TRACE - CSI Reilly Steel #5 (Forensic novel Police Procedural Series)

by Casey Hill

  In the kitchen, he prepared the syringe with the liquid hemlock. It would have to be half for each woman, but it wouldn’t affect the efficacy. Hemlock was deadly. There was no antidote.

  Because of his concentration, and the extreme care he was taking with the hemlock, he didn’t see the big man lurking behind the door. In fact, Tony had no idea that his deadly banquet was over until he found himself face down on the shiny bench.

  Someone roughly cuffed him, and though he struggled wildly, he was thrown into his own freezer. ‘Hope it’s not too chilly in there,’ said the voice. ‘But I can’t have you sampling your own concoction.’

  Chapter 47

  It had taken all of Chris’s strength not to kill Tony Ellis with his bare hands there and then. But he had more important things to deal with, and the main thing was that the guy didn’t get away.

  When he got to Reilly, his heart was in his mouth. It seemed to be an eternity before he found her pulse, faint through her cold skin and fading with every second. He placed his warm mouth over her cold one and breathed into it, until Pete Kennedy burst through the door like a white knight, a small tribe of guards behind him.

  Reilly had no idea of the chaos that was caused by her adventure at Hammer and Tongs. The scene was madness as ambulances arrived like angels of mercy and cops swarmed the place. Tony Ellis was found in the restaurant freezer in a state of trauma. Being locked in there had brought back the hours of his childhood spent locked in dark places. His confession was swift but garbled. They would re-interview him again once he had undergone a psychiatric assessment.

  Constance Dell was revived quickly at the hospital, having spent less time under the influence of the drug. Reilly was a trickier case. She was deep under, and her pregnancy complicated things.

  Chris had to ring and break the news to Mike. He would be on the next flight, he said, panicked. Chris hoped that the urgency wouldn't panic her dad too much and the long flight back over the Atlantic might tip him off the wagon. That was the last thing Reilly needed.

  He sat in the waiting room outside emergency all night long. He fielded calls from Jack and Lucy Gorman, Gary, everyone who knew and loved the fearless Reilly.

  Lucy was especially upset. ‘She’s done so much for me,’ she sobbed down the phone. ‘Please tell me she’s going to be OK.’

  But Chris couldn’t tell her that. To everyone, he had to repeat the same thing, over and over: ‘I don’t know. I don’t know what will happen.’

  Kennedy sat with him through the long night. He was grim faced, but stoic. ‘We won’t lose her,’ he told Chris. ‘She’s tough as old steak, that one.’

  Reilly would appreciate the sentiment, if not the comparison, thought Chris.

  Near dawn, the doctor came and gave them the welcome news that Reilly would be OK.

  ‘She’s very sleepy,’ he told them. ‘It was an extremely close call, but you can see her for a minute or two.’

  ‘And the baby?’ asked Chris, completely forgetting about Kennedy’s presence.

  ‘Yes, the baby will be fine as well,’ he said. ‘But Ms Steel will need to rest and stay off her feet for the next few weeks.’

  Chris was so relieved he didn’t even notice his partner’s jaw almost drop to the floor.

  Reilly opened her eyes when Chris entered her room. ‘Did we get him?’ she asked.

  ‘We got him, Reilly. You got him.’

  ‘And is everything…?’

  ‘The baby’s going to be fine,’ he told her, his eyes shining a little.

  She smiled and drifted back to sleep. Chris shook his head in wonderment. She truly was as tough as “old steak.”

  Chapter 48

  Within ten days, Reilly was back at her desk, though with vastly reduced hours.

  Her father had stayed with her for a week and it had been wonderful to spend the extended time with him. They had some very tough conversations where Reilly had to figure out her plans for the future. Her father was adamant that she talk to Todd Forrest, and soon.

  She knew the time ahead would be hard, but she also knew that it would be worth it. She would have help, too, one way or another.

  ‘Welcome back, Reilly,’ said Jack Gorman on her return. ‘It’s very good to see you here again.’

  ‘Thanks,’ she said. ‘I hope that you’re feeling better, too.’

  ‘It’s been a hard time,’ admitted Jack. ‘Lots of joy, lots of grieving. But it’s given me some perspective that perhaps I didn’t have before.’

  ‘That’s good,’ said Reilly. ‘I know that Lucy is happy that the two of you have become closer.’

  Jack smiled. It made him very happy as well, to have gotten to know his youngest daughter better over the past few weeks. He wasn’t going to let that slip away from him.

  ‘Also, while you were in the hospital, the chief sent over a request from Tony Ellis’ last almost-victim, Constance Dell. She wants to meet you personally and say thank you. Here are her details. It’s your choice whether you follow it up of course.’

  Reilly took the piece of paper. As a rule, she didn’t normally engage with victims. But she was breaking just about every rule in the book these days. Baby brain, wasn't that what they called it? That was her excuse anyway.

  So why not one more?

  Reilly met Constance Dell on a bright summer’s day at a cafe in the city centre.

  ‘Thanks for seeing me,’ said Constance. ‘I just feel like I needed a little bit of closure. It’s been a really tough couple of weeks. And I want to thank you,’ she said sincerely. ‘For saving my life that night. You almost lost your own and I would have felt responsible.’

  ‘I’s my job,’ said Reilly.

  Constance raised her eyebrows. ‘Your job is to go rushing in on serial killers as they go about their work, completely unprotected? Forgive me if I say that I don’t envy you.’

  Reilly laughed. ‘Sometimes my methods aren’t entirely orthodox. You’re not having flashbacks or anything are you?’

  ‘I’m getting some help to deal with it all,’ Constance admitted. ‘But the hardest thing is learning about my mother’s role in all of this. I mean, I know her to be a difficult woman, but I never dreamed that this was in her past.’

  ‘It’s a hard thing to deal with,’ said Reilly.

  ‘I think she’s only just coming to terms with how bad her treatment of Tony Ellis actually was. She’s felt guilty about it for years, but she’s blocked out so much else. And it’s so hard to see her as that cruel woman. I mean, it’s hard not to feel sorry for him. He was just a helpless child.’

  ‘It’s easy to feel sorry for the child,’ said Reilly. ‘But the man had a choice too. He didn’t have to prey on helpless women.’

  ‘I know,’ said Constance. ‘It’s hard to think that the nice guy I met was actually a killer.’

  ‘Serial killers are very good at hiding their true natures,’ said Reilly. ‘Many of them are charming. None of this is your fault. He manipulated your emotions so that you would feel sorry for him. If you’re guilty of anything, it’s being too kind.’

  ‘I just wonder if I should start taking things a bit more seriously. I’m always out and about, trying to suck the most fun out of life. Maybe I should try to settle down a bit, be a bit more level headed.’

  Reilly smiled and shook her head. ‘That’s exactly what you shouldn’t do,’ she said. ‘Or, you should do what you want, but I’ll tell you something: the world needs joy. It need people like you, just like it needs more serious people like me. Just follow your instincts, and you’ll be fine. If I’ve learnt one thing, it’s that you have to trust in yourself.’

  ‘I’ll drink to that,’ said Constance, raising her coffee to Reilly’s cranberry juice.

  Now that the investigation that had sucked up so much of their time was over, Reilly didn’t see much of Chris.

  She tried not to think too much about him either, and how good it felt waking up to see his fa
ce while she was in the hospital. Whatever was between them would have to remain unspoken. Things were just too complicated just now.

  When she had thought she was going to die, her thoughts had been about the baby. For the first time, she had thought of it as a real thing. She had been afraid for it. But now that things were back to normal, Reilly felt the familiar fears for her career and the life she knew, and whether or not she would make a good mother.

  Chris sought her out at the lab one day and asked her to go for a coffee. ‘Or a banana smoothie or something,’ he joked. ‘Whatever you’re allowed.’

  She found she couldn’t say no. He had saved her life after all. And whatever else, he was her friend.

  ‘Did I ever thank you for that, by the way?’ she asked.

  ‘Thank me for what?’

  ‘Saving my life - again.’

  Chris smiled. ‘Well, not in so many words, not exactly. But you’ve been busy. And I, you know, sensed your gratitude.’

  She laughed. ‘Well, I’m glad. Because I am very grateful, Chris. In know it was stupid of me to go rushing in like that. But I couldn’t help myself. I had made too many mistakes and I needed to save that girl. I just couldn’t have another one on my conscience.’

  ‘I know,’ he said. ‘I felt the same.’

  ‘Does it ever keep you up at night? Thinking of all the ones you couldn’t save?’

  He grimaced. ‘Sometimes, yeah it does. I think back through the years to all these cases. Young women, young men. Old women and men. And I think if only I could have stayed one step ahead, or just have gotten there a little sooner, then everything could be different.’

  ‘If we were superheroes.’

  ‘Exactly. But you can only do what you can do. You can’t be perfect.’

  ‘I guess,’ said Reilly, ‘that I should take that advice. Just focus on taking each day as it comes, doing what I can do.’

  ‘I think that’s a good idea,’ he said. Then he exhaled, as if unsure whether or not to continue. ‘And I know you’ll be a good mum, Reilly. You don’t need to worry.’

  ‘Ah, but I do. I do worry. I worry that my whole life will change and I won’t be able to keep up.’

  ‘You know,’ he said. ‘I do have some experience with children. I can help you, if you’re still staying around here that is. I make a pretty good babysitter.’

  She smiled, feeling unbelievably sad for some reason. ‘That’s good to know. Thank you. And if I am still here, I’ll definitely take you up on it.’

  ‘So you are thinking of going back to the States then?’

  ‘It depends, really. On whether…’ she trailed off.

  Of course, thought Chris. It depends on whether Todd Forrest was going to be involved or not. Well, he would be a fool not to.

  ‘OK,’ he said. ‘Just as long as you know that I’m here. For whatever.’

  She nodded. It was comforting to know that she could count on someone.

  But deep down, she knew that she would be alone, really. It was her life and her future, and it was up to her to keep it afloat.

  Later when she got home she thought about her earlier question to Chris: Do you think about all the ones you couldn’t save?

  She knew that she did. It was something that took up a lot of her mental space, that kept her going and kept her focused on her job. All those faceless women that she hadn’t saved. Sometimes the feeling of responsibility got so strong that Reilly felt like she should have been able to reach back through the years and save her own mother, her own sister too. Keep them close and safe and out of harm’s way. She had tried with Jess, but she had failed. Badly.

  But Chris was right, she thought, staring out of her window at the budding leaves on the trees, her phone in hand.

  You could only do what you could do. And she would, she realized, as she brought up Todd’s number. She knew she was strong enough.

  As the world kept going, and tragedy kept knocking at her door, Reilly would be there to meet it, in all its guises.

  It was just what she did.

  THE END

  Enjoyed this story? Read other titles in the Reilly Steel series by Casey Hill available now, or save over 50% by downloading the first three books in a 3 Book box set.

  Read on for an excerpt of TABOO - book one in the Reilly Steel series.

  Taboo

  CSI Reilly Steel #1

  Casey Hill

  San Francisco Bay area, California

  ‘Go on, Reilly, I dare you.’

  ‘Jess, forget it – I’m not doing it, OK?’ Reilly Steel trundled along the path on her way home from school. Her younger sister skipped along in front of her, her fluffy blond pigtails bouncing with every step. She hated collecting her sister from school – all her friends got to hang out at the mall, but no, she had to go get Jess, take her home, give her a snack, make sure she did her homework. ‘You know Dad says we should stay away from him,’ she said.

  Twenty yards ahead, an old man walked slowly back and forth across his yard, raking leaves. Dressed in an old flannel shirt and dirty overalls, he had a pronounced stoop, thin silver hair raked across his head and large gnarled hands wrapped round the handle of the rake. It was fall; the leaves were turning on the trees, the sun sinking lower in the sky with each passing day.

  Jess looked at Reilly, her clear blue eyes shining with mischief. ‘Go on, say something to him.’

  ‘Didn’t you hear what I just said? We’re not supposed to talk to that guy.’

  ‘But why?’

  Reilly exhaled in annoyance. ‘Why what, Jess?’

  ‘Why aren’t we supposed to talk to Mr Reynolds?’

  She glanced at the older man and shivered. Randy Reynolds they called him – word was he had a taste for little girls. Jess was staring at him, her eyes wide with fascination as though she half knew the truth.

  ‘He’s a bad guy. He … does things to little girls,’ Reilly said, finally. She gave her sister a nudge. ‘Come on, let’s get going.’

  Jess didn’t move. ‘What kind of things?’

  Reilly sighed. She knew her sister well enough to recognize that look – Jess wasn’t going anywhere until her question had been answered. ‘Well, he likes to … touch girls—’

  ‘Touch them?’

  ‘Touch their bits, you know … like their private parts,’ she continued, uncomfortably.

  Understanding suddenly dawned in Jess’s eyes. ‘Eeew! Why would he want to do that?’

  How to explain to a wide-eyed ten-year-old when in all honesty Reilly didn’t get it herself? ‘I don’t know,’ she mumbled. ‘I guess some guys just do.’

  Jess looked thoughtful. ‘He’s not supposed to do that though, is he?’

  ‘No. Like Dad always says, nobody touches your private parts except you.’ She nudged her again. ‘Come on, let’s go. We’ve got lots of homework, and you know Dad’ll get mad if it’s not done before he gets back from work.’

  Not only that but Reilly also had to make dinner and clean the house, all the things a mom should do.

  But not their mom.

  She and Jess started walking again, closer to Reynolds’ house. As they passed, the old man stopped raking. He looked up, his eyes glistening as he watched them walk past.

  ‘Hi girls.’ His voice was a low croak.

  Reilly said nothing and kept her head down, but Jess stared right back, insolent, looking him straight in the eye. ‘Jess, I’m warning you,’ Reilly muttered out of the side of her mouth.

  ‘You’re a pretty one, aren’t you?’ Reynolds said, his mouth breaking into a grin. Jess stared back, a defiant look in her eyes. Reilly grabbed her hand and tried to haul her along, but she pulled free.

  ‘You like little girls, don’t you?’ Jess challenged. She stepped forward. ‘You want to touch my private parts, right? Go ahead then.’ And with that, she lifted her skirt and flashed her pink cotton Snoopy pants at him.

  ‘Jess!’ Reilly cried, flabbergasted.


  Reynolds stared transfixed – evidently torn somewhere between surprise, lust and shame. Then just as suddenly, Jess dropped her skirt, picked up a stone and hurled it with all her strength. Caught off-guard, the man stumbled backward and landed in a crumpled heap on his lawn.

  Jess turned and ran, grabbing Reilly’s hand as she raced past. ‘Come on!’

  They didn’t stop running until they were around the corner.

  Breathless, Reilly looked at her little sister. ‘What the hell were you doing, Jess? You don’t flash at people … Don’t you ever do something like that again!’

  Jess was wide-eyed. ‘Why not?’

  ‘Well … because it’s just not the thing to do.’ Reilly struggled for words. ‘We were told to stay away from him. You could get yourself in serious trouble.’ She shook her head, amazed but also faintly impressed at her brazenness. ‘I can’t believe you did that.’

  Jess looked back at her with innocent eyes. ‘You said he’s a bad guy and bad guys are supposed to be punished, aren’t they?’

  Dublin, Ireland

  Reilly’s head shot up off the pillow and she stared around her, momentarily forgetting where the hell she was. She took slow, deep breaths in an attempt to calm her heart rate, and let her eyes gradually adjust to the shadow-filled room.

  Lying back down, she stared up at the ceiling, the lights of the passing cars creating abstract patterns as they slid by in the rain-slicked streets below. Her thoughts wandered in a random, half-asleep manner and wound up back with Jess.

  It had been a while since she’d dreamt about her sister. Maybe a year or more, which was good; Dr Kyle, her shrink back home, would have been proud of her. The less she dreamt about Jess and the less she thought about Jess, the better.