Cold Case Manhunt

by Jennifer Morey

  The big man jammed a gun against her ribs. “Don’t move again.”

  Jaslene studied his face. He had blocky features, a big nose and square jaw and thick brow. His dark hair was shaved millimeter short. He had a winged tattoo on his left forearm, the hand that held the gun. He was left-handed.

  She glanced around. The minivan windows were darkly tinted in the back. She recognized the road and realized they were heading for Webster Springs. She looked behind them and saw no sign of Cal’s SUV. She was in trouble.

  Okay. She had to stay calm. Her racing heart and imaginings of what harm might come to her made it difficult to keep the fear at bay. Think.

  As they reached the outskirts of Webster Springs, Riley turned on a side street. They passed a few houses and came to a trailer park, where they turned in.

  She was running out of time. If Riley got her wherever he intended to take her, she was finished.

  Riley stopped next to a trailer at the end of a row of them.

  “Make a sound when we get out and I’ll shoot you,” Riley said as he climbed out of the driver’s seat and slammed the door shut.

  He opened the back door and showed her the gun he also held. The big man got out, closed the door and went to the other side, standing next to Riley. Keeping his gun on Jaslene, Riley pulled out an envelope from inside his black leather jacket and handed it to the big man, who took it and walked toward another car parked on the street in front of the trailer.

  “If you try anything, I’ll kill you now. I don’t care if I get caught. You either die now or you buy yourself some time by not fighting me.”

  That was terrifying. She believed him. He obviously didn’t care if he was caught.

  Jaslene looked around. No one was outside and no cars passed on the street.

  “Get out. I won’t tell you again.”

  Jaslene did as he said. He pressed the gun to her side as his hired thug drove off without a single look her way.

  She faced the trailer, each step toward the door feeling like another one closer to her death. Would he shoot her as soon as he had her inside? He must care whether he’d be caught or he’d have already tried to kill her. He also wouldn’t have hired anyone to help him snatch her and bring her here.

  She wanted to fight and try to escape, but with her hands cuffed like this her chances were slim. And the baby. If she was hurt, the baby might be hurt as well.

  Scared and fighting to stay focused, she climbed the steps.

  “Open the door.”

  She opened the door, which he had left unlocked. Then he pushed her inside. It was dim, with two windows providing meager light in the small space.

  “Down the hall.”

  “Why are you doing this?” She walked slowly.

  He shoved her into a faster gait. “You know why.”

  “I didn’t cause Payton’s murder.”

  “You caused us to split up.” He grabbed her arm and steered her into the second doorway. She saw two locks in a heavy door. This room had a twin bed and a single window with bars.

  He pushed her and she fell to her knees.

  “I didn’t cause your split. Payton would have broken up with you anyway. You have to see that.”

  “She would be safe with me right now if it hadn’t been for your meddling. You talked her into ending it with me. Now you’re going to pay.” He removed the handcuffs.

  Jaslene stood and faced him, rubbing her wrists.

  “What did you do with Payton?” she asked.

  “I loved her.” He moved to the bed, making Jaslene cringe. But he only picked up some rope.

  “Enough to kill her?” She eyed the rope, wondering if it was the same that had been used to tie a cement block to Payton’s ankles.

  “I didn’t kill her. That doctor did.”

  Jaslene perked up at that. “How do you know?”

  He paused in unwinding the rope, which had gotten tangled. “I saw him park his car at the park around the corner from her house. I didn’t recognize him. I didn’t know she was seeing him until I saw you and that detective at his clinic. It dawned on me that he must have gone to her house that night I saw him.”

  So, Dr. Benjamin lied about Riley threatening him. “Why not go to the police? You could identify her killer.” She moved back as far as she could. He must intend to tie her up in this room.

  “Oh, I’ll make sure he pays, too. But first you.”

  What did he plan to do? “Why were you at the park that night?” He could be lying the same way Dr. Benjamin had. He could be Payton’s killer.

  “I wasn’t at the park. I had just left Payton’s. She wasn’t home yet, so I left and as I drove past the park, I saw a man get out of a Mercedes and start walking in the direction of Payton’s house. I got a good look at his face. I’m really good with that, remembering faces. I figured out who he was later.” He untangled one four-foot length of rope and started to untangle the other.

  Jaslene eyed his gun, which he still aimed at her as he worked. Should she kick his hand? “You didn’t come back?”

  “I did, the next morning. When she didn’t leave for work, I drove to her work and she wasn’t there, either. I knew something was wrong then, and the next day I found out she had been reported missing.” He stopped what he was doing to look at her. “I looked everywhere for her. Everywhere. I broke into her house to see if I could find any clues, too.”

  “Did you leave her house a mess?”

  “No. There were subtle signs that someone had been through it, though. I thought the police must have already been there.”

  So he hadn’t been the one to search her house. That had to have been Dr. Benjamin.

  He lowered his head. “I knew something bad must have happened to her. I knew she must have been killed.” He looked at her again. “I mourned for weeks and weeks. And then I realized if it hadn’t been for you, she’d still be here. She’d be in my arms, safe.”

  “Riley, that is ridiculous. We found out Dr. Benjamin is involved in some type of insurance fraud and Payton knew about it. He is the one who killed her. Cal and I are going to prove it.”

  Riley stared at her for long seconds. “I know that. Didn’t you hear me?”

  She hoped to make him somehow see reason. “He’s the one who should be punished.”

  He resumed untangling the rope, mostly one-handed. “Payton should have never been with him.”

  Did he think Payton had made the mistake of being unfaithful to him? That if she had never left Riley, she’d have never had the affair with the doctor? Since he blamed Jaslene for their breakup, he’d assigned all the guilt for Payton’s death to her in his twisted mind.

  “Why not just kill me now if you’re so convinced I’m at fault?” she asked, hoping the tactic wouldn’t backfire.

  “That’s not enough punishment for you. I want you to suffer the way Payton must have suffered because of you, the way you’ve made me suffer.” He gestured toward the head of the twin bed. “Get on the bed.”

  Her heart lurched in fear. She had to do something now or she’d never get another chance. If he tied her to that headboard, she’d endure unimaginable horrors.

  * * *

  Beside himself with fear for Jaslene, Cal had to force himself to stay focused. He’d contacted experts at DAI, who had tracked Jaslene’s cell phone to a location outside of town, in the direction of Webster Springs. Riley had used his own name to rent a trailer.

  Cal refused to wait for police and raced there now. All Cal cared about was saving Jaslene and their baby. If anything happened to either one of them, he’d be more devastated than he’d been when he’d discovered his ex-wife’s treachery. He’d ponder that once he had Jaslene safe and in his arms.

  He came to the turn to the trailer park and switched off his headlights, taking the long way around in case anyone was ke
eping watch. Riley had found someone to help him kidnap Jaslene. While Cal doubted he’d pay the thug to stick around to hurt her, he wouldn’t take any chances.

  It was getting late in the day and the sun had begun to set. Today had been a clear day, with no more snow in the forecast for at least a few more days.

  Cal parked a few trailers down from Riley’s address, readied his guns—he’d brought three—and alighted from the SUV. He’d changed into more tactical clothes, all black, so he couldn’t be seen approaching.

  Checking his surroundings, making sure he wouldn’t be caught, he made it to the side of the trailer, opposite the front door. He moved quietly along. Light illuminated windows. The first had bars on it. He could see Riley’s and Jaslene’s shadows on a cheap shade. The second didn’t have bars, just a closed shade. Rising up, he peered through a crack in the blind. He saw nothing at first, then the curve of a hip and a glimpse of blond hair.

  “No,” he heard her say.

  She was alive.

  Lowering his head, he breathed in profound relief.

  Then he thought of the best way to go in and get her. Riley was in the room with her.

  He hurried to the back of the trailer and found a back door. He made quick work of picking the old lock and was in.

  His gun ready, he moved stealthily down the hall to the room with the barred window. The door was ajar. He kicked it open and shouted, “Drop your gun now!”

  Riley held a rope and a pistol and jumped, startled by the interruption. At the same time, Jaslene ducked and dived toward the side of the room, away from Riley’s gun.

  Riley started to turn the gun on Cal, who shot him in his shoulder. As Riley dropped his weapon, Cal rushed to him, putting a knee in the small of his back. Kicking Riley’s gun away, Cal aimed his pistol at his forehead.

  “I should kill you right now.”

  “Cal, no. Let the police arrest him. He knows Dr. Benjamin was at the park. Riley saw him.”

  That hit Cal like a bull’s-eye.

  She handed him handcuffs. “He had these on me.”

  Cal took them and yanked Riley so he was facedown and then bent his arms behind his back. Riley cried out in pain, his shoulder bloody. Cal cuffed him. Then he used the rope he would have used on Jaslene to tie his feet.

  Riley moaned on the floor.

  Cal stood and turned to Jaslene. He went to her and took her into his arms.

  “I just have to hold you.” He embraced her firmly, smelling her hair, kissing her ear, her forehead. “You have no idea.”

  “You have no idea how glad I am you got here when you did.”

  “I do. I do.” He leaned back and kissed her mouth, then held her face between his hands and looked at her.

  She smiled shakily. “Get me out of here.”

  “With pleasure.”

  Chapter 16

  With Riley now under arrest and the police hot on his accomplice’s tail, Jaslene and Cal were able to zero in on Dr. Benjamin. She sat with him at the table after sharing a light breakfast, finishing her second cup of decaffeinated coffee, the next morning. She still felt tired after everything she had been through. She just wanted all of this to be over so she could turn all her attention to Cal and the baby.

  “That masked hit man needs to be found. He isn’t Riley’s accomplice,” he said.

  That could go without mention. “Benjamin isn’t going to tell us anything.”

  “We still have no proof, but if the warrant is approved, Forensics can search his Mercedes.”

  It didn’t seem like they had enough evidence for a judge to grant a search warrant. “Maybe we should talk to that other doctor again, the one that left Benjamin’s organization.”

  He looked up from his laptop, a steaming cup of coffee nearby and his light blue eyes zinging her with their attractiveness and the affection that was always there. She also noticed that his tight black, long-sleeved undershirt accentuated his muscular arms and chest.

  “It’s worth a try.” He reached over and put his hand on hers, the feelings between them warming.

  A flutter of wariness flashed as worry over whether this emotion would last came over her. She loved these sweet, innocent moments with him but they drew her to him inexorably. How nice it would be to completely let go and fall completely.

  How close he’d come, or how close he perceived he’d come, to losing her made him this attentive. Or was it because he truly cared for her?

  “Shall we go?” She slid her hand away and stood.

  His warmth turned to concern. He stood and came to her.

  “You’ve been a little skittish with me today. Why?”

  He had to ask? “I’m just...still out of sorts with us.”

  “Don’t you trust me?”

  How could she answer that and be completely honest? “I don’t know.”

  His gaze grew more intense and he put his hands on her upper arms. “Let’s not look ahead anymore, Jaslene. Let’s take one day at a time.”

  She supposed she could do that, but what if one day she let her guard down and really fell for him, only to discover on said day that he couldn’t be with her long-term? She’d already had her heart broken with Ryan. She had to at least try to protect herself from another.

  “One day at a time,” he said again.

  She nodded a few times, unable to meet his eyes again.

  * * *

  Cal waited with Jaslene at Dr. Faulkner’s office. All he had to do was concentrate on today, and today they would talk to the chiropractor. Unfortunately, he also couldn’t stop concentrating on Jaslene. In a warm, soft black sweater dress, tights and boots, she looked so feminine and sexy.

  The doctor finally entered the office. “I’m so sorry to keep you waiting.” He strode to his desk and sat, running his fingers through his salt-and-pepper hair. “It’s been a busy day.”

  “Thank you for seeing us,” Cal said, not missing how much more genuine his tone was than Benjamin’s.

  The doctor adjusted his glasses. “I’m not sure I can help you.”

  The last time they talked, Dr. Faulkner had said Dr. Benjamin would have liked to have his referrals. “We discovered something new about Dr. Benjamin. You had mentioned not approving of his ethics. We have good reason to believe he was involved in a fraudulent referral program. Did you ever refer any patients to Dr. Benjamin’s clinics?” Cal asked.

  Dr. Faulkner met Cal’s eyes for several long seconds. “Once.”

  “Is that why you left?”

  He nodded. “Yes. I didn’t know at the time that Dr. Benjamin would be paid for my referrals. There was nothing about them in my contract. I resigned from Dr. Benjamin’s organization immediately. I already had a decent following of patients. Dr. Benjamin wasn’t very happy about that. He lost revenue. After a few months, though, I gained revenue.”

  Dr. Benjamin wanted his referrals. It occurred to Cal that Dr. Faulkner had never told them how he’d explained his resignation to Dr. Benjamin. “What reason did you give him?”

  “I only told him I’d decided to go out on my own. I felt bringing up the referrals or his unethical relations with patients would only stir up trouble for me. I figured if he took risks like that, he’d pay for them on his own. I didn’t want to be part of his operation anymore.”

  Benjamin hadn’t been clued in to the real reason why Faulkner left. Otherwise, surely he’d have gone after Faulkner, too.

  “At the time I didn’t know about Payton,” the doctor continued. “It never dawned on me that Dr. Benjamin would be involved. How did you make the connection?”

  “Payton called the fraud unit prior to her murder.”

  “Murder?”

  “Yes. Her body was recently found.”

  The doctor’s head lowered and a remorseful sigh blew from slightly parted lips. “That’s terribl
e.”

  Cal gave him a moment. “Dr. Faulkner, we can’t solve her murder without evidence. You have information that can lead us to that evidence. Are you willing to provide that and possibly testify in court?”

  The doctor lifted his head. “I’ll do whatever you need me to do.”

  “Then let’s start with you telling us everything you know about his business practices.”

  Dr. Faulkner nodded. “He does more than promote an internal referral program. He routinely does tests and orders procedures that aren’t necessary on his patients. Not invasive surgeries, but things like EKGs, X-rays and blood tests to get more money from insurance.”

  “How can we prove that?” Jaslene asked, looking at Cal.

  “You would need to get copies of his files,” Dr. Faulkner said. “I think your best bet would be to get records from one of his home health care facilities. He makes most of his money there, ordering home care for patients that don’t really need it. I never referred patients there, but I do have a lot that I could. Dr. Benjamin liked my older patients. Thank goodness I left before he could get to them.”

  Payton had died before she could find concrete evidence of fraud. She never got the chance.

  Cal looked over at Jaslene, who seemed to study the chiropractor in somber thought. She’d likely drawn the same conclusions.

  “What are you going to do?” the doctor asked. “Will you report me?”

  He feared his mistake in referring one patient to Dr. Benjamin’s empire. Cal would set his mind at ease.

  “No. We want Benjamin, not you. Besides that, I’m not a cop.” Cal stood and extended his hand. “Thank you very much, Doctor.”

  Dr. Faulkner shook his hand. “Thank you.”

  Jaslene stood, a smooth, graceful move, and said, “Payton was a good friend of mine. I’ve been waiting a long time for a break in this case. You just might have given us the one we need. Now we have a clear motive.”