Person of Interest (6 page)

“I’ll be discreet.”

“There’s something else. A woman fell down the stairs to her death in Vilseck while Mason was there. Her name was Paula Conway. See if anyone remembers the incident. Let me know what you uncover.”

“Roger that.”

After disconnecting, Everett stared into the woods. The chatter of cicadas and tree frogs filled the night. Returning the cell to his ear, he made one more call, this time to bring Frank Gallagher up-to-date.

“You need to drive Natalie Frazier back to Fort Rickman. If not now, then in the morning,” Frank insisted once Everett explained the situation.

“I’ll talk to her and get back to you, but I have to tell you, Frank, she’s been forthright about everything so far.”

“She can be forthright at Fort Rickman.”

Everett told him about the roommate’s boyfriend. “See if you can find out who Denise was seeing. Could be a married man who wants to keep his transgressions quiet.”

“I’ll pass that on to the Freemont police.”

“Although it’s a long shot, we need to be certain Mason isn’t involved.”

Frank’s sharp inhale sounded over the phone. “Did Natalie think he was seeing her roommate?”

“It’s purely speculation, although wouldn’t that be an interesting twist?”

“One I don’t like.”

“I don’t, either, but that doesn’t mean we don’t follow every lead. Plus, Natalie had two prank phone calls on the Joneses’ landline earlier tonight. Check Mason’s cell, just in case.”

Frank sniffed. “You’re treading on thin ice, Rett. Mason’s record is squeaky clean. The unknown in this situation is the nanny. Easy enough for her to concoct a story in order to shift blame to someone else. Someone who could end up being Chief of Fort Rickman CID, if Wilson transfers.”

“I’m the one suggesting the connection, Frank. You can blame me.”

He and Frank both knew they were walking on a slippery slope that could have them tumbling downward in a heartbeat, especially if Mason stepped into Wilson’s shoes.

“I’ll check Mason’s cell and make inquiries about the roommate’s boyfriend,” Frank said before he disconnected. “Call me in the morning.”

Everett pocketed his phone with a sigh. Natalie had opened up tonight. Surely she would reveal more information in the morning. Once Everett heard back from Tyler, he’d know a bit more about what had happened in Germany.

After stepping back into the cabin, he locked the door behind him and stood in the dark room. For a long moment, he stared through the picture window at the lake in the distance. In spite of the placid water and serenity of the night, Everett couldn’t calm his unrest. Too many questions needed to be answered.

Glancing at his watch, he sighed. Morning would come soon enough. Settling onto the couch, he rested his head on the cushions and closed his eyes.

Frank wanted Natalie hauled back to CID Headquarters, but Everett had made a vow long ago never to leave any question unanswered in future investigations. He’d keep Natalie under surveillance and close at hand until he had a clear picture of what had happened at the Yateses’ duplex on post and Denise Lang’s apartment in Freemont. Two women. Two murders. Both needed to be solved.

* * *

Tired as Natalie was, the memory of Tammy Yates’s body lying at the bottom of the stairs circled through her dreams. She’d tossed and turned for a period of time, and after finally falling into a deep sleep, she startled awake just before dawn. Everett had encouraged her to use the master bedroom, but she’d assured him the single bed in the baby’s room was more than comfortable. Plus, she wanted to hear Sofia if the little one stirred in the night.

The infant wasn’t the one thrashing around in the dark. Sounds from the main living area filtered through the closed door to the nursery. Natalie wondered if the special agent was struggling with his own bad dreams.

Tiptoeing from her bed, she cracked open the door and stared into the darkness, hearing a rhythmic vibration. Unable to discern the origin of the noise, she padded softly across the hardwood floor to the couch.

Everett lay sprawled along the rather narrow cushions with his head cocked at what appeared to be an uncomfortable angle. His long legs hung over the edge of the couch. That the man could even sleep was a testament to his fatigue.

The vibration sounded again, drawing Natalie’s attention to the mobile cell on the coffee table. Bending down, she read Frank Gallagher’s name on the lit screen.

Earlier, Natalie hadn’t wanted Everett to phone his buddy in the CID, but she couldn’t let a call go unanswered that might provide encouraging news about the investigation.

She touched Everett’s arm.

He jerked awake. His brow wrinkled, and his eyes widened. With one swift motion, he sat up and reached for the phone. “Special Agent Everett Kohl.”

Natalie straightened her sweater and tugged at her jeans. Knowing dawn would come too soon, she’d slept in her clothes, which Everett had done, too.

He scrubbed his left hand over his face. “What time will Lieutenant Jones’s flight arrive at Hartsfield?”

The Atlanta airport. Wanda must have made a reservation.

Everett glanced up. Even in the darkness, Natalie could see the concern in his gaze.

“Roger that,” he said into the phone. “I’ll talk to her and let you know.” He disconnected.

Leaning closer, Natalie raised her brow. “Didn’t we have a deal that you wouldn’t mention being with me until morning?”

He pointed to the pinkish glow streaming through the window. “There’s light on the horizon. I call that morning, and we never had a deal. I said we would decide what to do after we both got some rest.” He glanced at his watch. “You caught an hour and a half of shut-eye. Not enough, but it’ll have to suffice.”

Letting out a deep breath, Everett stood, looking tall and muscular and so very male. She took a step back and straightened her spine, unwilling to let down her guard.

“Did you tell Frank about this cabin?” she asked.

Everett nodded. “I called him after you went to sleep last night.”

“What?” She wanted to stamp her foot and spout off a list of terms that would ease her frustration, but she’d left that part of her life behind in Detroit and was a better and more civil person these days. Instead, she glared at him.

“Evidently—” she kept her voice low but firm “—I can’t believe a word you say.”

“For your information, Chief Agent-in-Charge Craig Wilson heads the CID at Fort Rickman. He’s out of town, and Frank is in charge. I had to inform him about your whereabouts, Natalie. I also told him about the prank phone calls and Denise’s clandestine relationship with the nameless boyfriend. He notified the Freemont police and both agencies are investigating.”

“Did you say Mason could be the boyfriend?”

Everett nodded. “I mentioned that as a long shot, but one that needed to be on the table.”

“But he still thinks I’m the killer?”

Everett pursed his lips. “He considers you a person of interest.”

She turned from him and hugged herself, unwilling to give in to the tears that stung her eyes. No one believed her.

“I’m not going to desert you, Natalie. Getting answers is key to this investigation right now. That, and reuniting Sofia with her mother.”

“I can’t go back to Fort Rickman. Not while Mason’s there.”

Everett sighed. “I understand your concern, but that doesn’t change the fact that the baby needs her mother, although I’m not sure where we should meet.”

“Wanda drove to the airport and left her car in long-term parking. She took a shuttle to the terminal. Meeting at the airport would be so public.” Her stomach twisted at the thought. “A better plan might be to connect in the parking lot. What time does her plane land?”

“She’s scheduled to arrive at noon.”

Natalie reached for her cell. “Then I should be able to reach her.” She pulled up Wanda’s name on her phone directory and tapped the listing.

The cell rang when she lifted it to her ear.

“How’s my baby?” Wanda answered.

“Sofia’s fine. She’s sleeping soundly. We’re at your cabin.”

Natalie hesitated, thinking of Denise and what had happened. Unwilling to share more bad news with Wanda, she didn’t mention her roommate.

“My plane arrives at noon,” Wanda informed her, confirming the flight details Frank had provided. They made arrangements to meet at the long-term parking lot in Atlanta where Wanda’s car was parked before disconnecting the call.

Natalie turned back to Everett. “I’d feel safer if we left the cabin now. If Frank knows I’m here, he might share the information with Mason.”

“How’s coffee sound?”

“Like just what I need.”

“I passed a diner on the way here last night. Let’s get some chow before we head to Atlanta.”

“Sofia will be safe with us, won’t she?” Natalie needed reassurance.

Everett’s eyes showed his concern. “I won’t let anything happen to either of you.”

Natalie wished with all her heart that she could believe him. But it was her responsibility to make certain nothing stopped Sofia from reuniting with her mother. Once they were together, then Natalie could focus on her own safety—and how to uncover the truth about the two women who had been murdered.

SIX

E
verett pointed to the nursery. “Get the baby ready while I move your car closer to the cabin. We’ll return for it later.”

“On our way back to Fort Rickman?” Natalie’s voice held a sharp edge.

“You mentioned college courses to get your teaching certificate. You can’t walk away from your future.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, my future is in shambles right now. Find out the truth about Mason, and then I’ll return to post.”

Everett slowly nodded. “Okay. Any suggestions on how to get to the truth?”

His question must have given her pause. She lowered herself onto the couch and stared at him for a long moment. “Contact the CID office in Vilseck. Ask them to give you all they have on Paula Conway.”

He slipped into the chair across from her and pulled out his notebook and pen. “I need more details.”

“Mason and his wife lived on the economy.”

“Not on the military
kaserne
? You mean they rented a German house?”

“That’s right. An apartment in one of the small towns around Vilseck near where Paula lived. She was a teacher in the Department of Defense School and worked with Tammy.”

Natalie took a deep breath before she continued. “Paula was a single mom with two children. The kids were at an all-night activity at the teen center on the
kaserne
. When she failed to pick them up in the morning, the youth director called Tammy and asked her to check on the missing mom.”

“The youth director didn’t ask to speak to Mason?”

“According to the story I heard, Paula had left Tammy’s name as an emergency contact. Mason was working at the office that Saturday and not at home.”

“What did Tammy find?” Everett tensed, too aware of how the story would end.

“Paula was dead.” Natalie’s eyes clouded. “She had fallen down the stairs in her apartment.”

Just like Tammy Yates’s death. “She’s the woman you mentioned last night.”

“That’s right.” Natalie glanced down before she spoke. “I told you Mason had spread rumors after I left Vilseck. I didn’t want his lies to follow me back to the States.”

“Was there an investigation?”

“Yes, but it was handled by the German
polizei
.”

“Not the CID?”

“Paula lived in German housing so the local police took the case. They determined that her death was accidental.”

“Wouldn’t the military get involved?”

Natalie stared at him with serious eyes. “Remember who was in charge of the CID office at that time.”

“You’re saying Mason made the decision to go with the German police assessment?”

“That’s right. Why waste man-hours and personnel on a death that was accidental? At least, that’s the reasoning he used.”

“You worked for him at that time?”

She nodded.

“Did you state your concerns to Mason or to anyone else?”

“I didn’t feel qualified. I was just a personnel clerk and not law enforcement. At the time, I didn’t know about Mason’s wandering eye. Nor had I heard the whispers about the time he and Paula had been seen together at a
gasthaus
in a neighboring town. The ugliness surfaced later.”

“By
gasthaus
, do you mean a restaurant or an inn?”

“This one had both. Mason and Paula could have been having lunch, although some folks thought more was going on.”

Everett rubbed his hand over his face. Why hadn’t Natalie been forthcoming about Mason’s dalliances the first time he questioned her? Just as Frank had mentioned, she could be making up a story to build her own case against her former boss.

“You said Mason came on to you. Now you claim he was involved with a schoolteacher? Which is it?”

She let out a frustrated breath. “You wanted information, which I’m providing. I don’t have proof of his relationship with Paula. I’m just passing on what I heard. Mason and Tammy socialized with her. In fact, Paula had dinner at the Yateses’ home the night she died.”

Another interesting detail. “If something was going on, Mason’s wife must have been unaware of the situation.”

“I’m not sure who knew what or if the rumors were valid. As I mentioned, Mason has spread some malicious lies about me. Wagging tongues can cause great damage to people’s lives. I wouldn’t be telling you this if I didn’t feel you needed to know.”

The tone of her voice made Everett realize there were other details she wanted to share, if only he could ask the right questions.

Sitting back in the chair, he hesitated before asking, “Why don’t you tell me how Mason hurt you?”

* * *

Natalie hadn’t expected Everett’s comment to strike a nerve. Perhaps it was the sincerity of his voice or the understanding she saw in his eyes or perhaps her own fatigue and fear that added to her vulnerability and desire to get everything out in the open. Once Everett heard what had happened in Germany, he might understand why she was so worried about Mason. But where to start?