Phillip Margolin - Wild Justice

Amanda paused. She ran her hand hard back and forth across her forehead and fought to regain control of her emotions.

Are you okay? Mike asked, concerned by Amanda's obvious distress.

No, Mike. I feel sick. I can't ...

Greene cast a quick glance at McCarthy, who looked equally concerned.

Amanda gathered herself. When she spoke, Greene was certain he' d misunderstood her.

What did you say?

I said the women at Ghost Lake were Tony Fiori's first victims. Amanda's voice broke as tears flooded her eyes. He killed them, Mike. He killed them all.

How is that possible, Amanda? Tony was with you when Justine called you for help. The medical examiner said that Justine died within an hour of your arrival at her house. You told Sean that you were with Fiori for two hours before Justine called.

Amanda wiped her eyes. When she spoke, her voice was devoid of emotion.

When I visited him at the hospital, Cardoni told me that he was knocked out with a tranquilizer dart at the rest area. I think Tony kept him a prisoner somewhere, then brought Cardoni to Justine's house before I came over to Tony's house on the night Justine died.

But what about the phone call? Mike asked. How could Tony kill Justine? He was never out of your sight.

That's not true. I didn't see Tony while I was making the nine-one-one call at Justine's house. I've given this a lot of thought. What if Tony tortured Justine earlier in the afternoon and forced her to make a tape? He could have left Cardoni sedated in Justine's kitchen and Justine sedated and tied to the chair in the living room. I took Justine's call in the loft on my cell phone. Tony could have played the tape over his phone in his kitchen. I couldn't see Tony when I spoke to Justine. None of her statements was responsive to anything I said. The call was short. She said my name, then she told me to come over and she hung up.

I don't know, Greene said. That's quite a stretch.

Amanda sat up straight in her chair and her features hardened.

Cardoni had traces of heavy-duty tranquilizers in his blood. That's what you told me. Why would he tranquilize himself?

Greene didn't answer.

After Tony told me that Justine was tied up in the living room, he told me to stay in the car and lock myself in when I called 911. He was counting on my following his orders. I think he ran into the house and cut Justine's throat. He' d calculated when the anesthetic he' d given Cardoni would wear off. Maybe he even gave Cardoni something to bring him around. After that, all he had to do was place the second gun in Cardoni's hand while Cardoni was still groggy and fire the first shot. Then he shot Cardoni with his own gun. I' m betting that Tony would have finished him off if I' d stayed in the car. Tony needed Cardoni dead so you' d stop investigating his crimes. He was afraid you' d stumble onto something that would prove he was the killer.

This sounds crazy, Amanda, Greene said.

Tony Fiori has been killing since he was a junior in high school and no one has ever suspected him. He was supposed to be in Mexico during winter break when his father died, but that was his alibi. I think his father walked in on him while he was working on his third victim and Tony killed him. My father is the one who called Mexico to tell Tony that Dominic was dead. I asked him about that last night. He said it took the people at his hotel a day to find him.

You have to do better than this.

Amanda reminded Mike Greene of the killing ground in Colorado and told him about the killing ground in Peru. She also told him her dream about the blood-filled coffee cup and what it meant.

It's possible, McCarthy said when she was through, but there's nowhere near enough for an indictment.

There's no concrete evidence at all, Mike added.

I know, Amanda answered, her voice unsteady but filled with determination. That's why you have to let me get you your evidence.

Chapter 64

God, it's good to see you, Tony, Amanda said, reaching up to give him a hug. Thanks for letting me stay here.

In a van parked on a side road a short distance from Tony's house, Alex DeVore, Sean McCarthy and Mike Greene heard every word broadcast through the listening devices that had been planted while Fiori was at the hospital.

To tell the truth, I haven't felt like staying alone, either, since I heard Cardoni escaped.

We probably don't have anything to worry about. Sean McCarthy's convinced that Cardoni is long gone.

You wouldn't be staying here if you believed that.

Amanda smiled coyly. I might have ulterior motives.

You are such a slut.

Tony put his hands around Amanda's waist, pulled her close and kissed her. She pulled back slightly, and he looked confused.

Everything all right?

Sure, she said, fighting to keep from sounding nervous. Cardoni's escape just has me rattled. Say, I' m starving. What's for dinner?

Veal piccata, but I just got home fifteen minutes ago, so I don't have dinner up yet.

Busy day at the hospital? Amanda asked, to keep Tony talking.

It was a madhouse. All anyone was talking about was Cardoni's killing spree. Then we had a five-car pileup on the interstate.

Amanda followed Tony into the kitchen. He filled a pot of water, then took two strips of veal scaloppini out of a shopping bag and laid them between sheets of wax paper.

I may have proof of Cardoni's guilt soon, Amanda said as Tony pounded the veal lightly to flatten it.

Oh?

Bobby Vasquez discovered two murders that occurred in Oregon that are very similar to the killings in Milton County and the murders at the farm.

No kidding. When was this?

One woman was killed seventeen years ago and the other sixteen years ago.

Where were the murders?

The Ghost Lake ski resort. The women were found in the forest, half a mile from one of the runs. This could have been Cardoni's first killing ground, so he may not have been as careful as he is now.

Tony blended flour with salt and pepper, then dipped the meat in the mixture until there was a light coating of flour on the veal.

Did you tell McCarthy that Cardoni accused me? he asked casually.

No. Why should I waste his time with that ridiculous story? Cardoni was just desperate. He even claimed that he was drugged when he was at Justine's house. He wanted me to have the blood that was drawn prior to his operation screened for tranquilizers.

Who was supposed to have drugged him? Me? Tony asked as he put olive oil and butter in a skillet, placed the skillet on a burner on the stove and turned on the heat under the pot of water.

Yeah, Amanda answered, shaking her head in disbelief. He said that he was coming to when you shot him.

Coming at me is more like it. What did McCarthy think about that little gem?

I didn't mention it to him. Like I said, why waste his time with Cardoni's crap? Amanda shook her head. I do have to give Cardoni credit, though. He had me going for a minute.

You've got to be kidding.

He's a skilled liar, Tony. You have no idea how convincing he can be.

Tony looked alarmed. You actually thought I ... that I could do that?

No, but he made a pretty good case against you.

How, if I didn't do it?

Whether you did it or not is irrelevant. Lawyers convince juries all the time that things that didn't happen are true. Amanda smiled. I bet I could convince you that you're guilty, using my exceptional forensic skills.

Bullshit.

That's not a challenge, is it?

Loser does the dishes.

You're on.

Okay, Ally McJaffe. Prove I did it.

Let's see. Amanda stroked her chin dramatically. First, there's the killing ground in Colorado.

What killing ground?

It was on the list that Bobby Vasquez compiled for me of murder cases with MOs similar to the Oregon cases. The bodies of several torture victims were found on farmland near Boulder. The farm was purchased using the MO used to purchase the farmhouse in Multnomah County and the home in Milton County.