Hell Is Burning (64 page)

“Sure, Curtis. I always have time for you.”

He led Croft into the kitchen where he stashed the bottle. Pulling it out, he handed to his boss, and a man he called brother.

“What’s this?”

He lowered his voice. “It’s Katerina’s water bottle. You wanted to know who they were, that should help.”

Greyson stared at it. He knew how careful Dimitri was when it came to leaving his DNA around. The man was OCD about it.

“How did you…”

“She kissed me and forgot about it.”

“Curtis, if she finds out.”

He was well aware. “Family first.” It was all he said.

Greyson tucked it into his bag and patted him on the shoulder. “Are you going to be okay with me doing this?”

He nodded.

It was a total lie, and they both knew it. Curtis felt like he was betraying her. “Their father was in the KGB. From what Katerina told me, he was violent and used pain as a motivator.”

Well, that explained a lot.

“She’s pretty badly scarred up. Her back is a mess, and I’m sure you’ll find some medical records if you dig hard enough.”

Croft thought about it. “Thanks, Curtis. You didn't have to do this.”

“Yes, I did. You’re going to be my dad. I have allegiance to our family over my dick.”

That said a lot. It was obvious how the man felt about the woman. He was definitely torn.

“We’re ordering pizza.”

“She told me to find her when I was ready,” he blurted.

Greyson didn't bat an eyelash. He heard it in Curtis’s voice. “Okay, and that’s why you look like you’re about to run screaming from the room? Or is there something else?”

“Brynn just died, and…”

Greyson lifted a brow.

“She’s working for her brother and he’s likely a killer, Grey. I’m a Fed. I can’t get involved with a woman who breaks into things for a living.”

“Very true.”

“What the hell do I do?”

“Find her when you’re ready.”

He stared at him. “Really? That’s the best you can do? I mean, you can’t impart any wisdom on me?”

He laughed. “Nope.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Because we had this conversation once, didn't we? I do believe I told you to stop thinking with your dick, and follow your heart. You ended up sleeping with a serial killer, marrying a woman on a drunken booze bend, and now want me to tell you what to do. I can’t. The advice is the same. Follow your heart. Your gut will, or should, save your ass.”

He stared at him.

“What does your gut say?”

“That I’m not ready but I will be one day.”

He patted him on the shoulder. “Then there’s your answer. I’d keep asking it, and when you just know you’re done mourning, and beating yourself up for screwing up, you’ll make your move.”

“I hate you.”

“Funny, Chris Ford just told me that. I used to be so damn loveable. I must be losing my edge.”

Curtis ran his hands through his hair. “I’m screwed.”

Greyson pulled him toward him and wrapped his arms around the young man in a hug. He held him for a few minutes, much like his own father would when he was confused, scared, or worried.

Immediately, Curtis calmed down.

“Thanks, Grey.”

“I think I like dad better. It gives me more power.”

Curtis snorted. “Yeah, like we need to feed into that huge black hole of an ego.”

He smacked him on the back of the head. “Mind your manners, or I’m taking away your car.”

“Thanks. I love you.”

Greyson heard the steading calm in his voice. “I love you too. Now…pizza?”

“Yeah, I’m starving.”

That was more like it.

When they headed in, everyone was working. Steele and Dante had arrived, and so had Chris Ford. They were swapping files as Katerina and her brother sat at a desk across the room working on their own business.

Emma was opening her file, when she saw what Steele had brought from the lab.

“You got a hit on the semen?”

He nodded. “It’s not linked to anyone in the system, but it did pop on a case from twelve years ago. At least that gives us a point to start at.”

Damn right it did!

Curtis sat down and grabbed his tablet. “Who was the victim?”

Emma read off the name.

It wasn’t on his list.

“She had her heart carved out too,” stated Emma. For some reason, that made her think about something their security guy said earlier. Emma glanced over at Dimitri as she replayed his words in her head.

The flip book.

The killer wasn’t escalating. He was simply playing out the story in pieces. The next victim would be losing her heart.

That would be the last page.

“Dimitri was right,” she said, garnering everyone’s attention. “He was spot on.”

“About?” Greyson asked, his eyes never leaving the man behind his wife at the desk.

“Listen to the crime scene,” she stated. “The victim, Cheryl Saunders was seventeen years old, brown hair and blue eyes. She was from a small town in Kansas.”

They all made notes.

“She was strangled, a pillowcase was placed over her battered face, and she was raped. As a final insult, the killer took her heart. When he was done, he hung her up in a tree in the middle of a suburban neighborhood.”

They all looked around.

“Well, that sounds familiar,” Croft stated.

“He’s going to carve the last one up,” Mace said. “This is like the flip book. He’s been working it out in steps.”

“Any suspects?” Greyson asked.

Emma dug through the printouts that Steele had made. He’d had the foresight to print out the online information.

“Yeah, here’s a list. It looks like they were looking at the father for a little while. He’d be in his sixties now.”

Greyson shook his head. “Paris said late twenties to thirties. I stand by his assessment. He’s nailed every detail in his profiles. I say we go with that.”

She did too.

“The basketball coach. He was a little too friendly with his girls, but later he was cleared. They didn't have any evidence that tied him to her death.”

Emma scanned the paper and her hand paused. When she looked up, she stared at her husband.

“What?” he asked.

Emma was processing something. He could see it on her face.

“Remember the interview at the gym--the one where we split up?”

“Yes. I was talking to James Bleu, and you went out to talk to Laura Mills.”

“Well, she was getting a ride home.”

“With?” Mace asked.

“Her husband. They were driving a Mercedes,” she read off the details and Curtis began typing with lightning fast fingers.

Dimitri and Katerina watched them in fascination. So, this was how the police worked from the legal side of the law. There was something new to learn every day.

“The husband’s name is Henry Mills. He’s thirty, and he works from home,” she said, reviewing the interview in her head.

“Okay, and how is that pertinent?” Greyson asked. He wasn’t seeing the connection.

Steele pulled the police report. On it, there’s also a Henry Mills who was interviewed.

That couldn’t be a coincidence.

Not this far into the game.

“Holy shit,” muttered Steele. “You found him.”

Emma knew they had to be sure. “Fibers. There were carpet ones, right?” she asked Steele.

“Yes, it’s in the report I brought.”

Croft opened the folder. “We have gray fibers found on the victims. They match a recent model Mercedes.”

They looked around.

It couldn’t be a mistake.

“He admitted to sitting in that gym waiting for his wife at the juice bar,” she stated. “He pointed me at Liam right from the start. He was trying to get me to focus on someone IN the gym--not a bystander.”

Greyson started calling in a BOLO.

They had a person of interest, but Emma already knew he was the one.

“We need to find him,” Emma stated.

Greyson had an idea. “Call him. You spoke to them once. Tell them you want to talk to him about what he might have seen sitting in the parking lot. We can make him think he’s going to help us. If he is the killer, he’ll love this. He’ll feel like he’s involved and getting some inside information.”

Dimitri shook his head. “So, this is how the mind of a cop works.”

Greyson glanced over. “Yeah, hopefully, you’re never on the other end of this team’s investigation.”

He laughed. “I pray not. You are scary.”

Croft wasn’t sure if that was a challenge or sarcasm. He still didn't know enough about the man to make up his mind.

Emma pulled out her phone and the gym membership list. When she found Laura’s number, she made the call. When the woman picked up on the third ring, Emma laid the plan in motion.

“Oh, he’s not here, Detective. My husband had a busy day. He picked up some baked goods, and waited for me at the gym. Now he’s out running some errands.”

“Yes, he has been busy,” she stated. “Can you have him call me when he gets back? We really want to pick his brain. Maybe he saw something and isn't aware of it.”

“Oh, he absolutely will, Detective. He loves to help out. I’ll pass the message on to him. He should be home in an hour or two.”

She hung up.

“He was at the gym today and in the bakery. He’s out running ‘errands’.”

Greyson pointed at his agent. “Get me the man’s cell number.”

Curtis went to work, typing as fast as he could. He knew they were all watching him, but he didn't let it freak him out. Grabbing the second tablet, he began running another program, linking the two searches together.

With very little effort, he hacked his way into the local database and found the number.

It was damn good to be back.

This was his calling.

“Got it. I’m already running a program to pinpoint his location.”

“Can you clone it?” Greyson asked.

The man had beads of perspiration on his brow. “I’m almost there,” he said, letting his fingers move effortlessly over the keys.

He made it look so damn easy.

“Cloned,” he said. “It’s triangulating, boss. You’ll have it in a matter of seconds.”

Greyson nearly smiled.

The man was back to being an agent. There was no doubt in his mind that he would be okay. Despite their earlier talk, he knew that Curtis had this.

“I have him.”

Then he looked up, eyes wide. “We have trouble.”

“What?” they all said together.

“He’s one mile off the local game lands,” Curtis said. “There’s only one reason he’s running an ‘errand’ there.”

He had his next victim.

Emma, Greyson, Captain Ford, and Mace Bristol raced from the room. They had very little time to get there and save the woman.

As they grabbed their gear by the door, Greyson stopped Curtis. “I need you here. There’s no Wi-Fi there, and if he moves, you have to track him for me.”

Curtis knew he was right. “I’m on it.”

Greyson then glanced over at his security while he was Velcroing into his Kevlar. “Watch the house.”

“I should really…”

He cut him off. “We’re good. I need you to stay here. If he leaves, I want you to find him. Curtis will walk you through it,” he said, slipping his gun into the front holster attached to his chest body armor. As he popped his earpiece in, he made sure Curtis did the same so they could stay in contact.

“I’ll handle it,” Dimitri stated. “Watch your backs!”

They raced out of the house and to Emma’s Navigator. Once inside, he hit the lights and sirens. The game lands were all the way across town, and he didn't think they’d make it. At this point, everything had to line up perfectly.

If it didn't, whoever Henry Mills had was dead.

They couldn’t screw this up.

Someone’s life depended on it.

       
                            
* * *
  Croft & Croft  * * *

She slowly began waking.

As she did, he hit her in the face to stun her. “You’re just like her. She was a whore. She would undress in her window to tease me, and then when I came on to her, she didn't want me.”

She mumbled something, staring up at him.

He shook her violently, her head slamming against the ground.