Ties That Bind

by Anne Patrick

  He closed the distance between them and took her into his arms. She gave no resistance, needing the comfort of his arms wrapped securely around her. It was hard enough accepting the fact she was a part of a mad man's game, but to even consider her own brother as that man was more than she could handle.

  Austin took a step back as he peered down at her. "I know how hard this must be for you to hear, and I hope like crazy I'm wrong, but look at the facts. Look at the profile you gave. You described your own brother almost to a tee." When she gave no reply, he continued. "Same age, height, and coloring. He's good looking. You yourself said he was a lady's man, and it was obvious from the spectacle he made of himself at Slim's party that he has a chip on his shoulder where you're concerned."

  She offered no rebuttal.

  "He also attended medical school for two years."

  "He doesn't live in Portland, though, and the killer does."

  "You don't know that for sure, Jo. He could only work there and rent a place for the nights he doesn't come home to his wife and kids."

  "Billy has an apartment in Portland?"

  "A loft apartment in an old warehouse that is being renovated. The police in Portland are working on a search warrant right now."

  "How long have you been investigating my brother, Austin?" Jo suspected the business he said he had to take care of this morning in Portland was connected in some way.

  "I got the sketch yesterday. I didn't tell you because I was hoping I was wrong. I don't want to believe it any more than you do, Jo, but this is my job, and I can't let the fact that Billy is your brother interfere with that."

  "Billy doesn't have an alibi for the nights these women were killed?"

  "We don't know yet; that's why I'm bringing him in for questioning. I didn't want to ask too many questions locally in case I was wrong. Something like this could destroy a person's reputation. I didn't want to put your family, or you, through that."

  She fell silent at his words. It was true Billy hadn't been himself lately and Mariah had said he wasn't spending as much time at home as he used to. Never in a million years, though, would she believe her brother was the man they were after. The man who she'd only recently learned had targeted her from the beginning as part of the sick game he was playing.

  She looked at Austin. "Can I be there when you question him?"

  "That's not a good idea, Jo."

  "Please. I promise I won't interfere. I just want to be there, for him."

  He gave a heavy sigh. "You're only going to be there for moral support, and that's it. I don't want to hear a word coming out of your mouth."

  "Okay," she agreed.

  As soon as Deputy Pendergrass returned from Portland with Amy Fugate, Austin and Jo escorted her into a room adjacent to the interview room while Walt went to pick up Billy. "Can I get you something to drink, coffee…coke?" Jo asked.

  "No, I'm fine, thank you." The young woman looked through the two-way glass to the empty interview room. "Are you sure he won't be able to see me?" she asked, apprehensively.

  "He won't even know you're in here," Austin assured her.

  Jo glanced over at his words. What if the woman identified Billy? Witnesses make mistakes all the time. She's young, and with the airport being so close to Billy's construction site, he may have visited the lounge. What if she identifies him just because he seems familiar to her? "Can I see you outside a minute?" she asked Austin.

  As soon as he joined her, she took his hand and led him down the hallway, pausing outside his office. "What if she ID's him, Austin?"

  "Then he better have a good alibi."

  "He didn't kill those women, Austin. I just know he didn't."

  "Jo, you yourself said, the guy is someone you'd never think capable of killing." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Look we're jumping way ahead of ourselves here. Even if she does ID him, we've still a long ways to go before we'd have enough to charge him. I can't hold him on your profile alone."

  His words brought some comfort. That relief vanished when she caught sight of Walt's patrol car pulling up out front. They hurried back to the observation room just as the front door opened.

  "Amy, you ready?" Austin asked.

  Jo stood back and watched as Walt led Billy into the adjourning room. Holding her breath, she waited for the young woman to speak.

  "He looks awfully familiar, but I can't say for sure if he's the same guy I saw with the woman."

  Jo let out the air that'd been trapped in her lungs.

  "Take your time, look him over carefully," Austin advised.

  Several minutes past before Amy said, "I know I've seen him before in the lounge, but I'm just not sure he was the one with the woman. I'm sorry."

  "Okay. Don't worry about it, Amy. You did the best you could. Come on, I'll have my deputy drive you back."

  After passing the young woman off to Pendergrass, Austin and Jo entered the interview room where Billy was.

  "What's going on here?" he demanded, his distorted expression reflecting his anger. "No one will tell me anything. Why have I been brought in for questioning?"

  Jo walked to the six-foot table with four chairs and took a seat beside her brother.

  Billy barely glanced at her before looking up at Austin who was standing near the door. "Why am I here?"

  "We have an eye witness who saw a man fitting your description with one of the victims at the airport in Portland," Austin said.

  "What!" Then glancing at Jo, he added, "You're not serious."

  "I'm afraid he is, Billy," she said softly and reached for his hand. He jerked away from her, folding his arms across his chest. His reaction came as no surprise, but it still stung. "I'm sure there's nothing to be alarmed about. Just answer his questions so we can get this cleared up."

  "I don't believe this. This is preposterous. Did you put him up to this?"

  "Your sister has nothing to do with the reason you're here."

  "She's running this circus, isn't she?"

  "Jo is no longer a part of this investigation."

  "That's convenient."

  "I need you to answer some questions, Billy," Austin said stood next to the table.

  "Shouldn't I have an attorney present during questioning?"

  "You can have one present if you wish." Jo was aware of the icy glare Austin threw her way but ignored it.

  "You're not under arrest, Billy. I only brought you in to explain a few things for me."

  "Such as?"

  "For starters, why do you have an apartment in Portland when your wife and kids live here?"

  "Sometimes I work late. It's convenient."

  "Convenient as in having a place to take the women whom you meet at the airport?"

  "Are you accusing me of cheating on my wife now?" Billy's gaze shifted from Austin to Jo.

  "The witness has placed you in the airport lounge, Billy, on more than one occasion. The same lounge where the killer is taking the victims, so he can slip sedatives into their drinks," Jo informed.

  Billy gave no response.

  "I need to know where you were Monday night."

  Billy glared at Austin. "You're looking for a scapegoat, aren't you; that's what all this is about? You can't catch the real killer so you're coming after me just because I work near the airport and have had a few drinks in the lounge." He then turned to Jo. "Are you going to just stand by and let them railroad me?"

  "Billy, if you're having an affair, we need to know. You're going to need an alibi for the dates those women were killed."

  "Unless you plan on charging me with the murders, I don't have to sit here and listen to this. Not without an attorney present."

  "Jo, can I talk to you outside, please?" Austin asked. She followed him out into the hall. "Talk to him, get him to cooperate. I'm doing my best to keep this quiet, but if he isn't going to help clear his name, I've no choice but to start digging deeper."

  "I'm telling you, Austin, he didn't kill those women."

  "I pray y
ou're right, Jo, but until he proves where he was when those women were murdered I have to consider him a suspect."

  "I'll talk to him." Jo reentered the interview room.

  "Do you think I killed them, Jo?" Billy asked softly as she approached the table.

  "No, of course not, but Austin has a job to do, Billy. If you don't cooperate, he has no choice but to consider you a suspect."

  "I can't, Jo."

  "Don't be stupid, Billy. Think about Mom…and Mariah and the kids. If word gets out that you're a suspect in these murders, what do you think that's going to do to them?"

  It was several seconds before he spoke. "She works at the airport. I met her three months ago, not long after I started the project near the airport. We meet in the lounge sometimes, or we go back to the loft. She's married too."

  "Who is she, Billy? We're going to need to talk to her, to verify you were together on the nights of the murders."

  "Didn't you just hear me? She's married."

  "So are you. You should have thought of the consequences of people finding out before you… How could you Billy? Mariah and the kids love you. Depend on you. If you weren't happy—"

  "You've got some nerve, Jo." He stood; his eyes steady on her. "You've no idea what it's been like for me since Dad died; the responsibilities that were dumped on me. While you were off gallivanting around the country, I was here arranging a funeral, filling out insurance forms, comforting Mom."

  "I would have been here if I'd had a choice."

  "Yeah right."

  Jo was about to respond when the door opened and Austin entered. "We're going to need to take your fingerprints, Billy."

  Jo met her brother's glare. "Unless you want your little secret to get out, I suggest you oblige him. It's the only other way to clear your name."

  "Fine," Billy followed Austin. Then pausing in the doorway, he turned back to her. "You won't say anything to Mariah or Mom will you…about the affair I mean?"

  "No," she replied quietly. She watched as Austin pulled the door shut.

  Jo sat down at the table. She could only imagine the pressure he'd been under following her father's death. No wonder he was so angry with her. That didn't excuse his behavior for betraying his wife and kids, though.

  Several minutes later Austin returned, taking a seat beside her. "I faxed a copy of his prints to Portland. I figured you'd want them to do the comparison. They're a little backlogged, but they said they'd let us know as soon as possible."

  "In the meantime?"

  "I'll be as discreet as possible," he promised.

  "Thank you." She stood. "Just because he was unfaithful to his wife, that doesn't prove he's the killer."

  "Doesn't prove he isn't either."

  With a heavy sigh, she turned and left.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  The Portland PD called Austin later that afternoon, informing him that nothing incriminating turned up in the search of Billy McDaniels' apartment or construction site. He was both relieved and disturbed by the news. If he was the killer, and he wasn't taking the victims to his apartment, where was he taking them? As desperate as he was to put an end to the most disturbing case he'd ever worked on, he prayed Billy wasn't their man.

  He went to the large glass partition separating his office from the outer room. Jo sat at Slim's desk, just as she had all afternoon, helping Slim go over the passenger lists. Though she hadn't said so, he knew she was mad at him for not mentioning his suspicions about her brother sooner.

  Unable to take the silent treatment any longer, he knocked on the glass, and when she raised her head, he motioned for her to come into his office. He'd just sat back down at his desk when she entered. "Are you having any luck?" he asked.

  "We've got a name that's shown up on all the lists but one. Edwin James appears on all the passenger lists except for the one Suzanne Reynolds worked as a flight attendant."

  "Have you run the name through NCIC?"

  "Nothing came up. I'm putting him through the FBI data bases now, but I'm not having much luck there either."

  His gaze steadied on her. She looked exhausted. "Why don't you sit down."

  "I need to get back to work."

  "Are we going to let this come between us, Jo?"

  She gave a heavy sigh. "I'm doing the best I can to stay objective here, but Billy is my brother. I feel like a piece of taffy being pulled in two different directions."

  "Which is why you shouldn't even be here."

  "Austin, if I don't look out for him, no one will."

  "You honestly believe that? Do you really think I'd let an innocent man go to jail?"

  She looked at him. "No, but I've seen it before Austin…in Maine. They were so desperate for a suspect—"

  "That was in Maine. That won't happen here, Jo, I promise."

  "I need to get back to work."

  He watched as she left the room. 'Lord, please let us work this out. I don't want to lose her.'

  *****

  At five-thirty, when he finally left his office, Jo was still working at the computer. "Anything new?" he asked pausing beside the desk. Engrossed in whatever it was she was doing, she only shook her head.

  "She's been like that for almost an hour. It's like she's in her own little world," Slim commented with a smile.

  Austin motioned for him to join him at the counter. "Why don't you take the night off? I'll try and talk her into coming home with me."

  "Good luck. I don't think she's very happy with you at the moment."

  "Yeah, I kind of gathered that."

  "You know boss, I have to agree with her. I just don't think Billy is capable of killing those women."

  "Let me guess, I'm the only one around here that thinks he is."

  "Pretty much, but then we've known him his whole life and you haven't."

  Austin waited until Slim had left before he pulled up a chair next to Jo. He sat back and watched as she went from one government agency to another. It wasn't until he placed his hand over hers that she acknowledged his presence, and that acknowledgment came in the form of a glare for having been interrupted.

  "What?" she asked.

  "It's almost six, Jo. Don't you think you'd better call it a day?"

  "Not until I'm finished."

  "What are you doing?"

  "Trying to get a hit on this Edwin James. Though I've come up with several matches, none fit his age or physical description. It has to be an alias, so I'm transposing the name. Either Edwin or James could be a middle name."

  "That could take all night, Jo, days even." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "What do you say we go by your motel and pick up a change of clothes, and you come and stay the night at my house? We could grill some steaks."

  "Can I bring my laptop and work on it after dinner?"

  "Would I be able to stop you?"

  Finally, she smiled. "I doubt it."

  *****

  Austin grilled the steaks while Jo and Bailey made potato salad and chocolate cake for desert. Anxious to leave on her skiing trip on Friday, it was practically all the teenager talked about, even as they sat down at dinner.

  "Have you ever gone skiing, Jo?" Bailey asked toward the end of the meal.

  "I'm afraid my coordination isn't good enough. I tried rollerblading once and almost broke my neck."

  "I think skiing is easier. Maybe all three of us could go sometime. Wouldn't that be fun?"

  Jo suspected the girl could sense the friction between her and Austin and tried to lighten the mood. "Yes, that would be fun."

  Though she understood Austin was only doing his job, she couldn't help but feel a little hurt that he hadn't confided in her about his suspicions. It had been obvious Tuesday that something was troubling him. He could have told her then, but he hadn't. What bothered her the most was his refusal to see the obvious. Looking at her complete profile of the killer, Billy didn't fit it. The only similarities were the physical description and the fact that her brother resented her.

/>   Anxious to get back to work, Jo gathered the dishes, figuring the quicker she got them out of the way, the quicker she could get started on her search.

  "Don't worry about the dishes, Jo, I'll do them."

  "Thanks, Bailey. I've got some work I need to do. I'll be upstairs." She grabbed her laptop and headed for Austin's bedroom.

  Jo slipped into her sweats and a tee shirt, then climbed into bed, balancing the laptop on her legs. She thought of their interview with Billy. Despite his anger, she knew he was scared. She hoped Austin would keep his promise and be discrete in his investigation. If word did get out that he was a suspect, it would ruin him. That's why she had to do everything in her power to find the real killer. With that thought, she turned on her laptop and got to work.

  She worked until almost midnight taking the name, Edwin James, and running it through the databases in different hypotheses. Finally, using the name James Edwin, she came up with a hit out of the Department of Vital Statistics on a death certificate issued in Caldwell County in 1998 to a James Edwin Ramsey. Certain their man wasn't a ghost, she figured someone had stolen the dead man's identity by taking his birth certificate and social security number and applying for a driver's license in another state.

  Jo was about to return to the Department of Motor Vehicles when someone knocked on the bedroom door. "Okay if I come in?" Austin's voice drifted into the room.

  "Yeah." Jo glanced up as he opened the door and walked in.

  "You still mad at me?" He took a seat on the end of the bed.

  She closed her laptop and set it aside. "I'm not mad at you, Austin." Disappointed maybe, but not mad.

  "Is it possible you let Billy influence your profile? I mean you'd already had a couple of confrontations with him, and you were under a lot of stress."

  Jo just looked at him. They'd had a similar discussion only a few days ago. "I'm used to the stress, Austin, and when I begin work on a profile, I think of nothing but the facts of the case and the victims."

  "We all make mistakes, though, Jo, maybe—"

  "I believe my profile is accurate, Austin. If I didn't, I wouldn't be staking my life on it." She scooted forward on the bed. "If you were to consider the entire context of my profile instead of just the physical description, you'd see Billy isn't the killer."