Vile (12 page)

Everyone but Hayes had been happy to get the heads up about today’s suggested casual attire. Somehow, the man managed to make jeans and a polo look elegant. Even his Sketchers were leather. Maybe he was still more lawyer wannabe than he realized. Suited Jess just fine. It didn’t hurt to have a detective with a law degree under his belt, particularly now. As long as he learned to fit in, preferably sooner than later.

“Contrary to popular belief,” Jess informed the reporter, “this job isn’t always glamorous.”

“I guess we have that in common.” Gina motioned for her cameraman to come closer. “Did you get a good pan of the house and yard?”

Before he could answer, Jess warned, “Remember, Officer Cook goes where you go and don’t touch anything. Keep the gloves on and, if you go inside, wear the shoe covers. “

“I won’t touch anything,” Gina promised. “I won’t air anything without your prior approval.”

Jess couldn’t decide if the invitation for Gina to come along had been a stroke of brilliance or a lapse in sanity. Either way, they were here and she had work to do. “Detective Wells, let’s start where we left off with the interviews.”

Lori scanned the yard. “I’ll let Hayes know we’re ready to go.”

There was that insecurity again. “We don’t need the lieutenant. He and Harper should carry on with their search of the grounds. You and I can handle the interviews.”

Visibly reluctant, Lori headed for her Mustang. Jess climbed into the passenger seat and watched the reporter get started. Gina stood beneath one of the big Oak trees and spoke to the camera. Shooting an opening, Jess supposed. This was definitely a first for her. She’d never worked with a reporter at the scene. They were typically outside the perimeter, like those held back by the sheriff’s roadblocks a half a mile down the road in either direction.

The department would likely catch some flak for showing preference. Jess would deal with that when the time came.

“Sheriff Foster sent Harper a list of people who’ve recently been involved with Amanda and her boyfriend in one way or another. He said neither of our suspects has any real friends to speak of.” Lori passed her cell phone to Jess. “Harper forwarded the list to me, if you want to take a look.”

As Lori backed out of the long, rutted drive, Jess scanned the names and comments Foster had made about each. She hesitated on one name. Slade Evans. Former boyfriend. Two arrests for assault, one misdemeanor drug possession.

“Let’s pay this Slade Evans a visit,” Jess suggested. The closest two neighbors had already insisted they hadn’t heard or seen anything. They had no connections socially or otherwise to the Brownfield family. Jess doubted they’d get anymore than that out of the neighbors who lived even farther from the farm. The local radio and television stations had been running photos of the two suspects and asking the community for help. No useful tips so far.

“What’s the address for Evans?”

“Harbin’s Auto Repair on Main Street. Evans is a mechanic there.”

Lori stalled before backing out onto the road, but she didn’t look at Jess. “We should have Hayes or Harper come along if we’re going into town.”

“We’ll have a BPD cop right behind us. I need the rest of the team at the scene.”

Lori nodded, still avoiding Jess’s gaze as she backed out onto the road. Jess mulled over the things she could say but she’d said them all before. Undoubtedly, Lori would come to terms with what happened in her own time. Another wave of guilt washed over Jess as she pondered the secret she was keeping from her friend. Of all the people she had come to know since her return to Birmingham, Lori was the one Jess considered a close friend. She didn’t want anything to ruin that.

Trusting Lori wasn’t an issue. Jess opened her mouth to tell her, but Lori spoke first. “Chet scheduled his surgery for the week after next.” She glanced at Jess as she navigated the car past the roadblock. Reporters waved and shouted questions but Jess ignored them. She had nothing to give anyone.

“He’ll be out of work for a few days, maybe a week. If that’s a problem, he can reschedule.”

Jess was glad to hear Harper was getting the vasectomy reversal taken care of. That secret could have torn him and Lori apart. Although, Lori didn’t sound as excited about the news as Jess would have expected. “I’m glad that issue worked out. I’m sure we can manage without him for a few days.” Admittedly, it wouldn’t be easy. Jess relied heavily on each of her detectives, as well as Cook. She had to remember to see that Harper started prepping Cook for the detective’s exam as soon as things calmed down. He deserved the promotion at the earliest possible date.

“I guess I’m glad too.”

Jess frowned. Somehow, the detective didn’t sound glad. “You sure about that?”

Lori squeezed the steering wheel more tightly. “The reversal comes with a condition. Once the surgery is done, scar tissue can develop and create problems, so they recommend no waiting to start a family. I’m not sure I’m ready for kids.” She shook her head. “We’re not even married. We’re just getting this relationship off the ground and his ex-wife is acting like a crazy bitch.” She paused to draw in a shuddering breath. “Even if what she did was best for Chester. It’s just a mess.”

This was the moment. Lori needed to feel as if someone else understood. Someone career oriented like her. Someone like Jess. Someone in a similar position.

“You think you have problems,” Jess said, going for offhanded but failing miserably. “I just found out I’m pregnant.”

Lori stared at her. “What?”

Jess cleared her throat and pointed to the road.

Lori jerked her attention forward. “You’re pregnant?” Her voice rose an octave or two as she spoke.

“Three or four pregnancy tests and one doctor say so,” Jess rolled her eyes, “but I’m still holding out hope it’s a false alarm.”

Lori maneuvered the Mustang into the first parking lot she came to, shoved the gearshift into park, and turned to Jess. “Are you okay?”

Jess shrugged. “Physically, I think so. They’re checking me for Wilson’s disease, but otherwise I’m in great health.” Except for being old. No need to mention that part. Too depressing.

“You know what I mean,” Lori said pointedly.

The BPD cruiser eased up next to them. Jess waved at the cop behind the wheel to let him know they were fine. “It was a shock.” She turned back to Lori. “Evidently around the time frame that you were missing I did a little missing myself. I skipped a couple or three pills and here I am. Pregnant.”

“Oh my God.” Lori pressed a hand to her chest. “What about the chief? How’s he handling this?”

“He wants to get married today and tell his folks.” She smiled, worked hard at restraining the emotion that immediately burned her eyes. “He’s thrilled.”

Excitement crept into her friend’s face. “Does anyone else know? Can I tell Chet?”

“Only my sister. I told her yesterday after I saw the doctor.” Jess relaxed a little. It felt good to have that secret off her chest. “I don’t mind if Harper knows as long as he doesn’t start hovering more. If you can believe it, Dan’s working hard to give me a little more space. I think he might be afraid I’ll have a meltdown or something.” Jess frowned. “Oh, and Hayes knows. He figured out I’d bought a pregnancy test.”

“Yeah, he’s nosy like that,” Lori gripped.

What was this thing between Hayes and everyone else on the team? Wasn’t he friends with Lori? Not the time to ask, Jess decided. One startling revelation at a time was more than enough.

Lori turned her hands up. “This is… exciting news.” She smiled then. The first real one Jess had seen from her in days. “Honestly, I’m torn between being ecstatic and completely stunned.”

“Welcome to my world,” Jess admitted. “My hormones are working against me. Spears is threatening everyone I care about.” She sagged under the weight of it all. “I’m terrified.”

“I didn’t think about all that.” Lori reached across the console and squeezed Jess’s hand. “Here I am worrying about whether I want to commit to have Chet’s child in the near future and you’re dealing with Spears and you’re already having a baby. Is there anything I can do?”

“There is.” Jess looked her in the eyes. “You can go back to being the cop you were before Friday.”

Lori’s expression fell. “Oh.” She looked away. “I’m working on it, but the truth is I don’t know if I can trust myself again. You could’ve been killed.” Her attention dropped to Jess’s waist before rising to meet her eyes once more. “Your child could have died, because of
my
mistake.”

“Eventually, you’ll see that you didn’t do anything wrong,” Jess countered. “The sooner the better for all concerned.” She faced forward. Arguing the point wouldn’t change Lori’s mind. She had to find her own way back. “Let’s get this interview done.”

Harbin’s Auto Repair, 10:10 am

Darren Harbin, the owner of the shop, agreed to lend Jess the employee break room for questioning Slade Evans.

Evans was forty, tall, and broad shouldered. Evidently, he enjoyed showing off how much time he spent working out since he wore one of those tank top style t-shirts that exposed his bulging, tattooed biceps. He sported a buzz cut and an indifferent attitude. At least he was willing to talk.

“Your relationship with Amanda ended in February, is that correct?” Jess studied her notes. “After Valentine’s Day.” That hadn’t been a very good holiday for Jess this year either. She’d been reassigned the Spears case and had foolishly thought that was a positive thing.

“That’s right. I would’ve ended it sooner but she owed me fifty bucks. She wasn’t gonna have the money until she got her tax refund. She picks up a job here and there just to make sure she gets that earned income whatever for the kid.”

“Who was her last employer?”

“Restaurant out on 35. She worked there for a couple months until she got in a big brawl with the night manager. Beat the hell out of the woman.” Evans leaned forward and braced his forearms on the table. “Amanda’s crazy, in case you ain’t figured that out already. I mean, total, batshit crazy. She can be all sweet and lovey-dovey one minute and ready to cut your throat the next.”

“Is that your opinion or are you speaking from experience,” Jess prodded.

“Experience,” he assured her, “definitely. I woke up one night and she was sitting in the bed staring at me. Might’ve been all right if she hadn’t been holding a butcher knife.” He shook his head and made a face. “Besides, all she talks about is serial killers and murders. She loves that shit.”

“Have you ever known her to do more than rough someone up?” Jess placed her badge on the table just to remind him who he was talking to. “The statement you’re giving is the same as if you were in a courtroom testifying. Think carefully before you continue.” That wasn’t exactly true but he wouldn’t know the difference.

“I can’t prove it but a couple times when she was wasted she bragged about killing people. I thought it was just her trying to be a bad ass. She likes attention. If she doesn’t get it, she gets pissed. I wouldn’t want her pissed at me.” He leaned back, showed his hands. “I knew I was done with her when she started talking about having sex with a serial killer. That
player
guy. He’s all she talks about. She acts like she knows him or something. I’m telling you she’s nuts.”

Tension squeezed a little tighter around Jess’s chest. “Did she tell you she’d spoken to him or met him?”

He shrugged. “Nah. At first, I thought he was more of her crazy talk. I’d never heard of him. I figured she made him up. She does that too. She has this big complicated story about her old man.” He smirked. “My momma said her daddy abandoned her. You try telling Amanda that and she’ll scratch your eyes out.”

“When did you realize Amanda wasn’t talking about a fictitious serial killer this time?”

“When I saw all that shit on the news, I asked her about it. She said she could have told me all that before it happened.”

Jess readied her pencil, hoped the man didn’t see her hand shake. “I’ll need your mother’s name and contact information.”

“She don’t know nothing about Amanda except that she’s crazy. Hell, she killed her own mamma, didn’t she?”

“But your mother can vouch for what you’ve told me, isn’t that right?” Jess asked. “You said you were home with your mother last night? If I can’t confirm your statement, then you have no alibi.”

He rattled off Connie Evans’s telephone number and address.

“Mr. Evans, is there anything at all you can tell us about Amanda’s current boyfriend, Brock Clements?”

“He used to work over at Vulcan driving a truck. Friend of mine works there too. He said Brock hasn’t been to work in a while. You could check at the Oasis. Amanda likes to hang out there. She was there Saturday night celebrating the Tide’s win over Arkansas.” He grunted. “I don’t know why she thought that game was something to celebrate. Anybody can beat Arkansas. It’s Florida they better worry about.”

“I appreciate your cooperation, Mr. Evans.” Jess stood and passed him her card. “If you think of anything else, please call me.”

“You know that lipstick she wears?”

Jess collected her bag. “I know it’s red. Why?”

“It’s Killer Red,” he said with a grin. “She told me it made her feel good to wear it because she’s a killer.” He shrugged. “I guess I should’ve believed her.”

“Perhaps so,” Jess agreed. “You said you saw her on Saturday at a place called the Oasis, I’ll need that address.”

“Highway 79, going out of town toward Guntersville. You might catch the manager there. His name’s Doug Sanders. He’ll tell you she’s crazy, too.”

Jess was nearly convinced he was right about that part. “Did Amanda ever mention seeing a psychiatrist or seeking any other mental health support?”

He lifted his chin and made one of those aha faces as if he’d just recalled something important. “Now that you mention it, she’s talked about a shrink before. I can’t remember his name. One of those quacks over at the mental health center. She used to laugh about how she freaked him out with her stories.” Evans looked straight at Jess then. “Does she freak you out? You know she bleached her hair so she could look like you.”