Page 59 of Long Past Deadly

“We’d better go back to the beginning.” Alanna’s quiet voice, while controlled and professional, had a slight tremor.

Quaid spoke to let her have a moment. “It took QM, a criminal psychologist, and two federal agencies to put this together. It’s not a clean picture. There’s too much we don’t know, and all of us still have people searching.”

Frank eased back in his chair and rubbed his stubbled jaw. “Tell me anyway.”

Quaid told him some, then turned it over to her and she went into the parts she knew. Frank stayed quiet and listened, shook his head at some, frowned at others, but didn’t interrupt.

Alanna left out parts of what happened to her because she wasn’t ready to tell Frank there was a police report somewhere on her assault. All this was rubbing salt in an open wound that still stung.

Frank pursed his lips. “Can I assume where the Navy information came from? About this tall with a hefty Navy rank on his shoulder?”

Alanna looked to Quaid, saw the neutral expression, and answered. “Not saying his name. He didn’t tell us not to, but some of the details were culled from classified information. My boss knows part of this, but I haven’t talked to him since we went through Barton’s military records and the military dumped the classified documents on his desk.”

“What did he want with those teenagers last night?”

“Nothing good. After studying him, he’s a sexual predator who likes to kill and use his assassin skills to support and coverup his kills. It’s my best theory with what facts we have.”

“So which direction does this go now?”

“I need to give you dates and have you tell me if there are any other missing presumed dead girls or assaults from the same timeframe. It might help us find him.”

“It’s going to be a lot. This is an urban area.”

“I understand.” She handed Frank the folder she’d been holding. “Mercer’s picture from the military information, the details of the assassinations they’ve uncovered, and a picture of my board in Quaid’s office with how this connects. If we can identify a former field of play for him, we might be able to narrow the searches and set a trap. Can you help?”

Quaid put a hand on her shoulder. “He’s still after Alanna which leaves him in your city, and while he waits, he’s going to be a danger to any vulnerable teenagers.”

Frank stayed quiet, thinking as he studied their faces. “Who is going to be the lead agency?”

“FBI, Frank. But in conjunction with the police department. The Navy just wants him dead, but they can activate assets if we need assistance.”

While she had worked Mercer’s background, Quaid had quietly assessed the news in Spain from Hunt’s timeframe and discovered the death of a top level Central Command Officer during that time. He’d been a SEAL. Of course, they wouldn’t leave that one alone.

“Give me the dates. I’ll have my team start investigating. Who is your street guardian? Can I ask?”

Alanna bit her lip. She’d been pretty good at keeping it locked tight, but emotion clogged her throat. “Daniel Whitaker. You may be familiar with him from a police report. They found blood in an alley two weeks ago, but no body.”

“Yeah, I know the team handling that one.”

“He may be listed as Whit. He worked at the mission.”

“I’ll pull that, too. Alive somewhere or do you think he’s dead?”

“Undetermined.” Quaid answered for her. “We’re actively trying to find him, too.”

“So I can presume QM will be in my streets searching?” Frank studied the top sheet in the file. “A former Army Ranger and a former Green Beret? Did these two go at it in the alley?”

“Logically, if Whit was there and Mercer is in town, that would be our conclusion, yes.”

“I hate it when military stuff slops over in my town.”

Quaid grinned. “Frank, you used to be a Marine.”

“Yeah, and I served right up the road at Pendleton. But I never brought any military feuds to the community. Hell, my future wife lived here.”

“Can’t say as I brought any feuds this way either. But we were Marines. Our conduct rules were absolute, but these two were out of the service by the time it blew up here.”

Alanna’s energy sagged, and she knew it was time to close this. “Can you get us some more to work with?”