Silent Scream

Chapter Twenty-eight

Thursday, September 23, 2:00 p.m.

Excuse me. I’m looking for Detective Sutherland.”

David looked away from the window into Abbott’s office where the team had been debriefing for nearly an hour. A small woman in a dark dress was walking across the bull pen and David came to his feet. Her eyes were red, her face weary, and in her hands she held a large box. Instinctively, he knew who she was. If so, he could guess what was in the box.

“Detective Sutherland is in a debriefing,” David said.

Abbott had called Olivia while they’d been about to sit down to lunch with his family, asking her to come in, that they had some ends to tie off as the investigation wound down. David had insisted on accompanying her, aware that he’d be sitting, waiting until the cops were done. But her eyes still showed signs of strain and he was afraid that after the meeting, she’d lose herself in paperwork, even though she’d taken the day off. He could make sure that didn’t happen. “I’m just waiting for her, but one of the other detectives can help you.”

“No, that’s all right. You’re the firefighter. The one who caught the ball.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m David Hunter.”

“I’m Jennie Kane.”

“I thought so. I’m sorry.”

She nodded once. “Thank you.” She said it determinedly, as if getting used to the taste of the words in her mouth. “I didn’t really come to talk to the detectives. I’m not sure I can right now.” She lifted her chin. “You’re Olivia’s young man?”

“Yes, ma’am. I am.”

Her lips whisked up in a ghost of a smile. “And your mother? She’s well?”

“She is.” David wanted to ask her to sit down, but he sensed Jennie Kane wanted to get out as soon as she possibly could. “Can I help you with something?”

She nodded again, relieved. “I want Olivia to have this. Tell her it was Kane’s favorite. Tell her…” Her voice trembled and she drew a breath. “Tell her she was, too. Of all the rookie detectives he trained, she was his favorite.” She held out the box and David took it, respectfully. She drew another breath, her hands fluttering at her sides. “He worried about her. So did I. But you’ll take good care of her.”

It wasn’t really a question. “Yes, ma’am. I promise.”

“Good. Thank you.” Then she rushed away before anyone saw her.

A few minutes later, the door to Abbott’s office opened and the team filed out, quietly going about their business. Noah went to his desk, a thick folder in his hand.

“Micki’s group got into the files on Kirby’s laptop,” Noah said. “These were his blackmail victims.”

“All those?” David asked. “Are you going to tell them?”

“We have to,” Noah said. “Most of these people are still paying him. You should have seen the operation this guy had. Microphones all over the Deli, recorders in the apartment above. It’s going to take us weeks to go through everything we found.”

David moved from Olivia’s chair to the edge of her desk, sliding the box behind him for the moment. Wearily she sank into her chair. “They found this little gizmo in his pocket. It let him tune in to any conversation that he wanted. I’ve been racking my brain trying to think of what I said to Kane standing in that line, waiting for coffee over the years. We met Val the interpreter there. That had to be where he found out about her.”

“Any idea of where he may have taken her?” David asked her and she closed her eyes. Once the dust had settled last night, finding the interpreter had been uppermost in her mind.

“Yes. Micki found blood in his van, Val’s blood type. Then she realized Kirby had a GPS unit. They worked all night to trace where he’d gone and found he’d taken a drive to the country.” She opened her eyes and he saw sadness and more than a little guilt. “Micki and Bruce had Brie and GusGus go over the area. Didn’t take them long to find Val’s body.”

“Olivia.”

She swallowed hard. “He tortured her.”

“Not your fault, baby.”

“I know. But still…” She sighed heavily. “Dammit. Bruce had to tell her kids.”

David cleared his throat, not wanting to picture that scene but unable to keep himself from doing so. “What did Andy Crawford have to say?” he asked, changing the subject. The FBI agent’s son had been in Abbott’s office when Olivia arrived and had left after a half hour, grim-faced and silent, not saying a word to David as he hurried out.

“When we told him Mary had been an IV drug user, he couldn’t believe it. He said he knew she’d had Percocet once when she started college because she’d had dental surgery. He hadn’t seen her in a long time. Didn’t know she was an addict. But he funded it. He paid all her bills, gave her spending money and never asked questions. He felt guilty that his father had spent the family savings on him, leaving Jonathan and Mary with nothing. But Mary made him uncomfortable, too. So he kept his distance.”

“Why didn’t he mention Jonathan when you talked to him yesterday?”

“Andy said he hadn’t heard from Jonathan since the day he left home. Andy was in medical school by then, too busy with his own life to worry about Jonathan. And he said he was happy that was the case. Andy didn’t like his father too well either. We asked him where Mary could be. We didn’t think to ask about another brother and Andy didn’t think that’s where she’d go. Jonathan and Mary hated each other.”

“Yeah, I got that,” David murmured, thinking about what he’d heard. And seen.

“I know,” she said. “I’m glad you and your mother heard them. Otherwise, we might never have known why.”

“And the blackmailing?” David asked. “When did he start?”

“From his business records, it looks like Jonathan started working part-time at the Deli when he started college, then dropped out of school to work full-time.”

Noah patted the thick folder he was working through. “Which corresponds to the time he started blackmailing.”

“He could make more money that way,” David said. “Immoral, but sensible.”

“He was very sensible,” Noah said coldly. “He knew when not to blackmail, when to stay the hell away.” He held up a DVD. “We found this in his nightstand drawer. It’s the first victim I found hanging in her apartment last February. We knew she’d met her killer at a coffee shop. Our lead suspect at the time went to the Deli every day, so we asked Kirby for his tapes. He said he had cameras only on the register, but he obviously lied. He saw the victim her last night. Saw the killer follow her. He knew.”

“And said nothing.” Then David frowned. “But he warned Eve that she was being stalked by that guy posing as a reporter. That helped save her life.”

“I don’t know why,” Noah admitted. “Maybe we’ll figure him out through his files.”

“I know enough.” Olivia’s jaw was clenched. “He killed Kane. Killed Weems. Killed Tomlinson and Blunt. Crawford and Mary. And he would have killed you.”

David shuddered, the memory of Kirby’s gun in his face all too clear. “But he didn’t.”

“No.” She looked at her hands, then back up to meet his eyes. “Abbott had the parents of Tracey Mullen in yesterday, while we were searching for your mother. He showed them the autopsy report-the abuse. The parents pointed fingers at each other, but finally her mother confessed. She’d been angry with Tracey for refusing to use her cochlear implant. Tracey had been purposely leaving it in a drawer. The mother’s new husband was annoyed that he’d spent money on the surgery and that Tracey ‘wasn’t even trying’ to learn to use it. Mom got mad and twisted her arm, told Tracey that if she couldn’t sign, she’d have to try harder with the implant. Mom’s been living with the guilt.”

“Will she be charged?” David asked.

“Oh yes. She’s being handed over to the Florida authorities.”

“So Tracey ran away, to Austin Dent,” David said. “Why not tell her father?”

“Because she was sixteen and scared. And thought she was in love with Austin. Austin told the same story, that Tracey was running from her mother, afraid her father would do something foolish if she told him the truth. I keep wondering what Kirby would have done if Tracey hadn’t been there that night. If he’d have pushed Mary and the others to set more fires. He wouldn’t have been searching for Kenny at the school had Tracey and Austin not been involved. Val would still be alive. And so would Kane.”

“You can’t think like that, Olivia,” David said gently. “You can’t lay what happened to Kane on Tracey’s mother’s shoulders. The incidents are linked, but so many other factors came into play.”

“I know. But it’s hard not to.”

“I know. You, uh, had a visitor while you were in the meeting. Jennie was here.”

She sat up straighter in her chair. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because she really didn’t want to talk. She brought you this.” He put the box in front of her and watched as she stared at it, recognition in her eyes.

“I can’t take it,” she whispered.

“Olivia. She wanted you to have it.”

Her hands trembled as she lifted the hat from the box. “This was his favorite.”

“Jennie said you were, too.”

Her eyes filled. “What do I do with it?”

David took her fedora from the head of the goddess bust on her desk. “Wear yours and keep his there.”

Her mouth opened, then closed before she found her voice. “And look at it every day?”

He said nothing, letting her make the decision.

It didn’t take her long. She carefully put Kane’s hat on the goddess head. “Where we can all see it every day. It’s good.” She met David’s eyes. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Your hat needs to be cleaned. It’s got blood on the brim.”

“It’s Crawford’s.” She put her hat in the box. “Kane presented this fedora when I cleared my first homicide. Said ‘Nice job.’” She smiled at the memory. “From Kane that was high praise.”

Noah cleared his throat. “His burial is Saturday. Full honors, brass in dress, bagpipes-Kane’ll get the works.”

Olivia looked at Kane’s hat, her expression sadly fond. “He’d like that. Especially the brass in their dress uniforms and tight shoes. He’d be happy that their feet hurt. Come on. Dr. Donahue called while we were in meeting. Lincoln is awake and asking to talk to you.” Olivia patted Noah’s shoulder as she passed by. “Tomorrow, partner.”

“It’s official?” David asked. Noah would be a good partner. He’d watch her back. And Olivia would watch his. “That means both Evie and I will sleep better at night.” Noah lifted his brows and David chuckled. “In our respective places. You knew that.”

Noah smiled. “I knew. How’s your partner? Zell?”

“He’s got a little feeling in his toes, so that’s good news. Nobody’s sure how much better it’ll get. However it ends up, he’ll be on disability for a long time. Which means I’ll get a new partner after these damn stitches come out. Hey, my mother’s planning a big dinner at my loft tonight, since the family’s here. You’re coming?”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Noah said. “Your mom’s a good cook. I guess she taught you.”

“Everything I know. All the good things anyway.” He put his arm around Olivia’s shoulders. “Let’s see Lincoln, then I want to get back and see my brothers and sisters.”

Thursday, September 23, 3:15 p.m.

David had to blink as he sat down across the table from Lincoln Jefferson. Lucid and cleaned up, he looked like a different man. In one corner of the interview room stood Special Agent John Temple, who seemed rational. Always a good thing. David knew that on the other side of the glass a small army watched-FBI agents, Lincoln ’s psychiatrist, Truman, and Olivia. Sitting next to Lincoln was his attorney.

“Hi, Lincoln. How are you?”

For a moment, Lincoln said nothing. He simply sat and studied David, his eyes sharp. Piercing, even. “I’m fine,” he said finally. “How are you?”

“A bit banged up, but I’ll live.”

“I’m glad. I asked to see you. I wanted to thank you. I broke into your place and threatened you, but you were kind to me. Kinder than you should have been.”

“It’s okay.”

Emotion flickered in Lincoln ’s eyes. “They told me Mary is dead.”

“Her brother killed her. I’m sorry. Your brother told me that you two were friends.”

“I loved her. I stayed on my meds for her. But I found out she had someone else.”

“Joel.”

“Yeah. I saw them together, at the university, two weeks ago. She didn’t know I was there. I got depressed, went off my meds. When I heard a glass ball had been found at those fires, where people had been shot to death… I lost it and I don’t even remember doing it.”

“You don’t remember my friend’s cabin?”

“No. I read the police report. Read how you’d been kind. Read what I said.”

“Always there,” David murmured and Lincoln briefly closed his eyes.

“I lived with that guilt for so long. I’d go off my meds so I couldn’t see her face, but it never helped. She was always there. I’ve given a full confession about that night we set the fire twelve years ago. It’s time to face what I did. I can’t make amends, though.”

David thought about how hollowed out he’d felt after telling Olivia his own secret. There had been peace, but also the knowledge that the clock could never be turned back. “I understand. How did you meet Mary?”

“She sent e-mails to me through the webmaster address on my site. She seemed so sincere. She was a believer, or so I thought. Now I hear she was only using me to get back at her stepfather, and Truman says the police are reopening the case of his old receptionist as a possible homicide. I never saw that side of her. But she killed people. On purpose.”

“If it helps, she told my mother she wouldn’t have let Crawford kill you. ‘I won’t let him kill him,’ she said. She’d planned to kill Crawford herself.”

“That helps. Thank you. I fell for her, like a rock. I’d never told a soul about Moss, but I told her.”

“You trusted her.”

“I was a fool.”

“No, Lincoln. You weren’t a fool to trust. She deceived you.”

Lincoln shrugged. “Regardless, I told her everything. All the details. That’s how she knew to leave the ball at the fires.”

“And to scratch VE into the North Pole, for authenticity. Lincoln, right before she died, she told her brother that she knew where Preston Moss was.”

Lincoln smiled. “And believe me, this nice FBI man really wants to know where he is. That’s why you’re here. I wouldn’t give them that until I’d had a chance to meet you.” He pointed to his attorney’s notebook and pen. “May I?”

David watched as Lincoln drew a detailed map, finishing with an X to mark a spot.

“The day after that fire twelve years ago, I went to see Moss. He had a place where we’d meet, a place nobody knew about but us. His most devoted followers. We’d sit there and listen to him talk, like disciples. He was… mesmerizing. Anyway, the next day I went there, so upset. We’d all scattered after setting the timer on the device, like we always did. But I heard on the radio that there was a fatality. I couldn’t believe it. I rushed back in time to see the body and I just fell apart.”

“I can imagine,” David said steadily. “That’s the kind of thing that haunts you.”

Lincoln nodded. “Forever. I got there, found Moss. He’d taken a bottleful of pills. He was dead.” He let out a breath. “It was horrible. I couldn’t think. I just reacted. I took his body, put it in my car, and buried him.” He tapped the map. “Here. I go there often. The grave is undisturbed. You should find him there.”

“And the place where you met?”

“Burned it to the ground. Fitting, I thought.”

“And then?”

Lincoln shrugged. “Time passed and reality slipped away. I knew it and was terrified. I thought I was losing my mind because God was taking it, to punish me.”

I understand that, too. “Thank you, Lincoln, for telling me.”

Lincoln regarded him evenly. “I don’t remember going to your place. But I remember your voice. I remember… compassion. And I felt safe.”

“I’m glad. Good luck. I mean that.”

Lincoln ’s smile was sad. “I know.”

David shook his hand and watched as they took him away. Special Agent Temple took the map Lincoln had drawn. “Thank you, Mr. Hunter,” he said.

“I didn’t do anything. Not really. Will you release a statement when you confirm the remains are Moss’s? I know a lot of firefighters who need the closure.”

“Of course. I know a lot of agents who need the closure, too. And now I understand you have a celebration to attend. I’m glad it ended well for you and your mother.”

“Me too.” David found Olivia in the observation area, on her cell phone.

“I have to go,” she said. “I love you, too.” She hung up, her eyes a little too bright. “That was Mia. We’ve been playing phone tag for days. She said she worked all night to tie up some loose ends so she could come out for the weekend. I told her she and Reed and their kids could use my place. I assume we can still stay at the cabin?”

David smiled at her. “You bet. It’ll be good to see her again.”

Olivia’s lips twitched. “You might change your mind. She says she wants to talk to you. She didn’t realize we’d had a ‘biblical thing.’ Where the hell did she get that?”

“From Paige to me, overheard by my mother and Glenn.”

“Ah, well, then that explains everything.”

“So she’s going to talk to me? Just talk, right?”

“Hey, you fought off Lincoln and Kirby. You’re the cat-saving fireman. Surely you can hold your own against Mia.”

“I don’t know. She’s a sister. They fight dirty.”

Olivia chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”

Friday, September 24, 2:55 a.m.

Olivia heard the cabin door open, then close. Sitting on the edge of the dock, she wiped at her wet cheeks with her sleeves. The dock rumbled as David came closer.

He lowered himself to the edge of the dock, then slid his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, burrowing closer, feeling safer than she had in a very long time. It had been an evening full of joy and laughter with every member of David’s considerable family. Brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews. The Hunter clan had unnerved her at Mia’s wedding with their boisterous ways. But now… I belong.

Phoebe Hunter, an arm around her shoulders, had proudly introduced her as the woman who “saved David’s life.” And somehow Olivia had known Phoebe hadn’t meant just from Kirby.

Mia had arrived an hour after the party started and had immediately taken David aside with a stern expression. But she must have approved of what he said because he still lived. Her sister was a tigress with a marshmallow center and Olivia was so glad to have her. Mia promised to stay through Kane’s funeral. I’ll need her. Because despite the laughter and love around her, Olivia was continually, painfully conscious of who was absent.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” she murmured, and David kissed the top of her head.

“You didn’t,” he said. “Painkillers wore off and I woke up. But you weren’t there.”

“I had a bad dream,” she confessed. “Kirby killed you and you were lying on the ground. And then you were Kane. So I’ve been sitting here, thinking of him. Missing him. Trying to think of what I could have done differently. If only I’d been a little faster.”

“Olivia, missing Kane is natural. Trying to think of what you might have done differently will eat you up inside.”

One side of her mouth lifted. “Pot calling the kettle?”

“Yes, but you’d say the same thing to me and you know it. You did everything you could have done. Everything you should have done. You’re a good cop.”

He made her believe it was so. “Thank you.”

“You’re too hard on yourself, you know.”

She considered. “Yeah, I am. So are you.”

“Well, we both need to stop. We do only what we can and that has to be enough.”

“Because it can never be enough,” she whispered, then drew a breath. “I talked to the shrink. Dr. Donahue. I’ve been having panic attacks at crime scenes. Since the pit.”

“I’d be shocked if you didn’t,” he said in a matter-of-fact way that made her shame seem silly. “What did she say?”

“That the hard part’s just starting.”

“She’s right. Still, I’m proud of you. It’s not easy to open up.”

She hesitated. “I think it was harder to tell you just now.”

“Why?” he asked softly.

“Because your opinion means more. I didn’t want you to think I was”-she hesitated, then shrugged, looking away. “Less.”

“Less than what? Less than who? You are not less than anyone.” He frowned when she said nothing. “Come with me. I have something to show you.”

He rose and pulled her to her feet, up into the house, and back to the bedroom where he quickly searched his duffel bag. “Look at this.”

It was a letter from the Minneapolis Fire Department. “‘Dear Mr. Hunter, We’ve received your application for employment. We will inform you should any openings become available.’” She looked up at him, confused. “Why did you give me this?”

He didn’t answer and her eyes dropped back to the page. And then she saw the date. Her eyes shot back to his. “You applied a month after Mia’s wedding.”

“Actually the week after. They didn’t get back to me for a few weeks.”

Her mind was racing. “You were willing to leave your job for me? Way back then?”

“Yes. I’d been looking for you for a long time, but I didn’t know it until I saw you. I thought if I ever had the courage to approach you after that night, I should be prepared for whatever followed. I always hoped it would be this. You and me, together after a long day. Just like this. Except I hope that our future days aren’t quite so long.”

“David…” Her words failed her.

“You asked if I’d go back to Dana if she were free. I thought about telling you this then, but after what I’d said that night, I didn’t think you’d believe me. I still don’t have the right to expect you to believe me, but once I’d met you, I knew what I wanted. Who I wanted. If I’d known how you felt I never would have let so much time slip away. I’m sorry, Olivia. If I could get the time back, I would.”

She stared up into the face she’d never been able to forget. His face was bruised and battered from his battle with Jonathan Crawford, but he was still the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. Inside and out. “Then let’s not waste another minute looking back.” Sliding her arms around his neck, she kissed him, intending to keep it gentle, but he pulled her closer and the kiss became deeper. Just… more.

He walked her backward to the bed and followed her down. “What do you want?” he asked huskily.

Everything. I want everything. “You. I want you.”

The earlier times they’d loved, it had been urgent. Explosive. This time it was slow and deliberate. Their eyes stayed open as they moved together, watching every flicker, every nuance. Her climax came as a huge swell, lifting her up, enveloping her so that there was nothing in the world but him. When he came, it was her name he groaned, his head thrown back, body bowed.

In the moments after, they held each other in the quiet. This was comfort, solace. Refuge. This they could give each other, again and again.