A Deadly Secret Read online

  A Deadly Secret

  Debra Sage

  Copyright 2018, Debra Sage

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  A grisly murder.

  When a decimated body is found in the wooded area of a popular, suburban park, the quiet community is jarred. Alex Ramsey, the detective in charge of the case, is forced to confront evil. The bone-chilling murder has the town on edge, and Alex doesn't have a lot of experience under his belt.

  A desperate criminal.

  He didn't mean to kill her...not at first. Backed into a corner, he snapped. Staring into the face of chaos, a once ordinary man sees his life unraveling. He's in too deep. Spiraling out of control, he's trapped by secrets that can't be undone. If someone gets in his way, he'll have no choice but to stop them. He's going to have to kill again. It's a shame, because he really did like Amanda.

  Time is running out.

  After a string of disturbing events, Alex realizes that ER nurse Amanda is the killer's next target. With Amanda in dire danger, he's forced to find answers faster than they want to be found. Can Alex track down the killer and bring him to justice before he strikes again? Or will a lethal secret bring a devastating end to Amanda's life?

  This story is a work of fiction. No part of this story may be copied or reproduced without the explicit written consent of the author.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 1

  He pulled into the garage and closed it behind him. The last thing he needed was his car to be seen at his lover’s home.

  Dawn was waiting for him, knowing their time was limited. He stepped through the door that led to her kitchen. He inhaled deeply as the scent of banana bread filled his nostrils. Dawn loved candles and always had one burning. She’d been on a pumpkin spice kick, so the new one was a nice change of pace.

  “Hey, babe.” He greeted her with a big smile. She was all he’d thought about during his early meeting at work. Knowing he’d get to break away and enjoy a little afternoon loving pushed him through the dull agenda that seemed to drone on forever.

  Dawn acted cool and reserved. Normally, she’d jump into his arms the moment he arrived. When he leaned in for a kiss, she drew her hand up to put space between them.

  “Wait,” she said.

  He furrowed his brow. “What’s going on?”

  She ached for his touch, but things were different now. Dawn steeled herself. She balled up her fists and silently pushed herself forward. She needed to stay strong and follow through.

  Torn between doing the right thing and doing what made her feel good, she’d struggled with the choice. In the end it came down to her integrity.

  She hated what she was about to do...what she was about to say. She wouldn’t be able to take her words back once they were out. She loved him. It was painful to destroy everything they’d built together.

  She closed her eyes and talked herself down from the proverbial cliff she dangled from. She needed to say something before she changed her mind. “We need to talk.”

  He sighed, annoyed at the distraction. Talking was overrated. He was ready to put his hands on her sweet, soft body and make love. He glanced at his watch. How much time did they have? He hoped she was quick. The last piece of jewelry he gave her was supposed to subdue the “are you leaving your wife or not” conversation. He said the words, told her he loved her, and surprised her with a special pendant. She seemed content, but if they had to go around this topic again… “About what?”

  Dawn glanced down nervously. She’d practiced what she was going to say, but now that he stood before her, she wasn’t so sure. It was now or never. She swallowed hard and summoned the courage to say the words she dreaded. “I overheard Tommy talking the other day. He didn’t know I was there.”

  “What does your brother have to do with anything?” He tapped his foot, waiting for her to finish.

  Dawn took a deep breath. It was as if something had lodged in her throat, making it difficult to speak. “I know. I know about the drugs.”

  A storm brewed in his eyes, and his face slid like melting putty. “Drugs? What the hell are you talking about?”

  “I know about the black-market stuff, the smuggling, all of it,” she said. Her heart slammed against her ribcage with the force of a sledgehammer. “I can’t do this. I can’t accept this as being okay. It’s wrong.”

  He reached up and tenderly stroked her cheek. “Baby, I’m not sure what you’re insinuating, but you’re obviously mistaken. I have no idea what you’re talking about, or why your brother would even mention my name. I don’t even know him. I only know what you’ve told me about him. Whatever this nonsense is, you’re confused. Whatever you thought you heard, it has nothing to do with me.”

  “I can’t pretend. Please don’t do this. I can’t erase what I heard. This is too big. Too much. I wanted to give you a moment to collect your thoughts before I go to the police.” Her hands trembled. She shook her head, refusing to believe his lies. Dawn pulled her arms tightly around her body. “I’m sorry.”

  He glared at her. “You’re crazy, you know that? Seriously. You’ve known me for how long? Dawn, I adore you. Why would you say such a thing? This is so off base, I’m not even sure what to think about it all. Do you even realize what you’re saying? Do you realize what you’re accusing me of? It’s insane.”

  She bit her lower lip, trying to stop the quiver. Anxiety pulsed through her veins. She exhaled deeply, trying to center herself. She’d been terrified of confronting him after everything he’d meant to her…

  She needed to give him time to at least gather the bits of his life together and talk to his family. It was the least she could do. He had kids. “I can’t go back. I can’t undo what I know. Imagine how I felt when I heard all of this. I’ve never liked the idea of my brother being involved in the lifestyle he is, but it doesn’t change anything.”

  He clenched his teeth and angrily retorted, “This is a mistake.”

  Dawn’s gaze hit the floor. She could barely look at him. She’d go weak, apologize, back down from the truth. She knew right from wrong, and as hard as it was to say something, she had to if she wanted to sleep at night. If she turned and looked the other way, she’d hate herself for knowing and doing nothing about it. “Don’t lie to me.”

  Silence.

  She could feel his angry stare.

  “Dawn—”

  “Don’t,” she whispered.

  He drew his fingers up around her neck and squeezed. His massive hands gripped tightly, refusing to let go as she thrashed and tried to free herself.

  She panicked and tried to swat him away, pulling at his arms. Her eyes bulged. She tried to speak, but could only choke out a few words. “I...can’t...breathe.”

  He said nothing. Rage tore through him. He couldn’t let go. He held fast and squeezed tighter, aiming to crush her windpipe.

  Dawn
kicked him, but nothing helped. He was too strong.

  Slowly, she started to fade, then black out. It took longer than he expected, but once he’d started, he couldn’t stop. His hands wrapped around her neck like a python until she was listless. All that was left was the shell of her body which hung like a rag doll from his hands.

  He jerked his arms away as the reality of what he’d just done hit him. She crashed to the ground like a sack of potatoes. He stared at his lifeless lover. A wave of nausea caused him to buckle over.

  No!

  He collapsed to the floor. “Dawn, no. I’m so sorry, baby.”

  He panicked and placed her head in his lap. Fear raced up his spine. He hadn’t meant to…had he? “Oh my God, what did I do?”

  The color drained from his face. Everything moved in slow motion. He slid his fingers over her neck and checked for a pulse. He gently pressed on her carotid artery, but there was nothing. No sign of life.

  Thoughts crashed over him faster than he could keep up with, like a tsunami coming in for the kill. He glanced at his watch. How much time did he have? Should he try to revive her? Overwhelmed, he stared at his dead lover and the rubbed the back of his neck.

  There was no valiant effort to start CPR. There’d be no emergency call placed to 9-1-1.

  Nothing.

  What was done was done. It was over. He had to do it. He didn’t have a choice.

  He lifted her head from his lap and shifted away. His mind was like a carousel stuck on high speed.

  If anybody found out, he’d rot in jail and never to see his wife or kids again. His career would be finished, and his life over.

  No. He’d manage this, just like he managed everything else in his life.

  He refused to let this one little blemish destroy him. He’d figure it out. He was smarter than most. He just needed to…yes. He’d dispose of her body, clean up behind him, and let it remain a mystery; a cold case file never to be solved.

  With new resolve, he glanced around. He couldn’t leave her there. No. That was too obvious. He’d need to drive her deep into the woods, into territory where nobody would find her. And if they did, there’d be too little to find.

  His heart thumped loudly against his chest. The ideas came faster than he could keep up with. He knew what he’d have to do. It wouldn’t be easy, but the alternative would certainly be worse.

  “I’m sorry, baby. There’s no other way,” he said to his dead lover.

  He slipped into the garage in search of the blue tarp, the one he’d used when he helped her paint her living room. He’d need to gather her body and deal with the evidence. He glanced at his watch once again. She’d have to wait in the trunk of his car until he could finish the deed. It’s not like he could dispose of her in one piece. No, he’d need to make it difficult for her to be identified. If he could take care of it this evening, he’d be able to do it right.

  He grabbed a hammer from the toolbox in the garage and dragged it back in with the tarp. He needed to make sure the job was done. With a wincing blow, he slammed the hammer against Dawn’s throat, making sure her windpipe was completely crushed. Again and again, he banged the hammer. His stomach twisted and rolled. Nausea almost forced him to stop, but there wasn’t time.

  Wrapping her limp body in the tarp, he lifted, then carried her to his car. He placed her on the cool cement floor before digging into his pocket for his keys. Popping the trunk open, he pushed things around and then wedged her tightly into the space that remained. With the trunk closed, he sat on it for a moment and rubbed his temples. This wasn’t in his plans. Why did life have to be so complicated?

  He calmly walked back inside and dug out a bottle of bleach that sat under the kitchen sink. He’d mop the floor and make sure there was no trace of him there.

  It was going to be a long, ugly night. There was so much to do.

  Chapter 2

  Alex Ramsey stood before the dead body. He’d seen plenty in his time, but this, this was unusual. He took a few steps back and paced. The woman was decapitated. Her hands and feet had been cut off, and she looked to have been torched. Let alone the body parts were missing. Somebody was covering their tracks, not wanting to be found.

  Her abdomen was extended, which told him she’d been dead for a couple of days. Probably no more than five, or she’d have taken on a wetter appearance and there would be stronger odors. The areas of her skin that hadn’t charred looked marbled.

  They’d label her Jane Doe for now until they could figure out her identity. If a hiker hadn’t stumbled across the body on his trek through the woods, she might have decomposed enough to be even more untraceable.

  Alex had his work cut out for him.

  This wasn’t a sexual crime. Her clothes were still intact. Normally, victims were found naked if they’d been sexually assaulted, then killed. Why bother redressing them? Maybe they thought the clothes would help ignite the flames better. Either way, he didn’t see it as a rape case. The suspect knew them, though. He was certain. And the way they’d gone about trying to rid the body of identity, it was personal.

  Alex stepped in closer, then leaned down to look at the jagged flesh that remained. Maybe a hunting knife or a saw. It wasn’t a smooth, clean cut. He’d smeared a line of Vicks VapoRub under his nostrils before getting too close. He’d been privy to the foul odors of a decaying body in the past and picked up a couple of tricks to make the job easier. He could still vividly recall recoiling at the first murder scene of a rotting corpse he’d been called to. He’d learned the lesson well and always kept the rub handy.

  Bryce Mitchell snapped pictures of the dead woman’s body. He studied the angles, the sloppy slicing of the neck and limbs, and the way a trail of grass had been pushed down. They may have carried her part of the way, but at least toward the portion they stopped at, they’d been dragging her. The ground behind them showed wear.

  He followed the trail until the smooshed grass stood upright. Leaves had fallen and may have tainted the path. He brushed some away, looking to see if it continued.

  The sun bounced off something shiny. A tiny glimmer jumped out at him. He called out to Alex, “I think I’ve got something over here.”

  Alex joined him.

  Bryce pointed to the shiny object and gently pushed the leaves aside. He snapped a couple of pictures, then looped it with a pen and pulled it from the ground.

  Alex pulled out a small evidence bag from his jacket pocket and shook it open. “Nice find.”

  Bryce dropped the piece of jewelry into the bag. “A necklace. We’ll get a better look at it in the lab to see if there’s anything of importance we can pull from it.”

  “They must have done the butcher work here, don’t you think? Otherwise, I think the necklace would be long gone. My guess is that they got her out here, and then finished the job in the cover of the woods or darkness,” Alex surmised. “Not much blood. Our victim must have been dead for a while.”

  “Sick fuck,” Bryce added.

  “Cam, you got this?” Alex called over his shoulder.

  Cam moved closer and documented the latest information. He jotted down times, locations, and conditions of everything found at the scene of the crime, especially when it came to evidence.

  Alex sketched out a couple of details and noted measurements, then went back to examine the body once more. Once everything was documented and photographed, they’d wait on the medical examiner.

  Mason Ridge was a large suburban community in Pennsylvania that sat just outside of the city. With more trees and parks, it offered a family vibe for those who commuted into the busier hub of Philadelphia. The stretch of woods that the body was found in was a large county park that was situated in the middle of the suburban town. Alex had spent endless hours hiking through the park trails and fishing in the lake while growing up.

  Only the section that they were investigating wasn’t actually a trail. It was off the beaten path, tucked in the back, and would have taken a bit to get to. The person t
hat moved the body had to be in good physical shape to have pulled that off. Mostly likely they’d made their move under the cover of darkness.

  ***

  Alex grew up with one goal in mind. He’d find justice and make things right in the world. Sure, going the vigilante route was tempting at times, but he wanted to be on the clean side of the law.

  When his brother was killed, all he wanted was revenge. Knowing the bastard would rot in jail didn’t feel like enough of a victory. Sure, he was tried and convicted, but it didn’t bring his brother back. There was a hole the size of Jupiter in his heart that never fully healed. The day his brother died was the day he saw his future.

  Most figured he’d never amount to much. He’d been running around, not taking school seriously and found trouble a good deal of the time, but not after that. It was the turning point that straightened him on a path that would lead him to his career. He’d been on the force for longer that he’d ever done anything. He wasn’t good at sticking with stuff, but this, this grabbed him with a ferocity that held his attention.

  It was his meticulous nature that helped him land the position in the homicide division. He’d worked the beat like most the others in the police department, but he always went a step above, a step further. People sat up and took notice, and when the time was right, he got the promotion he’d always hoped for. He’d made the ranks, and finally landed in the homicide division.

  Bryce took him under his wing and taught him everything he knew. The two were solid and had a good track record of solving cases. Cam was the newest in the homicide division and was doing the grunt work that Alex had started with.

  They busted each other’s stones regularly, but there was nobody you could count on more than another member of the homicide division. They were as tight as brothers could be.

  ***

  Another long day. Amanda scrubbed her arms up to her elbows and then soaped her hands again and again. After rinsing, she turned the water off and spun toward her locker. She’d brought along a change of clothes. Shifting out of her scrubs, she pulled on her running clothes, and then tucked her belongings back into the locker. A good long run would push the stress of the day off her shoulders and allow her to clear her head.