Trace Evidence, page 16
Flint’s instincts finally seemed to kick in. Preston was telling the truth on both counts.
Preston wasn’t the father of Marilyn Baker’s child and he didn’t kill her, either.
Flint would run the tests and confirm, but he felt the truth in his gut and he was glad about it.
Preston was right. No man should believe his father killed his mother. Even if he didn’t know either one of them.
Flint glanced at his watch. Ten more minutes.
“Even if you aren’t the father of her child, her son will want to know about her. You were her priest once. You might be one of the people who knew her best on this earth.” This was the last time he’d ever talk to James Preston, and he might never find anyone else to ask. “Tell me about Marilyn Baker.”
Preston leaned back and closed his eyes. It was a long time ago. The world and his life had changed a great deal since then. He’d spent many hours in an empty cell with nothing to entertain him except his own mind. Flint figured much of his time was spent visualizing the life he’d lived outside this prison.
“Marilyn was beautiful. She had entered a beauty contest in college. Made it all the way to the finals. She didn’t win, but she should have,” Preston said, as if he was living the long ago.
Flint didn’t interrupt.
“Several young men in town dated her. She was wholesome and funny and kind. Her students loved her. The whole town was shocked when she died. I think her death destroyed her parents’ will to live, too,” Preston continued.
He paused for a moment and sipped water from a paper cup.
“She was their only child. They were such lost souls without her. Her dad died a few months after Marilyn was killed, and her mother passed not long after that. She had no siblings. There may have been aunts and uncles and cousins. I’m not sure.” He opened his eyes and looked frankly toward Flint.
“I think Marilyn was the only person ever murdered in Mount Warren up until then. It was a very sad situation,” Preston said, finishing his memory.
The guard rapped on the door and opened it. “Time to go.”
Preston looked at Flint with the kind of sincerity only psychopaths can manage. “Tell Marilyn’s son I’m very sorry for his loss. May he find peace.”
He hung up the phone receiver and left the cage. Flint returned his receiver to its cradle and watched him go.
He collected the DNA kit before he left the building.
The DNA would be tested and compared to his own, but Flint did not expect a match.
He had a particular talent for identifying lies and liars. Preston said he was not the father of Marilyn Baker’s child and Flint believed him.
Marilyn Baker might have been his mother, but Preston’s DNA sample wouldn’t confirm that.
On the drive back to the airstrip, Flint reviewed Preston’s description of Marilyn Baker. Everything Preston said dovetailed with what he already knew. There were no glaring differences to suggest she was not his mother. The more he thought about her, the more he believed he’d found the right woman.
If he was to have a mother, after all these years, he would be damned certain he’d found the right one. He would accept nothing less than a definitive answer.
Preston said Marilyn had many suitors. Finding a sperm donor was much more difficult than finding a mother, but he could do it. He could find anyone, anytime, anywhere. When he wanted to.
His personal phone rang. He looked at the caller ID. He could hear her crying even as he answered. “What’s wrong with my best girl today, Maddy?”
She was always such a cheerful little imp. Her cries turned to sobs, which broke his heart.
“Honey, I can’t help if you don’t tell me what’s wrong.” He frowned and tried a different approach. “Is your mom there?”
“It’s too late.” She drew a ragged breath and pushed all the words out at once. “Jamie’s dying, Michael.”
She tried to explain but her sobs overwhelmed her voice until she disconnected.
Flint’s mother would have to wait.
He dialed Veronica Beaumont as he pulled into the parking lot. Voice mail picked up. “Veronica, it’s Flint. We need to talk.”
He tossed the keys on the front seat of the rental and hustled over to the Pilatus. Drake was already in the pilot’s seat. “Where to?”
“Houston.” Flint pushed the number one button on his speed dial.
She’d occupied that place on his phone for years. He never stopped to think about it.
When Katie Scarlett answered, he said, “Meet me in your office in ninety minutes?”
“Not a problem. I’m already here.” She paused. “Anything I can get started before you arrive?”
Flint grinned. Scarlett was almost as good at investigation of missing heirs as he was.
He’d promised Maddy not to tell her mother about the case, but he was a one-man show. He needed a team, and Scarlett had one of the best teams around.
“I’ll send you what I have on a missing man. Presumed dead.”
“But you think he’s what? Hiding in a cardboard box under the expressway?”
Flint shook his head. Prickly, as always. Situation normal. Which relaxed his tension. “Not exactly, but something like that, I’m afraid.”
“We’ll find out. I’ll get Gaspar on it, too.” She paused.
She sipped something. Coffee, probably. She mainlined the stuff almost around the clock. If the caffeine kept her awake at night, she never admitted as much.
“See you when I see you,” she signed off.
He disconnected the call, opened his laptop, and sent her the files on Josh Hallman. He included a list of the men he’d met at the Wilcox house. She’d know what to do with them.
-
Chapter Twenty-Four
Red Maple Lake, California
Six Years Ago
Josh ran through the woods toward the house. He tripped and fell twice. The thick foliage blacked out dawn’s weak light. He didn’t hear anyone chasing him, but his blood pounded in his ears like an angry Japanese drummer.
By the time he reached the open green space, the morning sky had lightened enough to reveal the gravel driveway. Josh made no effort to approach the house with stealth. He dashed straight up the front steps, across the porch, and pushed through the front door. His pounding footsteps and ragged breathing would awaken everyone who might still be asleep, but he no longer cared. All he wanted was to find Dan and get away. And come back with the police.
He ran down the hallway to his room. He noticed that the house seemed too quiet. Where was everyone? He felt like the frightened victim in the kind of horror movies he’d consumed like popcorn as a teen. But he was acutely aware that he was living through an actual nightmare.
Josh reached his room, stormed inside, closed the door, locked it, and propped the straight chair under the doorknob for good measure.
Through it all, Dan snored. The painkillers Kevin had given him before bed must have buried him deep into oblivion.
“Dan. Wake up.” Josh shook Dan’s shoulder. Hard. “We have to get out of here. Now.”
Dan’s eyes fluttered open but he was not awake. He closed his eyes again and Josh shook him a second time. “Come on, Dan. Let’s go.”
Dan’s eyes remained closed. He frowned and mumbled, “Is the helicopter ready?”
At least he was semi-lucid. He remembered where they were and why they were here. Josh’s relief encouraged him to shake Dan again, but he didn’t move.
Josh jerked the warm covers away.
The cold morning air slapped Dan like an icy blow to his entire body. His eyes popped open. “What the hell are you doing?”
“We have to go. Right now.” Josh reached out and grabbed Dan’s arm and yanked him to a seated position on the edge of the bed.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” He shook Josh’s grip away.
“Get dressed.” Josh grabbed Dan’s grimy clothes off the chair and threw them at him.
“What is your problem?” Dan was fully awake now. And angry. Good. He would need that adrenaline and the energy that came with it.
As Dan shoved one leg into his pants and slid the left one in a little more gingerly because of his sprained ankle, he continued to scowl. Josh saw the wince, though, when Dan’s foot caught on his pant leg. The sprain was bad. They’d need to run through the woods like a three-legged race, with Dan leaning into him. They had no other options.
Josh lowered his voice to keep the quivering under control. He looked steadily into Dan’s eyes, willing his friend to focus and process the insane situation.
“What I’m going to tell you is shocking. I don’t have time to explain now. Just accept what I say. I’ll explain more later. Okay?”
Dan’s frown deepened as he nodded. Josh wondered how much Dan could absorb, but he had no time to soften the blow. “Skip is dead. I don’t know what happened. He didn’t make it through the night.”
Dan’s eyes widened and his mouth gaped. He shook his head and raised his hand to the cut on his scalp. Josh imagined that the hammering that must be going on inside his skull was overwhelming.
“These guys are dangerous. We have to get away. If I help you, do you think you can run?” Dan’s eyes filled with confusion. He shook his head slowly. “Because I’m telling you, you’ve got no choice. If you stay here, they may kill you. Me, too.”
“You’re crazy. They rescued us. We had dinner with these guys.” Dan frowned. He blinked. “We were talking about fishing and kids and college, for God’s sake. And Kevin is a doctor. Why would they kill us?” He didn’t believe the truth.
Josh bowed his head briefly. He wanted to avoid mentioning what he’d seen in the woods until they were safely away from the house. But Dan might not leave unless he knew. And there was no way Josh could carry him. Not as far as they had to travel. Not over that rocky terrain out there.
He lowered his voice, even though he thought they were alone in the house. “I saw something, Dan. Something bad. Something I wasn’t meant to see.” He paused. “I don’t think they’ll let me leave here, now that I know.”
“What the hell are you talking about? What could you possibly have seen?” Dan was still sitting on the bed. He’d made no move to stand. “You know this is crazy, right?”
He nodded. “I saw Mark. Covered in blood. Standing near a woman’s body.” He paused again and gulped. This was hard to believe. He couldn’t really blame Dan for doubting. “The woman. She was dismembered. He was burying her. In pieces. I don’t think he saw me, but I’m not sure. If he did, he’ll kill me. I know it, Dan, as well as I know anything.” Dan looked at him now, head cocked, mouth agape.
“You can stay here if you want, but I have got to go.”
“What about Skip?”
“Didn’t you hear me?” Josh grabbed Dan’s shoulder and shook him.
“Skip is dead. He died last night.”
“Dead? Are you sure? Because Kevin said—”
“I don’t care what Kevin said! Don’t you get it? You could die here. I could die here.” Josh ran his splayed fingers through his hair. “Get up and come with me, Dan. Otherwise, I’m leaving and you’re on your own.”
Dan wasn’t convinced. He had not seen what Josh saw in the woods. But he must have believed that Josh would actually leave him, so he stood on his good right leg with his left bent at the knee. “I can’t walk on this foot. You’ll have to help me.”
Josh put his right arm under Dan’s left one and hugged his torso close. Dan threw his left arm over Josh’s shoulder. Josh walked and Dan hopped and they made it to the bedroom door. Progress was too slow, but he tried not to think about how easily they could be caught.
He threw the door open and they proceeded in the same three-legged hop down the hallway and out the front exit. When they reached the driveway, Dan was already sweating and trembling, but they kept going.
Josh glanced over his shoulder and saw no one coming after them. But morning had broken and dawn’s light flooded the driveway and the green space. They would easily be seen running away unless they traveled through the woods, where the going would be even slower, rougher.
Speed was more important than stealth at the moment, but he was prepared to duck into the woods as soon as he heard or saw anyone coming after them.
They came much sooner than he’d hoped.
He heard the footsteps behind them before he was able to steer Dan off the driveway and into the shadows.
He glanced back to see Kevin hurrying in their direction with Mark close behind him.
-
Chapter Twenty-Five
Red Maple Lake, California
Six Years Ago
Josh moved in the opposite direction, dragging Dan along as fast as they could manage. They made it another ten feet before Ruben stepped out from the woods on the other side of the driveway. He must have circled around the back of the house.
Mark was still covered in mud and crusty dried blood. He had the sword in his left hand. He looked like a madman. Which he surely was. But his alarming appearance finally broke through whatever denial Dan had cloaked around himself. He hopped faster.
If they could make it into the cover of the woods, they might have a chance.
Josh looked around wildly for an opening between the trees wide enough for both he and Dan to slip through. Kevin and Ruben were too close. They seemed as normal as before, but given Mark’s presence, their normal-like behavior horrified him.
Dan was breathing hard. Josh couldn’t move him any faster. Three against one, best case. And Mark was both armed and dangerous. Hell, maybe the others were, too. Maybe they were all insane.
Josh stopped and turned to face Ruben as Kevin and Mark approached. Dan’s eyes widened and he tugged on Josh’s arm and hopped a couple more feet.
Josh had been in many a bar fight with Dan and Skip in their college days. He knew what was coming. He recognized the signs. Dan must have seen it coming, too.
And Josh knew he couldn’t win. Not three against one. Not with Mark armed with that sword he was capable of wielding to lethal effect.
Yes. They were all crazy. For sure.
Briefly, he wondered what, exactly, he and his friends had stumbled into. If he hadn’t seen the woman’s dismembered body in the woods, he would never have believed any of this.
But he did see her. Denial was a deadly luxury.
“Dan, you can’t be walking on that ankle,” Kevin said reasonably, as any doctor might say to his patient. “Let’s go back inside and let me take a look at it. You might have made it worse with all this. As soon as the helicopter can take off, we’ll get you and Skip airlifted out of here.”
It was the mention of Skip that pushed Josh the short distance into panic. He’d thought Kevin, at least, could be counted on. He was a doctor. A healer. Not a killer.
But Kevin must have known that Skip died. No way he didn’t know. Not a chance. Kevin was one of them, too.
Josh felt his heart pounding like he’d run a marathon uphill. Fear caused heart attacks. He could die, right here, without anyone laying a finger on him.
Ruben said, “Come on, Josh. It’s damned cold out here. Let’s go back inside. Get showers and breakfast and then Mark can fly you out to Tahoe. Just like we planned.”
Josh tried a genuine smile and a friendly tone. “The weather seems to have passed. We’ll find our own way.” Kevin said, “What about Skip?”
“We’ll come back for him,” Josh said.
“What about Dan?” Ruben’s mouth split into a sneer. His tone snide. The pretending was over. “He’s already sweating. Weak. He’ll never make it hobbling on one leg. And you can’t carry him.”
“We’ll be fine.” Josh reached under Dan’s arm again and grabbed his torso. Dan hopped once.
Which was when Josh’s far peripheral vision picked up Mark raising his right arm and moving toward them. Mark was a big man. Powerful. Tall. He moved fast.
Dan hopped two more times before Mark reached them, arm in the air, the sharp sword raised to slash downward.
Josh jerked Dan away from the descending blade.
He lost his balance.
He hit the ground on his side and Dan landed on top of him. He rolled Dan off. They scrambled on their hands and knees in a desperate effort to get away.
Ruben changed position. In one smooth, practiced arc, he pulled a pistol from his belt. He pointed at Dan. And shot him in the back.
Dan screamed and fell face down onto the ground.
Josh darted away from the assailants. The shelter of the woods was close.
Dan continued to scream, but he didn’t move.
Josh glanced over his shoulder just as Ruben shot Dan in the head.
Dan’s screams stopped. His face fell into the mud. Blood spewed onto the ground. Dan remained silent.
Ruben looked toward Josh. His arm lifted, began the shooting arc again.
Josh dashed into the woods and hid behind a mammoth pine.
Ruben fired off two rounds. Somehow, he missed.
Josh sank against the big pine before he ran zigzagging between the trees, using the thick trunks as shields, putting distance behind him.
The three men came after him. They split up to cover more ground.
Josh could hear them yelling to each other.
Ruben yelled out. “You know who we are. You know we have limitless resources. Go ahead and run if you want. We will find you, Josh. I will find you. I will kill you. Just like Dan and Skip. You will never be safe. Never. You can count on that.”
He ran deeper into the darkness of the forest, moving as fast as he could on the uneven terrain, hiding behind the tree trunks, pushing himself up when he stumbled.
