Haunting Whispers (33 page)

“He’s injured in a horrible way. His manhood has been almost completely destroyed.”

Rae wasn’t sure what to say. War was responsible for atrocities of all kinds so it shouldn’t surprise her. Was it poetic justice for a man capable of such heinous crimes or the cause of his pathology? “You literally mean his genitals, right?”

Audrey nodded. “How is that even possible without loss or disability of his legs?”

“I have no idea. Groin injuries have to be pretty common with lower-body trauma. Ballistic boxers are relatively new for soldiers.”

Audrey looked like she didn’t quite believe her comment about the boxers. “Will this help with your search?”

Rae reached for her phone in the heap with her discarded jeans. “Absolutely.” She pulled her pants on as she dialed her military contact and added the additional detail. His answer sent a thrill up Rae’s spine.

“I’ll have a packet, complete with photos, delivered to your place before morning.”

Rae hung up and turned to Audrey. “We’re getting closer, thanks to you. Now I should probably get you back to the hotel.”

Audrey’s eyes sparked as she snuggled closer to Rae. “I don’t suppose I could stay with you tonight?”

“I wish, but I have some things to run down. You’ll be safer with the others.” Audrey’s expression changed. “I’m sorry. I’d love to spend the night with you, but—”

“I know, my darling. I know.”

“I’ll call you first thing in the morning and let you know how it’s going.”

“First thing? Promise?”

“Promise, so keep your cell handy. I know it has a tendency to run off on you.” Rae reached for Audrey, but she darted out of her grasp.

“Then we should go, right now. If you touch me again, I won’t be able to remain genteel and understanding.”

Rae wiped the grime from a window at the rear of the Blankenship Dry Cleaners building and squinted to get a better look. The single streetlight in front cast shadows through the interior and hindered her efforts to identify the contents. She clicked on her Maglite and scanned as far inside as the beam allowed. Rolls of plastic on huge spools occupied half of one wall, and several racks of uniforms took up the other half. Forensic analysis would determine if this plastic was the same as that left at the dump sites with the victims.

She shifted and light bounced off a reflective surface, a hubcap. Rae focused the beam higher and her heart nearly stopped—an old white van was wedged between huge washing and pressing machines and partially covered by a blue tarp. The conveyor belt with abandoned pieces of clothing snaked around the top of the van, providing further camouflage. When she’d looked from the front, she missed the vehicle entirely.

Reaching into her right boot, she fished out her switchblade and flicked it open. She trained her light on the door lock and poised the knife to pry it open just before her professional monitor kicked in.
Damn it, damn it, damn it.
Just once she could bypass a precious search-and-seizure law. One lapse in a twelve-year career wasn’t bad. She could slip inside, nose around, and
then
get a warrant. No one would be the wiser. If anyone asked about probable cause, she’d only have to tell one little white lie. The case was serious enough no one would blame her even if they did find out.

She positioned the knife blade perfectly to pop the lock and raised her elbow for leverage.
Shit.
She couldn’t do it, not for the victims, not even for Audrey. If she bypassed procedure, she’d be a bad cop. If she covered it up, she’d be a lying bad cop. And if the Whisperer were convicted on evidence improperly obtained, she’d be a worthless, lying bad cop. She had to follow proper procedure. It was the only way to ensure he stayed in prison once she put him there and to maintain her self-respect and integrity. Morals and values were a pain in the ass
.

Her gut told her the rest of what Audrey had experienced was inside the van. She’d have to go with the information she had and pray it was enough for a search warrant. She couldn’t do anything else here for the moment. Waking a judge before dawn wouldn’t help her case. She dropped the knife back into her boot and switched off the Maglite.

The blow landed in her gut, knocking the wind out of her. She doubled over, unable to breathe. As she gasped for a reviving breath, the sickly sweet smell scorched a path down her throat. Her nose and eyes burned and watered. She struggled against powerful arms but her limbs had turned heavy and sluggish. With a final surge, she kicked and heard a wail of agony before she collapsed.

*

Arya clutched his aching groin and drew heaving breaths to remain conscious. Butler had gotten in only one kick but it landed perfectly. If she hadn’t been drugged, he would’ve been forced to kill her and his leverage would’ve vanished. He spat on her crumpled form at his feet. In ordinary times they would face off in a fair fight to the death, warrior to warrior. She would see his true superiority. But these were not ordinary times. Now she was his pawn, a means of securing Sanjana.

He’d offer to exchange the cop for her. In reality, he’d never release Butler. She had touched Sanjana, and she would die slowly and painfully as an offering to his beloved. The sacrifice would cleanse Sanjana and their life together could go on. A simple, perfect plan.

Arya considered his protective gear but it was time for full disclosure. Everyone would know the true identity of the Noble One before he and Sanjana were joined. He opened a black canvas bag and inventoried the contents. The assortment of restraints and devices of torture would work nicely. He loaded the bag and Butler in the trunk of her vehicle and drove to her condo. He had to get her inside and make final preparations before dawn. How appropriate for the ceremony to take place where she had defiled his beloved. Life was full of symbolism and his would live forever.

*

Audrey paced the hotel suite and checked her cell phone for what seemed like the thousandth time since dawn. Rae had promised to call early this morning. Something was terribly wrong.

“Jeez, Audrey, how is anybody supposed to sleep with all this pacing?” Melvin asked. “Tony woke up in a pissy mood and demanded coffee without even a
please
.”

“I’m sorry, Mel, but I have an awful feeling.”

“Curtain call!” He yelled back toward the other bedrooms, and within seconds everyone scurried into the common area, pulling on whatever pieces of random clothing they’d found.

“What?” Tony didn’t look happy but he could never resist a drama.

Hope, Grace, and Charity bounced in like teenagers ready for the next adventure, with Sam bringing up the rear, a supportive arm around Yasi’s waist.

“Something is wrong, Sanjana?” Sam asked.

“It’s Rae, isn’t it, honey?” Yasi made her way to Audrey’s side and encouraged her to sit with her on the sofa. “Tell us. What have you heard?”

Audrey felt awful for pulling her friends from sleep on nothing more than a feeling. She had been right too many times before, and they knew it. “That’s the problem, I haven’t heard
anything
. She promised to call first thing this morning.”

Tony pivoted and started toward the bedroom. “False alarm. Insecure-girlfriend alert. I’m going back to bed.”

Audrey continued. “And I have a strong sense that she’s in real danger.”

Tony spun on his heel and rejoined the group. “That’s different. What can we do?”

“I’m not sure if
we
should do anything. I’m going to her place to make sure she’s okay. Who knows, I could be wrong.” Everybody stared at her like that was highly unlikely, and Melvin rolled his eyes.

Yasi, her constant source of grounding and stability, rubbed Audrey’s back. “You can’t go alone. Rae made us promise we’d protect each other.”

“We stick together,” Charity said. Grace and Hope nodded in agreement.

Tony concluded with his usual flair. “We’re like rabid, caffeinated bats. If somebody messes with one of us, he messes with all of us.”

Audrey didn’t like the idea of her friends getting involved, but she loved them for wanting to help. “Yasi isn’t well enough to be out. Why don’t we split up? A couple of you come with me and the rest can stay here.”

“I’m going.” Yasi’s tone left no room for discussion. “I don’t care if I have to stay in the van, I’m going…we all are. Let’s move.”

Audrey was proud of how they all looked after each other. That’s one of the things she’d missed most about her friends. How could she have doubted their loyalty? She was the one who had been disloyal, leaving without any explanation. One day she’d repay them.

As Melvin drove by Rae’s condo and parked on a side street, Audrey looked around the area. Rae’s car was in the driveway but not backed into her usual spot against the garage door. A large manila envelope leaned against the front door. Rae had been expecting more information, and it could be exactly what she needed.

Suddenly Audrey grew light-headed, and her vision blurred. The top of her head tingled with the warning of a psychic flash. She heard a summons in the distance, a dangerous siren call she didn’t want to answer. She had no choice. He was finally allowing her in, insisting she connect, like a telepathic phone call.

“Sanjana, come to me. I am waiting. The cop is no longer a problem.”

“He’s in there…he has Rae. I think she’s injured, not—” She couldn’t say the word. “He’s calling me. I have to go in.”

“No.” Sam spoke first, his booming voice echoing inside the vehicle. “You do not go in alone.”

“I have to, Sam, or he’ll kill her.” She could feel the Whisperer’s hatred of Rae. Audrey had to defuse his anger, redirect his erratic emotions.

“Is there a back door?” Tony asked.

“You can bet he’s got it covered,” Melvin answered.

Audrey grew impatient. “I can’t sit here and wait.”

Yasi, who had been listening and staring out the side window, spoke for the first time. “I have a plan. Girls, ring a couple of doorbells on either side of Rae’s place. Pretend you’ve lost your cat. Then find a place on both sides of the house near the windows so you can listen.”

Audrey had the feeling she was missing a vital piece of information she should have before confronting the Whisperer. “One of you bring me whatever’s on the steps of Rae’s condo. It could be important.”

Melvin, always the pragmatist, played devil’s advocate. “He won’t answer the door.”

“Exactly,” Yasi said, “but it’ll distract him for a few minutes so Tony can find a way in. Whatever it takes, get into that house.”

Melvin looked shocked. “And then what, choke him with his feather boa?”

Tony came to his rescue. “Leave it to me. I’ll create such a distraction he won’t know which way to turn.” He paused as if considering his statement. “How will I know when?”

“You’ll know.” Audrey warmed to Yasi’s idea, risky and unrefined as it was. She still wasn’t clear how they’d rescue Rae and incapacitate the Whisperer. She had to do something and these friends were all she had—or were they?

“We’ll need more help.” Audrey jotted down a phone number and a message and handed it to Yasi. Since you’ll have to wait in the vehicle—sorry, love—call this number when Tony starts his distraction. The girls will give you the high sign. Say exactly what I’ve written.”

“And what about me and Melvin?” Sam asked.

“Melvin at the front door, and you at the back.” Audrey wanted her strongest friends at the points of exit if things went terribly wrong. “If he tries to get away, take him down.”

“I should be with you, Sanjana,” Sam said.

“You’ll be there when I need you. You all will.” Audrey looked at each one of them, trying to convey her deep appreciation. “Are you sure you want to do this? He’s not a stable man, and Rae isn’t one of us.”

“She is if you love her.” Yasi stared at Audrey, her brown eyes asking the question.

“I do.”

“Then let’s get on with it.” Tony’s statement conveyed more excitement than his expression, and she loved him for it. His enthusiasm was contagious and the others followed suit. “I can’t wait to interrogate this cop and see if she deserves you…and us.”

“Wait.” Audrey didn’t intend to give the Whisperer what he wanted too soon. She sensed his frenzy growing with each minute. When she arrived, she wanted his attention entirely on her. The more off-balance he was, the greater the chance their half-baked scheme would actually work. And Rae was undoubtedly planning her own way out. She would’ve given anything right now to be able to read Rae just once.

Audrey watched as the others took their places around the condo and marveled again at the depth of their devotion. She clung to Yasi’s hand as if it were their last second together and prayed Rae would get to know and appreciate her very special friends. In a few minutes, Charity returned with the manila envelope from Rae’s steps.

Audrey reached for it with a trembling hand and eased open the flap as if it might explode. She looked inside, then poured the contents onto her lap. Several pictures spilled out of the same man in different modes of military wear—dull-green training uniform, desert fatigues, and command blouse. The last photo depicted the man in civilian attire. A notation on the back indicated the shot was taken on the date of dismissal from service, twenty months earlier.