Deadly Dozen: 12 Mysteries/Thrillers (318 page)

Starting the engine, she waited for Joshua to climb in and fasten his seat belt. “Ready?” Sarah questioned, giving him one more chance to back out.

“Uh, you might want to put your contacts in, Sarah. Save a lot of explanations.”

“Oh, God.” Sarah reached into the glove box for the green contacts. “Thanks, Joshua.”

“No problem.” He grinned at her, but Sarah could see the confusion and strain of the past few days reflected in the tautness of his face. She was asking a lot of him.

Darkness descended quickly in the mountains, and the mayor’s house was lit up. Sarah hesitated again. If she were wrong, she might be destroying her own career as well as Joshua’s.

“Maybe you should stay here. Wait for me.”

“No way, Sarah. Comes with the territory, remember? My job.”

Sarah felt her eyes mist over, knowing he knew what was about to happen could destroy his future. And yet he would still go in there, stand beside her. Loyalty. It was the one thing she’d seen in his face the day she hired him. Joshua was fiercely loyal to those he cared about.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

Sarah’s stride spoke of confidence, a sureness she didn’t feel inside as she rang the doorbell.

“Why, Sheriff Burns, what brings you here?” Claire Nix opened the door herself, eyes watchful, wary.

“This isn’t a social visit, Claire. I need to speak with David in private, please.”

“Well!” Claire’s gaze turned hostile. Sarah stood her ground. She felt no satisfaction in knowing she won, as Claire turned abruptly and hissed, “Follow me.” She left them at the library door. “He’s in there.”

Sarah was suddenly glad for Joshua’s presence. The slight pressure of his hand on her shoulder. She knocked, “David, it’s Sheriff Burns.”

The door opened immediately, and Sarah had the distinct feeling he’d been standing on the other side, listening, waiting.

“Come in. Why, Sheriff, what are you doing here? Why aren’t you out there trying to find out who killed that poor girl? Or those other people?”

Good old David, attack before being attacked. It wasn’t going to work this time. Her voice cold, authoritative, she addressed him. “Sit down, David.”

To Sarah’s surprise he obeyed. As he sank into the desk chair, his lips quivered, double chins bobbing, as he sobbed, “I’m so sorry.”

“What happened to Johanna Nelson?” Sarah felt the anger rising inside her.

“Accident. I swear to God it was an accident. She was driving too fast, couldn’t make the curve. I wanted to help her, but I was so scared. Claire…Claire told me I had to end it. I didn’t know. She didn’t drink. I didn’t know.”

Sarah gritted her teeth against the rising rage. “You were with her? You left her there to die?”

“No, I swear to God, she was already dead. I didn’t know what to do. I called Claire. Claire always knows what to do.”

Sarah paced back and forth. She wanted to choke the filthy bastard.

“And the liquor?”

“I was drinking. Claire said we had to do it.”

Sarah continued her angry pacing. She could arrest him for leaving the scene of the accident.

“Please don’t tell anyone.”

Sarah’s control snapped. Reaching across the desk she grabbed the front of his shirt, hauling him up face to face. “Don’t tell anyone? You spineless piece of trash. She’s dead because of you.”

“Back off, Sarah.” Joshua grabbed her by the shoulders. “He ain’t worth it.”

Sarah let go of the shirt and stuffed her hands into her pockets. It was too tempting to choke the son-of-a-bitch. Joshua pulled her away from the desk, his voice barely a whisper. “It would only hurt Johanna’s parents. They’ve been hurt enough.” He inclined his head toward the door. They both needed a breath of fresh air.

Sarah shook her head. Not yet. The bastard showed no remorse for the death of Johanna and her child. All he was worried about was what it was going to do to his image.

“Did you know she was pregnant?”

Nix’s face paled even more, the fat jaws trembling beneath her wrath.

“No, I swear to God…”

“Leave God out of this!” Sarah screamed at him. “Where were you this morning? Did you shoot Gavin McAllister?”

“McAllister shot? No, dear God, no. I wouldn’t do anything like that.”

As much as Sarah hated to admit it, even to herself, she believed him. Still, she wanted a reason, any reason to throw his fat ass in jail. The door slammed open behind them, and Sarah jerked around, hand automatically going for her pistol. Claire Nix stood there, her face contorted, a grotesque mask of hatred.

“I shot McAllister.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Carl squirmed in the plush armchair under the chief’s penetrating glare, wishing he could light a cigarette. Didn’t have to smoke the damn thing, just light it. “It was all my idea, sir. Rob ain’t got nothing to do with this.”

“That’s bullshit, Chief. If anybody is at fault here, it’s me.”

Chief Walsh sat back, tapping his fingers lightly on the desk. “Why?”

Carl swallowed, his hands fluttering nervously from knees to jacket pocket. Goddamn no smoking rules. “We figured you’d take us off the case when we made the connection between the two cases.”

“You figured?” Chief Walsh sat forward and roared, eyes blazing. “You knew goddamn well I’d take you off the case! You’re just lucky McAllister wasn’t killed!”

“Yes, sir,” Carl said, eyes on his feet.

“Two hours. I want a report on my desk in two hours.”

Rob cleared his throat as he pulled the sheets of paper from inside his jacket. “Already done, sir.” He avoided looking at Carl as he continued. “I was going to give it to you today, along with my resignation.”

“Shit.” Carl stood up and walked to the window taking the cigarettes from his jacket pocket. Screw the fucking rules. Ignoring the chief’s warning look, he shook out a cigarette and placed it between his lips, hands shaking slightly as the lighter clicked loudly in the silent room.

A smiled tugged at the corners of Chief Walsh’s lips as he opened the top drawer of his desk and placed an ashtray on the corner of the desk. “Don’t get ashes on my floor.”

Chief Walsh read the report, nodding occasionally. When he reached the last page, he tore it in half and tossed it into the trashcan. “You don’t get off that easy. Take what you’ve got down to Jefferson and get a profile report.”

“Yes, sir.” Rob breathed a sigh of relief.

“Well, what the hell are you waiting for? I thought you two were on vacation?”

Stubbing out the cigarette, Carl grinned, heading for the door before the chief changed his mind.

“Jackson.”

“Yes, sir,” Carl turned, holding his breath.

“There’s another problem in Glade Springs.” Taking a note pad from his desk, Chief Walsh quickly jotted down the name and address, handing it to Carl. Millie Crawford, 145 Second Street, Glade Springs, West Virginia.

Carl met the chief’s somber gaze and nodded. “I’ll see it gets taken care of, sir.

#

Sarah longed for the comfort of her bed, the warmth of her child. The news of Claire Nix’s arrest spread like wildfire through the town. The phone was ringing incessantly. People wanted answers. Answers she couldn’t give them.

“Damn, that woman is cold,” Joshua stated as he entered the office and tossed the keys on Sarah’s desk.

Sarah nodded, absently rubbing her temples. “Did she tell you why she did it?”

“Said she told him to leave. He didn’t.”

Sarah laughed. As absurd as it sounded, that would have been reason enough for Claire.

Joshua flopped in the old armchair. “She wants to see you.”

“Did she say why?”

Shaking his head, Joshua placed a toothpick between his teeth. “Probably wants to explain.”

Sarah raised one eyebrow, ignoring the steady hazel gaze. “Explain what?”

“Don’t think she meant to shoot him. Probably just wanted to scare him. Her aim just wasn’t too good.” Joshua chuckled, imagining the shocked look on Claire’s face when the bullet actually struck Gavin.

“Well, she did shoot at him, and she did hit him. Intended or not.” Taking the keys, Sarah headed for the door. The sooner she got this over with the sooner she could try to get some rest.

“Go home, Sarah,” Joshua said quietly. “You’re gonna crash if you don’t get some rest. Claire can wait until tomorrow.”

Sarah shook her head, too tired to argue. It was her job to deal with these things.

“You’re not good to anyone if you crash. Besides, how long has it been since you really saw Nikki? She needs you, Sarah. And you’ve got McAllister to deal with. I’ll stay here tonight.” Joshua had her attention and pushed it home. “We can get by one night without you, you know.”

Sarah knew what he was saying made sense. Juanita and José had been practically living at her home, taking care of Nikki. And now she had Gavin McAllister there to be taken care of. Besides, she was so tired she wasn’t really functioning. Running on caffeine and fear. Joshua was right, she had to crash eventually.

Tossing the keys on the desk she consented. “Okay, but you call me immediately if anything comes up.”

“Don’t I always?” Joshua grinned as he watched her leave. Placing the toothpick between his teeth, he moved to the sheriff’s chair. He liked it here. Waiting until he was sure Sarah was safely on her way home, he dialed the mayor’s number. He could at least listen to what the man had to say.

“Hello.”

“Mayor, Joshua Cross. The sheriff’s gone.”

“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

Hanging up the phone, Joshua glanced around the bare office. A little redecorating and it would be just fine. Chuckling, he sat back in the chair and propped his feet on the old desk. Yep, he liked it here a lot.

#

“With all the data we’ve compiled, I don’t believe Williams is your killer.”

Rob and Carl exchanged glances before looking at Timothy Jefferson, the Bureau’s head profiler.

Jefferson continued in the same droning voice. “The profile of the killer would include some type of abuse when he was a child. Probably sexual. Father, stepfather, maybe even the mother. From what we know of Williams, he came from a stable family, no record of abuse. Both he and his brother had some petty problems with the police as juveniles, but nothing significant. Sorry guys, he just doesn’t fit.”

Jefferson closed the file and stood up, signaling the meeting was over. “It’s getting late. I’ll deliver a copy of my report to Chief Walsh in the morning.”

Carl smiled at Jefferson. “We’ll do that for you. Got a meeting in a few minutes. No need to take up your time.”

Jefferson nodded, handing over the file. “That would be great. Thanks.”

Carl smiled again, signaling Rob to follow him. Exiting the building, he found the nearest trashcan and dumped the report inside.

“Hey, what the hell are you doing? I thought you said we had a meeting with the chief?” Rob stood, his eyes traveling from the trashcan to Carl. Breaking the rules was one thing, but throwing that report away was bound to cost them their jobs.

“Not with that cock-a-mamy bullshit,” Carl growled, lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag. “College educated idiots. I was catching killers when he was wearing diapers. And I didn’t need no goddamn fucking computer printout to tell me who to look for.” Taking another long drag, he blew smoke in Rob’s direction. “You want to tell me Williams don’t fit the profile?”

Rob shook his head. The profilers always missed one thing. Some people were just born evil. No family abuse, no messed up childhood. Just evil, plain and simple. “He killed Cory. I know it. Knew it the moment I looked into his eyes.”

Carl nodded. “Don’t need no fucking profile to know evil when you see it. Let’s go.”

“Where to, partner?” Rob slapped him on the back. They were together in this. Win, lose, or draw, the two of them would go down together.

“Glade Springs,” Carl said, tossing the cigarette into the ditch and reaching for another one. A man had to die from something.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Nikki lay in the darkness listening to the sound of her mother’s deep breathing. Something had awakened her. Sitting up carefully, she waited until her eyes grew accustomed to the darkness. She smiled when she saw the pretty lady standing by the door, one finger pressed to her lips. Nikki nodded, glancing at her mother. She knew how to be quiet.