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  She dialed the number with shaking hands and after talking to the dispatcher, hung up to wait for the officers to come.

  They arrived within minutes. Sandy still lived in the town where they had grown up and the officers were childhood friends of both Mike and Sandy.

  “Mike. How are you doing?” The officers reached out to shake hands.

  “I’ve been better. You?”

  “Good. Sandy, what’s going on?”

  “Robert, Tom’s missing. He’s been gone for two days and isn’t answering his phone and hasn’t called. I’m really getting worried. He’s never gone a day without checking in for our whole marriage. He wouldn’t just leave.”

  “How was your last conversation? You having any kind of trouble?”

  “If we are, I don’t know what it would be. We were making plans to go out when he got home ... to get a babysitter, dinner and a movie. Our problems are typical of any marriage, I would think.”

  “Alright. We will see what we can do. Where does he work? Give me the number. I’d also like his friends, or anyone who might know what happened.”

  “Sure. Let me get it all for you.”

  When she left the room the officers turned to look at Mike.

  “Any thoughts?”

  “None. As far as I know or could ever tell, he really loves his family and would never hurt them. And Sandy is devoted to him.”

  Sandy came back into the room.

  “Here you go. Please let me know as soon as you know anything.”

  “You know we will, Sandy.”

  Mike walked them to the door and turned back to comfort his sister.

  “Did you call Mom? She will be mad if you don’t.”

  “I know. I’ll call her in the morning, if he’s not back. Mike, what do you think happened?”

  “I have no idea. Just sit tight. What I do know is that you need to get some sleep and pull it together for the kids. You look terrible.”

  “Gee, thanks, little brother.”

  “Anytime, big sis.”

  Mike sat beside her on the couch and she fell asleep with her head on his shoulder.

  Chapter 94

  He smiled when he saw her. He sat on the park bench, bundled up, pretending to read the newspaper. He tilted his head down like he was reading, but watching her behind his sunglasses.

  She jogged by him, earbuds firmly in place, completely oblivious to his intention. He put his foot out just as she was almost out of reach and she fell, elbows first.

  He threw his paper down and jumped up to ‘help’ her.

  “I’m so sorry! Are you ok?”

  “I think so …” she looked at her elbows. They were already bleeding.

  “Wait here, I have a first aid kit in my car.” He pointed to an expensive car a few yards away. He settled her on the bench and jogged over to get it.

  He came back and began tending to her. He pulled out a wet wipe and carefully cleaned her elbows. He grabbed a small tube of antibiotic cream and applied it. After struggling with an unopened box of band aids, he reached into his pocket for a knife to open it with.

  “Thanks for patching me up.” She said, batting her lashes at him. He was very handsome.

  The young woman bent her elbow back so she could get a better look at his first aid efforts. When she tilted her chin down to see, the pocket knife was shoved up through her jaw and into her brainstem. She died immediately.

  He was oddly satisfied as the blood began running down his forearm into his coat sleeve. The warmness of it sharply contrasting with the brisk, breeze from the lake just a dozen feet from the bench where they were sitting. The gentle lapping of the waves as it skimmed across the rocky shoreline. He leaned her into him, knowing that they would just look like lovers enjoying the view.

  Finally, he removed the knife and wiped it on the dead grass beside the bench. Not one person had come by since he had first sat down. It was meant to be …

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out the Jack of Spades. One more and it would be a Royal Flush. He was so excited to move on to the Strait Flush. What was so funny is that he had never played so much as a hand of poker in his whole life. It just seemed like a good place to start.

  Chapter 95

  They still hadn’t found Tom when Sandy walked into the kitchen to find Mike fixing breakfast for the kids. They were all dressed and ready for school. The excitement in the room was very apparent … Uncle Mike was getting them to school today! They were climbing over him like three monkeys.

  He wished that Sandy’s oldest, Joe, was home so he could help his mom out, but Joe was in Montana at the Air Force base, starting his own family.

  He kissed Sandy on the cheek as he herded the kids out of the house to drop them off at their schools. The youngest one was in preschool and the other two went to the same elementary school.

  He always got a kick out of his sister handling those three after raising Joe. She had thought she was done having children and when the older of the three came along, she just figured ‘why not have more’. She was great with them, and Mike always laughed when she swore that was it.

  “I need to get to work. I’ll call as soon as I can. If you need me … call.”

  After arriving back at the precinct, Mike walked toward his desk. He had spent the whole drive worrying about Sandy and wondering where Tom could be. This didn’t seem like him at all. Unfortunately, because of his job, his first thoughts went towards the fact that Tom probably has something to hide.

  His travels took him away from home a lot. Could there be another woman?

  He sat down across from Kacey and tried not to dwell. She looked up and caught his eye and the beginning of a grin spread across his face.

  “Has your “sting” date called yet?”

  “Stop it right now. Mike Parker.”

  Mike held up his hands in front of him.

  “Fine. Fine. Anything new?”

  “Dr. Forrester is working on identifying our mystery woman from the park and our “sting”, as you know, was a bust. Henry is exactly who he says he is. He checks out.” Kacey paused and wrinkled her forehead at him, noticing that he wasn’t paying attention to her at all.

  “What’s eating you?”

  “Sandy’s husband is MIA.”

  “Tom?! Why are you here?!”

  “Chill, Kace … the locals are handling it. I spent the night there, got the kids to school, and helped her with the police. Frankly, I wonder if there is another woman. It doesn’t seem like it would be something he would do, though.”

  “No, it doesn’t. He’s always so sweet to her and very nice to everyone else. He’s always gone out of his way to talk to me whenever I run into the family, even though he seems petrified of me.” Kacey thought for a moment.

  “I assume you’ve called the hospitals, and all that?”

  “Yesterday. I’ll go back there later if he’s not there and see what else I can do. I’m sure by now she’s called Mom and I would just be in the way.”

  Kacey just shrugged. She liked Mike’s mother, but she was very overbearing. Mike was wise to keep his distance.

  Just then, Kacey’s phone vibrated. She picked it up off of the desk and glanced at it.

  “Dr. Accent … let’s go.” She grabbed her bag and led the way.

  Chapter 96

  Dr. Forrester was sitting at his desk when the detectives walked into his office. He was leaning back with his eyes closed, twirling his glasses in his long, elegant fingers. His ebony skin almost seemed to glow beneath his vintage desk lamp. He once told Kacey that the lamp used to grace his father’s desk at his embassy job. It was very dear to him.

  His eyes slowly opened as Mike cleared his throat.

  “Ah, my favorite detectives. Sit down, sit down.”

  He made a sweeping gesture to the two leather club chairs in front of his desk. Kacey loved the smell of these chairs. She didn’t quite know how to describe it, but “old world” was the best way she could think
of, like gentlemen would sit there discussing the day over cognac.

  “So, our park victim. Her name is Gabriella Meecham. Her mother reported her missing 5 years ago from Peoria, Illinois at the age of fifteen. The police say that after a heated argument with her mother, one of many I might add, she disappeared in the middle of the night with a backpack full of clothes and the money that her mother had stored in a cookie jar on the kitchen counter.

  They looked everywhere and used all resources to locate Gabriella, but their trail ended in the Metro St. Louis area where they assumed she found transportation to an unknown location. They also theorized that she could’ve been underground in St. Louis, it’s a pretty large area with many hiding places and she could’ve been anywhere. Her mother never gave up hope. She is on the way here to collect her daughter and bury her.

  I can’t say for sure, but her injuries are very similar to your … what did you call it, Kacey? ‘Royal Flush Killer.’?”

  Kacey cringed. “Did I actually say that?”

  “You actually said that.” Mike took great pleasure in confirming.

  “Anyway,” Dr. Forrester continued. “Now this poor woman can have closure, and you fine detectives can see if you are able to link Gabriella with your other ladies. No playing card, Miss Meecham might've been his first attempt.”

  Mike and Kacey stood to go.

  “Kacey, can I talk to you for a moment?”

  “I’ll meet you at the car.” Mike said.

  Kacey sat back down.

  “What’s up?”

  “Are you doing well, Kacey? Have you been going to all of your appointments?”

  “I have. And the baby is perfect.”

  Dr. Forrester leaned forward and rested his chin on his fist.

  “I want to know how you are. I worry about you. You take on so much and you have been through a lot.”

  Kacey sighed.

  “Actually, lately I have been questioning my choices. Should I keep working in this field? Should I take another job that would be better for the baby? Am I really making a difference at all? But then I see things come together and I don’t feel that way anymore. Many times I think it’s the grief talking. What’s even worse, is that sometimes a day will go by and I don’t even think of Dan … what is wrong with me?”

  Tears began to gather in the corners of Kacey’s eyes. Dr. Forrester came around to sit beside her and took her hands in his.

  “My dear, dear Kacey. When I lost my family, the grief was so raw that I couldn’t even function from day to day. Very, very slowly things got better.”

  His eyes darkened as he remembered the car accident that took the lives of his wife and children. He was the lone survivor.

  “Just like you, there were days when I wouldn’t think of them … not even in passing. I felt terribly guilty. But then I came to realize that it was the healing of my heart. My wife was driving, but I felt just as guilty as if I’d killed them myself.

  “And, just because I didn’t always think of them, they were always there, waiting for sweet remembrances.

  “Don’t you dare think of quitting. You do make a difference. I’m sure I’m not the only one who would miss you terribly if you weren’t here. You are necessary. Now … go get ‘em.”

  They both stood and Kacey impulsively leaned in and hugged him for a good, long time.

  “Thank you.”

  “Anytime, my favorite detective.”

  As Kacey shut the door behind her, she almost ran into Mike.

  “What was that all about?”

  “Let’s call it ‘none of your business.”

  “Fair enough.” Mike studied her for a moment and then smiled.

  “I would say the ‘old Kacey’ is back.”

  “Shut up.”

  Just then Mike’s phone jerked them awake from their little moment.

  “It’s Sandy.” He touched the screen. “What’s up, sis? … mmhmm … ok … alright. Thanks.”

  He hung up and turned to Kacey.

  “Tom’s back and he doesn’t seem the worse for wear.”

  “Did he give any excuses?”

  “I don’t know. I think I’d better go and see what’s going on.”

  “Definitely. I’ll handle Gabriella’s mom. You go.”

  Mike leaned in and kissed her cheek.

  “I don’t know what the good doctor said to you, but I’m glad he did.”

  Mike turned and Kacey grabbed a ride back to the station from one of her fellow detectives who happened to be in the building.

  Chapter 97

  Kacey went into the conference room that she had confiscated for her ‘royal flush killer’. She couldn’t help but snort when she remembered that. She didn’t know what had possessed her to sound so cheesy.

  She sat in a chair and leaned back to better see her red spider web, which had been ripped down earlier, and minimalized into a more streamlined web.

  “Come to me, said the spider to the fly.” She muttered under her breath.

  Captain Wells walked in and sat opposite her.

  “Captain, I’m so sorry about Linda.”

  “Thanks, Kacey. So, tell me what you have. I could use a change of scenery.”

  “Sure.” She began to walk him through her web of intrigue.

  After an hour, both Captain Wells and Kacey were both sitting at the conference table pondering the evidence.

  “Detective, I have a suspicion we are missing something. It’s right on the edge of my brain.”

  “Exactly. But what? I have shuffled, used backwards thinking, and moved these stupid tacks so much, this wall looks like Swiss cheese.”

  The Captain leaned forward and grabbed a random file. He flipped through it and grabbed another random file. He sat up straight and grabbed another, and another, until he had looked carefully through each one.

  “I may have your connection, but it seems too obvious.”

  “I’m all ears.”

  “Home Front Security. Each of these women have either had cameras installed by them, or had an estimate. Coincidence? I know the main thing is the dating site, but did you get any vibe from interviewing the owner?”

  “Not a thing … actually, I trusted him enough to use him to install my security …” Kacey suddenly stopped.

  “What is it?”

  She grabbed her coat, took a sip of her water, and as she was swallowing, pointed to the door.

  “I have an idea … care to go for a ride?”

  Captain Wells raised his eyebrows and went to open the door for her.

  They got into Kacey’s car and began driving to her house. Kacey connected to her blue tooth and called Jack.

  “Hey, Kace.”

  “Jack, I’m on my way home, would you please get Thor and come out?”

  “Uh, sure.”

  Kacey hung up.

  “Who’s Thor?”

  “The new man in my life.”

  Kacey pulled into the driveway to find Jack on the sidewalk looking puzzled. Thor sat beside her with his harness and leash on. Looking very dapper.

  As they got out of the car, Thor began his greeting ritual. His little body shook so hard from the force of his tail wagging that his back legs seemed to come right off of the ground.

  Captain Wells couldn’t help but laugh. He leaned down and held the back of his hand to Thor. Thor immediately accepted him as part of the Kacey Pack and rolled over on his back to receive his due.

  The Captain rubbed his belly and asked Kacey what this was all about.

  “I want you to do a walk through with me. Looking for any hidden cameras or listening devices. Each of these women had a hidden camera in the living room and in the bedroom. Maybe more. The guys are still looking.”

  “Let’s go.” He said and cursed under his breath.

  The thought of someone watching these two women while they were completely unaware turned his stomach.

  “I don’t want him to know we found them, so eyes only.” Kacey suggested
.

  “Agree.”

  “In case there’s a listening device, let’s talk about Dan’s case, ok?”