Murder Stalks (33 page)

“
How have you been getting
around?”

“
Everything I need is
close to where I live, even my boyfriend. Ugh, I don’t want to call
him that anymore.” Ally’s face turned red with anger, she grabbed
her sweat rag and slung it over her shoulder.

“
I’m going to call my
husband and leave a message for him. Tell him us girls are going to
spend some quality time together.” Marissa dialed their home number
out of habit. She was ready to hang up and try his cell phone when
she realized Tony would eventually check the messages and know
where to find her.

****

Tony jumped into his car and threw it into
gear. Before he’d made it one block, a call came in from Spade.

“
Tony, don’t do anything
stupid.”

“
Marissa is with her,”
Tony said desperately.

“
Call for backup,” Spade
barked over the line.

“
Damn it, Spade. I don’t
want to turn this into a hostage situation. If Ally is our killer,
I don’t want her freaking out when the police arrive with sirens
blaring and lights flashing. I want Marissa out of there before
they corner her.”

“
I’ll give you five
minutes. Then I’m calling for backup.”

“
Don’t rush it. I want to
keep Marissa safe.”

“
Five minutes, Tony,
that’s it.”

Tony disconnected the line as he pulled into
the gym’s parking lot. He searched for Marissa’s car, but it wasn’t
there. He heard sirens as two unmarked police cars swung around the
corner. Damn it, why hadn’t Spade given him more time? Tony moved
towards the door of the gym, wanting to find Marissa before the
police scared Ally.

When he was two feet from the door, Rex
called out. “Stop where you are.”

Tony turned around to find two uniforms with
guns trained on him. “Rex, what is this? Marissa might be in
there.”

“
Walk this way. Hey, keep
your hands visible.”

“
This is ridiculous.
Marissa might be in there with the killer.”

“
Just do as I ask and this
will be painless,” Rex said. His hands were held out to his sides,
showing Tony he wasn’t a threat.

“
Painless, painless? This
is bullshit. Now you think I killed those girls? What is it Rex,
you turning on me?”

“
Calm down, we just want
you to ride along with us to the station. Don’t make me put
handcuffs on you.”

“
I don’t believe this. I
didn’t kill anyone. Did Spade call you?” Tony reached out to grab
Rex. He had to make him understand.

The shock of the stun gun was immediate.
Tony pitched forward and slumped to the ground. When the buzzing
stopped, Tony tried to move, but he felt like he had been hit by a
truck. “Damn it, Rex, you didn’t need to do that.” Tony’s words
were slurred and drool pooled below his face.

“
Put cuffs on him and take
him downtown. I’ll be there soon.”

“
Rex, find Marissa,” Tony
begged as he was pushed into the back of the cruiser.

Tony watched Rex from the back of the police
car. No one was searching the club for his wife. How long could she
last if Ally chose to act?

His clothes were rumpled, but he thanked God
he hadn’t wet himself when he’d been zapped. He let his head loll
forward as the pain from the stun gun worked its way through his
body. He hated those things. He should have fought harder to get
them out of the department.

Dickey Farris hopped into the front of the
car and popped it into gear. He drove in silence as they headed
towards the station.

“
Dickey, you have to find
Marissa.”

“
I don’t know. I don’t
think the chief wants me running around looking for your
wife.”

“
She’s in danger.” Tony’s
voice was filled with urgency. Maybe he could get Dickey to
listen.

“
What kind of
danger?”

“
She’s with Ally
Underwood.”

“
Who’s that?” Dickey
asked, looking back in the rearview mirror.

“
Michael Rains is dating
her. She’s not who she says she is. I think she’s been out to get
me for years. You have to find her. Ask Michael where she
lives.”

After the car stopped at the station, Dickey
pulled Tony from the back seat. Tony towered over the shorter
uniformed officer. It was hard to be intimidating with handcuffs
on, but Tony had to make Dickey understand how dangerous Ally
was.

“
Dickey, promise me you’ll
search for Marissa.”

Dickey pushed him into a small interrogation
room. Tony turned and faced Dickey before the door shut. “Promise
me.”

“
I’ll do what I can, but I
still have a job here. Don’t expect me to jeopardize
it.”

“
She’s in danger,” Tony
yelled as the door shut.

He growled in frustration. Swinging his
foot, he kicked at the table after he heard the loud click of the
lock sliding home. He was locked in this tiny room, waiting for Rex
to question him while Marissa was out there facing danger. Their
relationship had just started to improve again, now he might lose
her forever.

Chapter 35

Marissa held Ally’s hand as she cried
quietly. They’d driven over to Ally’s house after lunch. Marissa
knew Tony would call once he got a chance.

“
I don’t understand it,”
Ally complained, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“
Men are difficult. Maybe
you need to take a break from him.”

“
I don’t want to. What if
no man ever wants me again?”

“
How can you think that?”
Marissa said soothingly.

“
You don’t know what it’s
like. I’m not cute or perky. I don’t do the girly-girl thing well.
Men don’t like me.”

“
Maybe men are just
intimidated by you,” Marissa said as she stroked Ally’s hand. Ally
jerked it away. A mask of distrust marred her features. “What’s
wrong?”

“
Nothing. Crap,
everything. See, that’s the thing. I can’t talk about what’s wrong.
Have you ever heard of a woman who couldn’t talk about her
feelings?”

“
There are lots of women
who don’t share the intimate details of their life with
others.”

“
But it’s not that I can’t
share my life, I’m afraid if I do, you’ll think I’m a horrible
person.”

“
Ally, you are not a
horrible person.”

“
You don’t know the truth
of it,” Ally spat back

“
Tell me. Then we can
decide together.”

Ally stood and paced around the room,
picking up magazines and putting them back down, her gait stilted
and agitated. A scowl darkened her face.

“
I can’t tell you about
this, it’s too...”

“
Too what?” Marissa
asked.

“
Wrong.” A sob escaped
Ally’s lips, leaving Marissa feeling horrible for
pushing.

“
Maybe getting it out in
the open will--”

“
Shut up,” Ally screamed.
She picked up a book and tossed it across the room. “Getting it out
in the open won’t help. Do you think you can help me? You’re just
like those dolled up bitches that used to talk about me. You don’t
want to help me; you want to make fun of me.”

Marissa froze in place, suddenly afraid at
the rage she saw in Ally. The couch blocked one side, Ally the
other. She would never be able to make it past her. Another book
took flight and smashed against a lamp, sending it tumbling to the
ground. The hard crack of the porcelain against the floor stopped
her tantrum. Ally looked around, her eyes wide and her breathing
deep.

“
Oh, my God, Marissa, I am
so sorry. I haven’t done that in ages.”

“
It’s okay,” Marissa said
softly. She stepped sideways, hoping to get past Ally and find an
escape.

“
No, no, no. I’m sorry. I
didn’t mean to lose it. I do that sometimes. I can’t get control of
my anger. Sometimes I just want to break everything in
sight.”

“
Ally, I think I need to
leave.”

“
No, you have to stay. I
can’t be alone right now.”

“
Why don’t we call someone
else to come over and join us?”

“
No.” Ally picked up the
phone and yanked it out of the wall.

****

“
So, you’re telling me you
don’t have Allison Underwood’s address? Doesn’t she work here?” Rex
questioned, trying not to let his anger show. He’d tried the phone
number the club had for Ally, but it had been
disconnected.

“
Yes and no. She’s a
private contractor. We help her to get appointments, but the money
doesn’t really flow through the club.”

“
Did you do a background
check on her before you hired her?”

“
Since we didn’t really
hire her...you know how it goes.”

“
No, I don’t know how it
goes.” Rex stared at the club manager, his eyes never
wavering.

Red-faced, the manager looked away and
mumbled, “We run a clean company. Ally knows her stuff.”

“
Great.” Rex turned and
stalked away. He wanted to tell the manager he had probably hired a
mass murderer, but it was Tony’s word against the evidence. He
pulled his phone out of his pocket and placed a call to Dickey
Farris.

“
Dickey, we don’t have an
address. You’re going to have to canvass the neighborhoods while I
question Tony. Ask Michael Rains to help you.”

“
Sure, I’ll put out the
word to look for Marissa’s car.”

“
Don’t approach Marissa or
Allison until I get there. You understand?”

“
Yes, sir.”

Rex shoved the phone back into his pocket.
Shit, he didn’t want to talk to Tony. He didn’t want to be wrong
about his best friend. If Sekorski was right, then everything Rex
had believed in was a lie.

What if their suspect was someone else in
the department? Sekorski could fudge the evidence. He’d been at
every scene collecting fibers and doing the autopsies. Janice had
also been there, as well as himself and Michael Rains. His head
pounded and his vision blurred.

If he believed Tony could be guilty, then he
would have to investigate Sekorski, too. And if he pulled in
Sekorski, then why stop there? He slammed his hands against the
steering wheel and let out a string of curses. Women were dying and
it was his responsibility to stop the monster. It would be easier
if he could arrest everyone or set a dusk to dawn curfew. The main
problem with that particular solution was the people policing the
city were the ones he was most uncertain of.

Chapter 36

Marissa watched as Ally paced back and forth
across the room. She stared at the door, waiting for a chance to
escape. Fear curled through her stomach, leaving her feeling
nauseated. The baby had grown in the last few days and her bladder
was strained, about ready to empty itself.

“
Marissa, I need to talk
to someone about this, but I don’t know who to trust.”

“
Ally, let me go pee and
then we can talk.”

“
Sure, go
ahead.”

Marissa moved towards the hall. She would
have to stop at the bathroom or she would never be able to escape.
As she made her way down the hall, she prayed the window was big
enough for her to slip out. Her heart sank when she stepped into
the bathroom and saw the tiny window, no more than nine inches wide
and about that tall. There was no way she would be able to sneak
out.

The base of her skull felt heavy, like a
monster migraine had settled there, waiting for the perfect time to
explode. She splashed water on her face, refreshing her body and
her mind. To get out of this mess, she would have to think fast.
Her body was smaller and slower than Ally’s, but surprise worked
wonders when trying to throw off an attacker.

Marissa opened the door to find Ally sitting
on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. She held up a box and gave it
to Marissa.

“
What’s this?”

“
It’s the truth. I can’t
live hiding who I am. Open it.”

Marissa’s fingers shook as she pulled the
box top off. ‘What if Ally was a killer?’ Bile rose in the back of
her throat, threatening to erupt. Marissa swallowed it down as she
lifted a newspaper article out of the box.

The headline read, ‘Girl found in boys’
home’. Marissa looked at Ally. “What does this mean?”

“
I lived in a boys’ home
for about six months.”

“
Where?” Marissa asked,
fear creeping to the front of her mind.

“
In
Pennsylvania.”

Pennsylvania. The same as Tony.... “Oh God.
You. It’s you.” Marissa dropped the box and ran towards the front
door.

“
Stop! Where are you
going?”

Ally’s hand landed on her shoulder and
tugged her backward. Marissa was no match for Ally, but she
wouldn’t die without a fight. She kicked out and her foot made
contact with something solid. Ally yelped in pain. Marissa broke
free momentarily, but Ally reached out once more and grabbed her by
the wrist.

“
I’m not going to let you
kill me without a fight,” Marissa yelled, jerking at the steel
grip, now close to panic.

“
Kill you? What kind of
idiot are you? Why would I kill you?”