Heart of Fire (18 page)

Danni listened how skillfully she calmed down and put her jealousy under control.  She breathed in deep exhausting breaths and then smiled at her partner’s generous nature which she was sure in the end she would choose.

“Have I told you lately how much I love you?”  Her voice purred.

“No, but you can tell me again and again,” Annabel chuckled.  “I never get tired of hearing it.”

“I love you Annabel Flanery, and when all this is over, I would like us to make some changes in our living arrangements.  If that is okay with you?”

“Well, I don’t know, I like being sole owner of my remote control.”  She laughed loud enough for Frank to look in her direction.

“Did, I ever tell you I only like the nightly news.  If you give me that, you can have the remote all the time.”  Danni giggled then they both laughed.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

Danni had just made herself a cup of coffee when there was a car horn sounding outside the cabin.  She turned the lights off in the kitchen and went to the front door keying in the code to set the alarm before she locked the front door behind her and Patricia.  It had been exactly thirty minutes since the phone call from Frank when she slid into the black SUV parked out front.

“You’re always on time,” Danni said smiling.

“Don’t tell my wife that,” he let out a hearty laugh.

Danni laughed along with him.  She shook her head feeling light hearted, but when she witnessed the distraught look on Patricia’s face, she knew she was scared.

“I’ll call ahead and let him know we are on the way.”  Danni smile reassured her a little but the unknown scared her.  She kept asking herself the same question, if he would accept her or push her away again like he did when she was a child?

When she disconnected the call, she avoided Patricia’s questioning eyes.  She did not care for the tone in the Mayor’s voice.  He seemed like having her there would complicate his life further.  Frank knew the look and was aware of the struggle Patricia was going to have.  He had only dealt with the Mayor personally a few times, and that was two times too many.  He patted Danni on the hand and smiled gently with the combination of understanding and sincerity.

When they pulled down the long stretch of road leading up to the house Danni smiled with each memory.  She had traveled this road with Annabel, and discussed a future family.  Nothing was set in stone, but the possibilities were still on the horizon.  She sighed in awe when she saw the same doe with her fawn grazing in the pasture.  How simple life could be if she could retire and purchase a home like this on land as beautiful.

The house came into view and Patricia sat forward.  “Is that where I’ll be staying?”

“Yes,” Frank answered as he pulled in the circular driveway.

“It’s beautiful, whose house is it?”  She eyed the monstrosity of it, the pillars and the large windows.

“It’s Frank’s house,” she answered for Frank, knowing the overwhelming feeling the girl was having.

“Wow, you live here?” The innocence in her voice made him chuckle.  Her expression is the same as everyone who he ever brought out here.

“No, I inherited it, maybe when I retire I will move into it, but the commute would be too hard right now.”  He had shared more with this woman than he had shared with Danni over the course of the years she knew him.

A pang of jealousy sunk into her stomach as he went on.  He must have realized it, because as soon as they stepped out of the vehicle he nudged her in her ribs. 

“It was only half true,” he whispered.  “You know that Tiffany refused to live here because she doesn’t want to have to clean it.”  He laughed when she jabbed him back in ribs. 

“Asshole.”  She laughed when he looked at her shocked.

“Now is that a way to talk to your future partner?” He raised his eyebrow in utter devastation and laughed when he placed his hand over his heart.

“You’re a funny guy.” She winced again when he nudged her in the side.

The playfulness ended when the front door opened and Patricia stood face to face with her father.  He looked at her for several moments before stepping aside to let her in.

Danni stepped forward to follow, but Frank gripped her arm and pulled her back.  “Let’s leave them to get to know one another.”  His eyes became serious as he watched the door close.

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

Danni didn’t say anything she just raised an eye brow at him before turning back to the file and ignoring the looks she was getting from the rest of her team.  She was good at her job and they had all worked with her long enough that she thought they would get used to her.

Frank stepped inside the room, and organized the pictures on the board, displayed by dates was the picture of each murder victim followed by the Mayor and his daughter.  The last picture which was larger than the rest was the suspect. 

He handed out a packet that had been made up by the agencies profiler.  It started off with the Suspect’s mental status.  In bold letters, she is incapable of bonding relationships with others, and anyone in her life is seen as a threat.  It went on to describe the psychological reasons behind the murders.  Frank looked to make sure everyone was paying attention before he started

“The Suspect feels the women she killed were to blame for her mother continuing the life of prostitution.  The profiler believes she may have been raped by her mother’s johns several times and that is the reason she body builds.  The profile fits for a woman who was repeatedly raped.  The need to learn self-defense or become strong enough so no one could make her feel that violated again.”  He turned the page and scanned each word before finishing his next thought.

“Now turn to page three in the booklet,” he instructed and turned on the power point.  “When the truth came out, the Suspect felt jilted,” he emphasized the word.  “She was already an angry confused woman, and the truth pushed her over the edge.”  He paused.  “The resentment turned to hatred not only for her mother, but her aunt, and the Mayor for giving her cousin a better life.”  He paused and took a quick breath. 

“We believe the reason she is focusing on the Mayor is to punish her cousin for having a better life.  But, the reason she spared Patricia is so she can feel alone and helpless as she does.”  Frank turned off the overhead projector and looked around the room.  “Any questions?”

There were a few mumbled words and Danni was sure she heard them talking about the detective who was pretending as if she had the same privileges as they had.  She dismissed the three agents and turned back to the front.

When no one answered Frank told everyone to take a coffee break.  He looked at Danni who read through a file and stiffened when the rest of her team came back.  She looked up at them, but they seemed too busy in their own discussions to pay her any attention.  She shook her head slightly and turned her attention back to her notes.  She held back the tears of frustration as she jotted down a few notes and then went back to reading a file.

Frank was aware there was tension in the room, he could see from where he was standing the men had a problem with Danni being included.  He had to do damage control now before he lost the opportunity to recruit her.

He cleared his voice to get the occupants’ attention but failed; clearly annoyed he slammed his fist down on the table.  The room became silent as they all stopped and looked her him. “I know this case has been thrown in our lap by the APD, but if you have not already met the lead investigator, she is here in the room.” 

Danni waved to everyone and stood, her legs shook beneath her and she had to calm her breathing to prevent her voice from shaking.  “My name is Detective Danielle Pacelli you can all call me Danni.”  She swallowed nervously.  “This investigation has been ongoing for a year, and we have learned the woman is not only cunning, she has resources which has prevented us from capturing her.”  Feeling confident, she continued. “She has been one step ahead of us, and just as we think we have a solid lead, it became apparent it was planted by her.”

The group of men looked around the room at one another.  Danni could see each was thinking the same thing but only Agent Montgomery was forthright with his thought.

“Sounds like we got a mole.”

“That is was we think as well, that is why each of you was chosen.  None of you have had any access to the information, and until we can figure out how she is getting the information, you cannot discuss this case with anyone.”  She looked at each man sternly.  “This case is going to be on an as need to know basis from here on out, and the only ones who will have access to all the details is myself and Agent Alexander.”

Frank smiled, he appreciated the way she took control and gained the respect of each of the men.  “Thank you for that Danni.”  He smiled.  “Let me also introduce you to one of our new agents.  Pacelli has agreed to join us once the case is closed.”

Danni stood a little taken back, she still had not totally agreed to transfer, but he was helping her make her decision more clear.  “Thank you Frank.”

Each agent walked up and shook her hand at the end of the meeting.  Danni finally felt like she was home.  She never truly felt that way in the precinct, but this was going to be her home away from home soon.

When the last man left, Frank looked over to Danni and nodded his head.  “Are you ready to close the next chapter?”

She rubbed her palms together excited to finish the last task of the day.  “I’ve been waiting for this all day,” she joked, the mood lightening and she was glad.

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

Frank stepped briskly into the interview room, the familiar searing glow of the solitary light blinding him for a moment.  The four grey walls enveloped the occupants, the mirror glared at him, and the confusion of his suspect made his heart beat faster, the hostility surrounded him, and he was home.  He checked his appearance in the mirror, an action he did on purpose.  He ran hand over his stubbly chin.  The unkempt facial hair felt good under his touch: it meant he had doing is job.

He statically turned to face the occupant.  “Let’s get started.”

“Why was I taken in to custody Frank?” Lopez asked his faced masked with fury as he spoke.

“You know why you’re here Alex,” he snarled.  “You have been feeding information to our Suspect.”

Lopez sat paralyzed; he did not understand why he was being accused of breaking the law.  “Frank, you got this wrong,” he stammered over the words.  “I never told anyone about the case.”  His tall muscular frame withered.  He was being accused and did not know why.

Frank placed the folder with the DNA results.  “Open it and read it!” he growled as he pointed to the flap.

Lopez did as asked and he scanned the pages.  His name listed beside two other women.  One listed as female A and the other as Female B.  “What is this Frank?”  He placed his hand over his forehead. 

Danni stepped in the room and stood at the end of the table.  She placed a set of four pictures down.  One of Kathleen O’Sullivan and one of Mayor Burns, just below those were a picture of his adopted mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Lopez.

“What is this?” He eyed the array of pictures.

Danni pointed to the Hispanic man and woman.  “They weren’t your parents Lopez.  You were given to them when you was a baby, do you think your fair skin and pale eyes came from two people with brown eyes and brown skin?  No it was genetically impossible.”  Danni looked at Frank, waiting for him to finish.  The tag team was his idea but they never discussed cues for when the other needed help.

“That’s a lie!” he yelled.  “I have my birth certificate and had both of them listed as my parent’s.”  He taunted her with the same look she gave him.

“The DNA results don’t lie, Lopez,” Frank interrupted.  “We have a mole in the office, so I collected every agents DNA and had it ran against the suspects’ and the unknown blood we found at the last crime scene.”

“I’m not the mole Frank, give me a lie detector test and I will pass with flying colors,” his voice came across so sincere that Danni had to do a double take.  “Wait, this is making sense now.”  He looked at the pictures for a moment then back to Frank.  “Last night I stopped to talk to this lady who said she needed to talk to me and insisted it was important.  When I got there, I was the only person in the bar, and then a butch type woman came in.  She was built solid; she sat down next to me and introduced herself.”  He paused.  “God, what did she say her name was?” He tried to remember but the name did not come.  “Anyways, she said she had been searching for me for over a year, and that she was my cousin.” 

He put his head down on the table.  “Is she my cousin Frank?” he sobbed when the reality of the situation slapped him in the face.

“Yes Lopez, she is also our Suspect,” Frank said annoyed that they had her and if Lopez would have just taken the time to get a phone number, an address, any information leading up to her arrest.

He looked sad almost to the point of tears and Danni didn’t know what would have been worse, learning your life was a lie or finding out one of your cousins is a serial killer.

“We need to search your place Lopez, we can either get a search warrant or you can volunteer.”  She considered her request and reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a pen and piece of paper sliding them across the table to Lopez who tentatively took the pen and scribbled his address on it and placed his keys on the table.

“Thank you for cooperating,” Danni said softly looking down at the address before putting it in her pocket.

She stepped out of the room and left Frank to finish the interrogation.  She drove without the radio and without thought and without feeling.  She had to remove any sympathy she had for him until she finished the search.  She knew if she allowed herself to get to emotionally involved she would slip up and miss something.

She reached his apartment, when she walked in she was surprised to see how small it actually was.  The bed pushed up into the wall, a dresser, a single dinner tray and one chair.  That was it.  It took less than an hour to search through his belongings.  There was nothing there, nothing to tie him to the suspect.  He had two pictures on the wall and one on the table next to where is bed folded out.  There were no letters, not even an indication if he had a girlfriend.  What a sad life Danni thought.  Danni believed him when he spoke but now she was sure he was as innocent as his twin sister.