You Belong to Me (52 page)

He cupped her neck in his palm, massaging her taut muscles with his thumb. ‘I don’t know, honey. Not knowing would be the hardest, but however it turns out, you don’t have to face it by yourself.’

‘Thank you. Thank you for not telling me it will be okay when you don’t know.’

‘You’re welcome. Now why don’t we go back to sleep? We have another hour—’ He stopped, narrowing his eyes as he looked away from her reflection in the window and down to his car parked in the lot below. ‘What the hell?’

‘What?’ Lucy leaned forward, straining to see. ‘Your trunk is open.’

He grabbed his pants and yanked them on. ‘Put some clothes on. You can’t stay here alone.’ She quickly did so and in minutes they were headed out her front door and down the stairs to his car.

His trunk was slightly ajar, a dent on one side where it had been pried open. He got a pair of latex gloves from the glove box. Pulling them on, he opened the trunk a few inches, peered in, then stepped back, his expression hard.

‘Good news, he thinks you feel safe with me. Bad news, we just found Ryan Agar.’

Wednesday, May 5, 5.35 A.M.

They’d both suited up once backup had arrived, JD in a suit and tie and Lucy in her white coveralls. JD was directing the uniforms as to where to string the crime-scene tape when his cell rang. He thought it would be Stevie since he’d left her a message to call, but it was an unknown number. ‘This is Detective Fitzpatrick.’

‘I’m sorry if I woke you. This is Deputy Sheriff Ashton McHale, Anderson Ferry.’

‘Deputy, this is a really bad time. Can I call you back?

‘Actually, we’re having a bad time too. Our sheriff is missing.’

JD closed his eyes.
Fuck
. Lucy had warned Westcott. ‘Since when?’

‘He went out yesterday afternoon, soon after your group left our office. We assumed he’d gone home for the day. This morning his mother stopped by to check on him because he hadn’t returned any of her phone calls. He hadn’t come home, which was not normal. We did a search and found his car parked off the road near a rental property that’s been empty for some time.’

JD looked into the trunk of his car where Ryan Agar lay bound and gagged. And beaten. Lucy was bent over the body, starting her preliminary exam with Ruby Gomez at her side, so he stepped back several feet to give them room.

‘Were there signs of a struggle around the car?’ he asked and Lucy looked over her shoulder. He motioned her to continue with Agar and, though frowning, she complied.

‘Yes,’ the deputy said. ‘We found blood matching the sheriff’s type on the ground and signs that he’d been dragged to the dock. We also found another car, registered to Dr Trask.’

JD’s brows crunched. ‘That’s not possible. We have her car in our shop.’

There was a moment of silence. ‘Oh. I’m talking about Dr Trask, the mother. You must be talking about the daughter.’

JD’s heart sank. Not her mother. He thought of Mrs Westcott’s account of her rushing out with her medical bag and had another thought. He stepped much further away, turning so that Lucy couldn’t hear. ‘Former sheriff Trask’s boat. Is it there?’

‘No,’ the deputy said. ‘And he’s nowhere to be found either.’

‘I understand,’ he murmured. ‘How many people know about this?’

‘Mrs Westcott knows,’ the deputy said flatly.

Which meant everyone would soon know. ‘Understood.’ He made himself think about case logistics and not how this would affect Lucy. The killer had been in Anderson Ferry.
With us
. Again he kicked himself for letting the black Lexus pass him. ‘We’re going to send a CSU team if that’s all right.’

‘Fine with us. We don’t have the resources for something like this.’

‘Thank you. One thing I’d like you to do. These disappearances are related to murders we’re investigating here in the city. The killer was last seen driving a black Lexus. Can you do a search around the town? I don’t have the plate. When you find it, cordon it off. Don’t open it, don’t let anyone touch it. It could be our only link right now.’

‘Understood. When should we expect your CSU van?’

JD sighed. ‘Well, they’re processing a scene for me right now.’

‘Who?’ the deputy asked tightly.

The man had been direct with him and JD respected that. ‘Ryan Agar.’

‘Oh my God. I’m sorry. It’s just that . . . I grew up with him. I heard his mother was murdered too. Westcott’s dead, isn’t he?’

‘Let’s not assume yet. I’ll get the van to you as soon as possible.’ JD hung up and dialed Stevie again.

‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘I was in the shower and didn’t hear my cell. What’s happened?’ He told her and listened to her creative swearing. ‘Lucy warned that SOB Westcott. I’m having trouble feeling sorry for any of them, JD.’

‘Agreed. I need to go. I need to tell her.’

‘God. Poor kid. I’m on my way in.’

JD hung up but didn’t move, dreading this more than anything he’d ever done. Her father was one thing, but she still had feelings for her mother. Bent over the body in his trunk, she went still then looked over her shoulder as if knowing he’d been talking about her. She straightened, her eyes seeking his.

‘Who?’ she asked.

He crossed to her and started to take her hands, but she held them away and too late he saw that her gloves were bloody. ‘Sonny Westcott and your parents are missing.’

She drew a sharp breath. ‘When?’

‘Probably while we were in Anderson Ferry yesterday.’ He wasn’t sure what he expected her to do, but it wasn’t what she did, which was to nod briskly, square her shoulders and return to her examination of Ryan Agar.

‘I checked under his shirt,’ she said. ‘There’s an “E” burned into his back, but it appears to be post-mortem this time, which is different than the others. But his heart’s gone and the gag appears to hold his tongue, which is identical to the others.’

‘Lucy.’ He grasped her shoulder and she shrugged him off.

‘Don’t, JD. Not now.’

He didn’t listen, forcing her to turn to face him. ‘I’m taking you off this case.’

Her mouth fell open in outrage. ‘You can’t do that.’

‘Yes, I can.’ He leaned close, ignoring the mutilated body behind them. ‘I care about you,’ he whispered fiercely. ‘Besides that, now that your family is involved, anything you touch is subject to dismissal by a judge. You know that.’

She swallowed, her eyes so filled with pain that it broke his heart. ‘I have to work.’

‘No, baby, you don’t.’ He removed her gloves and Ruby quietly disposed of them. He drew Lucy into his arms and held her. She was shaking, her hands clutching his shirt.

‘I’ll call the next doc in rotation,’ Ruby said. ‘Luce, I’m sorry.’ Lucy nodded and said nothing. She was holding herself so rigidly JD was afraid she’d shatter. He tugged her away from the trunk, his arm around her and she followed numbly.

Drew emerged from the CSU van and took one look at Lucy’s face. ‘What?’

‘Her parents are missing, along with Sheriff Westcott,’ JD said. ‘There appeared to be a struggle with the sheriff. Can you get someone down there to process the scene?’

‘Yeah. I’ll get right on it. Lucy, I’m so sorry.’

She nodded, unseeing, and JD walked her to her apartment, tapping a female officer to follow. Lucy sat slowly on her sofa, her face more than pale.

‘Stay with her,’ he said to the officer. ‘She has two friends, Gwyn Weaver and Thomas Thorne. Call them if you would.’ He knelt next to Lucy, taking her hands in his, warming them. ‘I have to get back downstairs to the scene.’

‘I know,’ she whispered, her gaze eerily unfocused. ‘He cuts out their hearts, JD. He’s going to do that to my mother.’

‘We’re going to stop him, honey.’ He brought her hands to his lips. ‘I have to go.’

When she looked at him, her eyes were clear. ‘Get him, JD. Please.’

‘Try not to worry.’ Standing, he glanced out of her front window. In the parking lot Ruby and another tech were zipping Ryan Agar into a body bag and a chill froze JD’s blood.
He’s out there. Planning. Watching her every move with that damn tracker
.

JD didn’t want to leave her, but he knew he had to. To make himself feel better, he found the tracker Drew had hidden in the compact and tucked it into one of the pockets of her coveralls. ‘Where’s your cell phone?’

‘In my other pocket. You can go. I’ll be all right.’

‘Okay.’ He pressed a kiss to her forehead. ‘Stay here. Stay safe.’

Wednesday, May 5, 6.00 A.M.

Stevie was buttering a piece of toast when she saw the note her sister had left on the refrigerator.
Cordy has a field trip in day care today. You need to sign the paper. In her backpack. xoxo, Iz.
Stevie sighed. Izzy was always leaving these things till the last minute. Still, Stevie didn’t know what she’d do without her.

She searched Cordelia’s backpack, conscious of the minutes ticking. JD had things under control, but it wasn’t fair to make him shoulder the burden alone. Frustrated, she dumped the contents of the backpack on her kitchen table.

She frowned when a key fob tumbled out. What was Cordelia doing with her car key? She picked it up and squinted at the tiny print on the back. And then the toast she’d eaten rose in her throat to choke her.
Trackamatic GPS
.

‘Oh God. Holy God.’ She made herself breathe, even as she was running to Cordelia’s room. She shuddered out a panicked sob when she saw her daughter sleeping like an angel, safe. Stevie ran to her sister’s room and turned on the light.

Izzy blinked and pulled a pillow over her face. ‘Go away, Stevie.’

Stevie shook her hard. ‘Wake up.
Izzy
.’

Izzy sat up abruptly. ‘What? Is it Cordy? What?’

Stevie held up the device. ‘Do you know what this is?’

Izzy squinted. ‘My car key?’

‘No. Did you put it in Cordelia’s backpack?’

‘No. Why would I? What’s wrong? You’re pale as a ghost.’

Stevie nodded over and over, trying to stop her racing heart. ‘Okay. Today Cordelia goes nowhere. This is a tracking device. Our ME found one in her purse.’

‘I don’t understand,’ Izzy said.

‘A man has killed eight people. He was tracking our ME. Now I find this in my child’s . . .’ Her voice broke and Izzy wrapped her arms around her.

‘Okay, I get it now. Nobody’s gonna touch your baby. We won’t let them.’

Stevie nodded, but the tears were coming and she couldn’t stop them. ‘Oh God.’

‘It’s okay,’ Izzy murmured. ‘I’m cancelling everything today. I’ll stay here with Cordy and I’ll bring over everyone else in the family.’

Stevie pulled away. ‘I should stay here.’

‘No.’ Izzy held Stevie’s face. ‘You should go find the sonofabitch who just threatened our baby. Now go. I will sit in Cordy’s room till Mom and Dad get here.’

Stevie wiped her palms across her wet face. ‘You have a key to my gun safe?’

Izzy’s jaw was now cocked. ‘Oh yeah. If he tries to come in this house, he’d better be wearing a suit of fucking body armor because otherwise he ain’t leaving alive.’

‘Good.’ Stevie made herself think. Only one name came to mind. ‘
Clay Maynard
,’ she said, her eyes narrowed. ‘That man is going to tell me what this is about.’

‘I don’t know who that is,’ Izzy said, ‘but I pity the man who fucks with you today.’

‘You got that right. But first I’m going to ask Cordelia about this.’

‘Calm down first. You’re scaring me, and I’m not five years old.’

She was right. Stevie took deep breaths until her chest was no longer tight. ‘Now?’

Izzy made a face. ‘Not great, but not Monster Mama either.’

The two of them went into Cordelia’s room and sat on either side of the bed, flanking her. ‘Baby.’ Stevie gently shook her awake. ‘Mommy needs to talk to you.’ Stevie waited until Cordelia blinked her eyes open. ‘Has anyone been playing with your backpack? Any grownups?’

‘No,’ she said sleepily. ‘Why?’

‘Have you lost it recently and maybe just gotten it back?’

‘No. Is it still night?’

‘No, baby, it’s early in the morning. Has anyone you don’t know touched your backpack?’

‘No.’ Her little forehead bunched. ‘Yes. I dropped it and a man picked it up for me.’

Stevie’s heart began to pound. ‘How did you drop it?’

She shrugged. ‘I tripped. The nice man gave it back to me and I said thank you.’

Stevie forced her voice to be gentle. ‘Do you remember what he looked like?’

‘He was big. Like a tree.’

Stevie made herself smile. ‘Dark hair, light hair?’

‘Dark. I think. He had a hat.’

‘How do you know he was dark, then?’

‘He had black eyebrows. Bushy ones, like Grandpa. Can we have waffles for breakfast?’

‘You bet,’ Izzy said, ruffling her hair. ‘You can help me make them. Just like the cookies. But now Mommy has to go to work and catch the bad guys.’

Cordelia tilted her head back to stare up at Stevie. ‘Was that man bad, Mommy?’

‘I don’t know,’ Stevie said honestly. ‘But you don’t need to worry about him. Aunt Izzy and Gramma and Grampa are gonna be here all day.’

Cordelia grabbed Stevie’s sleeve. ‘Mommy. The bad man had a tattoo.’

Stevie’s pounding heart sped up. ‘Like?’

Cordelia frowned. ‘A heart, but it wasn’t pretty. It was squashed.’

‘Oh wow, baby. You are amazing,’ Stevie breathed. ‘Where was it?’

Cordelia pointed to her forearm. ‘I don’t remember which side.’

Stevie pulled her baby to her in a hard hug. ‘It doesn’t matter. You are awesome.’

Cordelia’s smile lit up her face. ‘Can I have chocolate chips in my waffles?’

Stevie’s lips twitched. ‘You bet. I love you.’

Cordelia bounced on the bed. ‘Love you,’ she sang, loudly and totally off key.

Music to my ears
. Stevie motioned Izzy to the doorway. ‘I’m going to get police protection for the house. They may come inside to wait.’

‘Then I’ll feed them waffles too,’ Izzy said. ‘You go.’

Stevie had to take another deep breath. ‘I love you too, you know.’

Izzy winked. ‘What’s not to love?’

Stevie called Hyatt as soon as she got to her car and he immediately ordered a squad car to her house. He could be a royal pain in the ass, but he was good about protecting his people and their families. She then dialed JD. ‘I have a stop to make before I get to Lucy’s.’