The 24th Letter

FIFTY-FIVE

O’Brien glanced up in his rearview mirror when he pulled his car onto Highway A1A. The police cruiser remained parked in the Waffle House lot as O’Brien rounded a curve. He dialed Special Agent Lauren Mile’s cell number. “Things have intensified a little. Did you get your lab tech to come in this morning?”

“Sean, I almost spit my orange juice out when I saw your picture in the Herald. And who was that woman-that girl? And yes, as a favor, the tech is in today.”

“It’s a story longer than I have time to tell. As the lab tech works on Spelling’s letter, can someone edit an audio tape for me?”

“What do you mean, edit?”

“Shorten it. I’ve got a confession from Jonathan Russo on tape.”

“Did you have to bust up part of his club to get it?”

“Don’t believe everything you read in the news. Russo admits to killing Alexandria. I want to get the tape to the D.A. Stanley Rosen. If he hears it, he could ask a judge to issue a stay until an appellate court can consider it.”

“Rosen will only go to bat if he’s sure you can deliver a point in his win column. Makes no sense for him to pinch hit for a public defender.”

“But to execute an innocent man, especially if that man’s innocence might be proven after the state executes him, doesn’t look good for Rosen. He comes out smelling like a hero and preserves the judicial use of the death penalty at the same time. It puts two wins in his column.”

“Eric, the lab tech, is also good with electronics. It’s fairly easy to edit the audio down and run a duplicate for you.”

“While he’s at it, make a couple of dubs.”

“Where are you?”

“About twenty minutes from the FBI office.”

“I’ll meet you in the parking lot.”

O’Brien said nothing.

“Sean, let’s meet in the parking lot, okay? About twenty minutes?”

“I really appreciate what you’re doing. But right now I have to keep a fairly low profile. Let’s meet at South Pointe Park off Washington.”

“Shall I bring a snack for a little picnic?”

“I just had a breakfast that I’ll taste all day.”

“Sean, be careful.”

O’Brien looked at his watch.

Forty-five hours remaining.

He pulled OFF A1A and began driving the secondary roads, O’Brien scanned the intersections as he approached them. His eyes took in the periphery, looking for police cruisers and unmarked cars. It was a surreal feeling for O’Brien to be watching for police. He drove just below the posted speed limits, checking his mirrors, ready to turn into a side road, an alley, or a fast food drive-through if he had to.

His cell rang. O’Brien recognized Detective Dan Grant’s number. “Sean, we found Lyle Johnson’s truck.”

“Where’s Johnson?”

“Don’t know. FHP clocked two teenage boys doing a hundred in a forty-five off State Road 27. Said they found the truck with the keys in the ignition. Decided to take it for a joyride. Got a couple of glum faces when they were booked on grand theft auto.”

“Where’d they find it?”

“A place called Pioneer Village. Said they found the truck pulled off a dirt road parked under a tree. The village is one of those living history things. It’s a remote spot on the west side of Volusia County not too far from the river. County has a few old turn-of-the-century buildings, houses, barns, and whatnot set up there. Schools take kids out to the place for field trips. We have deputies combing the area.”

“Thanks, Dan. Go back to the hospital security room. See if they have video of Lyle Johnson in the hospital using a cell phone during the time Sam Spelling was in recovery. Pull his phone records. See if he made a call to Miami Beach.”

“Where’re you?”

“Miami Beach. Meeting with the FBI. We might have enough to get a stay for Charlie Williams.”

“Make any more sense out of that scrawling the priest left in blood?”

“Not yet.”

Dan sighed. “Hope we can come up with an answer to the riddle soon. TruTv wants to do a whole damn expose, calling it the ‘satanic ritual murder.’ The woman on CNN, the prosecutor-turned-TV-moderator…I forget her name-anyway, she interviewed the chief on live TV and asked him if the priest was believed to have been killed by a cult, some sort of sacrifice. How’s this shit get started, huh?”

“I wish I knew.”

“People are driving by the church at all hours. They’ve had to hire security. Father Callahan’s funeral is planned for Monday. When are you back in town?”

“Look at what we’re facing: Sam Spelling killed in his bed, Father Callahan killed in his church, and now you might find Lyle Johnson’s body. A possible third homicide in less than six hours.”

“We got us a killer doing some serious overtime.”

“Russo has admitted to killing Alexandria Cole, but after questioning him this time, I don’t believe he’s that good-three hits in six hours. It’s the mark of an extreme pro.”

“You saying Russo brought in a hired gun?”

“Yeah, and I might I know who it is.”