Krewe of Hunters The Unseen (36 page)

Sandy Holly went to a seminar called ‘Young Woman on the Street, Beware.’”

As they spoke, there was a tap at the door. Logan answered it to find the desk sergeant with a tall, bald man who looked like he might have stepped out of a Mr. Clean commercial.

He offered his hand. “I’m Bobby Moore. I was the contractor on the Longhorn just before the murder took place.

I was fired afterward when the old owner stepped back in and Ms. Holly was in a financial mess. I’m here to help you any way I can.”

Logan invited him in. They arranged a chair for him in the center of the room and grouped around him.

“How could Sierra Monte’s body have been walled in like that, without anyone knowing?” Logan began.

“When I heard, I asked myself that question. But I guess it wasn’t that hard. We’d been working on some pipes and the electricity, so there was fresh drywall and plaster in a lot of areas. From what I understand, the room was covered in blood, but I guess even when there’s blood everywhere and a massive search, if there’s no body, there’s no murder?” he asked, looking at each of them.

“That’s changed a bit, but it’s difficult to prosecute without a body, yes.”

“Anyone going into that room would know some work IN PROCESS EDITION - JAN. 10, 2012

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had been done recently—but there’d been work done all over the inn, mostly on things necessary to get the building up to code. And the inspectors had been in just a few days before that blood was found, so there seemed to be no reason to start knocking down walls.” He grimaced.

“I got to admit, it gave me the chills when I heard, and I knew they’d have to investigate my team, but we were already out of there. We’d been out since the inspection.

I was working an old mansion in Louisiana, and my men were scattered. I brought you a list of workers here in San Antonio—most of ’em day jobbers—and I also have a blueprint of the place, with the work we did, just in case you need it.” He reached into his pocket and produced a sheaf of neatly folded papers. “My God, that this could happen…” Logan opened the blueprint. He stared at it, but he already knew the inn so well. He hadn’t been to the basement, though, and was intrigued to see the original foundation lines of the old saloon, along with the modern additions.

“What’s this?” he asked Moore, pointing at a line.

“Oh, that. There used to be a well out back. When city water came through, it wasn’t needed, but there was an old walkway that led from the house to the well, so the whole thing was incorporated into an underground tunnel. It was walled off for years. The old well was destroyed and a carriage house stood there at one time. Then that was destroyed and a toolshed was put out there, oh, probably sometime back in the early twentieth century.”

“I think I’ll do some exploring there tonight,” he told Moore. “Thank you for bringing this in, and for coming to speak with us.”

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Moore rose and shook hands all around. “I’m a phone call away,” he said, “and happy to help.” Logan was planning to head straight out to the Longhorn, but Jane tapped him on the shoulder. “You haven’t seen the sketches of the man who may be our culprit.” He sat with her as she showed him the latest sketch she’d made; she’d entered it in the computer so she could alter hair, eyes and facial features at will.

There was something about the image that disturbed him. He felt he should have figured out what it was but couldn’t quite pinpoint it.

“Since Kelsey spoke with Alice White, who gave me the description, maybe she’ll have an idea,” Jane suggested.

He tried Kelsey’s number, but she didn’t answer. Then he called the bar and got Ricky, who assured him that Kelsey was fine and up in Room 207.

Logan decided to go there and talk to her before he did any exploring. Checking out the property again, with the asistance of Bobby Moore’s blueprint, was a last-ditch effort, but maybe they’d missed Sandy somehow.

“Jackson, there was a thorough search of the grounds, not just the house, after Sandy went missing, right?” Logan asked. “I’m not sure I gave this toolshed much attention.” Jackson nodded. “I went inside it myself.”

“Okay, call me if—”

“There’s a massive team out there looking for Ms. Holly,” Jackson said quietly.

“I

know…”

He’d gotten in his car and was halfway to the Longhorn IN PROCESS EDITION - JAN. 10, 2012

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when his phone rang. He answered it immediately, assuming Kelsey was returning his call.

“Raintree.”

There was silence. He almost hung up.

Then he heard the voice. It was altered, he thought, sounding like the voice of a murderous puppet in a horror movie. He’d heard speech that had been distorted by voice-altering devices before, the kind that could be bought at any place that sold “Nanny Cams” and amateur sleuth paraphernalia.

“Raintree. Yes, you are.”

“Who is this, and what do you want?”

There was laughter. “Tough Texas Ranger! Well, you’re not stupid. I want the usual. Don’t try to trace this call. I’m not stupid, either. The phone is an unregistered pay-as-you-go. And don’t go calling your buddies. You’re getting a second chance here.”

“At

what?”

“At saving a woman you love.”

He practically drove off the road.

Kelsey hadn’t answered her phone. Ricky had said she was fine, up in Room 207. But Sandy Holly had disappeared just as easily, as if into thin air.

“Yes, tough boy, Lone Ranger, that’s what you are right now. On your own.
If
you want to play, of course. This is your chance. Yes, I have Kelsey O’Brien. Indeed, I do.” He and Kelsey had been professional. They hadn’t run around holding hands or kissing in public. Not surprisingly, the team seemed to know, but respected their privacy. And maybe some of the people at the inn had guessed, too.

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“I thought you’d enjoy this, Logan,” the caller said. “A second chance. You had a first chance once, didn’t you?

And you blew it. So try number two. Kelsey’s still alive, I promise you—at this moment, she’s still alive. I’m hoping she’ll do what I need her to do, but I know you have the power, too. Kelsey tells me she doesn’t have any idea where the diamond is.
Get the diamond, Logan.
Get me the Galveston diamond, and you can have Kelsey back. You can also try to find me.” The horrible laughter sounded again.

“Find me, Logan. But scare me and Kelsey dies. One of you comes up with the diamond, or you both die. But her first, of course. I wouldn’t want you to miss it.”

“There, that’s done!”

Prone on the pile of bedding, aware that she had no strength or will to fight, Kelsey pretended not to stir.

But she knew.

She had to get the patch off her neck and do it without being seen.

Now.

“That’s done,” she parroted.

She shifted, as if she was completely comfortable on her makeshift bed on the f loor. She smoothed back her hair and felt the patch against her fingers—and she had it off. She noticed, however, that down here, there were more tools and lock boxes, and she was pretty sure the lock boxes were filled with the drugs that had been used on the women.

Her captor hunkered down beside her. “I know you can see ghosts, Kelsey. I know you can talk to them. Even when we were kids, you were seeing stuff, and people made fun IN PROCESS EDITION - JAN. 10, 2012

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of you, so you never said anything. You’d turn your visions or whatever they were into the most fantastic stories!”

“I see ghosts,” Kelsey said, looking into Sandy Holly’s eyes and wondering how she could have missed the fact that her dear friend, her hostess, the woman she’d known for so many years, was a psychopath.

“And you’ve seen the ghost of Rose Langley, haven’t you, Kelsey?” Sandy said.

She was so weak. Her mind was still fogged.

She saw a row of tools that dangled from a rafter above her. There was a large machete there, along with garden hoes and edgers. All Sandy had to do was reach up and grab the machete. One strike and—

She forced herself to stare into Sandy’s eyes and giggle.

“I thought you liked Jeff Chasson. Instead, you cut his balls off.”

“I didn’t cut his balls off!”

“Well, since he’s dead, it doesn’t really matter.” Sandy sighed. “Look, I did have a thing for Chasson. But he was a snoop, so I was trying to distract him, keep him in line. He was learning too much. Kelsey, listen, I don’t really want to kill you. You’re my friend…”

“Then

don’t!”

“What I can do is give you a little dose and leave you here. They’ll find you sooner or later. All I want is the diamond, Kelsey.”

“Why?”

Sandy sounded impatient. “I just do! I just want what it can buy. I want the power it can give me. It belonged to royalty, and it would mean a whole new life. I’ve heard IN PROCESS EDITION - JAN. 10, 2012

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about it since I was a kid. When my grandfather first told me the story, I could see it, imagine it—I almost felt like I could touch it. I’ve watched this place. I’ve worked so hard to get this place so I could have the diamond. It’s my right!”

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Rose Langley had that diamond when she died. She hid it somewhere. You can talk to Rose Langley—you’ve probably already done it. So get her to tell you where the diamond is. I’ve already disappeared. You won’t remember any of this once I give you a bit more, and the world will think I was the killer’s last victim.”

She didn’t know how long she could keep it up, but Kelsey decided to stick with the stupid smile. “Why did you invite a U.S. Marshal to stay with you when you were killing people? Wasn’t that kind of…dumb?”

“I

wanted

you
here. All the other idiots who claimed to be great psychics were useless. I really just stumbled on Sierra Monte—and her belief that she was a psychic and could find the diamond. After that…after Sierra, I was sure there was a
real
psychic out there somewhere who could talk to Rose’s ghost and ask her. But, as you know now,” she added dryly, “I’ve been trying for a while. I figured I’d get to you eventually. And then I eavesdropped on you and Logan Raintree. Everyone in Texas knows about him and what happened to his wife.” She patted Kelsey’s head.

“So, you find it, he finds it—I don’t care. I just want it.”

“You’re good,” Kelsey said. “So good… But I’m curious. Did you kill Cynthia Bixby? Was she coming around here? Had you contacted her?”

“Actually, no. I didn’t kill her. I heard about her from IN PROCESS EDITION - JAN. 10, 2012

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Ricky and I did contact her, yes. She had some fantasy about being a psychic. But that was one messed-up woman. She had a hard time at home and claimed she heard voices. It might’ve been for real, who can tell? I’m willing to bet, though, that she looked at that water and just threw herself in. Drowned herself. I never had a chance to really get to know her—or to find out if she could locate the diamond.

She was just…collateral damage. But you’re right—I
am
good. I didn’t let myself become a suspect.” Sandy shrugged. “You did give me a jolt when you dug Sierra Monte out of the wall. That bitch told me she was going to find the diamond and she was going to keep it.

I was livid. That night was a mess, I can tell you! I had to put a sheet over my head to go after her, and she kept running, and I had to keep stabbing her… . Thank God there were drunkards down in the bar, a bunch of losers who couldn’t hear an air-raid siren if it went off right next to them! But I couldn’t figure out what to do with the body.

So I walled it up. Everything was all repainted later, after the room was cleaned, and no one was any the wiser. Anyway, when I was done, I went out the window and down the tree. When they told me about it, I cried, Kelsey. I cried real tears. I kept crying whenever I checked on the cleanup crew.”

“What about the smell?”

“I used cinnamon bark—not just cinnamon, it has to be cinnamon bark—and spices. I put it inside the wall. And, of course, I made sure everything was airtight when I did my little home repair. Remember history? How people used potpourri sachets to hide smells? Cinnamon was the IN PROCESS EDITION - JAN. 10, 2012

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base for those, and believe you me, I had to think of that quickly after she wound up dead! She was my first, Kelsey.

I was just learning, you see.”

“Like I said, Sandy, you’re good.”

“I got good, that’s for sure. I knew the bodies would be discovered at some point, but I was pretty careful about promising fame and fortune only if they came alone, without anyone knowing. Oh, Kelsey, you’d be stunned at how naive women are! I took a course on what to watch out for, but those little fools are the ones who really should have taken it. They were so gullible!”

“Why did you kill them?” Kelsey asked.

“I wasn’t planning on sharing the diamond,” Sandy said.

She spoke in a chiding voice, as if Kelsey should have un-dertood this.

“So you killed Jeff Chasson for getting too close to the truth.” Kelsey made an effort to keep her tone merely curious.

“I told you that,” Sandy said, pursing her lips.

“There’s more to it.”

“He was a prick!” Sandy leaned closer to her. “Do you know what he had the audacity to say to me?”

“What?”

“That he was interested in
you.
” Sandy giggled. “Well, pretty soon, unless you get me that diamond, he
will
get to know you. The two of you can haunt San Antonio happily together. Oh, oh…it’ll be a threesome. When the Lone Ranger shows up—minus any of his Tontos—one of you had better get me the diamond.”