Chapter 16
Holden had suspected it was the serial killer that plagued the other two pageants, and now he had proof, or as close to definitive evidence as he’d have until he apprehended the bastard. The same DNA had been discovered at both murder sites, indicating the same killer. He didn’t have DNA evidence processed from the Ms. Mustang Valley pageant yet, but he wasn’t waiting on it. The fact that Bella was his next target was clear enough. From the camera he’d found on her window to the attack on first her and now Becky, the killer was following his or her own profile to a T.
Bella. He had no regrets about making love to her that morning, but it had been too risky. If anything had happened while he’d been distracted...
You knew you were safe, protected. MVPD had been there the entire time. Still, Bella was more than a woman he was attracted to in a very big way. She was his friend’s sister. He owed the truth to Spence—that he’d let his dick run the show that morning. Of course, that put Holden at risk, because Spencer was likely to clock him when he found out he’d put personal pleasure over mission requirements.
Before he had a chance to come up with the best way to let Spencer know that he had made sure the other LEA were in place before he made love to Bella, he heard the crunch of steps on the crushed seashells and gravel.
Spencer rounded the far corner of the yard, his expression resolute. They were on the eastern edge of the house and property so there was still some shade thrown by the house, but it was rapidly narrowing as the sun traveled across the sky.
“Hey.” Spencer nodded. He was alone, with no sign of his dog Boris or the curtain Holden had asked for.
“Good morning. Did you find something to block out the view through the bathroom-shower window?”
“I did—it’s in my SUV. I wanted to talk to you alone first, without Bella hearing us. Is she inside?”
“Yes. She’s busy on a videoconference for the pageant, in the spare room, so we can go inside if you want.” It was at least twenty degrees cooler in the house.
Spencer shook his head. “Not right away. First, give me the rundown on what you have so far.”
“Not as much as I’d like, but I do have some new information from my office in Phoenix.” Holden outlined where they were so far, including the description of the explosion he’d gleaned from Bella and the other women. He told Spencer about finding Becky at the base of the backstage stairwell, and that she was expected to make a full recovery. “I’m waiting for you to tell me we can resume pageant activity at Mustang Valley High. Or do you think we need to move it?”
Spencer shook his head. “No, we’re not moving it. My chief talked to your boss, too, and they’re in agreement that this might be the only chance to catch the serial killer. At least it looks like we can take Becky off the suspect list. Although, frankly, I’m not ruling out anything.”
“You think Becky threw herself down the stairs?” Holden knew it was possible, but considered it unlikely. It would have been too difficult for Becky to set off the bomb at the same time.
“It’s always possible. No matter, we’re going to go ahead with the pageant. We’ve got the high school locked down tight now. I’m concerned that if we move it anywhere else, it could leave a hole for the killer to sneak through.”
Holden’s gut twisted. “I don’t like where this is going, Spencer.”
“You think that I do? Bella’s my sister, man.” He didn’t say what they both knew, he didn’t have to. The killer had his target on Bella. She fit the profile perfectly with her green eyes and red hair.
“I can put a call in to get a substitute, a look-alike.” But Holden knew that the FBI didn’t operate as it was often portrayed on television or in the movies. Finding an agent who matched Bella’s description wasn’t easy, and they didn’t have enough time. Plus it would involve letting the entire pageant know that Bella was out, some stranger that looked like her was in. Even if they cut in the contestants and board on the undercover op, it wasn’t safe. It risked spooking the killer, too.
“We both know that won’t happen in time, don’t we?”
“Yeah.” Holden crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I have to think about how we’re going to work this when we go back to the school. I’m pretty certain the killer is behind the attacks—who else would it be? But I don’t like that he’s actually a part of the pageant, and that we haven’t figured out who it is yet. We’ve yet to confirm that any one person has worked all three pageants.”
“I hear you. I’m working on a difficult case myself.” Lines appeared between Spencer’s brows.
“Yeah?”
“Are you aware of what’s going on in Mustang Valley with the other side of the Coltons? The rich side?” Spencer grinned and it reminded Holden of the laughs they’d had downrange. Humor was imperative when facing life-or-death situations each day, and Spencer’s had helped him through.
“I’m up to speed on the fact that Ace Colton was switched at birth, that no one knows by who or why. And the man he thought was his father, Payne Colton, remains in a coma, correct?” Holden had almost forgotten about that case, as he was so wrapped up in the pageant killer.
“That’s right.” Spencer shifted his weight, his concern evident. “We finally tracked the email sent via the dark web to Colton Oil that spilled the beans on Ace Colton not being a biological Colton. It was from a man named Harley Watts’s laptop, and he admitted he sent the email, as ordered by his boss. He was about to tell us who exactly he worked for, but then he had a visitor and clammed up.”
Holden’s nape tingled. “Who was the visitor?”
“Have you noticed the contestant Leigh Dennings?”
“Blonde, pretty, always super nice—to a fault. Yeah, I’ve noticed her.” He’d cringed as she’d spoken to Bella the other day. “She’s with the Affirmation Alliance Group, right?”
“Yup. She’s a big follower of Affirmation Alliance Group, AAG, one of their ‘welcome managers.’”
“Right. I’ve heard of AAG, and have read quite a bit of backstory on them. I’ve been keeping an eye on her, but frankly most of my attention is directed at keeping Bella safe and catching the killer.” He had two large interests that drew him to apply for the FBI: serial killers and cults. This particular case should be his dream LEA op, but instead he’d found himself more worried than intrigued.