“It’s our job to keep her safe,” Dwight corrected. “I think that together we’ll be able to pull it off.”
“I certainly hope so, because I can’t lose her. I’m going to be on her like sequins on a Kardashian.”
Dwight blinked several times in rapid succession, his face blank. “That’s a really odd reference.”
“Maude used it the other day and it sort of stuck in my head.” Nick was rueful. “It kind of ruins my street cred to talk about the Kardashians, doesn’t it?”
“You have no idea. It will be our little secret, though.”
“I appreciate that.”
5
Five
The alley was close enough to walk to after lunch. Since it was early spring, the air turned brisk and Nick was glad he remembered to bring a coat. He made sure to keep Maddie between him and Dwight during the walk, and the conversation was heavy as they navigated the rundown area.
“The thing is, we knew a lot of the women were missing before the bodies were discovered,” Dwight explained. “It’s hard in this area, though, because a lot of the women are either working girls or high-risk victims.”
“What does ‘high risk’ mean?” Maddie asked.
“He means that they’re involved in a bevy of high risk activities,” Nick replied. “It could be drugs or simply hanging around with the wrong crowd.” He scanned the buildings as they passed, doing his best not to make a face at the broken windows and filthy landings. “This is a rough area, so when someone goes missing the cops don’t always assume it was due to murder or kidnapping.”
“Oh.” Maddie nodded, understanding dawning. “So low-risk victims would be more likely to come from the suburbs and stay away from drugs and booze.”
“In essence,” Dwight confirmed. “Even though several of the victims we’ve been able to identify so far were high risk, there were a few I wouldn’t consider high risk. Tessa Roth, for example, worked as a nurse at the hospital and lived in an apartment about five blocks over. Her neighborhood wasn’t so bad. There were a few others who had no ties to anything remotely high risk either.”
“Did you think she took off, too? Tessa Roth, I mean,” Nick asked.
“I’ve only been through the initial report on her disappearance. Her mother reported her missing after she went two weeks without a call. Tessa has been doing heavy rotations so she’d been very busy and her mother lives in Chicago. It was unheard of for them to go two weeks without speaking, but her mother noticed she wasn’t checking in online and that’s what tipped her off.”
“What did you find when you searched her apartment?”
“I wasn’t there, but the report said nothing seemed out of the ordinary,” Dwight replied. “Tessa’s purse was missing, but her phone was on the table. To me that suggests she ran out for a quick errand and never returned, but we didn’t have enough evidence – or a motive, for that matter – to assume it was anything else at the time. Until we found her body, she was simply a missing person.”
“And all the victims died the same way?” Nick pressed.
“Basically,” Dwight replied, casting a furtive look in Maddie’s direction. “They died hard.”
“I already know how they died,” Maddie noted, making sure not to meet Dwight’s alarmed gaze. “I saw it in my head when you called.”
“Yeah, about that … .”
Maddie ignored the implied question. “I saw things that I wish I hadn’t, but I didn’t see the killer’s face. I know that would help you, but I always saw him in shadow.”
“And yet you’re certain it’s a man, right?”
“I am.” Maddie bobbed her head. “Broad shoulders. Small waist. Long legs.”
“What about height?” Dwight asked. “Can you give me a guess on that?”
“I … hmm.” Maddie pursed her lips as she considered the question. “I honestly don’t know. I need to look at photos of the women you found – real ones, not the body ones – so I can put names with the faces I saw in my visions. That way we can look at their height and go from there.”
“I’m sure we can make that happen.” Dwight gestured toward a fenced-off parcel to their right. “This is it.”
“This is it?” Nick pressed his hand to Maddie’s lower back so he could maintain contact but turned his head in a variety of different directions as he searched the empty lot. It was marked off with police tape, but Dwight lifted it so they could walk on the property.
“This wasn’t what I expected,” Maddie admitted, taking a hesitant step forward. “This isn’t what I saw.”
Dwight and Nick exchanged uneasy looks. Maddie’s voice had taken on a far-off quality that made both men nervous.
“What did you see, love?” Nick’s voice was gentle as he rested his hand on her elbow. “Go slow. Just … tell us what you saw.”
“I saw the most with a blond woman,” Maddie volunteered. “She seemed tall like me. Slim. Blue eyes that were full of fear.”
Nick bit back his irritation at hearing Maddie describe a woman who sounded an awful lot like the one directly in front of him. “What else, Mad?”
“They were on what looked to be a sidewalk, but it was more like a narrow street,” Maddie answered. “The woman wore a scarf. It was one of those knit ones, multiple colors, and it streamed after her. She knew she was in trouble, but she wore these ankle boot things that made it difficult to run because the sidewalks were icy.”
Dwight perked up. “That means you saw something from the winter. That might help us narrow down who we’re looking for.”
“I don’t know that it was winter,” Maddie cautioned. “I didn’t see snow. I only saw ice, although now that you mention it, there was a lot of ice … almost as if it were a bad dream rather than reality.”
Dwight rubbed his chin as he regarded her. “That could be from right after the ice storm we had.”
“When was that?” Nick asked.
“Late February. The weather forecasters couldn’t decide if we were going to get an ice storm or blizzard – you know how they waffle back and forth and know nothing – but we got the ice storm south of I-94 and a blizzard north. That has to be what you’re talking about.
“The ice storm created quite a mess,” he continued. “We were actually worse off than those who got all the snow because it weighed down the power lines and the roads were like a skating rink. I think we had something like three hundred and fifty accidents in Detroit alone in a twelve-hour period.”
“Wow.” Nick rubbed the back of his neck. “Still, that makes sense. No one without a specific agenda was out in an ice storm so our guy could hunt at his leisure.”
“And Maddie said the woman wore high-heeled boots, which would’ve slowed her down,” Dwight added. “You think it was an alley, though, that you saw her running through, right? Did you see any business names?”
Maddie licked her lips and thought hard. “I honestly didn’t. I saw a big red trash receptacle, but that could belong to any business. I saw some steam from an open door, although it was only cracked. I got the distinct impression that it was a restaurant, but what kind is beyond me.”
“That’s okay.” Dwight cracked a smile. “That’s good. It’s a start, at least.”
“It’s not as much as I hoped.” Maddie took a step away from Nick and surveyed the lot. “This isn’t technically an alley. It’s an empty lot.”
“It has alley access over there.” Dwight pointed toward the back of the adjacent building. “This is an empty apartment complex. It hasn’t been inhabited for two years and the floors are giving way in some spots. Quite a few people squat here to get out of the cold, but we went through it yesterday and we don’t believe any of the victims were killed inside.”
“How do you know that?” Maddie queried.
“No blood, love,” Nick replied.
“Oh.” Maddie rubbed her hands together. “I guess I should’ve figured that out myself.” She was so intent on searching the lot she didn’t bother
looking in Nick’s direction. He was thankful for that because he couldn’t disguise his worry. “This isn’t the place I saw, though. It’s … different.”
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Dwight supplied. “We’re pretty sure he only used this spot as dumping grounds.”
“But … why?” Maddie asked plaintively. “Why did he pick this spot? Do you know?”
“We can only theorize so far,” Dwight answered. “I know you see ugliness when you look at this place, but it’s honestly an intriguing location when you look at it from a law enforcement perspective.”
“Tell me how,” Maddie prodded, scuffing her feet against the ground as she moved forward.
Nick fought his instincts and let her move about freely. The lot was fenced off and she was in little danger from the outside world. He figured it was best to let her do what she wanted on her own timetable … at least for now.
“It has easy access to roads.” Dwight gestured to the east and south. “That way leads to the freeway. It’s less than a block. This way has you on Gratiot in two turns. That road is busy, lots of traffic even in the middle of the night, and it’s easy to disappear.”
“What about the police presence down here?” Nick asked. “Your precinct is only a few blocks away.”
“It is, but it’s a big area. I would say we patrol this small corner once an hour, but if you know where to watch … .”
“Then it’s easy to avoid being caught,” Nick finished. “Plus, if the guy is smart – which I think he would have to be to get away with this for so long – then he would know to come between two and five in the morning. That’s when the shifts are smallest in every department. Heck, in Blackstone Bay we don’t have anyone on the roads at that time.”
“Blackstone Bay is a world all its own,” Dwight said. “You’re right, though. We only have two units on during those hours and if they pass this lot once during that time I would be surprised. Most of our issues come from the casinos during those hours.”
“And where are the casinos in proximity to this spot?”
“About fifteen blocks that way,” Dwight answered, pointing. “Not far but not really close. That late, the bulk of the trouble we have is from drunks leaving the casino and thieves watching to see who they can steal from.”
“That makes sense.” Nick turned so he could study the direction from which they entered the lot. A group of people – clearly interested in what was going on across the way – grouped together to watch the action. “I’m assuming you have normal snitches down here.”
“We do,” Dwight confirmed. “The thing is, our snitches turn on each other for drugs and prostitution. Occasionally you’ll get a gang murder out here, but they keep those mostly to the abandoned neighborhoods several blocks out. This area is well and truly dead.
“People coming down to Mexicantown for the food park in the lots over there,” he continued. “They don’t come here.”
“So the only people who come here are the ones who live here,” Nick mused, shifting his eyes to the apartment complex two buildings down. He could see people moving in the windows. “I’m guessing that the people who live here don’t have a lot of money.”
“No, and the drug trade in this particular area isn’t very big when compared to other areas,” Dwight explained. “The people here can’t afford it, although I think there was a gang shooting on this spot about six months ago if I remember correctly. The details aren’t stuck in my head, but it was a big deal because it was the first shooting on this stretch in almost a year.”
“It was a little girl,” Maddie volunteered, causing Nick to snap his head in her direction. She’d traveled a good thirty feet while he’d been discussing the logistics of the neighborhood with Dwight and she was crouched down and staring at a large bush.
“Mad, what are you doing?” Nick moved to start in her direction, but Maddie held up her hand to stop him.
“Don’t. You’ll frighten her away.”
“Her?” Dwight turned slowly, deliberately, and focused on Maddie. “Are you talking to a … person? Is it one of our victims?”
Maddie swallowed hard as she stared at the ethereal child in front of her. The girl’s brown eyes were large and luminous and the jeans she wore were clean and only frayed at the hems, as if someone – probably her mother – had let them out to get more use out of them.
“I’m talking to a victim,” Maddie replied. “It’s not one of the victims you’re looking for, though.”
“Oh.” Dwight was at a loss and he looked to Nick for guidance.
Since Nick was still relatively new to the ghost game – although he was learning more each and every day – he wasn’t sure how to answer. All he could do was shrug and hold out his hands.
“Her name is Tina Wydell,” Maddie said, offering up a benign smile for the little girl only she could see. “She was crossing the street six months ago when shots rang out and she was killed.”
Dwight pulled his phone from his pocket and typed something, staring hard at the small screen for several beats before lifting his chin. “You’re right. She lived in the complex right across the way. According to the report, her mother said she was running to the corner store for milk and never returned home.”
“What corner store?” Nick asked, glancing around.
“The liquor store,” Dwight replied. “Most of these neighborhoods don’t have markets because no one can make a profit with them thanks to the violence and theft. People in this area have to travel if they want groceries so a lot of the liquor stores carry a few staples.”
Nick never yearned to live in the city and that inclination hadn’t changed since landing in Detroit. “That’s inexplicably sad.”
“Welcome to the big city.” Dwight forced a smile. “Is Tina the only ghost in this area, Maddie?”
“She is.” Maddie mimed as if she was smoothing a child’s hair and the heartbroken expression on her face was enough to tug at Nick’s heartstrings. It was clear she was struggling with whatever she saw and he had no way to help her. “She’s been hanging out here since she died because she occasionally gets to see her mother. That’s all she lives for now.”
“Why not go home?” Dwight asked. “Her apartment is less than a block away.”
Maddie leaned her head to the side and listened for a minute, nodding in understanding at several points before licking her lips. “Because Tina wasn’t killed by some random person,” she answered after collecting her thoughts. “She was killed by her brother. He fell in with the wrong crowd and was aiming for someone else, but Tina was in the way. By the time he saw her … .”
“It was too late,” Dwight finished, glancing back at his phone screen. “No one has ever been arrested for her death. I guess I can call in a tip to the gang task force and have them put some pressure on the brother.”
Maddie turned her full attention to the little girl. “Do you want that? Do you want your brother to pay?”
Nick wished he could hear the conversation, but to him it was as if Maddie was talking to thin air. Occasionally he could hear Olivia, Maddie’s mother, when she dropped in for a visit but more often than not those instances accompanied a distinct threat against Maddie. Those were the times Olivia could more easily gather her limited power and try to help her only daughter. Whatever was happening with Maddie now, Nick wasn’t privy to the information so he could do nothing but watch.
“She doesn’t want you to do that,” Maddie said finally. “She has no love for her brother – who she says lied to police about where he was and what he was doing the day she died – but she doesn’t want her mother to be alone. She doesn’t think it would be fair.”
Dwight wasn’t sure he agreed, but he opted to let it go. “Can you ask her if she’s seen anyone hanging out in this area? If she’s really been here for six months, she might’ve seen our killer.”
“Sure.” Maddie lowered her voice and whispered to the girl, allowing Dwight and Nick to have a moment.
“I hate this part of what she can do,” Nick muttered, restlessly combing a hand through his dark hair. “It’s so hard on her. She’s got such a big heart and I hate it when she struggles.”
“You love her because she is who she is,” Dwight noted. “That means you have to take the good with the bad.”
“There is no bad when it comes to Maddie.”
“Oh, you’re so far gone I want to put a leash on you so you don’t float away on a cloud of love,” Dwight teased, smiling for a moment before sobering. “Other than this, other than me pulling you away from your happy existence, are things going well for you?”
“Things are going perfect. We’re happy.”
“And the proposal? Was it everything you hoped?”
Nick’s lips curved. “It was. She was so … happy. Things got a little tense after because her father showed up back in town, but we’ve settled in with George and things seem to be going okay on that front, too. He’s not nearly the monster we thought he was. He’s not perfect, don’t get me wrong, but he’s not terrible either.”
Dwight’s eyebrows winged up. “I think that’s a story I’m going to want to hear more about.”
“As soon as we’re out of here, I’ll gladly tell you.” Nick lifted his chin as Maddie stood. “Did she have anything?”
“I’m not sure,” Maddie answered, wrinkling her nose. “Does the name Big Wally mean anything to you, Dwight?”
Dwight didn’t bother to hide his surprise. “Is she saying that Big Wally killed all those women?”
“She’s saying that Big Wally has been hanging around a lot and he might have some answers.”
“Oh, well … I guess it can’t hurt to ask.”
“Who is Big Wally?” Nick asked the obvious question.
“This is technically his territory,” Dwight explained. “He’s known by everyone on these streets.”
“He’s a gang guy?” Maddie asked.
“Not exactly,” Dwight hedged, uncomfortably shifting from one foot to the other. “I think it’s better for me to show you than try to explain. He’s one of those guys you have to see to believe.”
Grave Danger (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 12) Page 5