“Hey!” Callie protested.
“I can handle tough. I have four brothers and two sisters. I grew up the middle child. It was a mêlée. I know family dynamics, and believe me, I have waded through crap.”
“Geez, what were your parents, rabbits?” asked Nate, watching the sheriff closely.
“No, my mother really liked kids. I just wish she had lived longer to see the grandchildren. My nieces and nephews are the greatest little people on the planet. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen the holidays at my dad’s place. When nine kids, all under twelve converge, it’s bedlam.”
“So, do all your siblings have kids?” asked Callie, offhandedly.
Quinn shook his head. “No, Maura isn’t married, and I’m the only bachelor left. My one sister has three.”
Luke wiggled his eyebrows lecherously. “A single sister, huh?”
Quinn gave him the look. “You don’t want any of that, my friend. Maura, my baby sister, is a Marine. She’s the sweetest thing when she’s in civilian clothes, but put her in fatigues, and she’s mean. She’s married to the military, and I don’t think that she’ll ever settle down.”
“I know mean and tough,” muttered Nate, looking at his baby sister.
“You’re funny, Nate. Try being related to you for a while. I know why I became a psychiatrist.”
Luke laughed. “I’m glad I was an only child. I didn’t miss any of this,” he said, drinking his soda. It was a complete lie. He only wished he had family like they all did. “So, are you going to want a brood of your own one day, Quinn?” he asked casually.
“Luke, knock it off,” she snapped, her eyes going cold. Her face revealed exactly how she felt about the men grilling the guy she was in love with.
“It’s okay, baby. I’ll answer him because it doesn’t bother me,” said Quinn, kissing her on the cheek. “I’m too old for that many kids. I’ll be forty at the end of this year, and women get freaked out at the word ‘brood’.”
Callie could see the raw need on his face. This man would be a wonderful husband and father.
“I’m sure that you’ll find a woman who’ll want to give you everything that you deserve in life, Quinn,” she stated, trying to keep the emotion from her voice. Staring down at her half-eaten sandwich, she pushed it away, sick to her stomach. It upset her that he may not think of her as that woman.
In her heart, he was the one.
Quinn knew he already had. “I don’t doubt it,” he answered, as he dropped his hand lovingly to her leg. His dream girl was sitting right beside him.
“Well, we need to get back to work. There aren’t that many receipts left, and Callie needs to finish that diary,” said Nate, getting uncomfortable with the idea of them talking about their future in front of him and Luke.
It felt wrong to be a part of it, like walking in on them finishing up sex.
Callie moved away from Quinn to read the journal. Being that close to him was distracting as hell. All she could think about was how amazing he smelled.
He watched her escape.
Fear pooled in his stomach. Quinn couldn’t help but be worried that their conversation had made her uncomfortable. In his heart, he was sure it would spell it all out. Callista Carter was meant to be his.
Oh hell!
One day he hoped he would find the manual on how to understand women.
What did he have to do to get her to see she was meant to be his wife and mother of his children? Hire a sky writer?
Quinn tossed his sandwich.
Suddenly, he lost his appetite.
* * *
Two Hours Later
When Nate walked into the conference room, dropping the files on the desk, he didn't look at all happy.
“What’s up?” Quinn asked, glancing up from the receipts that he was currently digging through.
“I have the coroner’s report on Martha Jackson.”
“And?” Callie asked from across the room.
“We have the same old method of murder, and still no DNA or clues to point at either suspect. I can’t believe there is no trace whatsoever. Whoever is doing this must be wearing a freakin’ HAZMAT suit,” said Nate in frustration. He dropped down into his chair and flipped open a file.
Callie stood behind him as he read over the report. By the tension in his body, and how he was rubbing the bridge of his nose, she knew he wasn’t happy either. Immediately, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders to offer reassurance.
Something had to come together soon.
The odds were in their favor. Right?
Unfortunately, the coroner’s report offered nothing that they didn't already know. It was like Tommy Brooks was simply putting a new person’s name at the top of the report and changing nothing else. Was he trying to make them crazy? Surely, something had to be there.
Callie scanned over the details, pointing out the one thing that still bothered her. “She was assaulted, and again they found samples of polyurethane chips imbedded in her tissue. Something about that doesn’t sit right.”
Quinn focused on Nate. “Where was her car left?”
“It was found at the church, after services. They had the auxiliary meeting there. It appears that she was grabbed right out of the parking lot,” said Nate.
Quinn was more than frustrated. “Is it possible to point more at one man? I swear with everything that comes in, it appears that the reverend is as guilty as sin,” he stated, quietly.
Callie started rubbing his shoulders to relive some of the tension that was building up in his body. “Did they find anything in the vehicle?” she asked, continuing to massage.
“No. The team completed the sweep and the car had Martha and her husband’s prints. There wasn’t anything out of place. We have her purse and some random papers.”
“How about her keys?”
Quinn looked puzzled. “No, we never found them.”
“Then, somewhere out there, someone is keeping souvenirs of the killings, which isn’t all that unusual. You take their life, and something to have a concrete memory of what you’ve done.”
“I wonder if the others were missing personal articles?”
Callie shrugged. “I guess it’s another angle we can try. We don’t really have much, working it this way. Maybe we’ll luck out and find something.”
Luke started flipping through the files in search of any other obvious missing items, as Nate sat there staring at the wall.
“Did we get in the DNA reports on the hair that was found on the duct tape?” asked Quinn.
“Not yet, I’ll call and see if they have anything for me,” said Nate, pulling out his phone.
Quinn closed his eyes as Callie rubbed his shoulders. The feel of her massaging out the huge knots in his back was incredibly cathartic. He began to float and jerked himself back awake.
“Are you okay?” asked Callie, stopping.
“Yeah, I just dozed off there for a few seconds. I don’t know how much longer I can run on those two hours of down time we caught in my office.”
“We’ll wrap it up here in a few hours and head home. I could use a shower and sleep too,” she added, leaning down to kiss him on his cheek. “Mmmm… and maybe some alone time with you, big guy,” she purred in his ear.
Immediately, he responded to the close proximity of her body to his. “Food, sex, and sleep are going to be my priority. That’s not the order either,” he growled low.
Callie enjoyed his lips moving softly over hers, until her brother cleared his throat. They were both pulled back to reality. “Why are you smiling?”
“We may have just got a break,” he said, taking a seat.
“What?”
“I need to ask you something, Callie.”
“Okay,” she said, waiting for him to drop whatever bomb he was ready to lob.
“What are the chances that we have a woman doing this?”
They all stared at him.
“Are you serious?” she inquired.
&n
bsp; “Yes.”
She started processing everything from that point of view. “I’m torn. On one hand, the bat with the polyurethane points to a woman, but then I have one major sticking point.”
“And that would be?” Nate asked, withholding the information that they just received.
“The person doing this would have to be carrying the victims around. I’m the average sized woman, and for the most part, I’m fairly strong. I couldn’t lift Martha Jackson if my life depended on it.”
“Could you drag her?”
“Yes, but without leaving evidence all over her? Not happening,” she said. “I know she had scratch marks, but for all we know, that could have been from enthusiastic sex. She was having an affair with one man, who’s to say she wasn’t with another?”
Nate couldn’t hide his disappointment.
“Why? What do you have?”
“The hair came back as viable. We know that it’s from a woman.”
She continued, “Listen, I’m all about this possibly being a female, but let’s look at facts. Women can kill, but they’re more likely going to kill for money, sex, or love. We have someone killing for religion. I’d love to make it fit, but one hair doesn’t give me enough to profile this in the direction you want to take it.”
He saw her point of view. “So, if you had to slap a percentage on it, what would it be?” Nate asked.
She closed her eyes, taking a minute to think it over. “I can’t give you more than thirty percent. The simple fact is, I need more, Nate. It’s not as if I look at some crystal ball and pick a killer. You know that I need the cold hard facts, and my mind does the rest.”
They all heard the frustration in her voice.
“Get me something more, and I’ll profile it as a woman being the killer. Until then, I can’t justify it here,” she said, tapping her head with her finger.
Quinn wanted to take the pressure off of her. “What about the reverend? Did we cross check it?”
“I had the lab work that angle, and it didn't pan out,” Nate stated.
Callie spoke up, “But he is the religious figure who could be at the center of these crimes. For all we know, that hair was one that Martha picked up in her meeting and the killer accidentally transferred it to the duct tape.”
“Maybe,” Quinn said. “Are you always the killer of motives?” he asked, laughing.
“Sometimes, yes,” she admitted.
Luke snorted. “Try most of the time, but then she backs it up with results, so it lessens the pain in the end.”
Callie winked at him. “I try. How about we wrap up this paperwork, and then head home? Tomorrow’s a new day, and we can start fresh.”
Quinn was good with that.
Dropping back into her chair, she continued reading. It didn't take long to fall into the words on the paper. Callie couldn’t tell how much time had passed. Then, she saw it jumping out at her from the paper. Before she could speak, her brother broke the silence in the room.
“Why is one of your deputies buying a baseball bat outside of the playing season?” Nate asked, glancing over at Quinn.
“What?” he asked. “What do you mean?”
Nate continued, “We have a receipt from your deputy buying one, and it’s the kind we’re specifically looking at.”
“Which deputy?” asked Quinn.
Before Luke could answer, Callie spoke up, “It’s Jimmy Lee.”
All three men glanced over at her in shock, like she had sprouted a third eye in the middle of her forehead.
“How do you know that?” Nate inquired.
Callie held up the diary. “I think I know how to connect Aimee Jo to the killings. She was having sex with a deputy, like Beulah said in the grocery store. He’s our mystery man in the uniform.”
Quinn looked like he was sucker punched. “But she was only in high school,” he said, bewildered. “Jimmy Lee never came forward when her body was discovered.”
Callie shook her head. “The proof is right here,” she said, holding the book up as she got ready to read it to them. “It’s dated three weeks ago.”
Dear Diary,
I just got in from sneaking out to meet the man of my dreams. My dad was passed out and mom was at work, so it was too easy. I look forward to doing it again. I met him at the store, and he was amazing in his uniform. I couldn’t help but go with him for a ride in his truck. I was so nervous, but we had a couple beers, and then amazing sex. God, I think I love him. I hope he doesn’t find out my real age.
Off to bed, I have a quiz tomorrow.
Quinn had hope. “That doesn’t prove it was Jimmy Lee,” he said, adamantly. He was going to stand up for his deputy. He knew he was a decent guy.
Callie handed him the diary. “No, Quinn, that doesn’t, but this does,” she stated, pointing at the heart, which Aimee had drawn, with Jimmy Lee’s name written inside of it.
“Oh hell,” he muttered, dropping the book. He was up out of his chair so fast, that it flipped backward. “I’ll kill him,” said Quinn, as he began pacing back and forth. “Son of a bitch!” he snarled, as he roughly pushed his hands through his hair. “He had sex with a minor!”
“It makes sense,” Callie offered.
“What do you mean?”
Callie wrapped her arms around his waist reassuringly. Well, that and to keep him from charging out of the room like a maniac. “Someone leaked Susie’s name to the reverend. Jimmy Lee was in here and had to be the one who said something. If he didn’t, then who did? Only five of us knew her identity.”
“Son of a bitch,” he blurted again, this time trying to get free of Callie’s body
“Quinn wait!” she demanded. “We need to question him calmly. If he’s helping the reverend, and involved in this, we need to get him to give it away. Beating the hell out of him won’t work.”
Quinn stopped struggling, knowing she was right. It was just, he felt…betrayed.
“Quinn, please, this could help us wrap it up. Then, we could go on with our lives.” When he stared down at her, his face was fraught with so much emotion that it actually scared her.
“I left him here alone with you,” he hissed. “If he’s the killer, he could have hurt you,” he stated, his fists clenched tightly. “Then, I’m struggling with the fact he had sex with a child!”
“He didn't know,” she offered, trying to calm him down.
“We need to question him calmly, Quinn,” interjected Nate, agreeing with his sister. “Like Callie said, if he’s helping kill these women, we can get a sample of his DNA, run it, get his alibi, and go from there.”
“I’m putting him on leave.”
Callie agreed that it was probably a good idea. “He broke the rules, Quinn, we understand that, but going off on him isn’t going to help us. It’s only going to make it harder to get information out of him.”
“Fine, I’ll be cool and collected.”
She wasn’t sure she believed him, especially when he continued pacing. Yet, no one stopped him because they got his sense of betrayal.
“Want us to do this?” Luke asked, willing to take one for the team.
Quinn declined. “I’m ready,” he reassured them. Out in the bullpen, he located his deputy. “Jimmy Lee,” he called. “In here, now!”
The young man swallowed.
Callie shook her head. Well, so much for cool, calm, and collected.
“Sit,” said Quinn, pointing at the chair once they were in the room. Callie gazed at him with calm eyes, offering him peace. In that moment, he appreciated it
“Is something wrong, Sheriff?” asked Jimmy Lee, now more nervous than anything.
“You tell us, Jimmy Lee. Do you have anything you feel like you need to get off your chest, about anything in particular?” asked Quinn, giving him the chance to either hang or save himself.
“I don’t think so,” he said, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead and upper lip. Jimmy Lee stared at his boss, never noticing how big the man really was, un
til that moment.
Nate leaned in toward the man, in an intimidating manner. “Tell us about Aimee Jo and the sex.”
Jimmy Lee went three shades of pale before his color settled on green. “Oh God! I’m sorry, Sheriff. I should have come to you the minute it happened but I was scared shitless. I didn't know what to do, and I didn't want to go to jail!”
Quinn glared at his deputy, his eyes going hot. “Well, you better start telling us everything that you know. The time for playing games is officially over.”
“Yes, sir! I was in the grocery store one night after shift, picking up a six-pack, and it was closing time. I barely made it, and this pretty little thing let me in so I could get my beer. We got to talking, and she went for a ride in my truck. I didn’t know she wasn’t over twenty-one.”
“So, she lied?” asked Callie, giving him the opportunity to save himself.
“Not exactly, ma’am, but she said she was in school. I just assumed she meant college and was home for the summer. She wasn’t dressed like a high school kid, and she certainly wasn’t built like one either,” he said, swallowing. “Beg your pardon.”
Callie nodded. “So, you went for a ride, gave her beer, and had sex with her?”
“Yes ma’am. I gave her my cell number and told her to call me sometime, I wanted to take her out for dinner and get to know her.”
“What about Ellen?” asked Quinn.
“We’re not doing so good. She’s pissed at me because I’m always working and couldn’t take her to the Fourth of July picnic. Then, she got one look at…” He shut his mouth really fast.
“Finish please,” said Luke.
This was total hell. He was going to get murdered by his boss, he was sure of it.
“She came here and saw me sitting here with Callie. I mean Doctor Carter, and she pitched a fit of astronomical proportions. She has a wicked mean streak.”
“How many times did you have sex with this girl?” asked Quinn.
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