Crucified Read online

  The door to the station creaked open and Dianne stepped out. She’d traded her uptight fed wear for faded jeans and an oversized sweatshirt with Police Academy stamped across her chest. She’d even taken her hair down. How the hell am I going to be able to concentrate on anything with her looking good enough to eat?

  She stood at the front door. Her infectious smile had him returning the gesture.

  “Any new leads since we talked last?”

  Her smiled faded. “I’m afraid not.” She stepped down to the sidewalk. “We’re running a few names as we speak.”

  Taylor shook his head. “He had to have slipped up somewhere.”

  “We’re going to find him. I just pray it happens soon.”

  “Well, let’s get this show on the road.”

  “We’re going to do a walk through town. I need to talk to a Mr. Pillar.” She raised a brow. “Do you know him?”

  He chuckled. “Everybody knows him. He’s the guy you want to catch up on all the latest town gossip.”

  “Good. Maybe he saw something and just doesn’t realize it.”

  They walked side by side toward Main Street. Old man Pillar lived above the bookstore. On a nice summer night like this he’d normally be sitting out front on his bench. Since Casey disappeared, he’d taken to sitting in his apartment by the window.

  “What can you tell me about Mr. Pillar, other than the fact he’s a gossip?”

  “I’ve only lived here just over a year myself. I know he owns the bookstore, and his daughter’s been running the show since his eyesight started to go.”

  Dianne waved to the two officers guarding the main door to the Post Office. Main Street was a virtual ghost town. None of the shop owners sat out front of their stores like usual. As they rounded the bend Pillar sat on his bench.

  “That’s odd. He must’ve known you were coming.”

  “I never called him.” Her brow creased.

  “You didn’t have to. Word travels pretty fast in Johnstown.”

  “Good evening, Mr. Pillar.” She offered her hand. “I’m Agent Dianne Parker.”

  The old man smiled and shook her hand. His milky blue eyes accessed Taylor.

  “You already know Mr. Danson, I presume?”

  Tiny wrinkles lined his eyes as he trained his gaze on him. “Yes. I’m surprised to see him though.”

  “In spite of what you might think, I want to find Casey as much as you do.” He narrowed his gaze at the spindly old man.

  His old eyes searched Taylor’s and he gave a quick nod before turning his attention back to Dianne. “So what brings you by?”

  “I want to talk to you about Casey’s disappearance. Did you see anything or anyone out of place this past week?”

  The old man clicked his tongue, and rubbed his jaw. “I’m afraid I can’t be of much help. These old eyes aren’t what they once were. You know, Ray might’ve been right all along.”

  Dianne raised a brow. “Who’s Ray?”

  “Ray Gilbert, he owns the hardware store. He always said it was just a matter of time before one of the girls in town bit off more than she could chew.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The way they stand around town in their short skirts, fluttering those lashes at any guy who looks their way.”

  Dianne’s gaze darted to Taylor’s. She apparently drew the same conclusion as he did.

  Maybe Ray is the one who took Casey?

  “Where can I find Ray?” She flipped open her ever present notebook.

  “He lives above his hardware store across the street. Most of the business owners live above their stores.”

  “When was the last time you talked to your friend Ray?”

  Old Man Pillar sat down on the bench, his brow knit. “Hmm, let me think on that.” He took a toothpick from his sweater pocket and stuck it between his yellowed teeth.

  Taylor stifled a chuckle as Dianne’s eyes rolled impatiently.

  “You know, I don’t think I’ve talked to him for at least a week now. With everything going on, I guess he’s just keeping to himself like most folk in town.”

  She snapped her notebook shut and stuffed it into the back pocket of her jeans. “Thank you. You’ve been a big help. If you think of anything, anything at all, give a quick call over to the station.”

  “You don’t think Ray had anything to do with our Casey being taken, do you?”

  “I don’t know. I’d appreciate you keeping this conversation between us.”

  He put a wrinkled finger to his thin lips. “Mums the word.”

  “Thank you.” Dianne spun on her heel and took hold of Taylor’s arm, pulling him across and down the street.

  “Easy now. Where are you taking me?”

  “I’m going back to the station to get Seth. We need to check out this Ray guy.”

  Taylor pulled her back to his side. “Since we’re already here, why don’t we take a look around? If I know the old man as well as I think I do, he’s burning up the airwaves as we speak.”

  The sign above the picture window read “Hardware Store.” In the window above the weathered sign, a soft amber glow lit up the window.

  “Why don’t we just pay a little social call?” Before she could respond, he jogged to the side of the building and rapped on the door.

  “Are you crazy? We should call for backup.”

  “Why? We’re just asking a few questions.”

  The curtain on the door’s window moved to the side and he caught a quick glimpse of wide eyes staring out at them. The lock clicked on the door and Dianne took a step back, motioning for Taylor to move to the side. Seconds passed before it was obvious Ray had locked the door and had no intention of opening for them.

  From the corner of his eye, he watched her withdraw a gun from under the back of her sweatshirt. “I want you to run for backup.”

  Taylor shook his head. “No way. I’m not leaving you here alone.”

  “Get behind me then,” she snapped before banging on the door. “Federal Agent, Ray. I just need to ask you a couple of questions.”

  Silence permeated the alley.

  “I’m going to count to five. If you don’t open the door, I’ll be forced to break it down.”

  “That door’s not just made of plywood, ya know?” He was twice her size and there was no way he could budge that monstrosity of a door.

  “Really? Thank you. I’ve never done anything like this before.” Her sarcasm left little to be desired.

  “One…two…” Dianne counted, loud and deliberate.

  ****

  Dianne regretted her words the second they flew out of her mouth. Taylor didn’t deserve that kind of treatment. She had a bad feeling about Ray and the last thing she needed was to be worrying about him getting hurt. She shouldn’t even be here without backup. Now, she had to follow through.

  “…five.” She peered back over her shoulder, warning Taylor with a frown. “Under no circumstance are you to follow me in there. Do you hear me?”

  He didn’t answer her, and she didn’t have time to argue with him. With expert precision, she brought up her leg and kicked the door. A loud crack of wood splitting reverberated in the alley.

  Dianne crouched down, her gun aimed in front of her. She moved in quick, precise moves up the stairs. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, every sense on high alert. She heard footsteps behind her. Taylor’d totally ignored her command, but she couldn’t focus on him right now.

  Frozen to the spot, she strained to hear. The muffled sound of paper ripping came from behind a closed door down the dingy hallway. She motioned for Taylor to stay back, as she inched her way to the door.

  What is he doing in there? Is Casey in there with him? The undeniable sound of a toilet flushing assaulted the quiet. She banged on the door. “Federal Agents, Mr. Gilbert. Open up! Come out with your hands in the air.”

  She trained her gun at the door, her feet set slightly apart.

  The toilet flushed again.

 
Without a moments hesitation she pulled back her leg and kicked out with all of her strength. The door burst open, flinging back at her after it hit the hard tub. Her reflexes stopped the door from closing on her with her foot. A wide eyed man knelt next to the toilet, shredding photographs and tossing them in the bowl. Despite the intrusion, he acted as if they weren’t there.

  “On your feet,” ordered Dianne.

  Ray looked up at her. Fear and madness danced in his bloodshot eyes. He let out a burst of air and struggled to his feet. The stack of photos fluttered to his feet. Young girls’ and boys’ faces stared up at them. He raised his hands and linked them behind his head.

  “Where did you get these pictures?” She kept her gun aimed at him. His gaze shifted erratically, never once meeting hers. Taylor’s presence behind her did not go unnoticed.

  “The pervert has a telescope pointed to Main Street. He’s got a Polaroid camera, and a whole shitload of pictures.”

  “Do you know where Casey is?” she demanded of Ray.

  His expression stilled, and he met her gaze for the first time. His mouth moved slowly, until it formed a smile.

  Taylor almost knocked her into the bathtub. He lunged past her, hitting a wide-eyed Ray squarely in the face.

  “You sick fuck. Where is she?” Taylor grabbed him by the collar. Blood spurt from Ray’s nose.

  Dianne grabbed the confused man, pushing him so his gut spilled out over the counter, and pinned the arm closest to her behind his back. The muzzle of her gun pressed against his temple.

  “What the hell was that?” Anger riddled her body.

  Taylor raised his hands in mock surrender. “Easy now.”

  Dianne glared directly into his eyes. “Go find a phone and call the station for backup.”

  Taylor stood his ground. He still didn’t want to leave her alone.

  “Now!” She commanded, the last thread of composure slipping away.

  He held up his hand in defense. “Okay, I’m going.”

  “Don’t touch anything.” Her request came out a little angrier than intended. She knew he hadn’t intended to push her buttons. It took her many years to stop her coworkers from treating her different because she was a woman. She had to work twice as hard as her male partners to prove her abilities as a cop. Her anger toward Taylor wasn’t personal. He was genuinely concerned for her well-being.

  Ray squirmed under her weight taking her focus off of Taylor. In one fluid movement, she unclipped her cuffs from her belt and snapped them shut around his thick wrists. “Why don’t you save us all a whole lot of time and tell us where Casey is.”

  He giggled and she stifled his laughter by pushing his face into the countertop. Footsteps made their way down the hallway, stopping with Taylor’s appearance in the doorway. They’d no sooner made eye contact than the blare of sirens filled the street. Taylor stood outside the bathroom.

  “She’s up here.”

  Seth bolted past him first. “Does he have Casey?”

  Dianne shook her head and shrugged. “He’s not talking.”

  Seth grabbed hold of Ray’s arms, freeing her from having to restrain him. She pointed out the photos scattered around the base of the toilet. “It seems he’s pretty handy with the camera. He’s got a telescope at the front window.

  “You just earned yourself free room and board.” Seth pulled the grinning perp upright, and pushed him out of the bathroom where a uniformed officer stood next to Taylor. “Read him his rights and take him to the station. I’ll be there as soon as I have a quick look around.”

  The officer grabbed hold of the cuffs and persuaded Ray down the stairs.

  Seth turned back to face her. “Do you think he’s our man?”

  Dianne shrugged. “I don’t know. He’s not exactly playing with a full deck. I’m not sure he’d tell us where to find Casey, even if he does know.”

  “What the hell were you thinking, taking this guy down without backup?”

  “We just stopped to ask a few questions on our watch. How was I supposed to know the guy was taking pictures of young kids?”

  “Go back to the station.” He passed Taylor and continued down the hall “I’d appreciate you waiting for me before you start grilling the prick.”

  “Don’t be long. Time’s tickin’.” She tapped her watch, even though he couldn’t see her.

  Taylor followed her from the building in silence. Once outside, she stopped and stooped over, resting her hands on her thighs. She took a couple cleansing breaths before standing up. “I’m afraid we’ll have to go for our ride another time.”

  “I understand. I’ll walk you back.” Disappointment laced his reply.

  Dianne nodded and they walked side by side up Main Street, leaving behind a small number of townsfolk who had gathered in front of the hardware store. “I’m sorry if I was a little short with you back there.”

  Taylor shrugged. “No big deal. I guess I owe you an apology for busting his face.”

  Dianne chuckled. “I think I can let that one slide. How about a rain check on the ride?”

  “Anytime, Officer Parker.” His smile set her pulse racing as she ascended the stairs

  She forced herself to open the door and step inside. As the door closed behind her, she heard the rumble of his motorcycle as it pulled away from the station.

  I’ve got to find Casey.

  She looked forward to hopping on the back of his bike and tossing all her cares in the wind.

  Chapter Eight

  Dianne splashed cold water in her face. No matter how many all-nighters she pulled, they never got easier, and with thoughts of Taylor distracting her, made for an unbearably long shift. Ray Gilbert turned out to be one sick puppy, but she was pretty confident he wasn’t the one who took Casey. Confirmation came in the form of a report from the head office. The camera they’d confiscated at Ray’s apartment didn’t match the camera that had taken the photos found on the bulletin board.

  We had to have missed something. She dried her hands and smoothed down her hair. She’d let it loose from a ponytail around four that morning.

  Well, when you think you’ve missed something, what do you do? You go back to square one. She gave her reflection in the mirror a decisive nod.

  “I’m heading over to the post office.” Dianne scooted over to pick up her notebook and cell phone. “We’ve missed something, and I’m going to figure out what it is.”

  Seth leaned back in his chair and took his glasses off, rubbing his eyes. “What are we going to do with Mr. Picture Guy?”

  “Arrange for the guys in the white coats to pick him up. Call my cell when the last photo comes back from forensics.”

  “You got it.” He stretched his arms above his head. “Don’t be going to some whack job’s house alone again. I’m only a phone call away. Promise?”

  She scrunched up her face and laughed. “You know how I feel about promises. You worry too much.”

  Seth frowned. “And you don’t worry enough about yourself.”

  “I love you too.” Dianne blew him a kiss before opening the door and slipping outside.

  The sun shone bright despite the thick tension that shrouded Johnstown. With each day gone by without a break in the case, a sense of urgency grew. The only place with any sign of life was the diner across from the station. It seemed to be ground zero for the townspeople to discuss Casey’s abduction. She debated walking up to the post office, but opted to take the sedan. If she got a call, she needed to be ready to roll.

  The post office remained open for business as usual, with the addition of uniformed officers posted on the doors and strategically throughout the building. Dianne hadn’t interviewed the employees personally, and thought it would be a good place to start. The postmaster directed her to his assistant’s office. Delia Stewart’d been in charge most of the times new photos were found. Unfortunately, she wasn’t at work today.

  Dianne picked up the phone on the assistant’s tidy desk and keyed in Ms. Stewart’s home n
umber. Delia Stewart answered on the first ring.

  “Hello?”

  “Is this Delia Stewart?” asked Dianne.

  “Yes, this is Delia. May I ask who this is?”

  “This is Agent Parker with the FBI. I’ve just spoken to Ed Tibert. He tells me you were responsible for locking up the last time a photo was found. Is there any chance the door was left open?”

  “No, I don’t think so. In fact, the officer even checked the door behind me.”

  “I see. Thank you for your time” Disappointment doused her hope of a new lead. She reached over to press “end call” when she heard Delia shriek into the phone.

  “Agent Parker? Have you talked to Jerry Cox?”

  “Excuse me? Jerry Cox, did you say?”

  “Yes, he’s the man who cleans the post office after hours.”

  “Does Mr. Cox have his own key?” Her pulse raced.

  “Why, yes, he does. He has the key to many places in town. Jerry’s been cleaning offices and the like for over twenty years. Maybe he saw something.”

  “You wouldn’t happen to have his number handy?”

  “Hmm, let me look. I can’t remember the last time I had to call him. He’s never missed a day of work as long as I’ve worked at the post office.”

  Dianne tapped her pen on the desk. “Please, Ms. Stewart, this is extremely important.”

  “Okay, here it is. 555-0738.”

  “Thank you. You’ve been most helpful,” Dianne said, ending the call and dialing Mr. Cox. She couldn’t punch in the numbers fast enough.

  “We’re sorry, the number you have reached is not in service.”

  Her open hand smacked the desktop. She jumped up and bolted for the door. Once in the sedan she flipped open her cell and dialed. “Seth? I need an address, stat! Jerry Cox.”

  “Hey, slow down. Who is Jerry Cox?”

  “He’s the last person to leave the post office. He has his own key.”

  Dianne heard the click of his keyboard.

  “By the way, we just got the lab results back.” He yawned into the receiver. “All they found were slight traces of peroxide.”

  She sat straight up. “Peroxide, commonly known as bleach.” Adrenaline coursed through her body. “Jerry Cox is the cleaning guy.”