Ashes, Ashes, They All Fall Dead (2 page)

She tried to imagine a future as
Miss
Tessa James instead of
Special Agent
James. From the first time she’d seen an FBI agent on a TV show, chasing a bad guy, putting him away so he could never hurt anyone else again, she knew she’d grow up to do the same thing. She’d never have to rely on anyone else to protect her.
She
would be the one saving others. When she tried to imagine a future in which she wasn’t an FBI agent, all she saw was a miserable, dark void.

“Well?” he pressed. “What is it about this case that has you willing to risk everything?”

She clutched her hands together beneath the table. Why was he dragging this out? Why not just fire her now and get it over with? If he were anyone else, she’d end this humiliation right now and walk out. But this was Casey. They’d been in the trenches together too many times. He’d earned the right to know why she’d done what she’d done. And this was the first time he’d ever specifically asked why this case was so important to her. Maybe he really cared, really wanted to know.

But how could she explain something she didn’t understand herself?

Her shoulders slumped as the fight drained out of her. “I don’t know, Casey. I wish I did. Maybe it’s . . . maybe it’s something about the names of the victims. Or maybe it’s the ‘Ashes, Ashes’ thing he writes on the letters. There’s something about that phrase that seems so . . . familiar.”

He yanked the chair out across from her and straddled it. “Of course the Ashes, Ashes phrase sounds familiar. It’s a nursery rhyme, or a bastardization of one. It’s familiar to all of us.”

They both sat silently, her dying inside, knowing she’d just destroyed her future. Him, looking more confused than angry as he drummed his fingers on the laminate tabletop.

His fingers stilled, and the sudden look of determination in his eyes immediately set her on edge. He’d just come to some kind of decision, and she knew before he spoke that she wasn’t going to like it.

“I want the old Tessa James back,” he said. “The one I could rely on to follow orders and work
with
me, instead of against me. The agent with promise and a brilliant career ahead of her. So, I’m not going to fire you. I’m not even going to reprimand you, even though you deserve it. But only if you’ll give me something in return. You have to agree to a deal.”

The hope that had begun to flare inside her when he started his little speech died a quick death. Casey wasn’t the kind of man to make deals, so she couldn’t imagine one where she’d come out the winner.

She eyed him warily. “What kind of deal?”

He waved his hand toward the pile of letters. “I’ll give you one week, seven days, to prove this isn’t a hoax and develop at least one solid lead—and I do mean solid, like granite. If at the end of that week you can’t convince me this isn’t a hoax, then you agree to drop this and never bring the letters up again.”

She stared at him, stunned that he was giving her another chance, and even more stunned that he was going to let her do exactly what she’d wanted to do all along.

“You’re going to
let
me work the case?”

He nodded. “For seven days. The clock starts tomorrow, day one. On day seven, game over. And you have to agree to my terms in writing.”

The “in writing” part stung, but she’d broken his trust over the letters. It would take a long time to win it back.

“I’ll take the deal, and I’ll put it in writing.” Blessed relief bubbled up inside her. She didn’t know why he was being so accommodating, but she wasn’t going to do anything that might make him rethink his decision. “You won’t regret this, Casey. Without any other distractions, I’m sure I’ll be able to—”

He held up his hand. “I’m not finished.”

Her stomach sank again.

“There’s one more requirement. I want you to have the resources you need so you can’t complain later that I didn’t give you the best possible chance to solve this thing. To that end, when I go back to my office, I’m going to arrange for someone to help you.”

Help her?
Wonderful.
Another partner. Her last one had been Pierce Buchanan. It had been a great partnership until they decided to date. Then his old flame, Madison, had come onto the scene and Tessa had foolishly thought she could get Pierce to choose her instead. She’d basically thrown herself at him, had kissed him, in fact, with his future wife watching through a window.

Not one of her prouder moments.

That had ended the partnership, and it had taken a while for her to feel comfortable working in the same office with him again without feeling like a fool. Taking on another partner, forcing someone to work on a cold case he had no interest in, wasn’t exactly a great way to start a new partnership.

“I appreciate the offer.” She struggled to keep the irritation from showing in her voice. “But I’ve already brainstormed with everyone in our office. I’ve followed up on every suggestion, but none of it amounted to even one new lead. There’s no point in forcing me to work with another agent. It won’t make a difference.”

The tightening around his eyes told her she’d said too much. She belatedly realized she’d just thrown her fellow agents under the proverbial armored car by admitting they knew she’d been working on the letters case—and hadn’t told him.

He crossed his arms over the back of his chair. “Wasting other agents’ time on this isn’t what I had in mind. I’m going to call a consultant, a local private investigator who specializes in working with law enforcement to solve cold cases. Then I want you to meet with him and explain the details of the case. Get him to agree to work on it with you. His name is Matt Buchanan.”

She blinked and tried to form words several times before they finally came out. “Pierce’s baby brother? You have to be kidding. He’s, what, sixteen, seventeen?”

Her boss’s knuckles whitened from clutching the back of the chair so hard.

Tessa immediately regretted her outburst, but her shock had driven all caution from her brain.

“I think he’s twenty-four, not that it matters,” Casey finally responded. “He’s a brilliant investigator who’s worked with several other agents in this office quite successfully. He holds master’s degrees in both criminology and advanced mathematics with a minor in computer science. More importantly, in only three years he’s helped close over
thirty
cold cases for seven different law-enforcement agencies, including ours. His solve ratio is eighty-five percent. What’s the solve ratio for our cold-case unit?”

“More like twenty percent,” she grudgingly admitted.

“Exactly.”

He waited, as if he expected her to thank him and tell him how excited she was to work with a
child
. She’d had to put up with Matt’s arrogant interference when he was still a college student, while Tessa was investigating Madison McKinley’s abduction three years ago—the same Madison who eventually married Pierce. Tolerating Matt because he was Pierce’s brother was one thing. But if Tessa was forced to actively work with him on an investigation, every day, for a solid week, she might as well go to jail right now.

Because she’d probably kill him.

Casey rapped one of his fists on the table. “Look, I know you have a problem with Matt, so I won’t force you to work with him.”

She cleared her throat, uncomfortable that her dislike of the man was so obvious. But she wasn’t going to deny it either.

“It’s your decision,” Casey said. “But Buchanan is part of the deal. Work with him to develop that lead by day seven. If you’re successful, this becomes an active investigation with my full support. No lead, the case is dead, and if I catch you even
thinking
about those letters again, your career is over.”

Chapter Two

T
ESSA WAS STILL
smarting from Casey’s ultimatum. And as she carefully picked her way through the side yard of Madison Buchanan’s house on East Gaston Street, she was also regretting that she hadn’t gone directly home after work to change out of her heels.

She glanced around the property. Tall oak trees dotted the large double lot. Spanish moss dripped down toward the ground. But instead of the traditional southern landscaping giving a welcoming feel, all Tessa could sense was an oppressive malevolence, as if a killer was waiting behind one of those trees, ready to jump out at her.

She shook her head at her fanciful thoughts. She’d worked dozens of murder scenes through the years. That should have made her immune to their effects. But for some reason, knowing two bodies had been found buried behind Pierce and Madison’s enormous Victorian the last time she was here, she couldn’t shake the feeling of foreboding that swept over her.

Today, just like that day nearly three years ago, there were several white Buchanan & Buchanan Construction trucks out front, each with their bright red B&B lettering on the side. Hammers pounded, electric saws whined, telling her where the workers were—in the backyard, right where the bodies had once been discovered. She shivered, even though the bright summer sun gave her no reason to feel chilled.

“Tessa, hi!”

She turned to see a very pregnant Madison Buchanan, hurrying up the side yard from the front of the house. Tessa waited, not particularly thrilled to have to speak to Madison. It was a tad difficult to be friendly with a woman she’d once accused of staging her own abduction, let alone a woman who’d ended up marrying the man Tessa had hoped to build a future with herself.

Madison wobbled to a halt, resting one hand on her protruding belly, the other on her back, as if it pained her. She gave Tessa a warm, welcoming smile, making Tessa feel guilty for her resentment.

“How are you feeling these days, Madison?”

“Fat and cranky. And bored. I can’t wait until the baby comes. Pierce will hardly let me out of his sight, not even to check on how the playroom construction is going. He worries about every little thing.” She looked past Tessa and groaned. “Speak of the devil, here he comes. He’ll probably order me back inside to rest.”

Tessa turned to see Pierce striding toward them from the backyard, still wearing the dark blue suit and white dress shirt he’d worn to the office. He must have gone around back to check on the construction as soon as he got home. He hadn’t even bothered to remove his tie yet.

The sound of hammering continued, along with a beeping noise from some of the equipment. From Tessa’s angle in the side yard, all she could see was a small group of men at the corner of the house, holding up a wall of two-by-fours, nailing it in place.

Pierce shook Tessa’s hand in greeting. “Is something wrong?” He put his arm around Madison’s shoulders and tucked her against his side. “Does Casey need me back at the office?”

“Oh, no, nothing like that. Actually, I’m not here to see you. Casey asked Matt to consider consulting on a case I’m working. I found out he was here helping out, so I stopped by to set up a meeting.”

“The letters?” Pierce asked.

Tessa nodded.

“What letters?” Madison asked, her tone curious.

“Shouldn’t you be inside resting?” Pierce frowned down at her.

“See, I told you.” Madison shot an irritated look at Tessa. “He fusses over me all the time. He’s become an old woman.”

“Someone has to make sure you take care of yourself,” he said. “If it were up to you, you’d be right in the middle of the construction, telling everyone what to do and getting in the way. Go on inside. I’ll catch up after I take Tessa to see Matt.”

Madison grumbled something beneath her breath, but Tessa didn’t think the woman really minded her husband’s protectiveness. Her eyes had lit with happiness from the moment he’d headed toward her. And when he put his arm around her shoulders, she positively glowed.

He gave her a quick kiss, then gave her a gentle push toward the front of the house. She gave them both a wave and waddled off.

“I’m surprised she gave in so easily.” Tessa walked beside Pierce toward the backyard.

“Trust me. She only gave in because she really is tired. She’s due in a couple of weeks and totally worn out most of the time.” He gave her a look out of the corner of his eye. “You sure everything’s okay back at work? Something’s bothering you.”

As usual, he was annoyingly perceptive.

“Everything’s fine.”

“Everything except that Casey asked you to work with Matt, and you’d rather do anything
but
work with him?”

Wonderful.
Did
everyone
know how she felt about Matt?

They stopped by the fence at the rear of the property, well away from all the construction activity. She kept her back to the men working on the walls. She’d just as soon put off seeing Matt until absolutely necessary.

Pierce was still patiently waiting for her answer.

“Is it really that obvious?” she asked.

“To me, yes. And Casey, only because he was involved in the Simon Says Die investigation with us and saw how you and Matt interacted.”

She winced. “Sorry. I’m sure he’s a great brother and an all-around nice guy. There’s just something about him that . . .”

“Irritates you?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“Understandable.”

Her gaze shot to his. “It is?”

“Sure. When you met him, you were investigating the case of Madison’s stalker, and you had strong beliefs about the evidence that didn’t go in her favor. Then Matt comes in, basically just a college student to you—even though he’s got a genius-level IQ—and he second-guesses your conclusions. I can see where he would have seemed cocky and arrogant. If you’re worried that it bothers me that you and my brother are on less than friendly terms, don’t. I’m not offended in the least.” He grinned. “And it’s okay that you don’t like my wife either. She’s an acquired taste. All that matters is that
I
like her. And I happen to like her
very
much.”

Her face flushed hot, but she was saved from replying when he waved at someone behind her, motioning them over.

“Matt’s on his way. I’ll leave you two to discuss the case in private.”