R. E. Bradshaw - Rainey Nights Read online

  Rainey added what she knew. “She had a job cleaning the church on Saturday nights. That’s where her parents found her car when she didn’t come home.”

  Gillian nodded in agreement. “Yes, I was the one who answered the call. I went to the church and checked out the car. I didn’t touch anything, but I did look in the windows. The car was locked. Nothing indicated she was taken by force.”

  Rainey already knew that. She wanted to know more about Crystal. She needed to know why a girl like Crystal would get in a car with this guy. “What did you see in the car?”

  Rainey watched as Gillian closed her eyes, trying to recall the scene. This cop has good instincts, Rainey thought to herself. Officer Knox probably would make a good agent, in time.

  Gillian began to speak. “I saw Chapstick in the tray on the console, with some change, and a few colored hair ties. One of them was yellow. There was a box, like a Kinko’s box you get copies in, on the passenger seat. A sheet of paper was stuck on the top of the box. I know now the box contained abstinence pledge forms the kids were going to fill out at the lockdown.”

  Rainey was intrigued. “Do you have one of those copies here?”

  “Yes, there’s a copy of one in the squad room.” Gillian started to stand.

  Rainey stopped her. “Wait, we’ll get that in a minute. What else did you see?”

  Gillian refocused on her memory of the car. “I remember thinking how clean the car was. She took really good care of it.” The deputy paused to think. “Oh, and there was a dress hung up in the backseat… and a pair of black pumps on the floor. She attended the athletic banquet before she went to work. Her mother said Crystal changed clothes at the high school. The church doors were locked and her keys were missing. I had the preacher open the church and we searched it thoroughly. No sign of her anywhere. It looked like she just evaporated.”

  The religious angle of the UNSUB’s signature and the fact that all the victims were extremely active in their churches made Rainey’s skin crawl. When she got that feeling, she knew she had to keep digging. The answer was near, if she could just put the pieces together.

  Rainey continued her inquiry. “What do you know about this abstinence pledge and the lock down?”

  “I attended a few lockdowns in high school. It’s just what it sounds like. They locked us in the church overnight with a few adults. No one could leave or come in after the doors were closed. We played games and ate food. Some religious stuff went on, but not much. It was basically something we could do to be away from our parents overnight with their approval.”

  “And the abstinence pledge?” Rainey asked.

  Gillian laughed. “I had to read up on that one. Certainly didn’t take that pledge myself.”

  Rainey laughed with her, putting the younger woman more at ease.

  Gillian visibly relaxed back against the chair. She went on, “That last time in church, Crystal said she visited a youth council where she’d taken the pledge. After that, she arranged for a representative of the group to come here for the lockdown. She was so excited about signing up more kids in the congregation.”

  Rainey could see the sadness begin to creep across the deputy’s face and decided it was time to wrap it up. Although she didn’t know her very well, Crystal’s death had shaken Gillian. Rainey knew the facts would begin to blur when the emotion entered an interview like this, and that’s what it had been, whether Gillian realized it or not. Rainey had one final question.

  “Is there anything else that comes to mind? Let your instincts do the work. Close your eyes. What do you see?”

  Gillian obeyed and shut her eyes. She squirmed in the seat a little, and then her eyes popped open. “The ring. She wore an abstinence ring. She held up her hand in church to show us. I saw the autopsy report. The ring was not on her hand.”

  Rainey jumped up. She shuffled through several folders, scanning the information rapidly. Without looking up, she spoke to Gillian.

  “Go get the copy of the pledge and tell Agent McNally I need to see him.” Gillian didn’t move. She seemed stunned at Rainey’s sudden change. Rainey looked up. “Now, Knox. Get moving.”

  “Dammit! How did I miss that?” Rainey grumbled aloud. “Dammit!”

  She pulled out her cell phone and hit a button, speed dialing the Communication and Information Technology Unit, CITU, in Quantico. She waited for the familiar voice of Melatiah Brooks to pick up on the other end. After four rings, a harried voice answered on the other end.

  “Rainey Bell, you hold right there. Don’t hang up, I’ll be right back.”

  Rainey waited for the hold message to begin. Melatiah was famous for her messages that changed frequently, as did her mood. Agents either sang her praises or shrank at the mere mention of her name, a name so difficult to say, everyone just called her Brooks. Pronounced Mel-ah-TI-ah, it meant ‘one whom Jesus has set free,’ at least that’s what she told Rainey. As round as she was tall, which wasn’t very tall at all, Brooks certainly felt free to speak her mind. Rainey, at five feet ten inches, towered over her, but that didn’t stop Brooks from intimidating Rainey, at first. They became great friends over the years. Brooks was the daughter of a wealthy African American family from New York. She was educated at the best schools and found her niche in building hacking programs, which got her thrown out of the best schools and into the FBI academy. Brooks was no holds barred with attitude, but she could take it too, which is why she and Rainey got along.

  Today the hold message was a rant about the fact that everyone thought that his or her case should be a priority. It was a running monologue on the distinction between wants and needs, and how few of the agents actually understood there was a difference. It was quite hysterical, probably the only reason she had not been forced to remove it. Once instructed to delete the message, she would, but within a few days another would surface. Rainey usually found the messages entertaining, but she was anxious to find the answer to her question. Brooks was fabulously good at her job. If the information Rainey sought were out there, she would find it.

  Brooks clicked on just as the message was about to begin again.

  “Okay, Rainey Bell, you’re next.” She always called Rainey by both her names. “Where are you and what do you want?” Brooks sounded pleasant, but wasted no time getting to the point of the call.

  Rainey knew this tone. It indicated the short round woman was up to her ears in agents’ requests for information, some of which were life and death questions. What she could tell an agent could break a case and save lives. She was under a lot of pressure to get it right.

  Rainey answered quickly, “I’m in Botetourt County, Virginia, with Danny. We’re on the Highway 220 cases. I need you to find out what you can about the abstinence pledge people. Specifically, whom do they send out as representatives to local churches? Concentrate on anyone who’s been near the locations connected with these murders.”

  “Got it,” Brooks said quickly, and then asked, “How fast do you need it? Of course, I know the answer to that is as soon as possible.”

  Rainey smiled into the receiver. “Yes, that would be the answer. Did I tell you how much I appreciate how hard your job is and how much I admire you?”

  “Don’t try to schmooze me, Rainey Bell. I know your tactics. I’ll get back to you within the hour. Be safe out there.”

  Rainey didn’t get the chance to say goodbye. Danny entered the room in a hurry. His face was a bit flushed with the excitement. Deputy Knox clearly got the message to him that Rainey needed to see him right away.

  “What is it, Rainey? What did you find?” He asked, coming around the table to stand next to her.

  “This last girl, Crystal, she wore an abstinence pledge ring, a simple gold band. It was not on the body. I remembered reading that at least two other victims were missing a gold band. I think we have the link to all the victims. We need to talk to the families again. Find out if their daughters had any connection with these abstinence pledge people. I have Brooks l
ooking for information on any of them that could have come in contact with the victims.”

  Danny looked down at the table strewn with victim files. “What are you thinking here, Rainey?”

  “It doesn’t necessarily have to be one of the people associated with the Pledge. It could be someone who goes to these events, trolling for victims. Think about the different bible verses he’s left us.”

  Rainey shifted files on the table until she found the one she was looking for. She pulled a sheet of paper out of the file and handed it to Danny. The paper contained the bible verses they were able to recover from some of the bodies, the ones discovered before decomposition destroyed the paper. There were five verses, including the one they found today.

  Psalm 45:14 She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.

  Isaiah 47:1 Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.

  Jeremiah 14:17 Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them; Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow.

  Lamentations 2:21 The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword; thou hast slain them in the day of thine anger; thou hast killed, and not pitied.

  Ezekiel 23:8 Neither left she her whoredoms brought from Egypt: for in her youth they lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured their whoredom upon her.

  Rainey pointed out, “We talked about the virgin theme, but this puts it in context. Crystal was planning a big Pledge drive at a lockdown for the youth in her church. We need to know more about that.”

  Deputy Knox came in with a copy of the pledge document from Crystal’s car. Rainey took it and read it quickly. There was no official logo from any organization on the paper, just the simple pledge to abstain from sex until marriage. It also had places for the name and address of the pledger, plus a space to write something about themselves. It was a stalker’s dream come true; all the information he would need to find them and wait for his moment to strike. Rainey knew in her gut this pledge had something to do with the case. She handed the paper to Danny. He began to read it.

  Rainey turned back to Gillian, reverting to official names in front of Danny. She knew how important it was for a female officer to retain a professional air around other officers. “Deputy Knox, would you find out if anyone from the church is available to meet with us there? Also, ask Detective Martin if he could join us for a moment.”

  Knox started moving. She didn’t need reminding to respond to Rainey’s request swiftly. She was almost out the door when Rainey’s words made her pause.

  “Hey, clear it with your supervisor so you can go with us to the church.”

  Knox almost smiled, but gathered it in quickly. “Yes, ma’am.” She left on a mission.

  Danny looked quizzically at Rainey. She answered his unspoken question, “She’s a member of the church. I think she can help us. She’s the one that mentioned the missing ring.”

  “I think she’s got a crush on you,” Danny said, chuckling.

  “Shut up, asshole.”

  Rainey wasn’t really angry. It wasn’t the first case of hero worship she had to deal with, and at least this one was cute. She and Danny teased each other mercilessly. It eased the tensions of the job. To an outsider it may appear callous to stand over a table full of horrible images joking, but it was never disrespectful of the victims. They both needed the coping mechanism.

  “Are you sure she has a boyfriend?” Danny wasn’t letting up.

  “I don’t have one,” Rainey shot back. “What does that make me?”

  Danny patted her on the shoulder, his dimples showing, as he said, “A lonely old woman, ma’am. Maybe you should try the other team. You’re not doing too well with the boys.”

  It was too new, too raw. Danny just never knew when to stop. He was older, but he acted more like an annoying little brother sometimes. Rainey stiffened under his hand and turned her green eyes on him with a glare.

  “With you as an example of what I have to choose from, it doesn’t sound like such a bad idea.”

  Knox entered the room, saving Rainey from Danny’s retort. Sure there was going to be one, Rainey was thankful the young officer had shown up when she did. Rainey wasn’t in the mood to exchange pithy banter with Danny. She wanted to solve this case and take a vacation. North Carolina was calling her home. She had not seen her father in months, or Ernie, the woman who practically raised her and managed her father’s Bail Bond office. Rainey saw her real mother only on holidays when she couldn’t escape without repercussions she’d rather avoid. Her wealthy, pretentious mother had not been a part of her day-to-day life since Rainey was fourteen and deemed uncontrollable. She had been handed over to her Vietnam veteran, real father, whom she had only learned about at age ten. It was the best thing that ever happened to her.

  Deputy Knox burst into the room, almost breathless, saying, “The pastor’s at the church. They’re going ahead with the lockdown. The church secretary said they thought it was best to let the kids grieve together. Pastor Morrell is in the education building setting up. Detective Martin is on his…”

  Martin entered the room before Knox could finish the sentence. He asked, “What did you find?”

  Rainey didn’t want to blow her hunch out of proportion. She said, “We aren’t sure, but there may be a connection to the abstinence pledge found in Crystal’s car and at least two of the other victims. We want to go to the church and speak with the pastor. He may know something and not realize it.”

  “Okay, what do you want me to do?” Martin asked.

  Danny, who had stacked all but three of the files in a pile, pointed at them. “We need to contact each of these families. Find out if any of the victims took the abstinence pledge, or were involved in a group that may have attended a meeting, a rally, even a church camp where it could have come up. Also, were any of them missing a ring, a gold band?”

  Martin looked confused.

  Knox explained, “Crystal had a gold band. She got the ring when she took the pledge. It wasn’t on the body.”

  Rainey picked up Crystal’s file from the three Danny held back. They already knew the other two victims’ rings were missing. She added a request. “Ask Crystal’s family if they have the ring at home. We’re going to go talk to the pastor.”

  Rainey started to leave. She turned back to the young deputy. “Well Knox, are you coming?”

  “Yes ma’am.”

  Rainey heard Danny chuckle behind her.

  #

  The Rose of Sharon Church sat just off Highway 220, north of Fincastle, just five miles from where Crystal’s body was found. The soaring steeple of the old white clapboard church reached high into the sky above the blue-gray slate covered roof. Against the deep green forest background, it looked like a Thomas Kincaid painting. Azalea bushes surrounded the church with so many blooms the building glowed pink just above them. Bright yellow tulips lined the walkway in well-attended beds carved out of the carefully manicured lawn. On the other side of the parking lot, out under the big Hickory trees, picnic tables were placed near a large brick barbecue pit. Deputy Knox pulled her cruiser to a stop just beyond the doors of a newer looking, flat-topped annex attached to the back of the church. Rainey and Danny followed in a black SUV.

  When they were out of the vehicles, Deputy Knox said, “That’s the education building,” pointing at the modern addition. “That’s where the secretary said the pastor was.”

  Rainey surveyed the parking lot. The only vehicle, other than the SUV and the deputy’s cruiser, was a large, four-wheel drive truck, with a snap down cover over the bed. There were no markings at all on the truck. Everything on it was painted shiny bla
ck, even the rims. The windows were as dark as legally allowed. The only color on the truck was the Virginia license plate on the back. She couldn’t see it, but there should have been a corresponding plate on the front bumper. It was an impressive ride. Danny stared at it with desire in his eyes. What red-blooded man, who grew up in the country, didn’t want a truck like that? Danny was, after all, raised a farm boy. This particular truck, however, was not a vehicle she would associate with a pastor.

  “Is that the pastor’s truck?” She asked Knox.

  “No. He lives next door, so he leaves his car there.”

  A drooling Danny said, “Well this doesn’t belong to a church secretary.”

  Knox laughed. “No, Miss Mary’s husband drops her off and picks her up. She never learned to drive. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this truck before. I’m pretty sure I would have remembered it. That’s a nice truck.”

  “Using a word like nice to describe a truck like this is a sin,” Danny quipped.

  He reluctantly left his daydream about driving the truck and followed the two women to the door of the building. Rainey let the deputy lead the way. She learned a long time ago that a familiar face helped get locals to open up to them. Besides, she was growing fond of the blond young woman walking in front of her. This would be good experience for Gillian. Rainey remembered her first year as an agent, having to fight for chances to gain field experience. It was better now for women, but young Miss Knox had a long road ahead to gain her colleagues’ respect. Rainey hoped this show of support from the visiting FBI agents would help the novice deputy on her way.

  They entered the building and made their way down the hall lined with classrooms on the left and a day care room on the right. At the end of the hallway, they came to a large meeting room that appeared to double as a gym and game area. In the middle of the room, a tall, slender man, with graying temples was setting up a Ping-Pong table. A young man with a head full of blond curls was assisting him. Both men turned as Rainey, Danny, and Deputy Knox came into the room.