Читать книгу Visiting Darkness - Celeste Prater - Страница 9

Chapter 4

“Is this Mary’s?”

Max pushed the interrogation room door closed with the heel of his shoe, placed the evidence bag on the floor next to the desk unable to lay claim to anything but a scarred top, an unopened Coke can, and four unsteady legs despite a sound bolting to the ugly green tile. He took a seat across from Jason Galesh.

A portable video player, small package of tissues, and a folder placed on the chipped, gray tabletop, Max took a deep breath and eyeballed the cell phone screen Jason insisted on holding out to him. The news streamed a live video of a police wrecker hooking up to the van.

“God damn it! Did you hear me?”

“Yes.” Max stared into frantic gray eyes needing to know the truth. All of it. He was a big fella, so he hoped he wouldn’t have to tackle him anytime soon. “First of all, thanks for coming in, Jason. I’m Detective Browning. You’re right. It is.”

Jason turned the phone and glared at the screen. “The other officer claimed she robbed a store. Impossible! News said the driver’s dead after a gun battle with the police. Who kidnapped her? Where is she?” The longer he stared at the extensive damage while the anchorwoman informed the world it headed to police impound for further forensic testing, the more sweat formed on his upper lip.

On a gentle, non-threatening move, Max extracted the phone from shaky fingers, turned it off, and set it to the side. He slid the driver’s license over.

“Can you confirm this is your wife?”

Jason swallowed hard and stared at the smiling face. “Yeah, it’s her.”

“I retrieved it from a purse found in the car.” Max picked up the plastic evidence bag holding the Louise Vuitton and set it back on the floor at Jason’s quick acknowledgement of recognition.

“Witnesses and police observed one person in the vehicle from the time it left the store and until it stopped on 270. The deceased driver is your wife, Mary. I went to the scene and confirmed it. I’m sorry for your loss.”

Gray eyes peeled wide, and the most sorrowful howl erupted from his throat, filling the small room and echoing off the steel walls. Max had heard this gut-wrenching sound many times, even from his own mouth. No surprise arose from the inevitable chills lifting across his flesh.

Max came to his side and started a steady pat on a shuddering wide back as the grieving man pressed a forehead to the gray Formica and clutched his hair in an unforgiving grip. The seasoned table shook from his wracking sobs. There was no reason to spill out bullshit words of comfort. This man wouldn’t want to hear them. Easing his pain was impossible as bringing ten souls back from the dead.

Long, agonizing minutes passed before Jason tried to lift his head. Max pulled the package of tissues over and yanked a few before stuffing them into a trembling hand. After a few hiccupping breaths and nose blows, the devastated guy struggled to get his shit together. His voice came out a snarled mess.

“This is crazy. I don’t understand anything.”

Parked back in his chair, Max nodded in sympathy. “I know, and I’m going to try and make sense of it, if possible. I need your help, Jason, and we’re running out of time. Can you do this for me?”

Bloodshot eyes blinked a few times. Jason straightened his spine and inhaled a sucking breath. “Uh, sure.”

“My questions are hard. Ready?”

“I think so.”

“Do you own a gun?”

“Glock 19. Keep it in a locked case at the top of our closet. I’m licensed.”

“Did your wife have any mental or health issues? Was she on medication or seeing a doctor?”

Brows lowered in an instant flash. “No. There’s nothing wrong with her. Look, you don’t understand. She’s been my girl since eighth grade, and I know—” His lip trembled.

Max’s respect for the young man grew at the quiet struggle to hold it together, determined not to break. Something the poor guy needed to rely on in the upcoming days, weeks, and months until this all became a dull throb of fucked up history. Gray eyes locked with his, voice much more confident.

“I know her better than anyone. She would’ve never done this willingly, sir. No one was in the van with her. Fine. But maybe she was forced to go along with it.”

“Want to believe your scenario more than anything, but I saw the first bit of store video before she shot the cameras out. I have a solid eyewitness who caught the robbery from start to finish.”

A shuffling of big boots broke the sudden quietness of a room seeming smaller by the second.

Max knew he had to get the poor man’s head wrapped around the idea of his wife pulling a hold up, much less hearing she went on a killing spree.

“Your wife was by herself the entire time, and the weapon used was a Glock 19. We have it in our custody.”

He felt like shit when recognizing the first spark of hope seeping into desperate gray orbs while color returned to a face drained of blood.

With an adamant head shake, Jason leaned forward. “No. No. See, this’s where everyone has it wrong. Mary’s never shot the gun. She was afraid of it. Petrified. She wouldn’t even allow it in the house until I put it in the lockbox. This can’t be right.”

Max picked up the video player and blew out a breath. “There are only a few minutes of footage from the store, but clear in showing your wife committing the acts. I’m not going to lie to you, Jason. You’ll face what Mary’s done the second you leave here. Media, friends, coworkers. You name it. Might as well get the raw truth instead of rumors and false information. Not on the pretty side, but I’ll share it if it helps you come to grips with the reality of the situation. You need to know Mary did more than commit a robbery. She’s only dead because she fired on the police officers after multiple warnings to toss the weapon and stay by the vehicle. Before that, she killed nine people inside the store.”

As expected, Jason turned to stone. The only thing moving were his eyes on a frantic search of an unfamiliar face for signs of bullshit and hoping he misheard every word. Max saw the moment it sank in. Everything had just ramped up to a whole new level.

Jason whispered, “Son of a bitch,” and closed his eyes. After a round of jaw clenching, he reopened them, revealing a fierce determination. “Show me. I have to know.”

Max queued up the disk to the frame where Mary became visible at the checkout counter. He paused the video, slid the device to the end of the table so they could both view the screen, and tapped on the bottom left corner. “Do you recognize her? The angle’s high.”

“Yes, it’s Mary. I remember she wore those clothes before I left for work. Same haircut and purse too. Go ahead.”

He pressed the button and watched the man’s dreams change forever. Jason’s knuckles whitened with every excruciating passing second, sucked in a breath upon each precise shot, and paused the machine the instant her face turned up to the camera.

“Who in the fuck are you?”

Max barely caught the whispered words rushing out of the man’s mouth.

On a hard swallow, Jason tapped the button, teeth clenching as the muzzle flash resulted in static filling the screen. He looked down and stared at the table, unmoving.

Max could tell he grasped for answers, running a thousand scenarios through his head in mounting desperation to find a different outcome. His head jerked up, eyes sparking with fear but still laced with deadly hope again.

“Maybe someone threatened the kids and made her do it. Yes, sounds reasonable. She didn’t have a choice. Did you see her face? If our kids were in trouble, she’d do anything.”

“Are they in school?”

Jason’s voice trembled as his own theory sank in. “Oh, God. I hope so.”

Max slid the phone over. “Call.”

Minutes later, the concerned father’s face melted in relief as he set the cell aside. “Still there. School’s on lock down.” His lips pursed, chin rising. “They lied to her, making her believe they had the kids.”

Max leaned forward. “Anything’s possible. I’ll look at every angle. I’m sorry to do this, but I need more information. Were you guys having marital issues?”

“No. We have the typical spats, but nothing major.” In seconds, his shoulders slumped, eyes gleaming like polished marble as he tried to hold back the tears.

“What is it, Jason?”

“Anniversary’s next weekend. Wish I’d spent more time with her these last few days. I’ll regret it for the rest of my life. This is so unfair.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m remodeling a small cabin by the lake. After every shift, I spend about four hours out there getting it perfect for the surprise reveal. Nothing fancy, but I wanted it to be our refuge. Mary needed some time to relax. She’s always so busy with the kids. Her parents have plans to come in from Elk City and watch them for me.” He sucked in air and gripped the table’s edge.

“Aw, shit. I hope they haven’t seen the news. They’ll recognize the van and freak. Her father has a heart condition.”

Strong, work-worn hands started shaking. It was beginning to ram home his life, as he knew it, was over.

He picked up Mary’s license and whispered, “What do I to tell our boys, baby?” to the woman who had become a mystery to them both.

Jason didn’t even look up at a light tap on the door. Sean peeked inside.

“Sorry to interrupt, but can I speak with you for a second, Max?”

“Sure. I’ll be right back, Jason.” He received a quick nod and no eye contact.

As soon as the door snapped shut, Sean gestured to the right. “I have Mrs. Galesh’s best friend in Room 4. Her husband called and told her the police pulled Jason out of work. She couldn’t find Mary and thought she might be one of the victims. I knew you’d want to talk to her, so I went ahead and revealed what happened so she can wrap her mind around it. She took it hard. I called her husband, and he’s coming in. Her name’s Audrey Taylor.”

“Good work. Have the front desk call me when the husband arrives. Let’s get Galesh home before the media floodgates burst.” He swung the door open and leaned against the jamb. “I don’t have any more questions for you, Jason. Leave the license on the desk. This event’s an expected shock, but you’ll need to let it soak in quick. I suggest you pick your kids up from school before your wife’s name hits the news. We try to keep it under wraps for as long as possible but doesn’t always turn out as expected. I’ll call you when I have more. Promise.”

Chair tips squealing against the tile, Jason leaped up, eyes wide in panic. “Yeah, you’re right. I need to protect my boys.” He yanked keys from his right front pocket and then stared at them for a few uncomfortable beats. “Wait. My truck’s still at work.”

“Sargent McLellan will take you and escort you home after you have the kids. He’ll be discreet.”

“Good. Yeah, that’s good.”

Max reached over and squeezed Jason’s shoulder as the rattled man stepped into the hallway, hoping he could sense the legitimate concern.

“Tell your kids mom’s out shopping with friends. Keep them away from the TV and give yourself some time to have more family around you. They’ll help.”

Jason nodded. Though his shoulders appeared to drop several notches, the jaw tension remained as he studied his boots.

“Thank you for being so kind considering what—” The words cut short, as if he had no more strength to say her name, much less hold up his head. It remained lowered while following Sean down the corridor.

Max hoped the family showed before this entire tragedy hit the poor man with full, unrelenting force. Shame had already crept in and secured a foothold.

* * * * *

Audrey Taylor dabbed swollen, tear-filled eyes and continued shaking her head, causing tight blond curls to bounce across slim, suntanned shoulders. Max handed her another tissue, holding his question until she swiped away mascara running in long rivulets down flushed cheeks and patterning the cream-colored halter top.

“Are you okay?”

She sniffled and hauled in a deep breath. “Yes. No. Hell, I don’t know. My brain’s fried. None of this makes a damn bit of sense. I’ve known Mary since she and Jason moved onto our street. She’s never shown an ounce of violence, and she certainly wasn’t crazy.”

Big amber eyes flicked up to his…searching.

“I would’ve seen it, right?” she sputtered.

“In truth? I don’t know. People surprise me every day, Mrs. Taylor. Can you tell me what you saw? How was her mood these last several days?”

Audrey shrugged. “I don’t know. Normal?”

“Define normal.”

“Uh. She’s got three kids, you know.” Her eyes widened. “Oh, shit. Those poor babies.”

“Go on. I need your help, Audrey.”

“Oh yeah, of course. They keep her running when they’re not in school.” She gave him a pointed stare, lips pursed. “You have to meet them to understand. Boys. So yeah, normal for Mary is tired, a little flustered, but still sweet as sugar. She never hit them or wished they hadn’t been born.” Her shoulders slumped.

“What?”

“It may be nothing, but I noticed yesterday she seemed sort of distracted. I figured she was preparing for school to let out for the summer. She had two days to get her act together before they were with her all day.”

“Did she ever hint at killing herself? Even as a joke?”

Arched brows arrowed downward. “You got kids?” she said with an air of disapproval.

“No.”

“Well, let me tell you, mister. At that age, they’ll have you pulling out your hair and wishing you could drink on the job. I’ve only got two, and they press me on the best days. No,” she stressed. “I never heard her utter those words. Serious or joking.”

“Had her hands full with the kids. Got it. Any other things weighing on her? Behind on the bills? House foreclosure looming?”

“No, nothing major. Jason makes decent money, and they didn’t live high on the hog. She was a little upset for putting on weight, but not out of control. I think she was about to take me up on the offer to work out. Other than that, nothing I can think of.”

“Did you ever see her take medication, even for weight loss?”

“No more than over-the-counter pain relievers or cold medicine. She’s always clear eyed.”

“Did she ever show you the gun Jason kept in the house?” The quick, derisive snort surprised him.

“Good grief, no way in hell. She’s scared of the damn thing.”

“How were she and Jason doing? Their marriage.”

Audrey’s features relaxed, a smile breaching the sadness. “They love each other so much. Been together since middle school. Even with the extra pounds, Jason looks at her as if she hung the moon. If there were major problems, I never saw it. Neither did Lou.” She paused, chewing a plump bottom lip and eyes searching the tabletop.

“Go ahead. Even the smallest thing might help.”

“I think she worried about Jason coming home late these last several days, but he’s working on a lake cabin to surprise her on their anniversary next week. He tried to—” She sucked in a breath.

Max settled back and let Audrey run with her volatile emotions the moment she gave her response a second thought. He had to admit it beyond sad the couple never reached their tenth year and Mary missing some happiness when learning what her husband had done for her. She died with suspicion still lingering in her mind. Audrey opened tear swollen eyes and worried the ball of tissue in her hand.

“This whole damn thing sucks all to hell and back.”

“I know, but if you had to guess what pushed your friend to do this, what would you say?”

Determined eyes flicked up and locked with his. “Her kids or Jason. Someone holding a gun to their temples and saying they were going to die. That’s it. They were everything to her.” She startled at the ringing phone.

“Excuse me for a moment. Browning…Be right there.” He gathered his notes and stood. “Your husband’s here. Let me walk you to the front. I appreciate you answering my questions. Look, Jason’s on his way to the school. I’m sure he’ll need help from the both of you when he gets home.”

Audrey scrambled from the chair and followed him into the hallway. “Of course. We’ll head right over there. Uh, Detective Browning?”

“Yes?”

“Thanks for allowing the other officer to tell me what happened. I know you didn’t have to since I’m not family, but will you keep Jason informed on what you figure out about all this mess? Someone forced Mary to do this. I’m sure of it.”

“A promise already made, and I won’t stop until I know.”

Relief bathed her pretty features. “Thank you.”

They walked in companionable silence down the congested hallway, winding their way through the multitude of personnel scurrying to-and-fro while dealing with all the other things continuing to happen out in the big, confusing world. This was just one more to add to the growing pile, and it would stick in his craw until a reasonable answer revealed itself.

Max knew the chief wanted this case closed soon so Oklahoma City and their precinct fell out of the limelight. But he also knew the victim’s families and Mary’s would want the elusive answer, as well. The “how” was clear. This case was all about motive now. Nothing more. They had a dead perp with enough witnesses to dispel any doubt of her involvement, but from what he learned about her character, it made no outward sense she was capable of such an outrageous act. However, the way she conducted the slaughter and her demeanor right before drawing on the officers didn’t scream of a woman believing her family in danger.

Then how does a somewhat harried, but loving mom and cherished wife morph into a calm, deadly killer overnight? He gritted his teeth. Or worse, was her sweet, innocent persona a fragile mask waiting to peel away this entire time?