by Aden Lowe
I stared at him in horror as that sank in. It made sense. The killer was used to local law enforcement looking at each case in isolation. Someone looking at them all together had the potential to reveal him before he could cover his tracks, even if Flag's bosses weren't watching. Fear raced through me at the thought of unethical spies chasing me, even helping the killer conceal himself.
I shook my head. No. I had to trust Flag to keep me safe. "Okay. But people are eventually going to see us together. People I know. If you're not supposed to be here, and we don't want him to know you're looking for him, exactly what do we say when someone asks who you are?"
One heavy shoulder lifted in a shrug. "Beats the hell out of me. The easiest explanation would be to say we're engaged."
The words dropped like a brick inside the truck, and my mind spun in shock.
Chapter Nine
Flag
The tension in the truck turned palpable. Azia stared at me like I just suggested shooting her. "What do you mean?"
I shrugged again. "I mean, whenever anyone sees us together, the easiest thing to say would be that we're getting married. I'm assuming you're not best friends with anyone who would recognize me from school?"
"Well, no, of course not. I didn't bother keeping in touch, and haven't seen any of them in this area. But…" She trailed off, searching for excuses.
What made me even suggest such a thing? I sure as fuck didn't want to marry her. I should have suggested she say I was a distant relative, or something like that, but it was out there now. Too late to take it back.
"I guess it would work. Just…It might be awkward between us." Her hands twisted in her lap.
Fucking understatement of the year, but the obstinate motherfucker in me kept me from pitching the relative idea. "Well, it's not like we'd have to fuck in front of anyone. It's only words." Traffic stopped for a red light as images of my hands on her pale skin flashed through my mind.
That pink flush over her cheeks reminded me of the old days. The slightest sexy remark sent her blushing like a virgin, which she practically was back then. "True, I guess. But what about when someone asks how we met?"
I laughed. "That's the easy part. Online. That's how people always meet now." I couldn't linger on the idea of her scrolling through pages of interested men, trying to sort through the ones she might want to meet.
She flamed bright red. "No! I would never use a dating site!"
Okay, I was enjoying this more than I should, but her embarrassment was too delicious to resist. "Doesn't have to be a dating site. Kink sites are great for hookups."
"Kink? Hookup?" She shook her head. "No. Absolutely not." The scent of her shampoo surrounded me as her hair came loose with the movement. "No. We say we met through my old college roommate. You're her brother. That's the only thing that would make sense to anyone who knows me even a little."
I grunted, slightly disappointed with the ease with which she solved the question. "Okay, then. What's my sister's name?"
"Gabbi. Gabrielle Rizzo. From Akron." She smiled, relieved to have the issue taken care of. "Gabbi would love this. She was also looking for some kind of conspiracy or secret."
"I guess that works then." Finally, I spotted a gas station with a fast food place attached and a sign advertising showers, overnight parking, and free wi-fi. Off to the side, a large parking lot held several tractor-trailers. Perfect for my needs. "Okay, I'm going to fill the gas tank and see if there's a wi-fi password. You need anything?"
"No, I'm fine."
I went inside to prepay the pump. "Twenty on five." I passed the cash over to the bored looking cashier. "There a password on the wi-fi?"
She rolled her damn eyes. "Honey, we ain't running a charity."
"Well, it's a good thing I'm a paying customer then."
"Twenty in gas ain't paying enough." Bitch crossed her arms and popped gum at me.
I pulled out my phone, stepped over to the window and snapped a photo of the sign. "You see that right there?" I angled the screen for her. "Nothing about terms and conditions, or paying customers on that sign. Now, I'm pretty sure there's a manager, or owner, somewhere that wouldn't like you turning that sign into false advertising." Fuck, creating a scene, even with one person, was a risk I'd rather not take, but I also had no intention of passing up the perfect place because of one cranky clerk. Sure I could go on down the street to the next place, but I fucking liked this one, and stubbornness won out.
She rolled her eyes again. "Whatever. The password is BigRig. Uppercase B and R. Happy now?"
"Fucking ecstatic. Thanks." I pumped my damn gas and pulled around to a parking spot near the big trucks before digging my laptop out of the hidden compartment under the console.
Azia watched every move, probably curious. "Why here? Wouldn't it be better to go to a regular fast food place or coffee shop? At least there you could sit inside."
"Those places tend to have a regular group of customers. Strangers get noticed. A place like this has lots of traffic from out of town, so a stranger doesn't draw much attention." Well, unless he starts an argument with the clerk, at least.
The custom laptop took its time starting up and verifying my identity. Rufus kept wanting to set me up with a new one, but I resisted changing. I liked this one, and knew how to do everything with it. I didn't have time to learn a new system. The opening screen for my browser finally came up and I found the network. The computer started several programs designed to mask my location and protect itself against intrusions, and finally logged on.
Other than answering my questions, Azia stayed quiet while I started my searches with public information. Those sources proved to have little more than obituaries presented as news articles. One by one, I accessed the databases belonging to the police departments cited as investigating the deaths. In a very short time, I had everything the police had on the cases. While I was at it, I dug around in Richard Riley's past, saving everything I could find.
Time to get out. I waited impatiently while the computer logged off the network and shut the protective programs down, and finally the operating system closed and the screen went black. The moment it took to return the laptop to its hiding place felt like hours. Anxiety to be away from there hammered in my chest. Some expert would probably want to medicate me to oblivion for my paranoia, but I had no intention of being taken by surprise. In my experience, bad shit happened just when you thought you were safe and let your guard down.
A few blocks away, I parked by an abandoned building long enough to wipe my phone, destroy the SIM card, and slam the phone to the ground, ensuring the screen shattered. Time for a new one.
Azia stared at me. "Why did you do that?"
I pulled away from the curb. "It's time for a new one. You would be shocked at what all they can get off a phone just by having the number. I don't use them if I can help it, and only keep one for short times."
Her laugh sounded like she thought I was joking. "That must get expensive."
"Twenty bucks for a burner that I don't activate until I need to use it. Better than a fucking contract."
She laughed again. "Okay, you have a point there. I just always hate getting a new phone, even when they transfer all my stuff over for me."
The differences between her life and mine stood out in stark detail. "I don't have anything to transfer over. Any contacts I might need, I memorize. No photos. No apps. No social media."
"Oh. I just assumed…" The words trailed off awkwardly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"
"It's okay." I stopped her from worrying about how deprived my life was. "I don't have time for any of that shit. When I'm not working, I'm reading."
"Of course you do." A haunted smile crossed her face, barely visible from the corner of my eye. "You always did read everything you could find." She looked around as I took the turn for an upscale residential area on the outskirts of town. "Where are we going?"
I grinned. "To see what Richard Riley is hiding."
She
twisted in her seat to watch me fully. "You think he's hiding something?"
"Either he is, or he lives the most boring life on the fucking planet. He has almost no presence online, beyond a school email. No social media either. At least not in that name."
"You realize how that sounds, right? You don't use social media. Is your life that boring?"
I laughed. "No, but it's full of things I have to hide. If I did use social media, it would be under a different name. He might be doing that, or he might have other pursuits. Either way, I want to know." Everything she'd said about the fucker raised my hackles. Even if he wasn't a possible suspect, his interest in Azia meant I needed to know everything about him despite my determination to keep my distance from her.
I pulled up in front of a modest little bungalow and shut the truck off, looking around carefully. Richard Riley's house seemed a little high-end for a single teacher, but it wasn't ostentatious either. Carefully tended landscaping framed the house, and he clearly put a lot of work into the appearances of the place. Or hired someone else to do it. As I watched, a man came around the side of the house, carrying some kind of gadget, or toy.
"Wait here." I casually climbed out of the truck and crossed to intercept him. "Hey, man, maybe you can help me out."
The wary stare he sent my way said he doubted it. "What do you need?" Up close, the gadget turned out to be a small remote controlled drone, and looked terribly expensive.
"Sorry to bother you, but I'm looking to buy a house in the area. I was driving through, and yours is really just what I need. Do you know of anything similar for sale? Or would you entertain an offer on yours?" I pushed the cover story for all I was worth, giving the house admiring looks.
"Actually, I've been thinking about selling. I'm getting married soon and this place is a little small for a family." He grinned and set his drone down. "I'm Richard Riley."
"Derek Madison. Glad to meet you." The fake name matched the driver's license in my wallet. I accepted his offered handshake. "Could I maybe take a look around?"
"Sure! I have a little time before I have to leave. Come on, I'll show you around." He led the way toward the back of the house. "So it's just you?"
"For the moment. I'm dating someone, but she has her own place. If things go further, this looks to be enough for two. There wouldn't be any kids." I peeked into the immaculate garage. Brand new-looking tools lined labeled pegboards, and nothing sat forgotten, or just stashed in a box. The small backyard was maintained as well as the front, and a small deck led to the door.
"It's a bit of a mess at the moment. Long week at work." Riley led the way into a small, but very clean mud room/laundry room, and then into the rest of the house.
Everywhere I looked, things sparkled with cleanliness and organization. Even the damn junk drawer in the kitchen had one of those divided organizer things in it, and everything sorted into related categories. The whole place screamed of precision. "You ex-military?"
"No, why?" He seemed genuinely surprised by the question.
I gave a half-shrug as I walked into the living room and studied the photos on the small mantle. "The place is really squared away. Just made me think military order, or something like that." Or obsession with organization, but I kept that one to myself. One of the pictures was a snapshot of him with Azia. They both smiled at the camera, and he had his arm around her shoulders. My hackles rose. "This your girl? She's really pretty."
"Yes, that's her. Just have to get her to make up her mind about the date." He picked up the frame. "Like most females, she's a little stubborn, but she'll come around."
The words set off warning bells in my head. "Stubborn, huh? Sounds like fun."
"Oh it will be." His grin made me think of sadistic jail guards. "She has a lot to learn, but she's a smart girl. I'm taking her to Hawaii for our honeymoon."
My jaw clenched in reflex. "Perfect honeymoon." I had to get past this nonsense over him talking about Azia like that. She wasn't mine anymore, anyway.
"It really is. I've decided we're going to start a family right away. Four, or maybe six, children. She'll be a perfect stay-at-home mom. It's really a good thing you came along. Buying the house for our future will be just what she needs to get her ready for wedding bells."
Anger burned in my veins. "I heard that." I had to get out of there before his words made me choke him out of my misery. "Listen, thanks for showing me around. Can I get your number? I really like the place, but I need to do a little research before I can make an offer."
"Of course." He recited his number and I added it to my new phone. "I look forward to hearing your offer."
I got the fuck out of there as fast as I could.
Azia stared at me with wide eyes as I climbed behind the wheel.
Alarm shot through me. "What's wrong?"
"What's wrong? Are you serious? There's a killer lurking around, and you just take off and leave me sitting here?" Anger sparkled in her eyes, and flushed her cheeks.
In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to kiss her silent. Instead, I shrugged. "Well, I was right there with the fucker we think could be the killer. He wasn't going to get you."
She scowled. "What did you say to him?"
I started the truck and pulled away. "Asked if he was interested in selling the place, and got him to show me around."
"You found out what he's hiding?"
"Not exactly. But I found a picture of you, with his arm around you." I glanced her way, trying to conceal the emotions arcing through my brain. "You're dating him?"
She made a disgusted sound. "Of course not! That photo was taken at a stupid team building exercise at school. Every single session, I looked around and he was in my group. At the end, he got someone to take that picture." She shuddered a little. "I don't know what it is about him, but he just makes me feel dirty, and threatened."
I let the truck roll to a stop at sign, and reached to brush her hair back off her face, the way I used to. "Don't worry, Azia. I won't let anything happen to you." That much was true. If only I could fucking control what was already happening to me.
Chapter Ten
Azia
The urge to lean into his touch pressed my cheek to his hand, but he withdrew quickly and returned his attention to driving. He shouldn't make promises he couldn't keep. The truth was, something was already happening to me, whether I wanted admit it or not, and even if he didn't want to see it. Why didn't I hang up when that familiar voice came over the phone? Surely I could have found someone else to handle the killer.
"You're sure he's always waited a week after sending the roses?" His voice shook me out of my thoughts.
My mind spun with the change of direction. "I'm sure. Why?"
Flag drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, which seemed to be a habit whenever he became annoyed. "Because, I think a break in his pattern would mean something set him off, made him need his end game faster. Richard Riley did not act like someone ready to break."
A horn blared off the side, startling me into jumping. "You really think it might be someone else?"
"Nothing is fucking impossible, but no, I think it's him. I just don't think he's reached the end of his rope quite yet. And that makes me think your neighbor's death might be unrelated." He switched lanes then waited for a left turn, while the words jarred something in my memory.
What had that newscaster said? "Wait! The news, they said Chris's body was mutilated. I didn't think about it before, but that must be why they needed me to identify him."
Yet another turn. "Makes sense. Go on."
I swallowed, prepared to sound stupid. "Well, so far, Richard hasn't done anything like that. Other than Josiah, the bodies weren't damaged outside of whatever killed them. And his was only because of animals and exposure to the elements for a month." The familiar chill at the thought of animals devouring my friend's body brought a shiver. "Wouldn't that break his pattern, too?" I almost wished I had watched all those Criminal Minds reruns when I had th
e chance. Almost.
Flag glanced at me. "Yeah, I think it would. If the neighbor's death is just a fucking bad coincidence, that gives us about four days to either pin the bastard down, or figure out who's next and stop him."
"Four days?" Four whole days in his company sounded like an eternity.
"Well, yeah, unless you want to wait for the last fucking second for some reason."
"No, the sooner the better." Preferably before I did something really stupid, like fall for this man all over again. I barely survived the first time. "Do you have any ideas how to do either of those things."
Flag grinned at me, the way he used to when he was up to no good. "I sure as fuck do."
"Well? Care to elaborate?"
"Not just yet. I'll tell you when we get there." All business once more, he stared straight ahead, concentrating on traffic.
"Well, where are we going?" Impatience made my voice a little higher than I intended, but I really needed to know what he had planned.
"Where? Oh, well, we're going to visit your friend, Carrie. I figured you would want to introduce her to your fiancé. You might want to call ahead. It'd be fucking rude to just drop in like that."
Heat flashed to my face. How could he sit there so calmly and drop something like that on me? My fingers clenched. "No. We are not going to Carrie's. She doesn't need to meet you."
"Of course she does. How else is she going to let the whole school know tomorrow that you're engaged?"
I was beginning to see why he was good at being a mercenary. He was devious and cruel. "Because she's not!"
"Yep, she is. And she's going to tell everyone how fucking cute and sweet we are together."
My closed fist flew before I realized, and connected with his shoulder. "Oh, my God, I'm sorry! I didn't mean—"
Male laughter rang through the truck. "Of course you meant to hit me. If I hadn't been driving, you'd have tried to knock me on my ass."
I clasped my hands carefully together in my lap to make sure nothing like that happened again. "No, I really didn't. I'm not a violent person by nature." I had to make him believe me. Who knew what he might be capable of if I angered him. After all, my Cass was gone.