Murder and Chocolate Cake Read online

  While I walked Jessica back to my car, a shiver went down my spine. In order to keep my daughter safe, I needed to anticipate every possible scenario. Even the grim ones. Which meant that I had to put myself in the same headspace of a killer. That made my skin crawl. But it also allowed me to take precautionary steps to get Jessica out of harm’s way.

  Of course, now I had a completely different problem. What was I going to say to Jessica? I certainly wasn’t about to tell her the truth. The last thing an eleven-year-old needed to hear was that two killers were on the loose. That said, I couldn’t pretend like all was fine with the world.

  As I drove away from the school, I took a moment to think about how I wanted to phrase things. On the way over to my parents’ house, I had a heart-to-heart conversation with Jessica.

  Or at least I tried to.

  Jessica was easily distracted. Not surprisingly, her head was buried in her smart phone.

  “Jessica,” I said.

  She replied without looking up from her phone. “Yeah?”

  I could tell that she wasn’t even listening.

  I took the phone away from her. “We have to talk.”

  “Hey—” she began to say.

  I stared her down. “Jessica. This is really important. I need you to listen to every word. Do you understand?”

  The stern look in my eyes commanded her full attention.

  “Yes,” she said.

  Her face filled with concern as she looked into my eyes.

  “Mommy, what’s going on?” Jessica asked.

  “You’re going to have to leave town for a little while,” I said.

  “Are you and daddy working on another case?” she asked.

  I nodded.

  “Are grandma and grandpa taking me to the cabin again?” she said.

  During a regular case, that was exactly what happened. David and I owned a cabin by Lake Ashford. It was the perfect secluded hideaway for my family to stay off the radar. But this wasn’t just any investigation. My gut was telling me that the cabin wouldn’t do this time.

  “Actually, you’re going to a hotel,” I said.

  Jessica’s eyebrows knitted. “I don’t understand. We always go to the cabin.”

  “I know,” I said. “But you’re really going to like this hotel. It’s in the mountains.”

  Jessica’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

  I nodded. “Uh-huh. You love the mountains.”

  “But why are grandma and grandpa taking me all the way out there?”

  Sometimes my daughter was a little too curious for her own good. I needed to distract her. Thankfully, I knew just the way to do that.

  “Did I tell you this hotel has a water slide?” I said.

  “It does?” Jessica said.

  I nodded. “A big one.”

  “Wow.”

  “Exactly. And since it’s a weekday, you’ll probably have it all to yourself,” I said.

  I could see the excitement building in Jessica’s eyes.

  I continued. “But before you get to the hotel, there’s something I need to go over with you.”

  “What is it?”

  “Honey, remember what I’ve told you about strangers?”

  “Not to talk to them.”

  “Exactly. That goes double for right now,” I said. “And not just that. I want you to keep your eyes peeled. If you see anything out of the ordinary, or anything that doesn’t feel right, I want you to tell your grandma or grandpa immediately. Got it?”

  She nodded. “Yeah.”

  “I’m serious. This is very important.”

  A look of concern filled Jessica’s face once again. “Mommy, you’re scaring me.”

  “Don’t be scared. Everything is going to be fine.”

  I tried my best not to let my voice crack as I said those words. Because even though I spoke with conviction, on the inside, I was a complete wreck.

  Chapter Eight

  We arrived at my parents’ place a few minutes later. I had Jessica go help my stepfather pack a travel bag while I spoke privately with my mom.

  “Thanks for taking her on such short notice,” I said.

  “Of course. It’s not like life gives you a heads up when it’s about to pull the rug out from under you,” my mom said.

  “It sure doesn’t,” I replied. “That said, I know you had other plans today.”

  “Really? You’re going to bring up my plans at a time like this? We’re in crisis mode. Trust me. My book club will understand me skipping today’s meeting.”

  I took a deep breath. “Please keep Jessica safe.”

  My mother nodded. “We always do.”

  “I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened—”

  “Sabrina, your father and I are going to keep an eye on her at all times.”

  “Mom, I know you’re going to do your best to protect her. I’m just worried about what Wade and Kyle might do.”

  “I will guard Jessica with my life,” my mother said. “And your father will too.”

  “I know. I just hope it doesn’t come to that.”

  “I’m going to pray that it doesn’t.”

  I gazed into my mother’s eyes. “I just want you to know that I really appreciate—”

  “Don’t mention it. This is what families do. They protect one another.”

  “I completely agree. But that wasn’t my point.”

  “Oh,” I said. “Then what was?”

  “I was talking big picture. I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me—past and present. You’ve always been there for me.”

  “And I’ll always be there for you.”

  “I know. That’s why you’re the best.”

  She stared deep into my eyes. “You seem even more reflective than normal. Are you worried that this case is going to get the better of you?”

  “Don’t read too far into things. It’s just that with Jessica at a tender age…with life spiraling out of control…I look at the world differently than I used to. Sometimes, I find myself marveling at you.”

  She scrunched her nose and pointed at herself. “Me?”

  “Yeah. I mean, with everything I put you through growing up, I’m in awe that you handled it with such grace.”

  “That’s nice of you to say, but raising you was a breeze,” she said. “Especially compared to how hairy things have gotten since you became an adult.”

  I laughed nervously. “I have given you a few worry-filled nights, haven’t I?”

  “Why are you talking in the past tense? I’m more worried about you now than ever. Speaking of, it’s not too late for you to come to your senses.”

  “You’re not really going to try and convince me to drop this case, are you?”

  “Of course I am. If ever there was a time to leave things to David, it’s now,” my mom said.

  “I can’t disagree more. He can really use my help. And he’s going to get it.”

  My mother folded her arms. “Sabrina, I’m not a fool. You’ve never asked us to take Jessica this far out of town during a case. So the fact that you want us to drive four counties away is very telling.”

  “Mom, I love you with all of my heart, but with everything that is going on, I don’t have the time to stand here and argue with you.”

  “I don’t want to argue with you either.”

  “Good.”

  “I want you to come to your senses and leave town with us,” my mom said.

  “You know I can’t do that.”

  “You have a strange way of confusing can’t with won’t.”

  “I know you think I make reckless decisions sometimes. That I don’t truly understand the danger of investigating cases. That I don’t realize how bad things could go. But I do.”

  “That’s all the more reason to come with us.”

  “I wish I could convince you that everything is going to be all right. That you have nothing to worry about.”

  “Tell my anxiety that. I’m worried sick here.
”

  “I’m sorry about that. I don’t mean to worry you. In the same way that Jessica never goes out of her way to worry me. But sometimes, there’s no way to avoid it,” I said.

  “Except in this case, there is a way,” she said.

  “Mom, there’s nothing you can say that will change my mind.”

  “I’m begging you—”

  “Wade and Kyle need to be put back behind bars. Who better to do that than the people who locked them up in the first place?”

  “Do you ever stop and ask yourself how much longer you’re going to be able to keep this up? Running around town after killers. You’re not as young as you used to be.”

  “Why don’t you ask David that same question?”

  “The situation is a little different for him.”

  “Exactly. He’s weathered even worse storms than I have and he’s still as determined as ever.”

  “Sabrina, we’re talking about you right now,” Elizabeth said. “You’re my daughter—”

  “I get it. I’m always going to be your little girl, no matter how old I get. But there’s one thing you can’t deny. After all the cases I’ve worked on, I have more investigative experience than most people on the police force do.”

  My mother groaned. “Arguing with you is just a waste of time.”

  “And time is of the essence.”

  My mom pulled me in close and gave me a hug. “You be careful out there.”

  Chapter Nine

  Once their bags were packed, my mother, my stepfather, my daughter, and my dog all hopped into my mom’s green sedan and headed out of town. Only a few people knew where they were headed. That was for the best.

  With my loved ones safely on their way out of town, I could relax a little. It was stressful enough trying to track two killers down without the added anxiety of worrying that my family members would get caught in the crossfire. It was bad enough that David and I were putting ourselves in harm’s way. But that was our choice. That was all part of the job when trying to bring fugitives to justice.

  As for Wade and Kyle, the manhunt was on. The police chief put out an all-points bulletin. Photos of the escapees were plastered across the news. And every deputy on the police force was given marching orders to do everything in their power to find them.

  With the big picture things accounted for, David and I tried to put ourselves in the same mindset as the escapees. Maybe by doing so, we could predict their future actions. There were a few likely scenarios. To me, the natural impulse would be to try and get out of town as soon as possible.

  The Mexican border was only three-hundred miles away. The Pacific Ocean, meanwhile, was much closer. More than anything, their course of action depended on how long they planned on stowing away in that delivery truck. Had they jumped off the back of the truck at some point in the middle of the night? Were they still stowed away? Had they made a move to commandeer the truck from the delivery driver? Or had they decided to ditch the truck entirely in favor of other means of transportation?

  There was also the possibility of them hiding out in the forest. There were plenty of wooded areas just outside of the city limits.

  Another option was to contact friends or family for help. My gut was telling me to follow up on that theory. So I fired up my laptop and began compiling a list of all the friends and family members of Kyle Lipinski. David, meanwhile, made of list of all the people that Wade Becker could attempt to contact.

  ***

  It was difficult to overstate the importance of luck when working on a case. Especially early on. Too often at the beginning of an investigation, I felt like I was fumbling around in the dark.

  So it was a welcome sight when we caught a break ninety minutes into our computer research. Although, it wasn’t the pounding away at my laptop that produced the lead. Instead, David got a call over his police radio from a deputy who was on the outskirts of town.

  While he was out on patrol, the deputy had stumbled upon a delivery truck at the side of the road. The truck matched the description of the vehicle from the penitentiary’s security tape.

  David and I both jumped up from our chairs.

  This was huge.

  We immediately darted out to David’s car and sped off to the outskirts of town.

  On the way there, we encountered an unexpected hazard—potholes. Many potholes, to be exact. This backcountry road needed some serious repaving. That became especially clear when David had to swerve at the last minute to avoid going over a particularly large pothole.

  My body jostled in the passenger seat as David turned the steering wheel.

  “Whoa. Watch it. That was close,” I said.

  “I’m doing my best,” David said.

  “I see that.”

  David grimaced. “I can’t believe how rough this road is.”

  “You don’t have to tell me twice,” I said. “Who knew it would be such an obstacle course out here?”

  “I sure didn’t.”

  I winced as I stared at the road. “Just continue to be careful. If you hit one of those potholes, you could pop a tire.”

  Chapter Ten

  My words took on new meaning when we reached the delivery truck a few miles later.

  As we arrived at the scene, the truck was stopped on the side of the road. A police squad car was parked behind the truck.

  Upon closer inspection, it became abundantly clear why the truck had come to a stop on this stretch of road.

  The truck had a flat tire.

  Given the poor condition of the road, that didn’t surprise me.

  The discovery of the truck this early in the investigation would normally be seen as a huge break. Unfortunately, Kyle and Wade were nowhere in sight. Most likely, they had fled into the forest that was beside the road.

  This created a whole new problem. The forest was vast. There was an intimidating amount of ground to cover.

  Before the search for Kyle and Wade could begin, there was another matter to attend to. The fugitives had left more behind than just the truck.

  There was a dead body at the scene. That corpse belonged to the delivery driver. The bearded, skinny, thirty-eight-year-old had been stabbed in the chest.

  I immediately turned away from the body and grimaced. “Just when you think that things can’t get worse.”

  David took a deep breath. “I hate to correct you, but things could still get a lot worse.”

  Considering how there were two killers on the loose, David wasn’t wrong. But for the moment, the dead body was at the forefront of my mind.

  David took a closer look at the victim.

  I, meanwhile, continued to leave my back turned to the corpse. A queasy feeling took hold of me. That was what always happened when I was around a dead body. This deep into my investigative career, I figured that I wouldn’t get so freaked out at the sight of a murder victim. But I always did. I had a feeling that would never change.

  Being a compassionate person was usually a great quality. But during an investigation, it could make things excruciating for me. I couldn’t help but feel bad for the delivery driver. What a terrible way to die.

  That said, I found myself asking a number of questions as well. Had the driver been a part of the jail break plan? Or was he just an innocent man, who had been at the wrong place at the wrong time?

  While I tried to make sense of the scene, David called the medical examiner.

  ***

  It would take a little while for the forensics team to make their way out here.

  In the meantime, I stared into the woods while David spoke with the deputy who had found the delivery truck.

  A few minutes later, David approached me. But I was so deep in thought that I didn’t notice my husband coming my way. When David spoke up, I nearly jumped out of my shoes.

  David gave me a sympathetic look. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  I calmed my breathing. “It’s kind of hard not to. Given the circumstances, I’m terrified
.”

  “Don’t worry. We’ll find Kyle and Wade.”

  “I think it’s a little foolish of you to tell me not to worry.”

  “You’re right. That probably wasn’t the best phrasing.”

  “Right now, your phrasing is the least of my worries,” I said. “They are out there somewhere. On the loose. Desperate to get away. That’s a recipe for disaster.”

  “Not if we find them soon.”

  “That’s a big if.”

  “The entire Treasure Cove police force is working on finding the fugitives,” David said. “Between that, and the fact that there’s an all-points bulletin out on them, I feel confident—”

  “Don’t get me wrong. I know that the police chief is throwing every possible resource at this case. But that doesn’t change the fact that Kyle and Wade have a huge head start on us,” I said.

  “One lucky break can make up for a lot of time,” David said.

  “Don’t you think that’s a little too much to ask for right now?” I asked. “Clearly luck has turned its back on us. Otherwise, Wade and Kyle would have been caught before they had the chance to escape.”

  “I understand that things aren’t stacked in our favor right now, but I can’t stop believing in luck. Especially since we need it more than ever.”

  “Fair enough,” I replied. “That said, we’re going to need more than luck to solve this case.”

  “That’s why I’m glad the K-9 unit will be here shortly.”

  “I was actually going to say that prayer could really do some good right now.”

  “I can’t argue with that. Let’s just hope our prayers are answered,” David said.

  Chapter Eleven

  Forensics arrived on the scene a few minutes later and confirmed what we already knew. The cause of the delivery driver’s death was the stab wound in his chest. While we usually relied heavily on forensics for clues, this was a different type of case. We already knew who we were looking for. We just didn’t know where to find them.