12
Tennyson
Ten and the rest of the cold case team spent the rest of the afternoon trying to find Damien Rhodes.
He wasn’t registered at any hotels in a three town radius, and his name wasn’t listed on any landlord/tenant agreements.
They’d left the office to come home, have dinner and figure out how to save Michael Miller before his doorbell rang at midnight.
Fitz came by with dinner. He brought pizza, tacos, crab Rangoon, pork dumplings, and pork fried rice. All of Ronan’s favorites. He and Cope settled the kids in the living room with their plates, leaving the adults alone in the kitchen.
After careful consideration, Ten grabbed a slice of sausage pizza and all the Rangoon that would fit on his plate.
“We’ve got six hours to save Michael Miller,” Jude said. “Has he called or texted you, Ronan?”
“No, I haven’t heard anything from him.” Ronan turned to Ten. “Is he going to call me? Should we go over there and kidnap him?”
“He’s not going to call you,” Ten said, before biting into his pizza.
“We can’t kidnap Miller either,” Fitz said, “but that doesn’t mean we can’t replace him.”
“What do you mean?” Ronan asked.
“Knowing Miller, he’s still at the office. All we need to do is dress one of us up like Miller and have him go home instead of the real deal.”
“Jesus, Fitz, this sounds like some kind of hair-brained I Love Lucy episode.” Jude shook his head.
“Rhodes knew the two of you were watching Jones’s house.
It’s why he came up with an alternate plan to go through the back door to kill the warden.
I’m guessing he’ll have eyes on Miller’s house as well, but all he’ll see is Miller coming home from work like he does every night.
” Fitz smiled as he spoke. “So far as we know, Rhodes is working alone, but there are four of us.”
“Five,” Everly said, walking into the kitchen. She held a hand up to Ronan. “Don’t even try to tell me no, Daddy. You’re getting my help whether you want it or not.”
“We need walkie-talkies or something to keep us in contact with each other,” Ten said.
“Right,” Jude agreed. “Ronan will pose as Miller. Fitz and I will be stationed around the neighborhood with sightlines on the front and back door. Ten will be home with Everly. The kids can stay with Jace or Cope. Fitz and I will be able to see him coming.”
“Are you hearing yourselves?” Ronan asked. “Me as bait, Everly in the middle of this whole thing. Ten and the other kids left unprotected. Pardon my French, but have you all lost your fucking minds?”
The doorbell rang, making everyone yelp.
“Calm down, guys. It’s Uncle Cisco.” Everly left the table and headed for the front door.
“Should we be letting her answer the door?” Ronan was halfway out of his seat when Everly came back into the kitchen. A solemn-looking Cisco was behind her. In his hands was something awful and familiar.
“I’m sorry, Ronan.” Cisco set the envelope on the table.
“Where did this come from?” Ronan looked terrified.
“It was under a windshield wiper on the Mustang.” Cisco pulled out his phone and handed it to Ronan. “I took several pictures of it before bringing it in the house.”
Ronan set down the phone and picked up the letter. He hesitated slightly before opening the envelope. He pulled out the message and read it aloud. “Ding! Dong! You’re dead! “Your time on this earth is near its end. Make amends, pray for forgiveness, for you die when the midnight bell tolls.”
“It’s just like the others.”
“There’s one last line,” Ronan said, his eyes on Everly.
“Read it, Daddy.” Everly looked scared, as if she already knew what the note said.
Ronan cleared his throat. “You took the most precious thing from me, now it’s my turn to return the favor. Enjoy your final day with your children for it will be their last on earth.”
Tears slipped down Ronan’s cheeks. He got up from the table and walked to the sink.
Ten reached for the letter and pulled it closer to him.
He set his hands on it and shut his eyes, focusing his gift on the future.
Slowly the image of a casket covered in an American flag came into view.
He saw himself dressed in a black suit. The kids sat beside him, also dressed in black.
Ten shivered. His eyes popped open to see Everly had added her hand to the letter.
“What do you see?” Ten asked Everly.
“The same thing you did, Dad. A coffin with the flag. Me, you, and Ezzie dressed in black.”
Ronan gasped. “You saw my funeral?”
“The church was so full that people were standing at the back and up the side aisles. You’d have liked the turn out.
” Everly looked at her father, who was still standing in front of the kitchen sink.
“This vision is bullspit. Damien might have been smart enough to hurt the parole guy and the warden, but we’ve got the best cops in Salem here in our kitchen.
We’re not letting you go without a fight. ”
Ronan’s lips quirked into a quick smile. “I appreciate your confidence in us, little miss, but the letter threatened the three of you, not me. I need you to go upstairs and pack a bag. You’re all going into protective custody tonight.”
“Uncle Fitz and Cisco have a plan to save us all and you’re going to follow it. Tell them.” Everly’s eyes were on Cisco.
“Like Everly said, “I want everyone to pack a bag. I’m calling one of those prison vans to come get you all. Play the part. Look scared.”
“That won’t be very hard,” Ten said softly.
“No, it won’t,” Cisco agreed. “The van will take you to the Salem Police Department. Ronan will stay there and the three of you will be taken to a hotel.”
“There’s no way I’m hiding out in the police department while the rest of you try to apprehend Damien Rhodes.”
“That’s right. You’re not,” Fitz agreed.
“While the van takes you away, Jude and I will go to the courthouse and pick up Michael Miller and bring him to the precinct as well. The two of you will switch clothes. An unmarked car will take you to the courthouse where you’ll go through the motions of being Miller.
We’ll find out what time he usually leaves the office and what he does on the way home.
You’ll do those things too. We’ll get everyone walkies and get drones in the air with infrared cameras, so we’ll be able to see Rhodes’s heat signature. You’ll be armed and-”
“No,” Everly interrupted. “That’s not what’s going to happen tonight.”
“What do you mean?” Ronan asked, looking hopeful.
“He’s already in Mr. Miller’s house. He’s hiding and waiting for him to come home. The killer is upset because he won’t die at midnight like the others. He’s laughing at how clever he is and he thinks you can’t stop him.”
“What?” Cisco’s eyes widened. “Where is he hiding?”
“In an upstairs bedroom that looks onto the street,” Everly said.
“Thank you, honey.” Cisco tapped on his phone and the sound of a call trying to connect filled the kitchen.
“This is Michael Miller. I’m out of the office or on another line. Leave-”
Cisco ended the call before the rest of Miller’s voicemail greeting could play out. “Do you have Miller’s cell number?”
“I do,” Jude said. “I took one of his cards when we left this afternoon.” He grabbed his wallet and pulled out the card.
“Call him, Jude. Tell him not to go home.” Cisco wore a worried look.
Jude did as the chief asked. He entered the number and connected the call.
“Who the hell is this?” a grouchy, but familiar voice answered.
“Mr. Miller, this is Jude Byrne from the Salem Police Department. I’ve got Chief Cisco Jackson with me. We have reason to believe the man killing law enforcement personnel is in your house lying in wait for you to come home.”
“I appreciate your concern, detective, but my security system is top of the line. There’s no way anyone’s getting into my house.”
“Miller, this is Chief Jackson. We have a plan to catch this man, but it involves you not going home. Meet me at the police station. We’re going to send Detective O’Mara to your house in your place.”
“Chief, I don’t think-”
“I don’t give a flying fuck what you think!
” Cisco thundered. “Not only is your life on the line but so is the life of one of my detectives and his entire family, which includes two small children. You’ve got two choices; do what I’ve asked and meet me at the precinct or I’ll send the entire fucking department to find you.
You’ll be taken into custody and brought to the station.
Trust me when I say spending the night in a hotel on the city’s dime is much more comfortable than sleeping in one of the cells in the Salem City Jail. What’s it gonna be?”
Miller sighed. “Fine. I’ll meet you at the police station. I’m in line at McDonalds’ drive thru. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
“What are you driving?”
Miller sighed, as if Cisco trying to save his life was an inconvenience. “BMW 228i, white with black trim. Mass tag 9973 BK.”
“Thank you, Mr. Miller.” Cisco ended the call.
“Ronan, Ten, all of you, go pack, now. Take only what you’ll need for two nights away from home.
Do the two of you want your families to go to the hotel too?
Honestly, I think it’s the best course of action, but I’ll leave the decision to you.
” He looked back and forth between Jude and Fitz.
“Yeah,” Jude said. “I’ll take Cope and the kids home. Let me know when the van gets here.”
“Same. I won’t be able to focus on getting Rhodes if my family isn’t somewhere safe.” Fitz got up from the table and headed into the living room.
“I’ll start packing for Ezra.” Ten dropped a kiss on Everly’s head. “I’m gonna need you to work fast, okay honey?”
“Yup.” Everly ran out of the kitchen.
“We’re gonna be okay,” Ten said, his voice shaking.
Josh Gatlin had been a thorn in Ten and Ronan’s side for years.
When Josh was killed in prison several years ago, Ten thought that would be the end of it, but then his spirit started visiting their house, begging Ten and Ronan to solve his murder, and threatening to appear to Everly if Ronan refused to help.
Ronan solved the case and Josh’s spirit had been carried away by a force Ten didn’t want to think about, except to say he hoped Damien Rhodes ended up in the exact same place for all eternity.