Death Isn't Enough, page 16
Noa shook her head and stared at King. “I can’t remember his name. It was at a dress-up party during my third year at university. I went as an Amazonian warrior, hence the outfit.”
“At least your sword is bigger than that of the guy you’re with.” Luke laughed.
“This is not funny.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s kind of funny. Not someone filming you having sex, but the fact he thought it would get me to back off. The only way he could know I feature in your life is if he saw me in the hospital’s parking lot.”
“Or on Friday night. Or Saturday outside the gym. Or Sunday. Even on Monday he could’ve seen us together. He was there. He has always been there. Everywhere. Hiding in the shadows.”
“Maybe he or she isn’t hiding in the shadows. He or she might be standing in plain sight.”
“Thanks, that makes me feel a hell of a lot safer.”
“Watch this with me so we can figure out the significance of this specific video. I’ll look at it as a detective and not your boyfriend.”
Noa shook her head. My boyfriend? How could she allow Luke to watch another man have sex with her? Her memory of that night was foggy. Except she remembered waking up around midday with a killer headache, still wearing the outfit.
Before she could ask Luke again to let her watch it alone, he pressed the play button. As much as Noa wanted to look away, she couldn’t.
Before the video ended, Noa ran to the bathroom.
Chapter 34
Saturday, 26 June, 6:45 p.m.
Jamie leaned her head against the steering wheel. I can’t do this again. A knock on the window made her jerk upright. She turned and stared at the dark figure standing outside the car.
The figure opened her door. The cold wind whipped Jamie’s hair into her face. She reached for the elastic band around her wrist, tying it in a bun at the nape of her neck.
“I’ve never had a week like this. How you holding up?”
“Not good. I’m tired, Burger. Tired of innocent women dying. Tired of not being able to take down the man who hurt two of my friends and has threatened my family.”
“Then let’s get to it. And you’re going home as soon as you’ve seen the victim. Instruct your sidekick to take photos of the scene. It’s about time she learns. Johnson’s going to need another detective when you go on maternity leave.”
“I’m telling you as my friend, but I don’t think I’ll be coming back. I don’t want to leave this baby at home while I witness what monsters do to other people’s babies.”
He placed an arm around Jamie’s shoulder and hugged her to him. “I get that. Some days I lock myself in my office and cry before I go home and face my family.”
“You cry?”
“Don’t sound so shocked. I told you when you first came into the morgue – the day it no longer gets to you, is the day you know it’s time to get out. Why did your brother leave the police force?”
“We haven’t had time to talk about it yet, but knowing Luke, he realised he’d had enough. I’ll go see him when we finish up here. Luke might not be officially on the case, but I can still ask for his input. He’s a legend in Marcel.”
“You’re a legend here. Jamie, every detective feels this despondent on their first serial case. I’ve seen it countless times over the years. This is my eighth serial case and I question my capability every single day. The pressure is so immense I review everything three times, no matter how inconsequential.”
They walked in silence to where a photographer was hunched over the remains of the third victim. There was no mistaking this was the work of the same killer. Jamie breathed through clenched teeth and asked the photographer to hurry up; the other people on the scene didn’t need to witness the poor woman’s humiliation.
“Is this your other missing woman?” Doctor Burger asked.
“We will need DNA to confirm, but the heart-shaped birthmark on her bicep is as much confirmation as I need right now. This is Sarah Poe.”
A rustle of leaves made Jamie spin around and reach for her gun.
“My apologies for being late, Detective. I had to drop a gift at my friend’s house on my way here. It’s her birthday.”
“Please save your apologies for the woman lying on the ground. The one who had her head bashed in. I’m sure she doesn’t mind you taking care of something which could’ve waited until morning. First you screwed up on the Benjamin Clarke investigation. And now you’re running personal errands instead of getting your ass to a crime scene. Go home, Sheridan. I’m going to request you be removed from the case.” Jamie reached for her phone.
“Please, Jamie, don’t call Captain Johnson. I’ll try harder, do better, I promise.”
Jamie bent down and watched the blowflies land in the gleam of her flashlight. “She deserves better.”
Saturday, 26 June, 7:15 p.m.
Luke poured two whiskeys while he waited for Noa to return to the living room. He walked to his laptop and reread the words which signified the end of the video. Is this who you want? There is no pleasing a psychopath.
Whoever had sent it didn’t know the first thing about Noa. My Noa. Since the night they had met, Noa’s compassion and warmth drew him in. Her beauty the bow on the most mesmerizing package of a woman he had ever met.
Luke replayed the video. This time with the sound muted. The camera didn’t move as one would expect from footage filmed by someone holding the camera. Luke wondered if it had been placed there to record anyone, or specifically, Emily Gallagher.
Noa returned to the living room and drained the whiskey without saying a word or meeting Luke’s eyes.
“Can you remember anything about this room?” Luke asked.
“Such as the ceiling?”
He ignored Noa’s sarcasm, understanding it all too well. “A bookshelf, or dresser, something where the camera could’ve been hidden? Who hosted the party?”
“I was pretty wasted that night. If I hadn’t been, do you think I would’ve acted the way I did? But then again, back then I was known for not being easy to please.” Noa sighed.
“You were pretty clear about his inability to satisfy. Even without saying a word, you reaching for a cigarette gave away your lack of enthusiasm.”
“I’m sorry.” Noa drew her legs to her chest.
“For what? Do I have a little performance anxiety now? Maybe. But you were right, Noa. The guy didn’t know what he was doing. I really enjoyed the bit where you showed him how to do it.” Luke bumped his shoulder against her.
“You’re not making this any easier.”
“I’m teasing you. I hate the piece of shit who recorded the video and thought sending it to me it would change how I feel about you. It doesn’t. It only makes me more determined to hunt him down and make him pay for what he’s been doing to you for years. Or her, if we’re looking for a woman.”
“How are you not disgusted with me after seeing the way I behaved?” Noa stared at him.
“There are only a handful of people in this world who wouldn’t mind if every second of their days, or mostly nights, at university was distributed for the world to see. Most of us had nights like this. I had them, as did most of my friends. Even Jamie did before she met Spencer. I don’t want to say it, but I know Maddie hasn’t taken a few names over the years. Forget about what we saw and focus on the fact he or she chose this specific video to send to me. Unless it’s the only video they have, which I doubt because of further proof.”
Luke pulled Noa into his arms and pressed his lips to her hair. “The girl in the video is Emily. The woman in my arms is Noa. During my varsity days I would’ve been all over Emily, but now, I want to live life with Noa. Don’t ever think I don’t know the difference.”
He drew her onto his lap, burying his face in her neck. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”
Chapter 35
Saturday, 26 June, 8:18 p.m.
Luke showed Jamie the live feed from the motion detection cameras he had installed along the perimeter of his farm. And, with their approval, he even went as far as installing hidden cameras on the properties of the neighbours. Luke had to get their permission to open the shooting range in order to complete the task.
Noa stood in the kitchen and took it all in. The sight of Luke hugging Jamie. The ever-present threat and the fact Luke’s house was now her home. Where Emily had been a planner, Noa realised she now enjoyed living in the spur-of-the-moment. Old dog, new tricks.
Jamie leaned into Luke’s embrace; the sound of her frustration stabbed into Noa’s heart. Luke met her eyes, and she noticed tortured understanding in his stare.
Noa made a cup of decaffeinated coffee and carried it to Jamie. “You found another woman, didn’t you?” she asked, making herself comfortable on the table.
Jamie nodded, holding on tighter to Luke. She lifted her head and stared at her brother. “How did you do it? How did you spend two years undercover to move onto homicide and here you are, strong and loving as ever?”
“I don’t know what to tell you. Except the only way to get through it, is to keep seeing the victims. Hear their silent voices. And fight for justice. The day you arrest the person responsible, it makes it all worthwhile. You’ll never forget the victims, but knowing the person responsible is rotting in prison for the rest of his or her natural life, makes it easier to move on to the next case.”
“I don’t want him to sit in prison and remember the horrible things he did to these women or to Noa. He needs to be burned alive.”
Noa reached for Jamie’s hands. “What can I do to help?”
“Tell me who he is.”
“I don’t know. Luke and I have spent countless hours talking about my past and I spent the last few hours trying to remember the men I’ve had sex with.”
Luke leaned forward, glancing at both women. “Why am I the only one who keeps considering the possibility that our suspect might be a woman?”
The crackling sound of the fire engulfing the logs filled the silence. Jamie glanced at Noa and shrugged. Noa shook her head, her stomach churned.
“Our suspect is definitely male. He left something in his duffle bag in Noa’s house. The DNA the lab extracted from the something led us to an ex-convict who is now a prostitute in Shadow Bay. Said man gave officers a detailed description of our suspect. We might need a rocket though as he described an alien. He was higher than a kite when he was approached for a sample by a two-headed, blue and yellow creature with large eyes.” Jamie eased back on the couch.
Luke pushed his fingers through his hair. “What did you find in the duffle bag?”
Noa focused on Jamie’s face, answering Luke. “A used condom. He often left them for me on the dresser, or on the pillow next to my head.” She clenched her eyes shut, willing the memories to stop from surfacing. But Noa was unable to forget the horror of not knowing what he had done to her. She often wondered if knowing was better.
“Did you compare the DNA from the condoms in the cabin to the prostitute?” Luke asked Jamie.
“They found no condoms at the cabin. Before you ask, the prostitute was in rehab during the time Noa had been held captive. We checked his alibi.”
Luke reached for his laptop. Noa stood and walked to where King was laying. The instant her bum met the hardwood floor King snuggled onto her lap. Noa leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes.
Jamie didn’t utter a word while she watched the video.
“Yours is much more flattering than mine. Angle is key.” Jamie grinned and pursed her lips.
“You Taylors are a weird bunch of people.”
“Hey, watch your tongue, we are your people now,” Luke said.
Noa wanted to joke about leaving, but knew she had reached her daily quota for pushing Luke.
“Any idea who the guy is?” Jamie reached for the mug of coffee. She glanced at Noa who gave a slow blink before Jamie took a sip.
“What was that?” Luke asked.
“What? Can you show me photos of the victim whose body you found today?”
Jamie sighed, handing her phone to Luke. Noa waited for Luke to give it to her, but he didn’t.
“Something has been bothering me for a few days now and today I finally figured it out.” Luke handed Jamie’s phone back to her and growled when Jamie handed it to Noa. “She doesn’t need to see it.”
“I don’t have the energy to fight with either of you. Noa has seen the files of the other two women, and this one’s body is in better shape. Doctor Burger estimated she was killed a few hours before her body was dumped on the footpath and she was found soon after. He’s getting bold.”
“Good. He thinks he has the upper hand. Soon, he’ll make his next mistake.”
“Next?” Jamie asked as she stared at Luke’s laptop.
“Why did he go through the trouble of setting up Clarke, only to come out of the woodwork shortly afterwards? How did he even know you no longer considered Clarke as the main suspect?”
Jamie sighed. “He has a god complex. Maybe he didn’t want Clarke to get the recognition he believes he deserves. I don’t know.”
“For years he stalked Emily, but abducted her when she was about to leave the country, again. He kept her, fed her, bathed her, but didn’t kill her. Then he followed her here. He’s patient, meticulous and has spent years perfecting his M.O.” Luke stood and paced the length of the living room. “Have you received the results from the analysis of Noa’s multivitamin?”
“Yes. He replaced the contents of the capsules with Dormicum. There is no way of knowing how long he has been doing this, but each pill in the bottle tested positive.”
Luke stopped pacing and leaned against the opposite wall. “Okay, so he has been doing who knows what to her for who knows how long. Again, he didn’t play his hand. Now he has started killing, but there’s not much of a cooling-off period between kills. He holds more than one woman captive at the same time.”
Jamie nodded. “We need to look for similar unsolved cases in the area. I asked Detective Davidson to review open cases in Marcel, but I haven’t heard back from him.”
Noa cleared her throat. “You need to review my mother’s murder.”
“Your mother’s, why?”
“She was bludgeoned to death. Of course, I didn’t see any photos of the scene, but I can’t help to wonder if he’s responsible.” Noa shrugged. “She was murdered shortly after my rescue, while I was still in hospital. Perhaps the investigating officer didn’t connect the two. Her being bludgeoned fits with your victims. Wouldn’t a gang-banger have shot her or stabbed her in order to send a message? To bludgeon a person to death … seems personal to me.”
“He destroys their faces, their identities,” Luke said.
Jamie rested her hands on her stomach. “Because they don’t look like Emily even after he dyes their hair.”
“All three were abducted after a night out with friends. I was abducted after I played a gig for a friend. I stepped outside the club for a cigarette and …” Noa slammed her hands on the wooden floor. “Bam. Goodbye Emily. Did any of the victims smoke?” she asked Jamie.
“Not as far as I know. They might’ve been social smokers.”
“Social smokers always smoke with a friend. I averaged a packet or two a day back then. He hated it. I asked him for a cigarette once, after he had asked me what he could do for me. The bastard laced it with something because it made me sick.”
“I’ll have someone dig even deeper into our victims’ lives.”
Noa rose. “How are you getting test results back so fast? Doesn’t it take a couple of days for DNA and toxicology?”
“The evidence is being processed by a private facility.”
“Who is paying for it?” Noa asked.
“The private laboratory is analysing the evidence free of charge. We figured the suspect wouldn’t be paying for us to track him down faster, so I haven’t given it much thought as Captain Johnson is handling the arrangements. I suspected it might be my parents or Luke. All communication has been going through their lawyer, and from the first contact, they were explicit in covering the costs in regard to evidence related to your case. We contacted the lawyer once we linked the murders, and he reiterated that they’d process whatever we send them. Even if we’re unsure it relates to your case.”
“It’s not me, and not Mom and Dad. I agree with you. He isn’t behind this.” Luke looked at Noa. “Who?”
“There’s one person I know who has the resources.” Noa closed her eyes and shook her head in disbelief. “My father.”
Saturday, 26 June, 10:00 p.m.
Madison walked off the stage, adrenaline pulsing through her veins. Nothing came close to the rush of performing in front of such a large crowd. The people went wild for her band’s new song. Noa had sent her the sheet music earlier in the day and the band had only rehearsed it once. It was so close to Slay’s original music, it might have been written by their founding member. Maddie wondered why Noa no longer performed.
“You were fantastic tonight. I think this was your best performance yet.”
Madison glanced up at the man whose hand was splayed against her lower back. The intensity in his eyes made her heart skip a beat. She smiled up at him, admiring his handsome face.
“Thank you.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
He removed the hair from behind Madison’s ear. “It looks better this way. More rock star, less student.”
Madison’s eyebrow raised. “How do you know I’m a student?”
“Lucky guess. This club is close to campus, and I’ve seen you perform before. That new song you played tonight … your voice is perfection. Did you write it?”
“No, my brother’s girlfriend wrote it. I wish she was here tonight.”
“I’m glad she isn’t because I’m going to buy you a drink and I want to know everything about you. Come, join me.”
