Wild Justice (25 page)

65 Something s wrong, Mike Greene said. He, Alex DeVore, Sean McCarthy and a technician were squeezed in the back of a van jammed with electronic equipment. They re talking, Alex DeVore said. No, he s talking. She hasn t spoken in more than five minutes. I put a watch on them. She s got to be nervous. Hell, she s got to be terrified. Someone in that state should be talking a blue streak. It s her only contact with us. Mike might be right, McCarthy said. If we send the men in now, we blow it, DeVore cautioned. If we don t and something happens to Amanda, I Hold it, the tech interrupted. They re in the basement. I can hear them going down the stairs. Send the men in, now, McCarthy yelled, ripping off his headset. DeVore yanked the mike from the tech s hand. Go, go, go, he yelled. They re in the basement. SWAT team members rose from their positions in the woods surrounding Tony s house and moved in. The first group went in the back door and the second through the front. When they experienced no resistance, the first group opened the cellar door. It was pitch black. The first man through the door crouched low and scanned the basement with night vision goggles. He edged down the stairs, weapon at the ready. Two other SWAT team members followed. They fanned out when they were in the basement. There was little to see: a floor-to-ceiling wine rack, the furnace, a water heater, a racing bike. Lights, the team leader ordered. The men removed their goggles and the man at the top of the stairs flipped the switch. Where are they? one of the men asked. There has to be another way out, the team leader said. Find it. Over here, one of the men yelled. He was kneeling next to a trap door that was flush with the floor. It had been covered with a rug. Three of the men surrounded the door and aimed their assault rifles at it. The fourth man opened the door in one smooth movement while the team leader looked on. There was a narrow depression in the earth no wider or deeper than a coffin. There were blood spots on the dirt. A rank smell issued forth. The basement is deserted, the team leader reported to the men in the van. So is the rest of the house, the tech in the van answered. The second team had already briefed him. We found a hidden trap door covering a coffin-size hole with what appears to be dried blood and excrement in it. He may have been holding people down there. Keep looking for another way out, McCarthy said. If there s one hidden door, there might be another. Tony Fiori had met his first victim on the slopes of the Ghost Lake resort. He had taken her to the family cabin, tortured her to death and buried her in the woods. Everything went so smoothly that Tony gave no thought to being caught. Teenagers don t do much planning, anyway. Tony s luck held with his second victim. Then Dominic Fiori walked in on his son in the act of torturing victim number three, and it suddenly occurred to Tony that it would be wise to take precautions. Tony had enough money from his father s estate and life insurance to secure a private place to conduct his experiments in pain, and he soon developed a foolproof technique for purchasing his research facilities. Then he studied forensic techniques to avoid detection by police specialists. Finally he created an escape plan if the worst-case scenario occurred. As soon as they were in the basement, Tony placed a hood over Amanda s head, slid the moveable wine rack aside and pushed her into the escape tunnel. A flashlight hung on a hook just inside the door. Beneath it was a backpack with a pistol, cash, a change of clothing, materials for a disguise, a fake passport and other false identification. Tony barred the entrance to the tunnel from the inside, grabbed the flashlight and located the backpack. The tunnel extended a quarter of a mile under the woods behind his house. Amanda ran stooped over because of the low ceiling. Stones and roots cut her bare feet; her buttocks and the backs of her thighs bled from gashes made by Tony s knife as he jabbed her when she slowed. A half mile from the tunnel exit a car purchased with false ID was waiting. Several hundred miles away in a small Montana town was his new laboratory. Amanda Jaffe would be its inaugural subject. It was stocked with enough food to last several months. When the search for him and Amanda died down, he would leave the country and plan his future. Amanda, or what was left of her, would stay behind in Montana. Tony felt energized by the chase. He d heard the back door crash open seconds before he closed and bolted the door to the tunnel, and it gave him a sense of satisfaction to know that he had outwitted the police. As they hustled along, Tony admired the way Amanda s buttocks moved ahead of him. They were lithe and well muscled, like her legs. Tony thought about the time he would spend with Amanda. Tony liked best those first lovely moments when his subjects fully appreciated the horror of their situation. He watched with night vision goggles as they awoke in the dark, confused, frightened and unaware that they were under observation. There was always a widening of the eyes, a racing of the pulse, the mad attempt to break free from their bonds. He would lose this moment with Amanda. In her case, though, there would be other compensations. You present me with a rare opportunity, Tony told Amanda as he prodded her forward. Most of my subjects have been runaways, addicts or prostitutes. They haven t been in the best of physical condition, and I ve often wondered what effect that had on their ability to tolerate pain. I m interested to see how much pain a well-conditioned athlete can endure. We ll both learn a lot about pain in the weeks to come. Tony suddenly grabbed Amanda s arm and yanked her to an abrupt stop while he listened for movement in the tunnel. When he was certain they were not being followed, he slapped her with the blade of his knife. She lurched forward and collided with the tunnel wall before Tony set her straight. You were so easy to fool, Tony taunted, breathing easily as they ran. I dated you to milk you for information, just as I used Justine to find out what I needed to know to frame Vincent. Did you think our reunion at St. Francis was a coincidence? Justine told me about the interview. Tony chuckled. You weren t much of a challenge, though I must say that your reactions to sexual stimulus were often interesting. I may see if I can bring you to climax while you re in pain. I ve tried it before on male and female subjects with interesting results. Amanda was becoming exhausted and disoriented. It was hard to breathe in the hood with the tape across her mouth, and her fear was quickly sapping her strength. You can take some comfort in the fact that you re aiding science. You know, it was my father who inspired my interest in pain, but he wasn t very scientific or imaginative. Belts and fists were the limits of his creativity. I ve far surpassed him, as you ll soon learn. I would have loved using Vincent as a subject, but I couldn t because the medical examiner would have seen the marks. If you hadn t stopped me from killing Cardoni, the investigation would have ended and I wouldn t have had to worry about someone like you discovering my work in Peru and Ghost Lake. I bet you wish you d stayed in the car. They were almost at the end of the tunnel when they heard the explosion. Looks like the police have found my escape hatch. But don t get your hopes up. They re a quarter mile behind. Tony shoved open a trap door concealed under a layer of earth. He pushed Amanda up a short ladder, closed the door and rolled a boulder over it. Then he urged Amanda through the woods. There was no trail, but Tony knew every inch of the route to the car by heart. He did practice runs each month. Amanda gasped for air as she stumbled forward over the stones that cut her feet. Only fear of what Tony would do if she slowed down kept her moving. Her legs trembled and she stayed upright by sheer force of will. Finally, just when she was certain that she could not go another step, she ran into the side of a car. Stop, Tony ordered. Amanda doubled over. Her lungs heaved. She heard the trunk pop open. Once she was in the trunk, it would be all over. Tony would drive away and her fate would be sealed. Amanda broke away from the car and was in the woods before Tony could react. She hit a tree with her shoulder, spun and drove forward blindly. She expected to feel Tony s grip any moment, but she was still running free when a log sent her sprawling. Pain shot through her shins as she flew through space. Her head cracked against a tree trunk. She lay on the ground, stunned, yet somehow gathered herself, rolled to her side and regained her feet. A car motor started. She heard tires spinning and distant shouts. Amanda raced toward the voices, stumbled and fell to her knees. She s over here, someone shouted. It s okay, someone else said. Amanda collapsed as kind hands took hold of her. Someone cut through the plastic restraints that bound her hands behind her, and someone else draped a coat over her shoulders. Another person removed the hood and the tape that sealed her mouth. With eyes blurred by tears and exhaustion, Amanda saw the SWAT team members who were scouring the woods. Do you have him? someone shouted. He s gone. He s disappeared, someone else answered. Amanda, it s me. Amanda opened her eyes and saw Mike Greene leaning over her in the back of the ambulance. Is she okay? Greene asked the medic. She ll be fine, he answered. She s disoriented and frightened, but her cuts are all superficial. Did they get him? Amanda asked. Greene shook his head. But don t worry. He won t get far, Mike said bravely, though without conviction. He sat next to Amanda, trying to think of something else to say. The medic gave Amanda a cup of steaming tea. She thanked him automatically and took a sip while her eyes stared ahead vacantly. Finally, at a loss for words, Mike Greene laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

66 Tony Fiori came to slowly. His vision was blurred, his cheek pressed against cold, damp concrete. Fiori s hands were bound tightly behind his back. Tape covered his mouth; he tried to stand, but his ankles were also bound. Good, you re awake. Fiori recognized the voice. He rolled over and saw Vincent Cardoni watching him. We re in a warehouse in Portland, if you re interested, Cardoni said as he reached down to check the ankle and wrist restraints. Fiori tried to wrench away from him, but it was useless. I d conserve your strength if I were you. You re going to need it. Cardoni saw fear in Fiori s eyes and smiled. Oh, no, you don t have to worry about me. But you do need to be afraid. Cardoni took out his cell phone. I followed Amanda Jaffe to your house and spotted the SWAT team, so I stayed in the woods to see what would happen. Cardoni listened to someone on the other end of the phone. Mr. Breach, please. It was luck that I saw you emerge from your tunnel, he continued as he waited for Breach to take his call. Bad luck for you. Cardoni smiled. You ve made my life hell since the day you framed me. But you re going to put things right. You re going to square me with Martin Breach. Cardoni s attention returned to the phone. Mr. Breach, he said, have you checked with your police friends? Cardoni paused. Good. Then you know that Tony Fiori was Dr. Grant s partner and that I had nothing to do with the heart? Cardoni paused again and nodded at something Breach said. When he spoke, he looked at Fiori so that he could enjoy his reaction. No, no, Mr. Breach, I don t want any money. Dr. Fiori cost me my hand and my career, and he made me live underground like an animal for four years. What we both want, I believe, is revenge: something more fitting than a quick and painless death by lethal injection. Cardoni watched with great satisfaction as understanding, then terror, registered in Fiori s eyes. He tried to speak, but the tape muffled his words. As he thrashed on the ground Cardoni gave Breach the address of the warehouse, then disconnected. They ll be here soon, so I have to leave, Cardoni said. Mr. Breach did want me to tell you something, though. It seems that a contact in the police department gave him a copy of your pain journals. He says he found them quite interesting and is looking forward to trying the techniques you found most effective. Fiori s eyes stretched open as far as possible. He strained uselessly against his bonds. Cardoni watched him for a moment more, then threw his head back and began to laugh. His laughter continued to echo in the cold, hollow space as he disappeared into the night.

67 Two weeks after her escape, Amanda was reviewing case notes in the corridor outside a courtroom when she looked up to find Mike Greene smiling down at her. Mr. Greene, are you spying on me? she asked, matching his smile with one of her own. Mike sat beside her on the bench. Nope, I m just checking to see if you re okay. Thanks, Mike, I m fine. This must be really hard for you. You were very close to Fiori, weren t you? Amanda smiled sadly. He used me to find out about the investigation, Mike. I never meant anything to him, and he doesn t mean a thing to me now. I ll tell you one thing, though I m through dating serial killers. Mike barked out a laugh. Then he sobered and looked at Amanda uneasily. She sensed that he wanted to say something, but Greene looked uncharacteristically nervous. Have you heard anything more about Bobby Vasquez? Amanda asked when the silence went on too long. He ll be out of the hospital by next week, Greene said. He seemed grateful for the easy question. He s made a great recovery. Thank God for that. She paused. Have you . . . ? Mike shook his head. There s nothing new on Fiori. He s dropped off the face of the earth. Amanda sighed. She nodded toward the police officer sitting a few benches away. It sure would be nice to know that I didn t need protection anymore. Well, you re going to get it until we know you re safe. I don t want anything happening to you at least outside court. Amanda smiled. I think I can take pretty good care of myself there. That you can, Mike agreed. Then he hesitated. You know, I could take over as your bodyguard this Saturday if you re interested. Amanda looked confused. Mike smiled nervously. Do you like jazz? What? There s a really good trio playing at a club in Old Town next week. Amanda couldn t hide her surprise. Are you asking me out, like on a date? I ve wanted to ask you out for a long time. Mike blushed. No guts. But I figured if you could be brave enough to go up against Fiori, I could muster the courage to ask you out. I love jazz. Mike s face lit up. Okay. Give me a call and let me know when we re going. I will. This is great. Amanda laughed. Does this mean you ll go easier on me the next time we have a case together? Not a chance, Mike answered, grinning unabashedly. Not a chance.