Chapter 26
"THE FIRE'S STILL going," Harutyun told her over the phone. "He must've used five gallons of accelerant. It's in a shed beside the San Joaquin River."
You sit by the river, wondering what you got wrong, How many chances you'd missed all along.
Like your troubles had somehow turned you to stone and the water was whispering, why don't you come home?
Everyone in the room was staring at Dance. She ignored them and concentrated on her conversation with Harutyun. "Any witnesses?"
"No."
"How do you know it's related to the stalking?"
"Well, I don't know how to put it but out front we found a little shrine to Kayleigh."
"What?"
"Yes'm. Pretty sick. A mound of rocks and a couple of her CDs next to them in front of the shed. And, you know what was weird?"
More than that? Dance couldn't begin to guess.
"A twenty-dollar bill under a rock. Like an offering."
"And no idea of the victim?"
"Or victims," he reminded. "The team got a look inside and saw a couple of legs. That's about all that was left. Then the roof came down. It was part of an old gas station so they're being careful, thinking there could be a buried tank nearby. Charlie Shean has his CS people running the scene outside, as close as they can. It's hot as Hades out there. One of the techs fainted from the heat, the jumpsuit. No tire treads or footprints. We've found two shell casings. Nine-millimeter." A click of the detective's tongue. "Same as Fuentes's gun, got stolen. But that could be a coincidence. At least--I pray this happened--he shot 'em before he set 'em on fire."
"We can hope."
"No bloodstains but looks like he swept over the dirt with a branch or something. They're taking samples. DNA could be the only way to find out who he killed."
An altar to Kayleigh. Well, it was in keeping with stalker behavior.
"Charlie's folks also ran the scene of the phone booth where he called Kayleigh. They got some trace but the fingerprints--close to forty--don't match anything else and they're not in AIFIS."
"Any spotting of Edwin?"
"Nope. I've got to go. I'll call you when I know more, Kathryn."
"Thanks."
She disconnected, turned to Kayleigh, her father and the others and gave them a report.
Bishop closed his eyes and muttered what might've been a prayer. Dance recalled he'd gone through a phase where he released a Christian album--after rehab. It hadn't sold well.
"Who's the victim?" Kayleigh asked breathlessly.
"We don't know. It could be more than one. But because of the fire they couldn't get a good look inside."
"But where's Alicia? And Tye?" Kayleigh called and got through to both of them. All the rest of the crew were accounted for too, Kayleigh reported after speaking to Tye Slocum. "Jesus. Alicia was out riding her horse. And Tye? He was picking up extra guitar strings. We've got a thousand in the truck. Why did he need to do that? Drives me crazy."
The congressman and his entourage looked uneasy and Davis seemed to be thinking that a visit at this moment had not been a good idea. He said, "We've got some campaigning to do. Sorry to have bothered you."
"Not at all." It was Bishop, not Kayleigh, who made this comment.
Davis reiterated that he'd help out however he could. He'd see her at the concert.
"I'm not--" She fell silent, looking at her father, who gave no reaction. "Hey, thanks for your support."
"Hope I can say the same to you on Election Day."
Peter Simesky, the aide, stepped up to Dance once more. He shook her hand. "You have my card. If there's anything else you need, please, just let me know."
Kinesics is a skill that doesn't shut off when you leave the office. The instant he'd made eye contact with her earlier, she knew that Simesky wanted to get to know her better, if circumstances allowed. She gave him credit: He wore no wedding ring and his first glance had been at her left hand; he might very well be one of those men who was not interested in an extramarital affair.
He also exuded a comfortable but not blunt self-confidence. He wasn't put off by the two inches of height she had on him or abashed about his small frame and thinning hair (ironically her present romantic partner, Jon Boling, shared those attributes). But with Kathryn Dance's complicated personal life, there was no room or inclination for expansion.
She nodded politely to Simesky and made sure the handshake was brief and professional. She couldn't tell if he got the message.
Then Davis, followed by Simesky and Myra Babbage, left the house and made their way to the SUV. The security man opened the doors for them. In a minute they were speeding down the dirt and gravel driveway.
Then Kayleigh's eyes flashed in shock and she began to cry. "Wait, he burned them?" she whispered.
"That's right."
"No, no! This's my fault too!" Her shoulders rose, jaw tight. She angrily wiped away tears. "My song! He's using another one of my songs."
Dance pointed out, "The crime scene's by the river, just like the second verse."
"No, the fire! First Bobby and now these other people. Edwin sent me an email, well, a bunch of them, saying how much he liked my song 'Fire and Flame.'"
She picked up the CD of Your Shadow and showed Dance the liner notes.
Love is fire, love is flame
It warms your heart, it lights the way.
It burns forever just like the sun.
It welds two souls and makes them one.
Love is fire, love is flame.
Bishop said to his daughter, "Hey, KT, don't go blaming yourself. You can't take into account all the damn crazies out there. That boy's a sicko and nothing but. If it wasn't you it'd be somebody else." The sentences were wooden. He wasn't adept at offering solace.
"He burned those people to death, Daddy!"
Bishop didn't know what to say and he walked to the kitchen and got himself a glass of milk. Sheri stood uneasily beside one of the guitars. Dance called Harutyun again but there'd been no new developments.
When Bishop returned he looked at the watch on his big, ruddy wrist. "Hey, you heard from your sister?"
"Well, I talked to her this morning. I called her about Bobby. Why?"
"They shoulda been here by now. Or maybe--"
Kayleigh's mouth actually dropped. "What do you mean, Daddy?"
"Maybe she's headed to our place."
"No, what are you talking about? 'Been here'? Why would she be here?"
Bishop looked down. "I thought it'd be good for her to come. Moral support, with Bobby. Called her this morning. They flew up, landed an hour ago."
This would be how he delivered important news. Tossed out casually like a softball.
"Oh, Christ. Why didn't you tell me? She has no business ... Wait, you said 'them.' Is the whole family coming?"
"Uh-uhn. Roberto's working. It's just Suellyn and Mary-Gordon."
Kayleigh raged, "Why on earth would you do that? With this madman around. A little girl?"
"Moral support," he growled back, flustered. "Like I said."
"Oh, Jesus. Oh, Jesus." Kayleigh sat down. "That's not why you asked them...." But then her voice rose to a high pitch. "The fire ... the attack. Oh, you don't think ... it's not them?"
"Settle there, KT. How would this Sharp fella even know they were at the airport?" Bishop asked. "And what flight they were coming in on?"
Kayleigh grabbed her phone and dialed. She slammed the disconnect button. "Voicemail. Who was going to pick them up? Why didn't you tell me, why didn't you go?"
"Had that meeting with the congressman. I sent Ritchie. All right, I'll give him a call." Bishop found his mobile and placed a call. "Hey. Me. What's the story? Where are they? ... Who? Who d'you think I mean? Suellyn and her kid, that's who ... What?"
Every eye in the room was locked on him.
"When? ... Oh, fuck." He disconnected. "Okay, well, what happened was he got a call from a friend of yours." A glance at his daughter.
"He was going to give them a ride here."
"Who?" Kayleigh cried. "Who the hell was it?"
"Ritchie doesn't remember the name. But whoever it was knew the flight number, knew their names. Said you'd rather he picked them up."
Sheri said, "But if it was him, Edwin, how'd he know Ritchie was going to pick them up?"
Bishop's eyes bored into the carpet at his feet. "Well ... shit."
"What, Daddy? What!"
"This morning, we had breakfast at the Herndon Cafe, Sheri and me. We were pretty much alone in the place, pretty much had it to ourselves. Except there was somebody else, sitting nearby, his back to us. Tall fellow, black hair. Couldn't see him. He coulda overheard me talking to Suellyn and calling Ritchie, giving him the information. I doubt it but coulda happened."
"What time?" Dance asked.
"I don't know. Nine-thirty, ten."
Dance reflected: Edwin was at the movie theater about eleven. The timing could work.
Sheri Towne stepped up to Kayleigh and touched her shoulder tentatively. Dance noticed the singer's lips tighten. Sheri stepped back.
"But how would he know Ritchie?" Kayleigh asked. "To get his number and call him?"
"Could he be connected to you on your site or in the press?" Dance asked.
"Maybe. He's listed on the last albums, he was one of my assistants and drivers. In the acknowledgments."
Dance said, "With all the research Edwin does, sure, he could've found out."
Kayleigh began to cry. "What're we going to do?"
Dance called Harutyun and told him their concern. He said he was going to check something.
As she waited her eyes were on Bishop. He was fuming; Sheri kept a bit of distance. Dance wondered who the anger was directed at. She guessed it would be Ritchie. Bishop seemed the sort to blame everyone but himself for the problems in life.
Harutyun came back on after an interminable five minutes. "Video at the airport. A woman in her thirties and little girl got into Edwin's Buick. About thirty minutes after the flight from Portland landed."
Dance looked at the expectant faces. She told them what the deputy had said.
"No!" Kayleigh screamed. "No!"
"And. Agent Dance ... Kathryn," Harutyun was saying on the line. "Just heard from the fire team. There's only one body inside." He hesitated. "Not too big. Could be a teenager--boy or girl--or a woman. Can't tell; body's burned down to the bone. At least, if it is the sister, the little girl's still alive. But that also means he's got her. And that, I don't even want to think about."
Chapter 27
KAYLEIGH PLACED YET another frantic call.
"Answer, answer, answer," she whispered. She grimaced. "Suellyn, it's me. Call me right away. I mean immediately. There's a problem." She looked at the screen. "How do I mark it urgent?" Her voice broke. "I don't know how! How do I mark it urgent?"
Dance took her phone, examined the screen and hit a button.
And Dance had given her opinion that stalkers tended not to target family members.
What was going on in Edwin's mind, if he had in fact kidnapped the two? Had he been so incensed about the arrest that he'd snapped? Had he started stalking Bishop that morning to learn what he could and found out about the arrival of Kayleigh's sister and niece? In the car maybe he'd confessed his love for Kayleigh and enlisted Suellyn's aid to win her over. When the woman refused, he'd killed her and taken the girl. Maybe he intended to raise her, treating her like a young Kayleigh of his own. Dance was a tough policewoman, yes, but she was a mother too and she simply didn't want to face that scenario.
"Please," Kayleigh begged once more. "Isn't there anything you can do? Track her phone or something?"
"That can be done. It takes time. But sure. I'll order it."
Not sharing with anyone, least of all Kayleigh, that if the body in the shed was Suellyn there would be no phone left to track.
Dance was speaking to TJ Scanlon about contacting the woman's provider, when Darthur Morgan called from the entryway, "Another car coming. Well, what on earth's this?"
Dance wondered what that cryptic comment might mean.
A moment later there was the clunk of car doors closing and the sound of a vehicle accelerating away on the gravel drive.
Then the front door opened and in walked a woman in her thirties and an adorable little golden-haired girl of about six, in a pink dress. She held a stuffed plush toy. She ignored everyone in the room except the singer, whom she ran to and hugged. "Aunt Kayleigh, look! We went to this neat museum and we brought you a stuffed redwood tree!"
Chapter 28
KATHRYN DANCE SMILED a greeting to the woman she'd been introduced to--Suellyn Sanchez, Kayleigh's sister--and walked to the door. She noted the big red Buick speeding away.
"It was him," Kayleigh whispered, also looking out the window and struggling to put on a calm facade so as not to worry the little girl.
Suellyn embraced her father--a seemingly pro forma gesture. She greeted Sheri too, more affectionately than Kayleigh had. "What's with the police? Is this about Bobby?"
Kayleigh, however, glanced icily toward her father and turned her attention to Mary-Gordon. "Honey, let me show you some new games I got for the next time you visited. Just for you."
"Yay! ... Where's Freddie?"
"He's in the stable at Grandpa's house. You and your mommy are going to be staying there."
"I like Freddie but I want to stay with you," the girl announced.
"Oh, I'm not going to be here much. I'll come see you at Grandpa's."
"Okay."
"Come on."
Her arm around the girl, Kayleigh steered the girl to the bodyguard. "And this is Mr. Morgan. He's a friend of mine. He hangs out with us."
He delicately shook the girl's hand. "My name's Darthur. You can call me that."
The girl looked at the security man with curiosity. "That's a funny name."
"You bet it is," the man said, looking uncertainly at Kayleigh, but following gamely.
"My name's Mary-Gordon but it's not two names, it's one. Mary and Gordon, with a line in between. They call the line a hyphen."
"It's a very pretty name."
"Thank you. I like you."
Dance called Harutyun and told him that the sister and niece were safe. He reported they still had no ID on the victim but the fire was out and the CSU and medical examiners were about to go inside, process the body and run the scene.
Kaleigh and the girl vanished into the den and Kayleigh returned a moment later, steamed up to her sister and said, "What were you thinking?"
"What?"
"Do you know who gave you that ride?"
"That friend of yours. Said his name was Stan."
Dance pointed out, "Stanton. Middle name."
"Jesus Christ." Kayleigh's voice dropped. "It's my goddamn stalker. Did you think to call? He's the one who murdered Bobby."
"What? Oh, my God. But you said he was fat, disgusting...."
"Well, he made himself unfat," Kayleigh snapped, looking angrily into her sister's brown eyes. She shook her head and relented. "Sorry. It's not your fault. You just ... you shouldn't be here." A cold glance toward Bishop.
Dance said, "We aren't sure who's behind it. Edwin Sharp is a possible suspect. But you should avoid any more contact with him."
"Where did you go?" Kayleigh asked.
"He asked if we wanted to see something Mary-Gordon might like. He said it was on the way. We went to the tree museum near Forty-One and the Bluffs. He said he knew you liked to spend time hiking in the forest."
Kayleigh closed her eyes. "He knew that too?" Her hands were shaking. "I was so scared! Why didn't you pick up when I called?"
"The phone was in my computer bag. He put that in the trunk. I was going to keep it with me but he took it. I mean, I'm sorry, K, but he knew everything about you. He said you'd written a song about trees but it got co-opted by Greenpeace or some eco movement and you stopped performing it. I didn't even know
that. He knew about everybody in the band, he knew about Sheri. I thought he was a good friend."
Morgan said, "So the other killing, just now? By the river? That couldn't have been him?"
Dance considered the timing again. She decided that Edwin could have abducted and shot the victim, set fire to the body and made it to the airport in time to pick up Suellyn and her daughter.
"Oh, Jesus. We were in the car with somebody who'd just killed a man?" Suellyn whispered.
Bishop said, "Well, you're safe now. That's all that matters. But that fucker. He's going down."
Kayleigh wiped more tears.
Suellyn said, "This is just so strange. I almost got the idea he was your boyfriend. He said he was worried about you; you looked so tired. There was a lot of pressure on you. He wasn't even sure it was a good idea to give the concert. He thought you should reschedule."
Kayleigh's eyes swiveled to her father once more but that topic remained buried.
"He said ..." Suellyn struggled to get it just right. "He said sometimes Kayleigh needed to think more about what's good for her. Too many people wanted a piece of her soul."
Your shadow ...
Bishop turned to his older daughter, asking casually, "How was the flight?"
"Jesus, Dad. Really." Suellyn looked exasperated.
Kayleigh said she didn't want Mary-Gordon here any longer. She was afraid Edwin would come back again to spy and might try to approach the girl. They should go with Bishop and Sheri to their house, outside town. And they should leave now.
Kayleigh blinked and then looked down, realizing she was still holding the goofy stuffed redwood tree. She started to throw it out angrily but changed her mind and set it aside, on a shelf.
Suellyn went into the den to get her daughter and the toys Kayleigh had bought her.
At that moment Dance's phone rang; Dennis Harutyun was calling. She asked, "So you've identified the vic?"
"That's right."
"Is there any connection with Kayleigh?" she asked.
"Yes and no. You better come see."
Chapter 29
THE STENCH WAS bad, but so much rubber and plastic and oil had burned that at least the smell of human flesh and hair was largely obscured. The wind helped too.