Mayes, Casey - A Deadly Row

“I’m going to start with a blue base, and then add red and green highlights. It should be nice, don’t you think?”

“Nice,” he mumbled.

“Zachary Harlan Stone,” I snapped.

That got his attention. My husband hated it when I used his full name.

“What?” he asked, meeting my gaze.

“If you want to go back to headquarters, I completely understand. I know how you get when you’re getting your teeth into a new case.”

He looked tempted—I could see it in his eyes—but he just shook his head. “No, I need some time to digest the facts I’ve collected so far.”

“Would it help to talk about it?”

“Sure, why not?”

“Wow, I can feel the love in the air.”

“You know what I mean,” Zach said.

“I know; I’m not trying to give you a hard time. Just say your thoughts out loud, and I’ll pretend to listen to you.”

“Okay, here goes. What I know so far shouldn’t take long to tell. The crimes are related, that much is clear.”

“From the letters the police got, right?”

“That and the photos the killer sent. This wasn’t some casual killing spree. They were planned out pretty thoroughly, and the knife used on the victims was the same type, if not the exact same blade. Both murders occurred in the victims’ domiciles, and there were no signs of forced entry in either case.”

“What exactly does that tell you?”

“They let their killer in without a struggle.”

“So it was someone they both knew,” I said. “That doesn’t look good for Grady, does it?”

“Not really, but it’s not exactly proof we can use, either.” Zach tapped his chin, a sure sign he was deep in thought. “There are lots of other reasons Hank Tristan and Cindy Glass could have let someone into their places.”

“I can’t imagine letting a stranger inside my house,” I said.

“How about a delivery man with his hands full? Would you think twice about letting him in? Or a utility repair-man looking for a gas leak? If a police officer, or a fire-man, came to the door with a plausible story, would you think twice before you unlocked the door? The list goes on and on. You’d be amazed how easy it is to dupe people. I’ve seen it more than I could ever have imagined before I became a cop.”

“But you don’t believe that in this case, do you?”

“Savannah, I do my best not to jump to conclusions, no matter what I told Grady. Does it look bad for him right now? Of course it does. Does that mean he’s a murderer? I’m a long way from believing that. It will take more than an inkling or an instinct to convince me that a good friend of mine is a killer. I’m going to do my best to figure out who did it. Be sure of one thing, though. If it was Grady, I’m going to nail his hide to a wall.”

“But we’re hoping it’s someone else.”

“Of course we are,” Zach said.

“Any other clues?”

“Maybe, but I haven’t run across them yet. I’ve got to spend some serious time digging through those files.”

“Is Steve any help to you at all?”

“To be honest with you, he’s more like a puppy underfoot, but I don’t have the heart to throw him out. When he missed out on getting my job, he kind of fell apart for a few months. If I can help him, I will.”

“You recommended Davis, didn’t you?”

Zach nodded as he took a sip of water. “I had a hard conversation with Steve when I left, and I didn’t pull any punches. He’s got the makings of being chief someday, but he’s going to have to tame that temper of his. I told Grady the same thing and he made the final decision.”

“You don’t have to tell me about his temper. I heard him talking to his landlord, and he was really laying into him.”

“Then you know what I mean. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I saw him again, and I was relieved when he volunteered to help me. That’s a good sign, as far as I’m concerned.”

He yawned, and I matched it without realizing it.

As Zach stood, he said, “It’s been a big day, hasn’t it.”

“It’s hard to believe we were home this morning,” I said.

“Has coming back to Charlotte made you sentimental for the good old days at all?”

“It was great seeing Sherry and her girls today, but I can’t imagine living back here again. I love the mountains.”

“Believe it or not, I do, too. We’re close enough to Asheville if we need anything, but we’re still far enough away so it doesn’t feel like we’re closed in at all. I forgot what all this car exhaust smelled like, and I don’t even want to think about dealing with the traffic.”

“But a little excitement now and then is okay, too, right?”

“Everything in moderation, Savannah. Let’s call it a night. I’m going to get an early start tomorrow. What are your plans for the day?”

“I’ve got breakfast with Lorna in the restaurant, and then I’m coming back up here to create a puzzle. It’s not going to be a hard one; I can tell you that. My editor isn’t crazy about me sending him easy puzzles, but every now and then, I think the readers like them.”

“After you’re finished tomorrow, come to the station and we’ll grab some lunch. You’ll be done by then, won’t you?”

“I certainly hope so.”

As Zach headed for the bedroom, he asked, “Are you coming?”

“I think I’ll stay up a little, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course not. Just don’t stay up too long. You’ve got a big day tomorrow.”

“Don’t remind me,” I said.

He kissed me, and then Zach disappeared into the other room to get some rest. I moved back to the window and stared outside again. Charlotte was at its most beautiful, and I couldn’t get enough of the view. Though I loved living in the mountains and had lobbied for the move for years, it was still nice to visit the Queen City now and then. The view from this height made the city look clean and safe, like no harm could befall me there. I knew better, though. There were more murders being committed in the city than Zach was worried about, and I knew that injustices were being done with alarming frequency, but I wasn’t about to let that bother me. There was a great deal more good in the city—and the world—than there was bad, and even though Zach’s line of work focused on the evil people did to one another, I liked to think instead about the countless acts of unselfish goodness that went unnoticed in the paper and on the evening news.

Chapter 7

EVERYTHING WAS BEGINNING TO FALL INTO PLACE. THEkiller studied an unfinished puzzle taped to the wall, figuring where each number and letter should go. It was complicated, making up clues to match the final outcome, but a little pain was necessary. If it was easy, anyone could do it, and this was the most complex killing spree that anyone had ever seen. The former police chief was good, that’s why he’d been brought in, but he was no match for the murderer’s skill. Sending the picture of his wife had been a nice touch, one that would make the game a little more personal.

That would make the ultimate victory that much sweeter.

It was time to elevate the stakes.

Let them all have a taste of who exactly it was they were dealing with.

Chapter 8

I WASN’T SURE HOW MUCH GOOD THE SLEEP ZACH MANAGEDto get did him since he tossed and turned all night, but I got enough rest to feel somewhat renewed the next morning. It wasn’t much of a shock to see that Zach was gone when I got up, and I found a note from him on the mirror.