“So, you want me to send a search party to look for a body in the middle of the mountains in Michigan, which may or may not be there?”
Aidan nodded.
“I don’t know about that,” Monroe said. “That’s going to exhaust a lot of resources we can’t afford right now. Especially since we may need them here.”
“Monroe,” Aidan replied, “Please. I realize it’s a stretch. And I know there’s a fifty-fifty chance I’m wrong. But what if I am right? It may not get us closer to finding The Carnations Killer, but if we did find Jamal Foster somewhere in those mountains, then it’d provide a little closure for his family. And Keisha’s. Right now, they’re living their lives believing he may have murdered his girlfriend. If we do find him, they’ll know that their son, their brother, their friend...that he isn’t a killer.”
Aidan told her it wasn't the offender's style to bury the bodies, so he figured while he went after Keisha, Jamal may have tried to escape the mountains in another direction. He was probably stabbed, so he was bound to lose a lot of blood.
Monroe looked from Aidan to Shaun, as if to check on the validity of the claim. Finally, after almost three minutes ticked by, she sighed. She put her hand on the landline.
“Okay,” she agreed. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you,” Aidan said. “We’re going to grab something to eat, then pay Jordan Blake another visit to see what he has to say about his time in Michigan. With any luck, he may remember seeing something.”
15
AIDAN called Lieutenant Christenson and asked him to bring a few officers with him to the WJFX studio in case they were needed. When he spoke to Christenson over the phone, Aidan relayed everything they found so far, and that they were in the process of searching for Jamal Foster’s remains in the mountains. Christenson voiced that he didn’t believe the Michigan police would find anything. Aidan replied that they agreed, but had a duty to the families to try.
They were now in Jordan’s office, much to the reporter’s antagonism.
Aidan asked him whether or not he was ever in Michigan on a reporting assignment.
“Yeah, I was in Michigan for a little while,” Jordan answered. “It was just for a few months.”
“Do you remember covering any other Carnations Killer murders?” Aidan asked.
“Kind of sort of,” Jordan replied.
“What kind of answer is that?” Shaun snapped. “I’m sure a good reporter such as yourself would remember. You do realize the more you keep from us, the guiltier you’ll appear.”
“I have never hurt another human being,” Jordan scoffed. “So I reported on other Carnations Killer murders. Surprise, surprise. I’m a reporter.”
“A reporter with a knack of knowing things beforehand,” Aidan said, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. He narrowed his eyes. “I mean, you arrived at the Maya Gibson site shortly after the body was found.”
“Told you the kid started running his mouth.”
“You knew Maya was the latest Carnations victim.”
“He sent me a text saying he was back.”
“Which conveniently disappeared.”
Jordan opened and closed his mouth, unsure of his next rebuttal.
“And to top it off,” Aidan continued, “you lied about knowing Maya, and you withheld that you were pretty familiar with the other investigations. I’d say that’s pretty suspicious.”
Jordan frowned. “I had nothing to do with these murders. I love women. Really. And they love me. I have zero interest in kidnapping and whipping them.” He winked at Aidan. “Unless of course, they give me their approval.”
“Then, I’m certain you can provide an alibi for last Tuesday night or this Thursday morning.” It was Christenson who spoke.
Jordan turned his attention to the lieutenant, squaring his jaw. “No.”
“In that case, I’m afraid, we have no choice but to bring you in,” Aidan informed him. “We’ll get a warrant to search your home and office.”
Jordan released a groan as Lieutenant Christenson motioned for one of his men to read the newscaster his rights. The officer cuffed his wrists behind his back, then guided him out of the news station.
“The guy's a snake,” Christenson stated.
“That's one way to put it,” Aidan said, watching Jordan stroll through the hallway as though he was being escorted to a royal party.
“Let me know what you find in Michigan,” Christenson requested.
Aidan told him he would.
After he left to follow his men, Aidan glanced at Shaun.
“He looks guilty,” he said. “Acts it too.”
“Looking and acting are different than being,” Shaun reminded him.
“You don't think Jordan's responsible for Maya's death?”
“You've followed The Carnations Killer investigation for the best part of ten years, right?” Shaun asked him. “During all those years, how many times has he let himself be so careless?”
Aidan frowned. “Not enough.”
Aidan knew the offender was too detailed to let himself be sloppy. At the same time, he wouldn't bother framing another man. Not unless the feds were on his tail and he needed an escape.
So what was it?
Coincidence?
Soon enough, once they had the warrant for his home and office in their hands, they’d be able to find whether or not he had anything that may implicate him.
16
Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Ottawa National Forest
Six miles to Iron River
Chief Harmon Gillespie overlooked his men combing through the vast land in search of the body of a man who disappeared five years ago. He remembered the case vividly and he had always believed Jamal Foster was not the man responsible for the murder of his girlfriend.
It never sat right with him.
He’d heard of The Carnations Killer from
