Cast the Cards (17 page)

“You
ready to go back in?” Carey asked once he was finished documenting, sans the
date.

“Yes.” 
She returned to unwrapping and discovered a faded wreath of purple and blue flowers
woven together to make up a mock crown.

“What
the hell?”  Carey whispered.

“I
don’t know.  I think these are his trophies.” She waited for him to grab a
plastic bag that would accommodate the new article of evidence. He returned to
the table with an open bag and eased the fragile offering up, lowering it into the
protective sheath.

“Then
why is he sending them to you?”

“That’s
the question, isn’t it?”  He sealed the bag and she unfolded the last layer to
reveal the Empress card sitting on top of a loose sheet of paper.  Unlike the
first one she’d received, there were no pictures cut out and pasted. At first
glance the card appeared to be un-tampered with. But only a thorough
examination would say for sure.  Removing the paper from beneath the card, she
held it up and began to read.

Dear
Agent West,

I
trust you enjoyed the last gift I sent. Here’s another for your growing
collection. I hear you’re clever. So I hope you don’t disappoint. Enclosed is a
gift, if you’re quick enough to catch it. I am ever one step closer.

“Son
of a bitch is taunting us.”

Carey
rested his hand on her shoulder. “We’ll catch him.”

She
nodded, unable to speak for fear he’d hear how much the simple gesture affected
her. “We only have a few days with this, and then the Feds will come down and
try to take over.”

Carey
opened his mouth and shut it.

“Yeah,
I know I’m a Fed, but I work well with others. I can’t say that about everyone
in my department. I love my partner. Yet it’s not the same as working with you.
We’re both close to this one.”

“Do
you think they’ll take you off the case?”

“No,
not when I’m the main point of contact. But they’ll watch me like a hawk.”

“Then
I guess we need to get cracking. What comes next?”

“I
want to compare the original card with this one. I don’t see how the clue could
be in the hair or the letter. Unless he uses some sort of UV ink…” she trailed
off.

“Do
you want me to call in forensics to go over things?”

“No. 
Let’s hold off until we’ve called it in to F.B.I. There’s a line I can’t cross
as much as I’d like to.”

“Okay,
let’s bag everything up. Take it back our office.”

***

“What
do you think it means?” Carey asked.

The
minute they’d compared the two cards they’d realized the killer’s card had a
series of numbers around the outer rim of the original card lacked. The
Egyptian Empress sat on a throne with an Ankh in one hand and a scroll in the
other. In the distance stood two golden columns covered with drawings of men
from that time, and alternating blue and gold lines. Around the borders were
more hieroglyphics, not numbers.

“I’m
not sure. It’s long, too long to be feasible as is. The question is, how does
it break down? Is it in order? A jumble of numbers they threw together? It
could be a victim’s social security number, a birthday, the date they committed
the crime. Hell, it could be a code. Maybe these numbers stand for letters.”

“Or
maybe these assholes are trying to get under our skin and put us even more on
edge,” Carey suggested.

“No,
this is something. They want credit, right? To be recognized as clever, crafty,
and terrifying.  In order for that to happen, we need bodies and information.
I’m breaking them into six or seven digit sequences, and running them through
some programs to see if I get a hit. It’ll take some time.”

“Let’s
take a walk, get a cup of coffee.”

“Right
now?” Her incredulous expression was almost comical.

“Yeah.”
He nodded.

 “I
get the feeling this isn’t a suggestion.”

“No,
come on.” He placed a hand on the small of her back and gave her a little push.

They
left their office and walked into the break room.

“Take
a load off and relax. I’ll make the coffee.” She sat down at the break table
and he moved over to the coffee station. Removing two Styrofoam cups from the
sleeve, he added ample creamer and two scoops of sugar to one cup for her, and
poured a black cup for himself. 

“Here
you are.” He placed her cup in front of her and took a seat beside her.

“Thank
you.”

“You’re
welcome.” Lifting the cup to his mouth, he took a sip, watching her over the
rim. “You want to talk about earlier?”  

“I’m
frustrated as hell we haven’t found anything.” She growled. “They’re good.
Chances are there’s a tie to the law, military, or a survivalist. They’ve kept
their noses clean for far too long to not have some sort of specialized
training.  Their kills have to be done over at least a five to ten year span of
time? It’d take time finding the right victim to match the card and plan the
kidnapping out. They’re meticulous and damned careful. The fact that they
continue to single me out doesn’t sit well.  It’s fucking with my head.”

“You
scared?”

“I’d
be a fool not to be. It’s clear they come and go as they please. I wouldn’t be
surprised if they were watching me. I’m starting to feel eyes on my back. Worst
part, I don’t know if they’re real or imagined. They’re throwing me off my
game, making me doubt myself… it’s a dangerous position to be in, especially
now.”

“Did
you see someone that fit Clark’s description?” He lowered his voice. “Find
anything out of place at the apartment?”

“No,
just a gut feeling. We’re running out of time. The things they’re sending are
more personal, and final. They’re ramping up. This last clue feels like the
final straw, doesn’t it? I mean, why send us coordinates?” Her brow creased,
meeting in the center of her forehead.  “It’s like doing a victory lap before
you’ve won the race.”

 “What
do you want to do?”  
She can’t drop that on me and think I’m going to let it
go.

“Not
much we can do other than watch our asses. Last night I woke up from a dead
sleep. Not sure why. Maybe I heard something outside or had a bad dream I
couldn’t remember. I tried to go back to sleep and I couldn’t until I pulled
out my weapon and did a sweep of the apartment and the surrounding perimeter.
Clark was off doing ghost business.”
They had a don’t ask, don’t’
tell policy with Clark’s ghostly dealings.
 He tamped down his
anger. What the hell was she thinking venturing out alone in the dead of night?

“Given
the circumstances I think that’s understandable. Next time, wake me up please.
What if they’d been out there and ambushed you?”
“If I didn’t see them coming this time. I’d deserve it.” She gritted her teeth.
Her shoulders dropped and weariness was written across her face. He’d never
seen her look so beaten before.

“Hey.” 
He scanned the area outside the office.
All clear.
Leaning forward, he
placed his hand under her chin.

“Are
you okay?”
Is the case finally getting to her?

“We’ve
been at a disadvantage from the moment they contacted us. It’s all mapped out
and we’re along for the ride. Until they drive us over the cliff we never knew was
there.”

“We’ll
get through it.” He lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.

“In
once piece?”

There
was something more going on then she was admitting. But he wouldn’t press her
here—wrong time, wrong place.

“Yes.
I know they have us chasing our tails right now.  Eventually we’ll get a break.
These numbers may be just that. We’ll crack it today before the end of work. Record
our findings and lock it down. The Chief’s stalling for us. Let’s make it worth
his while.”

“You’re
right.” She ran a hand down her face. “I’m just tired.”

“I’m
partially responsible for that. We’ll have to lay off you tonight.”

“Hush.
Thanks for this.” She waved her coffee cup at him. “It’s what I needed. Now
let’s get back in there and get these numbers figured out.”

Pushing
back from the chair, she rose and he followed. Returning to their office, they
settled back to work. He’d soothed her ruffled feathers. Too bad it felt like
the calm before the storm.

“Holy
shit! I did it! It’s not
a
location. It’s multiple, three to be exactin
Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky. Each located along the borders, so they could
be traveled to and from easily. Son of a bitch!”

“What
do you think we’ll find?”  

“I
have no clue. Bodies, nothing, tokens from their victims.” Their gazes met. “Regardless,
two are out of jurisdiction. That’s a lot of red tape. It’ll be easier to call
in the Bureau. ”

“Only
two?”

“One’s
in our back yard. We can work that one without worrying about pissing anyone
off.”

“Jesus.”
The thought of these monsters being in their back yard all this time praying on
people without anyone knowing made him sick to his stomach.
How many people
had they snatched from the area unnoticed?

“Let’s
go talk to Chief.”

Renewed
by the potential break they walked to the coroner’s office. He knocked.

“Come
on in,” the chief called.

Stepping
inside, he closed the door behind him. “We cracked the numbers.”

“What
did you find?” Chief raised his eyebrows.

“Coordinates
to three destinations, two are out of our jurisdiction, and one is just on the
border.”  He exhaled.

“Where
is it located?” Chief sat up straight in his chair.

“According
to maps, a wooded area that belongs to the city,” Vannah said.

“This
is your case. How do you want to play it?”

“Can
we take our forensics team and keep things low-key? Call for backup if we need
it?”  Carey asked.

Chief
nodded. “Yeah. I like your approach on this one, Carr. Sound good to you,
West?”

“Yes,
sir.”

“Start
rounding up the team while I get the paperwork going. I get the feeling it’s
going to be a long night.”

Chapter
Twelve

Bone-weary
Savannah stood at what had turned out to be a mass grave. The pungent stench of
decomposed flesh burned her nostrils. Water trailed from her eyes, leaving
salty streaks down her face. Mounds of dirt lined the clearing like giant ants
had come up from the ground. Corpses in various states of decomposition were
being bagged up and taking away. It looked like a zombie’s burial ground. Wrapped
up in plastic and doused with some sort of preserving fluid it was impossible
to gauge how long some of these bodies had been here by sight alone. 

“How
does something like this go unnoticed?” a female member of the forensics team
asked as she wiped sweat from her brow. Dressed from head to in a blue uniform
that looked like scrubs, blue gloves, safety glasses, and a mask she could
barely make out her pale skin and bright blue eyes.

“I
think he brought them in from wherever he murdered them, because there’s no way
this many missing people would go unnoticed in such a small community.” She ran
a hand through her hair and shook her head. “I’m not sure what I was expecting.
Certainly not this.”

“I’m
terrified of what we’ll find at the other site. We pulled ten bodies out of
here.”  Carey’s exhausted tone came from her left as he rejoined her by the
final body. “How long until we know what caused their deaths and get a
coroner’s report?”

“A
couple weeks at least. This is a heavy load for our tiny facility. We’ll write
up all the surface things first, so at the least you’ll have that.”             

“Thanks,
Christine. I know you guys will be pulling some late nights over this. We
appreciate you.”

“We
want to catch these psychos just as much as you do. Too close to home.” Christine
shuddered.

“I
hear that.” Carey sighed. The zip of the body bag sounded final in the hustle
and bustle. Giant spot lights had been brought in as the sun began to set and
the bodies continued to be discovered.

“Okay,
that was our last one. We’re out of here, guys,” Christine gave a wave and
followed the others out.

While
corpses were unearthed and carried out of the woods, they’d swept the area
after the investigation team and came up emptyhanded.

“Time
to call it a night, West?” Carey asked. They were very careful about what they
let slip in public.

She
nodded her agreement. Removing the flashlight from her belt, she turned it on
as they stepped out of the boundary of illumination the lights provided.
Halfway from the site a stick cracked and they stopped in the tracks.

“Did
you hear that?” she whispered.

“Yeah…
animal maybe?” he suggested.