The District
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Carol Ericson
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15,7K
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18
Harlequin🏙️ Contemporary
HarlequinChapter One
Nine times out of ten a dead body will win a staring contest.
Christina blinked and looked away from the lifeless eyes of the twentysomething vic, a gruesome slash across her throat, a tarot card shoved between her stiff fingers.
Tarot cards—Christina knew a thing or two about them. She would’ve expected death on his white horse in this case, but the killer had left the maiden and the lion, an indicator of strength.
Her gaze shifted away from the body and skimmed the trees, their leaves rustling with impatience. “Has anyone checked the surrounding area yet?”
Lieutenant Fitch with the San Francisco P.D. waved his pale hand. “You go right ahead, Agent Sandoval.”
She ground her back teeth together, adjusted her shoulder holster and tromped toward the tree line. If not for that tarot card, she wouldn’t even be here.
The dense nature preserve enveloped her in a cool embrace, muting the voices of the crime scene investigators in the trail behind her. The weak San Francisco sun, still shrugging off the fog, penetrated the foliage in wisps and strands, throwing a beam of light here and dappled shadows there.
She inhaled the scent of eucalyptus, which cleared her senses and ramped up her adrenaline. The murder victim had been jogging on the trail either early this morning or sometime last night. The predator had surprised her, flying at her like an animal on the prowl—lying in wait.
Her nostrils flared and she scanned the underbrush. Lying in wait. He must’ve been watching, waiting for his prey.
Hunching forward, she crept farther into the darkness, her footfalls silenced by nature’s carpet beneath her, the strands of a willow brushing her face. She veered to the right, aligning herself with the body on the trail.
She cranked her head over her shoulder and detected flashes of color and movement from the cops and techs milling around the vic. He could’ve seen her coming from here, but would’ve had no time to prepare his attack.
She looked up. A live oak tree towered a few feet in front of her. She approached it, studying the ground around the base of the trunk. Something had disturbed the leaves layered on the dirt, but plenty of creatures roamed this area—not just the two-legged, deadly kind.
She reached out, running her hand down the rough bark that scratched her fingers. Here and there she traced smooth areas of the trunk where pieces of bark had broken away from the old tree.
Stretching her arms out, she wedged her palms against the tree trunk and hung her head between her arms. She closed her eyes.
The subtle sounds of nature came to life—the rustle of a bird’s wings, the creak of a branch, the scurrying of an insect across a log.
And then it slammed into her chest. The evil. She felt it like a palpable curtain dropping around her, smothering her. He’d been here.
She jerked her head up, her eyes narrowing. She shed her jacket and secured her weapon in her holster. The bark of the tree chaffed her palms as she grabbed the first branch with both hands. She hoisted herself up and planted the rubber soles of her practical shoes against the trunk. Walking up the tree trunk, she lunged for the next branch and then swung her legs over the side of it.
Straddling the branch, she could just see over the top of the lower bushes and trees that bordered the jogging trail. She pulled herself into a crouch and reached for the next branch that curved against the trunk—a natural seat, a window on the world.
She nestled her back against the trunk, her legs hanging over the side of the branch. Lieutenant Fitch came into view, pointing and gesturing with his hands—which she’d noticed before were sprinkled with red hair—basically running the show.
Farther down the trail a clutch of people crowded against the yellow police tape, all leaning toward the crime scene like magnets drawn to some irresistible force.
She got it. The same morbid curiosity had propelled her into a job with a special serial killer unit within the FBI. She’d been fascinated with these crimes ever since she’d followed the Phone Book Killer case at the tender age of twelve.
She shivered—that fascination, along with an uncanny ability to empathize with both the killers and their victims, drove her to this work. She didn’t really empathize with the killers, but for some reason she could tune in to their thought processes. Not that she’d ever told anyone that before—anyone but Eric.
And that had been a colossal mistake.
She sat up straighter on the branch and peered at the trail beyond the spectators. He would’ve seen her coming from this vantage point. Would’ve been able to jump from his lookout post and intercept her on the trail, introducing her to the sharp edge of his knife.
She took a deep breath. Was that artificial smell among the natural elements cologne? Tobacco?
She reached for the branch above her to lean forward and scope out the ground. Her fingers collided with the smooth edge of a card. She snatched her hand away, curled one leg beneath her and slowly rose from her seated position.
Someone had shoved another tarot card in the crack of some mottled bark. She pulled a tissue from her pocket. Pinching the card between two tissue-covered fingers, she plucked it from its hiding place. She turned the card over.
The fool.
Her nerve endings buzzed with curiosity and excitement. Again, she would’ve expected the death card. Instead, he’d left the card for strength and the fool.
Had this tarot card been at the two other crime scenes and they’d missed it? What was he trying to tell them?
She huffed out a breath. If her mother had allowed her to continue down the path her father wanted to carve for her, she’d probably understand this killer’s message.
Christina pulled an evidence baggie from her pocket and dropped the card inside. She scanned her perch for anything else the killer may have left behind—threads, hair, more tarot cards.
Nothing jumped out at her, not even those vague feelings that sometimes insinuated themselves into her psyche. Once she’d found the killer’s perch, she’d readied herself for a rush of feelings, feelings that often made her nauseous. This time she’d only experienced the taste of evil at the base of the tree.
She brushed away the trickle of sweat at her hairline and lowered herself back to the ground. She swept her jacket up from the carpet of mulch and froze.
A twig cracked again.
She jerked her head in the direction of the sound. Her gaze darted between the branches and leaves of the dense foliage. She held her breath. The entire park held its breath, too, waiting for someone to make a move.
“Agent Sandoval?”
The interloper crashing through the trees behind her set the forest in motion. Birds took flight, scattering leaves in their haste. A squirrel scurried up the tree trunk, pausing to blink at her with its bright, challenging eyes. The trees took up their groaning and creaking once more.
Christina turned, holding out her hands, palms up. “Careful there, cowboy. I’ve probably already done enough damage here.”
“Ma’am?” The officer cocked his head, looking all of twelve.
“Call me Christina.” She pinched the evidence baggie between two fingers and wiggled it in front of her. “Another tarot card. I think our killer scoped out the victim from this tree.”
The cop’s mouth dropped open as he took a step back. “I’ll get the lieutenant and have him send the CSI guys out here. Did you find anything else?”
“Nope, just the card.” And one helluva creepy feeling. Somehow she knew Lieutenant Fitch would dismiss any and all creepy feelings, so she’d keep them to herself. She always did.
She followed the broad blue-clad back through the trees, back to the running trail. The young cop was already hopping from foot to foot in front of Lieutenant Fitch and gesturing with his hands.
Fitch gazed over his officer’s shoulder and narrowed his eyes as Christina emerged into the clearing. Did he think she’d planted the evidence? As FBI, she’d worked with resentful detectives before, and Fitch seemed to be taking his place among them.
If she hadn’t already been here due to the previous tarot card murder, Fitch probably wouldn’t have bothered contacting the FBI about this one.
She plastered on her sweetest smile and waved the plastic bag. “How about that, Lieutenant? Looks like our boy stationed himself in one tall tree, staking out his next victim.”
“Let me see that.” He snapped his fingers and held out his hand.
She dropped the evidence baggie into his palm. “Another tarot card—the fool this time. Those cards mean something to him. He’s leaving us a message.”
The cop swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his thin neck. “Maybe he’s a fortune-teller?”
Fitch practically growled at him. “Go get some more yellow tape and tell CSI the crime scene’s just been extended.”
Christina called after the hunched shoulders. “You might be on to something, Officer.”
The lieutenant snapped his reddish brows together. “Don’t encourage him. He’s just a rookie on patrol. I can assure you, Agent Sandoval, you’re not dealing with some hick department.”
“This is San Francisco. I never thought I was, Lieutenant.” She turned her head and covered her mouth with her hand. Inferiority complex much? “Can you tell me anything more about the murder?”
“Without an autopsy, it’s what we suspected at first—severe head trauma followed by the slitting of the throat.”
“Blunt object?”
“Yep.”
“He must be incapacitating them with the blow to the head, which then allows him to cut their throats.”
“Victim lost a lot of blood.”
“Just like Liz Fielding and the one up in Portland.”
“At least he’s consistent.”
“Except for this.” She flicked the bag he still held in his hand. “Unless we missed something at those other crime scenes.”
“Is this going to send you back up to Portland, Agent Sandoval?”
She tossed her ponytail over one shoulder. “Why? Trying to get rid of me, Lieutenant Fitch?”
“Naw, we love it when the fibbies come around and trample all over our procedures and protocol.”
Arching one eyebrow, she said, “Is that what you think I’m doing?”
“You’re all right, so far, Agent Sandoval. We’ve just had a few bad experiences with you boys...ah, folks.”
“You can start by calling me Christina, and I’m not here to trample over your procedures and protocol. I’m here to find a killer and get some justice for these victims. I hope that’s your objective, too, Lieutenant Fitch.”
He thrust out his hand. “Call me Charlie.”
“Done deal, Charlie. Now let’s nail this SOB.”
* * *
“I MISS YOU, Kendall. Be a good girl for G-Ma.” Christina blew kisses at the laptop until her mother’s face filled the screen.
“I’m taking her to the park today. What are you doing? Are you going to stay in the city? At least you’re not too far away this time. You can pop in for a visit.”
“With this third murder, I’ll be here for at least another week, but it looks like I need to go back to Portland for some further investigation.”
Her mother ran a hand through her still-lustrous dark hair streaked with silver. “I wish you’d take some nice desk job and settle down. Kendall needs a father and some stability.”
Christina put a hand over her heart where the guilt stabbed her. “Kendall has a father and right now you’re providing the stability, Mom. After this case, I’m planning on doing more profile work. Believe me, I’ll be spending lots of time at my desk.”
“Yeah, well about Kendall’s father...”
“Oops, gotta go, Ma. Have fun at the park and if you have time take Kendall for a shaved ice at that new place. She loves that stuff, even though half the ice ends up in her lap.”
Her mom shook her head. “You need to get your life in order.”
“I will. I am. Love you, Ma.”
She ended the videoconferencing session and shoved the computer off her lap. She hated it when her mother was right.
She rolled off the bed and headed to the bathroom. Now that she had Charlie Fitch on her side, he’d invited her to the station today to review the report on the latest murder. The Portland P.D. had done some more background on the victim, and she had nothing in common with the previous victim in San Francisco or the woman yesterday—nothing except the tarot cards shoved between their cold, dead fingers.
And the other tarot card? Had there been another tarot card in the vicinity of the other victims that they’d missed?
She’d called her bureau chief, Rich Greavy, to report this recent finding, but she had to leave a message for him. The fact that he wouldn’t take her call didn’t surprise her. Even if he didn’t get back to her, she knew he’d give his approval for her to return to the other crime scene in Portland—as long as she stayed out of his hair.
She showered and changed into yet another pantsuit, the unofficial uniform of the female FBI agent. She paired the beige slacks and jacket with a peach blouse and some sky-high heels. They went well with the .45 she’d strapped to her body.
Fifteen minutes later, she wheeled her small rental car into the parking lot of the station. She strode through the squad room toward the detectives’ area and knocked on the lieutenant’s door.
“C’mon in.”
She poked her head into his office. “Good morning, Charlie. Do you have the reports?”
“All ready to go.” He tapped some file folders on his desk. “So the Bureau’s sending one of your brethren out here to help you.”
“Really?” She sealed her lips and fought the warmth that crept into her cheeks. Too late.
Fitch raised his brows. “You didn’t know?”
No, because the Western Bureau Chief didn’t believe female agents were competent to handle murder cases on their own.
“Ah, never got the confirmation.” She shifted her purse from one shoulder to the other. “He’s coming today?”
He picked up the thick file folders and waved them in the air. “Yep. Told him you’d be here this morning and I’d have the reports ready for the two of you.”
“Yeah, great. Looks like we’ll be putting together a task force on this case, or at least a task force of two.”
“Swell.” He dropped the file folders on his blotter.
And just like that, Greavy had probably wrecked the tentative rapport she’d established with Fitch.
Leaning over his desk, she scooped up the reports. “If you have someplace for me to sit, I’ll get out of your way and wait for the other agent.”
“To your right, three doors down there’s an empty office. You’re welcome to use it until your partner in crime fighting shows up.”
“Thanks, Charlie. Coffee?”
“No, thanks.”
Pursing her lips, she glared at the bald spot on his head as he bent over his desk. “I meant for me.”
Without an ounce of embarrassment, he aimed a stubby finger toward the door. “Back in the squad room.”
“Thanks a lot.” She clicked his door shut and blew out a breath. Yep, that rapport was totally trashed.
Her high heels clicked on the linoleum as she hugged the file folders to her chest and made her way back to the squad room.
Christina balanced the file folders on the edge of the counter and shook a disposable cup loose from a stack.
“Do you want me to get that for you?”
Christina glanced over her shoulder at a fresh-faced female cop, her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. “I think I got it.”
The officer reached around Christina for the coffeepot. “That’s okay. You’d better grab those folders instead.”
Snatching the case files from the counter, Christina laughed. “You’re right. Those almost landed on the floor.”
“Not that I wouldn’t mind getting a look at them.” The woman aimed a steady stream of steaming brown liquid into Christina’s cup.
“Is that so, Officer...” She squinted at the cop’s name tag. “Griego?”
“Yes, ma’am.” She replaced the coffeepot on the hot plate. “I’ve been on patrol for two years now, and I’m just itching to take the detective’s exam.”
“Homicide?”
“That’s my goal.”
Christina raised her cup to Officer Griego. “If I need some help, I’ll make a request for you.”
“Thank you, ma’am. I’d appreciate that.”
As Officer Griego turned away, Christina grimaced and tipped some cream into her cup. You hit thirty and you become ma’am.
She blew on the surface of her coffee as she made her way back to the office Fitch had indicated before. She dropped the file folders on the desk, leaving the door open behind her. The open-door policy seemed to work better with the police departments, and she just might need Officer Griego’s help.
She flipped open the covers of the two files and reached for a third tucked into her briefcase. She positioned the case file for the Portland murder next to the other two. The tarot cards and the M.O. tied two murders in San Francisco to the one in Portland. No doubt about it.
Why only one in Portland and two here? Had they missed a second one in Portland? If these were random, then the killer must’ve been in Portland for business or pleasure. Or maybe he lived in Oregon and San Francisco was the trip away from home, but the Oregon murder had come between the two in the city.
The close succession of the two murders here had allowed her to see the crime scene for herself this time. When the tarot card had been discovered on the body of the murder victim in Portland, just like it had here, the Bureau had sent her back to San Francisco to follow up.
Then the killer struck again while she was in the city. Lucky for her—not so much for the victim.
For the next hour, she buried her nose in the papers in between sips of lukewarm coffee. Nobody had disturbed her until Officer Griego tapped on the office door.
“Ma’am?”
Christina looked up and rubbed one eye. “Yes?”
“The other agent from the Bureau is here.” Griego looked ready to burst with pride as if she’d personally invited him here and tracked her down.
“Thanks. Send him on over.”
Officer Griego’s rosy cheeks got rosier. “He’s right...”
A tall, broad form filled the door behind the tiny officer. “Thanks, Rita. I’ll take it from here.”
Christina clenched her jaw to keep it from hitting the desk. Then she eked out a tight smile and said hello to Eric Brody, her ex-fiancé, the love of her life and the father of her child.
