge hug. “You’ve just changed my world. I can’t wait to start designing my new line. And,” she added, beaming, “to date one of the soldiers I met.”
Lara smiled. “There’s nothing like a man in uniform,” she teased.
“Forget the uniform. There’s nothing like a man in almost nothing,” Sonia said. She frowned suddenly. “I almost forgot, I’m supposed to tell you that Adrianna needs you at the back right lagoon. I just ran into what’s-his-name from Education.”
“Myles Dawson, the intern? Or Dr. Amory?”
“The young one, Myles,” Sonia said.
“What’s going on, do you know?” Lara asked.
Sonia shrugged. “They had all the dolphins in the back lagoon for the last show. I was there, and it was fabulous. Cocoa was the star. Adrianna gave people things to throw in the water at the same time, and then she told Cocoa which one to get. She never missed! But now Cocoa doesn’t want to go back to her own lagoon. Myles said Dr. Amory is down there now, too, but Cocoa is ignoring both of them.”
“I’m on my way,” Lara said.
She glanced over at Meg, who was talking with Ely Taggerly. She pointed to the far lagoon, and Meg nodded.
Lara headed directly for the far right lagoon, but when she paused along the way and glanced about fifty feet back, she saw that the last of their guests were hovering by the gift shop and exit. Grady was smiling as he shook hands with Mason Martinez. Everyone looked happy.
She rounded the bend that led to the platforms at the back.
“Lara!”
She heard the speaker’s anxiety and turned.
The ghost of Miguel Gomez was keeping pace with her, reaching out as if he could stop her, but of course he couldn’t.
She stopped walking and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“I’ve been watching, just like you asked me to. That man—the teacher—he followed you before. He went into the locker room, but then he came back out right away and threw something in the lagoon.”
Lara paused. “Myles?” she asked. “Young guy about my age?”
Miguel nodded.
She realized that if Myles had stalked her into the locker room—afraid she might have found the paint—this was a trick, and she had Miguel to thank for saving her. She turned to thank him, but he was g
one.
She was on the dock that led from the center of the facility out to the platforms at the far lagoons, and she quickly turned around—and saw Myles standing behind her, just at the beginning of the dock.
Watching, she thought, to make sure she went out to the lagoon. He was definitely alone, and now she was torn between hurrying out to the lagoon to see if someone else was there and striding back to tell him what she thought of him.
Going out alone would be foolish; she could prove a point, but she could also get herself killed.
She headed toward the man, feeling her fury increase with every footstep. He saw her, and then he must have heard something, because he turned and his eyes widened.
Lara smiled; the bond she shared with Meg—not to mention Meg’s training as an agent—meant her friend was standing between Myles and the rest of the facility. He was sandwiched between them, with nowhere to go. His only possibility of escape was to jump in the water, and even then he wouldn’t have gotten very far.
Lara reached him first. “What the hell were you planning, sending me out there?” she demanded.
He frowned in confusion. “Adrianna is out there,” he told her. “She and Dr. Amory are having a conversation with Cocoa. She doesn’t want to listen.”
Meg was directly behind him at that point, but she stayed silent and waited for Lara to speak.
“Want to tell me why you were snooping around the women’s shower?” Lara asked.
“Why I was—No!” Myles protested. “I wouldn’t.”
“You were seen. There was a witness. Just as there was a witness when you decided to put a chopped-up doll on my desk,” she accused him. He hadn’t been seen, of course, not then. But he didn’t know that.
His face went red.
“Meg, would you check out the end of the dock?” Lara said. “I don’t think Myles will take off. He has nowhere to go, because when people who are part of this get caught, they wind up dead. Don’t they, Myles?”
He just stood there, jaw locked, a sea of misery and confusion in his eyes.
“Move a muscle before I get back,” Meg warned him, “and you’ll be guilty of resisting arrest, and then God knows what we’ll have to do to you to capture you.”
She walked past Lara, simultaneously drawing her Glock from the holster at the small of her back and slipping her cell phone from her pocket.
Lara stared at Myles.
“It was a joke. It was just a joke,” he said.
“The doll? A bloody doll, dismembered like the bodies we found? A nice blond doll, just like me? That was a joke?”
He looked away.
“Who told you to do it, Myles?” she asked, thinking of Brett’s idea of an unwitting conspiracy. “How deeply are you into this thing?”
“I’m not in on anything. It was a joke. Okay, it was a bad joke. But you’re Little Miss Perfect, coming down here with a full-time job in two seconds, everyone fawning all over you. Smart, beautiful and everyone loves you—including the damned dolphins. Then you turn into Miss Supersleuth. I just wanted to scare you, show you you’re not so special.”
Lara heard footsteps behind her and turned quickly.
Meg was coming back.
Lara looked at her, arching a brow questioningly.
“Adrianna and Dr. Amory are down there waiting for you, hoping you can get Cocoa to listen to you,” Meg said.
“But—but he did it. He put that doll on my desk,” Lara said.
Meg inclined her head toward the path. When Lara turned to look, she saw Matt approaching. Obviously Meg had called him, and he’d come quickly from wherever he had been.
“Mr. Dawson,” Matt said. “I think you need to come with me.”
“Because of a doll?” Myles said, his voice cracking.
“Because of a whole lot of dead people,” Matt responded. “I can put cuffs on you, or we can walk out of here nicely together. It’s your choice.”
“I don’t know anything.” Myles insisted. “I didn’t do anything except chop up a doll. That isn’t illegal.”
Matt started toward him.
Myles backed away, hands up. “I’ll walk out! But you’re crazy. You can question me all night, but I just wanted to scare Lara, maybe make her quit. That’s all, I swear.” Then he gave up talking and walked away with Matt.
Lara and Meg watched the two men go.
“Thanks,” Lara said, and let out a soft sigh. “I suddenly thought that if I kept going, I’d find someone waiting there for me with a gun or a knife or something.”
Meg shook her head. “They really are trying to get Cocoa back to her lagoon.”
“I’ll see what I can do. What will Matt do with Myles?”
“Take him to headquarters. Call Brett and Diego.”
“What do you think? Was it a joke, or did someone bribe or threaten him into doing it?”
“I don’t know,” Meg said. “I honestly don’t know. Let’s hope that one of the guys can get the truth out of him,” she said. “For now…”
“Cocoa,” Lara said.
As they walked, Meg asked her, “What happened? What made you suspect Myles?”
“I didn’t, not at first. I found a tube of red paint in a locker this morning when I was changing. I took it and wrapped it up in my clothes, and I was going to tell you about it, but I never got a chance. Later, I heard someone when I was in the shower, and when I came out, the paint was gone.”
“But how did you know that Myles took it?”
“Miguel,” Lara said, and she smiled. “Miguel was watching.”
* * *
“Parkinson’s, ALS, I don’t know,” Brett said under his breath as he drove. “But it’s got to be something neurological.”
“What are you talking about?” Diego asked.
“Did you get a good look at Anthony Barillo? Did you see the way he shakes?”
“He shakes. So what? He’s weak, he’s old.”
“Not that old,” Brett said. “He’s somewhere in his early sixties. To be as frail as he is, to shake the way he does… Something’s going on.”
“You’ve lost me.”
“I think someone’s trying to save Anthony Barillo, and that’s what these experiments are all about.”
“So you think he—whoever he is—is killing people to save a life?”
“I do,” Brett said. “And I don’t think Barillo himself knows anything about it, so I’d say someone right under him—his brother, Tomas, most likely—is pulling the strings.”
“Why Tomas?” Diego asked. “I mean, Tomas stands to take over a giant crime empire. He might want his brother dead.”
“Barillo’s still his brother,” Brett said.
“Your mind is far too twenty-first century,” Diego said. “Throughout history, brothers have killed brothers for power and control. Cain and Abel, for a start.”
“One of Barillo’s children, then?” Brett said. “One of his sons is in med school. Whoever it is, he’s close enough to the seat of power to have access to money, so if he doesn’t have medical knowledge himself, he can just buy someone who does.”
“They could all be in on it,” Diego acknowledged.
Brett was thoughtful for a moment. “With Little Haiti right here, it’s easy enough to get the recipe for the traditional zombie toxin. He probably started out experimenting on animals, but that couldn’t tell him enough. He needed to test his theories on human beings. Where to look first? In the ranks of those who could disappear without consequences, unnoticed or noticed only by those who didn’t dare take action. Perhaps those who were desperate enough to seek haven in the United States by crossing the Florida Straits on rafts and inner tubes if they had to. But they weren’t always available. So he turned to the streets and people like Pierre
Deveau. I don’t think he was interested in creating zombies for their own sake but in exploring how to affect the brain, with the goal of outsmarting the disease, or even bringing Barillo back from the dead with his facilities intact. He might even have been disappointed that his zombies were willing to kill their own family and friends, because that meant he’d failed in his goal.
“At some point he got braver and expanded his experiments into a hospital. I think at that point he was simply curious to see how well his potion could feign death, and he must have been very pleased with the results.”
Brett’s phone rang just then. He saw that it was Matt and used the car’s built-in Bluetooth to answer. “Hey, Matt. I’m in the car with Diego and we’ve got you on speaker.”
“I’m at HQ, and I’ve got the Sea Life intern, that kid Myles from the education department, in an interrogation room. He’s the one who put the doll on Lara’s desk. He claims he did it to scare her and get her to quit. Apparently he resents the fact that she’s the golden girl while he’s been trudging along unappreciated. I thought I’d let him cool his heels, then send you in.”
“How did you find out it was him?” Brett asked tersely.
“Lara found him out,” Matt said. “With a little help from Miguel, as it turns out.”
“A ghost fingered him?” Diego said. He looked over at Brett, but he didn’t seem as surprised as Brett would have expected, given that he’d never actually talked to his partner about seeing Maria and Miguel.
“Long story, but Lara found the paint and ended up confronting him. She lied and told him there was a witness, and at that point he folded pretty quickly.”
“Is Lara there with you?” Brett asked, trying to tamp down his anger that she’d been in danger and he hadn’t been there to protect her.
“No, she and Meg are still at Sea Life, finishing up after the event today. I’ll see you at headquarters.”
Diego didn’t say anything after Brett hung up. Finally Brett looked at him and asked, “You don’t think all of this is crazy?”
Krewe of Hunters Series, Volume 5 Page 55