Did You Miss Me? (22 page)

‘Hm?’ Paige studied her face. ‘What did you say?’

Daphne stared at the brownie, breaking off tiny pieces. ‘He’s not insensitive.’

Paige squeezed her shoulders. ‘His knuckles do drag the ground sometimes, though. It’s just how he rolls. He has a deep need to take care of people. I think once there was a— Wait, that’s my phone.’ She listened for a long time, her expression too smoothly serene. ‘Okay. Thanks.’ She hung up, studied the two agents sitting up front. ‘Clay just saw Stevie’s parents,’ she said to Daphne, all the while typing a text message. ‘They said that the doctor sounded hopeful that she’d make a full recovery.’

‘That’s wonderful,’ Daphne said. Then her phone buzzed and she found herself reading the text Paige had just sent her from the other side of the back seat.

Call was from Clay
.
Taser used at Z crime scene this morning
.
AFID tags trace to guns rept’d stolen from cop near Philly
.
20 min from KMacG parents
.
C going to PA
.

This was progress, Daphne thought, so why the cloak and dagger? She waited, because Paige was still typing.

‘I’m searching for the ICU visiting hours,’ Paige lied. ‘Do any of you know how late Stevie can receive visitors?’

‘They close for a few hours around breakfast and dinnertime,’ Hector said.

‘Thanks,’ Paige said. ‘I don’t suppose you can send flowers.’

Hector shook his head. ‘Not till she’s in a regular room.’

Paige put her phone away. ‘Hopefully that’ll be tomorrow. Grayson will want me to send flowers as soon as she’s able to receive them.’

Daphne read the second text.
Don’t say where you got the taser–Philly link
.
C’ll get in trouble
.
Delete this message
.

Feeling like Jim Phelps, Daphne deleted the message before it could self-destruct.

‘How are we planning to get Daphne to the interview rooms?’ Paige asked Hector.

Hector turned in the seat, his brows lifted. ‘I left instructions for our entry to the interview unit on a microfiche hidden in an envelope hidden under your seat. Better read it in a hurry, before the film goes up in smoke.’

Paige looked reluctantly impressed. ‘That text thing’s worked, like, so many times.’

‘I know,’ Hector said. ‘I use that technique often myself. What’s the secret?’

‘Busted,’ Paige muttered. ‘Oh, look, we’re here!’

Hector gave both Paige and Daphne a sharp look. ‘I’m serious.’

‘Truthfully,’ Paige said, ‘it’s all stuff you already know but haven’t told us.’

‘Uh-huh,’ Hector grunted. ‘We called ahead and have two uniformed officers waiting for us. At all times you stay within our circle. You’re still wearing your vest?’

‘Absolutely,’ Daphne said, pulling the collar of her turtleneck sweater to her collarbone to prove it. ‘Let’s go. I want to watch Joseph make Cindy Millhouse squirm.’

And when he’s done with that, I want to know what else he’s keeping from me
.

Tuesday, December 3, 5.15
P.M.

George Millhouse didn’t look like a murderer. That was Joseph’s first impression after walking into the interview room where Bill’s son was being held. Despite his size, he looked like a lost boy who was waiting in the mall security office for his mother to come claim him.
Could be why everyone thinks he’s not so bright
.

Joseph took the seat at the far end of the table and waited for George to look up. After about ninety seconds of silence, he finally did. He had two black eyes and his nose had bled profusely at some point. Blood soaked the sleeve of his shirt. He’d probably used his shoulder to wipe the blood from his face as his hands were cuffed behind his back. His feet, however, were free.

While Reggie was enormously well muscled, George was, well, not muscled at all. But he was a big guy, maybe two-seventy-five.

Joseph wasn’t lulled into complacency by the young man’s physique. He’d played football in high school and some of the most effective offensive tackles were the big guys who just walked through the defensive line, steamrolling the other players. Usually they moved at little more than a stroll, but sometimes they were fast.

‘Are you fast, George?’ Joseph asked when he met his eyes.

George blinked, confused and in pain. And scared. Tears had run tracks through the grime and dried blood on his face. ‘I don’t think so. I don’t know. Why?’

Joseph shrugged. ‘Your dad took a flying leap at me. I wanted to know if I could expect the same from you.’

‘Why? Why did he do that?’

‘I guess I just got on his bad side. Do you know who I am?’

‘A cop?’

‘My name is Special Agent Carter. I’m with the FBI.’

‘I’m not going to tell you anything. You might as well give up and go.’

‘That’s not going to happen,’ Joseph said, ‘but I think you know that. I don’t think you’re as stupid as everyone seems to think you are.’ This earned him a narrow-eyed glare. As narrowed as George could manage with his eyes swollen.

‘If you think you’re going to insult me into telling you what you want to know . . .’

‘Yeah, yeah, you’re not going to tell me anything. And I have to wonder why. It could be loyalty. Maybe pride. Could be fear.’

‘Loyalty,’ George said in a low growl. ‘Not that you’d understand that.’

‘Frankly, you’re right. I don’t understand that. I mean, your family gives you all the dirty work while Reggie doesn’t lift a finger all day.’

George shook his head. ‘You’re just bullshitting me. Reggie’s in jail.’

‘So are you,’ Joseph pointed out cordially. ‘Because your family gave you the dirty work. An impossible mission that you accomplished. You smuggled a knife into the courtroom and didn’t get caught.’

Ah, there it was
. The slight lifting of George’s chin. The gleam of pride.

‘No, I didn’t,’ George said. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

Joseph smiled. ‘You
do
remember the knife, right? The one that Reggie had in his hand? The one he used to stab a deputy?’

‘Yes,’ George said with disdain. ‘I saw it. Doesn’t mean I smuggled it in.’

‘Your fingerprints are all over it. Just sayin’.’

George’s mouth clamped shut.

‘We know how you did it, by the way. Pretty ingenious. Pretending to need a wrist brace, switching the supports at the last minute. You waltzed through security. Hit the men’s room, assembled the knife, walked into the courtroom – just in time for the verdict. You handed it to Cindy, who gave it to Reggie. Who blew it. All your work, all your risk . . . and your golden boy brother blows it. So here you are. That’s gotta chafe.’

George looked away.

‘Yours was the most dangerous part,’ Joseph went on. ‘You had to get the knife. If you made it, kudos. They might find a place for you in the workshop in prison.’ Joseph exaggerated a grimace. ‘Except they don’t let death row prisoners have jobs.’

George’s gaze came back around in slow motion, stunned at first, then disbelieving. ‘I didn’t kill anybody.’

Joseph shrugged again. ‘Reggie did.’

Fear flashed in his eyes. Fear and guilt. ‘The deputy . . . ?’

‘He died,’ Joseph lied harshly.

George wasn’t that stupid. And the boy seemed to have some thread of conscience.
I can use that
.

‘You brought Reggie the knife. Therefore you are as guilty as if you stabbed the deputy yourself.’

George’s reaction was the polar opposite of Bill’s. There was no glee. No smug joy. Just cold-blooded fear. ‘But I didn’t kill anybody,’ he insisted desperately. ‘I didn’t.’

Joseph thought of Isaac Zacharias and wanted to cause George great pain. He said nothing, though. Just watched as George thought through the possibilities.

‘I did
not
kill anyone. They can’t give me the death penalty for bringing the knife.’

Joseph wondered if George even realized he’d just confessed. ‘See, this is what I meant by the dirty work, George. Reggie gets himself jailed for murdering that couple on the side of the road. He’s found guilty by the jury. He has nothing to lose. What’s one more once you’ve killed already?’ He paused a moment, letting the statement hover. ‘You, on the other hand, you didn’t kill the couple on the side of the road. Yet now, here you sit. Because they gave you the dirty work. “Bring me the knife, George. Create a disturbance in the courtroom, George. Help your brother escape, George.
”
’

George sat silently, his massive chest moving up and down.

‘You might be right, George,’ Joseph said softly. ‘The jury might not give you the death penalty since you didn’t actually touch the deputy. But I can guarantee they’ll give you the death penalty for the murder of that DC cop.’

George’s swollen eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. ‘Wh-what? No. No. No fucking way. I did not kill anyone. I really didn’t kill a cop.’

Joseph took a photo of Zacharias’s body from his pocket and slid it down the table.

George paled. ‘They cut off his head. Oh my God. I don’t know him. I swear it.’

‘I can believe that,’ Joseph said. ‘You didn’t know he was there. He surprised you in the alley. I can believe you’d never seen him before.’

‘What? That guy was not in the alley. I would have noticed
that
.
’

‘When were you in the alley, George?’ Joseph asked silkily.

George realized he’d said too much.

‘CSU found the dead cop’s blood on the knife Reggie used in the courtroom. He was killed last night. With the knife you had possession of this morning.’

‘You’re lying,’ George said, his body starting to rock. ‘You’re lying.’

‘No, I’m not. I found the cop’s body this morning. Long before the verdict was read. You smuggled the knife into the courtroom. You had it last night. You killed Officer Zacharias. You slit his throat.’

‘No I didn’t! I
didn’t
have it last night! I just got it this morning.
I swear
. I never saw it before this morning and I wish I’d never seen it at all.’ Tears cut new streaks in the dirt on his cheeks. ‘Oh my God.’ George’s rocking grew more pronounced. ‘Son of a motherfucking
bitch
.’

‘You slit his throat, George. And then you did the dirty work you were sent to do. See, I believe you when you say you never saw Officer Zacharias before last night. You didn’t know he’d be there when you carried out the real reason you were sent to that alley. You killed the cop, then kidnapped those two college kids.’

George scrambled to his feet. ‘No, I did not. I don’t even know what you’re talking about. Kidnapping? That’s crazy. You’re crazy.’

‘Sit down, George,’ Joseph barked.

George sat, almost missing the chair because his legs were trembling so badly. ‘You’ve got to believe me.’

Joseph was very conscious of the time. He needed to get Grayson something linking Richard Odum to the money so they could get a warrant. ‘Why should I?’

‘Because I didn’t do it!’ George cried.

‘The real killer did it,’ Joseph deadpanned. ‘I’ve never heard that one before. But let’s say I believe you. I don’t, but let’s just say I do. Where did you get the knife?’

‘From Doug. He sold it to me. Promised that nobody would detect it.’

‘Okay. And who is this Doug?’

‘I don’t know his last name.’

‘Of course you don’t. You’re just wasting my time.’

‘I don’t! He’s a friend of my father’s. He sold us the knife.’

‘And the tasers?’

George frowned. ‘What tasers? I bought a knife. No tasers.’

‘What about the assault rifles?’

George opened his mouth. Closed it again. ‘I don’t know.’

‘“Doug” didn’t sell them to you?’

George sighed wearily. ‘I don’t know.’

Joseph stretched out his legs, made himself comfortable. ‘Marina’s dead.’

George flinched. ‘You’re lying.’ When Joseph continued to study him in silence, horrified acceptance began to fill his eyes. ‘When? How?’

‘She opened fire on the crowd outside the courtroom. A cop shot her, right in the head.’ He made a gun with his thumb and forefinger. ‘Pow. She dropped like a rock.’

George closed his eyes. ‘Oh my God. Oh my God.’

‘You keep saying that,’ Joseph said blandly.

George shook his head. ‘Shut up,’ he whispered. ‘Oh God. Just . . . shut up.’

Joseph gave him a minute. Then casually threw out the name he was most interested in at the moment. ‘Richard Odum.’

George’s eyes flew open, the flash of hatred unmistakable. And then he schooled his features to mimic mild resentment. ‘What about him?’

Not so stupid after all
. ‘You tell me. Since you’re so eager to have me believe you.’

George’s shrug was forced. ‘Friend of my father’s. On the board. All I know.’

‘I got that from the Internet, so you haven’t helped me at all. You should know that the state’s attorney is on the other side of the mirror. The charges against you are already signed. It’ll be first degree murder and two counts of kidnapping. And all that’s before we even start discussing the courtroom drama – and the aftermath.’

‘Marina,’ George said hoarsely. There was real grief in his eyes. Like he’d lost a lover. Joseph had planned to turn Cindy by telling her that Bill had an unholy affection for Marina. He wondered if it would work with George.

‘Interesting. Seems like for such a young girl, Marina has attracted an awful lot of strong emotion from you Millhouse men.’

George’s eyes narrowed, his breaths very shallow. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, Reggie was sleeping with her. You obviously carry a torch for her. And your dad . . . well, his
torch
got
extremely
intimate with her, if you know what I mean.’ Joseph was deliberately vulgar, just to see what George would say.

‘No, I
don’t
know what you mean,’ he hissed, furious now.

‘Oh, but I think you do. Daddy was poaching on Reggie’s territory. That baby Marina had a few days ago? Daddy’s.’

Again George leapt to his feet. ‘No!’ he roared. ‘You’re lying.’