Faces of Evil [4] Rage (25 page)

“Harold’s on top of it.” Burnett loosened his tie. “He asked to take the lead.” Fury visibly tightened his lips. “He’s already grilling personnel in the car pool. The whole place is on lockdown.”

Jess resisted the urge to ask why he didn’t consider Deputy Chief Harold Black a suspect. But that would be her ego talking. She and Black had seriously butted heads over a case and likely would do the same in the future, but Harold Black was a loyal cop.

No use pretending she could keep the break-in to herself. If someone was this serious about taking her down, she couldn’t afford to flirt with that particular denial. “There’s something…”

He planted his hands on his hips and fixed that look on her—the look that warned she wasn’t going to like whatever he said next. “Jess, it’s time for you to admit this threat is serious. I want you off the streets. Period. Harold said he would step in and take the reins while you work in the background.”

Not only did she not like that suggestion, she was not going to listen to another word, much less tell him about the break-in. How could she get her job done like this? She reached into her bag and pulled out her pad and pencil. While he watched, she wrote a short, sweet note, then passed it to him.

“Bullshit!” He crushed her resignation and tossed it across the room. “This is not a game, Jess. This is—”

Jess stowed her stuff and stood. “You can have someone follow me around and I’ll concede to having Harper or Wells with me every minute on the job. But”—she held up a hand when he would have interrupted—“
but
if you push this idea that I have to duck and run for cover, I will resign.”

The standoff lasted another five seconds. “You try to evade protection,” he warned, “and I swear, I’ll put you in protective custody.”

He was forgetting a little thing called her civil rights. He was upset. She was upset. But this case—finding Devon Chambers alive and nailing Gabrielle Grayson’s killer—was more important than either of their egos.

“I will not attempt to evade my assigned protection.”
Unless it’s absolutely necessary
. “Can we move on now?”

He rubbed at his forehead as if a headache had started there. “Sure.”

She resumed her seat and he finally settled into his. She gave him a rundown of what they’d learned from Netty Winters, the nurse who once worked with Gabrielle Grayson. “Wells and I are following up with Trenton as soon as I’m finished here.”

“I want to know where you are and who you’re with at all times.”

Jess flashed him a fake smile. “Then you’d better make sure whoever’s pulling surveillance knows to relay that information to you.” She grabbed her stuff and stood. “I will let you know if there are any major developments.”

Her cell clanged before Burnett could argue with her last word. She dug for it and checked the screen.

Leslie Chambers.

Worry got a good sharp jab into her gut. “Harris.” To Burnett, she whispered, “It’s Devon’s sister.”

He nodded his understanding.

“You have to help me,” Leslie cried. “The people from Child Protective Services are here. They’re asking about Devon. I don’t know what to do.”

“I’ll be right there, Leslie. Tell them to wait.”

Jess shoved her phone into her bag, anger sparking. Though she understood this was the way the system worked and whoever had showed up at Leslie’s door was only doing their job, the timing made her mad as hell. One way or another she would see that Leslie and Devon were not separated under any circumstances.

Assuming they found him alive…

4:05 p.m.

Jess waited until the introductions were out of the way and then she let the kindly looking woman named Selma Peterson from Child Protective Services have it. Politely, of course.

“Ms. Peterson, I appreciate and respect what you’re doing. I’m certain your job is rarely pleasant or simple. Unfortunately I’m about to make things a lot more complicated. This young woman and her brother, who is currently missing, are persons of interest in an ongoing homicide case. Until that case is solved or I tell you otherwise, you have no authority to question her. So, with all due respect, I will need you to leave these premises and not return until I’ve instructed otherwise.”

Ms. Peterson looked from Jess to her colleague, Heather Phipps, and back. “Frankly, Chief Harris, I’m speechless. In my career of twenty-four years I have never had an officer of the law speak to me in such a manner.”

Jess gifted her with a patient smile. “Well, ma’am, I’m awful sorry if you took anything I said the wrong way, but, if you have any questions, my boss is Chief of Police Daniel Burnett. You can direct any questions you, your colleague here, or your supervisor have to him. You have a good day now.”

The two women grumbled about rude cops and rules all the way out the door. As soon as they were gone, Jess turned to Leslie. “I don’t know what repercussions might come from that, so we’re going to get you moved someplace else until this is over.”

Leslie shook her head. “I can’t go anywhere. If Devon comes back he won’t know what to do.”

“Leslie.” Jess pulled her down to the sofa, since she looked as if she were about to drop. “We have your brother’s psychologist and two other specialists working with our search commander. We have Devon’s picture everywhere. We have an officer watching your home. If he comes back, we’ll know it. My top priority at this moment is to ensure your safety as well as your peace of mind.”

“I promise I’m fine.” Her voice shook.

“Have you eaten today?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“How about I order your favorite pizza?” Lori suggested. “My treat.”

Leslie looked from Jess to Lori and back. “Cheese is my favorite.”

Lori smiled. “Done.”

“Chief Harris,” Leslie interrupted before Jess could resume, “do you have a brother or sister?”

Jess blinked. “Yes, I do. A sister.” A sister who might be very sick. An ache twisted deep inside Jess.

“If this were your sister missing like this,” Leslie said, her worried gaze searching Jess’s, “would you leave?”

She had her there. “Okay, you win. Let’s go over the rules again and I’ll give you an update on the search.”

Leslie grabbed her and hugged her. Startled, Jess wasn’t sure how to respond at first. Then she just went with it and hugged the girl back.

Edgewater Condominiums, 5:30 p.m.

Johnny Trenton had managed to save up enough for a down payment on a low-end condo in Homewood. There was a pool and plenty of other folks his age. Just went to show that before the housing crash mortgage lenders would approve a loan for anyone, whatever their source of income.

Lori spotted Trenton lying on a chaise near the glistening pool. Jess could have gone the rest of her life without seeing the guy in a mankini and tanning oil. Why any woman would consider a self-serving player like him attractive she would never know.

Jess stared down at the glistening creep and wished she had saved the ice from the Pepsi she’d hit a drive-through for on the way here so she could cool him off before he scorched every female on the property.

“I’m sure you’re enjoying the view,” he said without opening his eyes, “but you’re blocking my sun.”

“We should step out of the way, Detective. We wouldn’t want to block his sun.”

Trenton’s eyes popped open but he didn’t bother getting up. “Chief Harris, what an unexpected pleasure.”

He looked her up and down with that usual smirk he wore most likely when any breathing female was in his line of sight.

Evidently not wanting to play favorites, Trenton gave Lori the same appraisal. Lori rolled her eyes.

“Remember I said we might need to speak with you again?”

“Yes, ma’am. I surely do.” He got up and stretched to ensure everyone around got a good look at his mostly naked body.

“Would you like to talk here or some place more private?” Jess asked.

“Come on up to my place.” He grabbed his towel. “I think I might even have some lemonade in the fridge.”

Like she would drink anything he had in his fridge if she were dying of thirst.

His condo was on the first floor with a slider leading to the pool. Not as bad as she’d expected. The décor was blasé but the place was spacious and relatively tidy.

When they had settled around the coffee table, Lori reminded him, “Mr. Trenton, your rights were explained to you when you were interviewed previously. Do you need me to read them again?”

He shook his head. “I have nothing to hide and as far as I know I don’t need an attorney. So shoot.” He smiled at Jess. “I’m ready for whatever you got.”

“Mr. Trenton,” Jess flipped through her notes just to make him nervous, “do you recall threatening Gabrielle Grayson when you were a patient at New Life Rehab Center three years ago?”

He flinched. “I do.” He shook his head. “I was a genuine asshole to Gabrielle. But, like I told you, she wouldn’t let me give up. She kept on urging me to hang in there even though I threatened her seven ways to Sunday. I called her every imaginable ugly name. But she never gave up. She’s the reason I got clean and stayed that way.”

“Why didn’t you mention this when I questioned you on Monday?” Jess hated wasting her time. This investigation was far too important to cater to his massive ego.

“It’s not the kind of thing I want to brag about. Besides, that was someone else. It wasn’t the man you’re sitting here talking to now. Gabrielle saved my life. There is no way in this world I would have done anything to harm her.” He looked away then. “I pretend to be all nonchalant and like I don’t care about anything but I care that she’s gone. I hate like hell that some sick son of a bitch gangbanger did this to her.” His jaw tightened with the fury Jess heard in his words. “I hope they kill each other until the fuckers are extinct.”

Now there was a thought. Only, a gangbanger didn’t kill Gabrielle.

“Mr. Trenton,” Jess offered, “I’m going to go out on a limb here. I believe you when you say you would never have hurt Gabrielle. But I need you to think long and hard about your relationship with her.” She had to be careful. She couldn’t put words in his mouth. Yet she wanted desperately to get a break in this case. The only way that was going to happen was if someone who knew Gabrielle started talking. “Did you ever see or hear anyone do or say anything that might have developed into the motive for murder? Did she have a boyfriend? Did her husband have a girlfriend? Was anything going on that signaled trouble?”

His shoulders slumped. “Honest to God, I wish I knew something. But there’s just nothing to know. Gabrielle’s whole life revolved around that kid and her husband. She got frustrated sometimes, mainly I think, because she was used to working outside the home. But she was happy. Her husband was happy as far as I know. He wasn’t usually around when I worked on the pool. He didn’t like her associating with anyone like me. Can’t say that I blame him. Most addicts who had it as bad as I did don’t stay clean. But I had Gabrielle. There was no way I was going to fail.”

“On Monday,” Jess countered, “you said Gabrielle’s husband wasn’t taking care of her needs. That her child was driving her nuts. Which is it, Mr. Trenton? The woman you hold in such high regard is dead. Someone cut off her head and stabbed her body ten times. Imagine what she must have suffered.” That wasn’t true but he didn’t know that. “Don’t you want us to find the person who did this?”

Cocky, full-of-himself Johnny Trenton cried. Like a baby. Jess felt like a total buttwad.

Lori shrugged and grabbed a paper towel for him to dry his eyes.

“Okay,” he mumbled, then sniffed. “I know I said Gabrielle was unhappy, but she wasn’t. Not really.” He looked at Jess with watery eyes. “Gabrielle loved her son more than life. She almost never complained. And she worshipped her husband. He could do no wrong in her eyes. She set the standard for being a wife and mother.”

There it was. More proof of Gabrielle Grayson’s sainthood.

How the hell was Jess supposed to solve a case when everything was so perfect?

Except for the fact that a woman was dead.

And a little boy was missing.

Outside, Jess dropped into the passenger seat of Lori’s Mustang. It was hot as blazes and she was exhausted and disgusted and mad as hell. What jerk disliked her so much he would try to blow her up?

Lori started the car. “Wow. I feel like I just walked off the set of an episode of
Dr. Phil
.”

Jess laughed, sort of. She was too tired and overwhelmed to really laugh, but it was a start. She adjusted the air-conditioning vents. “So, her former coworkers and patients think Gabrielle walked on water. We know there is little or no likelihood this was a gang hit.”

“Don’t forget her neighbors,” Lori added. “Everyone we talked to thought she was super mom. We got nothing but rave reviews.”

Didn’t add up. All those post mortem stab wounds spoke of the killer’s rage. “This killer had to be someone who knew her. Hated her. Was envious of her. Or feared her somehow.”

Their gazes locked. Lori spoke first. “All her friends are cops and cops’ wives.”

As unpopular as exploring that avenue would be with the whole department, they had no choice but to take this investigation right there. “Grayson’s mother-in-law is home now. We need to nail down an interview with Sarah Riley. She has no more excuses.”

“She’s put me off every time I call,” Lori complained.

“She and her husband are closer to the Graysons than anyone,” Jess said, mostly to herself. “We need that interview.” They needed a hell of a lot more than that. “We need whoever the hell was close enough to know Grayson’s work schedule and
whoever
Gabrielle knew well enough to let into her house at that time of night.

“We need,” she said, frustrated and tired, “to find whatever it is that prompted a motive strong enough to kill a woman and then mutilate her body.”

Find the motive, find the killer
.

9911 Conroy Road, 8:40 p.m.

Jess’s new surveillance detail parked on the street right across from the drive to her place. When she pulled into the drive and shut off the engine of her Audi, her gaze automatically swept up to the top of the garage stairs. There was a man there. He seemed to be doing something to her door.