Silent Scream

Chapter Twenty

Wednesday, September 22, 2:55 a.m.

Kenny shuffled in next to a man Oaks introduced as Roger Court. Roger was the dorm staff who had spoken with Kane’s killer.

When they were all seated, Olivia began. “Kenny, I know you’re scared, but you have to talk to me.”

Kenny closed his eyes. “I want to go back to my room,” he signed, his face stony.

Danni Oaks voiced it with a note of apology, sentiment Olivia knew was Danni’s and not Kenny’s. Olivia tapped the table, but Kenny’s eyes remained stubbornly closed.

Olivia tapped harder, then banged her fist so hard the table jumped and shuddered. Still Kenny’s eyes remained closed. Fury bubbled up, rattling her control and suddenly Olivia saw Kane again, lying on the ground. His blood soaking the ground. Dead. Because this little shit wouldn’t talk. Goddammit, boy, you’ll talk to me.

She grabbed the back of Kenny’s chair, yanking it from the table and around so that he had nothing to lean on. His eyes flew open, went cold, closed again. “Fine,” she said. “We’ll see how stubborn he’ll be in the general population at the jail.”

“You can’t,” Oaks signed. Danni’s voice trembled as she spoke for her father.

“Watch me,” Olivia snapped back. “Just watch me.”

“He’s a kid,” Roger said aloud, signing at the same time. He was hearing impaired, but she could understand him. “He didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I don’t know that. So I’m going to assume the very worst.” Olivia yanked her handcuffs from her belt and snapped one on Kenny’s wrist.

Kenny’s eyes flew open, stubbornness flashing to panic. “No!” he cried aloud.

Olivia cuffed his hands behind him, then pushed him back in the chair. She had his full attention now. She turned to Danni Oaks, her temper close to breaking.

“Tell him he will talk to me or I will arrest him for hindering an investigation. Tell him my partner died to save his sorry ass and if he doesn’t start talking in the next ten seconds every cop downtown will know why he’s there. Tell him I am sick and tired of his games and I want answers and I want them now.”

Danni signed rapidly, then Oaks stepped in front of Kenny and began to sign.

“What’s he saying?” Olivia asked when Danni didn’t immediately voice.

“To please cooperate. That his own life could be in danger.”

Kenny shot Olivia a look of impotent rage. “Let me go,” he voiced thickly.

“Not until he talks,” Olivia said and Danni signed it, giving Olivia a fearful look.

“How?” Kenny roared.

“He can’t talk if you’ve cuffed his hands,” Danni said quietly. “Please let him go.”

“You’ll cooperate?” Olivia asked him. Danni signed it and Kenny nodded furiously.

Olivia looked at Noah. “Well?” she asked. “Should I let him go?”

“He can’t sign without his hands, Liv,” Noah said mildly. “Let him go.” Olivia noticed Danni’s expression softened when she interpreted for Noah. Kenny’s did, too.

Olivia unlocked the cuffs. “So talk to me, Kenny. First, what did this guy look like?”

Kenny rubbed his wrists resentfully. He deliberately turned halfway in his chair so that he answered Noah. Good cop, bad cop, Olivia thought, satisfied.

“Average,” he signed. “My height, about my weight, average face. He wore a hat.”

Olivia looked at Roger. “Anything you can add?”

Roger shrugged helplessly. “He had a badge, a white shirt. He looked like a cop.”

Olivia nodded. “I know. You told someone when he took Kenny away?”

“Yes. It wasn’t right. He’d taken Kenny away from the cops, not to them. I couldn’t leave my kids alone. I was trying to get the attention of one of the officers when the detective arrived with a piece of paper with Kenny’s name. I pointed around the building. He went running after them and then another cop followed him.”

Roger touched his hearing aid with a tiny wince. “I heard the shot and the second cop came back with Kenny. It didn’t take long for the story to spread, that the detective was dead.” His eyes were stark. “I’m sorry. I know he was your partner. I wish…”

The look she gave Roger was gentle, but inside she was screaming. “I know, but your quick thinking helped Detective Kane save Kenny’s life.” She turned her gaze to Kenny sharply. “My partner died protecting you. What. Do. You. Know?”

Kenny sagged. “My friend saw something,” he signed, slowly. “Sunday night.”

Olivia tapped Kenny’s knee. “Tell me,” she said softly.

“He was at the condo fire. He came back”-Kenny glanced at Oaks from the corner of his eye-“through the window.” Oaks firmed his lips but said nothing.

“He was with Tracey Mullen,” Olivia said. “The girl who died.”

Kenny nodded. “He met her at camp. We were both there.”

“What’s your friend’s name, son?” Noah asked, his face kind.

“Austin Dent.”

Oaks frowned. “Austin was suspended Monday morning. He was smoking in his dorm room. Now that makes sense. We sent him home.”

“Where is Austin’s home?” Olivia asked.

“Duluth.” Oaks fingerspelled it. “I’ll look up his address.”

Noah wrote it down. “At least our shooter doesn’t know where Austin lives.”

Kenny looked sick, his hands trembling as he signed. “The man… He got my cell phone. He has my texts. My phone list. He has Austin’s address.”

Noah was already on his feet. “I’ll call the state police. They can pick Austin up. If the guy drove directly there from here, he’s still two hours away.”

When Noah was gone, Olivia settled in her chair. “What did Austin tell you?”

“Sunday night, he was so upset. I didn’t know why. I didn’t know what he’d done.” Now that he’d started, Kenny’s signs were frantic, but Danni kept up. “He smelled like smoke.” Again he glanced at Oaks from the corner of his eye. “I asked if what he’d done was worse than getting caught smoking and he said yes. So I gave him my cigarettes. We figured Roger would smell the smoke, but he’d think it was from the cigarettes.”

“So Austin got suspended,” Olivia said. “And he never told you anything more?”

Kenny looked away. “He texted me yesterday morning. Said he needed to tell the cops what happened, but anonymously. He asked me to send a letter for him. From a mailbox downtown. That way you wouldn’t know it was him.”

They were just scared kids. But if they’d said something, Kane might… She had to take a moment, let the tightness in her chest pass. “What did the letter say?”

“That he saw a man shoot that security guard. Then the man got in a boat that he’d tied to the dock and got away. That Austin was in the building when it started burning. He was with a girl. He thought she’d gotten out with him, but she didn’t. He couldn’t get back in. The door locked and he’d lost his key inside. He didn’t think you’d believe him.”

“All right,” Olivia murmured. “Kenny, I need to understand. Why, in God’s name, didn’t you tell us this when we asked you yesterday?”

Kenny looked away again and Olivia caught the clenching of his jaw. “Because of Tracey,” he signed. “She was supposed to be mine. Austin knew.”

Olivia closed her eyes, needing a moment to control the sudden rush of fury. “You didn’t tell us because you were mad at your friend for meeting the girl you liked in the condo?” She spoke very slowly. Kenny shot her an uneasy look as Danni interpreted.

“You said they had sex,” Kenny signed, his face anguished. “She was mine. Not Austin’s. I didn’t know she even liked him. She pretended to like me. They must have thought I was pretty funny. Then Austin, wanting me to risk myself, mailing his damn letter. I figured, no.”

“So you never mailed the letter?” Olivia asked, still very slowly.

Kenny shook his head. “Am I in trouble?”

Am I in trouble? Kane was dead and all this kid cared about was his own skin. Self-centered, worthless, piece of- She made herself stop. He’s a teenager. He was angry and scared. He didn’t know this would happen. You can’t blame him. But she did.

“I don’t know.” She looked away, ran a shaking hand over her hair.

Noah sat beside her. “Breathe,” he murmured. He’d heard it all. He understood. “Kenny, what did Austin say the killer looked like?”

“Tall, with brown hair.”

“Old? Young?” Noah pushed gently.

“Not too old, like not as old as our parents. But older than us.” Kenny shook his head. “It wasn’t very specific. I promise I’m not lying.”

Noah drew a breath, let it out carefully. “Did he sound like he could be the man who grabbed you tonight?”

Kenny’s shrug was pained. “I don’t know. I was too scared to look at him.”

“I saw him,” Roger inserted. “He was maybe six feet tall, not really muscular, but not fat. He had a large nose.”

“We’ll have the two of you sit with a police artist,” Noah said. “Kenny, do you know how Austin knew about the condo? How he got the key?”

“He had a summer job with a carpenter on the condo. That’s how he paid for camp.”

“Do you know the carpenter’s name?” Noah asked but Kenny shook his head.

Olivia frowned as a thought occurred to her. “Does Austin have dark hair?”

“It’s brown,” Kenny signed, “but he dyes it red.”

“Why?” she asked.

“His dad left them,” he signed. “Austin looks exactly like him and he knew it hurt his mom to look at him. So he changed his hair. It’s been red since he was twelve.”

Olivia drew a breath. That emotion she understood. Her own mother had hated Olivia’s face because she looked like the man who’d abandoned them. “All right. We’re going to leave a police officer outside the boys’ dorm until we’re sure it’s safe.”

Oaks nodded, relieved. “Thank you.”

When she and Noah reached her car, Olivia closed her eyes, drained. “Hell. I can’t believe that kid. Kane’s dead because Kenny had a crush on a girl.”

“No, Liv. Kane’s dead because a sonofabitch shot him twice while trying to kidnap a kid. Kenny’s responsible for withholding information, but make him pay for what he did.”

Olivia winced. “I said that yesterday. To that Crawford asshole.” When he’d lit into Lincoln Jefferson, who actually had done something wrong. “You’re right.”

“I know. So, where do we go from here?”

“Kane and I were going to track down Joel Fischer’s friends. And we need to find out what Austin saw, see if he knew Joel or any of his friends. And we need to find Val.”

“She may be dead.”

“I know. But what if she’s not? She said she was going to a sub sandwich place three blocks from here. We can start there in the morning, try to trace her last steps.”

Noah opened Olivia’s car door and waited for her to get in, crouching next to her. “How did this guy know about Val?”

She lifted a shoulder. “I guess he was following us.”

“I guess that’s possible. Go to sleep for a few hours. If you need me, call me.”

She nodded. Now that the conversation with Kenny was over, she was dreading going home. It would be too quiet. She wondered where David was, if he was all right. If he was back at the cabin yet. She didn’t want to be alone.

She needed to sleep. She needed to be able to breathe again. She needed David.

She found her cell phone in her pocket. Saw that he’d called. That meant he was okay. That was good. Her shoulders relaxed a fraction, suddenly aware that some part of her mind had maintained a constant, nagging worry the words bad fire invoked. He was a good firefighter. He’d be careful.

Kane had been careful, too. And now he was dead.

She dialed David’s number but got his voice mail. She hung up, unable to form the words she wanted to say. I need you. Please come. Simple words, but they opened up a world of hurt. His pillow. She’d been able to smell him there. For tonight, that might have to be enough. She turned her car north and drove.

Wednesday, September 22, 3:20 a.m.

WELCOME TO DULUTH.

Passing the highway sign, he glanced down at his GPS. Only another ten miles and all his worries would be eliminated, along with Austin Dent.

Well, not all his worries. He thought about Mary and Albert’s conversation. She was right about their being able to claim he’d Photoshopped them into the video. If anything, the video showed there had been a fifth person there, who’d seen all. If she’d balked at the beginning, it might have made a difference, but Eric hadn’t told her. Now he had them in too deep. Still, Mary might just balk if given any more assignments.

In the beginning, he’d planned to expose her naughty arsonist ways, humiliating her daddy. It would destroy the SOB, like he tried to destroy me.

But that wasn’t enough anymore. Mary had tried to deal a different game, leaving those glass balls behind. She was no environmental activist, not that he’d believed for a moment she ever had been. Now she was a multiple killer. That fire had gone way wrong tonight. He’d listened to the story on the radio until he’d lost the signal. Innocent people had died.

The police weren’t going to care for it too much either. Especially given the incident with Detective Kane. The cops would be looking for someone to pay. He’d much rather that someone be Albert or Mary. Or both.

Trouble was, he wasn’t exactly sure how to make that happen. He glanced at his GPS again. Almost there. He’d get rid of Austin; then he’d consider his next steps.

Wednesday, September 22, 3:15 a.m.

David showered and changed at the firehouse, called Olivia again only to get her voice mail, then drove to the hospital where Jeff’s fiancée, Kayla, sat in the waiting room.

He sat next to her, suddenly afraid to ask her about Jeff. “Zell?”

“His back is broken, his hip is crushed.” She recited this as if reading a phone book. She was barely holding on. “He’s still in surgery. David, what do I do?”

“Be there for him, for now. Did you talk to him before they took him to surgery?”

“No. He wasn’t conscious. He won’t walk again, will he?”

“You don’t know that. A broken back doesn’t mean paralysis. And even if that’s the case, people come back from injuries like that. My brother did,” he added.

“The same as before?” she asked through her tears.

“No,” he said honestly. “Max was a professional athlete. It ended his career. But he found a new one and if Zell comes to that place, he will, too.”

She shuddered on a sob. “God, I’m sorry.”

He slid his arm around her shaking shoulders. “Why?”

“Because I’m sitting here, wishing he’d pulled you out.”

It startled him, but for just a moment. “I can understand that. My…” What is Olivia? “My friend’s a cop. Her partner died tonight. I’m… I don’t know. I can’t believe he’s gone, but I’m relieved she wasn’t there when the shooting happened. So I understand.”

She wiped her face with her fingers. “You’re on shift soon, aren’t you?”

He glanced up at the clock on the wall. “In a couple hours, yeah.”

“Then get some sleep. I’ll tell him you were here. Thank you. I do mean that.”

His heart heavy, he walked back to his car, checking his phone as he walked. He frowned, recognizing the number. Noah. Who was watching over his mother.

“Noah, what’s wrong with Ma?”

“Nothing. As far as I know, she’s asleep.”

“What do you mean, as far as you know? Where are you?”

“Following Olivia who just exited north. I’m headed into the precinct. Did you hear?”

“About Kane, yeah. How is Olivia? I tried to call, but she wasn’t picking up.”

“She’s holding, barely. I told her to go home, but the exit she took wasn’t hers. She’s headed north.”

North. Relief flooded him. She’s coming to me. “I know where she’s going.”

“I thought you might. Look, try to keep her from calling in.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“We have the name of the kid we’re looking for-the one who saw Weems get shot. Kid’s supposed to be home in Duluth, but the state cops just called to say they can’t find the kid. Looks like he saw them coming and bolted through a rear window. We hope.”

“You hope?”

“Olivia knows Kane’s shooter has the kid’s address. If she finds out he’s gone…”

“She’ll drive up there to look for him.”

“Exactly. She’s hanging on by a thread. She needs to rest.”

“She’s not gonna like that you decided that for her,” David said quietly.

“You gonna tell her?”

“If she asks, I won’t lie, but I won’t offer. If you’re working, who’s watching Ma?”

“She called that old firefighter friend of yours.”

“Okay, thanks.” This was becoming weird, his mother and Glenn. But his focus right now was Olivia. She’s coming to me. He wanted to fix it so that she wouldn’t leave any time soon. With a grimace for the late hour, he dialed Paige, unsurprised when she answered on the first ring. “Where are you?”

“At Olivia’s, waiting for her to get home. Where are you? Did you hear about Kane? Do you know where she is? I’m worried sick.”

“I’m headed up to the cabin. I think she’s gone up there. And yeah, I heard. I don’t know if she’s got anything for work tomorrow. You know, clothes. Makeup. Stuff.”

“I’ll pack her a bag,” Paige said. “You want me to bring it up there?”

“No. Her house isn’t too far out of the way. I’ll swing by to pick it up.”

David hung up. He had one more call to make. He pictured Paige waiting for Olivia to come home and pictured his own mom, waiting by the phone. He hit the speed dial for Eve and Noah’s house. Sure enough, it was answered almost before it rang.

“David?” It was his mother and her voice was shaking.

“I’m okay, Ma. Not a scratch.”

Her breath shuddered out. “Thank God. I’ve been sitting here, trying not to worry. Glenn’s been on his cellular phone, trying to find out what’s going on.”

“I’m fine. My partner, Jeff, not so good.” And Olivia’s partner is dead, he almost added, but didn’t. His mother had never met Kane, and Eve needed to hear that news from Noah. “If you would, say some prayers for him.”

“Of course I will. Where are you going now?”

“Up to the cabin.” To Olivia. “I’m going to try to get some sleep. You do the same. Love you, Ma.”

“And I love you. Thank you for calling me. I needed to hear your voice.”

Wednesday, September 22, 4:00 a.m.

This was bad. Really, really bad. The kid was gone. There had to be twenty police cars parked on the highway shoulder, on either side of the driveway that led to Austin Dent’s tiny house. He’d passed by slowly, watching the action.

State and local cops congregated in groups and as he looked in his rearview mirror, he could see the crisscrossing beams of flashlights as search parties took to the woods. That meant they didn’t have him either. Yet.

The boy was on the run, obviously not trusting the cops. Smart kid.

He kept going until he could no longer see the blue glow of flashing cop car lights, then pulled onto the shoulder, opened Kenny’s phone, and started a text to Austin.

Cops grilled me all night in Oaks’s office. He didn’t know if that was true or not, but Austin wouldn’t know it either. They know about U. Want to arrest U. B careful.

He closed the phone. That would keep the kid from trusting the cops a little longer. He could search for the kid, but who knew where he was? He did a U-turn and headed back the way he’d come. I need to bring him to me.

Wednesday, September 22, 4:05 a.m.

Olivia heard David’s truck coming up the road but didn’t get up. She sat at the end of his dock, her knees pulled to her chest. She heard his truck cut off and waited. Eventually he’d come outside. She wondered if he knew about Kane.

After leaving the school she hadn’t had the energy to listen to any of her voice mails. She’d simply sat here, listening to the sounds of the night. After a few minutes she felt the dock rumble as he approached. He ran his hand over her hair. “Hey.”

“Hey.” It came out a whisper.

He took her hands. “Your hands are like ice. Why are you sitting out here?”

“I locked your house when I left earlier. I forgot I didn’t have a key.”

“I can fix that,” he murmured. “I wish I could fix everything else.”

“You can’t. Nobody can.”

“Come inside. I’ll get you warm.” He lifted her to her feet, his arm solid around her. “I couldn’t let you be alone.” In the cabin’s living room he swung her up into his arms and settled her in his lap on the sofa, covering them with a blanket.

“I need to be in by eight,” she said. “I have to go home and get clothes first.”

“No, Paige packed you a bag. Just rest.” He pointed the remote at the TV, and the screen came to life. It was her Road Runner DVD. Surprised, her eyes shot up to his and he kissed her forehead. “I found it in your DVD player. That night we talked, you told me you watched cartoons to destress. I figured we could both use that tonight.”

She nodded once, but a sob barreled up and she had nothing left to force it back down. He pulled her closer, his cheek on top of her head, rocking her where they sat as the deluge poured out. Sobs and curses and vows of horrible revenge. Finally the storm ebbed and she was left shaken. Too hollowed out to feel anything but despair.

He threaded his hand through her hair, cradling her. “Sleep now, baby.”

“In the morning Kane will still be dead,” she whispered.

“Yes, but your mind needs to be sharp to find the man who did it.”

“I want him dead. I want him to bleed and suffer. I want to watch while he does.”

“So do I.”

There was something in his voice. Grim certainty, but also pain. She pulled back far enough to see his face. He stared straight ahead, his jaw set. “What happened?”

“Go to sleep.” He tried to urge her back against him, but she pulled free.

“What happened?” she repeated more forcefully. “Tell me.”

“The fire tonight was set.”

Her mind clicked through the events of the night. “Woodview. Noah said it was where Tomlinson’s mistress lived. Was that the target? Did you find a glass ball?”

“No glass ball, but the mistress’s house was the target. Except the wind shifted, taking houses on both sides. A gas-tank explosion leveled two more houses. Then the fire spread to an apartment building.”

“How many?” she asked quietly.

“Four dead.” Anguish flashed in his eyes. “Including a child. She was only two.”

She pressed her lips to his jaw. “I’m sorry.”

“Dozens more were hurt,” he said, his voice too even.

“Firefighters?”

“Zell,” he said roughly. “A beam fell on him. He can’t feel his legs.”

She flinched, seeing it all too clearly. “Who got him out?” she asked, although she knew the answer and it scared her senseless.

“I did.” He closed his eyes. “I dragged him out. What if I made it worse?”

“And if you hadn’t dragged him out, he’d be dead.”

Now that she’d shed a layer of grief, she could really look at him. He was exhausted and heart sore… just like me. “Let’s go to bed. You need to rest, too.”

Wearily he followed her, taking her suitcase. “Paige packed your Tweety PJs.”

On autopilot, she put them on in the bathroom, then found him in bed, their cell phones side by side on the nightstand. Drawing her close, his fingers pulled the band from her braid and started working her hair free. “I like it loose,” he murmured, then slid his hand up under the nightshirt, cupping her breast as he’d done before.

Her heart still hurt and her chest was still tight. “I needed you,” she whispered, finding it easier to say so in the darkness. “Just to be with me.”

“That I can do.” He pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “I have a question.”

“What?”

“Do you really wear these PJs or was Paige just causing trouble?”

Her lips tipped up sadly, so glad he was there. “The second one. Unless it’s below zero, I usually sleep in my skin.” He, obviously, did as well.

His fingers were already freeing buttons. “I like feeling your skin against mine.” In less than a minute he had her naked and cocooned in his arms. “Now I can sleep.”