No Escape, page 15
“Well, that didn’t look like it went well. Did you get through to him at all?” Suzie asked, concern lacing her voice.
Valerie sighed, starting the engine. “I don’t know. I hope so. But we can’t force him to accept our help. We just have to hope he stays true to his word and keeps himself safe.”
As they drove away, Valerie pondered out loud, “Maybe we should stake out Alex Murphy’s home in case John turns up.”
Suzie glanced at her, worry evident in her eyes. “What about the other family members? Don’t they need protection, too?”
Valerie considered the question for a moment before responding. “If Alex has been offered protection, it’s probable they all have.” She glanced in the rearview mirror just in time to see a police car pull up to Alex’s house. The officer got out and began speaking with Alex, who pointed in the direction of Valerie’s truck.
“Well, looks like our cover’s been blown,” Valerie muttered as the police car pulled away from the curb, following their truck.
“What do we do now?” Suzie asked, her hands gripping the edges of her seat.
“We keep driving and try to lose them. We can’t afford to be taken in right now. We need to keep an eye on Alex and the other family members,” Valerie said, her determination unwavering.
“We’re almost out of gas!”
Valerie put her foot down, knowing Suzie was right. “Then we need to think of something, sis. Fast!”
Suzie nodded, juddering with the car as it sped over an uneven section of road.
Valerie grimaced at the vibration. They couldn’t allow themselves to be caught, not while John Murphy was still on the loose and hell-bent on killing his family. The stakes were too high, and they had a duty to protect the innocent, even if it meant putting their own careers and lives on the line.
The police car continued to tail them, and then its lights came on, flashing as it closed the gap between them.
Valerie felt adrenaline surge through her body.
“They’re onto us,” she said. “Hold on!”
She pounded the gas as the police car gave chase.
But Valerie was a skilled driver, and she knew the back roads well. As the sun hung over the sky, casting its bleaching rays across the countryside, she expertly navigated a series of turns, hoping to outmaneuver their pursuers and continue their quest for justice.
The high-speed chase intensified as Valerie put her foot down on the accelerator, the truck roaring as it sped down the winding country roads. Valerie looked at the fuel gauge anxiously, the light on, not knowing when the gas would finally give out. The police car was relentless, staying right on their tail, lights flashing and sirens blaring. Valerie’s eyes flicked between the road and the rearview mirror, her grip tightening on the steering wheel.
She knew she had to do something drastic to shake the pursuing officer. Spotting a narrow dirt road up ahead, she made a quick decision and swerved onto it, sending up a cloud of dust in her wake. The police car followed suit, its tires squealing as it tried to maintain its grip on the uneven terrain.
Valerie’s heart raced in her chest, adrenaline coursing through her veins as she pushed the truck to its limits, the engine roaring in protest. She could feel the truck’s tires struggling to maintain traction on the dirt road, but she didn’t dare let up. She knew she had to lose the cops if they were to continue their mission.
Soon the countryside gave way to another town’s streets.
Up ahead, Valerie spotted the entrance to an underground car park. Her pulse quickened as she realized this might be their chance to escape. She floored the accelerator, the truck hurtling toward the entrance, the police car hot on their tail.
With a skillful flick of the wheel, Valerie screeched into the car park, tires squealing as they hit the smooth concrete. Her nerves pulsing, she quickly navigated the maze of parked cars, taking sharp turns and weaving through the tight spaces. The police car struggled to keep up, its sirens echoing through the confined space.
Finally, Valerie spotted an exit on the far side of the car park. With a final burst of speed, she raced toward it, the truck’s engine roaring in protest. Just after they drove through the exit, she slammed on the brakes and skidded around a corner, the truck coming to a halt in a narrow alleyway.
They waited, breathless, as the police car sped past the alley, its sirens fading into the distance. Valerie let out a sigh of relief, her hands still gripping the wheel tightly.
“We did it,” she whispered, her voice shaky from the adrenaline rush. “We lost them.”
Suzie let out a shaky breath, her body still trembling from the high-stakes chase. “That was… intense.”
Valerie gave her a small, wry smile. “We’re not out of the woods yet, but at least we’ve bought ourselves some time. Let’s keep moving and get to the next name on the list. There are two more.”
She opened the driver’s door.
“What are you doing?” Suzie asked.
“They’ll be looking for this truck,” Valerie replied. “And we’re all but out of gas. We’ll need to commandeer another ride.”
“You mean I need to hotwire one?”
“You say potatoes…” Valerie laughed.
“I never understood that saying,” Suzie said. “I mean, who pronounces it ‘poe tah toes’?”
Valerie smiled. It was good to feel laughter in her belly. But it was quickly replaced by the knowledge and grit that they needed to move or soon they’d be spending the rest of their lives in a jail cell.
They moved along the quiet street, and there it was. As if fate were smiling on them. An old black Corvette, parked and ready to assist.
Suzie just had to work her magic.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Charlie and Will pulled up in their unmarked car a few houses down from Alex Murphy’s residence. Will felt apprehensive, especially at what was ahead of them. They exchanged glances, Charlie’s expression mirroring the concern and urgency Will felt in his bones.
This was their best shot at getting to John Murphy before he could harm any more of his family members. But as Will had often seen during his time with the CPU, a curve ball was making its way toward them.
As they approached the house, he noticed a flurry of activity. Reporters and camera crews were swarming the area, their vehicles parked haphazardly along the street. Police officers had set up a perimeter around the property, their faces tense and alert.
Charlie and Will exchanged a look of frustration. This was not the discreet operation they had hoped for. It would be nearly impossible for them to get close to Alex Murphy and talk to him without drawing attention. The reporters would have a field day.
They hung back, observing the scene from a distance. As they watched, an officer escorted a handcuffed Alex Murphy out of the house. Alex’s face was a mix of anger and defiance, his eyes scanning the crowd of reporters as if daring them to say something.
From Will’s perspective, the scene was chaotic and frustrating. He watched as the arresting officer led Alex Murphy toward a waiting police car, the handcuffs around his wrists reflecting the flashing lights from the news cameras.
Charlie took the lead, flashing his badge and approaching the arresting officer. “Agent Charlie Carlson, FBI. We need to have a few moments alone with Alex Murphy. It’s a matter of urgency in trying to catch John Murphy.”
The officer raised an eyebrow but ultimately relented. “Be my guest. He assaulted one of the reporters, but between you and me I feel like doing that myself sometimes.”
Will ignored the comment and stood by Charlie.
“Alex, come with me,” Charlie said.
“Do I have to?”
“Yes.”
With that, Will and Charlie started to guide Alex back toward his house, the reporters swarming around them like vultures. Their questions were a cacophony of noise, but Will and Charlie remained focused on their task.
As they reached the front door, Will couldn’t help but feel a surge of relief that at least one of John Murphy’s relatives was still unscathed. They needed this chance to speak with Alex Murphy privately, away from the prying eyes and ears of the press.
Once inside, they closed the door, muffling the sounds of the reporters outside. Will turned to Alex, his eyes searching the man’s face for any hint of information that could lead them to John Murphy.
“Alex, we need your help. We’re trying to find your brother John before he hurts anyone else. We believe you might have some information that can help us track him down.”
Alex’s expression was a mix of defiance and wariness. “Why should I help you? I’ve got nothing to do with my brother’s crimes.”
Will leaned in, his voice low and urgent. “Because lives are at stake, and we’re running out of time. We need any information you can give us about John, anything that might help us understand why he’s doing this and where he might be headed next.”
The room was filled with tension as Alex weighed his options, considering whether or not to help the agents who had barged into his home.
“I’ll tell you what I know if you can get me out of these,” he said, moving his shoulder and intimating that he wanted the cuffs off.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Charlie said. “But why did you assault one of the reporters?”
“Damned vultures,” he said in reply. “I hate them. Buzzing around here, wanting to know my business.”
“Your business or your family’s?” Will asked, an eyebrow raised.
“What’s the difference?”
That was all Will had to hear. The man was being defensive because of something to do with the family. Something he didn’t want the press to know.
“Tell me,” Will said. “Why do you think John Murphy wants you and your other family members dead?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Because he’s a sicko.”
“Even ‘sickos’ can have reasons,” Charlie said, sternly.
“You’re as bad as that other one,” Alex said.
Will and Charlie looked at each other with surprise. “Other one?” Charlie said.
“Yeah,” Alex said abruptly. “That Valerie Law woman.”
“She was here?!” Will asked.
“Yeah.” He looked at Will as if he were now the one trying to read Will’s emotions. “Oh, I see.”
“See what?” Charlie asked.
“You’re here to find her, ain’t ya?” Alex threw his head back in a loud laugh. “She’s one of your own.”
“What did she say?” Will asked.
“The same things you did,” Alex grumbled. “Then hit me in the nose!”
Charlie took out his phone and glared at the screen. “Dammit… The local press is reporting that Valerie assaulted Alex. That she came here to kill him at the behest of John Murphy. Sensationalist trash.”
“We need to find her, Charlie,” Will said. “If she’s now assaulted one of the potential targets, regardless of her reasons, it’s possible some police officer might get a twitchy finger and take her down.”
“I know.” Charlie sighed, rubbing his brow in worry. “But how do we know where she’ll go?”
Alex Murphy looked around nervously as if hoping to avoid their gaze. Will read his body language immediately.
Lunging forward, Will grabbed him by the collar. “What do you know?!”
Charlie pulled Will back. “Calm down, Doc. I’ve never seen you like this.”
Will could feel his hands trembling with adrenaline. He had lost himself for a moment. He tried to regain his composure.
Charlie turned to Alex Murphy. “You’ve got two choices. You can go to jail or you can tell me what’s going on and I’ll see if I can get your charges dropped. What’s it to be?”
Alex shook his head. “I can’t tell you.”
“Can’t or won’t?” Charlie asked forcefully.
Now recomposed, Will tried to use his psychological skills again. “John Murphy wants you dead. That means you have the same connection to him as the victims. We have a list of John’s family in the local area, but there are twenty names. I have a feeling he won’t go after all of them. If you won’t tell us why he’s only targeting some of his family, you can at least tell us who he might target next.”
Alex looked to be pondering things for a moment. “Okay. I can do that. Maxine Reynolds and Julian Leonard. And Joshua. They are the only ones left besides me who were there that n—” He stopped himself from going any further.
“So he’s killing family members who were present at something?” Will asked, searching his mind for answers. He remembered back to John Murphy’s personal history.
“His wife,” Will finally deduced. “It makes sense, does it not? You were all present at his wife’s death.”
Alex Murphy glared at Will and his eyes flickered with guilt.
“Jenny Murphy drowned, didn’t she?” Charlie asked out loud.
“Yes,” Will said. “But something happened… Something that would make John Murphy blame all of you… I wonder if you maybe didn’t help her when she drowned?”
“That’s a damned lie!” Alex Murphy finally snapped. “We heard her out there, but we didn’t think she was drowning. I… I don’t know what we thought. But we don’t deserve to die for it!”
“And this is what you don’t want the reporters to know about?” Charlie asked.
Alex nodded.
“In case they insinuate that Jenny Murphy’s death was more than an accident…” Will said.
“It was an accident,” Alex said mournfully. “But you know what the press is like. They’ll have a field day with it. The family name has been through enough.”
“Can you give us Maxine Reynolds’s and Julian Leonard’s addresses?” Charlie asked.
“No, I don’t talk to them,” Alex said. “Look ’em up in the phone book.”
Will’s attention was suddenly drawn to the commotion outside. The sound of raised voices and shuffling feet was impossible to ignore. He glanced at Charlie, who had also noticed the disruption.
“What’s going on out there?” Will asked, his curiosity piqued.
Charlie shrugged, equally puzzled. “Not sure, but it looks like the reporters have found something new to swarm over.”
Will stepped closer to the window, careful to remain out of sight of the reporters. He squinted as he tried to make out the cause of the disturbance. It was then that he spotted a familiar face in the crowd—Tom, Valerie’s fiancé.
Will’s heart dropped. “Oh no,” he muttered under his breath. “Charlie, it’s Tom. Valerie’s fiancé.”
Charlie rushed to the window to get a better look, concern etched on his face. “What’s he doing here? This is the last place he should be.”
Will shook his head, his mind racing. “He must have heard about Valerie being in trouble and decided to come down here to try and help. But he’s just putting himself in danger.”
The two investigators exchanged worried glances, knowing that Tom’s presence could complicate their mission even further. They needed to get him to leave, but with the reporters and police surrounding the house, it wouldn’t be an easy task.
“We have to get him out of here,” Charlie said, determination in his voice. “He’s only going to muddy the waters.”
Will nodded, his resolve strengthening. “Agreed. Let’s figure out a way to get Tom away from here without attracting too much attention. The less the press focuses on Valerie’s personal life the better.”
Will and Charlie steeled themselves before they stepped out of Alex Murphy’s house, prepared to face the sea of reporters. As soon as they stepped outside, the frenzy escalated, and the reporters began shouting questions and snapping photos.
Amidst the chaos, they heard Tom’s voice cutting through the noise. “Will! Charlie! Over here!”
Tom was surrounded by reporters, their microphones shoved in his face as they bombarded him with questions. “Mr. Evans, do you know who Valerie Law will attack next? How can you defend someone like her?”
Tom’s expression was one of pure frustration, but his voice remained steady as he defended Valerie. “You’ve got it all wrong. Valerie is the best person I’ve ever known. She’s dedicated her life to protecting people, not hurting them. You’ve got her all wrong!”
Will and Charlie pushed through the crowd, doing their best to shield Tom from the relentless journalists. They managed to reach him and quickly ushered him away from the house and toward their car.
“Come on, Tom,” Charlie urged, his voice barely audible above the clamor of the reporters. “We need to get you out of here.”
As they reached the car, the reporters continued their pursuit, eager for any scrap of information they could get. Will unlocked the car and practically threw Tom into the back seat, while Charlie jumped into the driver’s seat. Will hurriedly climbed into the passenger seat, and Charlie started the engine.
With a squeal of tires, they sped off, leaving the reporters behind in a cloud of dust. As they put distance between themselves and the chaos, Will couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief. But the danger wasn’t over yet—they still had to find John Murphy and protect the rest of his family. And now they had Tom to worry about, too.
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
The night was oppressive, its darkness seeping into every corner of the house. The air felt heavy, and a sinister silence hung in the shadows. John Murphy crouched behind an old, worn armchair in the living room, his pulse quickening with anticipation.
The police guard assigned to protect the house lay unconscious and tightly bound in the hallway. His eyes were covered by a strip of black cloth, and his mouth was gagged with a wad of fabric. Despite his best efforts, the officer’s shallow breaths betrayed his fear.
John had slipped into the house like a ghost, barely making a sound as he’d incapacitated the guard. Now, he was poised to strike, the rope coiled tightly in his hand. He was a creature of the shadows, a predator waiting for the perfect moment to pounce on his prey.
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