Chapter 20
20
CHANDLER
F inally the house was quiet.
After nodding off twice at the table while creating a list of suspects, Ellie begrudgingly went to bed and was asleep within minutes of her head hitting the pillow. Alec was quick to follow, having been up for almost forty-eight hours.
Now it was just me, the case, and the various Jesus portraits that seemed to stare into my soul with their tracking gazes. It was as if they knew what I’d done to Ellie earlier and were condemning me with their solemn expressions. I physically shook off the eerie sense of being watched.
With Ellie’s suspect list laid out in front of me, timeline of events next to it, and a fresh pot of coffee brewing, I could finally focus on identifying this bastard. Having Ellie’s input and Alec’s assistance was beneficial, making me consider aspects I wouldn’t have before, but working alone was how I pulled all the pieces together.
Now it was time to solve this case, catch the unsub, and ensure Ellie was safe.
The reminder that I wouldn’t be here to protect her after the case was solved threatened to disrupt my focus, but I pushed that problem to the back of my mind to resolve at another time. The gurgle of the brewing coffee filled the silence as I stared at her list.
A few names I recognized, some I didn’t.
It was a good list, but I needed to make my own too based on my years of experience with the FBI and what I’d witnessed since arriving in Orin. Knowing she was the focus of the unsub made narrowing down the list quick and short, pared down to those who’d inserted themselves into the case or had been impactful in her life.
I scribbled the names as they came to mind.
Jacob.
Swann.
Stan.
Guy she went on a date with.
Someone inside The Church—not Jacob.
I tapped the end of a blue ballpoint pen against the yellow legal pad, staring at the list in hopes the clues would all magically fuse together, pointing me toward the killer. Sighing, I pushed from the table to make the cup of coffee I desperately needed. I filled the large mug to the brim and reclaimed my still warm chair.
First I needed to narrow down what I knew about each of the suspects on my list. The three I knew fit one or more aspects of the profile, and they all had a personal connection to Ellie. But what about opportunity, or motive? It didn’t matter if they checked every aspect of the profile, because if they didn’t have the opportunity or motive, then I was back to square one.
I needed to dig deeper into each suspect to determine who had both. In past cases, this was the point when I’d pass my suspect list off to the detective to find out the answer to those two imposing questions. But this case was different. One of the suspects was the chief of police, and plus, like I told Alec earlier, this case was personal.
So no, I wouldn’t hand this list off. I’d handle the investigation from here.
Focusing on the first name on the list, I racked my brain on everything I knew about the bastard Jacob. Forced Ellie to marry him at eighteen, considered her property, saw women as objects to be used, kicked her out when she disobeyed. Why was he silent those two years Ellie was with Brett? If he was the killer, wouldn’t he be outraged that she was with someone else, pushing him to up his game during that time, not go dormant?
My attention flicked to the second to last victim. Something about the timeline kept irking me.
She was the first to have a message, the first to have several anger-fueled stab wounds, and she wasn’t kept as long as the others. That was almost three weeks ago now. What happened three weeks ago with this guy, or even Ellie, that made him so enraged that he killed the victim before using her for a longer period like the others? Why stab her thirty-eight times instead of the single stab wound?
The answer hit me like a slap to the balls.
Slumping back in the chair, mouth gaping, I stared into the darkened living room.
Wasn’t it three weeks ago that Ellie had the date she considered not a date but really was?
That would’ve been enough of a trigger to cause his downward spiral. She was moving on in his eyes, and not with him.
That led to another question.
Who knew she had that date?
I’d have to ask Ellie tomorrow after she woke up and had her unhealthy dose of sugar.
Sitting back upright, I debated the names again with this new piece to the case.
I scratched out the second to last person. If the guy who took Ellie out on that date was our unsub, he would’ve been happy that she went out with him, not enraged. She even mentioned he’d come into the diner a few times and was pleasant.
Now my list was down to four.
The bitter flavor of the dark coffee settled on my tongue as I took a tentative sip.
The latest victim was picked up in Waco, so who had the means to get to Waco and bring the body back here? I made a note to check DMV records to see who on the list owned a car. One did for sure—Brett. And if the latest victim was drunk, who wouldn’t take a ride home with a charismatic police officer, especially if it was in a cruiser?
Groaning, I tossed the pen and massaged my brows.
I was talking myself in circles. There were too many questions and not enough answers. I needed more, and the only way I’d get that was asking the tough questions myself. But that would mean leaving Ellie behind while I conducted the interrogations—I meant interviews. It wasn’t ideal, but Alec was here and could watch her at the diner, even though I hated that it wasn’t me protecting her.
I grinned despite myself remembering the argument a few hours earlier when I suggested—okay, maybe demanded—that she forgo work until the bastard fixated on her was caught. The debate ended with her still going to work with the compromise that Alec or I went with her.
Ellie was a feisty little woman, and I loved that about her. Where was the fun in a woman who gave in to your every word, who didn’t have a backbone to voice her own thoughts and demands? Not Ellie. It was even more impressive considering her background.
Which reminded me….
Palms to the table, I shoved the chair back. Keeping my footsteps silent, I crept down the darkened hallway toward the bedrooms. Her snores filled the room as I slipped inside. Pausing at her bedside, I took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dark room. The faint light streaming from the cracked door highlighted her parted lips, and her short hair fanned around her pillow. Her petite features and sweet button nose made her appear innocent, unscathed by the life she’d lived.
Now to get what I snuck in here for.
Silky strands of hair glided through my fingers. Hand held toward the light, I smirked at the few dark stands that dangled from my fingers. Attention on the sleeping beauty, I backed out of the room, softly closing the door behind me.
Letting out a relieved, heavy breath, I glanced at the hair between my fingers.
Next order of business—find an evidence baggie.
“Everyone,” Ellie said while brushing out her hair. “Janice knew about the date that wasn’t really a date. And so did Sally, I guess, so with those two, yeah, anyone with ears knew Sam asked me to dinner.”
I nodded from where I sat on the bed, hiding my disappointment.
“Hey, did you come in the room last night and pet me?” I kept my breathing even, not giving away how my heart rate stuttered with her question. When I didn’t respond, she shrugged. “I couldn’t remember if that was a dream or what.”
“Huh,” I said, my answer intentionally vague. “You sure you want to go to the diner? You could stay here with Alec while I?—”
“I told you two already. I have to work, and I won’t let this guy stop me from living the life I’ve worked my ass off to build.” Tossing the brush to the bed, she crossed her arms. “And besides, this”—she pointed a finger to me, then her—“will be done the minute you leave. Then what would I do? No, I’m making my own way. As exhausting as it is, it’s all mine.”
She scrunched her features into an exaggerated fake scowl as she backed out of the room. Alec’s deep voice and her laugh drifted down the short hall moments later.
Elbows pressed to my knees, I inhaled deep and stood to finish getting dressed. With the day full of official interviews for the case, I opted to wear slacks and a button-up, going for a more professional impression. Before leaving the room, I snagged the navy jacket with “FBI” printed in bold yellow on the back.
Ellie’s laugh as I walked into the kitchen made my own lips tweak up. She truly was amazing. Laughing despite the hell she had lived and was living. Truly exceptional in all ways. But was that enough to ask her to leave this life and move to DC, give up everything she knew for me? I’d be back on the road, leaving her alone 90 percent of the time if she did say yes.
“Why the serious face?” Alec asked, snapping me out of my internal dilemma.
“Nothing, just focused on what needs to be done today.” At the table, I leaned my thigh against the edge. “The Church first, then Brett and Stan. Hopefully I can get them all done today, which means I’ll be back late. You sure you’re good?”
Alec nodded. “Yep. We’ll be fine.” Holding up a single finger to pause the conversation, he dug into the front pocket of his jeans and pulled out his phone. As he read the screen, his dark brows raised in surprise.
“Bronson,” he said in greeting to the caller, curiosity in his tone. “What?” he exclaimed. “You’ve got to be fucking with me. We’ll be there in fifteen.”
“What happened?” Ellie and I asked at the same time when he ended the call. She rose from her chair, a hand wrapped around her dainty throat.
“Ellie,” he started but stopped, rubbing a hand across his mouth. Dread made my stomach drop. Instinctively I stepped closer and draped a protective arm around her shoulder. “Your place is on fire.”
The residents of the entire dilapidated complex crowded the parking lot, sectioned off by a single fire engine, keeping them a good distance from the smoldering remains. I laid on the horn to move the gawkers and get as close to the barricade as possible. Once I got us as far as I could, we hopped out and raced toward the fire truck.
Ellie gasped, stopping in her tracks when what used to be her small apartment came into view. Tightening my grip on her hand, I urged her forward, determined to figure out what the hell was going on.
A potbellied man in fire pants but no coat or helmet stood talking to my favorite police chief.
Brett’s cold stare found us as we drew closer, and if I wasn’t mistaken, a ghost of a smile appeared.
“What the hell happened?” Alec demanded, his hard tone and intimidating stance making the two men take a step back.
“We got a call about smoke. When we got here, smoke poured through the windows and beneath the doorframe of apartment seven,” the fireman stated. “We contained it to that apartment and the ones on either side but evacuated the others just in case. With these old buildings, they usually all go up in flames once one does.”
“Cause?” I asked.
“It appears an accelerant was doused around the living room, most of it concentrated on a couch or chair maybe.”
I focused on the smoldering remains. Water dripped from the blackened wood.
“Chandler,” Ellie said and squeezed my hand, drawing my attention away from the apartment. “The couch?”
It took a moment to understand what she referred to. It couldn’t be an accident that the couch where I pleasured Ellie just last night was the ignition point. That meant either someone had cameras set up inside her apartment or was peeking through the windows. Anger simmered just beneath my skin at the thought of either. If there were cameras, then this would’ve happened after we made out on the couch two nights ago. So that left some pervert—our killer, more than likely—watching from the shadows.
“Where were you, Ellie?” Brett’s voice raked on my already thin nerves.
“Did they get the evidence out before this?” I asked Alec, completely ignoring Brett. Alec nodded. “He was probably waiting to see how she reacted to the gift and got a show instead.”
“What evidence? What gift and show?” Brett stepped close. Using my own body as a shield, I wedged between him and Ellie. “What the fuck is going on in my case?”
“My case now, remember?” Smirking, I turned my full attention back to Alec, a clear dismissal of the furious police chief. “So this was either set because of what Ellie and I did on that couch”—her hard yank on my hand and kick to my calf told me she wasn’t happy about that announcement—“or because she wasn’t happy with his gift.”
“Or because that couch was hideous to begin with.” Alec rocked back on his heels, smiling even though the strain was obvious. I liked that he always did his best to ease mounting tension with ill-placed humor.
“Hey,” Ellie shouted behind me. “I loved that couch.”
“You haven’t answered my question, Ellie,” Brett demanded like a pouting three-year-old. “If you weren’t here, then where were you?”
I pressed a hand to Swann’s chest and pushed him back a step, giving me some breathing room. Fuck, I hated it when people invaded my personal space. “She doesn't have to answer anything.”
While Alec and Swann bickered about who had the authority in the arson case, the feeling of being watched raised the hairs on the back of my neck. I found myself subconsciously scanning the crowd.
He was here. Watching.
But I didn’t know what Jacob looked like to say if he was there or not. Another reason I needed to go meet the bastard, so I knew who to shoot… I meant be on the lookout for.
“Do you see anyone from The Church here?” I asked Ellie. A look of confusion scrunched her small features. “In the crowd. Do you see anyone or even Jacob?”
I kept silent as she inspected the crowd. “A couple faces seem familiar. Then, of course, there’s Stan.” She raised her hand and waved. The man waved back, smiling until he saw me. Then that wide smile fell to a frown. “And the entire town seems to be here.”
Of course they were.
“Witch’s tits,” she exclaimed and tossed her hands in the air. “My uniform was in there for the diner. I had asked Alec to swing by here on my way to work to pick it up.” Groaning, she dug through her purse. After popping a peppermint into her mouth, she pulled her cell phone out and flipped it open.
That’s right. Flipped.
Snatching it from her hand, I inspected the relic with awe.
“Give that back.” She yanked it away. “Don’t judge my phone. It makes calls and can send texts. Not that I use it much,” she grumbled. Holding it to her ear, she turned and began talking to the person on the other end of the line. I kept one ear on her conversation and the other on the argument still happening between Alec and Swann.
My eyes widened when Alec patted the top of Swann’s head in a condescending brush-off. He swatted Alec’s hand away and stormed off, shoving his way through the crowd like he was on a mission. I tracked him until he was swallowed up by the small swarm of people.
“He doesn’t have a spare in my size,” Ellie said beside me with a huff.
“And the last one was?” I remarked. She smacked my arm like I said something inappropriate. “What? It was tiny. So does that mean no work today?” My voice lifted with hope. It would make my day easier knowing she was safe at the house behind a locked door with Alec standing guard, firearm at the ready.
“No, I’ll just work in this.” She waved to the leggings and oversized sweatshirt. “At least it’s all black. No need to worry about grease stains.”
I nodded along like I was listening, but I wasn’t. All I could focus on was the crowd, a sense of foreboding growing in the pit of my stomach. “We should get you to the diner, then.” I shouted to Alec that we were leaving. He wrapped up the conversation with the fireman and connected with us halfway to the truck.
As we made our way through the crowd, Ellie saying hello to every person we passed, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling like we were walking into a trap of some kind. But that didn’t make sense. This unsub didn’t want to hurt Ellie, he wanted her for his own.
Two feet from the truck, I stopped dead in my tracks. Alec and Ellie stopped on either side of me, their confusion indicating they didn’t see what I saw.
A small rectangular white card tucked beneath the passenger side windshield wiper.
A note.
“Stay here. Alec, watch her,” I said, my voice as distant as I felt. Leaning against the truck, I plucked the paper from the glass using the tips of my fingers on a small edge of a corner. Using the truck’s hood, I flipped the paper over to read what was scribbled on the other side.
“What does it say?” Alec called out.
A glance their way showed him holding on to Ellie by her shoulders, her body leaning toward me like she’d tried to get closer. Cringing, I turned back to the note, hating what I had to say out loud.
“Nowhere else to go. Come home.”