Never Forgive, page 3
If that was the case, then most probably he had not died at the scene and was still at large, and perhaps even in her area of jurisdiction.
The thought gave her chills, but she knew that was what it took to be county deputy. Terrifying as it was to have a killer like this at large, she was going to do whatever it took to catch him.
But first, she needed to learn more about the background.
"We'll explain all that to you. Let's get started with the briefing. I suggest we go to the Sunnybrook police department. We can use the briefing room down there, and I'll explain more about who he is and what he's done so far" Kerry decided. "We'll ride with you."
CHAPTER THREE
As May walked back to her car, she was worrying deeply about the case. A killer who had used explosives before - and now this person was at large, perhaps still in Tamarack County?
With a shiver of dread, she wondered how they were going to track him down, without incurring terrible risk to all the police involved. She couldn’t handle the thought of one of her own team falling prey to an explosive-wired trap.
Then, listening to the tramp of boots behind her as the group followed her up the slope to the road, May's worry veered to a more practical subject.
How were she and five FBI agents all going to fit inside her car? Apart from Kerry, they were all big guys.
May was fretting over whether she should do two trips, or whether it might be better to call a cab or an Uber, if any were around in this small town.
But luckily, that predicament was resolved as she was relieved to see a familiar vehicle pull up, with a squeal of brakes.
Owen Lovell, her deputy and investigation partner, had just arrived. He climbed out of his car, looking horrified. Never had she seen such an intensely serious expression on her tall, good looking investigation partner's face. His brown eyes were wide. His hat sat askew on his neatly trimmed dark hair.
At last, she had some moral support, and felt a flicker of reassurance in this scary and unexpected scenario.
"May!" he said. "I came here as fast as I could. I was in the swimming pool at gym when Sheriff Jack called. This is terrible." In a lower voice, he added, "I see the FBI are here."
"I’m glad you’re here, Owen," May said, the words heartfelt. "We're going straight to the police department in Sunnybrook for a briefing on the situation. Would you mind giving Special Agents Billings and Chris a ride?"
"Sure, of course," Owen agreed, giving the two a firm handshake. "Morning, gents. Good to have you here. Terrible situation."
May hustled over to her own car. Kerry climbed in next to her, and Adams and Ross got in the back.
May set off on the short drive into town, which led past the local church on the corner, and some shops and restaurants in the compact town center. Beyond them, on the far side of the local coffee shop, was the police department. May wasn't surprised to see that it, too, was a hive of activity this morning.
The parking lot behind the building was almost full. May took the last space, and behind her, Owen parked on the sidewalk outside.
As they hustled to the police department, there was a strong smell of good coffee coming from the lobby. May guessed that the coffee shop next door was working overtime to supply enough caffeine for all the personnel crammed into the building.
She followed the scent inside, where she saw a deputy at the front desk she recognized.
"Morning, Ella," she greeted the short, brown-haired woman who usually had a ready smile but looked stressed today.
"Morning, May," Ella replied.
"Is there a meeting room we can use? The FBI is here and we have to be briefed," May said.
Ella looked alarmed. She got on the phone and spoke quickly.
A few moments later, she put the phone down and nodded.
"You can go through. The small boardroom is available. The team inside has just wrapped up. Second door on the right. Do y'all want coffee?"
"Yes, please," May said gratefully.
They all filed through to the boardroom. May could feel the tension thrumming in the corridors. Phones were shrilling. Tense voices were raised. Footsteps thudded in and out of the offices.
They all crammed into the meeting room, which had six seats around a round table, a whiteboard, and a small desk in the front of the room. It had a nice view over the local park, May saw, but at this hour the green space was occupied only by a lone jogger and a woman walking her dog.
They all took a seat. Owen sat to Kerry's right. To her left was the big boss, Keith Ross. He sat down, drumming his fingers on the table thoughtfully as Kerry opened her laptop and prepared.
May looked around, at all the serious, professional faces. This was her first meeting with a high-level FBI team, she realized. And as deputy, she was representing her county, and would need to live up to their standards and expectations.
“Okay, folks, let's get started," Kerry said. "I'm going to brief you about the current situation regarding the killer, and what we know so far."
May listened intently, getting her notepad out of her purse in case she needed to write anything down.
"As yet, his identity is unknown to us," Kerry said.
"Unknown?" May asked, surprised. She'd thought the Sunnybrook team had known who the criminal was that they were chasing down.
Kerry silenced her with a look that said, louder than words, 'I'm getting to that.'
May flushed red, subsiding in her chair as Kerry continued.
"He has killed three previous victims, using the same technique - a bomb blast. So we are referring to this unsub as the Bomber. The Bomber has killed a female lawyer, a restaurant manager, and a schoolteacher. The cases only recently came to our attention, as the crimes have been committed in different counties and a couple of them were first thought to be accidental explosions. So until a few days ago, nobody realized it was a serial killer at work."
May's eyebrows shot up. Three kills, apart from today’s explosion? All innocent people, pillars of society too. How had he managed that? And why them?
There was a tap on the door, and Ella brought in a tray of coffees. She placed it quickly on the table and left. Everyone focused on the coffees as Kerry continued. "The kills have taken place over the past few weeks. His technique changes, but it is always carried out by means of explosives. One of the more deplorable methods he used, with the lawyer, was that he captured and held her in an unused warehouse for a couple of days. During that time, he actually wired her phone up to the bomb, to be detonated when a certain number called in. Her husband tried to call her a few times over the days, but the phone was off. Once the killer had linked it, her husband’s next call connected, and actually triggered the explosion."
May felt even more shocked as she heard this.
"Any links among the victims?" she asked.
"Not that we have ascertained," Kerry told her.
"What about the cabin in the woods? Who did that belong to then?" Owen asked.
"It belongs to Marc Sudbury, a man who moved off the grid a few years ago, and uses it as a base for taking YouTube videos of birds and mice, for cats to watch, believe it or not. That is how he makes his money. Through the advertising royalties.”
“Cats?” Adams asked in surprise.
“Yes, cats,” Kerry confirmed. “It was well set up with solar panels and wi-fi inside, which is probably why the bomber used it as the location to lure the police there. Therefore, police rushed to the cabin looking to capture the criminal, and walked straight into his trap," Kerry said, her voice solemn.
"So Sudbury was not there at the time?" Owen asked.
"He's on vacation in Florida. We've just been in contact with him and he had no idea this was even happening. He was horrified to hear it. Since the threats were undoubtedly sent from the premises, we surmise that the intention of the killer seems to have been, in this case, to lure police to the place and then detonate the bomb."
May shook her head. This evil was indescribable.
"And we know nothing more about him?"
"Only that he has been operating within Minnesota State, but this is the first time he has struck in Tamarack County. We're going to do everything we can to catch him before he strikes again."
“If he knew the cabin was there, and so well equipped, he must know the area quite well, or else have researched it thoroughly and recently,” May suggested.
She saw nods all around the table at that observation.
May felt a chill run down her spine. The thought that the killer was familiar with Tamarack County, and could be anywhere in this area, perhaps planning his next attack, was very disconcerting.
"Of course, we are doing everything we can to catch him, and to protect all citizens in the area," Kerry finished.
"Well, obviously one good place to start will be to look into that email address, and see if we can find any links to it," Ross decided. “At some stage, the killer would have had to provide some information to set it up. It’s just a case of how fast we can obtain it, and if it’s still valid.”
"Agreed," Kerry said. "I think we should set up base in this meeting room and connect with head office IT, and try to find more details on that."
"Billings and Chris, when the scene has been declared safe, you two are probably our biggest disaster scene experts," Ross then said. "I would suggest you two head back there and see what trace evidence can be found. Perhaps he left something behind while setting up the bombs."
"Will do," Chris snapped out.
That left May and Owen. She stared inquiringly at Kerry and then Ross, wondering what role she would be given, if any.
Clearly, Kerry didn't want to give her anything that the FBI could do better, and Ross didn’t seem to be taking her or Owen into account at all. But May decided to come forward with a suggestion.
"Shall we take another look at the previous cases?" she suggested. "Perhaps there's more information to be gained from them now that we know the bigger picture, since the FBI has only gotten involved now? We could re-interview the lawyer’s husband, for a start."
Kerry nodded. "That's a good idea. You could start with that case, and then look at the others. See what the local police reported, and then you go out and add to it. Perhaps you'll find a new piece of the puzzle," she suggested, in a way that told May she didn't think she would, and that ultimately the FBI, in consultation with their techs, would be the one to solve this.
“I’ll get head office to send you the details on the recent case, involving the bombing of a criminal lawyer, Sheila Craig,” Adams confirmed.
As she got up from the meeting table and headed out with Owen, May felt determined. This might be a small role, but she felt certain it would lead somewhere.
Three victims before this recent blast. Perhaps there was a link. And if there was, May promised herself she would find it.
CHAPTER FOUR
May couldn't help feeling relieved as she and Owen left the building and headed for her car. Being in the FBI meeting, and around a high-powered top management executive of the FBI, had kept her on the edge of her nerves, convinced she would say or do the wrong thing.
And this was no small matter. This was a massive disaster, something that had now attracted the attention of the FBI across the country.
And she, May, was playing a small part in solving it. Well, hopefully.
"I hope we can get results," Owen said as they drove out. May felt glad he was thinking along the same lines as her. As they so often did.
Things between them felt more relaxed now than they had a few weeks ago.
When Owen had asked her if they could date - and in his nervousness, hadn't gotten the message out in a way she could properly understand - it had been one of the most mortifying experiences of May's life.
For a while she had considered the possibility of accepting his offer and going on a date. And there were many advantages to it. Owen was cute, he was smart, he was great company.
But they were work colleagues. Doing that would change the landscape between them, and it would complicate things in a way she wasn't sure would be good. And it was a small town. In a small town, there was nowhere to hide. If things went wrong, it would be disastrous at worst, awkward at best. It might ruin what they had, and she valued that easy friendship more than almost anything.
So she'd decided against it.
She'd told Owen her decision, and he'd taken it well. She thought he was also relieved, in a way. He'd also agreed - it's a small town, and that makes things complicated.
Briefly, her thoughts flitted back to that threatening message she'd received.
Someone in this small town knew what she was up to. Someone wanted to stop her from pursuing Lauren's case. But who?
"Where are we headed?" May asked, getting her mind back to work again.
Quickly, Owen opened his laptop and scrolled through the information that had just come through, sent from a very imposing and highly secure FBI email address.
"We're driving outside Tamarack County. It will probably take us another half-hour," Owen said. "We're heading in the direction of a town called Springfield. That’s where Sheila lived with her husband, Gary Craig. So he's the man we're going to see."
"He must be devastated," May said.
Owen nodded somberly. "It happened just a week ago. So I'm sure he must feel like it's the end of the world."
May couldn't imagine what it must have felt like for him when such a shocking thing had happened, and to know that he'd dialed the number that killed her? That was soul destroying.
She was not looking forward to the interview, but she hoped that the days that had elapsed since the bomb blast might, at least, have allowed Gary Craig to remember some details that had escaped his mind at the time.
*
Half an hour later, May and Owen arrived outside the large, gracious home a few miles from the center of the wealthy and prosperous town of Springfield. It was in a countryside setting, with a golf club down the road and an equestrian club opposite.
The house was large, with a gray pitched roof and a circular driveway with a fountain in the center.
May was feeling terrible about having to do this, and as if it would be opening old wounds. She'd had a lot of time to think about it on the drive. This would be a man who was grieving and distraught. He was likely to be a mess, and would not be interested in reliving the night of his wife's murder.
May sighed. This was not going to be easy, but she needed to keep a positive attitude and look for any small details that might help. As she’d thought previously, sometimes those things were only remembered down the line, after such a traumatic event.
She and Owen stepped out of the car and approached the grand front door.
May rang the bell, and waited. In a few moments, the door was answered by a housemaid wearing a smart blue and white uniform.
"Can I help you?" she asked, giving them a worried glance.
"Is Mr. Craig here?" May asked. "We're from the sheriff's office, following up on the case."
The housemaid nodded, looking distraught.
"He's here. He's in his study."
She led them through the hall, up a grand staircase, and into a library, furnished with polished dark wooden shelves, containing sets of antique books.
Mr. Craig was sitting at a large desk at the other end of the room. He looked up as they entered.
He was an imposing, dark haired man who looked as if he would dominate a boardroom table. Now, though, his hair was tousled and his face looked exhausted. From the glazed expression in his eyes, May felt absolutely sure that he was still on strong medication to calm him after the terrible guilt of knowing his call had activated the bomb blast.
"Mr. Craig, I'm so sorry about your wife," May said. "We're following up to try and gather more information. There's been another crime this morning."
His eyebrows raised. "Another crime? How long is it taking you to solve this?"
May nodded sympathetically. She couldn't say anything in her defense. Even though his voice was slightly slurred, she could tell he was seriously angry and letting her know it.
"We're doing everything we can," she replied. "We've just received the go-ahead from the FBI to ask you some questions. We've been brought in as additional help."
"And it's taken this long to get the FBI involved?" Mr. Craig demanded. "Now you're here? This is all so confusing, and why are there no results yet? Why should I even speak to you?"
"I realize it's difficult to have someone in your house that you don't know, who wants to ask you questions and bring up unpleasant memories," May said. "So feel free to tell me if you need space. We can step outside for a while or even come back later."
He nodded, and she thought her calm question had placated his anger slightly. "Okay. Carry on."
May sat down in one of the leather chairs facing him and Owen did likewise.
She already knew the timeline, knew when Sheila had disappeared, and what had played out. That was in the case summary that they had been sent. She didn't want to ask those questions again and make this grieving husband replay the days of worry after she'd disappeared on her way to work, and the moment when he'd called her and her phone had rung once and then cut off. She knew that information already. She was hoping for other details.
"Sheila was a criminal lawyer, correct?" she asked, leading into the angle she wanted to explore.
He nodded. "She was. We are both lawyers. I'm a tax lawyer. It's how we met. We always knew her job was riskier than mine, but I never, ever thought this would happen."
"Did she have any controversial cases at the time?" May asked.
"She was defending a woman accused of theft, and a man involved in a tax evasion case. We looked into both of them with the police and we couldn't find anyone with a motive for doing this," he said heavily.
"And before that?" Owen questioned.
He made a face. "Look, she took on difficult cases, but she tried to steer away from murder in the past couple of years, now that she’s more senior. She personally was not comfortable with that. She had to handle those cases eight years ago, when she had just joined the firm and was an up and coming criminal lawyer. Now she could choose, and she chose the more complex cases that were not as violent. White collar crimes."
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