Rebel flicked his attention toward the small foyer. A kitchen chair had been wedged under the closet doorknob. Rebel moved the chair, opened the door.
The putrid smell of rotting flesh assaulted them.
Jesus, no.
The coats had been pushed aside. Sitting on the floor, her legs shoved to one side, was Kayleen, the letter “Y” written on her forehead, a bullet hole between her eyes.
“Ohgod,” Brit murmured.
The rage and the hatred Rebel tried to tamp down exploded out of him like a spewing volcano. “I’m gonna rip his heart out and shove it down his fucking throat.”
The Alphabet Killer had slain his fifth victim and Kurt had been collateral damage.
13
THE LETTER Y
Britain
While Rebel was on the phone with the 9-1-1 operator, Brit called Karen. By giving her coworker a heads-up, Karen could get to the crime scene sooner and be able to survey the situation before the place was crawling with cops and crime techs.
Karen’s phone rang, then rolled to voicemail. Instead of leaving her a message, Brit texted her. “It’s Britain Skye. Call me as soon as you get this. VERY IMPORTANT!”
Rebel stood, like a statue, staring at his cousin. Brit laid her hand on his back, hoping to bring him some comfort.
“Let’s wait in the kitchen,” she said.
“I’m okay,” he replied, his gaze softening when their eyes met.
“The dispatcher wanted me to do CPR.” Rebel scraped his hand down his beard. “If I thought that would have helped, I would have done it before I called.”
The police arrived and asked what had happened.
“My family hadn’t heard from my cousin in a few days, so I did a welfare check.”
“Why not call us?” asked one of the cops.
“I’m a Special Agent with the Bureau,” Rebel said.
Brit’s heart broke for Rebel and his family.
“What’s your name, ma’am?” asked the second cop.
“Britain Skye.”
“Are you FBI too?”
As an ALPHA Op, Brit was Jules Marshall. She couldn’t very well tell them that in front of Rebel.
“No,” she replied.
“Please wait in the kitchen,” said the cop.
“No,” Rebel pushed back. “I’m not leaving my cousin.” After a beat, he bit out, “Ah, hell. I gotta tell my family.”
“We don’t want people coming in and disturbing the scene,” said the officer.
“No one’s coming over,” Rebel said.
