Profiled (25 page)

“You said you have an announcement, Jackson?” the captain asked.

Angel shuffled her notes in place. “I do.”

“Go ahead.” Pierce looked as though he wanted to hit something. Lexie knew the man hated the fact that he didn’t have the authority to remove Angel from the case, but the FBI trumped him, and that was all there was to it. In fact, Lexie figured he was lucky she hadn’t bought a billboard in the middle of Macon announcing her pregnancy.

“I’ve studied prior cases, and with this kind of killer, one who thrives on perfection and a systematic approach to his murders, our best chance to force him out of his cycle is to make him mad, goad him into doing something atypical.”

“What do you have in mind?” John asked.

Lexie looked at John, then Angel. Angel had already told both of them that she attempted to do that very thing with her pregnancy. That hadn’t been enough for Angel, and Lexie wondered how far her cousin would go to pull this killer out of hiding. Of course, if they really wanted to force him out, they could announce that Lexie had witnessed one of his murders and that Aunt Beverly’s baby had survived and now profiled the killer who murdered her mother.

But although that tactic had the potential to oust the killer, since he’d want to eliminate both of them as soon as possible, it’d also oust the only known witness to his crime. And since Lexie didn’t remember seeing the man’s face, letting him know would issue her own death sentence—which meant Angel had come up with another approach for forcing his hand.

But what? And why hadn’t she forewarned Lexie and John?

“We’ve been looking at victimoloy to tell us about our killer.” Angel indicated her thick victimology file. “And that’s, of course, a viable means of learning more about him, about what kind of victim he’s looking for and how he makes his selection. However, I realized today that I overlooked a key aspect to the criminology of this case.”

“How’s that?” Lou asked.

“The first victim. Zed has been working hard to get information on Hannah Sharp, and from his meetings with her family and friends, we know she was pregnant with Logan Finley’s baby, that she’d planned to run off and get married to avoid her family’s disapproval, and that she never made it, since no one has heard from Hannah or Logan again.”

Zed cleared his throat. “That’s right.”

“So, let’s assume that Hannah Sharp was his first victim, or rather, that Hannah Sharp and Logan Finley were his first victims. What’s different about that case than all the others?”

“There were two victims,” Lou said.

“And no bodies,” John added.

“Exactly. That’s the part that I’m focusing on. No bodies. With every other kill that first year, he left the bodies out in the open, ready to be found. Seven years later, with the second series, he’d developed remorse of some type, either from a marriage or a relationship, or maybe even the end of his leader, since Brother Moses left in ’88 and some presumed him dead. In any case, with that second series, he started leaving the bodies almost ceremoniously atop their own beds and within their own homes.”

Ryan Sims leaned forward in his seat and glared at Angel. He’d grown weary of the profiler and her assessments, and even though he didn’t voice his displeasure, he didn’t try to hide it, either. “So what are you saying?”

“I think he semi-planned his first kill. He picked the date, based on his religious numerology preferences, and he knew his victim, Hannah. I don’t know that he meant to kill Logan Finley at that time, but perhaps they were together on the specified date, and he had to kill him in order to kill Hannah as well. But in either case, I believe at that time, he hadn’t yet decided this would be a recurring act.”

“He didn’t realize he would kill more people?” Lexie asked.

Angel nodded. “That’s what I’m thinking. And I don’t know what changed after that point, but I’d venture to say it had something to do with a twisted interpretation of the rules and
regulations of the Fellowship, with their take on children equaling power and those expecting a child out of wedlock gaining that power illegally.”

“Unbestowed,” John corrected. “That’s what we called it. Having a child out of wedlock gained power that hadn’t been bestowed on that person. You weren’t allowed to have a child without the bond of marriage, and those that did were excommunicated from the congregation. Right, Zed?”

“That’s right.”

Angel perked up at that, pointed a finger in the air, and continued, “Which fits. He dealt the punishment to the girl who’d committed the crime, and perhaps he dealt it to her boyfriend as well, but at that time, he didn’t want anyone to know what he’d done. Maybe he hadn’t decided if the act could be justified yet, and then after thinking about it, he convinced himself that it was not only justified, but required.”

Throughout the course of the case, Lexie had watched Angel work, but she’d never seen the inner reasonings of her cousin’s mind in progress, not the way she did right now. Listening to Angel’s thought process and watching the way she put it all together, the entire room absorbed her analysis of a killer’s psyche, with her description flowing as if she were discussing the weather.

“All right,” Pierce said, “I can see where you might be onto something here, but what are you suggesting?”

“I’m suggesting that when he killed the first time, he not only wanted retribution for Hannah Sharp; he also wanted to cover up his crime. Literally.”

“You think he buried her,” John said. “He didn’t want anyone to know what he did, so he buried her.”

“I do.” Angel seemed impressed that he followed her perception. “And because he is such a perfectionist, I don’t believe he’d have buried her anywhere. I think he put her body somewhere symbolic of the crime she committed, a place that would remind him of what she’d done when he returned to the body dump site.” She paused, took a moment to scan everyone in the room. “And he
does
return to that original site. Every killer does. I’d venture to say he’s been there a few times this year, when his newest series started.”

“Why?” Lexie asked.

“To remind him how and why it all began.”

“Where do you think he buried her?” Lou Marker’s accusing glare changed to a look of acute interest.

“I believe he’d want to put her close to the Fellowship, somewhere that would emphasize the rules she’d broken.” She looked at Zed. “You said the Fellowship met outdoors, in the woods, right?”

Zed nodded. “Outside of town, with a narrow access off one of the county roads.”

“Probably not even utilized by people who weren’t in the group, right? At least at that time?”

“Right. You think that’s where her body is?”

“Don’t you?”

The older man’s eyes widened, his face searched out the former members of their group. Lou, Ryan and John. “What if she’s there? Back then, everyone refused to mention that she’d gone, refused to acknowledge she’d ever existed, because of her family and because of our rules. What if the girl had been murdered and buried right there where we gathered? What if the killer stood right above her and, knowing that, somehow found satisfaction that the group had disowned her? And no one even looked for her.” He shook his head. “It ain’t right. No one even tried to find
her.”

“You think she’s there too, don’t you?” Angel looked as though she already knew the answer.

Zed, his wrinkled face full of disgust, nodded.

“If we find Hannah’s body, and Logan’s too, assuming he buried them near each other, then we’ll upset his pattern. He undoubtedly returns to Hannah to remind him of his purpose. If we remove that ability, we’ll remove his original point of contact with his crime.” Angel turned to Zed. “All of you who were former members still remember where the group met back then?”

Still dazed, Zed nodded, while Lou answered, “Yeah, we remember.”

“Then let’s get on it.” Pierce sounded eager to make headway in the case and to have an impact in the killer’s plan. “Give us the directions and let’s get the crime scene van out there. If he did bury Hannah Sharp and Logan Finley at that place, we should be able to find them.”

Chapter Fourteen

Lexie spent the majority of her time at WGXA in the evening, after her interview with a victim’s family had aired, constructing the questions for the next day’s broadcast. When the remainder of the task force headed to the Fellowship’s former meeting location, she had John drop her off at her office to prepare for the first of tomorrow’s two interviews.

She’d been informed that the excavation of the bodies, if they were indeed buried at that location, could take several hours or even days, and she hadn’t wanted her segments for tomorrow’s news missing in action while she watched and waited for something that might not turn up.

But deep down, Lexie knew Angel had the right idea, and she expected to hear that Hannah Sharp had been buried on what was once considered sacred ground by the fanatical group.

It still amazed her that John, Lou, Ryan, Zed and Paul had all been so obsessed with the cult-like assemblage. And, from what John had told her, so had a large portion of the town. Even now that the group had been disbanded for over twenty years, the Fellowship still dominated Macon’s gossip frenzy.

Everywhere Lexie went, people asked if she’d heard any additional names that had surfaced regarding the group. She wasn’t sure whether they were trying to find out who had been involved, or whether they were hoping their own affiliation hadn’t been unearthed. Either way, she told them the truth. If she learned anything, they’d hear about it on the news. She had hoped the profound interest in the Fellowship’s relationship with the killer would remain outside of her office. With Melody Harper in the next cubicle, however, that wasn’t a possibility.

“Lexie, you got a minute?” Melody popped her head around the wall at knee-level, still sitting in her chair while she asked. Her gray bun drooped from the top of her sideways head and her granny glasses dangled from a beaded strap around her neck.

Lexie gave the lady a smile that she assumed the woman needed. “I finished updating the information from the profiler and sent it to Paul for approval. And since I’ve got to wait a while before I’ll be able to do my interview, I’ve got a minute.”

Melody’s eyes looked tiny without her glasses, and she squinted a bit as she rolled her chair across the floor to fill the opening to Lexie’s cubicle. “You’ve got to interview John Tucker about his wife, don’t you?”

Lexie nodded. “She’s the next victim to be featured.”

“That’ll be tough, don’t you think? Since the two of you have been seeing each other and all.”

“It’s tough with any victim’s family. They’ve all lost someone they love, and it hurts to hear about their pain. But I still think it’s the best way of getting our readers to relate to the victims and to care whether or not we get this guy before he kills someone else. Plus, it lets them know what to watch for.”

Melody bobbed her head, her gray bun threatening to topple. “I know. I found Delia crying her eyes out last night over that lady’s story. Of course, Delia’s getting close to her due date, so those hormones are messing with her emotions. About to drive my boy over the edge, not knowing how to help her when he calls to check in. She went ahead and moved in with me, by the way. I know she doesn’t fit what the guy’s looking for, since she’s married and all, but since Kevin is gone so much, we were afraid the killer might not catch on that she’s got a husband.”

“This killer would know, but the police are hoping to stop him before he strikes again, anyway.” Lexie prayed they did, since she had no doubt Angel would be his number one target if they didn’t.

“I hope they do. So, have you heard anything? The talk radio station announced the police had a lead on where the first body is buried. Is that true?”

“I’ve got it in the copy I sent to Paul for tonight’s broadcast, but yeah, that’s true.”

“And is it that girl you’ve been talking about in your stories? Hannah Sharp? I don’t know any Sharps, but I heard some folks talking at church Sunday morning who knew a thing or two about them. Said they’re, well, kind of odd. You know, some of those folks who keep to themselves, stay a ways out from town and kind of live off the land. Used to be a lot of that type around here, when that Fellowship was so popular, but you don’t hear much about them anymore.”

Her mention of the cult piqued Lexie’s interest. “Melody, did you know anyone who belonged to the Fellowship?”

“Nah, Charles and I moved here in the early 90’s. It was all pretty much a done deal by then, but I’ve heard folks talk about it.” She pulled her glasses up and settled them on her nose. “Kind of glad I wasn’t around for all of that. Pretty spooky stuff, if you ask me. To think, you’d cast a teenager out if they got pregnant? What good does that do? That’s the time they need family the most. That just ain’t fitting. And it ain’t very religious-like either, if they kept saying they were into religion and all.”

“I agree.”

“Mrs. Harper, I need to speak to Ms. McCain for a moment.” Paul Kingsley towered above Melody in her chair. “And have you already finished your pieces for the day?”

Melody’s face turned a brilliant purplish-red. “I was just leaving.” She pressed her heels down, then turned her head before backing up. “Sorry. Excuse me.”

He stepped out of her way, then frowned at her as she rolled back to her cubicle.

Lexie looked up at her boss. “You got the copy for tonight’s story?”

“Yes. It’s fine, unless they find those bodies. If they do, then we’ll want to do a quick update, but you can email that from home and let the anchors provide the update on your behalf. I want you to stay in touch with the authorities until the last minute for submission, so we can have the jump on the other stations with the story if it breaks.”

“I plan on it.”

“And what about the segment on Abby Tucker?”

“I’m supposed to interview John later today. We were about to go over it earlier, but he went with the other task force members to the place where they believe the bodies may be buried.”

His brows lifted. “Tucker went back to the gathering grounds?”

Lexie nodded. “Captain Pierce wanted all of them to go and be involved in the search. Why wouldn’t he go?”

“He never returned. After the group disintegrated and then his father died, he didn’t want any reminders. I guess I figured he’d still be determined to stay away.”

“Did anyone go back there after they stopped meeting?”

“A few people who weren’t ready for it to end. They met a few times, but they were pretty disappointed in the numbers that showed, so they gave up. I guess you could call them the true diehard Fellowshippers.” He crossed his arms, leaned against her cubicle wall. “But John wasn’t one of them. He swore he’d never go back. Guess it seems odd he’s going now. But then again, that’s his job, isn’t it?”

“The killer would have been one of those people who went back. Can you remember who tried to keep the group going?”

“No. I wasn’t a part of it.” The reporter in Lexie said he knew more, but his face remained set, so he’d decided the topic wasn’t up for additional discussion. She made a mental note to ask John about it later. The names of those “diehard Fellowshippers” as Paul called them would be of interest to the task force.

“You know, if John is too involved with finding those bodies and you need to talk to someone who knew Abby, you could interview me. We were all friends in high school, and then we hung out together when we were married as well. Kathleen, my ex-wife, and Abby were good friends. And I believe I knew Abby well enough to give our viewers a true depiction of her. She was a special lady, and we want to portray her that way.”

“Yeah, we do.” John walked up to stand beside Paul, “But I’m here now, and I’ll be able to help you with the story, Lexie. Thanks for offering to help, though,” he said to Paul. “You’re right. You did know her well, and she thought a lot of you.”

Paul smiled. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“I didn’t expect you back so soon.” Lexie noticed John looked stressed and suspected why. “Did they find anything?”

“Yeah, they did.”

“They found them?” Paul asked. “Hannah and Logan?”

“The team has uncovered two bodies, and they appear to be Hannah and Logan. I didn’t realize you knew we were looking for both of them.”

Paul lifted a sheet of paper in his hand. “Lexie’s copy for tonight said you believed they would be together.”

John nodded. “Right. Well, they were. Or at least Hannah. We believe it’s Logan Finley’s body buried with her, but they’re still verifying that.”

“Where were they? Exactly?” Paul’s head shook as he asked the question.

“Buried deep, right in the center of the meeting grounds.”

“Beneath the altar?”

“Where the altar used to be. Now it’s just a flat patch of earth. But that’s where they were.”

“How do you know it’s Hannah?” Lexie asked.

“Her locket, it was still intact. They’ll have to do the typical autopsy tests for verification, but I’m betting that locket says it all.”

“The one with her initials? H.E.S., right, for Hannah Elizabeth Sharp?”

“Right.” John looked surprised. “You have a good memory. I didn’t remember it at first.”

“She loved that locket. Her parents didn’t give her a lot of nice things, so she took care of the necklace. One of her boyfriends gave it to her, I think. But I can’t remember which one.”

John ran a hand through his thick black waves. “I can’t either.” He turned to Lexie. “Hey, it’s been quite a day, but I know you need to get that interview on Abby. I’m ready if you are.”

“Sure.”

“Listen, why don’t you two head on out and do the interview somewhere private.” Paul pointed to the next cubicle, where Melody Harper had stopped typing and no doubt hung on every word and prepared to call everyone she knew to tell them Hannah Sharp had been found. Paul didn’t want her also privy to the information regarding John’s deceased wife.

Lexie agreed with his suggestion. “That sounds good. I’ll email the updated profile info, as well as the copy for tomorrow’s broadcast on Abby Tucker, before 10:00.”

“Take as much time as you need. I’m working another late one. And I know you’ll do a great job.”

“I’ll try.” She gathered her things, said goodbye to Paul and left the station with John, who looked as if the finding of Hannah Sharp and Logan Finley had been less of a triumph for the task force and more of a heart-wrenching blow. This afternoon, he’d learned two of his friends from high school were murdered. Now he’d have to talk about the emotions surrounding his wife’s death.

The day wasn’t getting any better.

John escorted Lexie from the building, helped her in his Grand Cherokee, then climbed in the driver’s side. He sat there for a moment, the events of the past few hours weighing over him like granite, or rather a granite tombstone, the kind of monument that should’ve marked Hannah and Logan’s grave throughout the years, instead of the filthy mulch and dirt and nothingness that hid what had been two vibrant lives. One of which had been a dear friend, and for a short time long ago, she had been more.

With each careful pass of the shovels, the group had become antsy. Although the Fellowship’s grounds should’ve been overgrown and dense like the surrounding forest, it wasn’t. The brush had been recently disturbed, broken branches identified someone had driven into and through the barriers, and though there were no footprints to be found due to the blanket of pine straw and damp leaves on the ground, John had no doubt the killer had visited the site.

He’d been impressed with Angel’s assessment of the killer. She’d seen into his head and followed his thoughts, and because of her ability, they’d found Hannah and Logan. The two would receive the mourning they deserved and closure for the families. Well, Logan’s family at least. Hannah’s had written her off long ago, which made Tucker livid. She’d been a vibrant, energetic, typical teenage girl who loved life and wanted to experience every aspect. Because of that, hers had been snatched away, and her family hadn’t cared.

Throughout the excavation, Angel had been the only female at the site. She’d encouraged Lexie to return to work for the afternoon rather than participate in the search for Hannah and Logan’s remains, and Tucker had seconded her proposal. Lexie didn’t need to see what they found, but in his opinion, neither did Angel. However, the profiler wasn’t concerned with his opinion. She held her emotions intact and didn’t let on that this case ranked more important to her than any other.

Until they found the bodies.

He’d seen her then. She stood across from him with her face void of color, then she turned from the group and entered the recesses of the forest. John followed her and held her long blonde hair while she vomited. Then he held her, until she gained her composure and prepared to face the frantic group.

“He’s the worst I’ve seen. They’re saying they found two bodies, but there were three people buried in that tomb. Hannah, Logan and their baby.” She touched her stomach, her green eyes redlined and intense with the realization that so many not only lost their lives, but also their unborn children. “And he killed my mother.”

“We’ll get him.” John meant the promise. She and Lexie had suffered throughout their lives because of this monster, and they still suffered now. John had also suffered, losing Abby and now watching Lexie endure the knowledge that the killer still hurt and murdered women, the way he’d hurt and killed her aunt. They had to stop him. John had to stop him. But first, he had to find him.