Person of Interest (A Celeste Eagan Mystery) (21 page)

Just being able to hear his voice kept me calm(ish). The only thing that would have been better was if he were standing next to me. Actually, if I’d listened to him in the first place I’d be sitting comfortably at his home while he conducted his case...that would have been so much better.

A hard knock came at the front door. “Ahhh,” I screamed and almost dropped the phone.

“Celeste?” Muldoon called at the same time as a man’s voice from the door called, “Ma’am? Dallas Police Department.”

I was hesitant to move away from the window. “What’s your name?”

A muted voice came through the door. “Officer Reed, ma’am.”

“Muldoon, Officer Reed?”

“That’s him. You can unlock the door.”

My knees shook as I crossed the room to the door, but I hurried and flipped down the lock. I ripped the door open. “I heard someone at the other door.”

The uniformed officer, a good ten inches taller than me and just about as wide as the door, stepped in. “Where, ma’am?”

I pointed to the desk. “That bookcase swings out. It was shaking just a second ago.”

He shoved the desk back just as four other officers came into the room. Two helped Officer Reed with the desk—they lifted it with ease. One stood at the door and the last one took hold of my arm. “Come with me.” I dropped the phone to my side but didn’t hang up with Muldoon. I paused in the doorway. “Oh, and Mr. Henderson had a gun, I tucked it in the bottom desk drawer.”

The officer standing guard at the door asked, “Why?”

Was he insane? “I wasn’t taking any chances of him shooting me by accident.” I left off the “duh.”

The officer led me from the office into the lobby area next to the elevators. There were a couple of EMTs hunched over a mass on the floor. It took me a minute to realize it was Liz, Henderson’s assistant.

“What happened to her? Is she okay?”

“I don’t know just yet, ma’am.” The officer guided me away and across the room to the other side of the bank of elevators.

“Did you find Mr. Henderson?”

“The building’s security locked down every exit.” He was good at non-answers. He clicked the little microphone on his shoulder. “This is Officer Scott. I have Mrs. Eagan at the elevators on twenty.”

“Copy,” came a squeak from the microphone. “Someone’s on the way up to get her.”

That sounded way more ominous than it should.

I couldn’t see around the corner to where Liz and the EMTs were or into Henderson’s office. The officer at my side had me blocked up against a wall, hadn’t even let go of my arm. Was I in trouble? I decided to keep my mouth shut just in case. I wanted to pace—instead I stood as still as fidgety possible and worked on how many ways I would have to apologize to Muldoon. The hum of the elevators was about the only sound on the floor. They hissed open and Muldoon stepped out.

“Oh, thank God, Shaw.” Before I had time to think, I broke free from the officer and flung myself at
my
detective. I planted a big kiss square on the man’s lips. The long searing kiss ended with his lips trailing across my cheek to my ear.

His breath shuddered, then he wrapped me tightly in his arms and smooshed my face to the clean white shirt covering his firm chest. His heart beat heavily against my ear—almost as fast as mine. I did nothing but soak up his warmth.

Then all I could think of was,
I kissed Muldoon
. I wanted to revel in the moment of glorious lip-lock, but my surroundings came crashing back around me. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” I said against his chest. “How’d you get here so fast?”

Muldoon pushed me to arm’s length and gave me a quick once-over. He turned to the Dallas PD officer. “I’ve got this, Scott. Thanks.”

The man nodded at Muldoon and left us standing alone.

“Are you insane, coming out here?” His hands tightened. “Alone.”

My well-constructed apology flew out the window. “I wasn’t supposed to be alone.” I should be pissed he was talking to me that way, but I was so damn happy to see him I didn’t care. “I really thought I was doing the right thing, telling Mr. Henderson my suspicions.”

“Ever heard of the phone?” His words were still harsh, but his hands gentled and shook just a wee bit.

“You’re right. Not one of my best ideas. But I thought it might be a little harder for him to take over the phone. I swear it seemed like a good idea at the time. Hindsight and all...” I shook my head. “What’s the deal with Danny Eems? Why is he here? There’s no way he is innocently connected to all three men.”

“His birth name is Patts.”

That whole wobbly-knee thing intensified and Muldoon had to wrap an arm around my waist to keep me vertical. We walked over to a set of chairs near another office. “So I was right, he was adopted.”

Muldoon nodded. “After being in foster care, he was adopted by the Eems family.”

“Holy...” I was torn between sorrow for the little boy who lost his mom and anger at the grown man who’d probably killed at least two people that I knew of. Maybe even a third and was gunning for two more—myself included.

“We have someone at his apartment in Peytonville, but it looks like he cut out of there a few days ago. If he has a new place, we haven’t found it yet.”

There was a bustle of noise near the elevator. I stood but Muldoon snagged my hand and pulled me back down. “Sit. They’re taking Henderson’s assistant down.”

“Is she okay?”

“Knocked unconscious.”

I wondered how he could possibly know, but then I heard the squawk of a radio at his hip. All sorts of police chatter crackled through, but none of it made any sense to me.

I kept my gaze averted as they wheeled the gurney into the elevator. When the doors whisked close, I looked down at my hands. They still shook slightly. “What now?”

“We find the sonofabitch.”

Chapter Nineteen

Piece of cake. Because up ’til now no one’s been looking for him? I knew I wasn’t being fair. Until earlier that day, the connection between Danny and the late professor hadn’t been known, so there was a piece of the puzzle missing. Now that it was a clear picture, and the man was last seen in the very building we sat, someone better be moving their ass.

What are you doing sitting with me, Detective?
I wanted to shout. I had finally reached the pinnacle of suck-ass weeks by not only putting myself in the middle of Muldoon’s case again, but this time actually getting within striking distance of the killer himself. Not to mention I’d reached the trifecta of police attention having been questioned by a couple of Dallas PD officers—three different departments in one week had to be a record.

The officer in charge moved the entire group of people down one floor and commandeered a conference room, while the crime scene techs went over the twentieth floor office area and the secret hallway.

Yes, I came to tell Mr. Henderson how eerily similar Chad’s case was to that of Joe Carpenter’s and Professor Patts’s.

No, I don’t know where he went.

Anything else, they’d have to ask my lawyer—who happened to be tied up in court so other than those two sentences they weren’t getting squat from me.

Muldoon hadn’t said a word, hadn’t jumped in to confirm anything I’d told them. He stood in the corner of the room with his arms crossed. I think the only thing keeping me from getting to tour the inside of the Dallas facilities was the fact that he was there—so I gave him credit for that.

My stomach was growling by the time they’d set up an appointment with me and Coz for the next day and said I was free to go. I didn’t get more than three steps, however, before Muldoon grabbed my elbow. “Not so fast.”

“What now?” I didn’t hide the whine in my voice. “The other detective told me I could go.”

Muldoon nodded. “They’re done with you, but I’m not.”

“Come on. Can you yell at me later?”

“The building is still on lockdown. We haven’t located Danny yet.”

“He’s probably in Oklahoma by now. I know I’d hightail it outta here if the jig was up.” I tucked my hands over my stomach when it growled again.

“This way.” Muldoon led us through several uniformed officers to a little alcove off the back of the floor, which was next to a bank of vending machines. “What’s your pleasure, ma’am?”

I eyed the vast array of candy bars and chips. “One of each, please.” He was already reaching his wallet. “I’m kidding.” I pointed to one candy bar and one bag of chips. The salt balanced the sugar out so it was almost a healthy meal, right?

He also grabbed a couple of sodas from the other machine and we found a quiet place to sit for a minute.

We were both silent long enough for me eat the candy bar and finish half the chips. I offered him a bite.

He shook his head and sighed. “I think I lost ten years when you called and told me where you were.”

You and me both
. “Sorry.”

“I know why you did it even though I can’t pretend to understand what you’re going through at all.” He ran his hand over his face. “To tell you the truth, I’d probably have done the exact same thing. I’m not saying you should do it again.”

“I should hope this never becomes an issue again. Being a suspect in one murder and sought after by a killer is more than enough excitement for me for a very long while.” I grabbed a chip. “Why’d he do it?”

“Danny?”

I nodded.

“Revenge is a powerful motive. It makes people lose the ability to think straight. Which reminds me...” He drained the remainder of his soda and tossed the can in the trash. “Pullman’s lawyer is trying to cut him a deal. He offered to give up his supplier—which he’d refused to do up to this point—if we drop the car-bombing charges. Even admitted he went after you to scare Colin off from testifying against him. Didn’t know you two were divorced.”

“Wow. I, uh, just wow.” I dropped the chip back in the bag.

“He blamed Colin for getting him busted. Thought the funeral was a good place to set it off because people would think it was connected to Chad’s death.” Muldoon shook his head. “It’s almost...” The radio at Muldoon’s hip crackled and he sat straighter. He raised his hand when I opened my mouth to ask what was going on. He lifted the radio. “Go ahead.”

“We have a suspect in custody down on the fifth floor. We need you to come down and get a visual on him for verification.”

Every relief possible raced through me. “Really? Thank God.”

Muldoon stood. “Stay here.” He raced toward the elevator. Before he rounded the corner he called over his shoulder, “It’s almost done.”

That held so many meanings. It could be that he was done with me, it could be that he was free to pursue...whatever...it was that sparked between us. It could mean simply the case was coming to a close. As long as I was out from under suspicion, I was all for it.

Several of the officers went with Muldoon. Only two still mulled about on the floor with me. I finished my chips and washed it down with the rest of the soda. I got up and headed to a trashcan. I was dusting my hands off when the door behind me opened.

“You.”

I frowned and swiveled on my heel. Every ounce of me froze. Danny Eems was reaching for me before I could do much of anything. He latched onto my wrist and pulled me behind him. “Help! Hey, it’s him. Hey!” I screamed and struggled to get his hand off of my arm. Other than leaving a few scratches, I made no progress as he dragged me down a short hallway with him. I’d lost sight of the officers on the floor with us.

“Shut up.” He paused long enough to yank my arm. The quick jerk clanked my teeth together and took my breath. And it did just that, shut me up while I caught my breath. Despite barely being taller than me, he was stronger than I would have ever suspected.

He paused at a door and cracked it open. “How do you turn up everywhere?” He spun me and grabbed a handful of my hair, then shoved me into the stairwell.

“Danny, let me go. Please. I didn’t have anything to do with your mom’s death.”

He pulled up short and jerked me to a stop in front of him. “Don’t talk about my mother.” He yanked my head back so hard spots danced across my vision.

I’d seen enough crime-prevention specials with experts stressing that the “victim” should fight as hard as they could so as not to leave the initial area of attack. I was damn determined to stick to that advice, but I wasn’t even sure how long it would take the officers to notice I was missing. And the way he was holding my hair and arm, I had no leverage to wrestle away—I was forced to go where he wanted me to. I was physically at his mercy. My mouth, however, was all my own.

“I know you must have been heartbroken when your mother passed away. You were just a little boy. And to lose her like that.” I panted as we took the stairs—going up. Not down, as I anticipated. The only thing above us was the roof.
Shit
. I had to stop him, somehow, anyhow. “I have a daughter. Her name is Paige. She’s ten.”

“Shut up.” He jerked his hand in my hair tighter, tilting my head upward. I was unable to see where I was walking.

I banged my shins against the edge of the stairwell as we rounded a landing. Pain radiated every which way up my leg. “You may have seen her around school. She’s smart as a whip.” I wanted him to sympathize with me, to feel guilty and let me go. “She’s already in the seventh grade.” I moved as slowly as possible going up the stairs. With the added limp and him propelling me up every other step, it wasn’t that hard to do. “Just let me go, please. I won’t tell anyone I saw you, I swear.”

“If you don’t shut up, I’ll toss you all the way down and be done.”

He shoved me into the handrail and half over the edge. Thankfully, my eyes were so blurred with tears I couldn’t see what “down” looked like. “I just want to get home to my daughter.”

Danny pulled me back from the handrail and pushed us up to the next landing. His hot breath feathered across the back of my neck as he leaned into me. “I don’t give a damn about your brat.”

Anger stirred. This man had tormented me for the better part of a week. And I didn’t know why. Now he was dragging me through a stairwell. Calling my kid a brat was the last straw. I shoved back off the midway landing and stomped down square on his foot as hard as I could. He was wearing boots so my little black flats did little damage, but the momentum threw him off balance and he tripped backward. He released my arm and grappled for the handrail. He did not release his fist in my hair, though, and took me down with him.

Danny cried out in pain when we landed, his back and head taking the brunt of the fall, me landing flat on top of him. His scream quieted just as quickly as it started. In a heap the two of us rolled down to the next landing and up against the wall. His head lolled to one side, his eyelids mere slits.

I cracked my right elbow somewhere along the ride. It and the lower half of my arm went numb immediately. The stars I’d seen earlier multiplied by a billion. Despite the pain and nausea, I pulled myself to my feet and grasped the doorknob, but it was locked. “Crap.”

Danny moaned.

The sound echoed off the cement walls. I tried to move faster, but I ached everywhere, except my right arm. I didn’t want to think about how awkwardly it hung at my side.

I limped down the next flight of stairs and tried the door there. It was locked too. I pounded on the door. “You have got to be kidding me,” I screamed with every smack of my hand. My palm stung.

I wanted to sit down and cry, but that wouldn’t get me out of danger.

“Bitch!”

Something wet landed on my cheek and I looked up. Danny was one floor above me leaning over the rail.

For a moment I thought he might jump down—from the wild look in his eyes, I’d bet he was contemplating it. Instead he released the rail and disappeared from sight, but I could hear him lumbering down the stairs.

“Gawd.” I twisted around so quickly I rammed my side into the wall. Something sharp bit into my hip. My cell. As I hustled my ass down to the next landing, I dug in my pocket for the phone.

“Yes!” It pulled free from my pants pocket. “No!” It slipped out from my hand. It bumped and bounced down the last six steps and crashed up against the wall.

I slowed down long enough to scoop it up and round the turn to the next section down. I didn’t even stop to try the door. My heart pounded heavily. I wasn’t sure if it was from fear of the pursuit or the physical exertion. Did it really matter at that point?

I’d have to stop to look at the phone. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep my balance and try to work it at the same time. I ran down one more flight and leaned against the wall to steady myself.

“Aw, no.” The screen was cracked. The LCD lit but was blurry. Without visible icons I couldn’t get into the menu and find Muldoon’s number.

Danny was getting closer if the noise was anything to go by. I didn’t have time to fidget with the phone. I moved again. As I landed on the next floor down, I wondered if I could fumble my way into the calling function and dial 911. At least it would be a start to get someone aware of my problem—a problem that wasn’t slowing down even though he had to be in incredible pain. I ran through the motion to unlock the phone as I descended the steps, but I wasn’t one hundred percent sure if it did. What choice did I have but to try though?

I had my finger poised over the area when the little green phone icon was but remembered the last time I’d used the phone I’d called Muldoon. If I hit the area twice it might just call him back.

I tried it.

I put the phone to my ear and kept my gaze focused on my feet as I descended the stairs moving as fast as I could. I nearly dropped the phone again when his voice shot out. “Celeste?”

“Stairwell...” I slowed slightly to be able to speak, I was so winded. “Chasing me...need help.”

“What floor are you on?”

“Don’t...know.”

“Does he have a weapon?”

“No...clue.” I came up to a door. With my other arm numb it was either put down the phone to try the knob or keep going. I glanced at the little sign next to it and kept moving. “Fifteen.”

He growled. “You’re on fifteen? Going up or down?”

“Down.”

Muldoon shouted at folks relaying the info. “Okay, okay. I’m several floors up. If you can keep going down to twelve, there should be an officer waiting for you.”

I was all set to tell him I’d try when Danny tackled me. He hit me square in the back. All the breath rushed from my lungs as I hit solidly onto the wall and then tripped down the last few steps. Fiery pain radiated from every inch of my body. The phone was gone. I didn’t know which way it’d fallen.

Danny was jarred as much by the attack as me and was slow getting up.

Doors slammed all up and down the stairwell, but I couldn’t tell for sure how close they were. And I didn’t know if Danny had a weapon or not. He hadn’t showed me one but that didn’t mean anything, so I struggled to my feet. Unfortunately, Danny did too. He had me in a corner and blocked both stairs.

“They know—” I sucked in a deep breath “—where we are.” I held his gaze. “You can’t get out of here.”

His eyes were wild. He took a step closer.

“Stay back.” I raised my left arm.

“Like hell. You’re the only way I can get out of here.”

I backed up until I hit the corner. “I won’t be your hostage.” There was nowhere else to go. Except through him.

I changed my stance. The past year watching Levi train Paige in karate was not for naught.

Danny laughed—actually laughed. “You can’t stop me.”

“Wanna bet?” I adjusted my stance more, planted my back foot and kicked. He jumped back and I missed. His laughter echoed over the thunderous clap of feet scrambling toward us.

The next kick however, square to his crotch, was dead-on. The man crumpled into a heap, screaming like a little girl. His head connected with the edge of the step. A gash opened up and blood pooled.

I tried to look away but...

* * *