Jayden Roe Mystery 02-The Final Lie by Lily Campbell (read a book .TXT) 📗

The body was missing its left ring finger. It had a series of freckles along the arms and above the right knee that he knew well. Even the body proportions looked right.

Jay could feel Dave’s eyes on the back of his head. He knew that if he gave into his emotions now, he would lose the game.

He dropped to his knees. He buried his face in his hands as internally he wrapped himself in ice and steel. Slowly he moved his hands to look at the body again. Wrapped in cold, unfeeling logic, he caught what his shock would have made him miss.

This was not Stella Haraby. The mask had been the give away really, but he could see more now. There were sear marks, where the woman’s own body marks had been burned away, including a large one in the cleft of her neck. The freckles, though done well, were actually tattoos, the area around them bruised. And the work done to this woman’s chest to make her match Stella’s proportions, was unhealed. Like the bruises and burning though, the surgical cuts would have been missed at first glance, hidden behind the myriad of other abuse she had suffered before death. Also noticeable was the sharp bite of peroxide which meant the hair color was unnatural.

Jay rose slowly to his feet, and Dave reached out to help him. It took a tremendous amount of willpower not to shake the man off.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think he’d kill her either. Not yet.”

Jay turned his face so that Dave could see the small smile. He took a moment to enjoy the surprise and speculation that flickered in the green-blue eyes watching. Clearly, the man was worried he had lost his mind.

“That isn’t Stella. If I had to hazard a guess, I would say it was Bridgette.”

The calm words turned the speculation to annoyance, but it was dulled a bit by the wonder behind them.

Jay bit back a rueful laugh. Being idolized and hated in equal measure was getting old fast. “I’m calling in Dr. Daniels.”

“What? But—”

“She dealt with the finger well. We can trust her with this.”

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

The news of the shooting had arrived the morning after they had found the dangling corpse. Jay had enjoyed the night of triumph, but took the blow visibly.

Some time after Dr. Daniels had collected the corpse, the Mayor’s son, Jack, had decided to end Lloyd’s reign and gone to shoot him. He had shot Gary Peters instead. Realizing his error, he had committed suicide.

Dave had delivered the news with barely concealed malice, and Jay had been unable to stop himself from shaking his head. The man had clearly hoped his ploy with Ms. Carmichael would have left Jay broken for longer. He wouldn’t take losing well.

***

Dave watched Jay begin digging into the police reports about the shooting and smiled to himself. His hacking had made Gary’s betrayal obvious and, just like with the Piers, he had to be eliminated so that Jay would be alone.

He had been awed and irritated when Jay’s moment of despair had passed so quickly. He had wanted to bring him down, break his spirit. Instead, the man had proved worthy of the years spent watching and planning. Overnight, however, that awe had turned into fuel for the irritation. He had to surpass Jayden Roe, to make him admit that he had been defeated. That was the entire point of this game—for Dave Tiller to be the only one in history to defeat the great Jayden Roe.

“You get anything in from Dr. Daniels yet?”

Jay’s tense voice made his smile almost break across his face, but he kept his voice clear. “You were right about the body being Bridgette, but she’s done no more than gain ID. I imagine the murder-suicide will take over as priority.”

“He really leaves no one. He had gone to Ms. Carmichael, not to gain her help, but to scope out the estate so that he could kidnap both Stella and Miranda. He had to leave Ms. Carmichael alive and in place long enough for us to get the leads, then he took her down.”

“You suspected she was alive? Why not dead like the gossipers and the couple from the Bronze Rose?” Dave asked, not quite able to keep the curiosity from his tone. The game was almost over anyway. From what he had seen, Jay would soon lay the blame on Lloyd and the sheriff, allowing him to claim victory. A few slips and cracks wouldn't make any difference now.

“The others were too old. This person only takes younger women, and never any men,” Jay said, then paused, tilting his head. “I think I might have found something.”

Dave leaned closer. “What is that?”

“A trail left by Gary.”

“You never did say why you kept your alliance with him a secret.”

Jay glanced up. “He didn’t want it known, and I figured it was likely for the best.”

Dave narrowed his eyes a little then gestured at the screen. “What does his trail achieve?”

“It connects Lloyd, his hired cronies, and the corrupt sheriff. I think I might be able to bring them down. Look. Lloyd was looking for properties and had stopped on the house where we found the corpse. We can have him done for this. Just give me three days. I’ll send you my work so you can learn to lay it out so it is easy for the local law to deal with. We should work out here in the lounge too so we can hit ideas back and forth if necessary. You ready to follow the trail to the end, Dave?”

Dave grinned and nodded. “This is what I’ve been waiting for.”

Good boy, Jay. Follow the trails and then I can show you, before Stella’s drowned corpse, how