Checkmate (Caitlin Calloway Mystery Book 2) (55 page)

CC stood there for a moment, slack jawed, as she tried to digest everything Eunice eagerly confessed to.

“I don’t get it. You are obviously a highly intelligent woman. How did you end up in this line of work?”

“The pay is amazing, plus I get to travel and meet interesting people. How it began is simple. I discovered I had a knack for killing people.”

“Just how does one discover that they have a knack for that?”

“Practice makes perfect. Like you, I had a less than amicable relationship with a stepparent. My father’s wife was convinced she could take my mother’s place. Quite arrogant if you ask me. She made a lame attempt to win me over by having clowns perform at my birthday parties. That is just sick, watching those creepy buggers with their floppy shoes and red noses trying to make balloon animals. Gave me nightmares. I looked forward to the day when I could be out on my own and not have to interact with my so-called parents. By the time I finished my first year in law school, I realized that neither of them would cut the apron strings, which left it up to me. To my credit, I didn’t rush things. I waited and planned things very carefully. My father was attending an event in Canada. I knew her habits. My stepmother was one of those boring predictable types. I knew when she’d be out socializing and she would return home at no later than six. She would prepare for her evening meal while Daddy was away on business. Her meal would consist of a simple salad and a fifth of Makers Mark. The woman did enjoy her bourbon. Sadly, Father didn’t approve of such things.”

“So when your father was out of town, she’d get snockered.”

“Yes. My timing was perfect. Everyone at my dorm was preparing for finals. I hung my Do Not Disturb sign up and made the drive from Georgetown to the house. I took the back roads, so no one would see me arrive. My stepmother was out socializing, so I hid in the attic and waited. Once the staff retired to their quarters located on the other side of the grounds, I waited for her to finish her liquid dinner and retire for the evening.”

“You killed her?”

“Smothered her with a brand-new pillow. I bought it three weeks earlier. No sense leaving any clues behind. Then I stripped her, put her nightclothes in the laundry bin and carried her out of the house. Don’t you just love those Rubbermaid trash bins? I do. They’re very durable, and the handles lock.”

“You stuffed her in the trash?” CC was stunned.

“No, silly. I stuffed her in a new trash barrel I had slipped into the garage earlier. Again, I had no intention of leaving any evidence behind. I wrapped a chain through the handles, locked it up tight, and rolled her down the street to where I had hidden my car. I drove to the marina where the family boat was docked. I was very careful as to where I parked and the route I took to board the boat. I didn’t want my pretty face being caught on camera. The only hiccup in my plan was when we were out in the middle of the Potomac. I was a novice then and didn’t know that when you strangle someone they will pass out before dying. The bitch wasn’t dead. Imagine my surprise. No sense wasting the opportunity. I punctured the trash can. I wanted to make certain that it would sink. I couldn’t resist having a little fun. I tossed a few lit matches inside, wheeled her off the side, and watched her sink in the water. The best part was listening to her screams.”

“Then back to school, and no one ever knew.” CC hoped Eunice would keep talking.
Okay, she wins the crazy bat-shit
contest hands down
.

“According to law enforcement, she’s a missing person.”

“You do have a knack for this,” CC conceded.

“Enough stalling. Time to wrap this up.”

*   *  *

Ricky was exhausted by the time they landed in Boston, but Val was pumped up with excitement. It felt good to be on a chase. The Beaumont case had left a bad taste in her mouth. This case filled her with a sense of purpose. The moment they touched down and turned on their cell phones, the information poured in. They grabbed their belongings and set off to find a rental car.

“Idiot.” Val’s mood soured once she turned on her phone.

“Thank you?”

“Not you,” Val said and groaned. “I’m getting a video stream from Calloway.”

“Yeah?”

“Look, dark and blank. That phone is wasted on her. Let’s head over to the three-three. If she’s not there, we can start getting things together and make a game plan.”

*   *  *

Leigh was busy retyping her report on the Fitzgibbons case. Her intention had been to go home, feed her cats, and get some rest. Something nagged at her. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. When her phone rang and she received a blank video from CC, she laughed.

“My God, Fred Flintstone is more technically savvy. Someone needs to teach her how to use that thing.” She set it aside, not interested in watching a blank screen. She had been inspired to upgrade her phone after playing with Calloway’s. “Maybe I can talk her into a trade,” she said and snickered.

“I’ve got something.” Wayne burst into the squad room. “Benjamin Augustus Dover has dual citizenship with the US and Canada.”

“You can’t do both.”

“Actually you can. Our government just wants us to think that you can’t. His passport is Canadian as is his driver’s license. He’s also dead.”

“When and how?”

“Nineteen eighty-seven, when he was all of three months old. Crib death.”

“Great, our hit man is using a dead baby’s identity.”

“Where the hell is Calloway?” Val asked as she and Ricky stormed into the squad room.

“I’m not certain.” Mulligan ignored the deputy’s brisk attitude. “I think she went to visit her wife at the hospital. How was the trip? Find anything useful?”

“Yes and no. We’ve got a person of interest.”

“Who?” Mulligan practically jumped out of her chair.

“Eunice Cockburn.”

“Wait. That’s the name of the mother on Benjamin Dover’s birth certificate,” Wayne said.

“Ben Dover?” Val choked. “Really?”

“Cockburn. Isn’t that Fisher’s lawyer?” Mulligan tried to fit the pieces together.

“By day.” Val said. “We think she moonlights as a hit man. Not a bad deal, since she can hide behind attorney-client privilege.”

Rousseau joined the conversation. “The desk clerk at the motel never said it was a woman.”

“That kid was so high he probably wouldn’t have noticed if Angelina Jolie checked in.” Mulligan reached for her cell phone. “I need to alert Cal—oh my God. Wayne, can you pull up the feed Calloway is sending me?”

“She did that to you, too?” Val asked while Wayne busied himself with Mulligan’s laptop.

“We need to get a tactical unit in place.” Mulligan shoved her phone at the captain.

“What the hell did you do?” Val gasped when she checked her phone.

CC’s voice could be heard loud and clear. “Keep stalling,” Leigh muttered while her partner began to explain how she figured out everything. “Wayne, I need a GPS on her phone. Now!” she added when he failed to move.

“We don’t have a warrant.” Wayne said.

“We don’t need one,” Val bluntly informed them.

*   *  *

Val and Ricky were already calling in every favor they could muster. “Mills, I don’t care that your team is in trouble for not waiting for a warrant. Calloway gave my department permission to access her phone records after Beaumont died. Just tell your idiot boss that at this very moment a cop is being held at gunpoint. I don’t know about you, but I’m not in the mood to wait for some jackwagon to fill out the necessary forms.”

“I want a Medivac chopper,” Ricky said into his phone. “No, I’m not certain we’ll need it. Do you want to wait?”

“Location?” Leigh asked while the captain tried to organize the squad room.

“Pine Banks Park,” Wayne finally told the frazzled group.

“Where is that?” Val was pleased when Wayne explained by turning the laptop around. “Captain, we’ll take Leigh once she’s ready. The rest of your people need to stand down.”

“No fucking way.”

“We have the Fugitive Task Force, the FBI, and the Marshal Service gearing up. Quite frankly, your people will be in the way.”

Ricky quickly stepped in. “You can’t leave your precinct empty. A little diplomacy, Brownie,” he added grabbing her by the arm.

“Not my strong point.”

“Screw the diplomacy.” Leigh shrugged into a Kevlar vest. “My partner is in trouble. Mills’ team is already heading towards Malden. Agent Brown, do we have a team and helicopter?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Wayne, feed everything to tactical. I’m climbing on the bus now. If you’re planning on joining me, get moving.”

*   *  *

Mulligan watched as CC tried to stall. She wished there was a way to let her partner know they were coming.

“The problem with Fisher is,” Cockburn said, “not only do I have to do what I do best, make their deaths look like an unfortunate event, I have to add the element of shame.”

“The drugs you planted on Max. The DVD of kiddy porn you placed in Brooks’ bedroom and leaving Bitsy Marsden out in the open, half naked. And I’ll disappear under a cloud of suspicion.”

“I put a great deal of thought into my artistry. How did you figure out I offed Simon’s daddy?”

“That took time for me. I knew Bert was a distraction. I just couldn’t resist falling for it. Good job with that.”

“Thank you.”

“When we caught up with Bert and saw the text messages, I knew Brooks had been right. If that was true, then it all started with Malcolm Fisher. One quick phone call to San Diego and a short chat with a very confused medical examiner confirmed my theory. I should have suspected that you were the one, simply because you were the only one smart enough to pull this off. I have to admire the logic. Anything you say or do is covered by attorney-client privilege.”

*   *  *

CC tensed when her captor stood. She tried to calculate how hard she would have to throw the shovel in order for it to be effective. The lanky blonde carefully approached just as the rain started. The wild look in her eyes made CC’s knees tremble.

“I’m glad you appreciate my efforts.” Eunice aimed her gun directly at CC. “The weather has started to turn. Time to get this show on the road.”

CC hurled the small shovel, aiming directly for the gun. It whizzed through the air. Eunice cackled and shifted slightly. The shovel missed her by mere inches.

“I’m going to need that shovel.” Eunice wagged her finger at her. “Nice try, though. Pity that it has to end this way. I’ve enjoyed the game. But now’s the time for my last move. Checkmate, Detective.”

Chapter 43

The tactical vehicles plowed through the streets. Leigh continued to watch in horror as her partner tried to keep a crazy woman distracted. Ricky was busy working on the computer, barking orders into his headset.

“For the love of God, keep her talking,” Leigh shouted as the van that sheltered Val’s team raced towards Malden.

“How is she keeping her going?” Ricky seemed stunned that Calloway was still alive.

“The real question is can she keep her talking long enough for us to get there,” Val said nervously.

Ricky looked up. “The chopper should be circling right about now. We have teams covering all four exits. Can you drive all the way into the park?”

“In theory, no,” Mulligan said as she checked her gun. “Teenagers seem to manage it after dark without any trouble.”

The black, government-issue SUVs plowed into the park and the teams quickly unloaded. Mills didn’t hesitate; she ordered her team of snipers to follow them.

“Flank out,” she said. “Remember, we want this bitch alive.”

Why hasn’t she seen the camera?
Val trudged closer to the spot where she hoped they would find the detective. The last thing she wanted to do was to face Stevie if things went wrong. Her breath caught as she saw the hurled shovel miss its target. “Let’s move, people. We just ran out of time.”

“Checkmate, Detective,” echoed from her phone.

The lawyer’s cold words were quickly followed by a loud pop. Val held her breath as she watched the video image spin out of control until it was showing nothing but the night sky. In the distance, Val could see the lights of the helicopter looming above.

*   *  *

“Hurts, doesn’t it?” Eunice loomed over CC’s prone body.

CC tried to fight against the pain as she lay in the makeshift grave. She had assumed she would never forget how painful taking a bullet was, yet this time seemed far worse. Somehow she managed to steady her breathing, an action that seemed to upset her captor. CC cried out when Eunice decided to poke her wound with a stick.

“Bet you’re wondering why it hurts so much and why I haven’t just killed you yet.”

“Kind of,” CC choked out wondering why she hadn’t passed out like she had the first time she had been shot.

“I dipped the bullets in lemon juice then in a mixture of cayenne pepper and garlic salt.”

“Because?” CC barely got the question out.

“I get a bonus if I make you suffer. Just like Elizabeth. Fisher doesn’t really care if I embarrass you, he just wants you to suffer. For Ms. Pryce the hemlock and white oleander certainly did the trick. From what I understand, the pain is excruciating. Some say it feels as if your intestines are being twisted in a knot. Do you think that in the end she prayed for death? Do you think you will? Simon was certainly pleased when I explained in great detail the method I used. He viewed Elizabeth as the catalyst for all of his troubles.”