Page 11 of Stalker (Legacy of Kings #3)

CHAPTER 10

C assandra

Come play in a sensual world.

Where beasts rule the wild.

I shuddered when I thought of the words within the invitation. My skin crawled while my mind continued floating toward the unknown. And the what-ifs.

“With this being such a high-profile case, as you might imagine, I want to ensure that I have my best prosecutor staying on top of the situation.” Mr. Wells was standing with Joseph Marsh, another prosecutor who rarely came into the office.

A group of attorneys and staff were standing close together in the smaller conference room as Mr. Wells went over the situation with the Monahan case. Given it had been less than twenty-four hours since the man’s arrest, it was obvious the police department was fast tracking this. Maybe because his father had already threatened to sue the city.

I stood in the back with my arms folded, Cash teasing me by throwing me funny looks every few seconds.

“That being said, with this being a high-profile situation that could take several weeks of pretrial activity if not months, I’m also going to be reassigning several cases.”

As Mr. Wells droned on about how this would work, my thoughts drifted to the case I’d tried hard to ignore. I’d documented every glorious article about the Blackwell Group and had dug as deep as possible without being asked for an invite for an interview.

Somehow, I knew that wasn’t going to occur.

I had hopes of gaining access through the hunt. Beads of perspiration lingered on my lip. Every time I thought about the invitation, my pulse rocketed higher.

If I was slapped onto the Monahan case, I’d be back to square one with no time to continue investigating and none to myself.

A small part of my instinct was nagging me that there was a story to be told, but another was reminding me that I could be playing with fire. If I managed to prosecute Drew Monahan, putting him behind bars in the process, it would add another win that could solidify my rise up the ranks.

I’d already had an email from a prominent firm asking if I’d like to come talk with them. My options were wide open at this point.

I bit my lip, uncertain how I felt about the situation.

“Which is why I’ve assigned the case to Cash Reynolds. As everyone in this office knows, he has shown his expertise in solving the Tyler murders, and his investigation into the Pennington abduction was crucial to bringing the little girl home safely. I believe he will do a fine job, rid the city of a terrible criminal, and continue upholding our office’s strong reputation. Congratulations, Cash.”

Wait. What?

Blinking several times, I pulled back from my daydreaming fog just as other associates were clapping, patting Cash on the back. Not that the man wasn’t qualified, but I was shocked.

So was Cash.

His mouth had gone slack, his eyes suddenly wide open. I adored Cash with everything I had in my system and he was a brilliant attorney, but he’d be eaten alive by the likes of Conrad Monahan.

Cash slowly turned his head in my direction. The poor guy looked like he was going to pass out or worse. He tried to make his way toward me when Mr. Marsh stopped him.

Now everyone was looking in my direction as if I’d obviously done something terribly wrong, which was why I’d been passed over.

As strange as it was since five seconds before I hadn’t been certain if I wanted to be handed the case, I now felt slighted. Yes, I was a ballbuster when it came to my career, but I’d never felt even a hint of jealousy before.

I guess there was a first time for everything.

While I attempted to slink out of the room without talking to anyone, I was stopped by Mr. Wells’ powerful voice.

“Come take a walk with me,” Mr. Wells stated and he wasn’t asking. He gripped my bent arm, leading me from the room. So far, he’d asked very little about what I’d discovered about the Blackwell Group, but I had the distinct feeling that was about to change.

Instead of leading me to his office, we headed for the elevator where he remained quiet as the cold steel box dropped to the lobby. He let go of my arm as we headed toward the rear exit where a patio was located.

“It’s such a lovely day. I thought we could talk outside.”

It was maybe fifty degrees with a light breeze, but when coming off the lakes, that meant it was freezing. I was thankful I’d worn a thicker suit jacket.

He moved to the edge of the patio, which overlooked a manmade lake with a fountain. After shoving his hands into his pockets, he chuckled partially under his breath. “I’m certain you have questions about why I selected Cash for the case.”

“Cash is an excellent attorney. He’s diligent and like a dog with a bone. Plus, he’s brilliant.”

“I already know you’re very close friends, Cassandra. The choice must hurt no matter how good of friends you are. But everything has a reason, including this.”

“Alright. I’ll accept that.”

“First of all, the women Mr. Monahan is accused of killing were all professional woman such as yourself. They found themselves involved in something much darker in their lives, which led them to being victimized. And don’t you dare think I am suggesting that their activities provided the perpetrator with cause to rape, torture, and kill them. That’s not it at all.”

“You think I’ll take it too personally.”

“What was the expression you used about Cash? Ah, yes. Like a dog to a bone, only you’d never let it go. Not even for prime filet.”

I had to laugh because he was right. “You do know me too well.”

“That’s an excellent quality to have, Cass, but in this case, I also need you on the Blackwell case. It’s important. What have you found?”

“Right now, not much of anything. They’re very private men, but they provide money to charities, are considered highly respected businessmen, and they pay more than their fair share of taxes. From what I can tell, they are upstanding citizens.”

“Then you need to dig deeper. People often hide behind money and power, their darkness overtaking a portion of their lives. They’ll do anything to keep their proclivities from being laid wide open for all to see.”

I turned toward him. “I mean no disrespect here, Mr. Wells, but it seems like there’s something or several things you aren’t telling me. It’s almost like you want to see how deep I’ll go to obtain answers.”

He smiled and shifted to face me, placing his bent arm on the iron railing. “You’re an extremely intelligent woman, perhaps too much so for an old man like me. You’re right I’ve held back on several details and yes, I wanted to see where you went with the case.”

“Well, I have a few ideas of how to clandestinely step into their world, but it’s risky and uncertain at this point. I would love to know what I’m looking for.”

He studied me for several seconds. “Alright. I’m going to email you a file, but for your eyes only.”

“What’s in it?”

“I’d rather you look at it with a very open mind.”

“Is this about the brothers or the company?”

“A little of both as well as with regards to their pasts.”

“I understand they grew up in foster care, not allowed to stay together,” I said. I was tossing out a few crumbs to see if I could get any immediate answers.

He nodded. “Yes, from a very tragic circumstance, I’m afraid. From what I understand about their upbringings, the three young boys were all subjected to the worst of the system.”

“Why weren’t they pulled out?”

“That is a question I’ve been asking myself for years.”

I cocked my head. “Years. You’ve been investigating them for that long?”

“No, but they came to my attention and a portion of the puzzle I was working on just started to fit together. Yet, I can’t seem to find the last pieces. I’m hoping your keen eye, attention to detail, dogged responses, and your investigative skills will find them.”

A cold shiver raced down my spine and only partially because of the wind.

“Why were they placed into foster care?”

“Because their father killed their mother and was sent to prison. They were dumped into the system because there were no other living relatives that could be found. It was a heinous case that almost brought Chicago to its knees.”

“A man killing his wife almost brought Chicago to its knees?” I repeated.

He suddenly had a faraway look in his eyes. “There were several murders that occurred in and around Chicago over a three-year span. The killer was smart, one of the most brilliant I’d ever seen in my career. The method of murder was different in every case, none of the witnesses linked to one another in a single way. The members of law enforcement were baffled. Finally, the killer started making fun of them, obtaining his fifteen minutes of fame by issuing clues and threats.”

A slight shiver slid down my spine. Another serial killer.

“Wow. Okay.” My thoughts drifted to the Monahan case. I knew very little about it other than what had been cited in the press, but something told me they were similar.

“Yes, wow indeed. The killer was never sloppy, never left any evidence behind.”

“Then how was the connection made from the mother’s murder to the serial killer?”

Mr. Wells shook his head. “She ratted on her husband. But one stupid police detective didn’t believe her. Instead of immediately placing her and the children in protective care, he let her walk. Two days later, she was dead.”

The information hit me hard. “Oh, my God. I can’t imagine what those children went through.”

“Honestly? You have no idea. I have some inkling, but the records have been sealed. Short of a court order, they can’t be opened. Given all this time, many people have retired and the children now all grown and living lives most would envy. Finding a judge to do so even if the information still existed would be extremely difficult.” He eyed me strangely.

A dog to a bone.

His earlier statement about me going to whatever length I needed to discover the truth included ruffling some feathers.

“How was the monster caught?” I asked.

“The killing of his wife was a crime of passion. He made mistakes that were eventually followed up on. From there, various clues were put together and he was convicted of several murders, sent to prison for the rest of his life. What people overlooked at the time was that Cain Demarco was the pillar of society, a doctor who had the respect of his colleagues and his patients.”

“He used his medical knowledge for torture.”

“Very good. Yes, he did and he had an innate knowledge of forensics. The man was psychotic, but brilliant.”

“Do the brothers even know?”

“I suspect they have some idea since they found each other after they were all in their twenties. What they know I’m not certain, but there are several disappearances within their foster lives that have yet to be explained. Keep in mind, they were horribly treated to the point I still can’t believe to this day they were allowed to stay in several of the homes. The system is broken, or at least it was. But the children were… difficult.”

Difficult.

He meant they’d acted out. That I understood all too well.

I had to think about what he was telling me. “You’re suggesting the disappearances were based on something one or all of the boys did in retaliation. Aren’t you?”

He shrugged. “It’s possible, but I don’t know for certain. That’s why I don’t want to tell you anything else, so you can have a fresh eye on the situation.”

“Tell me something. If they are guilty of following in their father’s footsteps, are you looking for justice for the victims, or are you looking for salvation for the innocent parties involved?”

His smile was perhaps the most unnerving aspect of the conversation. “I doubt that’s a possibility given the length of time and the various jurisdictions.”

“Are they dangerous?”

He took his time answering. “Men with power usually are, Cassandra. I won’t lie to you. I strongly suspect they’ve had a hand in the disappearances of several of their enemies. But there is no evidence to be found. Every time they’re placed under a microscope, they come out smelling like roses. It’s uncanny.”

“Since that’s what happened with their father. Brilliant and cunning.”

“Very much so. I’m not trying to ruin any innocent lives, but as you’ll read in the file, there are extenuating circumstances.”

“Is the father still in prison?”

“As far as I know, although I haven’t checked in years. I guess I didn’t want to know.”

We stood quietly for a few seconds and something dawned on me. “You wanted me to investigate this because I came from the system. Didn’t you?” Very few people knew I’d been abandoned as a baby, kept in the system until I was four years old. But I’d been blessed, adopted by an incredible husband and wife who’d never treated me as anything but their own flesh and blood.

I could tell by his hesitation I was right. While I wanted to be angry with him, I understood the reasoning.

“You hide your emotions, Cass, guarding everything about your private life, but I’ve seen the look of pain in your eyes when a family has been harmed in any way. That’s what helps make you so good at what you do. I don’t want you to lose your empathy by placing blame where it might not be due. But I do think the truth needs to come out. If the Blackwell Group is using the Obsidian Society as some smokescreen for heinous activities, then by all means, the victims deserve justice. But if I’m wrong, I need to know.”

I nodded a few times, better understanding why he’d selected me.

This was very personal to him, but why?

“I’ll do everything I can do to get to the truth, Mr. Wells. That might take me to some dark places.”

“If necessary, I understand. I trust your judgment.”

I wasn’t certain I did at this point. He gripped my shoulder and I could tell he was ending our meeting. Before I turned, I noticed another strange look in his eyes. Was it remorse or hurt?

“Mr. Wells. One last question. This seems very personal to you. Do you mind me asking why?”

Maximus Wells had never been a man who wore his emotions on his sleeve. Today was the first time he’d seemed truly personable. He was struggling with the answer, but I waited.

I needed to know what I was getting myself in the middle of.

“Cassandra, we all have secrets. It doesn’t matter who we are or the happiness we convey. There’s always something that haunts us through every action, every friendship and encounter. Try and remember, I wasn’t always an attorney. A long time ago, I had an entirely different life.”

When he walked away, I remained where I was.

He was right.

Everyone had secrets.