You Can't Hide (56 page)

Battling the nausea that went with the tiny little room, Tess noticed al the plants and bottles lining the shelves. Most were mushrooms and another piece of the puzzle fell into place.

“Hallucinogens. You used these on my patients.”

Amy held out her arm. “Shut up and stitch.”

Tess shook her head. “I’m getting nauseous in here. I’m afraid I’l botch the job.”

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take,” Amy said dryly. “Get started.”

Tess threaded the needle. “Did you use these drugs on my patients?”

Amy made an impatient sound. “Yes, I did.”

Tess made a neat stitch and Amy hissed in pain. “Did you put them in my soup?”

“Of course. It seemed like the perfect time to separate you from Phil.”

Tess made a few more stitches. “Did you sleep with him? With Phillip?”

Amy’s smile was nasty. “Of course. And took pictures of the grand event. They were enough to convince Phil to walk away from you. I couldn’t let you get married.”

“Why not?”

“Because then you’d be happy. I couldn’t have planned Green or the con with the chain any better if I’d tried. But I could run with the aftermath.”

“I thought I was losing my mind,” Tess murmured, thinking of the weeks she’d been too weak to go into work and wondering if her mind was rejecting her career. Amy chuckled good-naturedly. “I know. By the way, I real y did mean that you looked like a dime-store hooker on Sunday.”

Tess tightened her jaw. “I know. Eleanor was right about you. She never liked you.”

Amy’s arm tightened beneath Tess’s hands. “Bitch. She paid, too.”

Tess looked up. “What?”

“She was always doing things for you. Giving things to you.”

Tess remembered their shock at Eleanor’s sudden death. “You killed Eleanor and made it look like a stroke.”

“I did.” Her lips thinned. “The skin on her neck was so wrinkled the ME never even saw the little mark the needle left behind.”

“But they didn’t find any drugs.”

“The beauty of air, Tess.”

Dul y, Tess dropped her eyes back to the stitches. “You injected her with air.”

“The old man was supposed to throw you out on your ass.”

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Karen Rose

[Suspense 5]

You Can't Hide

“But that didn’t happen,” Tess murmured, so many things clearer now.

“You landed on your feet,” Amy said bitterly. “Like you always do.” She shook her head hard.

“Did,” she corrected. “Your charmed life will end tonight.”

Tess was coming to the end of her stitches and her feet were still tied. “What are you going to do to us?”

“Shoot you. It’s like a big circle. I started out with you because I killed my father. And now I’l finish by killing yours.”

Tess bobbled a stitch, making Amy swear. Michael looked up, his eyes mere slits. “You killed your own father? Why?”

Amy’s face hardened. “He was getting married. I didn’t want him to. She had five children and they were all going to overrun
my
house. Take
my
things.” Her chuckle was ugly. “Hell of it was, I ended up with
your
five children, so it wasn’t any better.”

“You framed Leon,” Tess murmured, taking her time over the last few stitches.

“It was easy to do.” Her face darkened. “Framing you should have been so easy.”

“Why wasn’t it?” Tess asked.

“I was afraid the cops would miss the important clues so I left too many.”

“You did too good a job,” Tess murmured, playing the game.

“I did,” Amy replied, pleased. “Now framing your old man was a piece of cake.”

Tess gritted her teeth. Amy had set that up, too. “You had me fooled.”

“The great psychiatrist. No better than anyone else. You see what you want to see.” Amy flexed her fingers. “You did a good job. For that the old man will go quickly.”

Tess knew it was now or never. She whipped her father’s knife from her waistband and while Amy was inspecting her stitches, Tess struck, slicing deep into Amy’s uninjured arm. Letting out a piercing howl, Amy swung the gun upward and Tess treated her to the same move she’d used on Clayborn. Amy screamed, blood gushing from her nose and Tess threw herself into Amy’s body, knocking her against one of the walls. Pots on the shelves above teetered and Amy was momentarily stunned.

Tess grabbed Amy’s gun with one hand and sawed at the ropes around her ankles with the other. She stood, the gun in her hand while Amy sneered. “You won’t do it.”

Tess knew Amy was at least partly right. This woman had been her closest friend. And it had been entirely one-sided the entire time. Still, Tess couldn’t see herself pul ing the trigger, taking Amy’s life. The woman she’d loved like a sister was mentally ill. She’d spared Harold Green. Did she owe Amy any less? “I don’t want to kill you, Amy. But I will if I have to. Stand up and don’t touch my father or I swear I will kill you.”

Amy stood up. “Such a little bitty room, Tess. I don’t think you’ve got enough air.”

Tess gritted her teeth. “I seem to be doing very well, despite my fear.” And to her surprise that was true. “Now move. Away from my father.” Amy moved a few feet closer to the door, her eyes watchful. Tess knew Amy was just waiting for her to blink. “That’s far enough. Dad, I can’t take my eyes off her to untie you.”

“It’s al right, Tess.” He was so weak. “Just get help.”

“Move, Amy. We’re going to make a phone call and this time I get to talk for myself.”

Friday, March 17, 8:20 P.M.

Aidan, Murphy, and Spinnelli stared at the photos Rick had spread across the table. “The missing slivers of the CD translate to missing bands across the width of the picture,” Rick explained.

“You found pictures?” Aidan asked. “I was expecting an audio file.”

“Oh.” Rick shook his head to clear it. “I’ve been looking at this too long. I did find an audio file, but just pieces. Like a cell phone conversation that keeps going in and out. But there’s enough to nail Poston for sure. While I was looking for the audio segments, I found some picture files, buried deep. She must have tried to wipe this disc clean with a government wipe. That only

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You Can't Hide

erases the data if you wipe it seven times and even then, data’s been known to stick around. See if the pictures mean anything.”

The picture was of a wall, with pictures. Pen-and-ink pictures of a beach. He’d seen this wall before. His heart leaped into his throat. “This is Tess’s living room.”

Murphy grabbed one of the pictures. “You’re kidding.”

Aidan looked up. “She did the same thing with Tess that she did with Swanson. These were taken from outside Tess’s apartment. That’s where she plays.”

Murphy nodded excitedly. “From the building across the street. But that building’s got forty apartments on the street side. Can you project the apartment from the angle?”

“Maybe,” Rick said. “The resolution’s poor, but I can guess.”

Spinnelli knocked on the table to get their attention. “We need to know which specific apartment to get a warrant. You can’t just guess.”

Aidan picked up the phone. “Lori, do you have that real-estate list for Deering yet?”

Two minutes later Lori brought the printouts and Aidan ran his finger down the list. “She owns twenty apartments. But only one across from Tess. Let’s go.”

Friday, March 17, 8:45 P.M.

“Stop now,” Tess said and Amy stopped, a mocking smile on her face.

“And if I don’t?”

Tess fired a shot, letting the bul et fly close to Amy’s head. “Then I’l shoot you.”

Amy’s face turned a mottled red. “You bitch. You’ve always had it all.”

“And now I’l have you in jail. Which is where you tried to send me.”

“And I would have if it hadn’t been for those damn cops.”

“You sound like the villains in
Scooby-Doo,
” Tess said and Amy’s scowl deepened. “So much for classic films.” She looked around, but to her dismay saw no phone.

“No phone,” Amy said smugly. “Just the Internet. Now what?”

“Come with me. We’re knocking on some doors. I’m sure somebody in this building has a phone.” She waved Amy in front of her, motioning her toward the door. “Go.”

Instead Amy charged. Tess flew backward, flat against the glass patio door and Amy wrested the gun away. Bleeding and bruised, Amy stood, pointing the gun at Tess’s heart. “Now
you
move. Out on the terrace. Ful circle with your dad, ful circle with you. This all started when your patient jumped. Now the headlines will have you jumping as well. Open the door.”

“No.” Tess knew the moment she was on the terrace that she was dead. Amy unlocked the door and pushed it open, letting in the cold night air. She grabbed Tess’s hair in one hand, with the other pressed the gun to her temple. “I said go. Now.” She dragged Tess to the balcony and pushed her so that she leaned over the edge. Tess cried out when the butt of the gun came down against the small of her back. Instinctively she moved to get away from the pain, throwing off her center of gravity and Amy pushed. Sending Tess over the edge.

“Police!” Aidan stepped aside to let the SWAT team break down the door and Aidan’s heart dropped to his feet. On the balcony Amy stood. Alone. Barely visible were two hands, hanging on to the ledge for dear life.
Tess.
Aidan ran forward only to have Amy Mil er turn, her eyes wild and insane.

“Everybody leaves or I’l shoot her hands,” she threatened calmly. “And she’l fall, twelve stories. If she doesn’t die, she’l wish she had and so will you.”

Murphy was behind him. “On three, Aidan,” he said softly. “One, two,-”

Three.
Both he and Murphy shot simultaneously, the force of their combined fire to her torso sending Amy over the edge. Not waiting to check where she landed, Aidan ran, and he and Murphy dragged Tess back to safety. She was white-faced and panting, in too much shock to say a word.

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You Can't Hide

Aidan swung her into his arms and carried her back into the living room.

“She’s on the pavement,” Murphy said from the balcony. “She’s dead.”

“Ful circle,” Tess murmured. “Like Cynthia.”

Aidan thought he’d never put Tess down as long as he lived. Seeing her two small hands clutching the edge of the balcony had driven more than twenty years from his life. Tess struggled to her feet. “My father. Call 911. He needs oxygen.”

So did she, Aidan thought, but supported her as she ran to a back room where Michael Ciccotelli lay, still bound and pale. He looked up and closed his eyes in relief. “You’re alive. I heard the gunshots.”

Tess dropped to her knees and searched for the knife to cut his bonds. Tears were pouring from her eyes and Aidan didn’t think she was even aware of them. Her hands were shaking, making the knife a danger. “She’s dead, Dad. Amy’s dead.”

“Tess.” Aidan crouched down, took the knife from her hands. “Sit and breathe.” Quickly he cut Michael’s bonds and helped the older man straighten his limbs. “You’re both going to a hospital and you will not argue. Agreed?”

Michael looked at Tess. “I’l go if you do.”

She nodded, her hand over her mouth. “Okay.”

“Tess? Dad?” Vito skidded to a stop in the open doorway. “Oh, my God, Tess.” He dropped to his knees beside her, grabbing her in his arms. “Spinnelli called me and I got here when you were still hanging off the balcony. I thought you’d fall.” His arms tightened and he rocked her hard. Michael’s eyes grew wide. “You were hanging from the balcony? Dear God.”

“I thought I’d have a heart attack,” Vito said fervently. “Mom and I stood there. We couldn’t breathe. And then Amy went over the side and Reagan pul ed you back over.” He looked up unsteadily, meet Aidan’s eyes. “Thank you.”

Aidan managed a nod. “It’s okay. I’m not sure I’l ever breathe again, either.” He blew out a breath and drew in another experimentally. “I guess I can.”

Tess gently pul ed from Vito’s arms and turned into Aidan’s. She put her head on his shoulder. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so glad to see anyone as I was when you looked over that balcony.” She touched her lips to his. “Thank you.”

Aidan buried his face in the curve of her neck and shuddered. It was over. Finally over.

“You’re welcome. Let’s get you checked out, then let’s go home.”

She tilted his head up, smiled into his eyes. “I’m not cooking tonight, Detective.”

His laugh was strangled. “It’s okay. I got no spit to swallow anything you’d make. Maybe tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow it is.”

Saturday, March 18, 8:30 A.M.

Tess gingerly stepped from the elevator at Aidan’s floor, her heart racing. She stood for a moment and drew a deep breath.

“Still hate elevators, Tess?”

She looked up to find Marc Spinnelli studying her with a kind smile, a coffee cup in one hand.

“Yeah, but I think I might hate heights just a little more now.”

He grinned. “I’d say you’d have a right to that phobia, Doctor.” He slid his arm around her shoulders. “I didn’t get a chance to talk to you last night. Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Sore, but fine.” She’d woken in Aidan’s bed an hour before. He’d been gone already, a note on his pillow. “Sleep in,” he’d ordered, but this morning she needed answers. She needed
him
. “Is Aidan here?”

He nodded, understanding. “In the conference room. I’l walk you.”

Five pairs of eyes looked up when she came in. Jack, Rick, Patrick, and Murphy. And Aidan. He stood up, a frown bending his brow. “I told you to sleep.”

“I couldn’t.” She held out the morning
Bulletin
. “Did you see this?”

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[Suspense 5]

You Can't Hide

Aidan sighed. “Yeah, we did. Sit down, Tess.”

She took the chair he offered and spread the paper out, once again staring at the bold black type. The headline read DEFENSE ATTORNEY A KILLER. Under the bold print were two stories. The first was the bigger one, byline Cyrus Bremin. It detailed Amy’s role in the killing spree of the last week, culminating with Phillip Parks and Keith Brandon. Their pictures stared up from the page and Tess could only feel sadness. Her own picture was included, next to a grainy photo of her hanging from the balcony. That picture left her stomach raw and turbulent. She’d dreamed about it the night before, her fingers slowly slipping from the balcony as horns blared from the traffic below. But she hadn’t been asleep. It was just her memory playing that one horrific moment again and again. But she was alive. Thirteen others were not. The second story was smaller, but just as shocking. Amy had been working for several powerful families in Chicago, earning blood money as she helped them put any employees who’d displeased them in prison. Invariably those employees were killed, sending an effective message to anyone considering a betrayal. Apparently among these employees, Amy Miller was associated with certain doom. Somehow Joanna Carmichael had uncovered this. And it had cost her boyfriend his life.