Warning Signs (Alexis Parker Book 19) Page 7

  “Yeah, you too.”

  I backed away from his desk, nearly tripping over Agent Davis in the process. Davis nodded at me. He didn’t ask why I was here, and I didn’t offer an explanation. Instead, I knocked on Mark’s open office door and entered without waiting for him to acknowledge me.

  “I finished the last set of prison checks. I’m surprised you can’t get this done yourself with all the resources available at Cross Security,” Mark said, not even bothering to glance up. I wondered how he knew it was me. Perhaps he’d seen me talking to Lucca.

  “I can, but it wouldn’t exactly be legal. And I didn’t want to breach the prison database while the current investigation is under way.”

  “At least you still have some sense of self-preservation,” Mark said. “I was beginning to wonder about that.” He stared at the files in my hand. “I was halfway home last night when I realized I forgot to grab those. I guess I was too busy thinking about everything else going on in your life. Have you figured out Marty’s connection to Andre and Eve?”

  “Not yet.”

  “I’m sure you will eventually.” Mark pulled a thick manila file out from his middle drawer and slapped it down on the desk in front of me. “I came in early and did some digging. You’re gonna want to see this.”

  “Is it about Martin?”

  “No, this is about your other case.”

  Nine

  “Damn. If you’re right, this is serial.”

  “It looks that way.” Mark watched me read the files. “These aren’t local or recent, but it could be the same guy.”

  “Or girl.”

  “These were violent suffocations. A show of dominance. I’d say this unsub is male.”

  I studied the files on the five unsolved murders. The first one occurred three years ago with the others taking place over the course of eighteen months. The scenes were up and down the PCH, hundreds of miles from one to the other. The method of killing was different from what was happening here, but the staging was eerily similar. Expensive hotel room registered to the victim, multiple DNA samples, multiple sex partners, and not a single witness or suspect ever identified. “I don’t know. Why would this guy jump coasts and change his method of killing?”

  “Things could have gotten too hot in California, so he came here.”

  “Or these aren’t connected. Fingerprints and DNA found at these scenes should be in the system. O’Connell would have gotten a ping.”

  “Maybe, maybe not.” Mark flipped open one of Interpol’s files. “What about these? Similar thing happened in Mexico, six months after the PCH killings. Five more victims. These men were killed over the course of ten months in Cabo, San Lucas. That gives the killer enough time to jump coasts and start up over here.”

  I examined the report. “Knife to the heart?”

  “Not just the heart. The victims’ genitals were removed.” Mark cringed, even though none of the files contained photos. “The Mexican police thought the cartel was behind it.”

  “In that part of the world, I can understand why.” I closed the file. “Mutilations are different though. Killings are bad enough, but that’s a whole other level. If this is the same killer, why would he suddenly turn down the violence and switch to poison?” I wasn’t convinced they were connected.

  “These are the only serial killings I found involving orgies.”

  “What about serial killers operating in the region who prefer using poisons, specifically those derived from plants and flowers?”

  “I didn’t find anything.”

  “Neither did O’Connell.” I chewed on my bottom lip. “I told him I’d see if BSU could build a profile. We have four scenes to compare. That should be enough.”

  “Leave that to me. I’ll make the request and have them run a comparison to these two other killing sprees and see what they think.” Mark rocked back in his chair. “I hate to break it to you, Alex, but a request coming from a private investigator will probably be denied. However, since it’s you, they might help out anyway, but it won’t take top priority. If I ask, it’ll go straight to the top since they owe me a favor.”

  “Great.” But it wasn’t.

  “All right, I didn’t ask last night, but I’m asking now, how are you?”

  “Fine.”

  “Don’t feed me that shit. I know this is the last thing in the world you want to be working on. Why didn’t you tell O’Connell to shove it?”

  “I tried, but the killer’s out there whether I search for her or not. I have to do something. People die because of me. They die because they know me or because they help me or because I can’t save them. If I don’t try to assist the police and someone else dies, that’s on me. I don’t want to wonder if I could have done something to stop it. But if someone else dies and I am helping, that’s on me too because I didn’t stop it.”

  “You realize you’re not god, right? You don’t control anything.”

  “I’m a control freak, so I don’t accept that. But if this bitch targets someone I love because I’m assisting on the investigation, I’ll probably jump off a bridge.”

  Mark gave me the look that I hated, the one that said he knew what was best for me even though I was too stubborn to admit it. “You can’t bury this, Alex. Do not internalize the things that psychopath said to you. Cooper’s death isn’t on you. This,” he patted his gut, “isn’t your fault either. I assisted you on the arrest. I make my own enemies. Every single one of us knows what we signed up for when we joined the Bureau. Let it go or it will eat you alive. And quite frankly, I don’t have the time or energy to deal with depressed, TV-watching Alex again. So talk or don’t talk. Work, don’t work, whatever. Just get through this and come out on the other side in one piece.”

  “That’s the plan.”

  “Working a serial killer case with the police department isn’t going to get you through this. It’s going to make you crazy. Let me help out. After next week, I’ll be back at full capacity, which means I won’t have the time to do you any more favors and you can jump back in head first. But until then, I have nothing else to do except paperwork. Take this time to get your ducks in a row and your head on straight, okay?” He nodded at my leg. “You need to finish rehabbing, or you won’t be good to anyone.”

  “No way. I’m not passing this off to you.”

  “Stop being such a pain in the ass.”

  “So you can paint another target on your back? Absolutely not.”

  “It’s paperwork. Research. I’ll stay behind my desk. Fair enough?”

  “No.”

  “That’s too bad because I’m going to do it anyway. Don’t you have your hands full with Cross Security and Marty?”

  “Don’t remind me.”

  He sighed. “You can’t carry this burden. You aren’t in charge of anything. You don’t have control. Shit happens. Shit will always happen. That’s not on you.” Mark reached into his desk drawer and slid a card across to me. “In case you need someone to help you put things into perspective.”

  “That’s why I have you and Martin.”

  “Marty’s not a miracle worker, and even I need help on occasion. Just think about it.” Mark knew it was time to change the subject. “So you still think the killer’s a woman?”

  Arguing wouldn’t get me anywhere. “The only DNA sample not found on Victor Landau’s body belonged to a woman. The only person who entered and left the room undetected was female, and women like poison. That’s three for three, and you always say there’s no such thing as a coincidence.”

  “Only seven percent of killers are women. You’re betting against the house on this one. Has the PD compared the samples from all four crime scenes yet? Once they do, you’ll know for sure.”

  “O’Connell said they’re working on it. We should know something soon.” I cracked a smile. “Are you sure you want to bet against my gut instincts?”

  “I’m telling you, the killer’s male.” Mark grabbed a sticky note and wrote Check DNA. “I�
��ll see if any of the samples from these other cases match our local crimes. You’re right. They should have been flagged if they matched, so I’m guessing they don’t. Still, you have to admit, the scenes are very similar. There’s overlap here. I know it.”

  “You sound certain.”

  “I am.” He dug a twenty out of his wallet and slapped it down on his desk. “You gonna put your money where your mouth is, Parker? Twenty bucks says the killer’s male.”

  “Fine.” I matched his bet. “That’ll just mean a bigger payday for me when you’re wrong.” I noticed the time. “Speaking of paydays, I better get back to my actual day job.” I stared at the files on Mark’s desk. “All joking aside, do you promise to be careful?”

  “Nothing’s going to happen to me, Alex.”

  “It better not. I can’t spend any more time crying over you in a hospital, understand?”

  “You won’t have to.”

  “One last thing. Do you have any idea how a Cross Security business card got inside Victor Landau’s wallet?”

  “Just Landau’s? Not the other three victims in the spree?”

  “Not that I know of.”

  “You should ask Cross.”

  “He didn’t have much to say on the subject. Apparently, Landau met with him two months ago, left a few minutes into their meeting, and never said what he wanted.” I pointed at the two files from the other similar serial killings. “I guess I’ll have to see if anyone else connects to Lucien or Cross Security.”

  “Cross won’t be happy you’re investigating him.”

  “He should be. More than likely, this will clear his name and remove any remaining suspicion.”

  “Cross is a bastard, but he’s no serial killer. I doubt this connects.”

  “Well, there’s that.” I tapped the edge of the desk. “Be careful, Mark. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  * * *

  “Ms. Parker,” the receptionist said the moment I stepped out of the elevator, “Mr. North is here to see you. He’s waiting in your office.”

  “Thanks.” Confused why North showed up today when he told me he was busy until the middle of next week, I went down the hall and pushed open my office door.

  The overhead lights cast a reflection on North’s freshly shaved scalp. The large man sat on one side of the sofa with a tiny teacup and saucer in his hands. The sight was almost comical. He wore a dress shirt with no tie. He’d taken off the jacket and folded it over the arm of the couch. His jeans were tucked into a pair of expensive work boots.

  “Mr. North,” I wondered if he’d been bored enough to search my office, “I didn’t realize we were meeting today. If I had known you were coming, I wouldn’t have kept you waiting.”

  He turned with a bright, friendly smile. “Don’t worry about it. To be honest, I’ve been enjoying the quiet.”

  “I can go, so I don’t disturb you.” I jerked my thumb back toward the door.

  He laughed, the creases deepening around his eyes and mouth. My research told me he was in his early forties, but I wouldn’t have guessed it just by looking at him. He had a youthful glow. “After we spoke last night, I thought you probably had a sense of humor. I just didn’t realize how funny you are.” He turned the full wattage of the smile on me. “I hope my appearance isn’t an inconvenience. If you’re too busy, I can reschedule. I told that to Cindy, but she said your day was wide open.”

  “No, you’re fine.” I tucked the OIO file into my drawer, scribbled a note to call O’Connell, and grabbed a blank legal pad. “Can I get you another cup of tea or something to eat?”

  He took a final sip before placing the cup gently on the glass coffee table. “I don’t want you to go to any trouble.”

  “It isn’t.”

  “I’m okay for now.”

  I took a seat on the other end of the l-shaped sofa. “As you’ve probably guessed, I’m Alex Parker. The name on the door should have given it away.”

  He chuckled again. “Yes, indeed.” Finally, someone who appreciated my wit. But his smile faded. “After we spoke last night, I thought it would be best to meet in person.” He took a deep breath. “Maybe I’m making a mistake.”

  “By marrying Ms. Wyndham? I haven’t done much digging yet, but the background check didn’t find anything suspicious. If she’s a con artist or gold-digger, most of the time, the background checks spit out some type of red flag.”

  “No, not about that. What I’m not sure about is having you spy on Eve.” He looked embarrassed. “I love her. I should trust her completely.”

  “Do you?”

  He thought for a moment, letting out a sigh. “What does that say about me?”

  “There’s no reason not to be cautious, Mr. North.”

  “I’m afraid what will happen to us, to our relationship, if she finds out.”

  Leaning back in the chair, I crossed my legs and uncapped my pen. “I’m sure you went over most of this with Mr. Cross, but would you mind starting at the beginning?”

  “Sure, no problem.” He checked his watch. “I have plenty of time. My meetings for today got canceled on account of flooding.”

  “Flooding?”

  “I was supposed to be golfing with clients. Something happened with the water hazard, and it turned a good chunk of the course into wetlands.”

  “What exactly is it that you do for work? You said something about asset management.”

  “I wouldn’t exactly say that I work.” North’s cheeks flushed a little. “I started out flipping houses when I was in my early twenties. Me and some buddies from college saved up and bought this fixer upper, and in our spare time, we fixed it, sold it for ten times what we paid for it, and did it again. And again. Our entire goal was to retire by the time we turned thirty-five.”

  “Did you?”

  “Kind of. We actually buy vacation properties now. Cabins, beach houses, chalets. If they need work, we put it in, but most of the time, the bones are good. We just spruce up the place, splurge on the amenities, and put it up for sale or rent.”

  “Like AirBnB?”

  “Sort of.” He relaxed against the cushions. “It’s fun. I like to get my hands dirty, and I like to play with the cool toys before anyone else visits the place.” His eyes twinkled. “Eve loves it. Every time I finish a project, we go on a romantic getaway. A weekend here. Two weeks there. It’s amazing.”

  “It sounds wonderful.”

  “It is, but I’m away a lot when I’m painting or installing new floors. My buddies and I do most of the work ourselves. Eve keeps busy. She’s always flying here, there, and everywhere. We don’t get to spend enough time together.”

  “Is that why you think she might be having an affair?”

  “I don’t think that,” North insisted. “At least, I don’t want to think that. I just don’t know. She receives late night calls and texts. She giggles on the phone the way she used to giggle with me when we first started dating. I asked her about it, but she won’t tell me who she’s talking to. She says she’s working on a surprise for me, for our wedding. But it’s been like this for months now.”

  I wrote a note to check her phone records and internet activity. “Has anything else been weird between you two lately?”

  North carefully considered the question. “I don’t know. She hasn’t been around as much, but it’s a busy season for her. She’s planning a million weddings, not to mention ours. I just miss her. I don’t want to lose her over this.”

  “Over what?”

  “Hiring you,” he said, as if it should have been obvious. “Be honest, Ms. Parker. If your husband or fiancé hired someone to follow you around, wouldn’t you kick him to the curb?”

  I resisted the urge to laugh. Try a GPS tracker hidden in a heart pendant, I thought. “I wouldn’t be too happy about it, but if I gave him reason to worry, I might understand what drove him to do it.”

  North sighed. “Is it too late to call this off?”

  “No, sir. That’s u
p to you.” I had barely cracked into their financial statements yesterday. I hadn’t put in that much work yet and would prefer to have this off my plate.

  “I don’t know what I should do.” North reached for the teacup, placing it gently back on the table when he realized it was empty. “My college buddies and I started the business together. We’re partners. We split the work and the profits. That’s only fair. I want it that way. I wouldn’t be where I am without them and vice versa. I’m afraid by giving Eve half of everything she’ll get half of that too if things go south between us.”

  “Have you spoken to a lawyer?”

  “Yes, there are things he can do, but he recommended I hire an investigator to tail Eve.”

  “Again, it’s your decision. I’ll do whatever you want.”

  “Mr. Cross promised me this wouldn’t be like those cheater shows on TV, where Eve gets catfished or hit on at a bar. I don’t want anything like that to happen. I don’t want other men to flirt with her or trick her. I just want to know if she loves me as much as I love her. That she’s faithful. That this will be forever.”

  It sounded like he hired Cross Security because he was afraid of getting his heart broken, and now he came to the realization that depending on what we found, we might cause him that heartbreak even sooner. “Do you think she loves you?”

  He stared at the floor, a bashful smile tugging at his lips. “I hope so.”

  “Then you probably don’t have anything to worry about.”

  While he considered my words, I refilled his tea and poured myself a cup of coffee. I’d just handed him the cup when his phone buzzed. He apologized, showing me the display like a kid who just won a first place ribbon. Eve.

  “Hey, babe, how are you? I miss you.” He listened for a few moments. “Really?”

  I sipped my coffee and moved behind my desk, sending a request upstairs for someone to pull Eve Wyndham’s phone records and internet history, and then I did a quick search on the LLC registered to Andre North and his pals. Each one had their own separate business or two. One for rentals, one for sales. Depending on the country and region, they might have created other corporate entities, probably to address the tax or business laws for that region. Once I found Andre’s main business, I brought up property records. Before I had a chance to scan the dozen entries, North and Eve exchanged their ‘I love you’s, and North hung up.