Public Secrets (Artificial Intelligence Book 1) (11 page)

“Yes. I’ll write about a character type, and the program will alter the details to reflect reality. That’s why I was stunned about Chad. It always uses the correct name. It wouldn’t misspell his last name. It creates everything correctly.”

“But how? How does it know what I was thinking the first day I saw Julia?”

Carla didn’t reply for a long time. Finally, she looked up and met his unwavering gaze. “It doesn’t. That’s my part. I provide the feelings. I provide the motivations based on the facts it gives.”

Luke approached her like a stalking lion, sitting down in front of her. “And how do you do that? How did you know my feelings on a summer day so long ago?”

“When I was writing, I became you. The person you were at that time, given your background and your history. I knew what you would feel when you saw her. She was white light in a bleary world of gray.”

Luke was speechless. He had thought those very words several years ago when he was trying to understand why he couldn’t seem to exorcise the memory of Julia from his mind.

This couldn’t be for real. They had profilers on staff, but none of them had this level of skill. He reached out and stroked her cheek. “So what am I thinking now?”

“You’re thinking I can’t possibly be legitimate. You’re testing me to see if I will mistake professional interest for sexual interest.”

Luke smiled. “You’re very seductive. Why wouldn’t I be interested in you? You certainly aren’t gray.”

“No. You see me as red.”

Luke held his surprise in check. He did see her as red. Dangerous but important. The combination of her and her program could be a gold mine for the FBI.

“I know what you’re thinking, but be careful,” she pleaded.

“About what?”

“How the FBI could use my program and me.”

“And would that be such a terrible thought?” he asked softly. “We need the truth to provide justice.”

“But is that what will happen? I wanted to be a famous DJ, and I was. I wanted to be a bestselling writer, and I am. Yet each of those wants has come with a terrible price. And it has usually been someone else paying it, not me. Before we start selling the truth like a commodity, you’d better consider whether there are people who would do anything to stop that from happening.”

Luke frowned. Thinking about the profile on Juan Coralles, he had no doubt she was correct. There were too many people with secrets. So far her targets had mostly been harmless, with the exception of the Temple. But what if she profiled the President or a congressman? How could anyone protect her then?

“What do you want to do?”

“I want to learn to sing and bring joy instead of pain to the world. I want a life with Chad.”

Luke’s eyebrows rose. “I think you should give Chad a wide berth at the moment. Or I could be investigating your real homicide next time.”

“Chad wouldn’t seriously harm me,” she protested, then turned towards the window. “Gary Eder, however, is a different matter. He has never failed. He is patient and cunning. He once spent months secretly training the neighbor’s dog to attack on-command whenever a dog whistle was blown. Then he had the dog kill his baby sister. Eder was only eight years old at the time. Over the years, he has honed his deadly skills to such a degree that he’s never failed a single elimination.

“He followed you here because he knows you’re looking for me. And now he wonders why you’ve remained for so long. A part of him wants to enter the grounds, to question the guard. But he’s a cautious man. He hopes you’ll leave soon so he can kill me and retrieve his pay.”

“Not happening. You and I will return to the States together,” Luke assured her.

Carla shook her head. “You weren’t listening. Gary Eder has never failed to kill his target. You won’t be able to protect me. He’ll just kill you too.”

Luke looked at the broken lamp. “Well, I can’t leave you here.”

“I’ll be fine.”

Grabbing her shoulders, he turned her to face him. “You seem to be missing the big picture. Chad Tyler has every reason to wish you harm. Your novel will destroy everything for him: his family, his reputation, his fame and his fortune. I cannot leave you here.”

Carla shrugged him off and went to the computer. She typed in a few sentences and watched as her words altered. “You have no jurisdiction. You can’t make me leave this house.”

“So you’re an expert in jurisdictional law?”

“No, but when I wrote this scenario out, the computer changed it to the truth.” She turned and looked at him. “You should go now. Eder is becoming more certain that I’m inside.”

“Then come with me, and I’ll get you into protective custody.”

“You wouldn’t get me two miles down the road. Eder wants to finish this and go home.”

Luke gave her a cold smile. “Is it me personally, or just the FBI that you hold in such low esteem?”

Carla took Luke by the arm and escorted him to the door of the library. “Luke, you don’t even believe the man in the red car is Eder. How can you protect me when you don’t even take him seriously?” As she opened the door, on the other side stood Chad.

“Are you through interrogating the subject?” Chad asked with angry sarcasm.

“It looks like I am,” Luke replied. “For the moment,” he added as a warning for both of them. “I would appreciate it if you’d both remain here for the time being.”

“With her?” Chad asked. “You expect us to remain in the same house?”

“I recognize the difficulty, but it is a big house...”

“You’re insane. Take her with you! I don’t want her here!”

“Well, it looks like you’re stuck with her until I can check this Eder guy out. It shouldn’t take long.”

“Longer than the time it takes me to wring her neck?”

Luke focused on Carla. “He just threatened your life in front of me. I really cannot leave you here in good conscience.”

“Your conscience will survive. If I leave with you, we’ll both die.” She walked away, carrying her laptop in her arms.

Luke shrugged and headed to the front door.

Chad sputtered. “Wait one goddamn moment. You can’t just leave her here!”

“Don’t go outside, and stay away from the front windows until I get the guy in the car checked out. I’ll be back tomorrow morning with a recommended plan. Try not to kill her in the meantime,” Luke advised as he walked out the door.

Chad watched the agent leave. After locking the door, he returned to the library, but Carla had disappeared. He searched the house, determined to find and evict her now that Gallagher was gone. She could call a taxi and go back to the YHA. There was no way in hell she was remaining here.

He found her in the weight room, studying the closet. “I want you out of here.”

She didn’t reply but continued to stare up at the ceiling.

Jerking her around to face him, he yelled, “I want you to leave now!”

“Chad, I know you’re angry.” Her voice was so soft he could barely hear it. “But you’ve got to trust me. Your life depends upon it.”

“Like hell, I’ll trust you!”

“It’s because of the story?”

“Of course, it’s because of the story!” he screamed in return.

She pushed the laptop into his hands. “Then take it. Take it with you. Take it to a computer store and have them erase the hard drive if you must, but you’ve got to leave this house now.”

He wrapped his hands around the laptop. Knowing her possessiveness over the PC, he was stunned she’d give it up.

“Go! Now, before it’s too late!”

“Why do you want to get rid of me?” he asked, distrusting her every motive.

“Because Gary Eder is coming for me, and if you stand in his way, he’ll kill you. But he only wants me. If you leave, you’ll be safe.”

“So why give me your computer?”

“As a gesture of trust. You have every reason in the world to destroy it, and I’m trusting you not to do that. I’m trusting you to keep it safe.”

Chad felt paralyzed by the duality of his feelings. Part of him wanted to smash the computer onto the floor while another part desperately wanted to trust her.

Carla took advantage of his indecision and pushed him towards the door. “You must go now, and make the staff leave as well. Eder won’t wait much longer before he searches the house.”

Chad halted at the door. “What about you?”

She smiled in gratitude that he still cared enough to ask. “I’m going to hide somewhere he can’t find me. Once he searches and finds no sign of me, he’ll leave.”

Chad almost told her to be careful but forced himself into silence. He mustn’t let her know he cared. He mustn’t let her know she still had her claws in him.

He first sent the staff home, then turned and walked out the door, careful to lock it behind him. Once in his car, he turned right onto the road, so he could pass the red car. He glanced at the man inside the car, who was likewise watching him with eerie black eyes that sent a chill down Chad’s spine. It was like looking into the eyes of Satan. Chad almost turned the car around and returned to the house. How could he leave her alone, unprotected from such a man?

But then anger took over. How could she write about his sister and mom, revealing their darkest and most shameful secrets to the world’s scorn? It was no wonder she had a stalker. With the pain her books have caused, it was amazing no one has attacked her before now. No, he wouldn’t interfere. Let her reap her own just rewards.

***

Luke had just hung up from a call to his office. They would be wiring the appropriate papers necessary to arrest Gary Eder within two hours. While the FBI’s profile on Gary Eder was not nearly as damning as Carla’s, there was enough to gain extradition as long as local police were willing to expedite the paperwork before Eder could acquire a lawyer. He had already spoken to the New Zealand police, and they were more than willing to cooperate in the removal of a suspected serial killer from their midst.

His thoughts escaped the tension of the moment and found solace in memories of Julia. According to Carla, she was still single and still searching for a love equal to what they had shared. What if he were to call her? Tonight—this very moment—what if he were to acquire her number?

But what would he say? Hi, Julia, this is Luke Gallagher. Remember me? What if she replied no?

Yet he had never forgotten her. Her image was as clear in his mind as if she had left yesterday. He could even recall her lavender scent. If Carla was right, then her memories might be just as strong.

The thundering blows on the motel door pulled Luke from his pleasant reverie. Grabbing his gun and stepping to the side of the door, he called out, “Who is it?”

He heard a crash and then muttering. He cautiously went to the far window and peered out. Recognizing the intruder, he opened the door just as Chad’s foot smashed down on the laptop lying on the concrete.

Using leverage and surprise on his side, Luke knocked Chad off balance and pulled the broken remains of the computer to safety. “What the hell are you doing?”

Luke cursed as he studied the computer to survey the damage. He pried open the split back and studied the memory card, wondering if his people would be able to save anything.

“It’s gone,” Chad declared in a slurred, drunken voice. “Dead. I had them erase it. Erase everything!”

“Who? Who erased it?” God, he hoped it didn’t mean what he suspected.

“The store. I took it to a computer store and had them reformat the hard drive. Wipe out everything.”

“Damn it! You had no right!” Luke had planned to use the program, either with or without Carla’s permission.

“She told me to,” he muttered in his drunken state. “She told me to take the computer and get out.”

Luke remained paralyzed by the destruction of the laptop. His superiors were going to be furious. He hadn’t told them about the program, but he’d promised them some incredibly in-depth profiles. Now he would only have what Carla could remember.

Carla
.

“Where’s Carla?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t care. I never want to see her again. Lying bitch...”

“You left her there alone?” Luke shook him, trying to get a response.

“She said I had to go, she’d be safer alone, and I figured she was right. Otherwise, I might kill her.”

Luke grabbed his shoulder harness and put it on. Slipping on his jacket, he tucked in his gun, grabbed his keys and stepped over the semiconscious form in his doorway. He couldn’t wait for a warrant. With Chad gone from the house, she’d be a sitting duck for Eder.

***

Carla had moved two ceiling-tiles from the closet and crawled into a narrow space between the ceiling and the upstairs floor. She’d then pulled the items on the closet shelf back into place and secured the tiles.

Her heart was beating at the speed of hummingbird’s wings, and she could smell the stench of fear on her body. If Eder checked the closet, he would be able to smell her fear as well.

And he would kill her.

She had no doubt Luke would confiscate her computer from Chad. Hopefully, he would be a better caretaker of the program and put it to positive use.

Her thoughts turned to Chad. She feared he would feel guilt for having left her to die, but had he stayed, the only difference would have been that he would have died as well. At least, she had saved him.

Steadied by these positive thoughts, she decided she didn’t want to die cowering in the ceiling. She would rather meet Eder face-on and fight for her life. As quietly as possible, she climbed down and left the closet.

The sense of danger almost overwhelmed Carla. Closing her eyes, she visualized Eder leaving his car and going around the back of the house with the stealth of a panther.  Then he rushed forward and a moment later tossed a body in the pool. The water turned red.

Had he just killed the security guard? Chad was supposed to have sent everyone away. Did the guard refuse to leave?

Sorrow ripped through her body. How many people must die in my place?

She picked up a twenty-pound hand weight. She couldn’t allow any more innocents to die. She turned to leave the weight room, only the door handle turned.

This was it. The end…  She moved to the wall next to the door, turned off the light, then gripped the weight in both hands. Lifting it over her head, Carla waited for what seemed an eternity. Finally, she heard a soft click as the handle returned to its closed position. Before she could make sense of what was happening, someone called her name. She recognized the voice. Luke Gallagher had returned to rescue her. Only the agent had no idea how much danger he was in. How could he? He didn’t even believe Eder was real.

She had to try and save him, to distract the killer so Luke might have the chance to stop the monster. Otherwise, they would both die, and Eder would move on to his next assignment.

She gently opened the door and peeked out. The room was almost pitch black. Eder must have closed all the drapes.

If she yelled out, Luke would come to her rescue, making him an easy target for Eder. Instead, she calmed and let her intuition take over. Eder was in this room; she was sure of it. Then for a moment, his silhouette appeared in the door to the library. He wouldn’t enter the room unless Luke was inside.

“Luke, it’s Eder!” she yelled followed by three gunshots exploding in the dark.

***

Minutes earlier…

When Luke arrived at the lake house, the guard wasn’t at his post and a dark, eerie sense of danger hung over the place. He parked his car on the street and hurried across the open lawn, cautiously working his way around to the back. A man’s body floated in the pool, but he didn’t dare check it out just yet. Instead, he entered the unlocked glass door and headed to the main section of the house.

The library French doors gaped open like an entrance to Hell. Luke could almost feel the evil within. Slowly, he edged himself in, avoiding the broken porcelain on the floor. He’d left Carla in this room. Had she heard Eder’s entrance and found a safer place, or was she already dead?

“Carla,” he called out.

She didn’t answer.

Hopefully, she was alive and safely hidden somewhere. He paused and listened, but the house was deathly still. Was he too late? Had Eder already found and killed his victim? Was he already seated in first class, flying back to his home in Miami, pleased with a job well done? Was Carla lying upstairs, bleeding to death, as he stood frozen in the dark shadows of the library?

He was just about to convince himself that Eder was no longer there when he heard the smallest sound of porcelain crushing beneath someone’s foot, no more than four feet behind him. Was it Carla or Eder?

As he turned to see, he heard Carla yell from the other room. “Luke, it’s Eder”

He yelled “FBI” as he emptied three rounds into the black shadow swiftly approaching him.

The shots reverberated in the silence. The final sound was the thudding clump of the body as it hit the floor and air wheezing as the last breath of life squeezed out.

Luke frantically made his way in the dark to the light switch. If it was anyone other than Eder, his career was over.

He almost cried with joy as he turned the body over to study the pale face of Gary Eder. He muttered a quick thanks to God as he verified the man no longer had a pulse.

“It wasn’t exactly according to the books, but it was the right man,” he whispered to calm his pounding heart.

“If you had followed protocol, he would have killed you.”

For a moment, Luke mistook it for his own thought, but only for a moment. He looked up to see Carla at the door. “You saw this?”

“I was in the gym, seconds from dying, when you called out my name. He heard you.”

“I don’t understand.” Luke stood and studied her face. Her skin was so pale she could be a ghost.

Carla tugged her robe tightly around her. “He stopped before he opened the door to the gym.” She looked at Eder’s body lying on the library floor. “He intended to garrote you before he returned to kill me. I was afraid if I called out to you, you’d run to my rescue and he’d kill you before you even realized he was here. So I followed him out. When I saw him enter the library, I called out, letting you know. Still, I feared you might wait too long before you fired.”

“How long did I wait?” Luke asked, dreading her answer. Despite the man at his feet was a mass-murderer, Carla’s honest reply could cost him any chance of future advancements.

Carla didn’t reply for quite a while. “I’m not sure. Everything crawled in slow motion. You called, ‘FBI, stop.’ Then I think you said ‘stop’ again. And then you fired.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” Her weary eyes met his. “You saved my life, you know. He would have killed me if you hadn’t arrived. He didn’t even search upstairs. He came directly to the exercise room, almost as if he had a metal detector and I was the lump of ore he sought.” Her body trembled and she sat down on the couch.

“Are you all right?”

“Just shocked I’m still alive. I didn’t think you believed me. I was certain this time I would die.”

“I need you to go to your room, get dressed, and wait for me to get you. Hopefully, we’ll be able to head home on the next flight out.”

Without a single argument, she turned and headed upstairs.

Her obedience surprised him. Evidently near-death situations made her a bit more compliant. He picked up the phone and called the local police. He then searched the house to determine if there were other dead bodies to be found. He knew the place normally had a guard, a cook and a housekeeper. Had Eder killed them as well?