Killer Takes All by Erica Spindler

Author:Erica Spindler
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: MIRA
Published: 2006-12-26T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

33

Saturday, March 12, 2005

4:30 p.m.

Spencer cleared the room. He ordered everyone to stay on the premises, including Kay and Leo.

He studied the scrawled message.

The roses are red now.

Judging by the fluid, uneven quality of the letters, Spencer judged the message to have been written with a paintbrush, dipped into paint or some other liquid.

He didn’t know for certain what it meant, but he had a pretty damn good idea.

Somebody, very probably, was dead.

“That blood?” Tony asked, referring to the substance used to write the message.

Spencer squatted and touched the W, then brought his finger to his nose. Earthy. Distinct. Not like paint. He nodded to his partner even as he rubbed it between his fingers, checking the viscosity.

“I’m thinking. See the way the color is darkening as it dries?”

“Could be animal blood,” Tony offered.

Could be. But his guess was no, it wasn’t.

“Get the techs over here, ASAP. I want this tested and in evidence. And I want the place dusted for prints.”

He turned. Stacy stood in the doorway. She motioned toward the message. “You saw a sketch for this, didn’t you?”

“Yeah.”

She frowned. “You’re thinking the playing cards are dead.”

“I have no proof—”

“We’re not talking proof. In the story Alice in Wonderland, Alice happens upon two playing cards, the Five and Seven of Spades, painting white roses red. Based on the pattern set with the dormouse that would mean that whoever represents these characters is dead.”

He didn’t reply. They both knew he didn’t need to. Of course that’s what he thought.

“If our artist is the killer, why leave the playing cards instead of the real deal?”

“Obviously, the drawing didn’t find its way into our perp’s hands. Because we got to Pogo first.”

Tony snapped his cell phone shut and crossed to Spencer. He spoke low, so only Spencer could hear. “If it is blood, the deoxidization process will help us narrow down the time this was done.”

Spencer nodded. “That’ll help us eliminate certain persons.”

“Exactly.”

“You want to question? Or should I?” Spencer asked.

“It’s your show, Slick. Go for it.”

They exited the office and crossed to Kay and Leo. They sat on the bottom stair, Leo’s arm around his ex-wife’s shoulder.

“I need to ask you a few questions. Are you up to that?”

She nodded. “I’ll try.”

Spencer opened his spiral notebook. “Who had access to the house today?”

“Who didn’t?” She dragged a hand through her hair. “This place is like Grand Central Station, even on a Saturday.”

“Could you be more specific?”

“Sure.” She let out a long breath. “The family. You, your partner and Stacy. The full-time staff, Mrs. Maitlin and Troy. The yardman was here this morning as well. Barry.”

“How about Clark?”

“He’s off on the weekends.”

“Who else?”

She rattled off a list of people who had been in and out during the course of the day. Her personal trainer and manicurist. Postman had delivered. FedEx, too.

“On Saturday?”

“It’s a delivery option. Costs extra, of course.”

“Could anyone have gotten in and not have been noticed?”

Kay looked at Leo, cheeks pink. “I told you we should consider a video security system.

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