Velocity

kidnapped my wife and son five months ago. I guess Merilynn already gave you the DVD I left with her.

“If she didn’t, she and my son were returned unharmed, but with a warning that he’d kill them unless I did things to help him out. At first it was just getting some information for him. Then it became addresses, home addresses, and other information about people that I needed to use the Police Department and county database to look up. And then he wanted me to get him a prox card, which would give him access to the Sheriff’s Department.”

Vail closed her eyes. Shit, Ray, you should’ve told us all this. We could’ve done something. And it would’ve helped us.

“I didn’t realize what he was doing with the card, or all the info I was getting for him, until he asked for stuff on someone I knew, a friend of mine.” He bit his bottom lip and looked away from the camera. Seconds later, he turned back and tears were streaming over his lower lids onto his cheeks. “Our first vic, Victoria Cameron. Honest, I didn’t know what he wanted with her. I tried to ask him about it, but he told me to shut up and do as I was told. A couple days later, Vicky was dead. And I knew we had a problem.

“I tried. For months, I tried finding him. Son of a bitch was good. Too good. I got nowhere, and when I poked around, he knew. He knew.” Lugo tightened his jaw, then took a breath and blew it out.

“I should’ve said something. I’m sorry, I should’ve leveled with all of you. But there was nothing we could’ve done. I didn’t know who the guy was. I had nothing on him that would’ve helped catch him. But . . . ” He wiped at his eyes, looked off to his right, then back to the camera: “As we kept finding new victims, I felt like I should’ve been able to do something. I felt responsible. But I was just trying to protect my family. I had no idea what he was doing . . . ”

He wiped his face across his sleeve. “I had no idea he was using some of this information to locate and kill people. I—I don’t know what I would’ve done if I’d known. I truly believe he’d come after my wife and son—no matter where we went.

“So if you’re watching this, my wife has told you where to find it. I assume she’s safe. And I assume I was successful in killing this goddamn fucking monster who’s made the last five months of our lives a living hell. Wondering if he’s watching us, if he’s going to keep his end of the deal . . . ”

He paused, dropped his chin down—it looked like he had fallen asleep—but there was still timeline left on the video.

Lugo’s head came up and he said, “Cesar Guevara is tied into this somehow. I don’t know how, but I’ve just got a feeling. There’s gotta be something. If he is somehow affiliated with our killer, I don’t want him skating by. Again, I’m sorry. But know that I gave my life trying to keep my family safe. And, yeah, mix a little revenge into that too. A lot of revenge.”

He sat there looking at the camera, then said, “Take care. I feel honored to have served with all of you.”

Vail closed the window.

“Open Live Messenger,” Dixon said.

Vail clicked and signed in, then added the Sheriff ’s Department email address. A moment later, a request for a video call popped up. Vail accepted, and Dixon’s face filled the screen. The sight of her friend’s image made her feel good. There hadn’t been many moments like that of late.

“So Ray was more deeply wrapped up in this than we thought,” Dixon said. “That explains why he was so agitated and stressed out. He knew what was going on but wasn’t telling us.”

“Don’t be so hard on him, Roxx. He thought he was doing what he had to do to protect his wife and son. It’s a horrible choice to have to make.”

“Still . . . he could’ve pointed us in the right direction.”

“What direction was that? We were already looking at Superior and Guevara. The only thing we might’ve been able to do is to put a tail on Ray so that when Mayfield contacted him, we could track it. But that would’ve run the risk that Mayfield would’ve found out or detected it somehow. And Ray probably wasn’t willing to take the risk that we’d be able to adequately protect Merilynn and Mario.” She shook her head. “We still don’t have the whole picture.”

“I’m going to talk with Brix about putting some undercovers on Guevara. It’ll be tough, because the street- wise SOB may pick it up. But we still don’t have enough for a search warrant.” She brushed her blonde hair off her face. “Let me switch gears a minute. I haven’t heard anything from the San Francisco field office about Robby. If they’re working the case, I’m in—”

“That’s what I was going to tell you,” Vail said. She rested both forearms on her desk and said, “You’re not gonna believe this, but Robby’s working undercover. I can’t go into it over an unsecure line. But that explains why he suddenly disappeared. He went dark.”

Dixon’s eyebrows rose. “No way!” She sat back in her chair. “That’s a huge relief. But Jesus, I can’t believe he didn’t tell you. I mean, doesn’t he realize what he put you through?”

“I just found out a minute before you called, so it hasn’t really sunk in. Let’s just say I feel betrayed. Bottom line, he didn’t trust me.”

Vail’s desk phone buzzed. “Agent Vail,” Lenka’s voice said over the speaker. “Mr. Gifford wants you in his office right now.”

“On my way.” Vail faced the webcam. “Roxx—”

“Before you go. Aaron’s analysis of those fibers they found in the blood in Cannon’s shed turned out to be deer, as we thought. They combed through his house and found the body buried in his yard. Clearly a brutal act. Nothing tentative about it.”

“Not surprising.”

“I thought you’d want to know.”

“You thought right. Gotta run. I’ll call you later.”

Vail disconnected the call and ran out, back toward Gifford’s office.

45

Vail didn’t have time to put further thought into Cannon’s deer killing, but she felt as if she already knew everything she needed to know about it, and the man—at least for the purpose of her current task.

When Vail walked into her ASAC’s office, DeSantos and Gifford were standing and arguing—and stopped the moment she entered. They turned to look at her.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“Robby’s undercover contact,” DeSantos said. “His name is Cesar Guevara.”

Vail processed that a long second, then reached back for a chair and sat down heavily. The discovery of Robby’s handwriting in Guevara’s house suddenly came into focus. “Shit. Shit. Shit.” She dropped her head into her hands. “I’m not feeling very well.”

“What’s the problem?” DeSantos asked.

Without raising her head, Vail said, “When Robby went missing, I went into a frenzy. I looked everywhere. The task force and the Napa Special Investigations Bureau mobilized. I gave them Robby’s photo to show around town.” She grasped her hair in both hands. “And I . . . I showed it to Guevara.”

But that wasn’t the worst of it. Vail yanked her phone and pulled up the photo Jonathan had sent her. The image struck her like a slap to the cheek.

DeSantos must have seen her reaction, because he reached over and grabbed the BlackBerry from her hand. “Ah, shit.”

Vail watched as he handed the phone to Gifford, who took a look, then sat down slowly in his chair.

“Hector, get the DEA administrator on the line—and have him conference in Yardley.”

DeSantos paged to the number, then lifted the secure handset.

“I’ve got some more disturbing news,” he said as DeSantos made his call. “We’ve lost contact with Robby and Sebastian. They missed their last three check-in times.”

Vail felt panic rising in her throat like bile. She steeled herself, tried to settle her nerves. Now’s not the time to freak out. As Rudnick had said, she had to keep her emotions in check. This wasn’t exactly what he was referring to, but it certainly applied.