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CHAPTER NINE

Noel

Over the next few days, I noticed that Phoenix enjoyed when people talked around him and not to him.

He was likely trying to find his comfort zone.

He didn’t like it if we all got too loud, and he daydreamed a lot or would get stuck in his memories.

He watched everything and everyone even if nobody realized it.

Earlier while JJ and Shep were having a conversation, I noticed Phoenix staring at some book he had with him, but his eyes didn’t move.

It was as if he were following, listening to them.

I wished I knew what was going on in that head of his, but that was what Aziza was for.

She’d asked if she could come by and just observe for now.

Phoenix was fine with this, and Aziza had a way about her that if Phoenix was relaxed enough, he’d talk.

It had been all quiet here—no attempts made to try and kidnap Phoenix—but we weren’t getting complacent. Even with the police and feds, and our own security, we still walked the perimeter twice a day: morning and night.

I had to get out of the house, so I said I’d walk this evening. I made it down the driveway to where there was a police cruiser. I’d brought them a thermos of coffee and some fresh muffins Shep had made. We all knew these guys had been ordered to be here.

“Thanks.” One of the officers tipped the thermos at me.

“No problem. I know it sucks you have to stay here.”

The other cop shrugged. “I dunno, we get fresh coffee and baked goods, could be worse.”

I chuckled. “Think this will last much longer?”

Officer Hoffer (his name tag read) answered, “I don’t think they have jack shit. This guy is careful, leaves nothing behind. It’s frustrating.”

No one was perfect—everyone fucked up eventually. It made me wonder if these jackasses running this case even knew what they were looking for.

“Well, have a good evening, guys.”

They waved, their mouths already full of muffins as I walked back toward the house, an idea beginning to form. Was it probably dumb? Yes. Was I going to do it anyway? Fuck, yes.

“Are you doing something stupid?” I looked over my monitor to see JJ leaning against the doorway of the tech room, his arms folded across his chest and his expression that of a mother catching her kid tossing a ball in the living room.

“No.”

“You’re a terrible liar, Noel.” He started walking to me, but I held up my hand. “If you leave now, you won’t be an accessory.”

He let out a loud ha. “I’m in this home; it makes me an accessory to everything.”

“Last warning, JJ.”

He stopped midstep and quirked a brow. “Now you’ve got me way too curious. I need to know.” He came around and gawked at my monitors. “Is that…” he pointed to the left screen. “And that…” Then to the right. “That can’t be…” Finally, the middle screen.

“Yes to everything you’re wondering.”

“Noel. You’re hacking into the FBI, the police department, and the coroner’s reports on all the killer’s victims?”

“Yup, what did you think I was doing?” I looked over at him and rolled my eyes. “I spoke to the officers at the end of the driveway. Nobody has anything and when I hear words like ‘perfect’ in reference to a murderer, I know there are a bunch of asinine folks with badges running things.”

“Huh,” was all he said, and he continued reading. “I mean, these reports do make him sound perfect.…Oh, my God!”

I had a feeling I knew what he was focusing on. “The times of death on these victims doesn’t mesh close to the times these bodies were found.”

“Nope.” I’d read that and done a double take the first time, too.

According to these reports, each victim had likely been dead for two to three months before they were found. Meaning there were dead people in fridges, waiting for their moment to be displayed.

“Shit.” JJ plopped on the chair beside me. “So when Phoenix said he saw that girl, Jennifer, in the shed with him being removed, she was being killed, and frozen?”

I nodded. “And the man that was in there with him hasn’t even been discovered yet, which we know because Phoenix didn’t identify him to Rose the other day.”

“What else did you find?”

I scrolled a bit and pointed. “Each person was embalmed with an alcohol-based solution; then the bones were likely broken. They were all strangled as cause of death.”

“So the kind of embalming fluid matters?”

I turned to JJ. “Actually, it does. He wanted them floppy so that as soon as they were lifted, the sound would be jarring. The sound the bones make is called crepitus. Remember, the news reported that the authorities were having trouble moving the bodies.”

“Oh yeah, that’s why?”

I nodded. “Anyway, this alcohol-based fluid is considered ‘green’ and not common at all. Seems the FBI and detectives have been in contact with the few companies who actually have their own lines. Since you have to be licensed to order it, they’ve been tracking down all the clients.”

“Any leads yet?”

“No. I mean, I don’t think so. All I see in the reports is people checking out.”

JJ scratched his head. “But how would they know? It can be some licensed funeral director. Phoenix is the only one living that’s heard his voice.”

I’d thought about that. “Yeah, I have a feeling the next time Agent Rose shows up, he’s going to ask Phoenix if any voices match up to what he heard.”

JJ whipped his head in my direction. “That could scar him further.”

“That’s why we’re going to have to talk to Aziza and give her a heads-up…as well as Hazel and Phoenix.”

JJ sat back with a heavy sigh. “We need a family meeting. Everyone needs to know what you’ve found and what we think is coming.”

He was right, and I’d been prepared to call one once I’d gathered everything I could. But Agent Rose wasn’t going to hold off on any of this—and the more time we had to prepare Phoenix, the better.

“Okay, let’s see what everyone’s schedule is and set it up.”

JJ stood and patted my shoulder. “This wasn’t so stupid after all, Noel.”

I smiled. “Thanks, JJ.”