Mindfield (Sideways Eight Book 1) (34 page)

Chapter 44

Connect the Dots

Lorton, VA - Faraday Farms

Monday, 15 August - 8:30 PM

Murphy pressed his shoulder against the office doorframe, following Charley’s every move.

Perched on the console edge, she studied the overhead monitor, squeezing her eyes as if willing them to perform a major feat.

He sauntered into the room, passed by her, staring at the screen. “I’m here. I bought Chinese food for us.” He dropped the two bags onto the desk, sauntered back around to the front, and joined her. He crossed his ankles and arms as he planted his backside against the console.

Her focus unwavering she targeted the geo-map unaware he stood next to her. The red dots identified the abduction sites while the blue lines connected the dots in the order of the abductions. She took a step forward from the console and directed the laser pointer at the screen and mumbled, “The answer is there, right there.”

Ideas flurried in his mind about the best way to pull her attention away from the screen. He directed his hand to the folding table to the right. “Hey, you wanna have sex on the table?”

Registering his voice, but not his comment, she patted his shoulder without a glance. In a slow, inattentive voice, she said, “Hi, Sean. That’s fine.”

I wish.
Murphy chuckled and snapped his fingers. “Hey, Char, over here.”

She shook her head and caught his eyes. “Did you say something?”

Murphy tilted his head towards the monitor. “Are we any closer to figuring this out?”

“No, I’m failing. I can’t get anything from this brain of mine. Charley rubbed her forehead. “The answer is in front of us, but I can’t see it. Sean, does anything stand out to you?”

Murphy pushed off the console, concentrating while rolling his lower lip with his thumb and index finger. He mumbled.

“What did you say?” she said.

Murphy’s directed his finger at the screen. “Does any of this behavior seem feminine to you? The cleanliness, feeding them, the pretty dresses, the nail polish. The ribbon on the shoes.”

Charley shrugged. “About one percent of serial killers are women. The odds aren’t in favor of a female.”

He flashed his hands out front. “Yeah, well, there’s that one percent.” Fixated on the screen, Murphy zoomed in on the abduction plot of the geo-map. He tipped his head to one side, eyeing the screen as if searching. “Remove the blue lines, but keep the red dots.”

She manipulated the mouse as he requested. “Done.”

Murphy concentrated on the red tags. “Lyra,” he mumbled.

“Who’s Lyra?” Charley said, suspicious.

“Lyra is a what, not a who. It’s a constellation. It’s visible from spring to fall in the Northern Hemisphere. Wanna see it?”

Charley lifted her hands. “Wait, wait, wait, how do you know?”

“I’ve been a stargazer most of my life. I have a telescope on the balcony of my bedroom.”

“Oh.”

Murphy crossed his arms over his chest. “You’ve never been in my bedroom.”

“That’s where your telescope is set up?”

“Yeah.” He grinned. “My parents are retired Navy. I better know the map of the sky.”

“Let’s go stargazing.”

Outside, standing in the middle of her back lawn he pointed to the constellation. Unable to see it, Charley shook her head.

He slid behind her, grasped her hand, and bent to her eye level. “Point your finger for me.” He moved her hand. “There she is, Lyra.”

“I see it.” Charley smiled.

He guided her hand, using her finger to trace the constellation. “To Lyra’s north is Draco, Hercules is to the west. Vulpecula is to the east, last is Cygnus to the southeast. See the tail?”

“Yes.”

“Vega, Lyra’s brightest star.” He squeezed her shoulder with his hand as his nose swept over the soft skin of her neck. Hints of lavender sent a message to the rawest depths of his brain. “Vega is the fifth brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere.”

Charley turned to him, spreading out her arms. “You’re amazing. They’re pretty diamonds in the sky.” To the tune of ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’, she sang, “Lyra in the sky with diamonds.” She smiled. “Lyra in the sky with diamonds.” Her singing ceased, her eyes widened, her mouth opened. “Lyra’s diamond is Vega. Lyra has six diamonds. Six children abducted. We need to go inside. Now.”

She grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the patio. Out of breath, she opened the French door to the den. She darted for the office, dragging him behind her.

She fixated on the diagram of the Lyra constellation on the monitor.

“Vega, Sean, Vega.” Her heart thumped, her feet ran in place as she waved her hand at the plot of the abductions of the girls. “Vega. Star.”

His eyes widened. “Rochelle Vega, the social worker with the public school system.”

“Yes, but the Lyra part… how does it tie in?”

“I’ll check.” Murphy accessed the database of the public school system to run a query. “I’ll bet a month’s salary, her middle name is Lyra.”

“You don’t have to bet me. I’m calling to have her brought in for questioning.” She backed away from him. “I told you she was too perfect, and I didn’t like her.”

“I thought it was…”

“Was what?” Charley said as she scrolled through the list on her phone and pressed Doobie’s number.

With his hands in his pockets, Murphy waited.

Her call complete, she continued their conversation. “What were you saying?”

“Jealous of her.”

“Why would I be jealous of her?”

“When I gave her the tissue box you seemed upset.” He clicked his tongue. “Pissed I showed her attention.”

“Huh uh.”

He frowned. “Okay.”

They leaned on the front of the console, viewing the details of the map on the overhead screen.

“We have a possible suspect. We need to find a connection,” Charley said.

Murphy scratched head. “I’m not sure what we’re looking for.”

“It’s a puzzle, solve it. The answer’s there.” Charley lowered her head, massaging the inner corners of her eyes.

“Analysis?”

“This case is so saturated and convoluted. How does someone come up with this? A chick named after a constellation. Sounds ridiculous, so elaborate.”

Charley used a laser pointer to open the internet to search the name Lyra. After reading the information, she became more familiar with its mythology. The name, Lyra, Greek, for ‘lyre’, a small harp. The constellation Orpheus came from the poet’s lyre. Vega was Arabic, a falling vulture, or Spanish for ‘of the meadow’.

“Vulture, how fitting. The children are the meadow. I’ll wager she’s a musician and an athlete. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s a college star.” She gasped. “Oh, crap. Star athlete. Star Vega. This is so freaking awesome. No one would believe this without proof.” Charley glowed.

“Annabelle’s diary. Vega told her to call her Star.”

“It all fits. Professional, educated, late twenties, and she works with children.”

“I got a few things wrong.” Murphy shrugged. “How long could she continue?”

Charley paced as the profile fell into place. “Delaney is the last one. She completes the constellation. In her mind, she left the best for last. Delaney’s dad is a doctor. She’s also a talented violinist and plays softball.”

Charley’s cell phone chimed. “It’s Doobie.”

“Well, Doobie?” She kept her eyes focused on Murphy.

The anticipation overwhelming, Murphy stood in front of her, tapping his foot and rubbing his jaw.

“Haul her in to the command center,” Charley said. “We’re on our way.”

“Well?”

“Two uniforms are on their way to get her.”

“And?”

“Doobie said to get our asses moving.”

“Let’s not keep the boss waiting.” Murphy flicked his eyebrows.

∞ ∞ ∞

An hour later, Murphy and Charley entered the command center.

Doobie waited for their arrival, approaching them shaking his head. “She’s denying everything.”

“Is she talking?” Murphy said.

“Yeah, but she’s not admitting to anything.”

Charley grasped Doobie’s upper arm. “Let me at her.”

“Room two.” Doobie pointed to the door. “Good luck.”

“I’m not the one who needs luck.” Charley used her shoulder to open the door. “Vega does.”

Rochelle Vega stood when they entered the room. Distraught, her eyes were swollen, watery, and red, her cheeks covered with her hands. “Thank goodness, it’s you two. Maybe you’ll listen.”

“Happy to see us, are you?” Charley sat across from Vega.

“You bet I am,” Vega said, sitting. “This is an answered prayer.”

“Really?” Murphy pulled out the chair beside Charley’s and sat.

Vega wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. “Annabelle? I loved her. She was an incredible child. So talented, and her parents are awesome. I can’t believe the police think I murdered the little girls.”

Charley leaned over the table with an accusatory smile. “Did you?”

“No,” Vega cried. “I’m a good person. I’ve dedicated my life to children. Everything I do is for them.”

“Including murder?” Murphy said.

“Agent Murphy,” Vega whimpered, patting her chest. “Do I look like a murderer?”

“No one has determined what murderers look like.” Murphy cocked his head to one side.

Charley removed her tablet, tapped on the screen, placed it on the table, and spun it around for the doctor to view.

Vega leaned over, looking at the screen as she wiped her eyes to see. “What’s this?”

“What does it look like?” Charley said.

“It’s a map of Fairfax County. I don’t understand.”

“Watch this.” Charley tapped an icon. “Recognize anything?”

Vega gasped, covering her mouth. “Oh, my gawd… this is… oh, my gawd… it’s my constellation. These red points are where… oh, my gawd.” She dropped her head, wailing, as tears washed her cheeks. “I didn’t do this. I swear I have hurt no one. I would never harm a child. Never. I’m innocent.”

“Sure you did,” Murphy said. “Explain to us why. The girls’ parents would like to know what motivated you to kill their children.”

“I can’t, because I didn’t. Why won’t anyone listen?” Vega sheltered her face with her hands, rubbing her sore eyes hard, and jolted her head back and forth.

“Who did?”

“How would I know? If I did, I would step forward. I’m begging both of you, please, believe me.” Vega’s body trembled. The tears wouldn’t stop. “Annabelle. I went to all her piano recitals and concerts. I was so proud of her. All the hell she endured when a toddler. The foster care. She was a beautiful child with the loveliest heart.”

Charley twisted her mouth. “You’re good at this. I’ll give you credit.”

“The only thing I’m good at is creating programs for children in need,” Vega bleated. “Yes, I’m a do-gooder. I’m proud of it.”

The door of the interrogation room opened, Doobie trotted in with a document in his hand. He tossed it onto the table in Vega’s direction. “Dr. Vega, we found this at your apartment.”

She gathered the document. “It’s the deed to the cabin at Belmont Lake. I don’t understand?”

“I’m here to inform you, we’re in the process of acquiring a search warrant for the property.”

“All right. I haven’t been there since January when the pipes burst during the cold snap.”

“You haven’t been there since January?” Charley jeered. “Create something more believable.”

“I can prove the pipes broke. I have the signed receipt from the plumber.”

“Meaningless.” Murphy swung his hand. “The first murder, Robin, you remember her, Robin,” he leaned towards her, his voice harsh and unrelenting, “choked to death in March.”

“I haven’t been there since January,” she wailed.

“Tell me something.” Charley’s eyes tightened. “How does a person with a teacher’s salary afford two homes?”

“I inherited the property from my parents. My mom died five years ago, and Daddy died last year. He spent his last days there. That’s why I won’t go there.”

Murphy leaned back on the chair, teetering on the rear legs as he crossed his arms. “Where’s Delaney Ryusaki?”

“Who is Delaney… how did you pronounce the last name?” Vega scrunched her brows.

“Ryusaki,” Charley said.

“I don’t know her? Does she work for the school system?”

“No.” Murphy gravitated forward, the front chair legs clanked on the tile. “She’s a little girl who is missing, same as the other five.”

“There’s another kidnapping? I hadn’t heard.”

“Oh, please, Vega.” Charley rolled her eyes.

“When did this happen?”

“I’ll humor you,” Murphy said. “Three days ago.”