Vicious (15 page)

Maybe it was the idea that the chicken was her mother’s recipe, whatever the reason Jess found herself nibbling on the chicken leg. The breading was amazingly crisp, but the meat beneath was tender and juicy.

“Told you it was good.”

Jess looked up. Wanda and Hayes were watching her, smirks on their faces. “It is.” Jess dabbed at her lips with a paper napkin. Whether she had moaned out loud, or just the fact that she was devouring the chicken that drew their attention, she couldn’t say. “Delicious. Really… delicious.”

By the time Jess pushed away from the table, to say she was stuffed was putting it mildly. “That was—”

“Incredible,” Hayes finished for her. “I don’t think I’ve eaten that much since the last time I had Sunday dinner at my grandmother’s house.”

Wanda insisted the lieutenant was welcome to have Sunday dinner with her any time. “You too, Jessie Lee.” The hope in her expression was undeniable.

Jess didn’t have to work too hard to present a smile. As much as she hated to admit it, she did feel better now that she’d eaten. “Thank you. I’ll remember that.”

Not anytime soon, but there was no need to mention that part.

“You tell your sister, too,” Wanda urged as they moved back into the living room and toward the front door. “I’d love to have y’all over so we could catch up.”

Jess clenched her jaw to hold back the retort that came immediately to mind. She’d put the past aside for a moment, but she couldn’t hold it at bay for long. There was nothing between her and this woman except hurt. Why in the world would she pretend otherwise? She appreciated her efforts—or at least she tried to—but no amount of fried chicken and potatoes was going to change the past.

What was with all this waffling back and forth?

“When you have more time,” Wanda went on, oblivious to Jess’s irritation, “I’ll show you the photos I have from when you were a baby.” She literally beamed. “I didn’t realize I had so many. But when your friend dropped by, we started talking about those days and the next thing I knew I was digging out all kinds of family photos.”

Uncertainty made it impossible for Jess to move. “A friend of mine stopped by?”

Wanda nodded. “He did. A very nice man. He said he was doing a feature on you and all the work you’re doing to keep Birmingham safe.”

“Was his name Gerard Stevens?” Jess didn’t know the man but she disliked him immensely for trying to make Dan look bad in a recent interview with Corlew, of all people. The thought made her mad at her old friend all over again.

“Oh no. It wasn’t that reporter fella,” Wanda assured Jess. “It was your old friend from the FBI in Virginia. His name was Ross. Ross Taylor. Said he was retired now and doing some writing for some big newspaper in Washington D.C.”

Fear blasted through Jess. Special Agent Ross Taylor was dead. Eric Spears had murdered him.

“When was he here?” It took everything Jess had to keep her voice from shaking. She wanted to scream. She wanted to hunt Spears down and rip him apart with her own two hands.

“Must’ve been about two weeks ago. Right about the same time that policeman’s wife killed his partner’s wife. That case was all over the news.”

Jess quieted the storm of emotions whirling inside her. “Wanda, I need you to start at the beginning and tell me everything you told him.”

12

Birmingham Police Department, 1:30 p.m.

Dan signed the last requisition form and closed the folder. It was already half past one and he hadn’t heard from Jess or anyone in SPU. Hayes should have checked in with him already. He scrubbed at his eyes and exhaled a weary breath.

The idea that Jess was out there on the streets—an open target—was driving him out of his mind. He understood her reasoning for staying on the job. She needed to be working. Hell, he needed her on the job. But the reality that any one of the warped fans Spears had watching her could so easily reach her was killing him.

Add to that the undeniable reality that the FBI was getting nowhere on the Spears investigation. They had no idea where the bastard was. He could be right here under their noses. Dan closed his eyes and forced away the images that came with that thought. Spears had touched Jess at Friday’s press conference. He had been close enough to hurt her—or worse—with cops all around him.

How the hell were they going to protect her if they didn’t know where the son of a bitch was?

He stood and walked to the window that overlooked the city. Ensuring the safety of the citizens of Birmingham was his responsibility. Taking care of Jess was his responsibility. He’d never felt more helpless.

With everything that was going on, he hadn’t even managed time for lunch with Andrea before she went back to college for the fall semester. So much had happened this summer, starting with his stepdaughter’s abduction. Those had been some scary days. But Jess had come when he’d called and she had found those girls. No one else could take credit for that incredible feat. She was a hero.

He wanted to be hers.

If anything happened to her—

The intercom on his desk buzzed and was followed by, “Chief, Mayor Pratt is on line one for you.”

“And the day just gets better,” he grumbled. Mayor Joseph Pratt wanted Jess gone. He was just itching to find a good reason to try and force Dan’s hand. “Thanks, Sheila.”

Dan blew out a breath and took the call. “Afternoon, Mayor.”

“Why is Harris working this investigation? Logan Thomas’s uncle called me. He, like everyone else in this city, is worried sick about Harris’s ability to somehow draw these devils into our community. How long do you plan to pretend she’s an asset, Dan? It’s time to look past your personal feelings and do the right thing.”

For a moment Dan was lost as to how to respond to such ridiculous accusations. It took no time at all for the mayor and his cronies to forget all Jess had done for the city. Dan was well aware of Pratt’s problem. The mayor’s family had come under scrutiny during the ‘Five’ investigation. Pratt wasn’t going to let that go easily.

“Joe, I understand that Jess’s work to find the truth has made your family uncomfortable at times,” Dan told him straight up, “but she’s the best thing that’s happened to this department in a very long time. Furthermore, the murders Jess is investigating at this time have nothing to do with her or Eric Spears or any damned thing else that you can logically complain about.” He hadn’t meant for his voice to rise as he uttered that last statement but he was sick to death of Pratt’s jabs at Jess.

“That may very well be,” Pratt argued, “but I’m maintaining a close watch on this situation. I will not ignore my responsibilities to this city. I would suggest you follow my example.”

“Always nice to hear from you, Mayor.” Dan slammed the phone down. “Narrow minded old bastard.”

A rap at his door hauled his attention to yet another intrusion. “What?” Damn, he was on a roll here. If his secretary was on the other side of that door, he’d probably damaged his relationship with her permanently.

Harold Black poked his head in. “You have a minute, Chief?”

Dan took a second to find control over his frustration. “Sure.” He waved in the deputy chief of the department’s Crimes Against Persons Division. Harold was also working closely with Gant on the Spears investigation. Maybe they’d just gotten lucky and there was good news for a change.

Harold paused at Dan’s desk, a folder tucked under his arm. “I thought I’d bring you up to speed on the Allen case.”

Captain Ted Allen, head of the Gang Task Force, had gone missing almost three weeks ago. His personal vehicle had been discovered abandoned, but no other trace of him had been found until last week when his cell phone appeared in Dan’s garbage. An internal investigation into Allen’s activities was ongoing. No cop wanted to accuse another of wrongdoing but it was looking more and more as if that were the case.

Another sticking point in the investigation was the very public disagreements between Allen and Jess. According to his cell phone carrier, Allen had last used his cell near Jess’s apartment. The fact that the same phone was found in Dan’s trash made both him and Jess look suspicious. It was an uncomfortable situation, but all they could do was ride it out. Truth was on their side. Eventually that truth would come to light. Allen was either dead for things he had or had not done when dealing with one of the biggest gang leaders in the country or he’d taken a handsome payoff and disappeared for parts unknown. Either way, his return was unlikely.

“Have you uncovered new evidence? Found a witness who saw him after the night he disappeared?” If Allen hadn’t gone rogue, hope of finding him alive was pretty much nonexistent at this point. For the man’s family’s sake, Dan wished the case was solved, one way or the other.

Harold shook his head. “Nothing like that.” He opened the folder he held. “We did discover some documents in his office that are quite troubling.”

Seemed a little sudden, or perhaps convenient depending upon what these documents showed. What dirty cop kept damning evidence in his office? Whether he was dirty or not, Allen was smarter than that.

Harold passed a handwritten report across Dan’s desk. “Apparently, Captain Allen was planning to file a complaint against you.”

“Against me?” Dan snatched up the report and skimmed it.

“He claims in that statement that you threatened him on two occasions in regard to his interactions with Chief Harris.”

“This is absurd.” Dan tossed the report aside. “I assume you’ve had the handwriting analyzed.”

Harold nodded. “It’s his handwriting.”

Dan flatted his palms firmly on his desk and fought to hold back his outrage. The best way to handle this was to keep his cool—unlike the way he’d handled the situation with Pratt. “This is getting old, Harold. First it’s the cell phone. Now this.”

“I agree. But these documents were found in the due course of the investigation. I can’t exactly dispose of them, Dan. Detective Roark brought them directly to me before turning them into evidence. No one wants to set this kind of nasty business in motion, but we simply have no choice. We must treat you the same way we would any other person of interest on a case.”

“Don’t patronize me, Harold. I know what we
must
do. But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

Harold nodded. “No one likes it, Dan. We’re working as hard as we can to solve this mystery.”

“You do what you need to do,” Dan reminded him. “But along the way, remember that this,” he gestured to the report, “is pure fiction. If Ted Allen wrote that report he was either out of his mind or lying.”

“I agree.” Harold stood. “I’ll keep you apprised of any new developments.”

“Thanks. I appreciate the update.” Better to be aware of potential trouble than to be blindsided.

When Harold was out the door, Dan picked up his cell. He couldn’t wait any longer. Jess should have checked in with him by now. He needed to hear her voice as often as possible.

The idea that Spears could be watching her every move from right here in Birmingham had him on edge. His phone vibrated with an incoming text.

“It’s about time.” He tapped the screen expecting to see Jess’s image along with a text.

He stilled. Not Jess. The number wasn’t one he recognized. He opened the text.

Want to know how this story will end? Oak Hill. Near Linn Mausoleum. Cheers, ES

“Son of a bitch!” Dan shoved his phone into his pocket and rushed around his desk. He stormed out of his office. “Have Chief Black and someone from the crime scene unit meet me at Linn Mausoleum at Oak Hill Cemetery,” he said to Sheila.

His secretary was already passing along the order before Dan was out of earshot. He bypassed the elevator and took the stairs.

At least Spears was playing his game with him today and not Jess and that suited Dan just fine. If Spears made the mistake of getting close again, Dan planned to be the only one walking away this time.

Oak Hill Cemetery, 2:33 p.m.

Dan strode through the gates of Birmingham’s oldest cemetery. Many of the city’s pioneers were laid to rest here, including Charles Linn. The park where the press conference had been held last Friday was named after him. Spears apparently wanted to remind Dan that he’d missed his opportunity there.

“What’s going on, Dan?” Harold Black hurried to catch up with him. “A tech from the crime scene unit is on the way.”

“Shortly after you left my office I received a text from Spears. He said there was something here that would tell me how this story is going to end.” He glanced at Harold. “I guess he doesn’t want to keep me in suspense.”

“Have you called Gant?”

“Not yet. Let’s see what we’re dealing with first.” There was no need to have the FBI over here until they had confirmation this was more than a wild goose chase.

Harold surveyed the headstones, statues, and mausoleums that dotted the hillside. “What is that monster up to now?”

“We’ll soon know.” Dan paused long enough to find his bearings. He hadn’t been in this cemetery in ages. He spotted his destination. “There. The Linn Mausoleum.”

“Did he give you any indication of what we’re looking for?”

“No. Just that it was here.” They reached the mausoleum but if Spears had left anything it wasn’t readily apparent.

Dan turned all the way around, scanning the hillside. “It could be a setup.”

“I considered that,” Black said as he, too, looked around. “I figured you would be too angry to think of it before showing up here.”

The uniforms came into view. Cops were heading their way from every direction.

“Thanks.” Dan railed at Jess all the time for doing this very thing. He’d acted on impulse, without thought as to the danger. “Let’s have a look around the mausoleum.”

Harold went one way and Dan took the other, circling the stone house that stood as a monument to one man’s contributions to the Magic City. On the other side of the mausoleum, beneath the shade of a big oak tree, was a headstone. This one wasn’t aged by time and the elements.

“Oh my,” Harold murmured. “I think we’re going to need a forklift to take this chunk of evidence to the lab.”