INK: Vanishing Point (Book 2) Read online

  Chapter 15

  Silence of the Friends

  Shay

  Dad’s pacing back and forth in the conference room. It’s really making me nervous. I want to tell him to sit down. “Dad, what’s got you so wound up? Everything seemed fine at Eli’s.”

  “I’m just concerned about Detective Glass. He’s got it out for you and I don’t understand it.” He hesitates.

  I take Dad’s hand to reassure him. “Dad, Eli said that right now they are trying to get Aiden for the shooting. That this isn’t about me."

  “I know honey, but sometimes these things don’t always go as planned.” He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.

  “It’ll be fine.” I don’t really believe it either.

  Jason and Bob file in with matching grim expressions, “How are you feeling this morning?” Jason asks.

  “I’m okay. How are you?” Get past the niceties already.

  “Let’s get down to it. Eli will be here in a few minutes and then we’ll head down to the precinct.” Bob opens a folder.

  I nod and look at Dad as he leans forward on the table. “How are we going to handle this? I know they don’t need Shay to press charges for them to go after Aiden.”

  “One of the issues we are having is we don’t have an account of what happened that night.” Jason’s gaze is full of sympathy as he looks at me, questioning.

  “Tell us what you remember from that night.” Bob clicks a ballpoint pen on a legal pad.

  “Easy. I don’t remember much of anything. I remember leaving here, then going to the beach with Aiden and that’s about it.” I shrug.

  “You don’t remember the shooting?” Jason asks.

  “She doesn’t remember.” Dad sounds irritated.

  “No, I don’t remember anything past the beach.” The image of the panels flashes through my mind, but I know that’s not how it happened. I wish Carl would tell me what happened so I could put this all to rest. I know Aiden had a good reason for what he did. I just wish I knew what it was.

  “Okay, that’s what you tell them when we go in there, that you don’t remember.” Jason and Bob exchange a knowing look.

  “Are you interested in pressing charges against Aiden?” Bob asks with a pained look on his face.

  “Until I know what happened I definitely don’t want to press charges.” I touch the side of my head, trying to remember. “Aiden would never hurt me. This had to be some kind of accident.” The more I say the words the more I feel like one of those stupid women that never press charges, then end up dead. But this is different; Aiden’s only real crime against me is his own inability to commit. I can’t believe he would ever purposefully harm me. If I thought he did do this on purpose, I’d hunt him down myself.

  Bob breathes a sigh of relief and Jason’s shoulders relax. “Just be honest when you go in.”

  Eli arrives and sits next to me, planting a kiss on my cheek. “Sorry I’m late. I had to check in with Preston. What have I missed?”

  “Nothing yet; we just started.” Bob says, avoiding my gaze. “We were waiting for you.”

  Then Eli’s expression darkens and he cups my hand in both of his. “There is some bad news.”

  I want to ask about Aiden, but I think that would kill Eli right now. “What happened?”

  “When was the last time you talked to Trish?” he asks cautiously.

  “Oh God, did something happen to Trish?” My body tenses.

  “Well, we don’t know; we can’t get a hold of her.” Eli is trying to meter his tone.

  Without hesitation I fess up that I was with her, “Trish picked me up from your house last night. She took me to the mall so I could get a phone and then dropped me off at home.”

  “Okay, so you saw her last night?” Jason asks.

  “Yes, what happened?” I hate this. I feel like I’m always the last to know.

  Eli wraps his arms around my shoulder, “Shay, I found Kevin’s body at Ryker’s Park.”

  “You found Kevin’s body?” It takes a minute to register that if we were talking about Kevin’s body that meant Kevin is dead, “Oh Jesus, Kevin.” I put my hand to my lips as I say his name in a whisper.

  “Shay, how did you know Kevin?” Bob asks. The shock of it all is rolling through me, rendering me speechless.

  “Shay?” Jason tries to get my attention.

  My body jolts when I hear my name, “We all went to high school together and he was dating my best friend. Well, they had just broken up a few weeks ago,” I answer still trying to process the loss.

  “Okay, when was the last time you saw him?” Jason is writing in his note pad.

  “Like seven months ago?”

  “Yeah, about seven months.” Eli confirms.

  “What happened to him? How did he die?” Please tell me it was something simple.

  “He was gutted, but not exsanguinated like we’ve seen with the Specter murders.” Eli answers. “But there are some similarities. Was Carl with you?”

  “He was outside the studio, but he was there,” I answer, not really remembering when Carl may have shown up.

  “Just answer everything honestly and it will be fine.” Eli tries to smile and lifts his eyebrows. “It’s going to be okay.”

  This is anything but okay. I pull my hands back from Eli, sucking in a sharp breath. “How can you say this is ‘okay.’ Our friend is dead, murdered; it's not okay. He has a wife. Jesus Christ, Eli, is this what our lives have been reduced to, merely that we are okay if I’m not going to jail?”

  Dad has been very quiet, but chooses now to speak up, “Yes, Shayleigh, right now we have to look at the good in things. Would you rather have Kevin be dead and you going to jail?”

  “Well no, but it doesn’t make things ‘okay.’” My anger is swimming in this clusterfuck. How can everyone actually think that this is all right? I feel myself starting to shake and my head pounds. My vision starts to blur and it isn’t just from the tears. “Kevin is dead; he’s dead. This is fucking awful and you are all just sitting here like he’s nothing.” I have to get out of here. I feel like I’m suffocating, but when I try to leave Eli stops me.

  “Shay, please, I feel terrible about this. Kevin was my friend too. Right now, the only thing I can do to possibly help him is find out who did this. To do that I have to make sure they don’t settle on you as the only suspect.”

  “Eli, that’s all very logical but nothing about this situation calls for logic.” I slam my hand down hard on the table and all the men startle. Tears are free-falling down my face. Carl appears in the doorway. “You are all fucking crazy; I’m not the crazy one here!” My voice is hoarse from screaming.

  “Shayleigh, you need to calm down; you can’t get yourself worked up or you’re going to end up back in the hospital.” He’s using that firm tone on me like I’m ten.

  “It’s not going to work, Dad. I’m not a child. I’m a grown woman whose friends and family are all dying in terrible ways and people think I actually did this.”

  Carl reaches for me as I take a breath. “Shay, calm down.” He puts his hands on my shoulders and I feel a sense of calm come over me. Subdued, I’m forced to slump in the chair. In a soft tone I turn to Carl. “What the hell, Carl? Was that the Vulcan neck pinch?”

  Carl shakes his head, remaining quiet. Jason, Bob and Eli all exchange looks of concern. Finally Bob speaks up, “I think we should postpone this meeting.”

  “I would like that. I would like some time to process all of this,” I say in a defeated tone.

  Eli doesn’t like the idea if the look he’s giving Bob is any indication. But Dad is all for it. “I think you need to take a couple of days.”

  “I’m not sure they are going to let you postpone. I’m afraid we may force our hand and get her brought in as a person of interest.” Eli leans in toward me.

  Everyone is looking at me in silence, the Elephant in the room. I’m the center of everything that’s wrong. I see that now. Because of me people are
dying. It’s the only real explanation that makes sense. Carl looks at me with sad resolve. “It’s not your fault.”

  “Eli, have you talked to Felicia? Has Kevin’s wife been notified?”

  “Yes, I went to the house and talked with her. She really didn’t seem to care all that much that he was dead.” Eli’s tone is still defeated.

  Jason pushes some buttons on the phone, and then Genie’s voice comes over the loudspeaker. “Yes sir?”

  “Genie, please call D.A. Preston and let him know that we have to push back the meeting with Miss Baynes until next week.”

  “Do you want me to set the appointment?” she asks.

  “Sure, sometime after next Wednesday.”

  Bob stands and stretches before heading for the door. “Okay, well I’ve got some things to work on. Shay, I’ll see you in a few days.”

  Dad turns to me, furious. I’ve been bracing for the reprimand since I saw the anger in his eyes when I was speaking my mind. “Shayleigh, you need to learn to calm down. These outbursts have got to stop. I know things are hard for you right now but that is no excuse for how you are acting. If you want to be treated like an adult, start behaving like one.”

  The air in the room stills. Jason, Carl and Eli watch as I gear up to give Dad a piece of my mind. I cut him a hard look, anger seething throughout my body. How could he possibly think that I can remain calm with everything that’s happened? I let my lids fall heavy over my eyes and grit my teeth. “Yes, sir.”

  Eli stands, offering his hand, “Hey listen, I have to go. I’ll meet you at home?”

  I nod and stand giving him a hug. It takes everything in me not to dissolve to tears thinking about Kevin.

  Eli puts his finger under my chin, guiding me up to look at him. “Hey, we are going to get through this.” He tries to reassure me but his lying eyes tell the real story. He’s worried. “I love you.”

  “Love you too.” I offer in a whisper.

  Eli takes up his brief case and walks out the door, looking back at me over his shoulder with a forlorn smile. He knows something, something that he isn’t sharing with me and I don’t like it.

  “Carl, are you able to get Shayleigh home?” Dad asks patting his pockets looking for his keys.

  “Yes, Commissioner Baynes.” Carl answers like a soldier.

  “Thanks Carl.” Dad finds his glasses on his head then looks at me. “Be good and I’ll be by later.”

  “So it’s just you and me.” I try to smile apologetically. “Sorry if I got you in trouble earlier.”

  Carl just looks at me maintaining his stoic stare. It’s making me really nervous. I shift between feet. “Carl?”

  Carl’s mouth pulls up to the right showing the hint of a smile. “It’s okay. I think we all need to blow off some steam from time to time.” A laugh rumbles through his chest. “Besides, McNab’s face was priceless. I learned a lot about Eli in that moment.”

  Now that I’m feeling a little better knowing he’s not mad at me we head for the door, but we’re stopped by Jason and Bob walking toward us with a purpose. I definitely don’t like the looks of this.

  “I don’t like it either.” Carl whispers down to me.

  “Shay, I’m sorry but we have to go to the police station.” Jason’s demeanor is irritated.

  “Why?” I ask.

  “Because they want to question you about Kevin’s murder.” Bob says simply.

  A sigh blows through my lips. “Let’s go get this done.”

  Chapter 16

  Transposition Exposition

  Detective Glass

  I really want to do this one solo. There’s no reason Preston has to be in there with me. If she doesn’t feel the comfort of him being there she might make mistakes. I reach Preston’s office door, stopping short when I see Walker.

  “Preston, I’m ready when you are.” If he tries to bring Walker in on this I’m going to fucking lose it. I absolutely do not want her to have him anywhere near her.

  Walker doesn’t even turn around and acknowledge me: noted, asshole. Preston looks at me with confusion. “Ready for what?”

  Jesus, do I have to spoon-feed him. “The interrogation.” I tick my head toward Walker hoping he understands what I’m saying. I don’t want to tip him off that we brought her in.

  “Go ahead and get started. I’ll be down there in a few minutes.” He waves me out of his office. “Oh, Glass.”

  I turn back to him. “Yes?”

  “Close my door?” he says, barely looking in my direction.

  The door clicks behind me and I go to the interrogation room where she’s waiting. I’m going to get that little bitch for this one. It’s a total mystery how she’s doing this, but it revolves around her.

  For a few minutes before going in, I watch her through the two-way mirror, trying to catch bits and pieces of their conversation. Everything said in there right now is fair game. They’ve already been informed that the recording equipment has been turned on. So many of them forget and spill their guts. Makes my day easier. But Jason Eddins and Bob Garner aren’t exactly freshmen.

  She’s in pretty rough shape; she has dark circles under her eyes, and her neck is still bandaged. Murder can really take it out of you, or so I’ve heard. I still want to know how she’s doing it. How in the hell is she moving these bodies? She’s barely taller than five and half feet and may weigh a hundred and thirty pounds. But not more than that; she looks like a bag of bones and honestly, what do these guys see in her? She must give amazing head for all these assholes to be falling all over her.

  One of her trained dogs appears in the doorway. The Filipino bruiser, I think he just growled at me. “Authorized personnel only.” I smile while closing the door on his face.

  They’re speaking low enough that I can only hear a word here and there. This is futile. I inhale a deep breath, straighten my jacket and walk in with my box of evidence.

  “Miss Baynes, so nice of you to join us.” With confidence I stride to the table and lay down the box and my note pad. I take my time since it seems to bother her.

  “Detective Glass, Miss Baynes was kind enough to come down here for questioning in her fragile medical condition so I will ask that you be as brief as possible,” Eddins starts his lawyer spiel.

  She’s just sitting there not even looking in my direction picking at her cuticles. I’m not sure if she’s nervous or bored. It’s hard to say if she has enough sense in that head of hers to be scared. “I’ll be brief.” Preston could walk in at any moment so if I’m going to push the envelope it needs to happen now.

  Taking the lid off the box I ask her point blank. “Did you kill Kevin Manning?”

  She doesn’t look up from her cuticles answering in a disinterested tone. “No.”

  “Do you know who killed Kevin Manning?” I’m still standing looking in the box.

  “No.”

  “Where were you last night?” The evidence bag with the red Blood-borne scarf catches my eye.

  “Eli’s, the mall, my studio.” She still hasn’t looked at me.

  I drop the evidence bag on the table and it slides over to her. “Have you seen that before?”

  She leans forward in her chair and examines it. She picks it up to get a closer look then glances toward her attorneys. “This is a Blood-borne scarf; Raphael had about 300 of them made.”

  “Did you own one?”

  “Yes, probably two.” She answers leaning back in her chair and returning her attention to her hangnail.

  “This one was found inside Mr. Mannings’ body, in the spot where his heart should have been.” I wait for her reaction. Her face blanches and she stops picking at her fingers.

  She takes a breath to speak but Eddins cuts her off. “Is there a question there?”

  That was more for her benefit than for mine. “Sorry, yes. You have a scarf like this?”

  “Yes.” She states simply, and she’s studying the scarf through the bag.

  The next item pulled from my li
ttle box of horrors is the high heel. “Do you recognize this?”

  She scrunches her nose studying it hard. “What the hell is that?”

  “Surely, Miss Baynes, you know a high heel when you see it.” I smirk.

  “Actually, I’ve only worn heels twice in my life and hope to never again.” She’s still looking at the mud-encrusted spike.

  “You expect me to believe that you aren’t like every other woman with shoes?” I question that. My ex-wife spent half of my retirement on shoes.

  She looks to her attorneys, they nod and she lifts her boot on the table. “I’ve had these since tenth grade. These are the shoes I give a shit about.”

  Garner gives her a disapproving look. Eddins shakes his head.

  Just because she’s wearing old boots right now doesn’t mean this wasn’t her heel. “When was the last time you saw Mr. Manning?”

  “About seven months ago.”

  “Were you and he close?”

  “I guess we were; he was seeing my best friend.” She pauses for minute in thought. “Have you talked to his girlfriend, wife or his wife’s boyfriend?”

  “If I need your help with this investigation I’ll ask for it.” More like if I need shit from you I’ll squeeze your pin-head.

  “Isn’t that why I’m here, detective, because you need my help?” She raises an eyebrow, upping the ante.

  “No, it’s because I’m going to put you in jail for what you’ve done.” I lean across the table disregarding the attorneys who are fully protesting and trying to end the query.

  “Unless you have any more questions, I think we can conclude this interview.” Eddins stands motioning for her to do the same, but she’s not moving. Her eyes have glossed over a little and she seems almost lethargic. What the hell is she pulling here?

  “I do have more questions for her.” I protest, “If you would like to leave I’m fine continuing this interview without you if she’s willing to agree.” She’s looking pale or green or like she might throw up. Did I hit some kind of nerve? Good.