by Nancy Mehl
“I will. Your unit chief has good things to say about all of you. I have confidence you’ll be able to give us some insight so we can find this virus before more people lose their lives.” He paused for a moment. “The CDC says thousands could die if it’s released. Even millions.”
Alex just nodded. The gravity of the situation could smother her if she allowed it to. She had to use her training to find Walker, and she was determined to do it.
She looked at Logan and Monty. “Let’s get some of that pizza. It’s going to be a long night.”
10
It took a while for Willow to fall asleep for the night, but then Nettie sat next to her bed and prayed for her. As she called upon the God she loved, she couldn’t help but think about Alex.
She’d seen the same deep-seated pain in Alex she’d observed in Willow, which in Willow’s case had apparently led to a form of mental illness. But losing both parents and living with a mentally ill aunt would be traumatic for anyone. Alex carried that emotional injury like a suit of armor. No one could get in. Nettie wished Alex realized how much alike she and Willow were.
Willow had trusted Nettie enough to share her history. Willow and Alex’s mother had been raised by parents who were absent most of the time, focused on their careers. The sisters were often left to fend for themselves, and Willow had become her younger sibling’s caregiver, doing the best she could in a role she was unsuited for. Then Alex’s mother went off on her own, leaving Willow alone in her emotionally unstable state. She eventually cut off all contact.
Nettie was certain Willow became involved in the Circle when her sister all but abandoned her. She was looking for something to belong to. She’d wanted her life to be important. Willow had no self-esteem before The Book came into her life. It made her feel special.
Willow mumbled something in her sleep, and Nettie reached over to brush her friend’s hair from her face. Even though she hadn’t reacted well to Alex’s visit, when they talked later, Willow had cried, telling Nettie she’d failed her niece. Nettie told her about the forgiveness of Christ and was able to pray with her to receive a different life full of love, hope, and grace. Finally, Willow was free of the destructive cult that had imprisoned her mind for so many years.
Nettie believed God had sent her to Willow for just that purpose. She smiled. She was content. She’d obeyed Him, and now Willow LeGrand had changed books. Her name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Tomorrow she’d call Alex and tell her it was Willow’s love for her that finally changed her life. She hoped Alex would be pleased.
She rose from the chair and tiptoed out of the room, making her way to her own bedroom. She got ready for bed and turned on the TV so she could catch her favorite show before going to sleep, but she was so tired that she began to nod off.
She heard the sound of a footstep in her room only at the last moment. By then it was too late.
Logan, Monty, and Alex had been going through the information gathered so far on Adam Walker, but they were still waiting on another copy of The Book. It was late, and they were all tired. Thankfully, a nearby table had a coffee maker. Logan wasn’t sure how many cups he’d had since they’d arrived at the CP.
Monty was out in the larger room, consulting with some of the local agents. Alex was quiet and focused. She hadn’t said much yet. Logan wanted to talk about what he’d seen so far, but he’d decided to be patient. He didn’t want to disrupt her process.
When her phone rang, they both jumped. Who would be calling her at two in the morning?
She picked it up and stared at the display. “It’s Mike,” she said. “Hey, Mike, what’s up?” She listened for a long time. Logan watched as her expression changed. “I understand,” she said, her voice low. She disconnected the call and stared at her phone as if she’d never seen it before.
“Alex, what is it?” Logan asked.
He watched as she took a deep breath and looked up to meet his gaze. Her expression had hardened. Her armor was firmly in place.
“The police got a call from Willow’s neighbor, who said she heard screams. Willow is dead. Nettie’s in serious condition. She’s in the hospital.”
The news hit Logan like a punch in the gut. Had they made a fatal mistake? Should they have put Willow’s house under surveillance? It hadn’t occurred to him that the two women would be in any real danger. The Circle sounded like a bunch of nuts, not people who would do something like this. Besides, how could anyone possibly know the FBI had The Book? Maybe this a crime that had nothing to do with the Circle.
“Willow seemed so afraid when I mentioned The Book,” Alex said. “I thought it was because she was . . . well, you know . . . not all there. Especially after the stroke. I never took the Circle seriously until the Train Man. I should have done something. I should have gotten them protection.”
“Listen, it never occurred to me they were vulnerable.” Logan frowned. “Besides, how would anyone know we had that book? It doesn’t make sense.”
Alex shrugged. “Maybe they told someone. A friend who wasn’t a friend. Or maybe someone saw us take it out of the house.”
“No one could know what was in that evidence bag. That can’t be it. And besides, what good would it do to kill Nettie and your aunt? Even if someone knew they’d given us that book, killing them makes no sense. They weren’t any threat.” He paused for a moment. “Could someone have been afraid Willow would reveal the names of people in the Circle?”
Alex shook her head slowly. “I don’t know. As I’ve said, no one uses their real name in the Circle. It’s not impossible, but in Willow’s current state, it’s unlikely she could have led us to anyone else. And I didn’t get the impression that Nettie had anything to do with the Circle. She hated it.” She sighed. “Giving someone else The Book is the worst sin a member of the Circle can commit, though. Willow told me that. It’s my fault. Maybe this was an act of revenge. Punishment. Why didn’t I listen? This was preventable.”
“That’s ridiculous. Of course it’s not your fault. You know better than that. The fault lies with whoever did this. If the Circle committed this crime—and we don’t know that for certain—they need to be disbanded forever. This isn’t some kind of religion. It’s a very dangerous cult.”
“I agree,” Alex said. Another long sigh escaped her lips.
At that moment, Harrison came into the room. Logan told him about Willow and Nettie.
“I want to go back there,” Alex said before Harrison could respond. “We might be able to find something to help us locate Walker.”
“Our agents at the RA can do that. The local police will be involved too,” Harrison said, frowning. “I think you can do more good here.”
Alex stood. “You don’t understand, sir. They don’t know anything about the Circle or The Book. I do. This attack has to be connected to Walker. I know we’re focusing on the virus and you have other people investigating the murders here, but they’re all connected. I’m certain of it. Besides, we can share techniques to help investigators ask the right questions of neighbors and others who might have seen something around my aunt’s house during the time of the assault.”
Harrison still looked skeptical. Logan wasn’t sure who was right, but he had to admit Alex had made a good point.
“All right,” Harrison finally said. “But I need you to keep working on this assessment. Do what you need to do in Wichita and come right back.” He looked at Logan. “Go with her. I’ll contact Keith and let you know when to meet him.”
Alex and Logan arrived at the airport just as Keith got there, barely back from Quantico. Logan could tell he was tired. Hopefully he could sleep on the plane while they were in Wichita.
Alex was quiet, and Logan didn't try to start a conversation. He sensed that she was dealing with emotions he probably wouldn't understand. All he could do was make himself available if she needed him.
When they landed in Wichita, Mike was waiting for them.
“I’m so sorry
, Alex,” Mike said when she slid into the front seat next to him. “I was certain you’d want to know right away. One of our agents picked up the report and called me. He knew we were friends. I hated making that call. You don’t have to go to the house, you know. We can go somewhere else. Get some coffee. Talk.”
“No, I want to go. I need to see.”
“Do you think this is the guy you’re looking for?” Mike asked as he started driving away from the plane. “Would he do this?”
“No,” Alex said without any hesitation. “Walker has an agenda. A calling. He has to kill two more people, but he has to do it big. Leave a message behind. Killing a couple of helpless old women doesn’t fit his signature. He wouldn’t do anything to contaminate his last sacrifices. They’re the only thing keeping him from releasing a deadly virus that will finish out his destiny.”
“How dangerous is this virus?” Mike asked. “Kansas City’s keeping a lot of this on the down-low.”
“We don’t know. It’s possible . . . Well, it could be catastrophic.”
Mike turned his head to stare at her. “We need to warn people, Alex.”
She reached over and put her hand on his shoulder. “Listen, we don’t have all the facts yet. We’re not sure what we’re dealing with. Going public now would be a big mistake. We could lose him and the virus. If it comes to it, I’m sure the right decision will be made. But for now, we can’t make assumptions.”
Mike was quiet, then said, “All right. Just do everything you can to help us find this guy, Alex.”
“We will. I promise.”
Logan couldn’t help but worry. Would they be able to offer anything that would help investigators find Walker? He hoped so. But would it be in time? Was Mike right? Should the public be warned? Frankly, he was grateful that decision would come from someone with a higher pay grade than his.
He didn’t have friends or family in this area of the country. He was thankful for that. But Adam Walker’s actions could devastate other families. Logan was trying not to think about the actual results from releasing such a deadly virus. It was overwhelming, and he needed to stay focused.
He could see Alex’s face reflected in the windshield. She looked tired. It would be hours before they would get some sleep. They’d been booked into an extended stay hotel in Kansas City with no idea when they’d actually get there.
They finally arrived at Willow’s house. Cars lined the street—both marked police cars and unmarked cars that probably belonged to detectives assigned to the case. The coroner’s car was there too. A couple of vans from local news stations were parked across the street from the house, but it was clear the police had told them to stay out of the way. If they hadn’t been corralled, they’d be in the front yard, hounding law enforcement with questions. It had to be below freezing, but several reporters stood outside, talking to the cameramen they’d brought with them.
Mike double parked so they could leave when they needed to. Without saying a word, Alex opened her door, got out, and headed toward the house.
Logan hurried after her. He’d seen some terrible things over the years, but this was the first time an agent he knew had lost someone involved in a case he was working. He wondered how this would affect Alex. Her armor fit snugly, but was it strong enough to protect her from this?
11
Alex willed her legs to take her toward the house she’d lived in for six years. Twice she’d told herself she’d never have to step foot inside again. Now here she was. But this time it was different. Willow wasn’t here. For some reason, that made it worse, not better.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Logan asked. “You don’t have to—”
Alex stopped him by holding up her hand. Her eyes locked on his. “Willow and I weren’t . . . close. I’m fine. Really. We need to see the crime scene. It could help us figure out who did this. Remember, Walker was probably once part of the Circle. I’m convinced this was their work.”
Logan didn’t argue with her. Alex was certain that was because he knew she was right.
Logan held up the crime scene tape placed around the front yard. Lights set up by the police seemed to put the old house in a yellow spotlight. A gust of icy wind tried to whip the tape out of Logan’s hand, but he held on to it while Alex slipped underneath.
“Hey, folks, you need to get behind the tape,” an officer shouted as he hustled toward them. Logan and Alex removed their credentials and held them up.
The officer nodded. “Sorry. We heard you were coming.” He glanced toward the house. “The body has been removed, and the injured woman was taken to the hospital. We’re processing the scene now. Our Violent Crimes Unit is here, along with our CSI techs.”
“Come up with anything interesting yet?” Logan asked.
“Early in the investigation,” the officer replied, “but there’s certainly something unusual about this crime scene. I won’t tell you about it. You should see it for yourself.”
A warning bell went off somewhere inside Alex. She thanked the officer, then walked toward the front porch steps. As she passed the spot where she used to sit and grieve, dreaming of a better life, out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw a figure sitting there. She refused to look because she knew it was impossible.
Suddenly, someone pulled on the sleeve of her jacket. She jerked away.
“Hey, sorry,” Logan said. “Didn’t mean to spook you.”
“I’m not spooked,” she snapped. “But next time warn me when you’re about to grab me.”
She knew her response was overblown, but she was upset that she’d had to come back here again. It was as if someone had decided to make her relive the worst time of her life. She forced herself to remember what she’d just told Logan. It was important for them to see the crime scene. It would help them make a valid assessment.
They reached the porch and were met by an officer who handed them gloves and booties. After they put them on, he opened the door to let them in.
Alex had to bite her lip not to gasp. Blood was on the floor, the walls, the furniture. “This guy was angry,” she said under her breath.
“Very,” Logan added.
Alex stood on the plastic runner laid down on the floor so those working the scene wouldn’t contaminate the evidence.
She frowned as she looked around. “I expected something . . . different. If the Circle did this, I would expect it to be . . . orderly. Planned.” She waved her hand around. “This is frenzied.”
“But why?” Logan asked. “Do you think somehow Circle members found out we have Willow’s copy of The Book?” Logan shook his head slowly. “Although, I still have a hard time believing they could.”
“We certainly didn’t advertise it.” As Alex gazed around the room, she had to admit she was confused too.
A man walked up next to them. His jacket identified him as one of the crime scene techs. “You the FBI?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Logan answered. “You’ve got a mess here. Any footprints in the blood?”
“You’re not kidding, and no, the killer managed to avoid stepping into any blood.” He pointed out two large stains on the carpet where the blood had soaked through to the wood floor underneath. “Both these women were dragged from their beds and killed here. I’m convinced our guy thought they were both dead when he left, but when the police got here they found one of the victims barely hanging on. A Nettie something. Can’t remember her last name right now. She’s in the hospital. Via Christi. It’s about four miles from here.”
“Have you recovered the murder weapon?” Alex asked.
The man nodded. “A crowbar. Looks like he took it from the garage. The tools are neatly organized, and there’s one empty spot on the wall where the crowbar fits.”
“But that doesn’t make sense,” Alex said.
The man frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“If the attacker planned to kill them, he would have brought his own weapon. This scene looks like he decided to kill them af
ter he got here. It wasn’t premeditated.” She shook her head. “Was anything stolen?”
“Hard to tell. The women had some jewelry. Nothing very valuable, but it looks undisturbed.”
Alex stared at Logan for a moment before saying, “So it’s probably not an attempted robbery that went wrong. This is clearly personal. But Willow hasn’t been involved in the Circle since her stroke three years ago. Why now? And why the rage? I really think this happened because they somehow know we have Willow’s book, and they’re more vicious than we considered when it comes to their rules. What else could fuel something like this?”
She looked down at the blood on the floor, trying to sort through what they were seeing and what they knew so far.
“I don’t know,” the tech said, “but there’s something else you should see. Follow me.”
Alex and Logan trailed behind him, their footsteps making crackling sounds as they walked on the plastic sheeting. Alex assumed they were going to Willow’s room, but instead the man turned toward another door. Alex froze, unable to move.
“I can’t . . .” she said, her voice breaking. She looked to Logan for help. She could see the confusion on his face. His blue eyes searched hers.
“What’s wrong, Alex?”
“This was my room.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized how unprofessional she appeared at that moment. She straightened her shoulders. “I’m sorry. A lot of memories here, but I’m okay.” She hated the way her voice trembled. She fought to control her emotions.
Logan took a step closer to her. “If you want to wait outside, I can—”
“No. I said I’m okay.” She nodded at the crime scene tech. “Go ahead.”
But as they walked into the room, what she saw made her feel faint. She swayed, and Logan reached out to take her arm.
The room was as she’d left it. The awful pink, flowered wallpaper. The pink bedspread with ruffles. She’d hated it. Willow had decorated in a style she thought a girl would like, but Alex was a tomboy. And she hated pink. Although she didn’t want to look, her head seemed to swivel on its own. A one-page yearly calendar was still thumb-tacked to the wall. Each day was crossed off up until the end of June. The day she escaped this place.