change much with the revelation of where the twins got their biological parentage. The girls seemed more comfortable around Max and Evan, and the feeling of impending doom that had hovered over them for so long had finally dissipated.
Evan admitted to herself that that feeling had probably all been in her head, but not having that weight to carry made life a lot easier. Cases were being handled, work got done, and Max and Evan started to date publicly. Their first date was to go to Edgar’s for dinner for Valentine’s day. Evan got her hair done at the salon and Maggie took her to the high-end shops to get new makeup and perfume.
She wore an emerald green silk sheath and her one pair of black Louboutin’s, her hair up in a twist and held with a gold and emerald hair pick she’d found in an antique store in France. Around her neck was a delicate gold chain that held a V-shaped piece of art where gold vines and leaves with tiny emerald chips looked like a cluster of fairy branches against her collarbone. On one wrist, she wore a delicate gold watch that had belonged to her mother, while on the other wrist was a gold bangle she’d given to Emery a few years back. It was February and still cold, so she wore a long, black wool coat until they got to the restaurant.
When Max helped her take off her coat, he froze in awe for a moment before he smiled and held out his elbow. “I’m escorting a queen. That’s the only answer for how incredible you look tonight.”
“I may not get dressed up often, but I do know how to present myself appropriately,” Evan said with a smile. Knowing how much he appreciated all of her hard work made it all worthwhile.
They were seated in a corner near the fireplace where they could see the room and the view of the ocean through the wide windows. White linen tablecloths and small votive candles with fresh flowers made the whole thing seem elegant and special.
“Have you eaten here before?” Max asked.
“Once, shortly after it first opened. Emery and Darra brought me for my birthday. That was years ago, though. I only remember that the food was excellent.”
They fell silent as the wine was poured and Max asked Evan to decide if it was to her liking. They ordered appetizers and discussed what to get for their main courses, when Evan’s phone vibrated across the table.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t want to shut it off with the girls at home alone,” Evan said. She turned it over and read the message, then closed her eyes and let out a breath.
“Do we need to go?” Max asked.
“No, but there’s been another murder that fits the Huntsman’s profile. Derek is going to go check it out and he’ll send me the information. This one is in Savannah, Georgia.”
Max reached out and took Evan’s hand where it lay on top of her phone. “As horrible as this news is, it’s also a good thing. That means we found him again and we have another chance at getting him.”
They both felt her phone vibrate again and he released her hand so she could look at the message. “How do you feel about going to DC with me tomorrow? I need to see if Maggie can have the girls for a few days, but my boss, Rachel Lincoln, wants to see us both in person.”
“Let me go call Clint and let him know what’s going on. Don’t eat all of the stuffed mushrooms before I get back,” Max said with a smile as he got to his feet and headed for the door. “I’ll be right back.”
While Max was gone, Evan sent a text to Maggie and got her assurance that she’d have the girls without any trouble.
“WTF are you doing, texting me while at dinner? You’ve got other plans, girlie.”
“I know,” Evan texted back. “But I just got asked to go to DC with Max by my boss, and he’s outside, calling to make sure it’s okay.”
“The girls are almost eighteen years old. They can be alone overnight. Get yourself some lovin’!” Maggie sent back and Evan chuckled.
“Yes, ma’am,” Evan replied and put her phone back down.
“You’re grinning. Good news, I hope?” Max said as he returned to the table.
“Maggie said she’d take the girls and told me to make sure I spent the night at your place tonight. I can go back to your place, but I need to go home so I can pack and get them ready in the morning. Rachel will get her assistant to book us the flight and we’ll get a text with the information in an hour or so.”
“How about we stop by my place and I pack, then we go to yours and I spend the night with you there. That way you can get up and tend to the girls and we can leave for the airport together.”
“Are you sure? You’ve not wanted to spend the night with the girls at home before,” Evan said.
The appetizers were delivered and they waited until the server was gone before they continued.
“I wanted to, but it felt strange. Now? It just makes sense. Besides, the girls are used to us being a couple and they’re okay with it,” Max said.
“Oh, gods, these are the best stuffed mushrooms,” Evan said around a mouthful. “And what are those? Shrimp bites?”
“Coconut shrimp bites. Here, dip one in this and taste it,” Max stabbed one with a fork, dipped it and held it out to Evan to taste.
She didn’t speak, just rolled her eyes as she ate the bite of food.
“Amazing, right?” Max said. “So, how long will we be in DC?”
“Figure on three days. That’s the usual,” Evan replied.
“What about accommodations?”
“We’ll be put up at the Harrington. It’s only a couple of blocks away from the Hoover building. It’s clean and cheap,” Evan said.
“That’s not what I was asking,” Max said, the tone of his voice a low rumble.
“Oh, uh…probably two rooms because we don’t need the snide commentary from people who’d see it as inappropriate. We’re not paying for it anyway.”
“You don’t truly expect to have a whole bed to yourself, do you?” Max teased.
“We can take turns mussing up the beds so housekeeping doesn’t report back,” Evan teased back. “Let’s not ruin this meal with anymore work talk. I’ve been thinking about this steak and shrimp combo for days.”
They enjoyed their meal and talked about trips they’d taken and college friends they missed. When they stopped by Max’s house, Evan waited in the car and texted Derek to let him know she and Max would be in DC tomorrow.
“I’ll be back in DC tomorrow, too. This Georgia one? It’s definitely our guy. And he left DNA behind with this one. It’s on the way to Quantico’s labs already.”
“Here’s hoping it blows this case open,” Evan texted back.
“From your lips to the Powers That Be’s ears,” Derek replied.
They landed in DC and picked up the rental car to head to the Hoover Building on Pennsylvania Avenue. Evan’s ID got them into the garage and they left their bags in the trunk before they headed inside.
“Not what I expected,” Max murmured to Evan. “It’s so normal looking. Kinda boring, actually.”
“What did you expect? Trench coats and fedoras everywhere?” Evan teased. She led them into a conference room near the middle of the building where Rudy was already seated.
“Hey, Rudy. Where’s the rest of the crew?” Evan asked.
“On the way. Grab coffee and whatever because Derek threatened to eat the whole tray if we didn’t order him a sandwich. Apparently his flight got in just before yours and there was no food,” Rudy said.
“Nice to meet you in person, Rudy,” Max said as he held out a hand to them.
Rudy got up and shook Max’s hand. “And you. You’re taller than I thought.”
“Hard to tell height when we’re sitting behind a camera,” Max replied.
“Any updates?” Evan asked as she got her coffee, a bagel and some fruit.
“Derek went to grab the DNA report off of his computer and Rachel is finishing up a conference call before she joins us.”
“They got the DNA that fast?” Max asked.
“Three days. Serial killers get top of the pile,” Rudy said.
A man stepped into the room and Rudy’s eyes went wide. They jumped to their feet and offered a nod of their head. “Director, how can we help you?”
Evan turned and she, too, got to her feet. “Director,” she said.
Max got to his feet as well, albeit a little slower, and stood silent.
“Where’s your boss?” the Director asked.
“She’s finishing up a conference call and will be here shortly, sir,” Rudy said.
The Director, or to be more accurate, Assistant Director in charge of the Criminal Investigative Unit, Anderson Michaels, turned to Max. “You must be Lieutenant Prescott of the Haven, Massachusetts police department. Thank you for coming and being a part of this investigation.”
Max blinked once, then gave the man a nod. “Thank you for including me in the investigation.”
Michaels then turned his attention to Evan. “Agent Wylder. My condolences on the loss of your sister and her wife. I’m glad we were able to figure out a way to keep such an excellent agent on the team while still making accommodations for your family’s needs. Keep up the good work.”
“Th...thank you, sir,” Evan stuttered. Her boss’s boss knew her name? That blew her mind a bit.
Rachel and Derek stepped into the room together, and Evan saw Rachel’s pause when she noticed Michaels’ presence.
“Hello, sir. Did you need me for something?” Rachel asked.
“Yes, I wanted to stop in and see where your team was with this Huntsman case. Senator Putnam was asking if we’d made any progress. He’s concerned that his great state of Connecticut will be forever tarnished by this case. And yes, those are his words, not mine. I just wanted to find out if there were resources you needed that you weren’t getting access to, or if there was any other way I could help,” Michaels said.
“Thank you, sir,” Rachel said. “At this time, we seem to have access to all of the resources we need. Now we just need to figure out how the DNA of a man who has been dead for at least six years was found on the body of a girl three days ago.”
Derek made his way around the table and handed Evan a copy of the lab results. Evan and Max leaned together to read the report and both shook their heads.
“This is insane,” Evan muttered.
“A twin?” Michaels asked.
“That’s the only answer we’ve come up with so far,” Rachel said. “But we can’t find any record of Matteus Chase having a twin.”
“DNA doesn’t lie, we all know that. But it’s also tricky if we rely on it as the final answer to every question. Keep digging. This is one of the best teams I know and I trust you’ll find the killer,” Michaels said. “I’ll leave you to it. Rachel don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything. Understood?”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir,” Rachel said.
Michaels walked out of the room and Rachel waited a beat before she closed the door behind him.
“Holy fuck,” Rudy muttered.
“My sentiments exactly,” Rachel replied. “Okay, people. Let me get a coffee while you fill me in on where we are. Derek? Tell us about Georgia.”
Derek took a sip of his own coffee, then pulled out a sheet of paper. “Shelby Yates, sixteen, of Savannah, Georgia, was found in a bed of greenery with store-bought daisies scattered around her at around six in the morning last Sunday. She’s the youngest victim we’ve identified so far, and while the killer did his usual manicure and bleach flush, Shelby was more creative in her fighting. She bit his head and swallowed some of his hair. We found hair follicles with the root bulb still attached, in her throat. We got DNA off of that and it came back as a match for Matteus Chase – which we know is impossible. I had them run it again. Same results.”
“Eww,” Evan said and shuddered. “But damn, good for her for fighting so hard. Poor kid.”
“The florist shop where the daisies were purchased said they had a cash order for a hundred white and yellow daisies that was picked up by a courier service. The courier service, DeliverYes, said the order was called in and it was dropped off at the Hamilton Suites on Saturday evening,” Derek said.
“A cash order but they don’t know who placed it?” Max asked.
“They said a kid came in with a wad of cash and placed the order and said that the courier would be by to pick it up in an hour. We haven’t found the kid yet, but the local PD is looking. We’re waiting for the hotel camera recordings to see if the person that collected the daisies can be identified. They were being rather particular about a warrant,” Derek said.
Rudy had been silent while they typed away on their laptop. “I think I found something.”
Everyone turned to look at Rudy as they tapped a couple of keys. “Glen Rollins was a guest at the Hamilton a week before the murder. He checked out on Saturday evening, the fourth, and the flowers were delivered on Saturday evening, the eleventh. They were to be held for room two-fifteen which had been Rollins’ room when he was there the week prior.”
“That screams coincidence,” Rachel said. “But we all know that there is no such thing as coincidence. Keep digging, Rudy. That’s not enough to bring before a judge, but it is enough to bring Rollins in for questioning.”
“There’s been a BOLO out on him for months with no results,” Derek said.
“It was in the northeast region, though,” Max said. “Georgia wouldn’t have known about it unless we brought it to their attention.”
“True,” Derek said. “Where is Rollins now?”
“No idea, but I can’t find him on any hotel registries in Georgia or South Carolina, so far,” Rudy said.
“Has his employer given us his schedule yet?” Rachel asked.
“No, they’re fighting the subpoena, claiming it’s a violation of their company privacy and trust laws. That by knowing where the trainer has been or is going, it could damage the ability of the company to set up new locations without blowback from competitors,” Evan said.
“Now, that’s something I can bring to Michaels to get some pushback on. You four keep working, I’ll go see if I can get this going. Also, Evan and Max? Thank you for coming to DC. I think it’s important we all meet in person at least once on a case. Some of the best brainstorming happens face to face. I appreciate you both taking the time,” Rachel said.
“You’re welcome, ma’am,” Evan and Max both said.
“Okay, Evan, you want to whiteboard this for us?” Derek said.
“Sure.” Evan got to her feet and walked over to the wall-length whiteboard and picked up a marker. “Let’s start with a timeline…”
Once it was all laid out in front of them, they took a moment to process what they were seeing. Over approximately thirteen years, there had been forty-one murders.
They couldn’t say for sure if all eleven bodies on the Chase property had been killed by the Huntsman. Considering Agnes Chase had been stored in the freezer and Noah Chase had lived there, it was probable that Noah had killed some of the victims buried on his property. They had determined that Noah was responsible for Agnes’ death, but they couldn’t confirm his involvement in any of the others.
The only DNA, besides Noah’s, that they’d found on any of the bodies matched Matteus Chase – and Matteus Chase had been dead for the past six years.
“So, who’s been killing for the past six years?” Evan muttered.
“That’s the answer we need to find,” Max said. “Let’s take the DNA out of the equation and go back to basics. Let’s find out what the common denominator is between all of these cases and who was around the victims during the time of their deaths. I feel like I’ve been focused too much on the DNA and not on the bigger picture.”
“Yeah, I think that’s been my problem, too,” Evan replied.
“Agreed,” said Derek. “I want to know where Rollins was for each of these murders. When I was in Rock Beach, everyone I spoke to said that Rollins and Chase were as close as brothers. Closer, even. Rollins came from an upper-middle-class family with parents that both worked, so he spent a lot of time at the Chase house, until Noah Chase lost his job and started to drink. Then both boys spent most of their time at Rollins’ place to avoid the abuse Noah liked to dish out. Malea was in and out of the ER for various cuts and broken bones – prime examples of domestic abuse by her father. Her mother would bring her in and say she fell, or tripped, or ran into a door. No one was surprised when Malea supposedly ran away. Now we know she was dead and buried in her own back yard.”
“How long had Agnes been dead?” Max asked.
“Hard to say, but from what they’ve been able to piece together, she’s likely been dead about five years,” Rudy said. “Freezing the body messes with the tests, so they had to guess and use information from when people remembered last seeing her around.”
“Any information on who started the fire?” Evan asked.
“No, and they’ve left it inconclusive. They can’t tell if it was arson or accidental. Noah was doused in enough lighter fluid to make it look like arson, but his blood alcohol level was 0.15 so if he was trying to fill his lighter, he could’ve done that to himself. That’s the scenario the arson investigators are leaning towards, but with the bodies in the yard? They wanted to give everything a chance to shake out a bit,” Rudy said.
“Now I see why you want to talk to Glen Lyle Rollins,” Evan said. “He has to know something. Let’s find him – and let’s do what Max suggested and go back to the basics. Derek? You take Georgia, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Rudy? You work on New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Max and I will work on Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. Let’s catch this asshole before we have more states on this list, and more bodies in our morgue.”