Six Degrees of Lust (35 page)

what to do.

“I hear there’s a counselor who’s very good with teenagers,

and they have excellent resources, sweetie,” he said. “They can

help you figure something out.”

“I have been to this center you mentioned.” Ryan smiled.

Sasha always sounded slightly arrogant and mature beyond his

fifteen years, but he was a sweet boy. “I even listened to this

counselor talk to a group a few times. He speaks many truths and

realities, and he also speaks about hope and things getting better.

I went because Babushka would have wanted for me to have a

safe place in case she could not protect me anymore.”

“That’s excellent.”

“I also went to the fundraiser for the center.” Sasha flashed a

smile that took Ryan by surprise. It was the first smile he’d seen in

all the weeks he’d known him, and it was beautiful. “It was at that

place where I met Nikolai.” Now he was serious again.

“Can you tell me about Nikolai?” Ryan asked carefully, wanting

to make sure it wasn’t some lecher that would take advantage of

Sasha’s particular situation.

“He is the biggest pain. Curious about everything. Never

stops asking questions the few times we have spoken on the

phone. I feel safe around him.”

“Safe how? How old is this Nikolai?” Ryan pressed, seriously

considering calling the authorities. Maybe it’d be best if he got a

social worker to look into Sasha’s situation.

“Only twelve,” he said that like he wasn’t only fifteen himself.

“He is a kid.” Another brief smile illuminated his face. “But you

know this counselor that you said is good with teenagers? He is

Nikolai’s uncle’s best friend. They are okay. They took us out for

burgers and I had pizza with them the other day.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes. So perhaps it was kismet… destiny. Maybe I was

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supposed to meet this counselor for some unknown reason.” He

sighed dramatically. “I must leave now, before they get here to

take her.”

“Listen, sweetie. I already gave you my address. Please come

by if you need a place to stay or something to eat, okay? You

don’t need to be on the streets.”

“I will not take charity from you.” There was that arrogance

again, that pride that was maybe too much for a lone kid to cover

himself with.

“It isn’t charity. Just keep it in mind, okay? I’d like to know

how you’re doing.”

“Fine… You took good care of Babushka and let me be with

her when I knew it was not really permitted. Now I will pay you

back by letting you know.”

“Thanks, sweetie.”

“I will see you, Ryan Lewis.”

And just like that he was gone.

July 22, 2009

New York City

Weekly status report meetings were such a pain in the ass.

Although he understood the need to keep the higher-ups up to

date on all aspects of the investigation and the progress they were

making, he failed to see why it had to be done over a two hour

lunch when the same could be accomplished with a ten minute

phone call. Sam resented having to stay away from the real work

just so that he could take care of the bureaucratic bullshit.

“Next time I’m sending you,” he told Duncan Kowalski as

soon as he walked into the squad room. “You’re my second in

command and that means you get to do all the stuff I don’t like.”

“I can see how having filet mignon and lobster with a seven

hundred dollar bottle of wine on the bureau’s tab, while on

the clock, mind you, can be a dreadful, terrible task.” Duncan

chuckled while he shuffled through some papers. “Sucks to be

you, buddy.”

“Well, I’m a beer and pizza kind of guy.”

Sam patted Duncan’s shoulder and headed for the stairs in

the back that led to the offices located on the second level of the

squad room. Up there they had their own private space, Sam’s

being the biggest and most centric, allowing him an unobstructed

view of the squad room and everything in it

He put his briefcase down and took his suit jacket off. He

knew Mik and Logan were out in the field looking into some

murders that could be related to the Leviticus case, but Zane

and Bobbie were working on a different case. He’d find out soon

enough the reason Duncan was back.

Three bodies had been found in the past week in New

250 Taylor V. Donovan

Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, right after the

sketch of the “person of interest” was released to the press.

After flying to the locations and taking a look at the crime scenes

they had no doubts it was Lev’s work.

The M.O. definitely matched. They found the same mouth

lacerations, the numeral eight belly button ring sewn onto the

victims, and the small canvas with the fire and the Bible passage.

The “you are to abstain from sexual immorality. Acts 15:29” had

been written in a font that matched the other messages they’d

collected.

There was no sexual assault. None of the three victims had

been lean, blond, and under thirty either, which indicated the

perp was reacting to seeing himself on the news. They had

shaken him up and now he was bound to make mistakes. The

team was confident they’d catch him. Sam just hoped it would

happen before the sick bastard claimed more lives.

Sam took a sip of his coffee and was going through the

messages he’d picked up from the receptionist when his direct

line rang.

“Shaughnessy.”

“Afternoon. This is Eric Callahan, with the HPD. I understand

you’ve been asking for me.”

Boy, had he been. As part of their investigation after their

conversation with Ryan Lewis, they had looked at similar murder

cases in the south and come up with a few interesting findings.

Sadly, not much was digitally logged and they needed to talk to

the detectives in charge. Sam couldn’t wait.

“Yes, I have,” he said, happy and relieved the guy was finally

getting back to him, but annoyed he’d taken three days to do so.

“Matter of fact, I’ve left several messages for you. The first one

was three days ago.”

“I apologize. You should have been informed I’m out on

medical leave. I just called to check in with my captain and was

told about you.”

“I see.” He took a deep breath. No sense in biting the guy’s

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head off for failing to be on his schedule, or talking slower than a

herd of turtles. “Thanks for returning my calls, then.”

“No problem.” To Sam that “no problem” sounded

impossibly stretched out, as if it was said under water. What the

hell? Mac was from Texas and he didn’t sound like that. “What

does the FBI want with me?” The guy’s question kept him from

going down the everything’s-sexy-about-the-kitten road for the

twentieth time that week alone. Christ. He was obsessed.

“Can you confirm you are the detective in charge of what

your division so graciously refers to as the Tulips case?” Sam

asked, his voice heavy on the sarcasm and not doing a damn

thing to pretend the name didn’t annoy the shit out of him. Lord

save him from backwoods Neanderthals.

“Yes sir, I believe I am.”

“Then we need your cooperation. It is very important we get

access to your files, reports, interviews, evidence… everything

and anything you believe could be directly or remotely related to

the cases, and we need it immediately.”

“All right, I’ll just see about that. But first, could you tell me

what makes it so important you get this right away?” He may

have asked politely, but Sam had no doubts the guy wouldn’t give

him shit if he didn’t get a straight answer.

“There’s a serial killer operating in the Tri-State area of New

York City. We were recently made aware of the murders in

Houston and there is a similar M.O.”

“I understand.” And Sam could tell by his tone that the

detective did in fact understand how big this would be if they

found any similarities. Thank goodness the guy’s brain didn’t

match his speech.

He saw Duncan stop by the door and motioned him in. “So

you’ll send us what we need.”

“I will. Maybe early next month.”

“Next month?” Sam yelled “We need to see it first thing

tomorrow.”

252 Taylor V. Donovan

“Tomorrow is Saturday, agent.”

“So?”

“And like I said, I’m out on medical leave.”

“Can’t you have someone give me what I need? What about

your partner? All detectives have partners.”

“Well, unfortunately for you, mine was recently killed in the

line of duty. Not to mention, I need to run your name first and

make sure you’re legit. Y’all’ll hear from me as soon as your

identity clears out and I find out who my new partner is going

to be. I need to bring them up to speed, but I’ll have HPD send

what they have in filing, although I must warn you, it isn’t much.

The investigation notes I have, and for those you’re going to have

to wait. You have a good one, now.” With that he disconnected

the call, leaving Sam no other option but to do the same.

“Great. Just…great.” Sam put the phone down and looked

at Duncan. “That was Detective Callahan from Houston. Seems

willing to cooperate but we’ll have to wait until early next month,

as he’s out on medical leave and has to confirm my identity.”

“Smart guy.”

Sam shook his head. “If the dude gets around to doing things

as slowly as he talks, then we’re fucked.” He drank some more

coffee and got ready for what Duncan had to say. “You can hit

me with it now. I can take it, whatever it is.”

“It’s about Ryan Lewis. He refuses to go to a safe house. Says

he’s not letting that, er… psycho, rob him of his very wonderful

life.” Duncan made a face and Sam didn’t blame him. Mr. Lewis

was driving them crazy, refusing all their attempts to keep him

safe. “I’ve been trying to get authorization for a security detail

but it isn’t looking good.”

“Shit.”

“He either can’t or doesn’t want to see how much danger he’s

in, and other than moving in with the guy myself I don’t know

what to do.”

“I suggest you stay away from that if you don’t want to get

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turned.” Sam teased his friend. “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you

he has the worst hard-on for you.”

“Baby, if my fine as fuck teammates haven’t been able to turn

me gay in the last six years, nobody will.” They grinned at each

other. “Before I go and try again to get security for our material

witness, tell me how everything is at home.”

“My brother-in-law is out of jail. There’s a court date, but the

fucker made bail.”

“Shit.”

“I know.”

“And Sandy and Nicky?”

“As far as I can tell, Nicky’s fine. He likes his school and

friends, plus has gotten rather close with Sasha.” Sam took a deep

breath and leaned back in his chair. He didn’t have to explain who

Sasha was, as by now they were all very well acquainted with the

Russian boy. “Mom’s been helping a bit, but you know I don’t

entirely trust her judgment sometimes. And Sandy… it’s touch

and go with her. She ignores me for the most part, but after she

went to Buffalo to get her things she seems to be making an

effort… which worries the hell out of me.”

“Why’s that?”

“She’s my sister, Duncan. I can tell she’s up to something.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“Not sure.” Sam appreciated his friend’s concern and the

support all of them had shown, but he wasn’t up to talking about

something he had yet to figure out. “Try to talk to her again, I

guess.” He put his hands on his desk and smiled at his friend.

“Hopefully it’ll work this time.”

“Hopefully.” Duncan got up and walked to the door, aware

the subject was closed for the time being. “I’ll be in my office

making more calls if you need me.”

“Thanks.”

Once he was finished going through his phone messages he

254 Taylor V. Donovan

started on his work email. The personal he checked from his cell

phone all the time. Not only did Nicky write him there, but so

did Mac.

It wasn’t that Sam was so anxious to hear from the Texan

that he couldn’t wait to be in front of a computer, but he had to

admit that he looked forward to his messages. The guy was witty

and entertaining, and his wicked sense of humor had managed

to brighten Sam’s day on more than one occasion. He had the

funniest stories about his state, and they spent quite some time

comparing Houston and NYC lifestyles.

He was also smart, because somehow he’d managed to talk

Sam into playing twenty questions, and now they’d exchanged

more information than he felt comfortable sharing with anybody

but Logan. For the most part it was general stuff, such as what

was the earliest memory they had and their favorite Halloween