Читать книгу Operation Xoxo - Elle James - Страница 12

Elise’s eyes burned, tears held in check by the cold wash of fear snaking through her body, stiffening her limbs. “It’s him.”

“We don’t know that, but Mel and I will be working with the local sheriff’s department and city police to find the man responsible.”

“It’s him.” Her voice sounded hollow, even to her own ears. “He didn’t die in the fire.”

“That wasn’t his usual M.O.” Paul shifted into Drive and pulled out of school parking lot, careful not to hit loitering teens waiting for parents to get off work. “Stan didn’t care about first names. He chose smart women.”

True. Her grip on the armrest loosened slightly. She no longer believed in coincidence, not since the Dakota Strangler. She wouldn’t let herself. “But it’s too much of a coincidence. It has to be him.” And if it was him, even the kids at school could be in danger, especially the girls. Elise scrambled for the button to lower the window so that she could shout out a warning to the female students still loitering on school grounds. Her hands shook and the tears filling her eyes made it impossible to see. “How do I open the window?”

Paul brought the truck to a halt. He reached across her lap and laid a hand over her shaking one. “Alice, it’ll be all right.”

She jerked her face toward his, heat rising up her neck and into her cheeks. “Don’t call me that! Alice Klaus is dead as far as I’m concerned. She was stupid and deserved to die along with all the other women her husband killed.”

Paul grabbed her hand and kept her from lowering her window. “No. Alice didn’t die. You’re alive and kicking and living in Texas.”

“No, she’s not.” Her faith in herself had died a little more with each one of the women Stan murdered. How could this man think she was the same woman?

“Alice—Elise.” He turned her to face him. “You’re beautiful and smart enough to realize you aren’t to blame for what happened. Stan, and only Stan, was responsible.”

“How can you say that? I lived with the man. I should have stopped him. Now that maniac is out there. These kids could be in danger. I have to let them know.”

“You can’t, Elise. You’ll have an entire town up in arms and like you said, you’ll lose your job.”

Anger burned in her chest and she wanted to take it out on Paul, but she knew it wasn’t his fault. He’d been nothing but kind to her and her children when her world had shattered. Even back then, she remembered thinking how nice it would have been to be married to a man like Paul—a man who cared enough to protect them from harm.

The steam fizzled out of her and she slumped in her seat, pulling her hand free of his. Paul was a nice man. Stan was nice, too, when Elise married him. But people changed. She’d changed.

She stared out at the lingering teens. She wanted to warn them. Warn everyone that she was the plague. That a killer had followed her all the way to Texas. “It’s not right for me to keep this secret. So many could be at risk.”

“We can’t be certain that Stan did it. We don’t know if you or anyone around you is the real target. This could all be a fluke.”

“I don’t think so.” She shook her head and stared out at the stunted live oak trees, gnarled and twisted by weather. “But you’re right. I can’t leave. I used all my savings to move us to Texas. I don’t have any money left to keep running.”

“You can’t keep running.” Paul spoke in low, steady tones, his voice caressing her with a calm she couldn’t manage on her own.

She breathed in and out, willing her heart rate to slow. But then it cranked up again. “We don’t know where he’ll strike next.”

“If he strikes,” Paul said.

Elise stared out at the clear blue sky, mocking her dark thoughts. How could it be so bright and sunny when a killer stalked the streets? “We can’t let him hurt anyone else.” She sat up straighter, squaring her shoulders. Now wasn’t the time to go soft. She had to be strong. A glance at the clock made her blood race. “I won’t let him take my boys. Can you go a little faster, Agent Fletcher? Their bus will be there in less than five minutes.”

“Yes, ma’am.” A hint of a smile flashed on Paul’s face before he pulled out onto the street, focused on beating the traffic.

For the first couple of minutes, she remained silent, her thoughts churning over her options. She didn’t have the money to gather her belongings and move to another city. Her house wasn’t wired with a security system and she’d used the last of her meager savings to replace the air conditioner, a must in the blazing heat of a South Texas Indian summer. “Do you think the bank would loan me enough money to install a security system?”

“You don’t know until you ask.”

With a sigh, she forced herself to lean back in her seat. “How long does it take to install one?”

“Depends on the contractor.”

Elise snorted softly. “Maybe a gun would be the better investment. More immediate.”

“There’s usually a waiting period to purchase a gun.” He shot a glance at her. “Do you even know how to use one?”

“No.” Her lips twisted. “Actually, they scare me.”

“And you don’t want to risk your boys getting their hands on a loaded gun, and loaded is the only way a gun is of use to you.”

Hopelessness washed over her and she shook her head. “So what you’re telling me is that I’m basically defenseless in my own home.”

“Not quite. I have a proposition for you.”

Her gaze narrowed on Paul. “What do you mean, a proposition?”

He didn’t look at her, but kept his attention on navigating the turn into her driveway. “I could stay with you at night until we catch him.”

Elise’s heart fluttered and her hands grew cold and clammy. She hadn’t lived in the same house with a man since North Dakota. Heck, she hadn’t trusted herself with another man since.

The last time she’d been with Paul, he’d played with her children in the evacuation shelter. She’d been drawn to the sexy federal agent more than she wanted to admit, but chalked it up to vulnerability. Tall, blond and incredibly handsome, Paul remained hard to ignore. But that didn’t matter. She couldn’t get involved with anyone, not now or ever. “No. That’s not possible.”

Her voice quivered and her hands shook as she fumbled for her seat belt, the interior of the truck suddenly too closed in, the air thick with tension. The scent of Paul’s aftershave drifted beneath her defenses, making her think thoughts she hadn’t dared to in a very long time.

Before she could climb down, he was out and holding the door for her. He helped her down and held her arms in his hands. “Please reconsider, Elise.”

The big, yellow bus turned onto Highland Street, its brakes screeching as it came to a halt halfway down the block. The doors opened and a backpack flew off the bus, landing on the pavement. Luke leaped to the ground, laughing.

Brandon clambered down after him, his gaze shooting immediately to where Elise stood in Paul’s arms. His eyes narrowed and he grabbed Luke’s hand, hurrying him home.

“You should go.” Elise could see the storm brewing in Brandon’s eyes.

“Okay, but I’ll be back later.” He stared down into her eyes. “To stay.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Paul climbed into his truck, feeling like he was running away when every instinct told him to stay. He, too, had seen the look on Brandon’s young face. The little guy had been through enough, losing more than a father. Elise wanted to handle her children her own way. He’d give her the space.

For now.

At least until he could get back to the office and have a powwow with Mel. He hadn’t planned on staying with Elise, but he didn’t see any other way to protect her during the dark hours when most people slept.

He slid his cell phone open and speed-dialed the Kendall County Sheriff’s department. “This is Special Agent Fletcher. I’d like to speak to Sheriff Engel.”

He pulled into a church parking lot and waited while the operator made the transfer.

“This is the sheriff. What can I do for you, Agent Fletcher?”

“I’d like to meet with you concerning the woman found murdered.”

“This case isn’t in your jurisdiction, unless you’ve got something to share from the FBI?”

“I understand.” He’d known he’d have to dance around Elise’s connection, but he had to open the lines of communication with the men actually working the case. “We can discuss it in further detail when we meet.”

“How’s nine o’clock in the morning? The Denny’s in Breuer. I’m partial to their chicken-fried steak. Just don’t tell my wife I eat it for breakfast. She’s trying to get me on some danged low-fat diet.”

“Your secret’s safe with me.” Paul’s stomach rumbled at the mention of food. He hadn’t eaten since he’d grabbed a biscuit at the McDonald’s on his way to work that morning. “I’ll be there at nine. Thanks.” He clicked the end button and hit the speed-dial button for Agent Melissa Bradley.

“Hey, Fletcher,” Melissa answered on the first ring. “How did Alice take the news?”

“Elise. She insists we call her Elise. I just left her house.” His grip tightened on the phone. “She’s pretty shaken. Wants to buy a gun.”

“I would be, too.” Mel snorted. “Does she even know how to use one?”

“Not a clue.”

“Almost as scary a thought as a serial killer returned from the dead.”

“I’m not buying that it’s Stan. That house was in flames. If the fire didn’t get him, the smoke would have.”

“Yeah, but we didn’t find the body.” Mel’s voice dropped to barely above a whisper. “We can’t rule it out.”

“If he’s alive, he had to have been in a hospital for burns or smoke inhalation.”

“I’ll check with all the hospitals in the Riverton area around that time frame.”

“Good. And also check the hospitals farther down along the Red River. If Klaus did live, he could have ended up miles down river.”

“Hey, boss, here’s a chance for you to get to know Cain’s abilities. Want me to get him to help make the calls?”

Paul hesitated. On the one hand, Cain had been itching for a case with more meat. Then again, he still didn’t know how much he could trust Cain to keep his mouth shut. Paul had only been on the job for two months, not long enough to get a good feel for the other man’s capabilities or loyalties. Not to mention, Cain hadn’t been overly pleased with an outsider moving into his territory. “I don’t know what to think about Cain yet.”

“What? He hasn’t warmed up to the ol’ Fletcher charm yet?”

“No, the district coordinator warned me that some of the men had been up for the job I got. I wonder if he was one of them.”

“Sour grapes?”

“Could be. I don’t want him involved until I get a better feel for his work. Especially with Ali—Ms. Johnson’s need for confidentiality.”

“Gotcha. Mum’s the word around Cain.” Mel paused. “You want me to take lead on this one, boss?”

“No, I’ll take lead.”

“Not trying to overstep your authority to decide, but I just want to remind you that you’re the boss now. You’re supposed to delegate duties.”

“Point taken.” He grinned. “I’m still taking the lead.”

Melissa chuckled. “You got it. Do we need to assign protection to her?”

A twinge of guilt pinched his nerves, but he quickly shrugged it aside. “I’ve got that covered.”

“Going to use the local police force?”

Here goes. Explanation time. “No, I’m going to stay with her.” He braced himself for the onslaught of questions.

A long pause stretched from the other end of the line.

Paul heaved a sigh. “Go ahead, I know you’re holding back.”

“You sure you can handle that?” Mel asked. “Last time you were around her, you were pretty taken with her, serial killer husband and all.”

Damn, nothing escaped Mel’s notice. That’s what made her such a good agent. “I’m taken with all the ladies, you know that.”

“No, boss, this was different. You were really taken with her, not your usual love-’em-and-leave-’em style.”

Paul’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. Mel hit too close to home with her observation. He had felt something back then. He’d chalked it up to pity for the beautiful bride of the Dakota Strangler. Still, he wanted to be the one to see to Elise’s safety. “I was only doing what anyone would have done to help her through the trauma.”

Mel chuckled. “Yeah, right. Whatever you say, boss. And she’s agreed to this plan?”

Paul’s lips firmed into a straight line. “Not yet. But she will. I’m on my way to the Bexar County coroner’s office.”

“I’ll meet you there as soon as I get those calls started.”

“Good deal.” He slid the phone shut, tossed it into the cup holder and pressed his foot to the accelerator, shooting his truck out onto the narrow streets of Breuer. The coroner’s office in San Antonio only stayed open until five. He’d just make it if he hurried.

As he merged into the interstate traffic, his cell phone vibrated, rattling against the hard plastic cup holder. He risked a glance down at the caller ID.

Cain.

Great. What did he want?

Paul slid the phone open. “Fletcher.”

“Did you hear about the body they found in Breuer?” Cain asked.

“Yes.” Paul held his hand steady, not in any mood to talk with Cain, but unwilling to show his hand. “Are you finished with that stack of background checks?”

“I’ve made some headway. I just wondered if you wanted me to look into the Breuer case.”

“Not yet. It’s a local issue at this point. Until the local officials invite us in, it’s in their ballpark. We have no jurisdiction.”

“Right. But we could offer our services. Up to them to refuse.”

Paul squashed his irritation. The man really was hungry for something interesting. “Not yet. Tell you what, why don’t you get with Alvarez on the government fraud case. I’ll call and let him know you’ll be assisting.”

“I’d rather help out with the Breuer case.”

“Not on your radar, Cain.” So his voice was a little too sharp. Cain was starting to get on his nerves.

“Yes, sir,” Cain answered, his own response prickly.

“We’ll talk in the morning when I get to the office.” Paul could swear he heard muttered curses, but he couldn’t be sure as a tractor-trailer rig chose that moment to roar past him on the interstate.

“Roger.” Cain clicked off.

He’d been giving Cain the benefit of the doubt since he’d arrived in the San Antonio office. But if his attitude toward his new boss didn’t improve soon, Cain would have to be dealt with. Either they’d get their differences out in the open and start over, or Paul would recommend a transfer for Agent Cain.

In the meantime, he had a case to work, even though he wasn’t supposed to be working it.

HE PULLED INTO the coroner’s office five minutes to five. The front door was still open and he slipped inside, quickly making his way to the examination room where he met Gordon Smithson, the county medical examiner.

“Dr. Smithson, I’m Agent Fletcher.” He nodded toward the woman lying on the table. He jammed his hands into his back pockets to keep from touching anything and tried to ignore the scent of decaying bodies and formaldehyde permeating the room. “Is this Alice Lauren Pendley?”

“Agent Fletcher. Glad you made it. I was just finishing up my examination of the body.”

The door opened behind him. Mel entered and closed the distance between them. “Sorry I’m late,” she said, then turned a smile toward the coroner. “Special Agent Bradley.”

Smithson returned her smile, showing more animation than when Paul had introduced himself. Mel had that effect on most men. She was engaging without trying. Someone others automatically wanted to confide in.

“Do we have a cause of death?” she asked, her gaze shifting from Dr. Smithson to the body stretched out on the examination table.

Smithson’s attention reverted to the victim. “Asphyxiation. Most probably someone came at her from behind and hooked an arm around her neck. She put up a fight. See the way her fingernails are broken off? She was found naked with Ethernet cable securing her hands behind her back and tied around her ankles. But she was dead before he bound her.”

“Isn’t that overkill?” Mel said.

Paul cringed at her poor choice of words, but the killer had made his point. He was either Stan Klaus or a copycat. Newspapers around the country had printed stories detailing the Dakota Strangler’s methods. A book on serial killers had an entire chapter dedicated to him. Anyone with a sick mind could copy his methods.

What they shouldn’t have been able to do was find his wife.

Unless one of the children had unintentionally let the secret leak out. Brandon was old enough to remember his real name. Luke had been four when his father disappeared: he probably didn’t even remember the man.

Paul made a mental note to ask Brandon. Not that he expected the boy to open up to him. For some reason, Brandon viewed Paul as a threat to his mother.

Paul had little experience with children, but how hard could it be to get the boy to warm up to him? He’d just turn up the old Fletcher charm, as Mel called it. After he stopped by his apartment and packed an overnight kit.

He wasn’t taking no for an answer from Elise. She needed protection. Whether the killer was Stan or a copycat, he definitely had something in mind for Elise Johnson.