Be Mine, Dead Valentine, page 14
part #2 of Crescent Falls Series
“What’s going on?” he demanded.
Daniel hurried to intercept the frantic looking attorney. He took hold of Mark’s arm and guided him to a spot next to the building. “You need to go to the medical center, Mark. It’s Janet. She was attacked tonight. She’s critically wounded.”
Mark’s face lost most of its color. His eyes widened and he shook his arm free from Daniel’s grasp. He started to say something, but seemed to think better of it. Instead, he hurried away, heading toward his car.
It was a little after midnight when Daniel entered the surgical waiting room at the Crescent Falls Medical Center. Mark Cardosa was slouched down on one of the blue vinyl sofas.
“Any word?” Daniel asked, sitting down beside Mark.
Mark sat up straight and turned his body slightly sideways so he could look Daniel in the eye. “What the hell happened?”
Daniel told him all that he knew so far. “We found a receipt in her pocket. Evidently she’d been at mayor’s court tonight to dispute a parking ticket she received earlier. I spoke with Carl Henshaw a little while ago. Janet stayed for the entire session and left when everyone else did a little after nine. It looks like she came straight home and was attacked in the parking lot behind her building.”
Mark shook his head. “She never said anything to me about a parking ticket or mayor’s court. How did someone get into the complex to attack her? Or are we talking about someone who lives there?” His eyes narrowed and his mouth formed an angry line.
“If you’re referring to Bob Jackson, he’s in the clear. He was on a paramedic run at the time. In fact they caught the call after Janet’s attack. We found a place in the fence at the back corner of the property that was cut. Also, we think the assailant may have used a puppy to lure her to that spot.”
Mark’s eyebrows shot up. “A puppy? What the hell? Oh, that would do it, though. She’s a sap for stray animals. So now you’re back to square one, is that what you’re saying. No suspects. No clue?” His expression hardened. “I got a call today from Gayle’s mother. She asked me to not attend the funeral on Saturday. Seems word of my relationship with Janet is now the worst kept secret in Crescent Falls. She said she’s sending the engagement ring back to me by special courier, whatever the hell that means.”
“Surely you can see her position, Mark. You started seeing another woman while engaged to her daughter. Now Gayle’s dead. Murdered.”
“Everything with Gayle happened so fast. We started dating at Christmas then suddenly we were talking marriage.”
“So, you’re claiming buyer’s remorse, is that it?”
Mark shot him a dirty look. “Don’t trivialize it, McBride. I loved Gayle.”
“Until you met Janet, at least.”
Mark’s looked turned stormy. “I intended to break my engagement to Gayle. I was just waiting for the…right time.”
Daniel wasn’t about to let that pass. “I doubt that. You want to know what I think? I think you intended to go ahead with that marriage because it would bolster your standing in a community that hadn’t exactly welcomed you with open arms. I also think you intended to keep Janet on the string for as long as possible then when she finally caught on, you’d just move on to another lover. One woman will never be enough for you, Cardoza. Never.”
“You don’t know me, McBride, so don’t pretend to know what I’d do or not do,” Mark shot back.
Daniel met the man’s furious gaze. “Where were you tonight?”
Mark face flushed an angry red. “Oh, no, you don’t. You’re not going to pin this on me. Forget it.” He clasped his hands so tightly together in his lap that his knuckles turned white. After a few moments of silence, he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I was in Rosewood at a meeting with the board of directors for Baynor Industries. I’ve been doing some legal work for them connected with a lawsuit. You can check. I didn’t leave until after eleven.”
“I thought those bigger companies had in-house lawyers,” Daniel said.
“They do. They also have me. I can’t tell you any more than that. Client privilege.” He rested his head against the back of the sofa and closed his eyes. “First Gayle, now Janet. This is like a damned nightmare.”
A doctor emerged from a hallway just then and approached them. “Are you here for Ms. Webster?” The man was tall and thin, with a ruddy complexion and neatly trimmed goatee.
Mark jumped to his feet. “How is she? Can I see her?”
Daniel rose also. He was wearing his badge, although not a uniform. The doctor’s gaze flickered to the badge briefly before he turned his attention back to Mark.
“She’s in recovery. The weapon, an ice pick, was removed. It barely missed the renal artery. However, a kidney was damaged. She had quite a bit of internal bleeding.”
“But she’s going to make it, right?” Mark asked. His voice was tremulous.
“We’ve induced a coma for now. We want her to have complete rest. No visitors for the time being. She’s in the intensive care unit. You can check on her there.” He turned his attention to Daniel. “The weapon and that…card have been put in a sterile bag. An officer named Luke Fagan took it.”
Daniel had instructed Luke to wait for the weapon and card and get them to the lab at once. “There should be another officer posted outside Ms. Webster’s room.”
The doctor nodded. “Yes, a man named Ken Lafferty is waiting outside recovery and will be accompanying her up to her room.”
“The shift will change every six hours,” Daniel told him. “They’ve been told to check in at the nurses’ station when they come on duty.”
The doctor left, walking purposefully down the hallway from which he’d emerged. Mark sat down as though his legs wouldn’t hold him. “You think she’s still in danger?”
“Definitely. Our killer made a mistake tonight. He left a live victim.” Daniel looked down at Mark. “You should probably go get some rest.” The man looked exhausted. His hair was rumpled and his eyes were bloodshot.
Mark shook his head emphatically. “Not until she’s in her room and I can see her.”
“No visitors, remember?”
Mark’s lips curled up in a slight smile. “But there’s no rule about standing outside the ICU room and looking at her through the glass, which is what I intend to do.”
Daniel put a hand on Mark’s shoulder. “This investigation has taken a new turn tonight, Mark. I’ll need to talk to you sometime tomorrow.”
Mark shook off Daniel’s hand. “So, I’m still a suspect, is that it?”
“No. But you might be the motive.”
Chapter Eighteen
Adelaide had coffeecake and coffee ready for Daniel when he knocked on her door at seven o’clock Friday morning. A special edition of the Crescent Falls Tribune lay on the kitchen table. The headline was as flamboyant as the others—THIRD VALENTINE KILLER VICTIM SURVIVES! The story, written by Julie Buckner Simpson, went on to say that Janet Webster, a new resident of Crescent Falls, was in a coma at the Crescent Falls Medical Center and under twenty-four hour police guard. Janet Webster’s injuries were then described in gory detail. Riddled with disgust, Adelaide had stopped reading at that point.
Daniel looked rumpled and grumpy. He was unshaven and his eyes were slightly swollen from lack of sleep. “You need to take a shower and get some rest. I want you to promise me you’ll go home and do that as soon as you have breakfast,” Adelaide said as she scrambled him some eggs with bits of ham diced up in them.
He was on his second cup of coffee and had devoured three pieces of coffeecake by then. “I think we may have gotten a break in the case, Mother.”
Adelaide scooped the eggs and ham onto a plate and brought it to the table. She sat down across from her son. “How so?”
“First of all, we’re pretty sure these killings revolve, somehow, around Mark Cardosa. It can’t be a coincidence that two of the three victims were involved with him. So, if we follow that line of reasoning, there could be two motives. Revenge or jealousy.”
“So you think someone out to get revenge targeted the two women in his life as a way of hurting him? Why not just kill him?”
Daniel was shoveling in the eggs and ham. Finally he hesitated long enough to reply. “That would be too quick. This way, he suffers longer.”
“You mentioned jealousy.”
Daniel nodded. “Maybe the killer is someone who was jealous of his relationships with Gayle and Janet. Someone who wanted him for themselves and those two stood in the way. Patty Regan may have been a red herring to make us think a serial killer was picking victims at random.”
Adelaide felt a tingle race up her spine. “So you’re not ruling out a woman as the killer after all.”
“I think we have to look at all possibilities.”
“I heard on the radio that you found a dog at the crime scene.”
Daniel reached into his shirt pocket and removed a snapshot, placing it on the table between them. “Cute little fellow. He’s now at the crime lab in Rosewood. After they’re finished, Dennis Ackerman is going to take him home with him for a while.”
“Could he belong to someone here in town?”
“He was tied to a tree on the other side of the fence surrounding the back parking lot. The fencing had been cut to allow someone access to the area where Janet was attacked.”
“Oh, my.” Adelaide studied the photo. The pup looked bright eyed and eager, with his pink tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. “He’s a handsome dog. I’d say part German shepherd with a little beagle and maybe some lab mixed in.”
“He’s friendly, too. We think the killer may have used him to lure Janet over to that dark corner of the lot, out of surveillance camera range.”
“So why leave the dog there?”
“Before she lost consciousness, Janet pushed the alarm button on her keychain. Her attacker probably panicked and had to get away quick so there was no time to untie the dog.”
The thought made Adelaide shiver. Oscar made his appearance just then and she thought about what she would do if anyone ever hurt her beloved pet. In December he’d been left out in the cold by a killer, but had sustained no real injuries, thank goodness.
Daniel reached down and petted the cat’s head. “I saved you some, you mooch,” he said as he gave the feline a piece of the cubed ham. Oscar ate it eagerly, licked his lips slowly, and rubbed one side of his face against Daniel’s hand. “You’re welcome,” Daniel said. As though satisfied that all the polite amenities had been exchanged, Oscar went to his cat bed beside the refrigerator and lay down, tucking his front paws under his chest.
Daniel thanked her for breakfast and got up. She followed him into the foyer, where he retrieved his coat from the newel post at the bottom of the stairs. When he opened the front door, Adelaide was shocked to see James Preston standing on the porch, his hand raised as though ready to knock.
“Looks like snow again,” James said by way of greeting. “Hello, Daniel. You must be run ragged what with the third attack last night. How is the girl doing?”
Daniel stepped back to admit James. They shook hands. “She’s in a coma. We’re following up some new leads though.” He turned to Adelaide. “See you later, Mother.”
James shut the door then looked at Adelaide. “I hope you don’t mind my dropping in. Is that cinnamon I smell?”
Finally finding her voice, Adelaide said, “Take off your coat. I have freshly made coffee cake, what’s left of it, anyway.” She felt jittery all at once. Being near James since their kiss did that to her.
With more familiarity than she liked, he tossed his coat over the bannister instead of handing it to her to put in the coat closet. She noticed he was dressed casually, in a pair of navy blue slacks and a red sweater over a pale blue shirt. His dark hair was neatly trimmed and she caught the scent of his spicy aftershave as he walked beside her into the kitchen.
She realized her own appearance left a lot to be desired. She’d thrown on a tan sweat suit, since she planned on cleaning the house today. Self-consciously she ran a hand through her hair, hoping it wasn’t sticking out at odd angles. She wore no makeup, which hadn’t mattered when Daniel appeared at the door, but seemed to be a cause of concern now.
James sat down at the kitchen table. She got him a cup of coffee and refreshed her own. The coffee cake was still on the table, so she just got a clean plate and fork. Almost as an afterthought, since her mind was on other things, she grabbed a paper napkin from the holder on the counter.
Adelaide glanced at James periodically as he ate some of his coffee cake and rinsed it down with coffee. Finally he sat back and looked at her. “I don’t like this strain between us, Adelaide. I know you’ve been avoiding me. I think maybe it would do us some good to relax a little. So, how about we go out Saturday night? We can go anywhere you want. Maybe take in a movie in Rosewood after dinner. Just a pleasant evening with no pressure or expectations.”
She met his dark gaze. Again she felt that pull in the pit of her stomach. “You know how I treasure our friendship, James. And, if I’m to be honest with myself, I do find you…attractive.”
“I moved too soon. That kiss was impulsive and as it turns out, unwise. But, I’m a passionate man, Adelaide. I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve.”
“You have to respect my need to move slowly, James. Otherwise this will never work.”
James nodded. “Done. I promise. Now, how about Saturday night? A fresh start.” His hopeful expression was as eager as a child’s
Adelaide felt a lump form in her throat. “I’m sorry. I have plans.”
She watched as his look turned somber. “Oh. I guess it is short notice.”
She was grateful that he didn’t ask what her plans were. “Maybe another time?”
James got up and quickly headed for the foyer. “Of course. I hate to run but I have hospital visits to make.” He was pulling on his coat by the time she caught up with him. He opened the door and then turned to look at her. “You are a beautiful, wonderful woman, Adelaide.” He stepped out onto the porch.
She stood on the threshold, one hand on the knob. At the last minute he turned again and slid an arm around her waist, pulling her to him. Caught off balance, she put her free hand on his shoulder to keep from falling. This time the kiss was on her cheek. He then rebalanced her in the doorway and rushed down the porch steps toward his car which was parked at the curb.
She was still standing in the doorway, flustered as could be, when he drove away.
* * * *
Daniel took his mother’s advice, at least some of it. He went home and showered and put on fresh clothes. When he arrived back at the station an hour later he found Luke waiting.
“Some of the lab results are back,” Luke told him when they were behind the closed door of Daniel’s office. He took a seat in one of the chairs across from the desk. “No fingerprints on the ice pick or card. Big surprise. Hair on her clothing was hers. Debris on the clothing is consistent with the debris we found on the ground around the area where she was found.”
“The dog had debris consistent with the wooded area where it was found. No skin cells on the rope. Killer likely wore gloves while handling it. We scoured the woods for anything we might connect to the killer—cigarette butts, candy wrappers, a piece of material snagged on a branch—we got zip.”
“What about the surveillance tapes?” Daniel figured that would be a lost cause, but they had to check anyway.
“Nothing. Cars coming and going prior to Janet’s arrival. Residents getting into and out of the cars coming and going prior to Janet’s attack . We didn’t see anyone who didn’t belong there. The camera range didn’t include the area of the attack, which we already knew.”
Daniel sighed. “So the killer approached through the woods, cut the fence, tied up the dog and waited.”
“Which means, our killer knew approximately when Janet would return home, which means she was being followed just like the other two victims.”
Daniel sat up a little straighter in his swivel chair. “She was in mayor’s court. Maybe the killer was there, too, at some point.”
“We got a list from the court of the cases last night. As you know, they have cameras in the courtroom, so I’ve got Judy working on those with Carl Henshaw. They’re going to match up names with who is on camera, so we know who had a reason to be there and who didn’t. But I’ll bet that’s a dead end. The killer needed time to set this attack up, which means he may have followed her there just to make sure of her whereabouts, but likely didn’t hang around.”
“Okay. So the killer came through the woods. From where?”
“The north end of Beech Street runs beside Creekside Village and connects with County Road Seven, which leads to Rosewood. He had to park his car somewhere, unless he walked. There were no parking or speeding tickets issued along that road last night.”
“This bastard is like a damned phantom. A ghost,” Daniel said in frustration. “How can we have two dead women and a third one in intensive care and not have one single clue to their attacker’s identity?”
“We have more than you think,” Luke told him. “We now have a possible motive. Somehow these killings and Janet’s attack are likely connected to Mark Cardosa. We have the dog. Where did the killer get him? He’s too well-fed looking to be a stray. I’m heading over to the Humane Society in Rosewood to see if anyone adopted our little fellow in the past few days. Ed Lucas is checking regional pet stores.” He got up and headed for the door. “I’ll let you know what we find out.”
Daniel wasn’t holding out much hope. A killer this clever wasn’t going to make a dumb mistake like openly adopting a dog from the closest animal shelter or going into a local pet store. Maybe he stole it. But wouldn’t the owner be looking? They’d already put up flyers around town, but so far no response. Maybe they needed to broaden the search to Rosewood and even Marietta. He’d fax a picture of the dog to the authorities there and ask them to produce some fliers. He sat back in his chair and closed his eyes. This case was going to be his swan song, he could almost feel it. He wondered how long it would be before Lloyd Fletcher came storming in with his threats. Hopefully the man was too busy preparing for the upcoming council meeting where he planned to push his casino agenda.
