“Thank you.” J.T. wrote that down and clicked off. He pulled the location up on his cell phone. “Damn it. That won’t tell us anything.”
“Why?”
“That intersection is walking distance back to her house. I’m sure she picked that spot deliberately.”
Agent Tam’s phone in the cup holder rang. She picked it up. “SSA Tam speaking. How may I help you?”
“Michelle, it’s Chief Boardman. Things have gone from bad to worse.”
“Seriously, how bad can it get? We have a missing federal agent, for crissakes.”
“Another murder, that’s how bad. I’m texting you the address now.”
Chapter 33
“Son of a bitch.” Michelle Tam squealed the brakes so hard the seat belts locked up against their chests. She cranked the wheel to the right and skidded to the curb. A billow of smoke from burned rubber filled the air behind the cruiser.
“What the hell is going on?” J.T. jerked his head in her direction and stared.
“That was Chief Boardman. Another murder was just called in, and he’s sending me a text with the address.” Agent Tam looked out her side mirror and saw Dave running to her car.
He banged on the driver’s window. “What happened?”
“Another murder, that’s what,” Tam said as she lowered the glass. “I want you and Bruce to continue to the forensics lab. We’re running out of people that can help. Call the field office and get more agents out here. Have them meet up with you at the downtown PD, update them on everything, and have them wait for the hair sample comparison and the residue analysis from the trunk. We need to know where that cruiser was in the last twenty-four hours. Make sure the tech department gets on that right away. Hang on, Mitch is sending the address.” Agent Tam checked her texts and saw the incoming message with an address nearby. “Type this address into your phone, wrap things up at the PD, then meet us there. I’m getting Jordan Taylor’s profile on TV today. If the PD wants it, they can get it from every news station that airs in the greater Houston area. Now go.”
“You got it, boss.”
“J.T., program this address into the car’s GPS. It isn’t far from here.” Agent Tam squealed the tires, hit the lights, and sped away. They’d be at the address in less than ten minutes. “Do you have a copy of Jordan Taylor’s driver’s license on your phone?”
“Yeah, sure do, boss.”
“Okay, start calling every television station. Give them a brief description of her, and tell them she’s a person of interest in the recent murders throughout the city and we need her to come in for questioning. Use the reception counter’s secondary number at the field office for the hotline number. Call Adrianne and tell her to forward all calls that come in on that line to you, me, Dave, and Bruce. Forward a copy of Jordan’s DL to the news stations. Make sure you tell them not to air the entire license on the broadcast. They’re only allowed to show her photo and give a verbal description of her height, weight, hair, and eye color. Stress that fact. No pictures of the actual DL. I don’t need a lawsuit against the FBI or Houston PD for privacy infringement on somebody that hasn’t been officially charged yet.”
J.T. pulled up the news channel phone numbers and wrote them in his notepad. He began calling them one by one and forwarded Jordan’s driver’s license to each of them. “You can use her statistics from the driver’s license, but only show the photo. Don’t air the actual DL, or you’ll be held responsible. Do I make myself clear?”
Each TV station agreed. They were emailed Jordan’s information and would break into the currently broadcasted shows. Her photograph and information would hit every news broadcast on every station throughout the rest of the day and evening.
Agent Tam pulled in behind a line of squad cars and the coroner’s van. The street was already blocked at the nearest intersections, and two officers busied themselves as they wrapped yellow crime tape around the property’s perimeter. Agents Tam and Harper showed their credentials to the officer guarding the front door and crossed into the living room. Inside, stood three officers, two detectives, ME George Craig, and assistant ME Marty Lowrey. They gave a nod when Agent Tam and J.T. approached the kitchen.
“Agents.”
“What have we got, George?” Tam asked.
“More brutality, that’s for sure. This killer isn’t just angry, they’re enraged. It’s like they’ve snapped, and all sense of logic and decency has gone right out the window.”
J.T. looked around the room and saw only men in blue. “Who called it in?”
“The wife. We thought it best that she went outside. I almost had a heart attack victim on my hands too. I think she’s in the back of one of the squads with a female officer.”
J.T. pulled an officer to the side. “Has anyone interviewed the wife yet?”
He nodded. “Officer Marsh is doing that in the back of the squad car right now, agent.”
J.T. leaned in closely and looked at the clipboard on the table. “Is that what—”
“Yes, that’s exactly what it is,” George said.
J.T. gave a long, low whistle. “Damn, that woman is really sick.” He reached down and scooped cinder block particles off the floor. “We need to see if these granules match the residue from the back of the cruiser. I’m betting they will.” He raised his brows at Tam. “Need me in here at the moment? I think I’ll go outside and talk to the wife for a bit.”
She gave J.T. the go-ahead with a nod then pulled up a chair by the coroner and took notes as he gave his initial assessment of the deceased John Nels.
J.T. approached the officer standing guard at the door. “Which car is Mrs. Nels in?”
The officer pointed at the second squad car in the line of five. “It’s that one, sir. Officer Brenda Marsh is with her.”
“Thanks.” J.T. followed the sidewalk to a squad car with the rear door open. He peered inside and introduced himself to Officer Marsh and to Ann Nels. “May I?” he asked as he pointed at the front seat.
“Sure, go ahead. I can leave if you’d like to speak to Mrs. Nels alone.” She began to scoot toward the door.
“No need, Brenda. I’m sure Mrs. Nels would like you to stay. Is that all right, ma’am?”
“Please stay.” The distraught woman reached for Brenda’s hand and squeezed it tightly. “You’ve been so kind.” Her eyes, swollen and red, showed her anguish.
“Ma’am, I’m sure my questions will be somewhat redundant, but it is necessary that I ask them. I work for the serial crimes unit of the FBI. We’re tracking someone that has committed murders similar to your husband’s. Has anyone called him lately and threatened him? Has anyone showed up at your door, sent letters or texts to either of you with threats?”
“No, not that I know of. I’m sure John would have told me.”
“What was your husband’s occupation?”
“He is, I mean was, a claims analyst. He went to accident sites on behalf of the company or person being sued to determine if the claim had any merit or not.”
“Do you think your husband had enemies?”
“In that trade, probably, but plenty of claims went through. They weren’t all turned down.”
“I understand. Where were you today, ma’am?”
“I went to the grocery store, then I dropped a bag of old clothes off at the donation center. I was only gone an hour or so, and I found John that way when I returned home and walked into the kitchen.” She buried her face in her hands.
J.T. thought back to the scene. It made sense now that groceries lay scattered about on the kitchen floor. He remembered seeing broken eggs, a few tomatoes, and miscellaneous items at the kitchen entrance as well as one tipped and one standing bag on the table.
Mrs. Nels began crying. “Who could commit such a horrible act on another human being?”
J.T. gave that some thought. Only people who weren’t in their right mind could do something that heinous. He wondered what had caused Jordan to snap so severely.
&nbs
p; “Ma’am, do you have someone you need to call, any family nearby?”
“Oh no. Patty is going to be devastated when I tell her.” Ann Nels put her face in her hands again and sobbed.
“Is Patty your daughter?”
She nodded. “I don’t know how to tell her that her dad is gone.”
“Ma’am, I can call on your behalf. Maybe it would be best if you spent a few days with Patty. Does she live in the area?”
“Sugar Land.”
J.T. looked at Brenda for help.
“It’s about forty minutes from here.”
“Mrs. Nels, do you have your phone handy?”
“Yes, here it is. Patty’s number is the fifth one on my list.”
J.T. took the phone and excused himself to talk privately. Giving horrible news to family members was one of the toughest parts of his job. He returned the phone minutes later and told Mrs. Nels that Patty was on her way. J.T. exited the squad car when he saw Dave and Bruce arrive.
“Excuse me, ma’am. I have to talk to these agents. Brenda, you’ll stay with her, right?”
“Of course, Agent Harper, not a problem.”
J.T. flagged down Dave and Bruce before they entered the house. “What’s the word with forensics?”
“Just by visual inspection, they said the hairs were a match. They actually have to do a DNA profile to be certain, which could take up to a week.”
“No time for that. We have to find Jade. What about the residue in the trunk?”
“They agree it’s from cinder blocks.”
“Good enough for me. Do either of you know if Jordan’s segment has hit the news stations yet?”
Bruce spoke up. “Don’t know, but we haven’t received any tip calls.”
“Yeah, me, either.”
Chapter 34
“Chief, we have a hit on the hospital.”
Mitch Boardman excused himself from the call he had made to the precinct and addressed the officer. “What did you find out, Colby?”
Officer Colby pulled out his notepad where he had written down the information. He took a seat at the dining room table of Jordan’s house. “Apparently, nearly four years ago, Jordan and Kent Taylor checked into Merciful Savior Hospital, where Jordan delivered a healthy seven-pound-eight-ounce baby girl. They named her Emily Grace Taylor.”
“What happened to her?”
“The hospital only has records of her birth, vaccinations, and pediatric wellness exams through age three.”
“Did you get the pediatrician’s name?”
“Sure did, boss. It’s Dr. LuAnn Voight.”
“Get on the horn and find out what happened after age three. We need to know where that child is. Keep searching this house for something that may tell us where Jordan Taylor and Agent Monroe are.”
Rachel Fry, the forensic team leader, addressed the chief. “Sir, we haven’t found any signs of a struggle or fingerprints belonging to Agent Monroe on-site. There aren’t any weapons here, and there’s nothing in the attic or basement that would lead us to think somebody had been held against their will. We’re spreading ourselves too thin. Half of the team is back at the precinct. I’d like them to check over the cruiser they brought back to the evidence garage as well. Should the rest of us move on to the Nels residence?”
Chief Boardman dug his fists into his pockets and jangled his keys—a sign of angst and frustration on his part. “Yeah, move out. I’ll have someone sit on the house.” He turned toward Officer Colby. “Colby, I’m stopping at the station to see how it’s going with the GPS history. After that, I’m heading to the Nels house. Call me the second you hear from Dr. Voight about Emily Taylor.”
“Will do, Chief.”
Chapter 35
I watched as Jordan paced back and forth across the garage. She looked to be on the verge of breaking, which could prove dangerous for me.
“We’re leaving in a few minutes. You’re either getting tied up in the back or you’re getting the needle. Decide now.”
“I’ll sit still. You already have me restrained.”
Jordan snickered “Yeah, right. Nice try. I guess you’re getting tied up. I don’t have much Methohexital left, anyway.”
I sighed with exhaustion. The drug was getting the best of me, I was underfed, and I wasn’t getting any exercise. My head throbbed most of the time, and I was constantly holding my bladder. I needed this to be over with, and I knew how worried everyone had to be. “Can I see the bottom of your shoes?”
Jordan laughed. “I didn’t realize you were into playing games.”
“I like games. Humor me.”
“Sure, why not?” Jordan lifted her feet to face me. “You have a thing for tread patterns?”
“Actually, I do. Yours look very similar to the pattern on the outside wall at Mark Fellenz’s house.”
Jordan twisted off the water bottle cap and gave me a sip. “No wonder you’re in the FBI. Very observant, Jade. I’ll admit, I’m impressed.”
I swallowed and wiped my mouth across my shoulder. “I have an idea that could benefit you. It’ll show good will.”
“Yeah, enlighten me, Agent Monroe. What can you do that I care about?”
“Let me call my partner, or at least my sister, to say I’m okay. That will take a lot of the pressure off my colleagues. Otherwise, their instructions will be to shoot to kill once they find us. Turn the locations tab off your phone. I only need a second.”
Jordan stood again and paced back and forth through the garage. I hoped she was pondering my suggestion.
“No partner. Who is your sister, and where is she?”
“My sister’s name is Amber. She’s a sweet kid that lives in Wisconsin, and she can convey the message to everyone else. I hate the thought of her worrying about me.”
“Nah, that’s not happening. Why would you want to upset your sister any more than she is?”
“It sounds like you care about people.”
“Don’t try to get in my head, Jade. I’m not stupid. A different name or the call is off the table.”
“Okay, my old partner, then, in Wisconsin. He has much tougher skin than Amber. You have to let me do this, Jordan, for your own safety.”
She spat at me and sneered. “Actually I don’t have to do a damn thing. You’re the one who went snooping in my business, if you recall.”
“My job is to uphold law and order.”
“So, now you’re Olivia Benson?” She laughed and swatted the air then pointed her index finger in my face. “Fine, but this is your only warning. If you say anything other than you’re okay, you’ll regret it. Tell me the phone number to call and don’t get your hopes up. I’m blocking the caller ID.”
I rattled off Jack’s number, and Jordan tapped the keys. She placed the phone next to my ear, and I listened to the ring. I willed Jack to answer and said a silent prayer that he would, but he didn’t. His voicemail picked up, and I left a ten-second message saying I was okay. Disappointment engulfed me, and all hope fell to the pit of my stomach. I needed Jack’s familiar voice. He was my savior, my true north. Always was and always would be. I understood why he didn’t answer the blocked call. They were usually telemarketers and I never answered blocked calls, either.
“You had your chance, and he didn’t pick up, but at least he knows you’re fine. It’s time to go.”
“Where to?”
“To an old friend’s house for a while, so get in the van. I need to tie you up.”
Chapter 36
Chief Boardman’s phone rang right as he reached the precinct. He noticed the name on the screen as he picked up. Officer Colby was calling.
“What did you find out, Colby?”
“The pediatrician finally got back to me. She said Emily Taylor died in a tragic accident on April 23. That was six months to the date of the first killing. Ted Arneson was murdered last Sunday, October 23.”
“Did the accident involve cement blocks?”
“You nailed it on the head, boss. Th
eir newly built retaining wall along the side yard collapsed after a solid week of rain. Apparently, the child was playing there, the wall fell, and she was buried under the rubble.”
“I wonder where the parents were.”
“The doctor didn’t have details about that, but she did say she recommended a counselor for Jordan. The therapist’s name is Dr. Alan Phelps. I’ve already left a message with his answering service.”
“Good work, Colby. Now we know the reason Jordan went off the deep end. What we don’t know is what spurred that six-month trigger. Keep digging and keep me posted. The news segments should be going out with Jordan’s name and face. It won’t be long before this nightmare is over and she’s in custody. I’ll call the agents and let them know our latest findings.”
Chief Boardman hung up and turned in to the precinct’s parking garage. The first spot nearest the door had his name on a placard bolted to the wall. He killed the engine and went inside then headed downstairs to the tech department. The best way to locate Agent Monroe would be to see where the cruiser had been in the last twenty-four hours.
He entered the well-lit room and approached Mike Walters. “What’s the word, Mike?”
“Hey, boss. I’m hooking up the cruiser’s GPS device to our system so I can open its history. I should have it ready to go in about fifteen minutes.”
“Call my cell the minute you know something.”
“Will do, sir.”
Mitch tapped the green telephone icon next to Agent Tam’s name, and she picked up immediately. “Michelle, I left the precinct a few minutes ago, and I’m heading to the Nels house. I have new information. Are you still there?”
“Yeah, I’m here. Give me just a second, I’m walking outside. This scene is as horrific as the others, Mitch.”
“I’m sure it is. I’ll update you in a few minutes. I’m almost there.” The chief clicked off and turned onto Pilgrim Avenue moments later. He saw Agent Tam standing on the sidewalk with Dave, Bruce, and J.T. He pulled his cruiser over to the curb and exited the vehicle.
Snapped: An Agent Jade Monroe FBI Thriller Book 1 Page 15