Without a doubt this was the same scent. It was so rich, so strong, so distinctive. Not a light or forgettable fragrance. It was powerful and intense and she was convinced that it was the same one she had breathed in earlier.

  "It's the same one," Owen said.

  Like her, he sounded absolutely certain.

  There was absolutely no doubt in either of their minds. This was the scent the killer was using.

  “Do you have a record of your sales of it?” May asked.

  But the manager shook his head sadly.

  “Unfortunately, the previous store manager didn’t keep records. I was only promoted to this position a year and a half ago, and by then, all our stock was sold and we couldn’t obtain more. It had already been grabbed up by other stores and online sites. I would have gotten some if I could, but sadly, it wasn’t my decision,” he said regretfully.

  “We’ll have to investigate the other stores then. But you’ve been enormously helpful,” May said.

  “I’m very glad of that. It makes me feel better about this tragedy to think that we at the perfumery counter might be responsible for saving future lives.” Josh looked pleased and proud to have been able to give them this important lead.

  With this department store a dead end, May knew that they would need to do things the hard way. They’d have to head back to the Fairshore police department, and between herself and Owen, they would need to figure out who had been buying up this perfume, and whether they could trace the killer through his purchases.

  As they rushed back to the car, May felt more and more convinced that this represented a turning point in the case. It was finally a way they could use to track him.

  *

  Just ten minutes later, after a rushed drive back to Fairshore, May and Owen burst into the police department. May was still breathless after running up the road. There was still no parking available close to the police department, and the lobby was filled with police from all local precincts, as well as FBI.

  Where was Kerry, May wondered. Was she still busy with the interrogation of their latest suspect?

  "Agent Kerry Moore went out just now," the officer at the lobby desk filled May in, correctly interpreting that she'd want to know where her sister was. "She left the suspect in the holding cells for now, and is with the forensic team near the latest burial site. They thought they might have a lead to the killer’s vehicle from a nearby gas station camera, so they’re seeing if they can get footage."

  "I hope so," May said, feeling glad that Kerry was pursuing such a different angle. Surely, out of these two lines of investigation, one would bear fruit?

  But for now, they needed to pursue the other. They threaded their way through the packed corridors and went into the back office.

  May's desk had been pushed up next to another and was being used for an impromptu meeting space. Only Owen's desk was free. May sat down and they opened their laptops.

  “Our best bet is to contact the major distributors of this perfume in Minnesota. That's where he would have looked first, I'm sure,” Owen said.

  "He might have traveled statewide to source bottles, or even ordered online," May added. “If he ordered online, he could have ordered from anywhere in the country. But maybe he would have chosen local suppliers first.”

  After the elation that had filled her when they’d learned about this perfume, May was now worried that this was going to end up being like a hunt for a needle in a haystack.

  It was a Sunday and she knew this would not make their job any easier. But if this killer had been buying up the perfume bottles, he surely would have bought as many as he could, from whoever had the scent in stock. All they needed to do was get hold of one outlet where he was a repeat customer. And what they did know, beyond any doubt, was that he lived in this area. He was familiar with the local area. For all May knew, he might even live in Fairshore itself, or in neighboring Chestnut Hill.

  "Online sales might be easier to start with," May said. "They might have a better record of customers. The perfume itself will allow us to narrow down the suppliers, as it’s so scarce. We just need to see if it has been in stock or not. If we don’t find local suppliers, we can start looking nationally.”

  "The other department stores might also have kept a record of people requesting an expensive perfume," Owen said thoughtfully. "They might well have an online facility also. Perhaps we could call the ones in Minneapolis"

  "Okay. I'll start with the online sales, and you start with the department stores."

  She felt relieved that they had a plan in place, even though it was a sketchy one that was going to be complicated by the fact it was now early afternoon on a Sunday.

  But even so, only research would get them where they needed to be. It might be difficult but May promised herself it would not be impossible.

  She wouldn't let it be so.

  May embarked on her search for the perfume they needed.

  She immediately saw that there were two online distributors in the local area of Tamarack County.

  One was Perfumes Galore, and the other was Scentsations. Both of them offered online perfume sales with same-day delivery. She was sure that would have suited an impatient psychopath.

  May checked the websites, feeling curious, wondering if they had stock of the Joy perfume that she needed.

  She was interested to see that both the online sales outlets were out of stock of that perfume, but both seemed to have had it in stock in the past. And that made her hopeful that the killer had visited these sites and had bought at least some of the now finished stock.

  So, how to get hold of these sites?

  May looked at the bottom of the first one, Perfumes Galore, searching for the contact details.

  There was a phone number, but when she dialed it, it rang through to a voicemail, with a message that this number would only be available during office hours.

  There was an office address, but it was in an industrial area and May was sure that if they visited the premises they would find them locked up for the weekend.

  May left a voice message, with her personal phone number, hoping that by some miracle, the messages would be attended to before tomorrow morning. But she didn't hold out a lot of hope.

  Then she disconnected, and turned to the other one, Scentsations.

  May felt frustrated to see that this site had a similar setup. It almost looked to have been designed by the same person. There were also no personal contact details.

  She dialed the office number and left a similar message.

  Then she put her chin in her hands, sighing in frustration as she listened to Owen finishing off his call.

  "No luck," he told her regretfully. "I've now spoken to both the major department stores. One doesn't keep the details of all the customers, and another one has a list of loyalty fans, but they can't access it. It's only accessible through head office and head office is closed today." He sighed.

  "This is such bad timing," May lamented. "But there must be another way around this. There has to be. This isn't just a website. There are people who run it. People who own it."

  And that gave her an idea.

  May returned to her keyboard, and this time she did a different search.

  She searched for, "Scentsations - Owner."

  May narrowed her eyes as the results flashed up. Aha. Here were some results she could work with. There were some media articles that reported on 'prominent local businesswoman Pam Tillery,' who had started out with online fragrances, and recently expanded into skincare and beauty products as well.

  "I believe the success of cosmetics is going to be driven by online sales," Pam said to the website interviewing her. "I have a passion for making skincare and fragrances accessible to all!"

  Now, it was time to see if May could find out who Pam Tillery was and where in Tamarack County she lived.

  "Owen, I've got a name," she said, as her deputy put the phone down again, looking discouraged. "Pam Tillery. We need to get address details for her, or a personal phone number. If we can do that, we might be able to contact her after hours."

  "Now that's a great idea." Owen looked hopeful at the prospect of being able to track down one of the site owners.

  "I'll go into the police database and see if I can find anything on her," Owen said. "If you search general online results, that covers all bases."

  "Pam Tillery, Pam Tillery."

  May went into the search engine again and looked for any evidence that might point the way to who she was. Why could they find nothing on her?

  And then, a result came up that showed her an alternative way forward.

  "I've found something here," she said. "She's married to prominent local footwear distributor Wayne Hart. She must have kept her maiden name. So let's look for Wayne Hart."

  "I've got him!" Owen said after a few moments of frenzied searching. "I've got what looks like a current address for Wayne Hart. There's no phone number on record, but May, he lives near here, in Sunnybrook. That's not far; it's a twenty minute drive. Shall we go there and see if Wayne, or better still, Pam, is at home?"

  "I think we need to do that," May said.

  Their intricate maneuvering through the online world had come up with only one result, and May found herself pinning her hopes on it.

  If Pam Tillery was at home, and she had records of her online sales, there was surely a chance that the killer's name would be among them.

  CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

  This was their last hope, their last avenue of research that might be possible today, May knew, as she and Owen sped to Pam Tillery's home in Sunnybrook. And with the potential shortage of perfume and the killer's panicked reaction in speeding up his interval, every hour that this case was unsolved represented a risk he would kill again.

  But she didn't want to think that.

  It was too dire a thought to contemplate. May felt as if she was protecting the future of every young woman with a flower name, as she gripped the wheel, racing down the road, which was quiet and serene on a Sunday afternoon.

  “This had better work out,” she muttered to Owen.

  "I'm not giving up hope," Owen said. "We have to keep going and we have to keep believing we can catch this guy. All we need is one more piece of the puzzle, and this case could all come together. We just need to find this link to him."

  They headed into Sunnybrook, and May found herself crossing fingers that Pam Tillery would be home.

  Wayne Hart's house was at the end of Ridge Road. These homes were large and luxurious, May saw, with huge yards. Being situated on a ridge, the homes had a panoramic view over the shimmering waters of Eagle Lake, which looked like a calm and peaceful place when bathed in mild afternoon sun.

  They stopped outside the ornate main gate of number 1, Ridge Road, and May rang the bell.

  They waited. May found she was actually holding her breath in anticipation. Would anyone be home? Would the bell be answered?

  Looking inside, the place looked quiet, and she felt fear clench her stomach again.

  And then, finally, a man's voice came over the intercom. He sounded grumpy, as if he'd been woken from an afternoon nap by the piercing noise of the buzzer.

  "Who is it?" he snapped.

  "It's Deputies Moore and Lovell from the police department," May explained politely. "We're looking for Pam Tillery. We need her help with a case."

  "What?" the man said, sounding incredulous. May was sure he'd heard her just fine. It was more an expression of surprise.

  The intercom went dead. She and Owen glanced at each other. The minute's pause seemed to last an eternity. Then May caught her breath as the front door opened. A gray-haired man looked out at them. Although he was some distance away down the long drive, May had the sense he was frowning. Then he pressed a buzzer and the gate slid back.

  Quickly, May drove through the gate and onto the long, tree lined drive. Gravel scrunched under the car's tires as she approached the house. She parked under the shade of an elm tree and climbed out. May approached the house feeling intensely nervous.

  "Are you Wayne Hart?" she asked the gray-haired man politely.

  "I am, but what on earth is this about? I did not expect this," he grumbled. "We've just gotten back from an overseas trip this morning. Are you sure you have the right house?"

  He was wearing tracksuit pants and a T-shirt and, from the rumpled state of his hair, had definitely just climbed out of bed.

  "We definitely do have the right house," May said, feeling intensely relieved at this timing. "I'd be so thankful if Pam was able to help us now."

  "Well, I guess you can come in."

  Wayne stepped aside, and May and Owen walked into the large, tiled hall. He gestured to a door on his right and they walked into a lounge with a panoramic view of the lake, gray furniture, and a large chandelier.

  May sat down on a gray sofa with Owen next to her. Wayne stomped to the foot of the stairs.

  "Pam," he called. "Some police officers are here. I don't know what they want, but they say they're here to see you."

  The man turned and looked at them again, and May was sure he was sizing them up. Even so, May felt deeply relieved that they'd managed to get this far.

  "I'll come down," Pam Tillery called back. And then she appeared, walking down the stairs.

  She looked to be in her fifties, tall and slender, with platinum-blonde hair and an elegant demeanor. She was wearing a Japanese robe, and pretty, jeweled sandals.

  "What is this about?" she asked curiously as she entered the lounge.

  "We're investigating the recent killings," May said, trying to keep her voice calm and level.

  "Are those all the bodies that have been found in graves?" Pam asked, sounding puzzled. "I heard about that before we left France."

  "Yes. That's the case we're working on, and I think you might be able to help us."

  "Me?" Pam looked astounded. Wayne's frown deepened.

  "We know that you sell perfume online and we think you might have some online records that would be useful to us,” Owen explained.

  Pam stared at Wayne for a moment looking totally confused.

  "I really don't see how I can help you. My online records? How can they solve this crime? They're at the office, anyway."

  May's heart plummeted. Surely they couldn't be stalled now, by this couple, who were so surprised by the police arriving that they were not in a frame of mind to be cooperative. She knew she'd have to do her best to persuade them they needed to help.

  "We think the killer may have been buying up a very rare, expensive perfume. Called Joy, by Jean Patou. It's been discontinued.”

  “Yes, it has. But you’re wearing it now, aren’t you? I can actually smell it on your skin,” Pam said. “I’ve got a very good nose for my perfumes.”

  “The department store applied it earlier today while we were checking if it was the scent that was involved in the crimes,” May admitted.

  “And it is? How?” Pam asked.

  “He uses it when he kills his victims," May explained. “It must either be a trigger for killing, or else a signature of some kind. Both are common in serial killer murders, which these definitely are.”

  Pam's eyebrows shot up. "Seriously? This is - well, this is spooky. And you think he bought from my site?"

  "We don't know, but we are theorizing he may have been looking to stockpile the perfume, since it's becoming harder to get a hold of. And he may have ordered from you."

  "Well, can I have a look tomorrow and let you know?" Pam said.

  She was clearly reluctant to interrupt her relaxing afternoon at home, and May thought she simply didn't realize the urgency of this case.

  "Ma'am, every minute counts," she pleaded. "The FBI has a team on site. The police are working around the clock. And all of us are terrified that this killer might capture another victim at any time. He's escalating the speed of his kills."

  "The sooner we can catch him, the sooner everyone in this county can be safe," Owen added emphatically.

  Pam sighed. "I don't have all the records with me. But I can look up the recent sales on my laptop. For the past three or four months, I think. I should have those available and I can give them to you now. We did have Joy in stock, until about a month ago."

  "That will be great. If we look through, we can see if any of them are likely to be the killer," May said.

  "Well, let me get my laptop," Pam said.

  She turned and headed back upstairs.

  Wayne remained, still frowning at them as if he hadn't quite forgiven them for interrupting his nap, despite the urgent circumstances.

  As she waited, May went over the parameters in her mind, thinking of what they were looking for.

  The killer lived locally. He was a man. And it was very likely that he'd bought more than one of these perfumes because he would be looking to hoard them.

  May was sure plenty of men bought perfumes online as gifts, and many of these might live locally. For her, the key issue was going to be multiple purchases. That was what would differentiate this man from the other customers.

  As she waited, May's phone rang.

  "Excuse me," she said, getting up and hurrying outside to take the call. It was the officer at the front desk of the Fairshore police department, she saw.

  "Hi, Tim," she said quickly, as soon as she was outside in the sunny front yard.

  "Hi, May." Officer Tim's voice was tense and urgent. "I thought I'd better call you straight away. We have just had a call come in from a local man, Vic Easton, who lives in Chestnut Hill."

  "What did he say?" May said. From the tone of Tim's voice, this was not good news.

  "He said something weird had happened. He said last night he met a girl from his condo block when they were both waiting for cabs to go out," Tim explained.

  "Go on?" May asked.

  "They got to chatting, and organized a meet-up at her place today, at three. He got a message from her at five to three, asking what he wanted to drink, and that she was quickly going across the road to the grocery store, and would be back at three. So he told her."

  "And then?" May asked, but she was already dreading how this story might play out.

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17