CRUEL DECEPTION (Det. Jason Strong(CLEAN SUSPENSE) Book 9)

by John C. Dalglish

  Stopping in front of a large white structure with adobe pink trim, the realty sign told him he had the right place. A large red banner declaring SOLD was plastered across the ‘for sale’ sign. Jason got out and went up to the door.

  As he went to ring the bell, the garage door started to open. A copper-colored Mercedes backed out onto the driveway and waited for the garage door to re-close. Jason walked over to the car and tapped on the passenger window. It slid down silently.

  “Can I help you?”

  “Marc Maxwell?”

  “Yes, who are you?”

  Jason produced his badge. “Detective Jason Strong, SAPD. Have you got a minute?”

  “Not really, Detective. What’s this about?”

  “Nikki Bostik.”

  Maxwell still had his foot on the brake and hadn’t taken the car out of reverse. “What about her?”

  “Did you know she was murdered?”

  “Yes, I saw it on the news.”

  Jason walked around to the driver’s side. He wanted to look this man in the eye. The car finally went into park and the driver window opened. Jason could smell the leather inside the car. “Wasn’t she your real estate agent?”

  “Yes, but I’ve retained a new agent now that she won’t be able to help me.”

  Jason couldn’t believe the coldness of the statement. He didn’t like this guy at all, but then again, that seemed to be the consensus opinion from anyone who knew him. Still, that didn’t make him a killer.

  “Where were you last night around six in the evening?”

  “Why? Am I a suspect?”

  “Just answer the question, please.”

  “No, I won’t. I don’t like the insinuation you’re making. You can contact my attorney with your questions.”

  Jason was about to ask who Maxwell’s attorney was, when the car was suddenly in reverse, and Marc Maxwell was gone.

  Jason watched him drive away. “Not nice talking to you, Mr. Maxwell.”

  *******

  Jason arrived home at four-forty-five. Sandy was dressed and ready to go. He took a quick shower and they were out the door. Jason tried to figure out what Vanessa might feel like eating. “What did you want to get for dinner?”

  “What about Chinese?” Sandy suggested.

  “I know Vanessa likes Chinese, but will it sit with her if she’s not feeling well.”

  “Actually, I thought we’d make sure we got some Won-ton soup. She should be able to eat that.”

  “Sounds good.”

  *******

  Thirty minutes later, they pulled up at their friends’ home. Sandy carried two bags of Chinese food as they went to the door where Rob was waiting for them.

  “Hey, you two. I’m glad you could make it.”

  Sandy held the bags out to Rob, who took them to the kitchen as they followed him.

  “We hoped Chinese would be alright. We weren’t sure what Vanessa would feel like eating.”

  Rob started taking food out the bags. “Ask her yourself. She’s on the deck.”

  Jason headed for the backdoor, but Sandy lagged behind. “I’ll help Rob with the food and be out in a minute.”

  Jason nodded and gave his wife a knowing look.

  Stepping out onto the deck, a breeze that carried a December chill stirred the air, and he found Vanessa sitting at the picnic table with a sweater on. He walked over and squeezed his partner tight. She looked up at him with red eyes.

  “Thanks.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  She touched his hand as he sat next to her. “I know, and I appreciate it.”

  “How are you doing?”

  “I’m okay. Rob and I had a good cry, a couple of them actually, and said some prayers. We’ll make it, and we won’t stop trying for more kids.”

  “What about physically? You okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m alright. The sleeping pills they gave me were more about calming me down than a need for pain relief.”

  “By the way, Banks wanted me to tell you she was thinking of you.”

  Vanessa nodded as the door to the deck opened again. This time Rob and Sandy came out carrying two plates each. Jason looked at Vanessa. “I was supposed to ask you if Chinese was okay.”

  Sandy smiled. “Too late now, here it is.”

  Vanessa accepted her plate. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

  They held hands, prayed over the meal and each other, then dug in to an array of eggrolls, sweet and sour meats, and fried won-tons. When they were stuffed, Rob got coffee for everyone, and the group fell silent.

  After listening to the breeze through the trees for awhile, Vanessa broke the silence.

  “My sister Rachel and her two daughters are coming for Christmas.”

  Jason knew Vanessa had a sister, it was her only family, but his partner rarely talked about her. The last mention he recalled was about a funeral.

  “Really? I’m sure you’ve told me, but where does she live again?”

  “North Carolina. Her husband is…was…an Air Force captain.”

  Sandy looked troubled. “Was?”

  “He was killed overseas this past January.”

  Sandy touched her friend’s arm. “That’s terrible. How old are the girls?”

  “Seven and four. Rachel thought it would be better if they weren’t home this Christmas. When I called to tell her what happened with the baby, she said she would come see me. I told her to wait a couple weeks and bring the girls.”

  “That’s a great idea. How long since you’ve seen her?”

  “I went back east for the funeral.”

  Sandy’s smile was warm and reassuring. “It’ll be good for both of you, and I can’t wait to meet your nieces.”

  Vanessa brightened. “They’re great! Amanda, who likes to be called Mandy, is the oldest. Melissa is the youngest.”

  “I can’t wait!”

  Chapter 3

  He sat in his car waiting. Soon, the same client he’d watched the last several weeks would exit the office building. He’d wait a few minutes, and then set out to complete his task.

  Knowing the patterns of The Phillips Law Group office over the past few weeks had reassured him the target would be alone. He was ready to take the second step in his plan. He opened the center console and removed a pair of brown leather driving gloves.

  Pulling them on was more difficult this time. The dried blood had shrunk the palms and he would have to get a new pair for step three. With a final tug, he got the last fingers to go in. He was ready.

  *******

  Carly Simmons sat across from her lawyer, who she now considered a friend, in her office. She’d received the recommendation to see Lori Mason from Nikki, and now the two of them were trying to discuss Carly’s case, but both women found it hard to focus.

  Repeatedly, they stopped to talk about what had happened to their friend, examining the why, trying to understand something that refused to make sense.

  Lori Mason, petite with jet black hair and dark skin, sat back in her chair. “Are they looking at Larry?”

  Carly shrugged. “I don’t know. He seems harmless to me.”

  “Trust me, nobody is harmless. Nikki took him to the cleaners in the divorce, especially in reference to Corey.”

  “So you think it could’ve been him?”

  “I don’t know. I can’t imagine anybody wanting to hurt Nikki. She was so sweet.”

  “That’s what I keep thinking. Did the police talk to you?”

  Lori shook her head. “No.”

  “They did me. They asked me if the letters K-C meant anything.”

  “K-C?”

  “Yeah, apparently Nikki wrote that on the wall before she died. I couldn’t think of anything.”

  The lawyer sat forward, her eyebrows scrunched in thought. “I can’t remember her ever saying anything about Kansas City, or any other K-C.”

  “I think the police were hoping it was someone’s initials.”

  “Makes sense,” Lo
ri sighed. “Let’s call it a night. I’ll send the terms to you in an email and we’ll fine-tune them next week.”

  Carly picked up her purse and rose to leave. “Sounds fine to me.”

  “Good. Talk to you later.”

  Carly let herself out and crossed the parking lot to her car. Exhausted from the events of the last couple days, she dreaded the visitation for Nikki that loomed tomorrow. Starting her car, she headed home for a bath and another restless night of trying to sleep.

  *******

  Darkness was settling on San Antonio like a soft blanket, forcing the warmth of the sun out of the western sky and letting the moon take control. He watched the woman start her car and drive off.

  Studying the glowing digital face of his watch, he waited for five minutes to tick away. When the last digit flipped, he reached over and picked up the knife. Step two was in motion.

  Moving quickly and quietly across the dimly lit parking lot, he found the door still open, as he expected, and slid inside. Stopping, he listened for a noise to tell him the location of his prey. A door closed.

  The bathroom.

  Gripping the knife tighter still, he moved to the area outside the bathroom, pinning himself where the door would hide him when she opened it. The sound of a toilet flushing was followed by the sink running. Seconds later, she came out.

  Lori Mason walked away from him toward her office. Two quick steps and he launched himself at her. Knocking her to the floor, she screamed, but his gloved hand muffled her voice.

  Holding the knife across her throat with the other, one quick slash and she’d never scream again. It was over in an instant. He sat back against the wall and waited.

  Studying the glowing digital face of his watch, he waited for five minutes to tick away.

  *******

  Katherine Jenkins popped open her umbrella and headed across the parking lot. A storm front had come through overnight, and the day was already feeling more like Christmas time.

  Holding the umbrella against the biting wind and rain, she managed to make it to the door with only her bottom half soaked.

  As an undergraduate law student, she had been thrilled to land this clerk job with Phillips Law, but it meant being the first one in every morning. As she went to put the key in the door, she realized the light was on in Lori Mason’s office, and the door was already unlocked. She shook out the umbrella, put it in the stand by the door, and called out. “Lori, you’re here early.”

  She reached over by the door and turned on the bulk of the office lights, and then went to start a pot of coffee. As she walked toward the lunchroom, she went past Lori’s door, and poked her head in to say good morning.

  Something was wrong. Lori wasn’t at her desk and the office was eerily still. As she went to enter the office, something out of place caught her eye. Slumped on the floor was a body with blood pooled under it.

  Everything seemed to move in slow motion as Katherine’s gaze was drawn to the writing on the front of the lawyer’s desk. The scene was so ghastly that her brain detached from reality, and tried to focus on what the letters said, but then her emotions caught up with her vision. She screamed and everything went black.

  When she came to, the scene hadn’t changed, and Katherine had to force herself to move. Crawling backward in an awkward crab motion, she waited until she couldn’t see the body, before standing and running to the phone.

  *******

  Jason shielded his head with the morning paper and dashed to the car. The cold, wet wind made the day raw and miserable, much like his mood. His heart was still sad for Vanessa and Rob, and he didn’t have much to go on in the Nikki Bostik murder.

  As he pulled his seatbelt on, his phone started to ring.

  “This is Strong.”

  “Jason, it’s me.”

  “Hey, Vanessa. How are you doing this morning?”

  “I feel okay, and if I kept Rob home to worry over me again, I was going to lose my mind.”

  Jason laughed. “He just loves you like crazy, you know that.”

  “Of course, but I decided to come to work anyway.”

  “Work? Are you at the station?”

  “Yes.”

  Jason immediately wondered if that was such a good idea. “Are you sure…”

  “Jason…” She cut him off. “I need to work.”

  There was no point arguing with her. He figured Rob had already tried to discourage her, and if her husband had failed, Jason knew he would as well. “Okay. I’ll be in shortly.”

  “Good, because I’m afraid we have another killing.”

  “Another? What do you mean?”

  “A lawyer was killed with a knife last night and there was writing left in the blood.”

  “Crap…I’m on my way.”

  *******

  Vanessa was waiting for him when he pulled into the station parking lot. Carrying a file folder, she stepped out from under the portico where she’d sheltered herself from the rain. When she climbed into Jason’s car, the wind helped slam the door closed. “Lovely weather!”

  “At least it’s not snow.”

  “You always were a glass-half-full type.” She handed him a piece of paper. “The address is on the east side of the city.”

  Jason glanced at the note and pulled out into traffic. They rode without speaking for a long time, until finally Jason couldn’t help himself.

  “I’m glad to have you back, but I’m not sure it’s such a good idea.”

  He expected a withering look suggesting he mind his own business, but Vanessa smiled instead. “Look, I know you’re worried about me, and I appreciate it. I won’t say that all is peachy, but working was the best way I could think of to not focus on what happened. Can you understand that?”

  He nodded. “Of course, but if you need to talk, both Sandy and I are here.”

  “I know and thanks.”

  Jason wheeled the car into the parking lot of The Phillips Law Group. The office building had been constructed to resemble a castle, with fake towers and old-fashioned glass. Considering the gloomy weather, Jason had one thought. “You think Dracula is home?”

  Vanessa laughed. “It does have an interesting vibe, doesn’t it?”

  Yellow tape flitted around the building as police car lights reflected off of everything. The parking lot was full of emergency vehicles, the only exceptions being two cars, a gray sedan and a silver Cadillac. They got out and jogged through the rain to the entrance.

  Showing their badges to the officer at the door, he held it open for the detectives and pointed to the right. Following his direction, they found one of Doc Davis’s assistants standing over the body. Also in the room were another officer and the forensic photographer.

  Jason didn’t recognize the coroner’s assistant. “What have we got?”

  The young man bent down. “Knife slash, here at the throat, and the victim bled out. I would guess TOD would be between five and eight last night.”

  Vanessa had her notepad out and gestured to the photographer. “Did you get pictures of the writing?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “When’s the rest of the forensic team going to be here?”

  “They’re on route now.”

  Jason examined the letters on the front of the desk. “A-T-T.”

  Vanessa shook her head. “K-C at the first scene, now A-T-T here. Surely it’s not something to do with the phone company?”

  Jason shrugged, and looked at the responding officer. “Who reported the murder?”

  “A law clerk.” He flipped open his book. “Katherine Jenkins.”

  “Is she here?”

  “Yes, she’s sitting in the lunchroom down the hall with my partner.”

  “Okay, thanks.”

  Jason and Vanessa headed down toward the end of the hall. They walked into a bright white kitchen that looked larger than it really was. Sitting at a small four-person table was a girl in her early twenties, her long black hair partially obscuring her red,
swollen eyes. She held a towel to the back of her head.

  Jason recognized the far-away stare of shock. “Miss Jenkins?”

  “Yes?”

  Vanessa had stayed in the hall to get the responding officer’s report. Jason pulled out a chair and sat opposite her. “Can I get you anything?”

  She shook her head. “No.”

  “Can you tell me what happened this morning?”

  “Sure.” She seemed to gather herself before repeating the story. “I came in first, as I always do, and turned on the lights. I noticed Lori had beaten me in, which is unusual, but didn’t think anything about it. I was on my way to start coffee when I looked into her office.”

  He gestured toward the towel. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. I guess I passed out and hit my head. I’ll have a bump but that’s all.”

  “Was the door locked when you arrived?”

  “No, but seeing Lori’s light, I didn’t think anything of it.”

  “What about the back door?”

  “I don’t know, I didn’t check.”

  Jason got up. “Excuse me, I’ll be right back.”

  He walked out to where Vanessa was talking to the officer and interrupted. “Was the back door locked when you arrived?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Did you find anything out back?”

  “Only the victim’s car, but they’re still searching the area.”

  Jason returned to the lunchroom.

  “Do you know who Miss Mason’s last appointment was with?”

  “She had her regular appointment with Mrs. Simmons. They’ve been meeting once a week for several months now.”

  “Okay, thanks. I’m going to let you go home now. Do you need a ride?”

  “No, I’ll be okay.”

  After she was gone, Jason caught up with Vanessa. “Learn anything?”

  “Our victim wasn’t married, and had been known to stay late.”

  “What about the firm?”