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Hank sat back. It appeared they were finally getting somewhere. He glanced at King, removed a pen from his jacket, and wrote down the name.
“What did you do with the body?”
Adam looked up, tears in his eyes. “I … I put him in the dumpster behind the store.”
That’s why the body had never been found. It was probably long gone, perhaps buried under a mountain of trash in a landfill somewhere.
Adam breathed rapidly, erratically, the tears now escaping from his eyes. He tried to speak, his body shivering, the cuffs rattling as he shook. Through sobs, he managed to say, “There … there’s another one.”
“Another victim?” Hank asked.
Adam nodded furiously, tears dripping off his chin. He dropped his head and wiped them away with a cuffed hand. “I can remember some of it now, too. It happened this morning.”
“Tell me about it.” Hank was shocked, but he kept his voice soft, encouraging the young man to continue.
“Richdale Pizza.”
Hank waited until Adam recovered enough to continue.
“Ira Toddle.”
“Was he a bully too?”
“Yes,” Adam whispered. “He was.”
Hank wrote the name down before asking, “He worked at Richdale Pizza?”
Adam nodded.
“Where did you kill him?”
Adam could barely speak. “Behind the store. I … I shot him. In the face.”
“Where’s the body?”
“I hid it behind a parked car.”
Hank spoke in a low voice. “Were there any more, Adam?”
Adam shook his head. “That’s all. I’m pretty sure.” He raised his eyes toward Hank, pleading, “Please help me.”
“We’ll get you some help.” Hank closed the folder, picked it up, then looked over at King. “That’s enough for now. We’d better check out these bodies and continue from there.”
King nodded, bounced off the wall, opened the door, and Hank followed him out. King wandered back to the precinct while Hank stepped into the next room.
Jake and A
“He’s a pretty messed-up guy,” Hank said. He glanced through the glass where Adam still shook, his head in his hands. The man’s sobs came through the speaker. Hank turned back to A
“I’m just happy it’s wrapped up,” A
Jake turned to A
A
Hank watched the prisoner a few moments longer before going back to his desk. He was disturbed about the news of a fourth victim, but relieved it was finally over.
Chapter 45
Thursday, 3:52 p.m.
ANNIE SAT QUIETLY in the passenger seat as Jake pulled the Firebird out of the precinct parking lot. Adam would finally get the help he so desperately needed, but his life was about to undergo a drastic change.
His mother would be brought in for questioning before long, and when she heard the news of Adam’s arrest, she would be devastated. She had protected him through it all, but she’d broken the law in doing so.
A
She turned to face Jake. “I want to drop by and see Mrs. Thorburn.”
Jake glanced over and raised an eyebrow. “It’s over, honey.”
“It’s not over for everyone. It’s just starting.”
“I’m not sure if she wants to see me,” Jake said. “I didn’t get a very warm reception last time.”
“She’s under a lot of stress,” A
Jake gave a soft sigh, pulled to the side of the street, and made a U-turn. “You’d better call Chrissy.”
A
In a few minutes, they turned onto Mill Street and drove toward the Thorburn residence. The police car that had sat across the road from the house was now gone. The officers hiding in the garage were likely relieved as well and would move on to the next task.
Jake pulled the Firebird to the side of the street in front of the house. They stepped out, went to the side door, and opened the screen. Jake knocked on the i
“I don’t think she’s home right now,” he said.
A
“It’s a little early for that,” Jake said, looking at his watch.
A
Jake shrugged and followed A
Jake squinted up the sidewalk. “That’s her,” he said, leaning against a tree. He pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “And I’m pretty sure if she’d gone to see Adam, she’d still be there wondering why the place is filled with cops. Besides, she’s coming from the wrong direction. I don’t think she knows yet.”
“She’ll find out soon enough,” A
Virginia frowned at Jake and then gave A
“May we come in a minute?”
The woman hesitated, adjusted the handbag on her shoulder, then motioned toward the house. “I can spare a few minutes, but I need to get ready for work soon.” She turned and walked up the driveway.
A
“Do you want anything? Coffee? Beer?” she asked.
Jake looked at A
“Coffee, thanks,” A
The Lincolns sat at the table while the woman went to the kitchen. A
“I hope the coffee’s drinkable,” Jake whispered. He had noticed the mess too. He pushed back a plate that sat in front of him and brushed away some bread crumbs.
“Don’t be rude,” A
Jake chuckled. “She didn’t hear me.”
Virginia came in the room a moment later carrying a cup in one hand and juggling two in the other. She set them on the table and pushed one toward each of them. “I hope you like cream and sugar,” she said.
“It’s perfect,” A
Mrs. Thorburn sat down in her spot, pulled a cigarette from a pack, and used the tip of it to rearrange the butts in the ashtray to make room for more. She lit it, closed her eyes and took a deep drag, blowing the smoke into the air above A
“What did you want to talk about?” she asked.
“About Adam,” A
Virginia Thorburn stopped halfway through another drag of her cigarette, her eyes bulging. Her mouth dropped open and the smoke worked its own way out. She waved it away with a hand and leaned in, speechless, her mouth still open.