Heinous (8 page)

Birmingham Police Department

Tuesday, September 7, 10:00 a.m.

“I’ve asked you this once already, Chief Harris, but I’m going to ask you again.” Chief Black looked directly at her as if he might change her mind by sheer force of will. “Are you certain you don’t want your union rep or your attorney present? Detective Hendrix is right outside the door. He has expressed his concern about my continuing this questioning without his presence.”

Jess had known both Deputy Chief Harold Black and Lieutenant Kelvin Roark, his cohort in these proceedings, about the same length of time. She’d met them both in the course of her work as deputy chief of SPU. Roark was Black’s second in command, which was the extent of her knowledge of him.

Black, however, she understood perfectly. He didn’t like her and he didn’t like the way she did things. Mostly, he’d said he didn’t like the idea that she brought trouble to Dan. She couldn’t discount his concerns. The question was, to what degree were Dan’s troubles related to her and the business with Spears versus the result of Black’s renewed desire to be chief of police.

There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that Mayor Pratt and his cronies had dangled that carrot. Dan was no longer playing by Pratt’s rules and the mayor wanted someone who would. Harold Black had been waiting in the wings for years. How far would a man his age, nearing sixty, go to advance the final years of his career and take his retirement pension to the next level?

As for Hendrix, the union rep, she didn’t know him at all, but she imagined he and Black were friends. The two probably had a beer together now and again. No, she preferred to keep this investigation into Allen’s disappearance among as few people as possible. The more folks involved, the greater the likelihood of leaks.

“Am I a suspect?” Jess tossed out the question to annoy Black. She was a person of interest, of course. There was nothing to challenge there. If he hadn’t deemed her a person of interest, Black wasn’t doing his job.

Visibly exasperated, the older man sighed. “You are not. We have no suspects in this case at this time. What we do have are several persons of interest, such as yourself. Are we clear on that, Chief Harris?”

“We are absolutely clear, Chief Black.”

“On the morning of Friday, August sixth,” Black began, “Captain Allen’s cell was picked up by a tower near your home address. Did you see Captain Allen at any time that morning?”

“I did not,” she said in answer to his question. “I had no idea he’d been anywhere near my apartment until days later.”

“Someone tampered with your personal vehicle that morning, and you and Chief Burnett believe it was Captain Allen, is that correct?”

“I believe it was him, yes.” She smiled at his blatant attempt to trap her into saying what he wanted to hear. “I can’t speak for anyone else.”

“You and Captain Allen had disagreements on several occasions, Chief Harris. At any time, did he make any threats to you? Did you report any threats to Chief Burnett?”

“On July 29, I entered a house Captain Allen’s Task Force had under surveillance to question Salvadore Lopez. Captain Allen was unhappy with my decision to do so. He informed Burnett about the incident, not me.”

“There were other incidents.”

Oh, yes. Several
. “On August fifth, we were investigating a scene where two low level drug dealers were murdered with a similar MO to the Grayson murder, which I was investigating at the time. Captain Allen didn’t care for my line of questioning relative to Detectives Grayson and Riley. Allen made that quite clear.” She opted to leave out the part he’d insinuated about her relationship with Burnett being the reason she had her position as well as his warning that she didn’t have any friends in the department.

“Did you report this incident to Chief Burnett?”

“I did not. I’m a big girl, Chief Black. I don’t go running to the boss every time someone disagrees with me or with my methods. Allen is entitled to his opinions and conclusions.”

“So you were well aware of his dislike for how you handle your investigations, is that correct?”

Jess shrugged. “He planted a bomb in the department car I was supposed to use. I was very well aware, yes.”

“You had no contact with Captain Allen at any time other than the incidents we have discussed?”

“I did not. Typically, Sergeant Harper contacted him if we were on a case that involved the Gang Task Force. Allen and I didn’t interact often.”

Black closed the folder in front of him. “Thank you, Chief Harris. If we need anything else, we will contact you. As you know, we’re still searching for leads on the case.”

Jess picked up her bag and left the room without saying more. There was nothing to say. Captain Ted Allen had been dirty. Whether the investigation ever proved it or not, there was no other explanation for him tampering with her car or for planting a bomb in the department vehicle assigned to her. The only question was why had he decided Jess was his enemy? Yes, she had encroached into his territory, but she hadn’t disrupted his surveillance or anything else. Well, not unless you counted telling Leonardo Lopez, the top West Coast drug lord, what his errant children were up to down here in Birmingham.

The one conclusion that made sense was the idea that Allen had been in bed with Salvadore Lopez, Leonardo’s son who’d been handling the drug shipments in Birmingham for years. On that score, Jess had waltzed in and crashed the party for Salvadore. Her actions should have been considered a good thing. Apparently, Allen had seen it differently.

“Chief Harris!”

Jess had almost reached the bank of elevators when Detective Hendrix caught up with her. Ignoring him, she pressed the button and watched the numbers light up over the doors.

“All I need is a moment of your time, Chief.”

“I’m in a hurry, Detective. What can I do for you?”

“You really shouldn’t go into a meeting like that without union representation,” he chastised. “That’s what I’m here for, Chief. I can protect your rights.”

“I appreciate your concern, Detective Hendrix, but I’m not worried. I told the truth. There’s nothing in Chief Black’s investigation to protect me from.”

Hendrix glanced around before leaning closer. “I wish you’d talk to Chief Burnett.” He shook his head. “Whether he wants to admit it or not, he’s in real trouble. He needs the union behind him.”

Jess smiled though she doubted it appeared anymore sincere than it felt. “I’m afraid you’ll need to speak with Chief Burnett about those concerns.” The chime sounded signaling the elevator had arrived. “Good day, Detective.”

She supposed she should have allowed Hendrix to escort her back to the office since she wasn’t supposed to go anywhere—not even from office to office—alone.
Just this once wouldn’t hurt
.

Before she could board the elevator, her cell rang. She didn’t recognize the number. “Harris.”

“Chief, we finally located the owner of the Impala.”

Sheriff Foster
. At this rate, she was going to have to add him to her contact list. “Have you questioned him?” She changed her mind about the elevator, not wanting to risk the call dropping, and headed for the stairwell.

“He’s dead. So is his girlfriend. We’re at the scene now. I thought you might want to head this way. It looks like there might be a connection to you beyond that note after all.”

“I’ll be there as quickly as possible, Sheriff. Thank you for calling.”

Two hours
. There was no way to get to Scottsboro more quickly without a helicopter. The department had one but Black would accuse her of wasting department resources.

Jess hurried down to the SPU office. Cook and Hayes should already be in Scottsboro by now at the Brownfield farm. Harper was tracking down what Henshaw had been up to the past couple of months and Lori was checking into McPherson’s background. There was something more going on with McPherson. Whatever Buddy knew or thought he knew he obviously wasn’t ready to share it yet.

SPU resources were spread thin. While Black and Roark were overseeing the coordination of resources and information related to the Spears investigation with the Bureau, Jess and her team were scrambling to put together the pieces that connected Spears to the homicides related to her past. Sadly, all those resources were coming up with zero. Based on previous experience, they could have an army of investigators and Spears wouldn’t be caught unless he wanted to be. He would continue his game until he had accomplished what he wanted, and then he would disappear.

Not this time, Spears
.

Jess ran into Hayes outside her office door.

“You’re back.” He acted surprised to see her.

“I thought you and Cook would be in Jackson County by now.” Had something else happened that she hadn’t heard about?

“Detective Wells wanted to go with Cook.” Hayes lifted one shoulder in a blasé shrug. “She said something about needing to have a second look inside the farmhouse. Is that a problem?”

“No.” Jess frowned, hating that the reaction would only add more lines to her face. “I’m just surprised she didn’t check in with me first.” Jess appreciated having a team she could trust to follow through and make the necessary decisions. Lori had earned her trust and respect. Harper and Cook had as well. Hayes was a work in progress. He had pulled a stunt or two that had her wondering if he wanted to make it through his six-month probationary period in SPU. He was a good detective and a very intelligent man. She had high hopes he would curb that slightly arrogant attitude and toe the line. Until then, she wouldn’t be giving him the same leeway she gave the others who had earned that privilege.

“Cook needed to get on the road and we weren’t sure how long you’d be,” Hayes offered by way of explanation for the change in plans.

“No problem. I’ll check with Lori later.” Her stomach warned she should have had more than yogurt this morning. A handful of the M&Ms she carried in her bag would have to do. “We’re headed that way as well, Lieutenant. Sheriff Foster found the owner of the Impala.”

“Has the owner given up anything yet?” Hayes grabbed his suit jacket and started toward the door where Jess waited.

“The owner’s dead. We’ll have to find our answers without his help.”

Hayes hesitated at the door, probably because she kept standing there staring at the case board and all those photos of dead people—murder victims. Then there was her father and Amanda... and Maddie.

“Was there something else before we go?”

Jess blinked, then shook her head. “I’m ready, Lieutenant.”

Before this day was done, she intended to visit Maddie. Jess knew exactly how it felt to suddenly be taken from all you knew. That little girl needed to see a familiar face.

In the parking garage, she settled into the passenger seat of Hayes’ Audi and fastened her seatbelt. Her hands lingered at her waist. She’d had a heck of a time fastening her skirt this morning. Before long, she was going to have to retire her few and favorite suits, like this brown one, until post pregnancy.

Shopping couldn’t be ignored forever.

As soon as she got caught up, she had to make that happen.

By then she might be naked.

South Houston Street, Scottsboro, 12:35 p.m.

Eli Mooney, Caucasian, sixty-seven, and his girlfriend, Marla Skelton, Caucasian, sixty-two, had been dead at least twenty-four hours. Their home was a small cottage style house with generous porches on the front and back. The yard was a little overgrown and, at the moment, cluttered with official vehicles.

Inside there was lots of wood paneling and vinyl flooring throughout. Gun racks and mounted deer heads hung on the walls of the living room. A survey of the kitchen revealed a generous supply of beer in the fridge and a freezer packed with venison. A good hunter was proud of his kill and never wasted the animal. According to one of the deputies, Mooney was an experienced hunter as well as a skilled taxidermist.

The tables had turned at some point yesterday, and Mooney and his girlfriend had become the prey.

Fully clothed in jeans and a tank top, his girlfriend, Skelton, had a single gunshot wound to the back of the head, execution style, up close with a small caliber weapon. Probably a .22. She lay face down on the kitchen floor.

The smell of blood and feces was intense. Dressed in cut-off shorts and a T-shirt, Mooney was seated at the table. His right arm was braced on the tabletop with a beer in his hand. Blood had sprayed across the table and pooled on the floor around his chair.

The killer had painstakingly sutured Mooney’s lips, and then with a single deep stroke of a blade, opened his throat from one carotid artery to the other.

Foster had kept the evidence techs out until Jess arrived. Hayes was videoing the scene with his cell phone while Jess studied the killer’s work.

“Looks like the murder weapon in the sink.”

Jess had a look at the bloody hunting knife lying against the stained white porcelain. “I’ll bet he didn’t leave us any prints.”

Hayes chuckled. “I’d say that’s a given.”

Jess returned to the table and checked the victim’s hand clutching the can of beer. “His fingers were glued to ensure they stayed in place.” The same method used on the reverend’s hands.

Since retiring as the high school janitor, Mooney supplemented his income as a taxidermist with most of his business from local hunters. Lately, people had started bringing their deceased pets to him as well, opening up a new market and source of revenue.

Jess needed to see if there was anything in his mouth. For that, she needed the coroner. “Sheriff, can you call the coroner? I’d like him to remove these sutures so we can see if there’s anything inside Mr. Mooney’s mouth.”

“Adams just rolled up, Chief. I’ll have one of my deputies get him on in here for you.”

“Thank you, Sheriff.”

While Foster gave the order via his radio, Jess studied the victim. Like Henshaw, Mooney’s mouth had been sewn shut while he was still alive. The blood trail down his chin and throat left no question. The can of beer, a Bud Light likely from the twelve pack in the fridge, was unopened.