Jenn Vakey - Rilynne Evans 07 - Revenge with Murder (19 page)

At the mention of forensics, Ben seemed to snap back to reality.  After tucking the coin carefully into his pocket, he left them sitting at the desk, muttering that he wanted to check something, before heading into the back room.  Moments later, he returned with a paper in hand.

“My hunch paid off,” Ben said, holding out the report for Rilynne to read. 

She took it and quickly read over the results.  “
Strychnos poisoning?” she asked.  “So that’s what she injected into the victim.  Are you going to explain what your hunch was now?  It’s been driving me crazy.”

“Good,” he smirked, folding his arms in a triumphant way.  “But yes.  I was thinking about the different things that had been done to Mrs. Burton.  She was stabbed, strangled, and shot after she was drowned.  The actual definition of a drowning is suffocation by water or another liquid.”

“And those are all words starting with ‘S’,” Rilynne stated as it finally clicked.  “So you thought you would start with poisons that would fit the same pattern.  You’re a genius, my love.”

Perez looked equally impressed as he took the report from her and read over it.  “That was either carefully planned or something that just happened to fall into place at the right time.  Holly must have been so tickled with herself.”

“Where did she get access to the poison?” Rilynne asked.  “It was pure, so she didn’t just use a pesticide.  She would have had to make it herself.  I don’t believe strychnos trees are really indigenous to the area.  Even then, it definitely isn’t something she would have been able to make in the short time between when she killed Caitlin and when she was dumped.”

“I’ve been all over the island,” Perez said.  He had pulled up a search on his computer of what the trees looked like.  “If these are growing here, I haven’t seen them.  I’ll send Max back out to the bed and breakfast to look at all of the plants she’d put in after she moved down here, but I’m almost positive there isn’t one.  We were all through there when we were looking for water sources yesterday.”

“She must have had it with her,” Rilynne stated after thinking it over.  “It’s the only thing that makes sense.  I’m guessing she had a vial of it, which might be hidden on the property somewhere.”

“Well, that poses another problem,” Ben said.  Rilynne turned and saw him leaning back in the chair he’d dropped down into, his feet kicked up on the small coffee table in front of him. 

“Why would she have already had a vial of poison on hand?” Rilynne asked.  Ben nodded, pulling his feet down from the table and leaning forward.

“I’ll start working through the list of places she lived before moving here,” he said.  “
Strychnos poisoning is pretty easy to detect.  I’ll see if there are any unsolved murders or attempted poisonings.  With the amount of work she put into killing your victims, it’s possible they weren’t her first.  I’ll look into the old solved ones too, just in case she was successful in framing someone else.”

“You mean that girl’s a serial killer?” Perez asked.  He looked uncomfortable.  It wasn’t so much that he missed it, but more of the fact that a killer had been living on his island.  Unless she was mistaken, he turned a little green.  Holly seemed to have no problem taking a life.  He was lucky these were the only ones she’d claimed while in Spicer Island.

“Right now we only know of two victims,” Rilynne said, attempting to reassure him without trying to sound like she was.  “That doesn’t qualify her as a serial killer.  Just talking to her, it’s impossible to say if there are more.  People like her are very good at hiding what they do, even from law enforcement.  I should know; I married one.”  When Perez’s eyes shot to Ben, she chuckled and went on.  “Not this one.  My first husband.”

The confusion in his gaze shifted to curiosity as he turned back toward Rilynne.  “Did you eventually catch him?”

“I shot and killed him,” Ben answered frankly.  Rilynne’s eyes widened nearly as much as Perez’s as they both turned toward him.  He was nearly always uncomfortable when the topic was brought up.  She’d never actually heard him mention it first, especially not in a joking manner.

“It was actually a pretty impressive shot, too,” Rilynne added, overcome by the urge to add to Perez’s shock.

He quickly shifted his gaze between them a few times before he threw his hands up and shook his head.  “You know, I don’t even want to know.  Keep me apprised on the search for more possible victims,” he said, stepping around his desk as he walked them to the door.  “If another one turns up, we will arrange to have her extradited to face charges.  It’s not like we really have the facilities here to hold her indefinitely.  I’ve never held anyone for more than a couple months in them.”

After saying their goodbyes, Rilynne took Ben by the arm and they walked slowly back to the house to collect their luggage.  Neither of them spoke, both enjoying the last of their time in paradise before having to go back to their busy lives awaiting them.  While it wasn’t how she planned on beginning their marriage, she couldn’t honestly say she regretted it.  They had caught a killer, who would have likely taken another life if the opportunity had presented itself.  In a way, it was poetic.  She didn’t dare mention that to Ben, though.  Not only would he tease her even for viewing it that way, but it wasn’t something she thought he would truly see eye to eye with her on.

The cab was already waiting for them when they arrived back at the house.  Although she knew they had already gotten everything, Rilynne made one more pass through the house.  She was going to miss it.

“You know we have a bigger challenge waiting for us when we get home, don’t you?” she asked as she dropped her bag into the open taxi trunk.  Ben looked down at her, his brow furrowed as he tried to think of what she meant.  She grinned at his confusion.  “We have to go through everything in both of our places and get moved into the new house.”

“Don’t remind me,” he groaned.

“Brightside,” she said.  He held the door open for her and waited for her to slide across the backseat before climbing in himself.  “It’s the last time we will have to do it for a very long time.  By that point, we’ll be old and we can sucker people into doing it all for us.”

“That’s what kids are for,” he replied.  Rilynne leaned over and kissed him on the shoulder before dropping her head down on it.  She didn’t even let to topic frighten her.  She wanted nothing more than to enjoy her last views of the island before they were gone.  Before she knew it, though, they were pulling up to the marina.

Ben pulled the bags out of the trunk and led them to the boat.  After situating
themselves, they sat back and watched the island disappear behind them.

“So tell me this,” she said, gently brushing the hair away from his forehead.  “How on earth are we going to get that gigantic fish tank of yours out of your apartment building and into our new house?  Will it even fit through a doorway?”

Ben chuckled and shook his head.  “Not likely,” he said.  “It’ll have to be disassembled and moved.  I was considering just having one custom made for our house.  I was thinking it might look good in place of that half wall between the kitchen and the living room.”

Rilynne thought about it for a moment.  She had only spent a short amount of time in the house after it was completed and was trying to picture the layout.  After a few moments, she nodded in agreement.  “I think it would look perfect there.  I’m sure you’ve missed your fish.”

“
A
re you sure about this?” Ben asked as they looked upon the crowd standing on their back patio.  “There’s no stopping this once it happens.”

Rilynne grin eagerly and look from the yard to Ben.  “I’m sure.  Are you with me on this?”

Ben rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t keep the smile from his face as he nodded.

“Good, because it’s already too late to back out now,” Rilynne said.  She tried to keep the excited smile off her face as she looked around, not wanting anyone to suspect what they were hiding.  “This is really happening.”

Rilynne felt like the only think tethering her down, keeping her from erupting with excitement, was Ben’s hold on her arm.  The later in the day it grew, the more she felt it building within her.

“Food’s ready!” Matthews called out from the other side of the yard.  As everyone surrounded the table to make their plates, he looked up and gave her a quick nod.  It was time.

“Alright, you stay here and keep everyone distracted while I get everything ready,” she said, turning back to her husband.  She raised up on her toes and gave him a quick kiss before running around to the front of the house.

“Are you ready?” she heard as soon as she hurried around the corner toward the long driveway.  Standing against the front of the house was Jared Lewis, looking almost as excited as she felt.  She looked over to him, large smile stretching across her face, and she nodded.  “Then let’s have some fun.”

When Rilynne had decided it was time to get back at the guys for placing bets on her life, there wasn’t anyone better to call than Jared.  Just during the week she had spent working undercover in his manor, he pulled two large pranks that the guys still talked about.  If she was going to pull something over on them that would make them think twice before pulling her into their entertainment time again, he was the person to help make it happen.

“Alright, I have everything ready so we can get this done as smoothly as possible,” he said, walking with her to where the cars had been parked.  Instead of just having
everyone line up in the driveway, Ben had everyone park in a small clearing just hidden from the front of the house.  When Rilynne and Jared rounded the corner, she let out a shocked little laugh.  He had really gone above and beyond.  Standing around the three large white vans he had brought were most of the members of his household staff, as well as his two children.

“Which cars?” he asked, moving to the first van.

“These five,” she said.  Coincidentally, they all happened to be parked next to each other.  “I grabbed everyone’s keys.  Hi everyone!”

Rilynne hadn’t seen most of the staff since she left the house after closing the murder investigation she was working.  She was sure they all now knew who she really was, especially after Nancy Santos, Jared’s maid, found her in the bar with Ben.  Even with that, she still wasn’t sure exactly what to expect in seeing them.  Luckily, nearly everyone seemed genuinely excited to see her. 
Everyone except Nancy.

Nancy had been convinced that Rilynne only sought out a relationship with Ben after he started showing interest in Nancy.  She was determined to fight Rilynne for him; sure she would wind up on top.  Rilynne still didn’t know if Nancy had heard about their wedding, but she wasn’t about to ask.

“Rilynne,” Danny, Lewis’ chauffeur, said as he walked excitedly toward her.  “Thanks for having us out for this.  It’s not often we get to pull pranks on law enforcement.  And this is my girlfriend, April.  She was hired to fill your spot.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Rilynne smiled.  She was glad her encounter with Danny wasn’t as tense as the last.  “Are you guys ready to have some fun?”

Everyone nodded as Jared pulled open the van door.

“Here’s what we’re going to do,” he said, mischievous smile growing larger with every word.

*     *     *

“Well, I hate to be a bad host, but I’m going to pull the newlywed card and get in some alone time with my husband,” Rilynne said.  Everyone sitting around the fire pit moaned and groaned, but they all stood without argument.  As they all walked together around the house, Rilynne struggled to keep her grin from betraying her. 

Laughs and goodbyes filled the air as they made their way to the cars.  Just moments after they came upon them, it all stopped.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Steele exclaimed, looking through the window of his car.  It was the first in the row.  The guys stopped to see what had happened before the shocking realization settled in and they all ran for their own vehicles.

Rilynne bent over with laughter when Steele moved to the other side of his car for a better look.   Tylers and LaShad didn’t wait before pulling their doors open.  As they did, a colorful wave of objects crashed down at their feet.

“Easter eggs?”
LaShad asked, followed by a billowing laugh.  “Did you seriously fill my entire car with plastic eggs?”

“Consider
yourself lucky,” Donovan said.  He was standing just outside his car, still avoiding opening his door.  “Are these marbles?  Do you know how long that’s going to take me to get all of these out?”

Jerkins, the oldest of the five, was
laughing nearly as hard as Rilynne as he looked into his.  “Honey,” he called to his wife, who was standing back watching the show.  Rilynne and Ben had given each of the target’s significant others a heads up before the evening was over, so that the only people shocked were the ones she was punishing.  “Honey, you have to see this.  There have to be hundreds of stuffed animals in here.  The kids are going to go crazy when they see this!”

“We thought you would appreciate that,” Ben said.  He was standing behind Rilynne with his phone in hand, recording the entire thing.  “And LaShad, you had mentioned you were going to be helping out with the Easter egg hunt in a couple weeks that the department is sponsoring.  We just wanted to make sure you had enough eggs for all of the kids.  You and Tylers should have everything you need.”

Tylers spun around with a smile on his face and a bag of candy in his hand.  “I don’t see how this is punishment for anything,” he smirked.  “You filled my car with fun sized bags of candy.  I’m pretty sure I actually had a dream like this once.  This is so much better.”

“You’re not keeping it all,” Avery stated firmly.  “But I think Rilynne and Ben intended for the punishment to continue as you boys have to stuff all of those little bags into the eggs.  At least they didn’t do it in the middle of the summer or you’d have to worry about it all melting.”

“What am I supposed to do with all of these marbles?” Donovan asked.  “I’m afraid to even open the door or they’ll be all over your driveway.  Thanks for at least getting the large ones.  What’s in yours, Steele?”

Jeremy Steele, who had been the apparent instigator when it came to the arrangements of the bets, had truly gotten the worst of it.  Rilynne was actually considering telling Jared that it was a little too far when Matthews informed her Steele had just opened up another pool for when she and Ben would have their first child. 

“Confetti,” he said, turning around and facing her.  He didn’t have the same amused grin as the others.  She was beginning to think he was actually angry when he bent his arm up in front of him and offered her a low bow.  “Well done,” he said as he finally cracked a smile.  It’s a good think I won that certificate for a car detailing last month.  I’m really glad I didn’t use it last week like I planned.  How did you two even manage this?”

“No joke,” Donovan said.  “This must have cost a fortune.  More than that, when did you even have time to do it?”

Rilynne began to chuckle.  “We actually called in an expert.  He said to consider everything a donation to the department.  That is, everything you don’t want to personally keep.”

“I’m keeping this candy,” Tylers called out, opening his third bag.

“No, you’re not,” Avery replied. 

Laughter filled the crowd as everyone moved closer to get a better look.  As they did, Rilynne and Ben walked back to the house.  “You know there isn’t much of a chance that things will end here,” he said as they climbed the steps and walked in the front door.  She stood and waited for him in the entryway.  “Not only will they probably continue to place bets on everything they can, but I imagine it won’t be long before they retaliate.”

He pulled a box of trash bags and two large vacuums out of the hall closet and they walked back out.

Rilynne smiled and looked up at him.  “I know.  I’m actually looking forward to seeing them try.  With Jared in our corner, I don’t know if they’ll take the risk, though.”

Their answer was given by Steele when they walked back out to the cars.

“You know this means war.”