Rhythm of the Knife: A Meredeth Connelly Mind Hunt Thriller (Meredeth Connelly Mind Hunt Thrillers Book 5) Read online

  “Thanks, Melanie. You’re the best.”

  “I am, aren’t I?” she asked with a smile.

  “Hey, do you have access to the academy rolls?”

  “Yes. Shall I look him up?”

  Meredeth blushed a little. “I only want to know if he’s in class or on a break so I can tell him about the travel.”

  Melanie fought against a knowing smile, then dropped her gaze to her computer’s monitor when she lost. “Let me see.” She clacked away at her keyboard at about six million characters a second, then nodded. “Yep. He’s on a free hour.”

  “Okay, thanks,” said Meredeth. She turned and walked down the hall to their squad room, then to her desk. She looked around and grunted as Bobby sauntered in. The room was full of chatter, and she shook her head while leaving. The hall was better.

  CHAPTER 3

  Hollywood Dreams

  Quantico, VA

  Meredeth dialed Kevin’s private cell number and put her phone to her ear. He picked up on the second ring, but the background reverberated with the bangs and pops of the firing range.

  “Just a second, Mere,” said Kevin. “Let me get out of here.”

  “Sure.” She waited, glancing around surreptitiously as if she were a teenager cutting class to sneak a call to her boyfriend. Other agents strolled down the hall toward the cafeteria or elsewhere in the building, and some waved to her, but no one spoke.

  “Okay, is this better?”

  The bangs and pops had turned into muted bangs and pops, but she could hear him much better and said so. “I thought you’d be on a break, though. I had Melanie check the schedule.”

  “We are on a break. I’m helping some of the younger students with their shooting. You’d be surprised how awful some of them are.”

  “No, I wouldn’t.” She chuckled. “Tell them the back plate trick.”

  “Back plate trick?”

  “Yeah, you know. The back plate of the pistol is in line with the barrel, so put it over the place you want the bullet to go.”

  “Ah, that’s interesting.”

  “Works very well with a Glock.”

  “I’ll pass that on. Kind of halfway between iron sights and point-shooting.”

  “Exactly. An old friend who retired from SEAL Team Six taught that to me.”

  “And if anyone would know all the tricks…”

  “That’s right.”

  “FBI, I love talking to you, but I’m sure you didn’t call in the middle of a workday to chat.”

  “No, I didn’t.”

  “Where to this time?”

  “Los Angeles County.”

  “Oh, Hollywood! I’ve always wanted to be one of those technical consultants.”

  “I’ll see if I can arrange that.”

  “I take it we’ll need to postpone the packing trip to Hanable’s Valley?”

  “Most likely.”

  “How many vics?”

  “Just one so far, but it’s pretty clear there will be more.”

  “What? He’s not even earned his serial killer tag.”

  “I’m sure he has,” she said, “and probably many times over. But the body we have…it’s a copycat crime, and that series had between five and seven victims dropped on a specific time frame. He’s gone to extreme lengths to match the previous set of murders—right down to making sure the victim had the same first name as the first of that older series.”

  “Hmm. I’m guessing the original crimes took place in Whitechapel?”

  “Got it in one. You sure you want to waste your time with teaching and HRT?”

  “Oh, boy, am I. I’ll let you do the profiles, then I’ll sweep in at the end and make the collars.”

  She smiled with one side of her mouth. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

  “All joking aside, Mere, if we need to put off the trip, we can do that. I can still head up there and get the place cleaned up so I can list it. Maybe the buyer will want the furnishings.”

  Meredeth’s smiled slid downward, morphing into a frown. “I…”

  “You, what, Mere?”

  Shaking her head, she said, “Never mind. It’s nothing.”

  “Meredeth Lynne, say what you’re thinking. Didn’t anyone ever teach you to observe, communicate, then take action?”

  “A million years ago. It’s really‍—‍”

  “If you say, ‘nothing,’ I’m coming over there to give you a spanking.”

  She chuckled at that. “It’s just that I was kind of hoping you’d hang on to your house.”

  “In case things here don’t work out?”

  “What? No, no. Things here will work out, Kevin Saunders. Do you hear me?”

  “Yes, ma’am! But if not for that reason, then…”

  “I was hoping we could use it as a vacation home. We could go up there on weekends and spend our days looking for secluded spots in the woods. We could go out in the evenings, or walk, or‍—‍”

  “Or find secluded spots in my bedroom.”

  “Yes.”

  “I mean, our bedroom.”

  “Right.”

  “Hmm. I’ll have to consider it.”

  “I know. Don’t feel like you have to if finances dictate‍—‍”

  “No, it’s nothing like that, Mere. I was going to sell it so I didn’t have to worry about maintaining it. And maybe I still should. We could buy a vacation property with the proceeds—somewhere that’s actually a vacation destination.”

  “Hanable’s Valley is such a sweet place, though, Kevin. And I’ll always think of it as a ‘destination.’ Especially after spending so much time there and meeting so many of your neighbors.”

  “Let me look into it.”

  “Okay.”

  “Let’s get back to Hollywood.”

  “Sherman Oaks.”

  “Hollywood, I said.”

  “Don’t make me come out there and spank you, Saunders. It would embarrass you in front of all your new friends who can’t shoot.”

  Kevin chuckled. “Yeah, not to mention the instructors I’ll be working with as soon as I graduate.”

  “Right.”

  “When do you leave?”

  “Melanie hasn’t made the arrangements yet, but Jim wants us out there today.”

  “Let me guess—he wants you to figure it all out before another body hits the pavement.”

  “Bingo. It may not be possible. I won’t know until I get to the scene and see what he left me.”

  “Be careful, FBI.”

  “I always am, FBI.”

  Kevin chuckled. “Yeah, maybe that nickname doesn’t work so well anymore.”

  Her phone gave a soft chime. “I think Melanie sent over my itinerary. I’ll forward a copy to you.”

  “And call me after hours tonight. We end at seven.”

  “Okay. Are you staying in the dorms?”

  “I might as well if you’re out of town.”

  “Don’t pick up any hot young FBI trainees who can’t shoot, because I can.”

  Laughter rolled across the line. “I know it, Mere, and let me just say that ‘hot’ and ‘young’ don’t hold a candle to ‘hot’ and ‘brilliant’ and ‘sexy’ and ‘Meredeth.’”

  “You better believe it, Saunders,” she said through a grin. “And ditto.”

  CHAPTER 4

  Truth and Consequences

  David Branch’s Farm, NY

  Carl narrowed his eyes and shook his head slowly. Lucy stood before him, her fingers wrestling with one another, tears streaming down her cheeks, her eyes red-rimmed and wet, her lips trembling. “I killed Jonathon for you!” he snapped. “I carved out his heart, remember? I can’t take that back, no matter how contrite you pretend to be.”

  “I… I’m not pretending, Carl. I…I…luh…” She shook her head and dashed the tears from her overflowing eyes. “I had to do something, Carl. He would have raped me, eventually. Or killed me.
Are those eventualities you want?”

  “You used me, Lucy. You lied to my face, you…you…manipulated me.”

  “I…” She hung her head and sobbed. “Carl, please…”

  “How am I supposed to go back to trusting you?”

  “But I couldn’t face him myself, Carl! He was too big, too strong.”

  “How are you going to make your way in the world, Lucy? Do you plan on manipulating everyone around you, all the time?”

  She lifted her head, a modicum of defiance in her teary eyes. “And why not? I’m good at it!”

  “Yeah,” he scoffed. “I guess you are. Stay away from me, Lucy.”

  “No, Carl! Don’t say that! I’m sorry!” She broke into a string of wet sobs, dropping her head forward so her hair hung in front of her face. “I did what I did because I couldn’t see another way. If I’d come to you‍—‍”

  “Which is what you should have done, Lucy. I’d have helped you. I’d have taken that fat pig on just because he was threatening you.”

  “But you wouldn’t have killed him. You’d have beaten him up, but all that would have accomplished would be to make him hate me more. This was the only thing I could think of.”

  “You don’t know what I might have done. Neither do I. Unfortunately, we’ll never find out. What else have you lied to me about?”

  “Nothing, Carl. Nothing! And I didn’t lie about being scared Jonathon would kill me. Just about the beating and the rape.”

  “Who beat you up? The truth this time.”

  “I…” She shook her head and dropped her gaze to the floor. “It was Alex.”

  “And why?”

  She lifted her head, eyes blazing. “Does it matter? Alex beat me badly, and I saw an opportunity. I took it, just like Father taught me.”

  Carl shook his head, then covered his face with his hands. “Do you know what you’ve done to me? I’ll have to tell Alex. I’ll have to‍—‍”

  “Alex knows.”

  “‍—‍tell Father. Do you know what he’ll do to me? You won’t get in trouble—you’re practicing your art…but me? You led me around by the nose, and Father won’t like that at all.”

  “You don’t have to tell him. Alex will keep quiet.”

  “And you know this? You know him?”

  “I know him enough to know he will keep his word to me. He didn’t like Jonathon any more than Father did. Or us for that matter.”

  Carl shook his head. “What’s worse than showing weakness? I’ll tell you: it’s showing weakness and then trying to cover it up. That’s how you get killed around here.”

  “Listen, Carl, Father will be glad Jonathon’s dead. He was going to order Alex to do it soon. Everyone knows that.”

  “Oh? You know Father’s mind, too?”

  “You saw how he interacted with Jonathon…like he was sorry to have saved him.”

  “Let’s get back to my question. What else did you lie to me about? And don’t say, ‘nothing.’ You don’t become an expert liar like you are by telling one lie.”

  Lucy dropped her gaze. “I’m sorry you no longer trust me, Carl. I’d hoped…”

  “What? You’d hoped we’d stick together? That we’d get married, and I’d kill whoever you told me to? I’m destined for better, Lucy. I’m destined for greatness. I’m destined to eclipse you, to eclipse Alex, Mack. Maybe even Father, but I won’t fulfill that destiny if Father kills me.”

  “And what’s wrong with sticking together? We make a good team.”

  “Teammates don’t have to lie to each other.”

  She collapsed to the edge of her bed, then sat there, shoulders slumped, head lowered, gazing at the carpet, and tears fell from her eyes, sluiced down her cheeks, then ran onto her chin, where they fell to the floor. “Carl…I’m… You’re right. I should have trusted you to help. I shouldn’t have manipulated you.” She lifted her tear-streaked face and gazed into his eyes. “I’m so sorry. I wish I could go back, could do everything over. Can you forgive me? Can we work to get back to the relationship we had? The relationship I‍—‍”

  “Ruined!” he snapped.

  “Please, Carl,” she said in a voice that shook and quavered, a voice that sounded like tears. “I’ll make it up to you, I swear, and if Father ever finds out, I’ll make him understand that I’m to blame, not you.”

  “You just don’t get it, Lucy,” Carl said and sighed, shaking his head. “Father wants us to be strong. Having you step in and try to save me will be another nail in my coffin.”

  “But‍—‍”

  “No buts, Luce.” He turned toward the door but stopped halfway. “Did… I mean, before this, did you really…”

  “Like you? Yes, I genuinely did—do. You are the first guy I ever cared about, Carl, and you’re just perfect. Everything that happened…my fault, all of it. I just hope you can forgive me in time.”

  “Yeah, maybe.”

  “I’ll be here waiting, Carl. If you ever need anything, I’m your girl. And I mean anything. You need relief? Come to my room and I’ll get you off. We can make it like it was, like in the beginning when we enjoyed each other’s bodies without…without…” She stopped, watching Carl’s back as he walked out and closed her door behind him.

  She turned off the waterworks and sat up straight, wiping away the tears with a corner of her bedclothes. She thought it had gone well, thought Carl would be back. Maybe he would hold out until the next time he was horny, but he’d come back to her arms, and when he did, she’d start sowing the seeds for a longer, more permanent relationship.

  The thought made her smile.

  CHAPTER 5

  Taking The Tour

  Los Angeles County, CA

  The Bureau Gulfstream G650 settled on its shock absorbers as the Rolls Royce BR725 engines wound down like dying banshees, their shrieking reverberating in the confines of the metal-walled hangar and concrete floor. The flight had taken only a little more than three and a half hours—which was the benefit of a custom flight at just under the speed of sound.

  Meredeth turned her attention from her window and unfastened her seatbelt. Bobby was already up, of course, having taken one step back as was his habit to allow her to go in front of him. He got her purse and laptop case out of storage, then placed them on his seat for her convenience. She shouldered both and stepped into the aisle.

  The pilot stepped out of the cockpit and leaned against the forward bulkhead. “What’s the case this time?”

  Grinning at the man—the same pilot who’d flown them to Saint Petersburg—Meredeth said, “Another smooth flight and smoother landing. You are ruining me for commercial flights.”

  He chuckled and nodded. “And we almost beat the commercial flight time by two hours.”

  “And we thank you for that. As for the case, let’s just say someone thinks Sherman Oaks is London’s East End.”

  The pilot arched his eyebrows. “A Ripper copycat?”

  “Great pilot and smart? If I wasn’t involved with someone…”

  The pilot burst into laughter. “Just my luck. However, I’m a happily married man.” As she approached the front of the plane, he stepped back into the doorway of the cockpit to allow her room to pass. “Thanks for flying Alphabet Air.”

  “Can’t beat the prices,” Bobby said.

  “And the scheduling,” added Meredeth. She climbed down the built-in steps and turned her attention to the hangar. Two men stood near the human-sized door in the side of the building. L.A. County Homicide detectives, unless she missed her guess, almost wearing the unofficial uniforms of male plainclothes cops everywhere—comfortable shoes shined to a high gloss, wash-and-wear slacks in dark colors, belt, dress shirt and tie, and off-the-rack suit coat. Judging by the bulges, they also wore shoulder rigs to carry their primary weapons.

  One of the detectives stepped forward, his hand outstretched in greeting. “Agent Connelly? I’m Cliff McCloe, Homicide for LASD. The big g
uy with the sour pus behind me is Roger Shelton, my partner.”

  Meredeth took his hand and gave it a firm squeeze. “Special Agent Meredeth Connelly, but I hope you’ll dispense with formality and call me Meredeth. The Ken-doll making his way out of the plane is my partner, Bobby Van Zandt.” She glanced at Roger, who was tall and heavily muscled…and also didn’t seem too comfortable meeting her direct gaze.

  “Meetcha,” said Cliff as he raised his eyes to a point over and behind her right shoulder.

  “Right back at you,” said Bobby.

  “Let’s get out of this heat,” grumbled Shelton. “We’ll have our fill of it at the crime scene.”

  “Unless you don’t care about the crime scene?” asked Cliff.

  “No, I do,” said Meredeth. “It helps me get a feel for the mind that committed the murder.”

  “That’s settled then.” Cliff raised his gaze to the Gulfstream and issued a low whistle. “Must be nice.”

  “It is,” said Meredeth, “but we don’t get to use it very often. My boss thought waiting until later this afternoon back home would lose us a day, so he wrangled us a ride.”

  “Car’s this way,” said Shelton as he turned and headed for the door. “It’s not as luxurious as that G650, but then again, it can’t lose power and drop out of the sky like a stone.”

  “Is he always this positive?” Meredeth stage whispered to Cliff.

  “No,” said Shelton over his shoulder. “Sometimes we catch a bad case, and then I get grumpy.”

  “It’s true,” said Cliff. “And if he doesn’t get his morning donut and coffee, watch out.”

  “I’ll bear that in mind,” Meredeth said with a grin.

  “Donuts do make me happy,” said Roger. “So does closing cases. I don’t suppose this one will go easy.”

  Meredeth shook her head and stepped out into the LA sunshine. “I hope you’re wrong, but the realist inside me tends to agree. Tell me, are there other serial cases ongoing or suspected in L.A. County?”

  Cliff shrugged. “A couple of cold cases and one with the last victim found three and a half weeks ago.”

  “We’ll need to review those files, too,” said Bobby.