Deadly Deception (21 page)

Sawyer moved in front of her. “Let’s hope dispatch was able to pinpoint his location. Too damn bad he called on your cell. No way to record the conversation and run it through voice analysis. I’m sure that was his intent.” He leaned in closer. “Could you tell if that was really Davies on the phone?”

“It sure sounded like him, but… Shit. I haven’t heard the creep talk in over a year. I’d have to listen to voice comparisons to be certain. It could be someone trying to sound like him.”

“Damn. I was hoping we could narrow things down a bit.”

“All I know is that it didn’t sound like Carter that I remember. But again, I haven’t seen him since the case was closed, either.”

“Go over everything he said. Was any of it unusual? Maybe something Davies wouldn’t have said?”

Mallory reran the conversation again when something struck her as odd. “Wait. He called me Agent Reeves.”

Sawyer frowned. “So?”

“He always called me Mallory, as if calling me by my first name made the killings more intimate or something. He never did say.”

Sawyer pursed his lips. “Maybe—”

He cut off as Cole muttered a goodbye into his phone and lowered it, his expression more sombre than she’d expected.

Dread tumbled through Mallory’s gut and she braced herself for more bad news. “Just tell us, already.”

Cole shuffled on his feet. “Dispatch traced the call, but…”

“But what? Where is the bastard?”

Cole steeled his expression. “He’s calling from Gig Harbor.”

Sawyer furrowed his brow. “What the hell is he doing in Gig Harbor and why would he want us to know…” His expression changed. “Shit.”

Mallory stood there, staring at him when it hit her. “The women’s correctional centre is in Gig Harbor.” She inhaled roughly. “My mother.”

Cole grabbed her as she tried to push past him. “They’ve already notified the superintendent. They’re doing a lockdown and checking everyone as we speak.”

“I’m still going. She might not consider me her daughter, but she’s still my mother.”

“Of course you are, but we’re coming and Sawyer’s driving.”

She palmed the desk for support as fear swept over her. “God. I haven’t seen her since…”

“Mal—”

Mallory glared at him, pushing off. “I’m fine, Cole.”

“No, you’re not. And you’ll be less fine in forty-five minutes when we get there. So we’re playing this my way, end of discussion.”

“Fine.” She pulled her arm free and grabbed her jacket, not meeting either of the men’s gazes as she headed for the elevators, tossing Sawyer the keys to the Jeep back over her shoulder. She had a bad feeling Davies had just changed the nature of his game, and it was more personal than ever.

Chapter Twelve

“Goddamn, son of a bitch.”

Sawyer slammed his hand on the wall as he stared into the small cell, noting the increasing pool of blood spreading across the floor. He’d made the drive in under an hour, but it hadn’t been fast enough. The superintendent had met them at the door, her mouth a thin line across her face as she’d lowered her head and informed them Pamela Reeves was dead.

Mallory hadn’t spoken a word, choosing to follow the woman through the bowels of the facility in complete silence until they arrived at Pam’s unit. The door had been left open and the body perfectly arranged on the floor. The only deviation was a photo of Mallory pinned to her mother’s sash.

Cole came up beside him and gave him a nod. “This is insane. What the hell have we stumbled into? This isn’t the work of a typical serial killer. Shit, this guy doesn’t have a MO anymore. All he seems to want to do is make Mallory suffer.”

“I can assure you, he’s succeeding.”

Cole sighed. “You think she’ll be okay?” He cursed. “You know what I mean, Sawyer. She’s not going to be good, but…should I be worried?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. But I wouldn’t suggest leaving her alone…not even for a moment.”

“Just don’t ask me to follow her into the ladies’ room. I like my balls attached to my body if it’s all the same to you.”

Sawyer smiled in spite of himself. “She’s lucky to have a friend like you. You know that, right? Hell, we both are.”

“Thanks.” Cole gave him a cautious nod. “We don’t have to hug or anything now, do we?”

“Not if you’re as attached to your balls as much as you say you are.” He released a slow breath. “None of this makes sense. All the other victims were young women. And why kill someone who’s destined to spend the rest of their life behind bars? I get he’s making a statement, but… Shit. I don’t have a clue what he’s trying to tell us.”

“Maybe the message isn’t for us.”

Sawyer turned to Cole just as Mallory walked out of the cell. He gave Cole a nod then met her halfway, not sure what to expect. She looked up at him all glassy-eyed and lost and his instincts took over. He opened his arms and pulled her tight to his chest, muffling her gasp of surprise. She remained stiff for a moment before melting against him, a rough sob breaking free. He closed his eyes, using one hand to stroke her hair as the other held her firm. He didn’t care about appearances or protocol. All he cared about was soothing the hurt, even if only for a few minutes.

Mallory took a few shuddering breaths, staying encased in his arms for a couple of minutes before finally pushing against him. Her eyes were still brimming with unshed tears when she eased away, crossing her arms around her chest as they broke contact. He gave her a tilt of his head, silently telling her he didn’t give a shit who was watching, but she shook her head, offering him a small smile as she released a heavy sigh.

She looked over at Cole. “Did you call Fisher?”

“He should be here any minute.” Cole clenched his jaw. “He’ll need to know if you…”

Mallory nodded as his voice trailed off. “I didn’t touch anything. I just needed…”

Cole stepped forward. “Mallory.”

She held up a hand. “It’s okay. We weren’t exactly close.”

“Close or not, I know you loved her, if for nothing else than for saving you that night. This isn’t Don or the Bureau psychologist. It’s us. You don’t have to put up some façade because you’re afraid we’ll think you’re weak.”

Her eyes widened slightly, releasing a few of the tears. Sawyer had to fist his hands at his side to keep from pulling her close again as the shiny drops chased each other down her skin, falling like broken glass to the floor.

She swung her gaze to him, but it only made her look more defeated. “Maybe I just don’t have any more tears to cry for her, at least not the kind you’re thinking of.” She glanced back into the cell. “But regardless of what she’d become—what we’d become—she didn’t deserve this. Not this.” She looked at Cole. “I want this guy. I want…”

Sawyer stared at her, waiting for her to finish her thought when she drew a deep breath.

She glanced down the hallway then back at them. “The photos.”

Sawyer arched one brow. “What about the photos?”

“He’s taken them at every crime scene. Do you honestly think he’d go to all this trouble? Put my mother on display and not somehow catch my reaction?”

Sawyer inhaled. “Son of a bitch.”

He took off, yelling for them to stay put as he headed for the nearest security station. He flashed his badge at the man standing in the glass room, yanking open the door when the guy pressed the release button. Sawyer stormed inside, searching the monitors until he found the hallway he needed.

He turned around, pointing at the screen. “I need all the video for that camera for the past several hours.”

The man glanced at the monitor then back at Sawyer. “I don’t understand. Your partner already collected the video tapes about five minutes ago.”

“Partner? What partner?”

The guard shuffled restlessly on his feet. “Tall, dark hair. He had all the proper identification. I believe his name was Special Agent Davies.”

Anger heated his face as he glanced back at the monitor. Mallory leaned against the wall, flanked by Cole, her gaze drifting from the floor to inside the open cell. Though the image wasn’t zoomed in, he didn’t need a close-up to recognise the pain in her expression.

He swore under his breath and removed a photo, holding it up to the guard. “Is this Agent Davies?”

The man crowded the image, tilting his head before nodding. “That’s the guy. Like I said. He had the proper identification. Said he was part of the murder investigation.” The man motioned to the adjoining hallway. “He went that way.”

“How long would it take him to clear the grounds?”

The guard’s eyes darted to the side as the man appeared to consider the question. “If he hurried, he’d be clear by now. He could use the service entrance.”

Sawyer slammed his hand on the console, embracing the jolt of pain that skirted up his arm. “Have them check, anyway. And if he is still here, I want his ass, understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

The guard picked up a phone and relayed the message as Sawyer trudged out and down the hallway. Cole met him at the edge of the cell, his face stern. Sawyer gave the man a shake of his head as he moved over to Mallory’s side. He brushed a hand along her arm, silently cursing when she trembled beneath his touch.

She graced him with a sympathetic half-smile before turning and resting her back on the wall. “Let me guess. The tape’s gone.”

“Apparently my
partner
grabbed it several minutes ago.”

She chuckled, though it seemed more like a release of tension than anything else. “Carter?”

He grimaced. “The guard said the guy matched Davies’ description.”

She rounded on him. “Matched his description? Don’t bullshit me, Sawyer. Did you show the guy a picture or not?”

He sighed, thankful when Cole joined them. “He gave a positive ID to Davies’ picture.”

“Fuck! How the hell is this guy still alive? Am I honestly supposed to believe Carter switched the vials or gave him just enough to knock him out—that the doctor was in on it and that after several hours in the morgue, Carter wheeled him out and Davies walked away as if nothing had happened? God, this is like some bad horror movie, only it’s not.”

“I don’t know. Maybe it isn’t Davies, but just someone who looks like him. Hell, Mal, maybe that evil twin scenario isn’t so far-fetched. At this point, I’d believe just about anything.”

She met his gaze. “Evil twin? You’re seriously falling back to an evil twin?”

He shrugged. “It’s possible.”

She twisted slightly, staring down the hallway before leaning against the wall again and meeting his stare. “Sorry. This isn’t your fault.”

“It’s not yours, either.”

She snorted, but didn’t answer.

He took her hand. “Whoever this is—whether it really is Davies or Carter or some creep off the street—this is their doing. And nothing short of Biblical intervention could have changed what happened here today. I know that doesn’t make you feel any better but, shit, darling. Please don’t let this bastard beat you.”

She gave his hand a squeeze. “Can we go now?”

He glanced at Cole then back to her. “Of course.”

Cole waved at them. “I’ll wait for Fisher. I’m sure he’ll give me a lift back. You two should head home. I’ll meet up with you later.”

Sawyer paused. “You sure?”

“Absolutely. I want to make sure everything is taken care of properly.”

Sawyer smiled his thanks. “We’ll expect you at the house later.”

Mallory waved off his suggestion. “Make it the pub. I need a drink.” She whirled on Sawyer, shaking her finger at him. “And don’t even think about lecturing me.”

Sawyer shook his head. “I’ll buy the first five rounds.”

Cole tsked them. “Just don’t get so drunk you can’t drive home. I’ve seen what happens in the front of that Jeep. I don’t want to be anywhere near that seat.”

Sawyer smiled ever so slightly. Count on Cole to try and lighten the mood. “I’ll keep that in mind.” He palmed the small of Mallory’s back as they headed out, giving the cell one last glance. Another victim and another stab at Mallory’s sanity. He could only hope this one didn’t bleed.

* * * *

Sawyer sat at the bar, silently watching as Mallory thumbed a glass of whisky, her attention seemingly focused on the deep brown liquid as it swirled around the edges, reflecting splashes of white from the overhead lights. She looked barren. Defeated. He hadn’t left her side in hours, waiting for her to break down, but he suspected what she’d told Cole earlier had been the truth. She’d been mourning her mother for twenty years, and she just didn’t have anything left to grieve over. Sure, she’d shed a few tears, but he could only guess that the pain had long ago faded into numbness, and not even death had managed to shake it.

He took another pull of his beer, glancing at the door to see if Cole had arrived yet. Mallory had insisted on stopping at the office and filling out the proper reports. Even Don had told her to go home, but she’d stubbornly stayed until there was nothing more to be done. Then they’d headed to the bar, where he’d expected her to drink herself to oblivion, but she’d only had two drinks, spending the rest of the time staring into the third.

He sighed and reached for her hand. “Why don’t we just head home?”

She stopped swirling the liquor and looked at him. “I thought we were waiting for Cole?”

“The man owns a cell. I can call him and tell him to drive to the house, instead.”

She pursed her lips up and down, as if unsure what to do before expelling a long breath. He pushed off the chair and moved behind her, gently laying his hands on her shoulders. She relaxed against him, allowing him to bear some of her weight.

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “It wasn’t your fault.”

She exhaled a shaky breath. “I should have been able to save her. It was the least I owed her.”

“There was no way you could have known she’d be the next target.”

“I should have guessed.”

“Why, because she fit the profile?” Sawyer released her and spun her around on the stool. “Mal. This wasn’t something either of us would have ever imagined. Your mother doesn’t even get close to the type of women Davies went after. Even if you had suggested it, I would have shot you down because it was so outside the realm of the possible I never could have seen it coming.” He paused, but decided not to hold back. “To be honest, I thought his next target would be you.”