Midnight Caller (5 page)

The clown selected one child, sitting in a wheelchair, and crouched beside him. Pointing to the tear on his cheek, the clown pretended to be sad, bent down closer still, and squirted water at the boy from a flower on his lapel. The boy hit the clown with his balloon. Both child and clown laughed and the clown fell back on the floor. Within moments all the children jumped on the clown, hitting him with their balloons, laughing and rolling over his flattened body.

Erin joined in the laughter. “He
is
great with the kids.”

“I know. Amy and I found out about him accidentally. You know how hard it is to get a doctor on weekends. A couple of months ago, Amy had an ear infection. Robert Stone promised he’d take a look after his rounds if I brought her here. We discovered the clown while we were waiting.”

“That sounds like something Robert might do.”

Carol raised an eyebrow. “I thought it was over between the two of you.” She tilted her head. “It is, isn’t it?”

“Of course, it’s been over for ages.”

“That’s what I thought you told me. Why did you dump him, anyway?” Carol grinned. “He’s not a cop.”

Erin shook her head from side to side in mock exasperation at her friend’s teasing. “No, he’s not a cop. Truthfully, he’s really a nice guy.”

“I’m beginning to think nice guys don’t stand a chance with you, O’Malley.”

Erin ignored her.

“So? What did the nice guy do to get dumped?”

Erin shrugged. “I was looking for light and casual. He wasn’t. So, I broke it off. When I realized how much I hurt him, I decided to stop dating period. I’m not interested in a relationship with any man. I only dated him to get out and have a little fun with someone I liked and respected. It hadn’t dawned on me that it had the potential to turn into something deeper for the other person. I hated that I hurt him. I won’t do that again to somebody else.”

“Mama.”

Carol scooped three-year-old Amy up into her arms and hugged her tight.

Sue Branson followed closely on Amy’s heels, whispered a few words in Carol’s ear and stepped away.

“Don’t know what I’d do without Sue,” Carol said. “She babysat Amy for the last three Friday nights for me.”

Erin glanced at her friend. “Are you dating again? Why didn’t you tell me? I’d watch Amy for you. Who’s the lucky guy?”

Carol’s face flushed. Before she could reply, a male voice interrupted.

“I thought I saw the three of you over here.”

“Hello, Robert.” Erin smiled at the six-foot-tall man and watched in amusement as Amy reached out her arms to him. He lifted the child, held her in the crook of his arm and didn’t offer a word of protest as she tousled his hair with her hands, laughed and did it again, entertaining herself as if she had invented the game.

“Good to see you, Erin. How have you been?” he asked.

“Just fine, Robert, and you?”

“Good.” His eyes no longer held the traces of hurt and anger she had seen after their breakup. With a sense of relief, she realized something else, a sparkle, a genuine happiness seemed to reside there now.

“We’re watching the clown show,” Carol said. “Or, at least, we were.”

The show was over and the clown gone.

Erin glanced at her watch. “No wonder. Look at the time. I have to get back downstairs. It’s almost time for shift report. I want to get home before Tess puts Jack to bed.”

“I’ll be down in a minute,” Carol said. “I have to wait for Sue to come back from the restroom.”

Erin nodded and slipped away from the group. The elevator was packed to capacity and a second group waited to board. Not wanting to wait, Erin slipped into the stairwell and took the steps two at a time. She had just cleared the second landing when she heard the heavy metal door slam
behind her. She smiled. She wasn’t the only one too impatient to wait.

Erin exited on the ground floor. A quick glance at her watch made her increase her pace. Her fifteen-minute break had quickly stretched into twenty minutes. Erin needed to hustle and get back to the ER.

The hospital was in the process of building a new facility out near the interstate. The grand opening was set for this summer, but some offices had already been moved and a couple wings of this building already closed. Erin rushed past a door leading to one of the empty wings and then turned around and went back. This wing cut right across the middle of the ground floor. If she took this shortcut, it could save her valuable time she would otherwise spend racing like a rat in a maze through the other corridors. She’d end up in the same place anyway, but this route would get her there in half the time.

Erin warred with herself. She was the kind of person who followed the rules. She didn’t claim to be sick when she wasn’t. She didn’t cheat on her taxes. She stopped at red lights. She did her best to live a good, clean, socially obedient life.

Except for her love of speed. Erin could almost feel an accelerator pedal beneath her foot and grinned.

Ignoring the Caution—Do Not Enter sign, she glanced both ways to make sure she wouldn’t be observed breaking the rules and slipped inside. It took her eyes a second to adjust. Instead of the bright fluorescent bulbs throughout the hospital, this area was lit by single bulbs placed strategically along the way. Erin began walking down the dimly lit corridor.

Furniture, file cabinets and medical equipment waiting for transfer to the new facility loomed on all sides of a small walkway and cast monstrous shadows on the floor. The silence made Erin uneasy. Maybe this hadn’t been such a
good idea. She increased her pace. A rustling sound behind her made Erin pause. Was someone else in this deserted part of the hospital? She stood still and listened.

Nothing.

She continued moving toward the exit.

Bang. The sound of metal hitting the concrete floor echoed through the room. Erin’s heart slammed against her chest. Someone was in here with her.

“Hello. Is anybody there?”

Silence.

Why didn’t they show themselves? Her breathing quickened and her pulse raced.

Rooted to the spot, she stared into the darkness. She thought she saw a furtive movement in the shadows.

“Hello?”

Ice-cold fingers of fear crept up her spine. Erin wasn’t stupid enough to stand around in the darkness waiting for answers that didn’t come. She sprinted toward the exit and burst through the door. Never before had she been so happy to see the ebb and flow of people moving through the corridor.

What was the matter with her? Since when was she afraid of the dark? That’ll teach her to break the rules. She collapsed against the wall, leaned her head back and tried to catch her breath.

“Miss Erin? Are you okay?”

Erin glanced up. Lenny stood beside her, holding blood specimen tubes housed in plastic bags in both hands.

Erin’s chest heaved from the exertion of the last few minutes but she managed to smile.

“I’m fine, Lenny.” She pushed off the wall, grateful to see the entrance to the ER straight ahead. “Just getting a little exercise on my break.” She nodded and hurried past him.

The rest of her shift passed without incident. After report she waved at Carol and said goodbye to her peers. Erin hurried to the lobby. Her nerves were still on edge and she’d be glad when she was home. She rummaged around the bottom of her purse for her keys and stepped outside. Pausing for a moment in the entranceway, she glanced up.

God, it’s so beautiful tonight. Look at those stars. I’m constantly in awe of Your breathtaking creations
.

The breeze ruffled her hair. She shoved her hands into her jacket pocket but couldn’t find her scarf. She fumbled in her purse, admonishing herself for the hundredth time for owning a purse without separate compartments, and came up empty. Where is it? She chewed her bottom lip. Think. When was the last time you had your scarf?

She shuffled the purse contents. Cell phone. Wallet. Lipstick. Tissues. Paperback.

This color looks good on you, brings out the color of your eyes
.

Tony. The silk scarf slipping ever so slowly through his fingers. She stared into her purse. The scarf was gone.

Lost in thought, she walked to her car and almost missed the item tucked beneath her windshield wiper. Erin pulled out the dead, withered rose and opened the small white note wrapped around the stem. She held it under the lamp light and read it. Then, read it again. Her fingers trembled and the note slipped to the ground.

S
ergeant Greene stood in the front of the room. “Okay, men. What do we have?”

“The autopsy report is back on Cynthia Mayors,” Tony said. “Same findings as Anne Morton and Leigh Porter with one difference. She fought back hard enough to provide DNA material for testing.”

“Yeah, if we come up with someone to test,” Spence grumbled.

“Official cause of death,” Tony continued, “in all three cases was exsanguination.”

Brad Winters spoke up. “Let me get this straight. He did what he wanted with these women and then what? Did he just pull up a chair and watch them bleed to death? I don’t get it.”

“Let’s hope none of us ever understand that kind of rage,” Tony said.

“Where are we with suspects?” Sarge asked.

Spence cleared his throat. “None, Sarge. Zip. Nada.”

“Spence and I are going to take another run at the convenience store where Anne Morton worked,” Winters said. “Most of us have the habit of frequenting the store closest to our home. You know, the wife calls and you run in to get milk or bread on the way home. Maybe this guy was a regular
customer. One night he goes in there and she says or does something that sets him off. Something made her a victim.”

“Yeah, Sarge. And if he does live in the area, then the other clerks might recognize him as a regular. We’re hoping now that some time has passed and they’ve gotten over the initial shock of the murder they might remember something.”

“All we got out of the manager last time was that Morton was dependable,” Winters said. “Never missed a day of work. Even brought her kid to work with her once when her babysitter was a no-show.”

“Husband? Family? Friends?” Sarge asked.

“None we could find,” Spence replied. “The lady went to work and went home to her kid. Period.” He leaned back in his chair and sighed audibly.

“Three women. Three different lifestyles with no visible connection,” Tony said. “One worked as an assistant manager at a convenience store. One worked as an administrative assistant for a local contracting company. Our third victim was a nurse. Two white, one black. One single, one married and one going through a divorce. Three different neighborhoods, three different economic situations. The only obvious connection is that all three victims have children. Lord help us if that is the only criterion this nutcase uses. Imagine trying to protect all the moms in this world.”

Sergeant Greene clamped his teeth down hard on a yellow pencil. After a moment of contemplation, he barked, “Are you suggesting these are random killings? That there’s no connection between these victims?” He shook his head. “Don’t buy it. There’s got to be a common link. Something ties these women together. You’re missing it, fellows. Dig deeper.”

“That’s why we’re going back to the convenience store,” Winters said. “Maybe we can jog somebody’s memory.
Maybe a customer who hung around too much. Or Morton complained to a coworker about a rude comment. Something.”

“I might have something,” Tony said. “Leigh Porter’s pastor called. Something’s been nagging at him. He doesn’t think it’s important, but obviously, whatever it is, he wants to get it off his chest. I made an appointment rather than have him tell me over the phone so I’d have the opportunity to probe a little. Maybe it’ll lead somewhere.”

“Good. See what you can turn up.” The sergeant gathered the papers in front of him and stood. “Let’s not waste time. We’ve got a serial killer to catch.”

Tony slid out of his car, arched his back and removed his jacket. He reached into the backseat, withdrew a small bag and hung his jacket on the inside hook above the side window. Before walking up to Erin’s front door, he stretched again. It had been a grueling day.

The interview with the pastor at Porter’s church had provided a potential lead. The pastor told him about a conversation he had had with Leigh the Sunday before her death. He noted she didn’t look quite as perky as usual. She told him she hadn’t been sleeping well. She’d been getting anonymous phone calls, mostly at night. When he expressed concern and encouraged her to report the calls to the police, she laughed. With four kids of her own, two of them starting those dreaded teen years, she figured it was just kids playing a prank and they’d tire of the game soon enough. She hadn’t thought it important, so Pastor Jones forgot about it. But lately, it’d been niggling at his conscience. What if it wasn’t a kid’s prank? What if it had something to do with her murder? That’s when he thought maybe he’d better call. Tony ordered Porter’s phone records pulled.

Then, he’d taken another shot at Leigh Porter’s neighbors. House after house, he heard the same story. What a good woman she was. Friendly, outgoing, helpful. Active in her church. Adored her kids. Managed to keep all four of them on the straight and narrow, which wasn’t an easy task considering her no-good husband. The man liked to frequent the local bars and came home staggering—when he did come home. He was a nasty drunk. Had a mean temper. Slammed her around a couple of times. She drew the line the day one of their teenage sons tried to protect her and ended up with a broken arm for his trouble. Porter filed for divorce the next day. Right after she had him arrested.

Unfortunately, that gave his number one suspect an ironclad alibi. When Leigh Porter disappeared and was murdered, her husband was in jail.

The closer Tony got to Erin’s front door, the more relaxed he felt, almost like he was coming home. The feeling surprised him and his guard went up. He refused to have any feelings about this woman. Period. He rang the bell, peered through the side glass panels and grinned when he saw Tess approach.

She opened the door and gestured him inside. “Detective Marino, what brings you here?”

Tony stepped into the foyer. The long forgotten scent of home cooking caused his stomach to rumble and reminded him that he hadn’t eaten. “I’m a detective, ma’am. I followed the world’s most delectable aroma all the way from the station and, lo and behold, it led me right here.”

Tess chuckled and led him into the kitchen. “Sit. You look like you’ve had a long day, lad.” Once he did, she placed a cup of her Irish coffee in front of him.

He made a show of inhaling deeply before he took a sip. “Perfection.”

A satisfied smile danced across Tess’s lips. “Surely, you’ll be staying for some of my ham and cabbage.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I just stopped by for a minute.”

“Nonsense. Don’t go insultin’ me. There’s plenty of food. I’ll just be settin’ another plate at the table.”

“Who was at the door?”

Erin stood in the doorway and Tony couldn’t suppress his response. She was a beautiful woman. And Christian or not, he was still human—and male. Wisps of wet auburn hair curled in tiny circles, framing her face. An undulating river of dark red fell over her shoulders and covered her chest. Her skin glistened. She looked like she’d just stepped out of a steam bath. Her green eyes widened when she met his gaze but the look of surprise quickly faded when Jack plowed into the back of her heels with his walker.

“Ouch, Jack, watch what you’re doing.” Erin steadied the walker, allowed the child to pass her and then followed him into the room.

“Detective Marino,” Jack yelled. “When did you get here?”

“Just a minute ago, champ.” He directed his words to Jack, but his eyes never left Erin. He came to see the boy. But he couldn’t deny a strong pull to Jack’s mother, a tension that pulsated through his veins every time she entered a room. One temptation he was determined to ignore.

“Tony’s joining us for dinner,” Tess said. “Set him a place at the table while I tend to the food.”

Erin glanced his way. He shrugged and nodded his head toward Tess, indicating he was innocent.

Once seated, Erin bowed her head to say grace before the meal. Dinner conversation flowed easily. Jack chattered nonstop about the field trip. And everyone laughed when he stage-whispered in Tony’s ear, loud enough for everyone to
hear, that he wouldn’t mind if Tony wanted to play his dad again sometime.

Erin joined the conversation, but she also seemed to enjoy sitting back and observing the interaction between Tess, Jack and himself. For the second time in as many weeks, Tony realized how much he enjoyed the feeling of being a part of this family and warning signs flashed through his mind. He had to get out of here. He pushed back his plate, patted his stomach and said, “Ms. O’Malley that was delicious.”

“Tess, remember? Thank you, lad.” Tess picked up his empty plate and carried it to the sink.

Erin leaned over and whispered, “The way to her heart is through her cooking. You’ll be gaining twenty pounds before you know it if you’re not careful.”

Tony chuckled. “Thanks for the warning.”

“Are you taking us to Disney World again?” Jack asked.

“Sorry, champ. Not this time.” He lifted a bag from the floor by his chair. “But I did stop by for a reason. Recognize this?”

Jack excitedly snatched the bag and looked inside. “My Mickey Mouse coloring book and my Lego kit. I’ve been looking all over for them.”

Tony answered Erin’s unspoken question. “He left them on the backseat of my car. I’ve been tied up on a case and haven’t had a chance to return them.”

“You didn’t happen to see my green scarf did you?”

“The one that matches your eyes?” He smiled at the instant blush of color that tinged her cheeks. “Don’t tell me you lost it.” He pretended to be horrified.

Before she could reply, Jack interrupted. “Can I open my Legos, Mom? Please?”

Erin laughed. “Don’t give me that sad-eyed puppy dog
look of yours. You’re going to turn into a manipulating little scamp if I’m not careful.” Mussing his hair, she said, “Play in the living room and make sure you pick up every piece before you get ready for bed.”

“I’ll supervise the lad.” Tess removed the apron from her ample girth. “You sit and visit with your company.”

“Alone, at last.” Tony grinned and wiggled his eyebrows up and down.

When Erin laughed, he realized just how much he had missed the sweet, tinkling sound. After the field trip, he’d been tied up on the case, and days passed without a word between them. She probably thought he’d been following her request to move on. He should. Part of him wanted to. But one look into her sparkling green eyes and he knew it wasn’t something he was ready to do.

“I’m surprised to see you,” she said.

“Why? Because you kicked my male ego to the curb?” He smiled and leaned toward her. “I know most men would have probably tucked their tail between their legs and headed for higher ground when you gave them the boot.” He captured an auburn strand of her hair and curled it around his finger. “But I’m not most men.”

She lowered her eyes and seemed to struggle to find her voice.

“Besides, I know you didn’t mean to kick me to the curb. Did you, darling?” he teased.

Erin locked her eyes with his and looked at him with such intensity it stole his breath. There was something happening between them. Something neither one of them seemed to want and neither one could leave alone.

He cleared his throat and subtly straightened back in his own chair where he belonged. Trying to keep his voice busi
nesslike, he said, “Seriously, Erin. We need to talk. A woman filed a complaint at the station, today. She’s been receiving upsetting telephone calls.”

Erin blinked hard. “It wasn’t me. I filed my report a week ago.”

“I know,” he assured her. “But I found out today that one of our murder victims also got harassing calls.”

Erin’s eyes widened. “You think…?”

“It’s too soon for me to think anything, right now. But it’d be foolish to ignore the coincidence. I wanted to see if you’re still being harassed.”

“No.”

He sensed she wasn’t being a hundred percent truthful.

She sipped her coffee, holding the cup with both hands, but it didn’t hide her trembling.

“Erin?” His fingers cupped her chin. “You can trust me. You can come to me if you have a problem, any problem.”

Erin shivered and a small groan escaped her lips.

He sat quietly. He could wait. He was an expert in interrogation. He’d sit here and wait all night if that’s what it took.

“The calls kept coming.” Her voice softened to a little more than a whisper. “Even after I let the answering machine screen the numbers I didn’t recognize. So I changed to a private number and they stopped.”

“Okay.” Tony’s eyes never left her face. “So why do I feel there’s more you’re not telling me?”

Obviously, this was difficult for her. He knew Erin was a very private person, kept tight rein on her feelings, maintained an outward appearance of always being in complete control. But now she squirmed beneath his scrutiny. Her mouth twisted into a grim line. Tony continued to sit quietly, not rushing her, letting her tell things in her own time.

“Two nights ago, I found a dead rose under my windshield wiper when I left work. There was a note attached.”

“Did you keep the note?”

“No.” She stood and moved about the kitchen, idly straightening canisters, fidgeting with salt and pepper shakers, wiping counters. “I wasn’t thinking clearly, I guess. I just wanted to forget about it.” She threw him a warning glance over her shoulder. “I still do.”

“Did you report it?”

“Yes, I drove straight to the Ormond Beach police station before I went home.”

“Why didn’t you call the sheriff’s department?”

“Because I already filed a report about the phone calls with the Ormond police. I figured they were the ones I should tell about the dead rose and note, too. But it was just a waste of time. They typed a report and added it to my file. That’s about it.”

“Why didn’t you call me?”

She blushed, ducked her head and shrugged.

Tony crossed the room and gently turned her to face him. “Tell me about the note.”

“What’s to tell? Someone likes getting their kicks trying to scare people. I probably should have looked around. I’m sure there were similar notes on dozens of cars, like the flyers tucked beneath your windshield wipers at the mall.” She looked at him, her eyes wary, frightened, begging him to assure her it was nothing.