Free Kill for Me by Karen Rose Page A

lure, yet so hard to keep. But Toby had served his master well.
    Charles began the intonations that meant less than nothing to him, but that had opened the world of the occult to a thirteen-year-old with a thirst for knowledge and for blood. Charles believed none of it, but Toby had and it had made him sharper, crueler. Perhaps, ultimately, it had fed his mental instability. Farewell, Toby. I will miss you .
    “Now,” he murmured aloud. “Who can I find to take your place?” There were always others, waiting, anxious to serve. Charles smiled. To serve me , of course.
    He rose, blew out the candles, and put the robes away. He’d use them again very soon. His clients who wished to see signs and portents liked him to dress the part.
    Atlanta, Friday, February 2, 6:45 p.m.
    Luke stood at the glass, staring into the interview room where two men sat at the table in silence. One was Dutton’s mayor, Garth Davis, the other, his attorney. Garth’s unsmiling face was bruised and the right sleeve of his coat was dusty with red Georgia clay.
    Luke glanced over at Hank Germanio, the agent who’d arrested Davis earlier that day. “Did he resist arrest?”
    Germanio shrugged. “Not too much.”
    Luke thought of Susannah and Alex’s twin sister and all the other women Garth Davis had violated thirteen years before and was relieved he hadn’t been the one to arrest the man. One little bruise wasn’t nearly enough. “Too bad.”
    “I know. I kinda wished he had.”
    “Has he said anything?”
    “Only to ask for his lawyer. Slimy little SOB. The lawyer, too.”
    Luke checked his watch. “Chloe said she’d meet me here.”
    “And she has.” State’s Attorney Chloe Hathaway closed the outer door. She was a tall, curvy blond with an eye for style, but anyone who believed that’s all she was, was mistaken. A shrewd mind ticked behind her pretty face, and Luke was happy she was on this case. “Sorry I’m late. I’ve been drafting your warrants for Granville’s, Mansfield’s, and Davis’s houses and businesses.”
    “Are they signed?” Luke asked.
    “Not yet. I wanted my boss to check them over. I don’t want anything being excluded when you all finally search. The fact that you have a doctor, a deputy, and a lawyer-turned-mayor presents all kinds of confidentiality issues depending on how you search and what you find. I don’t want any evidence slipping through our fingers.”
    “I don’t want five kidnapped girls to slip through our fingers, either, Chloe,” Luke said, trying to control his impatience. “The longer it takes to search Granville’s house, the farther away his partner could be.”
    “I understand,” Chloe said. “I really do. But once you find the partner, you don’t want to lose him on an illegal search, do you?”
    Luke gritted his teeth. She was right, but so was he. “How long?”
    “An hour. Two tops.”
    “Two hours? Chloe .”
    “ Luke. Let’s focus on Davis for now. Out of seven original rape club members, he’s the only one left alive. What do we have to tie him to these five murdered girls, besides the photos you found in Daniel’s old house?”
    “Only his social connection to Granville and Mansfield. They were all community leaders. We haven’t had an opportunity to question any of his constituents, neighbors, coworkers, anything.”
    “How about his family?”
    “His wife left town with their two kids yesterday when one of Garth’s cousins was murdered by Mack O’Brien. She was afraid for their safety and said Garth wouldn’t come to the police. We don’t know where she is, exactly. Her sister-in-law, Kate Davis, told us Garth’s wife was going ‘somewhere out west.’ ”
    “Well, once this hits the airwaves, she’ll know it’s safe and she’ll probably come back,” Chloe said. “What about Davis’s parents, siblings?”
    “Parents are both dead, one sister’s living—Kate Davis. We’ll talk to her again.”
    Chloe sighed. “So we don’t have