Atrocity Read online

  “Sorry, Mom. The tape came loose on the bottom of the box, and everything fell out.” Natalie knelt to the floor and began picking up the mess. “Mom?”

  Carolyn walked to her daughter’s side. “What’s wrong, honey?”

  “What the hell is this stuff?”

  Chapter 43

  My desk was clean for the most part—at least I could see seventy-five percent of its surface. I checked the time, and it was nearly five o’clock. I had been reading witness statements and setting up final interviews for hours. I’d visit with some of those witnesses next week before they were expected to appear in court to testify.

  I whispered across the room to Clayton and Billings. “How’s it going, guys? Need any help?”

  Clayton grinned. “You might have to clear that with Jack first. I’m almost through with the Vilas County list.” He turned to Billings. “How much do you have left?”

  Adam rolled his neck, and I wrinkled my nose at the popping sounds. “That didn’t sound good.”

  “Yeah, everything is seizing up on me. I need to hit the chiropractor again soon.” He looked from Kate to me. “You two have a few years before everything goes to shit.”

  “That’s encouraging,” Kate said.

  Billings ran his finger down the list then answered Chad’s question. “I still have nine calls to make. Most of the land owners that I spoke to said they only have one dwelling on the property. A few, but not many, said they have a guest cottage, or a bunkhouse, if you will, on their land for the times when friends and family visit.”

  “So out of the calls you’ve made, none have multiple cabins on their land?”

  “Not on my calls.” Billings turned to Chad.

  “Mine neither.”

  I slumped in my chair. “That means by the time we go home today, you’ll either have found something and our investigation will continue or life goes back to normal come tomorrow.”

  “That sounds about right, Amber,” Chad said. “It’s the way it is. Brian Cox may have gotten away with kidnapping Trish after all.”

  I was too focused on the clock to pay attention to the witness statements I was reviewing. I realized I had read the same page four times and decided to give up. I couldn’t concentrate. Chad and Adam were nearly done with their lists, and we were about to call it a day.

  Jack exited his office at 5:50 p.m. “Okay, Jamison and Horbeck will be here any minute. Do you have something for me to pass on to them?”

  Clayton shook his head. “I’ve got nothing, boss.”

  “That makes two of us.” Billings checked my expression. “Sorry, Amber, it’s just not there.”

  “Okay, then the Brian Cox investigation is officially over with. We’ll continue to follow up on leads that come in from the tip line, but our time and efforts are going back to our normal activities. Understood?”

  “Why did you only look at me when you asked that question?”

  Jack smiled. “Because I know you’re like a dog with a bone. The Monroe apples didn’t fall far from the tree. Go home, guys. I appreciate all the hard work and dedication you’ve put into this case, but as you know, there isn’t always a positive outcome.”

  “Boss?”

  Jack smiled as if he knew I didn’t want to let it go. “Yeah?”

  “What are you going to tell Mr. and Mrs. Philips?”

  “The truth, and I’ll offer our apologies. We’ve exhausted our leads, and we can’t find Brian and Trish. There’s nothing more I can say to them. I know it’s going to be painful, but we’ve done all we can.” Jamison and Horbeck entered the bull pen as Jack finished speaking. “Go ahead and get out of here, you guys. I’ll explain everything to Brian and Lee.”

  Kate and I reluctantly left for home. I could only speak for myself, but defeat and worry filled my mind. I couldn’t let go of the images I had conjured up every time I thought of Trish being held against her will by her angry and abusive husband.

  My phone vibrated in my back pocket. I lifted my right hip and pulled it out. A text had come in from Jade. “Humph, Jade must miss us. She’s wondering when we’re coming home.”

  Kate smiled. “Maybe she wants to surprise us with a three-course dinner ready and waiting on the table.”

  “Yeah, right. That’ll happen the same time I win the lottery.” I sent off a return message that we’d be home in five minutes.

  Kate parked in the driveway, and we entered the front door, nearly bumping into Jade, who stood in the foyer waiting for us.

  “What the heck are you doing?” I passed her and continued to the laundry room, where I hung my shoulder holster on the wall hook.

  “Have a seat, guys. I need to tell you something.”

  I gave Jade a raised brow. “Sounds serious. What’s up, Sis?”

  Jade tipped her head toward the living room. Kate and I took seats on the couch, and Jade sat facing us on the recliner.

  “Carolyn Connor just called me. She sounded upset and asked if we could swing by the old house.”

  I tried to rub away the headache that was sneaking up on me. “I’m too tired to visit with anyone tonight, and I’ll admit, I’m not in the mood to feign happiness. Jack just took us off the Brian Cox case, meaning the search for that psycho and Trish is officially over, at least on our part.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that, Amber, but listen to what I have to say. What Carolyn just told me could be related to a number of cases.”

  Chapter 44

  “I don’t understand, Jade. Why would a boxful of newspaper clippings about missing and dead women in other states have anything to do with the Brian Cox case? There are a lot of people who save newsworthy articles. Dad kept dozens of photo albums full of newspaper write-ups about high-profile cases.”

  “At face value, it doesn’t, Amber. Anyway, we’re wasting time. Carolyn and Natalie can explain everything when we get there.”

  “What about dinner?” Kate asked.

  “It’s to your benefit to come along. I’ll stop at a drive-through restaurant on the way. Now let’s go. Carolyn is expecting us.”

  I groaned my reluctance. All I wanted to do was pout and lie on the couch. Even if I wanted to dig deeper to find Brian, I couldn’t do it alone. Jack had made it perfectly clear that starting tomorrow, we’d go back to our usual routine.

  We climbed into Jade’s car, and she sped out of our subdivision. The Connor home was only four miles away.

  When we pulled into the driveway, I saw Carolyn and Natalie peering out the living room window. “Damn, somebody must have done something bad. Those two really look uptight.”

  “You’ll understand soon enough.”

  A look of anxiety swept across Carolyn’s face when she saw us pull in. She rose from the couch and opened the door. “Thank you for coming, ladies.” Her brow furrowed. “Natalie and I didn’t know who else to call.”

  Jade patted her shoulder. “Let’s sit at the kitchen table. We need to see what you’ve found, and I want you to tell Amber and Kate everything you told me over the phone.”

  “I’ll pour the coffee.” Natalie opened the upper cabinet and pulled out five cups. I nodded to Kate.

  “Let me give you a hand,” Kate said.

  Carolyn began. “In short, what I told Jade over the phone earlier is that Natalie was carrying one of Nick’s boxes into his office. The bottom broke loose, and the contents spilled onto the floor. There were dozens of newspaper articles going back nearly fifteen years about women who had gone missing. They were either found out of their minds or their remains were discovered purely by chance months later.”

  “That isn’t uncommon, Carolyn, except the part where women were found alive but out of their minds,” I said.

  Jade spoke up. “And that’s what piqued my interest because of all the recent news coverage about Candy Dennis. The similarity is uncanny.”

  Kate frowned. “Meaning?” She and Natalie handed each of us a cup of coffee and took their seats at the table.

  �
�Meaning that’s exactly what happened to Candy, but the three women who went missing just months prior were found dead.”

  “What caught our attention were the dates and locations of the missing and dead women in those newspaper articles.” Carolyn sucked in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “These clippings go in order from the earliest one in Milwaukee to Chicago and finally to St. Paul. That’s the same route as our moves from Wisconsin to Illinois and finally to Minnesota. The date that the last woman in each city was found matches the date we moved on to the next state.”

  I stared at Carolyn in disbelief. “So you’re saying women went missing in every town you moved to shortly after you arrived?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then some were found mentally altered and some dead. Then Nick moved your family to another state and the process started up again?”

  “I’m afraid so. And why would he save these clippings if there wasn’t some kind of personal connection?”

  Carolyn wiped her eyes as Natalie spread the clippings across the table. “Look at all of the articles he’s saved—some are as recent as a week ago. Did my dad do these deeds? Is he some kind of lunatic who beats women until their brains are so badly injured they can’t function anymore, or is he worse? Is he actually killing women too?”

  “We need to look through everything tonight, Natalie. It’s urgent that we figure out what’s really going on here before your dad arrives,” Jade said.

  I needed to ask the question I was sure Carolyn dreaded. “Has Nick always traveled by himself during every move you’ve made?”

  She nodded. “It just seemed to work out better that way. I go ahead and get everything settled while I wait for the movers to arrive. Nick stays behind to sign the closing documents with the new owners and then check on our properties scattered throughout Wisconsin as he makes his way to our new home.”

  I fanned out the newspaper articles and read the captions as I listened. “How many properties do you have?”

  Carolyn looked at Natalie. “I’m not sure, but there’s a mixed bag of them. Do you know, Nat?”

  “At least a dozen different properties that I know of. That’s how Dad makes his living these days.”

  I raised a brow at Jade. “I still don’t get why Kate and I are here. You were almost involved in the case where the missing women in St. Paul were found dead. Do you think Nick could actually be the perp?”

  “It’s quite a coincidence that Candy turned up at the same time Nick and Carolyn were moving back to North Bend. The pattern is identical to the previous cases. The reason you two are here is that Natalie said one of the properties they own is on a very secluded lake in northern Wisconsin. Carolyn said Nick spends a few weeks there every year fishing with a couple of buddies.”

  My eyes darted to Carolyn. “Do you know a Brian Cox or a Mark Peters?”

  “No, I’ve never heard either name mentioned. Should I know them?”

  My shoulders dropped. “No, just wishful thinking.”

  “Son of a bitch!”

  Our heads spun at Kate’s unexpected outburst.

  “What is it?”

  She pulled a photo from the mix of newspaper clippings and turned it toward me. “Does this cabin look familiar?”

  Chapter 45

  Brian opened the cabin’s door and looked to the right. “What are you doing out here alone?”

  Cole sat on one of the Adirondack chairs and stared out at the fish jumping at gnats skimming the surface of the lake. “Trying to sort out the phone call I got.”

  “Let’s hear it.” Brian turned his head to the inside of the cabin. “Shut your damn mouth, Trish. Jesus, I need a break from her constant incoherent blabbering. I’ve already had to smack her several times.”

  “You tied her up, didn’t you?”

  “Yeah, she isn’t going anywhere. Hell, she still can’t walk worth a shit.”

  “She will, just give her a few more hours.”

  “Hang on a sec.” Brian went inside and returned moments later with two beers. He cracked them open and handed one to Cole as he took a seat. “Okay, what’s up?”

  “The Washburn County Sheriff’s Office called my private phone line a half hour ago.”

  “What! That was them when your phone rang earlier? What the hell did they want?”

  “A Detective Billings called and asked if I still owned the land surrounding the lake off Deer Path Trail. I told him yes. Then he asked if the property had any rental units on it. Of course, I said no or I’m sure the next call would have been from the IRS.”

  “Good answer. Why do you think they called you?”

  Cole wrinkled his brow. “Because they’re searching for you, why else? It was Washburn County calling, and that’s where you live, asshat.”

  “No need to get testy, man. There isn’t a connection between us, so why call you about anything, and how did they know you have land here?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine, but they’re cops. Cops search for things, you know?”

  Brian raked his hair. “I’ve never mentioned your name or the location of the cabin to anyone. Mark is the only link between us, and he wouldn’t talk to the cops.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m positive. He’s like a brother to me, and I know he’d never betray either of us. Hell, he gave me his car to use, and that would make him an accomplice. Nope, no way. I trust him one hundred percent.”

  “Either way, it’s time to split up. As much fun as this has been, I should head home before the old lady starts looking for me or goes to the cops. That Washburn County detective called my Minnesota cell phone. As far as they know, that’s where I live. I wouldn’t want her tipping them off about anything else. I’ll catch a few hours of sleep and leave in the middle of the night.”

  “What about Trish?”

  “Just do what you’re doing and she’ll be good to travel in twenty-four hours. Don’t leave here until late tomorrow night under the cover of darkness. Stay off the main highways and you’ll be fine. When everything settles down, I’ll have Mark come and pay you a visit.” Cole reached in his pocket and took a single key off his key ring. “This is the key for the rental in Watersmeet. Nobody will ever find you there. The town is small, the house is secluded, and there is plenty of tree cover and fishing lakes in the area. It’s right up your alley.”

  “Thanks, man. It’s been a crazy ten years of friendship. I hope you’ll come visit me and the little lady now and then.”

  The men clinked beer cans and laughed.

  “Are you kidding? I’ve perfected my art. Of course I want to check on my project every chance I get. Maybe I’ll even create an obedient girlfriend for Mark and they can move up there too.”

  Brian guzzled his beer and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Fishing every day and a woman who does everything she’s told without one lick of back talk? That sounds about as close to heaven as a guy can get.”

  Chapter 46

  “Give me a second to think this through. My mind is going a hundred miles a minute.” I grabbed my purse and pulled out my notepad. Kate did the same. “Carolyn, where is this cabin? Is this the one where Nick goes fishing with his buddies? Is this a property you guys own?”

  “I don’t know. In my eyes, it’s all just rental income. I’ve never been to any of the places.”

  Jade spoke up. “Where are your tax returns, and how long do you keep them? Nick would have to list each property as a source of income if they’re rented out.”

  Carolyn pressed her temples. “His accountant keeps track of everything. He stores the hard copies at his office in Minneapolis.”

  I frowned. “That’s unusual. Who does your taxes?”

  “Nick has used the same guy for years, but I don’t even know his name. I’m a housewife, for God’s sake. I don’t get mixed up in his business dealings.”

  “How would Nick and Brian ever know each other to begin with?” Kate asked.

  “We lived in
North Bend until twelve years ago, remember? They could have met way back then,” Carolyn said.

  “But Brian’s name isn’t familiar to you?”

  “No, so maybe they were coworkers. You said Brian is from the Slinger area, right?”

  “Yeah, that’s correct. So if the connection is local and they’ve known each other for some time, maybe it was work related.” I looked at Kate. “Did we ever check into Brian’s employment history beyond the last two jobs?”

  “Nope, it didn’t seem relevant.” Kate turned to Carolyn. “What did Nick do for a living before he started buying up real estate?”

  “He worked at a medical research clinic for many years. Every time we moved, he just said it was a transfer. Now I have my doubts that he even worked at the same company after we left North Bend.”

  “What was the name of the place?”

  Natalie spoke up. “I remember. It was Prentice Research in Allenton.”

  “That research company is still in business, isn’t it, Jade?” I asked.

  “I believe so. Keep talking. I’ll check it out.” Jade began tapping keys on her cell phone.

  “What type of work did Nick do there?”

  “He was a scientist. He tried to come up with cures for things, especially mental illness.”

  I shook my head. “How do you cure mental illness? People take medication to help with some of their symptoms, but I’ve never heard of a cure. What do you mean by that, exactly?”

  “I don’t know. He didn’t explain his day-to-day activities to me. He went to work and did what scientists do, but I remember him being overly obsessed with the fact that his mother had a lobotomy fifty years ago. He was too young to remember the details, but according to the stories passed down, the procedure didn’t help with anything. In fact, it turned her into a slobbering catatonic zombie who had to be institutionalized for the rest of her life. The kids grew up without a nurturing mom, and they only visited her in a sanitarium a few times a year. Nick never discussed her with outsiders.”

  Jade’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head. “Oh, hell no, I can’t believe Nick would do something like that. Could he possibly be using those women as test subjects? I have to think about this.” She rubbed the frown lines on her forehead. “The women he abducted were normal in every sense of the word. They weren’t mentally impaired, so why give them lobotomies? Yet, if that is what he’s doing, it would explain Candy’s current condition. She’s the only one in the St. Paul case who has lived through the abduction, and look how she’s turned out. Everyone thinks she was beaten about the head, but maybe it was actually some crazy type of lobotomy.” Jade pulled up the website for Prentice Research. “Damn it, just like I figured. All of their offices are closed until morning.”