Cast the Cards Read online

  “I want to compare the original card with this one. I don’t see how the clue could be in the hair or the letter. Unless he uses some sort of UV ink…” she trailed off.

  “Do you want me to call in forensics to go over things?”

  “No. Let’s hold off until we’ve called it in to F.B.I. There’s a line I can’t cross as much as I’d like to.”

  “Okay, let’s bag everything up. Take it back our office.”

  ***

  “What do you think it means?” Carey asked.

  The minute they’d compared the two cards they’d realized the killer’s card had a series of numbers around the outer rim of the original card lacked. The Egyptian Empress sat on a throne with an Ankh in one hand and a scroll in the other. In the distance stood two golden columns covered with drawings of men from that time, and alternating blue and gold lines. Around the borders were more hieroglyphics, not numbers.

  “I’m not sure. It’s long, too long to be feasible as is. The question is, how does it break down? Is it in order? A jumble of numbers they threw together? It could be a victim’s social security number, a birthday, the date they committed the crime. Hell, it could be a code. Maybe these numbers stand for letters.”

  “Or maybe these assholes are trying to get under our skin and put us even more on edge,” Carey suggested.

  “No, this is something. They want credit, right? To be recognized as clever, crafty, and terrifying. In order for that to happen, we need bodies and information. I’m breaking them into six or seven digit sequences, and running them through some programs to see if I get a hit. It’ll take some time.”

  “Let’s take a walk, get a cup of coffee.”

  “Right now?” Her incredulous expression was almost comical.

  “Yeah.” He nodded.

  “I get the feeling this isn’t a suggestion.”

  “No, come on.” He placed a hand on the small of her back and gave her a little push.

  They left their office and walked into the break room.

  “Take a load off and relax. I’ll make the coffee.” She sat down at the break table and he moved over to the coffee station. Removing two Styrofoam cups from the sleeve, he added ample creamer and two scoops of sugar to one cup for her, and poured a black cup for himself.

  “Here you are.” He placed her cup in front of her and took a seat beside her.

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Lifting the cup to his mouth, he took a sip, watching her over the rim. “You want to talk about earlier?”

  “I’m frustrated as hell we haven’t found anything.” She growled. “They’re good. Chances are there’s a tie to the law, military, or a survivalist. They’ve kept their noses clean for far too long to not have some sort of specialized training. Their kills have to be done over at least a five to ten year span of time? It’d take time finding the right victim to match the card and plan the kidnapping out. They’re meticulous and damned careful. The fact that they continue to single me out doesn’t sit well. It’s fucking with my head.”

  “You scared?”

  “I’d be a fool not to be. It’s clear they come and go as they please. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were watching me. I’m starting to feel eyes on my back. Worst part, I don’t know if they’re real or imagined. They’re throwing me off my game, making me doubt myself… it’s a dangerous position to be in, especially now.”

  “Did you see someone that fit Clark’s description?” He lowered his voice. “Find anything out of place at the apartment?”

  “No, just a gut feeling. We’re running out of time. The things they’re sending are more personal, and final. They’re ramping up. This last clue feels like the final straw, doesn’t it? I mean, why send us coordinates?” Her brow creased, meeting in the center of her forehead. “It’s like doing a victory lap before you’ve won the race.”

  “What do you want to do?” She can’t drop that on me and think I’m going to let it go.

  “Not much we can do other than watch our asses. Last night I woke up from a dead sleep. Not sure why. Maybe I heard something outside or had a bad dream I couldn’t remember. I tried to go back to sleep and I couldn’t until I pulled out my weapon and did a sweep of the apartment and the surrounding perimeter. Clark was off doing ghost business.” They had a don’t ask, don’t’ tell policy with Clark’s ghostly dealings. He tamped down his anger. What the hell was she thinking venturing out alone in the dead of night?

  “Given the circumstances I think that’s understandable. Next time, wake me up please. What if they’d been out there and ambushed you?”

  “If I didn’t see them coming this time. I’d deserve it.” She gritted her teeth. Her shoulders dropped and weariness was written across her face. He’d never seen her look so beaten before.

  “Hey.” He scanned the area outside the office. All clear. Leaning forward, he placed his hand under her chin.

  “Are you okay?”Is the case finally getting to her?

  “We’ve been at a disadvantage from the moment they contacted us. It’s all mapped out and we’re along for the ride. Until they drive us over the cliff we never knew was there.”

  “We’ll get through it.” He lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.

  “In once piece?”

  There was something more going on then she was admitting. But he wouldn’t press her here—wrong time, wrong place.

  “Yes. I know they have us chasing our tails right now. Eventually we’ll get a break. These numbers may be just that. We’ll crack it today before the end of work. Record our findings and lock it down. The Chief’s stalling for us. Let’s make it worth his while.”

  “You’re right.” She ran a hand down her face. “I’m just tired.”

  “I’m partially responsible for that. We’ll have to lay off you tonight.”

  “Hush. Thanks for this.” She waved her coffee cup at him. “It’s what I needed. Now let’s get back in there and get these numbers figured out.”

  Pushing back from the chair, she rose and he followed. Returning to their office, they settled back to work. He’d soothed her ruffled feathers. Too bad it felt like the calm before the storm.

  “Holy shit! I did it! It’s not a location. It’s multiple, three to be exactin Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky. Each located along the borders, so they could be traveled to and from easily. Son of a bitch!”

  “What do you think we’ll find?”

  “I have no clue. Bodies, nothing, tokens from their victims.” Their gazes met. “Regardless, two are out of jurisdiction. That’s a lot of red tape. It’ll be easier to call in the Bureau. ”

  “Only two?”

  “One’s in our back yard. We can work that one without worrying about pissing anyone off.”

  “Jesus.” The thought of these monsters being in their back yard all this time praying on people without anyone knowing made him sick to his stomach. How many people had they snatched from the area unnoticed?

  “Let’s go talk to Chief.”

  Renewed by the potential break they walked to the coroner’s office. He knocked.

  “Come on in,” the chief called.

  Stepping inside, he closed the door behind him. “We cracked the numbers.”

  “What did you find?” Chief raised his eyebrows.

  “Coordinates to three destinations, two are out of our jurisdiction, and one is just on the border.” He exhaled.

  “Where is it located?” Chief sat up straight in his chair.

  “According to maps, a wooded area that belongs to the city,” Vannah said.

  “This is your case. How do you want to play it?”

  “Can we take our forensics team and keep things low-key? Call for backup if we need it?” Carey asked.

  Chief nodded. “Yeah. I like your approach on this one, Carr. Sound good to you, West?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Start rounding up the team while I get the paperwork going. I get the feeling it’
s going to be a long night.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Bone-weary Savannah stood at what had turned out to be a mass grave. The pungent stench of decomposed flesh burned her nostrils. Water trailed from her eyes, leaving salty streaks down her face. Mounds of dirt lined the clearing like giant ants had come up from the ground. Corpses in various states of decomposition were being bagged up and taking away. It looked like a zombie’s burial ground. Wrapped up in plastic and doused with some sort of preserving fluid it was impossible to gauge how long some of these bodies had been here by sight alone.

  “How does something like this go unnoticed?” a female member of the forensics team asked as she wiped sweat from her brow. Dressed from head to in a blue uniform that looked like scrubs, blue gloves, safety glasses, and a mask she could barely make out her pale skin and bright blue eyes.

  “I think he brought them in from wherever he murdered them, because there’s no way this many missing people would go unnoticed in such a small community.” She ran a hand through her hair and shook her head. “I’m not sure what I was expecting. Certainly not this.”

  “I’m terrified of what we’ll find at the other site. We pulled ten bodies out of here.” Carey’s exhausted tone came from her left as he rejoined her by the final body. “How long until we know what caused their deaths and get a coroner’s report?”

  “A couple weeks at least. This is a heavy load for our tiny facility. We’ll write up all the surface things first, so at the least you’ll have that.”

  “Thanks, Christine. I know you guys will be pulling some late nights over this. We appreciate you.”

  “We want to catch these psychos just as much as you do. Too close to home.” Christine shuddered.

  “I hear that.” Carey sighed. The zip of the body bag sounded final in the hustle and bustle. Giant spot lights had been brought in as the sun began to set and the bodies continued to be discovered.

  “Okay, that was our last one. We’re out of here, guys,” Christine gave a wave and followed the others out.

  While corpses were unearthed and carried out of the woods, they’d swept the area after the investigation team and came up emptyhanded.

  “Time to call it a night, West?” Carey asked. They were very careful about what they let slip in public.

  She nodded her agreement. Removing the flashlight from her belt, she turned it on as they stepped out of the boundary of illumination the lights provided. Halfway from the site a stick cracked and they stopped in the tracks.

  “Did you hear that?” she whispered.

  “Yeah… animal maybe?” he suggested.

  More twigs broke in the opposite direction.

  “Turn off your flashlight.” The seriousness in Carey’s voice gained her corporation without question. Together they clicked off the black cylinders. The crackle and snap of debris came their way faster. Her blood roared in her ears and her throat grew dry.

  Breathing in through her nose, she waited. He tugged her arm and they walked back the way they came, essentially blind except for the light of the moon. The night took a sinister turn. This couldn’t be their people tromping through the woods with no lights. Keeping their pace steady, they fled. Thwack. Wood exploded from a tree, splinters and bark rained down on them.

  “Fuck! They must have night vision. Run!” Two more rounds struck too close for comfort. Slivers of wood pelted her face. Spurred into action, she bolted. Disorientated she lost her bearings. Am I moving toward the cars or back to the crime site?

  A shot whizzed from the opposite direction and they found themselves playing a dangerous game of pickle. Something hit the ground with a thug. Smoke billowed up, filling their lungs. Coughing, she held her sleeve up to her face and crouched low in an attempt to escape the onslaught.

  “Son of a bitch!” Carey’s voice was too far away, at least ten yards. The crunch of sticks came from her right. Straining to get her bearings, she surged forward through the smoke. Am I closer to Carey or the killers? I can’t call out until I know.

  Bending once more, she buried her fingers into the ground to center herself. She swallowed hard. Her stomach churned and her mind struggled to come up with a plan. I cannot be captured again.

  Snap. Spooked like a horse that had seen a snake, she sprang into action and ran full-tilt. Pain exploded in her back and she was thrown forward onto the forest floor. Whimpering, she pushed up onto her knees. Locking her jaw, she ignored the pain and gained her feet to continue forward. Sticky, hot, liquid soaked the back of her shirt. Adrenaline and shock would keep her up for a bit.

  She scanned the area, looking for a sign of civilization or opening in the woods. She stumbled over something hard and landed on her arm. A sickening crunch made her scream. Dislocated. Fear drove her. Half crawling on the ground she tried to rise once more. Heavy footfalls came up behind her and the world went black.

  “Ugh.” Flames licked up her back. Her chest ached. She took a shaky breath and clawed her way out of the blanket of sleep. Lifting her arms seemed like a Herculean feat, but she managed it.

  A few inches and she found her movement restricted. Of course I’m bound. Swinging her feet, she came up short. Bound there too, damn! Her vision refused to clear, doubling and blurring. The dull ache in the back of her head made it unclear if she’d been drugged or simply had her bell rung. The sticky wet heat forming at her back worried her. Cool fingers touched her face, and she jerked away.

  “Shh. It’s Clark, Vannah. I need you to stay very still. You’re bleeding pretty badly. We need to get you help.”

  “W-Where am I?” The floor beneath her was cool and smelled of musk. Basement?

  “An abandoned warehouse they’ve set up shop in about twenty minutes out of the city.”

  “Did they drug me?” Woozy, she closed her eyes.

  “I’m not sure.” His voice shook.

  “You’re frightening me, Clark.”

  “That shot you took to the back wasn’t just a bullet. It was a shotgun shell.”

  No wonder I’m in so much pain. “Fuck.”

  “Yeah.”

  “They’re coming. Lay limp and pretend to be unconscious.” Allowing her arms and legs to go lax, she closed her eyes and breathed evenly. A door creaked open. A sliver of light shone into the dark space.

  “She’s still out,” A heavily accented voice said.

  “We need to hurry. She’s bleeding like a stuck pig. If she dies before we complete our ritual all of dis will be fo nothing.”

  “Patience, we gonna get to it soon enough.”

  Their Cajun accent was too obvious. It would’ve attention everywhere they went. They must mask it the way they did their violent, perverted, nature. These were the worst kinds of predators, wolves in sheep’s clothing.

  “Let’s get the tools out of the truck and we’ll begin.”

  Please hurry, Clark. Tears ran down her face. A wave of dizziness hit. Reality receded as she battled her way from the river to oblivion.

  “Vannah.” Clark spoke again the moment the door closed.

  “Mmm here.” Her words slurred.

  “They’re coming back. You can’t be here when they arrive.” The ropes were removed. Cool fingers massaged her wrists and ankles.

  “I know you’re hurting, but I need you to move.”

  “Trying.” Like a car with a faulty starter she couldn’t generate enough energy to move.

  “Don’t try, do. Now!”

  Face pressed against the cool wall, she pushed off from the floor. Her body slid upward. “W-where am I going?” Breathless, only her will kept her upright.

  “Stay put.”

  The silence that followed her indicated Clark had popped out.

  “Here.” The unmistakable slick of a safety sounded. A ridged pistol grip was shoved into her hand, and the safety clicked off. “It’s your gun. Send these bastards back to hell where they belong.”

  “I will.” If it’s the last thing I do. Injured arm dangling at her side, s
he aimed at the square outlined in light. Her body swayed and her eyelids slowly dropped. The arm that held the .45 shook. The door creaked open.

  Adrenaline flowed through her veins. She squeezed the trigger, emptying the rounds into the chest. The metallic scent of blood filled her nostrils and she keeled over.

  Savannah opened her eyes expecting pain, but instead experienced a peace unlike any she’d ever known. A soft white light surrounded her body. Glancing down, she saw her arm was healed and her clothes weren’t stained with filth and blood. The area surrounding her was lush and green. She peered around what appeared to be a park. Tree branches swayed in the wind, yielding groups of pink cherry blossom petals that fluttered down onto the grass.

  “Hello?” Moving in a circle, she peered into the distance but saw nothing but land. She began to walk, cresting a hill, the field of soft-yellow daffodil, blue bonnets, heather, and red and yellow Indian paintbrushes took her breath away.

  “Where is this place?” she whispered to thin air.

  “The in-between.”

  She spun around to see Clark. “Am I dead?”

  “No, but you are gravely injured. Whether you go back is up to you.”

  The words rocked her. “How bad off am I?”

  His face twisted into a mask of despair split seconds before it smoothed over. “You’ve lost a lot of blood.”

  “If I stay do I get to remain here with you?”

  “This is just a stepping stone. Heaven is so much better.” He grinned. The combination of joyful and wicked made her purr.

  “Do I have to decide now?”

  “Yes, honey. Your body is ready to give. Flight or fight?” Leaning forward, he ran his fingers through her hair. “No matter what you choose I’m always here to support you.”

  The words made her choice easy.

  Chapter Thirteen

  An unknown number appeared on the screen of his cell phone. A million different ideas ran through his mind. Answering, he lifted his trembling hand up to his ear.

  “Hello?”

  “Carey, you need to get here ASAP. Vannah is fading fast. Those bastards took her down with a shotgun blast to the back and a rifle butt to the head.”