A Serial Affair

by Natalie Dunbar

“Why me, then Harrison?” Gerry asked hoarsely.

  “Because the killer seems to be going in alphabetical order,” Marina answered.

  “For the record, I’m innocent,” Marshall said, anger creeping into his voice. “I never did anything to any stupid bitch who wasn’t willing.”

  The others shot him traitorous looks. Marina’s eyes narrowed.

  “We’re innocent, too,” Harrison stormed in a tone that made Marina wish she could read his mind. “We proved our innocence in court.”

  With that farce of a trial? She didn’t say it out loud, but Marina noticed that none of them could meet her gaze. “Right now, what the serial killer thinks is the only thing that matters,” she snapped.

  Reed’s lips formed a straight line. He pushed on in a grim tone. “We’ll start by keeping up the increased patrols in your areas. We want you to check in with us regularly and report anything suspicious. This is also the time to stay away from strangers and any of the women who went to Merriwhether, at least until this thing is over with.”

  The other men nodded.

  “With the limited resources we have, we’re focusing on Gerry,” Marina explained, “but we’re making the most of undercover support for the rest of you, so at any given time you could be under surveillance.”

  As the meeting ended, Reed and Marina planned to get back to Gerry with a schedule and pledged to stay in contact with the others.

  Marina felt as if they were moving forward again. She would spend the rest of the afternoon scrubbing the list of possible killers.

  As the others got up and left, Harrison hung back, insisting on speaking to them alone. They closed the door once more.

  “You know that I was the one who found Aubrey after those women attacked him on campus years ago?” he began, looking a little pale.

  “Yes. We have that information in the files,” Marina assured him.

  Harrison’s eyes took on a faraway look. “I saw them running away. If I hadn’t showed up, they would have killed him.”

  What he said was true. Marina had seen the police report and the pictures in the file.

  “One of the women got time in jail and two years probation,” Reed noted. “They never identified the other.”

  “Yeah, but have you checked her alibi for the night Aubrey and the others were killed?” A note of fear crept into his voice.

  “We’ve been chasing other leads, but I’ll check on this woman’s alibis today,” Marina promised.

  Harrison ran a hand that trembled just a little through his hair. “I guess I’ve got a little time if Gerry’s next,” he murmured.

  Reed put a hand on Harrison’s shoulder. “We’re going to catch this killer before anyone else gets killed.”

  “Well, I’m counting on you to catch the killer, Lieutenant.” Harrison’s voice was dangerously close to a sob. After about a minute he turned and went for the door. “I gotta go.”

  Neither Reed nor Marina spoke as Harrison’s footsteps echoed down the hall. They gathered their notes and things and started back to the task force office.

  “That Harrison is kind of strange,” Marina noted.

  Reed inclined his head. “Yeah, I thought the same thing, too, but he’s probably more scared than anything. Out of all of them he’s the last one I’d pick as the perpetrator of any violent activity.”

  “That’s for sure.” Inserting her key into the lock, she opened the door to the task force office and stepped inside.

  Reed followed. “Have you got an address on the woman who attacked Aubrey?”

  Plopping down in her office chair, she riffled through her files. “Her name was Jasmine O’Leary. I’ve got an old one from the university, but it’s probably no good. Her probation officer is bound to have a current one. Let’s find out who it is and see.”

  Luck was with them this time because they ran a police computer search on Jasmine O’Leary’s name and came up with a new address and her probation officer’s name.

  Marina studied Jasmine’s picture. The woman had movie star looks and a wiry, well-proportioned build. Before she’d done six months in jail, she’d had a major role in a play at the university theater. Noting the determined angle of Jasmine’s chin and the fearless look in her eyes, Marina wondered if nearly killing Aubrey Russell had satisfied her need for revenge. Could Jasmine be on a twisted rampage of justice and revenge? And if she was, she’d surely learned better ways to cover her tracks during her prison stint.

  Marina’s brows furrowed. She and Reed would have to tread very carefully with Jasmine O’Leary.

  CHAPTER 12

  It was lunchtime and for once Marina wasn’t even thinking of food. She and Reed were in Forest Park where Jasmine O’Leary stayed and worked as the manager of Bailey’s, a retail clothing store.

  Marina walked into the store and immediately recognized Jasmine where she stood behind the counter talking to a customer. She had added a flattering amount of weight to her wiry, five-foot-eleven build. The short black suit complimented the blond hair she’d pinned up. Her gaze intensified, recognition and resignation dawning in her blue eyes. “I’ll be with you in a minute,” she said pleasantly.

  Marina used the time to look through the sections of clothes for a cocktail dress. She hadn’t bought anything sexy since her promotion. The rack filled with vibrant red, pink, fuchsia and blue caught her attention. Her closet already brimmed with colorful things. With thoughts of trying to be more conservative, she went through the rack of little black dresses first. One with a side split and a diagonal cutout across the breasts caught her eye and she held it up in the light.

  Reed shook his head. “Nice, but you know that’s not you,” Reed said.

  “How do you know I haven’t changed?” she retorted.

  “You haven’t,” he said with authority. With that, he rummaged through the stands filled with colorful gowns. He pulled out a red halter dress with a dropped waist and handkerchief skirt.

  Tilting her head, Marina shot him a look of surprise. It was exactly what she’d been looking for. Now what do you do with a man like that? she wondered. In her innermost thoughts she’d been having dreams of letting their time together extend past the time they spent working on the task force. She’d been thinking of keeping him.

  “That gown would look wonderful on you.” Jasmine spoke from just behind Marina.

  The chime on the door rang as the other customer opened the door and left the shop.

  Jasmine’s gaze rested on Marina. “You’re not really here to shop, are you?”

  “No.” Marina stepped away from the rack of dresses. “I’m Special Agent Marina Santos and this is Lieutenant Reed Crawford of the Chicago Police Department. We need to talk to you about what you were doing two nights ago.”

  Sighing, Jasmine drew her shoulders back. “You mean, the night that Flint Huber got himself killed?”

  Reed replaced the red dress and rounded the racks of clothing. “That’s exactly what we mean.”

  Jasmine’s lips tightened. “I was wondering how long it would take you to get to me. I saw both of you on the news last night. Did you know that I was raped at a campus party by a couple of guys from Alpha Kappa Epsilon?” Her tone increased in volume. “One of them was Aubrey Russell, and he put something in my drink. Yes, a friend and I tried to even the score by beating him up. I’ve always been good with my fists. I know now that I should have taken my chances in court.”

  Marina met her angry gaze. “Did you kill Aubrey Russell?”

  Jasmine shook her head. “No, but I’m not surprised or sorry someone else did. He took something that can’t be replaced and I will never, ever be the same.”

  “Where were you the night before last?” Reed asked.

  “I went to the Scream concert with my friend Kara. I’ve got ticket stubs, drink receipts, and it didn’t end until two in the morning,” she answered in an energy-filled voice. “My friend can verify that I didn’t leave early.”

  Reed named the date
that Elliot had been killed and asked for Jasmine’s alibi.

  Her forehead wrinkled as she tried to remember, then her tension dissolved in a smile. “I got a new boyfriend. That was our first night together. His name is Dustyn Fogerty.”

  “What about the night Aubrey Russell was killed?” Marina asked, naming the date.

  “I think I was out with friends. You can’t expect me to remember everything just like that,” Jasmine complained.

  “But it’s not just like that, is it?” Marina pushed. “You said you were wondering how long it would take us to get to you. If that’s true, why wouldn’t you spend time thinking about what you’d say when we got here?”

  Jasmine simply shook her head. “I’m giving you the truth. I spent six months in prison because of Aubrey Russell and my own stupidity. Why would I give him more than he’s already taken?”

  “Maybe going to prison made you that much more determined to get him for good,” Reed suggested.

  “So why would I wait so long to go after them?”

  Marina slanted Jasmine a glance. “Six months in prison and two years of probation—add a couple of months to make sure you’re not being watched and the timing is perfect.”

  Jasmine’s chin came up. “That’s not how it is with me. I’ll give you the names, addresses and phone numbers for Dustyn and my friends to verify my alibi. Other than that, I can’t help you. I didn’t kill anyone.”

  The facts they’d gathered had been going ’round and ’round in Marina’s head for days. Now they were beginning to settle into a pattern. She moved closer, studying Jasmine’s face. “Who was the woman who helped you attack Aubrey Russell at Merriwhether?”

  Jasmine froze for a few startling moments. Her mouth opened and closed. “I…don’t remember.”

  Marina expelled her breath in an incredulous huff. “You don’t remember the woman who helped you beat the crap out a man who raped you? A woman who got away with it and no jail time? I don’t believe it.”

  “It was someone new to the crisis center and she didn’t come back after that.”

  “So what did she look like?”

  “Average everything.”

  “What color hair?”

  “Brunette?”

  “You mean, she wasn’t blond?” Reed asked in a tone that implied he might know more.

  “I—I really don’t remember.” Jasmine looked scared.

  “What are you hiding? Who are you trying to protect?” Marina asked, pressuring her.

  “I’m not hiding anything. I’m not protecting anyone, either.” Jasmine covered her face with her hands. “I paid for my crime. Can’t you all just leave me alone?”

  Marina lowered her tone. “Not until we get what we came for.”

  “We need everything you’ve got to support your alibis for the night of each murder and the contact information for you friends,” Reed explained.

  “Okay.” Sniffling, Jasmine dropped her hands. Her eyes were damp.

  Reed and Marina shared a glance as Jasmine went to the counter to write out the information. That’s when Marina realized that they’d been playing good cop/bad cop. She’d always known that they’d make a good team.

  Jasmine agreed to drop the rest of her information by the station in the morning. If she couldn’t find her ticket stubs, Marina knew she could check with the credit card company.

  “Do you remember the name of the woman who used to run the crisis center on campus?” Marina asked idly as she and Reed prepared to leave.

  Jasmine nodded, some of the animation returning to her face. “Elizabeth Hatcher. She was good. She made us all realize that we were not powerless, and not just people in the crisis center. Ms. Hatcher counseled and worked with some of the groups formed through the Student Advocate Office.”

  Marina’s eyes narrowed. “Didn’t Hatcher counsel the group you were in with the woman who helped you beat Aubrey Russell?”

  Jasmine’s fingers closed around the ink pen so tightly that her knuckles were white. “Yes,” she said in a barely audible tone.

  “And you still can’t remember your helper’s name?” Reed interjected.

  “No.” Jasmine shook her head. “No.”

  “Jasmine, we’ll check your alibis and let you know when and if you’re clear,” Reed said as they wrapped up the interview. Lowering his voice, he turned to Marina, inclining his head. “I think you should buy the dress.”

  Something in his voice sent a fission of heat shimmering through her. “Really? So do I,” she quipped. Opening her bag, she reached for her wallet.

  Once they were back in the car, Marina faced Reed and said, “The more I hear about Elizabeth Hatcher, the more I know we need to talk to her. She was heading the group at Merriwhether when the women attacked Aubrey. I’m betting that she knows who the other woman was. We’re talking about someone who helped beat the man enough to put him in a hospital. We don’t know her story, but it could easily cover enough for her to go after all those men. After what happened with Huber, we’ve got to jump on this as soon as we can. We’re going after Hatcher first thing in the morning.”

  CHAPTER 13

  Reed pulled into the lot of a little Italian restaurant.

  Marina’s hand went to her stomach. She had been feeling a little weak. Forgetting to eat was unusual for her, but the truth was that she had been totally absorbed in solving the case.

  The restaurant looked like something Marina had dreamed up. The waiter wore a black suit with a white shirt and bow tie. The small cozy tables were linen-covered and featured bottles of wine, crystal wineglasses and intimate candle lighting. Romantic music played in the background.

  Reed’s and Marina’s glances met and held. Reed shrugged. “Hey, people have been telling me about this place for a long time. I just thought we’d try it.”

  Marina didn’t believe that for a minute. She guessed that this was Reed’s answer to dating her without dating her, and she liked it. Their table sat in a semiprivate little alcove. Smiling, she opened her menu and immediately saw what she wanted in the list of entrées: chicken cacciatore.

  They ordered food and a glass of wine each. Since it was almost three in the afternoon, Marina reasoned that they were probably done for the day. While they sipped their wine they stared at each other. The energy between them was so strong that Marina couldn’t stop thinking about how it had felt to kiss Reed.

  “Remember our bet?” he prompted with a smile.

  Damn, that silly bet. She felt the blood rush to her face. Why had she bet Reed that the Alpha Kappa Epsilon fraternity would not be the link between the victims? It had been a sucker bet. Granted there were other links, but this was a major one.

  Marina wet her lips. “What do you want?”

  Speculation lit his eyes and sent her pulse racing. She’d said that she wouldn’t sleep with him. Now she knew it had been a lie.

  “Reed?” Marina prompted, forcing herself to breathe.

  His eyes darkened. “A kiss. I want a kiss.”

  “Yes,” she whispered. She wanted it, too.

  They shared a smile as he leaned across the little table, his face inching closer and closer. Again, the heat rushed her face. She felt it spread, inside and out. When his warm hands touched her wrists and slid up her arms in a massaging motion, her lids drifted shut.

  His warm, soft lips touched hers, enveloping them and invoking a fluttery tingle of sensation that spread through her and made her yearn to immerse herself in him. She tilted her face up, silently begging for more.

  Deepening the kiss, Reed slipped his tongue between her lips. With a heartfelt sigh, Marina reveled in the dizzying taste of Reed and red wine. They pulled apart reluctantly.

  Abruptly the sound of the background music and the low buzz of conversation in the restaurant rushed back at her. She and Reed stared at each other, silently acknowledging that sometime, somewhere, there would be a lot more to follow the kiss.

  The waiter brought their food. They began to eat,
still maintaining that invisible connection.

  “We need to talk,” she murmured between delicious bites of food. She’d come to a decision.

  “About last night?” His tone pulled at something deep inside her.

  She slanted a glance. “I understand last night and I’m not drunk now. Neither are you. I want to talk about last year.”

  Something flickered in his eyes and was gone before she could name it. “I don’t. Let’s enjoy the moment.”

  Sooner or later she was going to have to say it. Marina hated apologies. She’d been gathering her courage ever since she realized that she falling for Reed again. “I—I want to apologize for how I ended things last year.”