Borderline

by Chase, T. A.

  “So you think we’ll get him, huh?” Sam escorted him through the bull pen.

  “Sure. He can’t go on for much longer without making mistakes. Hell, he’s already made some. We know how he takes them, and that’s more than we knew before.” Tanner pushed the button for the elevator. “It’s only a matter of time now. He’ll screw up, and we’ll take him down.”

  Sam chuckled. “The one thing I like about you, Tanner, is your optimism. Nothing really gets you down for long.”

  Tanner eyed his boss. “You’re kidding, right? You’ve been around me long enough to know I’m teetering on the brink of insanity because of all the cases I’ve worked on. It isn’t optimism making me think we’ll catch him. It’s facts and statistics. It’s a very rare killer who can keep from being caught. The longer and more often he kills, the more likely he is to mess up and leave us clues to work with.”

  “True.” Sam slapped him on the back. “Go home and get to work on those new photos. I’ll talk to you first thing tomorrow.”

  “Good night, sir.”

  Tanner rode the elevator down, and he got to his car without anyone else stopping to talk to him. He grabbed takeout and went home, not feeling like cooking dinner just for himself. When he got home, he changed into jeans and a T-shirt, ate, and cleaned up before pulling out his laptop and the files.

  The latest crime scene photos were in his in-box, and he downloaded them, sending them to his printer. While he waited for those to print out, he sorted through the others. The drug killings were definitely done by the same person with probably the same knife for each one. That was one connection between the Houston killings and the drug ones, but it was a flimsy one at best.

  His work cell rang, and he grabbed it.

  “Hello.”

  “Agent Wallace?”

  He didn’t recognize the voice. “Yes?”

  “This is Lieutenant Chad Thompson, Phoenix PD. You left a message for me to call you in regards to the cartel killings.”

  “Right.” Tanner shuffled through the pictures until he got to the pile containing the Phoenix crime scene photos. “You wrote a note when you sent the photos I requested. I wanted to know why you thought Juan Mencia killed these men.”

  “Well, those men were known associates or workers for the Delarosa cartel. We never did figure out why they were killed, though they were probably dipping into the profits or the product. The one thing Delarosa doesn’t tolerate is someone stealing from him.” The sound of papers rustling came over the phone. “Mencia works the southwestern quadrant of Delarosa’s area, though he’s ranged up into California from time to time.”

  “Works? In what way?” Tanner scribbled notes as Thompson talked.

  “He’s the muscle. I’ve met the man when we brought him in, in connection with the first murder. Mencia’s smart, but his arrogance gets in the way. I think he believed he was untouchable because he worked for Delarosa.” Thompson snorted.

  “He isn’t untouchable?” Tanner stood and paced.

  “The only person working for Delarosa who’s untouchable is Perez, his right-hand man. Everyone else has always been expendable for Victor Delarosa. He purged the entire hierarchy when he came into power after his father died. Coldhearted son of a bitch.”

  Tanner silently agreed but returned the focus to Mencia. “Was there anything else to lead you to look at Mencia?”

  “Sure. There should be two photos of the deceased’s back. In both murders, he etched a J between their shoulder blades. More than likely, he used the tip of his knife to do it. Unfortunately that wasn’t enough evidence for us to throw his ass in jail. Just because his first name starts with a J and his weapon of choice is a KA-BAR doesn’t mean he committed these killings. Could have been a copycat for all we know.”

  “Yeah right. How many killers are going to risk using the same MO as a drug enforcer? That would take balls, considering what would happen if the enforcer found out about it.” Tanner tugged on his bottom lip while thinking. “Have there been any killings with Mencia’s MO in your area lately?”

  “No.” Thompson paused for a second before continuing. “And the weird thing is no one’s seen Mencia in a while.”

  Tanner froze. “What?”

  “Seems none of the narcotic divisions or even the DEA have seen him in at least six months. There hasn’t been any mention of him on the street, plus the one informant the DEA has in the Delarosa cartel hasn’t been able to find out anything about him.” Thompson exhaled. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say Delarosa got rid of him and dumped the body in Mexico or someplace like that.”

  “We all know Delarosa wouldn’t have a problem doing something like that. He’s done it before.”

  Tanner remembered hearing about the execution of a motorcycle gang that had skimmed some of the product for their own consumption and Delarosa sent his men in to make an example of them. Those killings and getting rid of his father’s top men had helped solidify Victor Delarosa’s reputation as a monster beyond anyone’s reckoning.

  “True, but nothing’s coming up on the street or through any of the DEA’s informants. If Delarosa had killed Mencia, he’d want everyone to know as a warning not to get too arrogant about their place in the cartel.” Thompson pointed out.

  “Shit, do you think Mencia went back to Mexico?” Tanner stopped in front of the photos laid out on his dining room table. He studied them while he waited for Thompson to answer.

  “No. There’s no evidence supporting that. Personally, after hearing about the killings taking place in your city, I’m thinking he’s moved on from drug killings to outright murdering innocents.”

  “I’m afraid you might be right.” Tanner narrowed his gaze as he peered at one of the enlarged copies of the carving. “Thanks for calling, Lieutenant Thompson.”

  “Always glad to help out fellow law enforcement. Hope you catch this guy soon.”

  “So do I.”

  Tanner hung up and set the phone on the table before reaching for the photo. Holding it up, he squinted at it, letting his gaze trace the swirls and twists. Could that be a J inserted into the background of the carving? Could the killer have etched the letter into the flesh first, then tried to disguise it with the intricate design over the top of it? It was possible, and Tanner knew whom he had to talk to about it and where he could find Mencia. All his instincts told him the enforcer had something to do with the killings.

  Grimacing, he took his time digging out his personal phone. He didn’t want to ask, but there wasn’t anyone else he could talk to about it. In addition to that, if he was right, any information they could give him might help with Mencia’s capture, and Tanner would make a deal with the devil to get that man off the streets.

  His phone was tucked in the pocket of his jacket. He pulled it out and sat on the couch, holding it in his hand. Should he do it? For the first time in his life, could he use his family connections to solve a case? If word of it got out, he’d lose his job for sure and might even come under investigation himself. Isolating himself from the only other living member of his family had been hard, but Tanner had done it to keep his promise to his mother, yet innocent women would continue to die if he didn’t figure out the truth.

  Tanner flipped it open and called up a number. He swallowed and put the phone to his ear, waiting for a voice to answer on the other end.

  “What’s wrong?”

  He jumped when the deep voice spoke.

  “I need to speak to him as soon as possible.”

  “It’s an emergency, I assume, since you would never risk your career to talk to him in public.” There wasn’t any condemnation in the words.

  “Yes, it’s an emergency.”

  “Take tomorrow off work and come to the address I’ll text to you. Use the name you were born with and ask for me. Tell them you have an appointment to see me.”

  Knowing he’d get help without any questions being asked made Tanner feel better. No matter the risk to any of them.

>   “All right. I’ll be there tomorrow.”

  The phone went dead, and he shut his with a shaking hand. Flopping back, he stared up at the ceiling and sighed. A beep sounded, and he knew the address had come through to his phone. Shit. If he kept his word, he could end up throwing everything away, but finding the killer was more important than his job at the bureau.

  A knock on his door brought him to his feet, and he went to see who it was.

  “Who is it?”

  “Mac.”

  His heart skipped a beat, and he rested his forehead against the door for a moment. What about this man made him excited and nervous at the same time? He’d dated better-looking men or richer men, for that matter, yet all Mac had to do was say his name and Tanner’s knees went weak.

  “Tanner? Are you going to open the door?”

  “Oh right.” He unlocked the door and opened it, admitting Mac. “Sorry, got to thinking about something else.”

  “Really?” Mac reached out and encircled his waist, yanking Tanner to him. “I hope you were thinking about me kissing you.”

  “Of course.”

  He yielded to Mac’s demanding mouth and tongue. They nibbled and teased. Their kisses were deep and hot, building their need until Tanner broke away. He kept a hand on Mac’s arm.

  “Do you have time for a quickie?”

  Mac’s face dropped in disappointment. “No. I ran out to get some barbecue for Sorensterm and me. I thought I’d stop by and say good night in person. We’re working all night to see if we can’t come up with something. Of course I’d rather be here than with that jackass. If you hear about a murder at headquarters, you know I finally broke.”

  Tanner nodded and bit his lip, debating whether to say something or wait until after his meeting the next day.

  “Have you found anything from going through those other killings?” Mac asked.

  “I might have. I want to do a little more research before I say for sure. I’ll be able to tell you late tomorrow or the next day.” Tanner scrubbed his palm over his jeans and clenched his hands to keep Mac from noticing them shaking.

  “I can deal with that. I’m not expecting you to work miracles or anything like that. Just give me something I can use to find a suspect, and I’ll be happy.”

  “Oh, I’ll probably be able to do that for you,” Tanner admitted, knowing if he was right, he’d be able to give them the killer.

  “I better go before the food gets cold.” Mac dove in for another kiss before heading back outside. “I’ll talk to you sometime tomorrow.”

  He locked the door behind Mac and cleaned up. He packed away all the photos and files, stuffing his briefcase full. He’d saved the pictures onto a thumb drive for easier transportation and stuck it in his jacket pocket. He wouldn’t forget to take it with him the next day.

  After shutting off the lights, he went to his bedroom and stripped, curling up under the blankets. His mind raced, and he couldn’t fall asleep. For only the second time in his adult life, he was going to talk to his older brother, and if he wasn’t careful, his world would crash around him. Tanner trusted his brother not to do anything to put Tanner or his own life at risk, but would it be enough? And how was he going to break the news to Mac when the time came?

  How did Tanner tell Mac that his older brother was the head of the Delarosa cartel?

  Chapter Eleven

  Tanner left his gun and badge at home, taking great pains to ensure he didn’t look like a cop. After flagging down a cab, he gave the driver the address and settled back for the ride.

  What would Mac do if he found out the truth about Tanner’s family? Tanner scrubbed his hand over his hair and heaved a mental sigh. At the moment, all he could do was hope his lover didn’t discover anything until after the case was solved.

  The cab pulled up in front of a set of large, ornate iron gates. Tanner climbed out and paid the man before heading to the intercom. He pressed the buzzer.

  “Yes?”

  “I’m here to see Perez.”

  “Do you have an appointment?”

  “Yes. Tell him Pablo is here.”

  “Pablo, huh?”

  “Yes.”

  The intercom went silent, and Tanner stuffed his hands in his pockets. He made sure to face the security camera mounted on the fence to one side of the gate. Hiding his face wouldn’t help get him in, though once Perez heard who wanted to see him, he’d be ushered in quickly.

  “An escort will be down in a second.”

  The gate unlocked and slid open far enough for Tanner to slip through. He stayed just on the other side, not interested in roaming the grounds. A golf cart sped up to him, and the cold-eyed man driving nodded for him to get in. Tanner did without question, and they headed up to the big house.

  Two armed guards escorted him into a room where another grim-faced man patted him down. Tanner didn’t protest, understanding why such precautions were necessary.

  “Pablo, where the hell have you been?” Perez stalked into the room and backhanded Tanner.

  His lip split, and while every muscle in Tanner’s body yelled at him to strike back, he didn’t. Appearances needed to be kept, and he needed to talk to Victor.

  “I’m sorry, Perez,” he whined. “My wife had a list of shit she wanted me to do. The bitch wouldn’t get off my ass until I finished them.”

  “Mr. Delarosa doesn’t like to be kept waiting. Remember that, because next time my greeting won’t be as friendly.”

  “Yes, sir.” He whimpered, hanging his head submissively.

  “Come with me. We must discuss what Mr. Delarosa wishes you to do for him.”

  Perez turned sharply and strolled out of the room, with Tanner following meekly behind. Tanner kept his gaze squarely on Perez’s back. He didn’t want to see anything law enforcement might be interested in.

  “Step in here and wait. Mr. Delarosa will be with you in a minute.”

  As Tanner walked past him into the room, Perez whispered, “There is water and napkins for your lip on the side bar.”

  “Thank you,” Tanner muttered.

  Perez shut the door with a snap, and Tanner searched out the supplies to clean his lip. He didn’t have to wait very long for another door to open, and Victor Delarosa stepped in. Victor frowned when he saw Tanner’s injury.

  “What happened?”

  “No big deal. Perez had to keep up appearances.”

  “He hit you?”

  The growl in Victor’s voice didn’t bode well for Perez.

  “I’m okay, Victor. We have more important things to discuss.”

  Victor didn’t look convinced, and Tanner hoped he wouldn’t punish Perez.

  “I need your help.”

  “Ah, hermano, I’ll give you any help I can.”

  Tanner grinned at his older brother. “I know, which is why I’m here. Oh, I wanted to tell you I liked the new tombstone you had made for Mama.”

  He gasped as Victor swept him into a hard hug. He embraced Victor back, hating the choices made in the past, even though neither of them were the ones to make those decisions.

  “She deserves the best, Pablo. She wouldn’t accept anything while she was alive. She can’t complain now.”

  “True.”

  Victor motioned to two leather chairs. “Sit. Let us discuss what help I can give you. Would you like something to drink?”

  Tanner shook his head. “No, thank you. Victor, have you seen Juan lately?”

  “Juan?” Victor’s brow furrowed in thought while he poured himself a highball of whiskey. “I don’t believe so, but I never liked him, so Perez had more contact with him.”

  “Could you ask Perez when he last spoke to him?”

  “Certainly.” Victor picked up a phone and called Perez, asking him to come to the study. After setting the receiver down, Victor eyed Tanner.

  “Why are you asking about one of my enforcers?”

  Tanner pulled a flash drive from his pocket. “I think he’s involved in a series
of murders around Houston.”

  “Murders?” Victor looked puzzled. “I haven’t asked him to do any work for me lately.”

  “And if these were drug related, you know I wouldn’t be here.”

  Victor conceded the fact with a nod of his head. He took the flash drive Tanner held out to him.

  “What is this?”

  “Crime scene photos. There have been six murders in the last five months. All women. All killed with a knife before being displayed.”

  His older brother scowled with disgust. “What makes you believe Juan is involved?”

  “Not just involved. I believe he is the killer. What little I know about him, mostly information gathered by law enforcement, he’s good with a knife, hates smart women, and is a total psychopath.”

  No argument seemed forthcoming.

  “Besides, when I reviewed the crime scene photos, I spotted something that convinced me he was the killer.”

  A knock sounded on the hallway door, and Victor gave permission to enter. Perez joined them, heading right to Tanner and lifting his chin to look at the cut.

  “I’m sorry, Pablo.”

  He smiled and shook his head. “I’ve had worse done to me, Perez. It’s no big deal.”

  “We’ll talk about that later,” Victor informed Perez. “Right now Pablo has something to ask you.”

  Tanner winced slightly, knowing the conversation wasn’t one he wanted to be a part of. Victor tended to be protective of Tanner and punished any who hurt him.

  “Yes, jefe.” Perez bowed. “How can I be of service?”

  “When did you last talk to Juan Mencia?”

  Perez looked puzzled. “Why are you asking about him? He isn’t giving you any trouble, is he? I swear he doesn’t know who you are.”

  “I think he’s a serial killer,” Tanner said as bluntly as possible.

  “Truly?”

  “Yes.”

  While Perez pursed his lips and nodded, Victor opened the file of photos and studied them.

  “You think he’s the one the newspapers call the Knife.”

  Tanner sat in one of the chairs. “I do.”