Person of Interest

Knowing Sofia would be safer in her car seat, Natalie let the baby sleep while she dashed inside. Everything was as Wanda had mentioned, including the hunting rifle in the closet. Natalie found the ammo and loaded the weapon, then retraced her steps and hid in the underbrush until the car turned onto the dirt path.

Her heart pounded. She hadn’t expected Mason to follow her. As the SUV drew closer, she crawled from the foliage, holding the rifle in her arms. The vehicle skidded to a stop.

“Get out, Mason,” she screamed, aiming the gun at the shadowed outline of the man behind the wheel.

The door opened and long legs stepped to the ground, followed by a muscular chest, square jaw and dark eyes that stared at her with a perturbed frown.

“Lower that weapon before you hurt someone,” he warned.

Not Mason.

Everett Kohl.

Did she need to fear him, as well?

* * *

Everett didn’t like being one-upped, especially by a woman who looked light as a feather and about as threatening. Except for the Winchester .30-30.

A good rifle for hunting deer, and not the type of weapon a criminal would carry. Although it could do serious damage if she decided to pull the trigger.

Even with the rifle, Everett was confident he could overpower her, but he wanted her to trust him. Allowing the nanny to think she was in control would be the best strategy to earn that trust, at least for now. Plus, he was packing a SIG Sauer under his jacket and a J-Frame Smith & Wesson strapped to his ankle. Hopefully, she didn’t realize special agents were always armed.

A baby’s cry cut through the darkness.

Seeing the concern on Natalie’s face, he stepped toward the car and peered at the baby in the rear. “Someone’s not happy.”

“She’s probably wet and hungry.” Natalie motioned to the cabin. “Head for the porch and don’t do anything stupid.”

He pointed to the rifle. “You wouldn’t use that, would you?”

She cocked her hip and tried to look defiant. “Don’t tempt me.”

“Shooting a law enforcement officer carries a stiff penalty that would end your hopes for a career in education, Ms. Frazier.”

“It’s Natalie, and I know what I’m doing.”

“If so, then—”

“Then why am I holding you at gunpoint?”

He nodded. “Exactly.”

“Because you followed me here, and I need to know why.”

“To insure your safety.”

“Wrong answer.”

“But truthful.” He titled his head. “Tell me why you’re frightened of Mason?”

“You won’t believe me.”

“If you have information about Mrs. Yates’s murder, why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“I made a mistake.” Natalie’s bravado deflated. “I had two prank phone calls on the Joneses’ landline. I think they were from Mason.”

“What?”

“When I saw headlights, I thought he had followed me here.”

Pulling in a deep breath, Everett nodded. “You’ve got my attention. I’ll meet you on the porch. But watch that rifle. I wouldn’t want it to go off accidentally.”

“Don’t worry, Mr. Kohl. I’ve got everything under control.”

Everett would have laughed if the situation weren’t so dicey. “It’s Everett.”

Again, Sofia let out a bellow.

As he walked toward the cabin, he glanced over his shoulder. The nanny had placed the rifle on the ground to free her hands. She plucked Sofia from the backseat of her car and struggled to balance the baby and the diaper bag.

Natalie frowned when she looked up and found him staring at her.

He retraced his steps and held out his hands. “You’re exhausted and loaded down. How ’bout I take the diaper bag and baby. You keep the gun.”

Her brow lifted, but she didn’t object as he reached for Sofia and nestled the baby against his shoulder. With his free hand, he grabbed the diaper bag.

“I’ll meet you inside.” He hurriedly climbed the steps and entered the rustic cabin. A stacked-stone fireplace sat to the right. The kitchen and eating area were on the left. A couch and two easy chairs filled the center of the room. An open door revealed a bedroom in the rear, and a second, smaller room with a crib and changer, which was where he headed.

Everett felt a swell of gratitude for his sister, who had let him help when her two little ones were infants and her husband was away on business. He laid Sofia on the changer, and, in short order, the baby was in a dry diaper and back in his arms.

Sofia cooed with contentment. He laughed at the sounds that reminded him of his nieces, then turned to find Natalie standing in the doorway of the nursery wearing a perplexed look.

“Are you married with kids?” she asked.

He shook his head.

“Yet you know how to change diapers?”

“I’ve got two nieces, two years and eight months old. My sister said I was a quick study.”

“She’s right. I’m impressed.”

Sofia jammed her tiny fist in her mouth and made sucking sounds.

“The baby’s hungry.” Everett rummaged in the tote and found a bottle of formula.

“Excuse me.” He walked past Natalie into the main room where he settled into the couch.

“I’ll feed Sofia while we have that talk you wanted.” He glanced at the rifle she still held. “Can you park the weapon by the fireplace? Conversation flows better when I’m not staring at the end of a gun.”

She hesitated.

“You can trust me, Natalie.”

She shook her head and wrinkled her brow. “No, Everett, I can’t. I can’t trust anyone. Not you, not the other special agent who was with you tonight, and certainly not Mason Yates.”

“Maybe we should skip the niceties and get right to what you want to talk about.”

“I want to talk about a woman who fell down the stairs to her death in Germany the way Tammy Yates died tonight.”

Everett tensed. “Do you have a name?”

She nodded. “Paula Conway.”

“And you think Mason Yates killed both women?”

“That’s exactly what I think.”

“Do you have proof?”

Her shoulders drooped. “I don’t have anything except a gut feeling, which won’t get me very far with law enforcement.”

What had this woman been through that caused her to be so distrustful? Had Mason hurt her? If so, Everett would make sure he paid for his indiscretion or abuse.

Two women dying in the same way—if what Natalie said was true—raised more than a red flag. Everett didn’t put much stock in hunches. Every person in law enforcement knew cases were solved with evidence, not subjective reactions or feelings, but something about Natalie Frazier tugged at his heart. She was nervous and afraid and appeared ready to collapse from the stress of what had happened.

“It’s okay, Natalie.” He wanted to reassure her. “I’m here to help you.”

She nodded ever so slightly, then lowered the gun to the floor and settled into a chair across from him.

His cell rang. Natalie tensed as he pulled it from his pocket. “Don’t tell anyone where you are or that I’m with you,” she warned.

He nodded. Seeing Frank’s name, he swiped the call screen to establish a connection and then raised the cell to his ear. “This is Special Agent Kohl.”

“Thanks for the tip about the apartment in Freemont. It’s leased to Denise Lang, the nanny’s roommate.”

“You checked it out?”

Everett tried to appear nonchalant as Frank continued.

“Denise works the evening shift at a local restaurant and didn’t show up tonight. The manager was worried and called the police.”

“Okay.”

“Almost simultaneously, we contacted them with questions about the nanny.”

Everett glanced at Natalie. “And?”

“And once we arrived at the apartment, we realized we’ve got even bigger problems.”

“Oh?”

“The local police found Denise Lang. She was murdered in her apartment.”

Everett groaned. “How?”

“Cause of death was a bullet to the gut.”

Everett listened as Frank told him who they suspected of committing the crime.

Disconnecting, he raised Sofia to his shoulder and leaned forward. “Tell me about Denise Lang.”

“My roommate?”

“When did you last see her?”

“Yesterday before she went to work. She waitresses at a restaurant in Freemont.”

“What about this morning?”

“She sleeps late. Her door was closed, and I didn’t want to wake her. Why?”

“You stopped at your apartment tonight.”

Natalie nodded. “She works nights and doesn’t want anyone to call her while she’s on the job. I left a note to tell her I would be out of touch for at least a day or so.”

“The police checked your apartment to determine if you had anything to do with Tammy Yates’s death.”

Natalie slumped back in the chair. Color drained from her face. “They had no right.”

“They had every right. Your roommate, Denise Lang, was found by the police.”

She grimaced. “What?”

“Denise Lang was found dead. Two women died today, Tammy Yates and your roommate.”

Natalie gasped. Her hand flew to her mouth, and her face twisted with grief.

“The police are searching for the killer.” Everett pursed his lips, hoping she understood the seriousness of what he was about to say.

“The police are searching for you, Natalie. You’re a person of interest.”

Her blue eyes widened. “What’s that mean?”

“It means they think you may have killed both women.”

FOUR

A roar filled Natalie’s ears. She grabbed the edge of the chair as the room shifted out of control, then hung her head to fend off the swell of nausea and light-headedness.

What she’d just heard couldn’t be true.

“Are you okay?”

Everett’s voice sounded garbled and distant, as if she were swimming underwater and couldn’t make her way to the surface.

Denise? Gone?

His hand gripped her shoulder. “Take deep breaths. Keep your head down.”

She gasped for air.

“You’re pale as death, Natalie.”

Bad choice of words. Her heart pounded even more. How could Denise be dead?

“Hold on.” He left her side and hurried to the kitchen, where he ran water from the faucet and returned with a damp cloth that he placed on the back of her neck.

She fought to bring the world back into perspective and drew in a lungful of fresh air. Rubbing a hand over her still-queasy stomach, Natalie tried to make sense of what had happened, but nothing made sense. Not the fact that Mason Yates lived next to Wanda Davis or that his wife had been pushed to her death as Natalie listened to her scream for help.

She shivered, unable to wipe the horrific scene from her mind. The vision shifted, and, instead of Tammy lying dead at the foot of the stairs, she saw Denise.

“No,” she moaned, and rubbed her forehead. “I... I can’t believe—”

“Shh.” His hand stroked her shoulder. “Relax for a few minutes. There’ll be time to talk later.”

Time to talk when he hauled her back to Fort Rickman. Tears burned her eyes and a huge lump filled her throat. Even drawing a shallow breath took effort.

The swirl of confusion played havoc with her emotions. She should have moved back to Detroit. The inner-city blight would have been easier to handle than what was happening in Georgia.

All she wanted was to get a job in education and earn enough to live life without drawing attention to herself or her past. The warmth of a small town, Freemont, with its strong sense of community and welcoming arms, had seemed an ideal location in which to sink roots and perhaps, someday, find someone special and raise a family.

That dream for her future was out of the question now. The way things looked, she didn’t even have a future.

A person of interest in the deaths of two women?

She groaned.

“It’s okay, Natalie.”

Special Agent Kohl was either terribly confused or too much of an optimist. Nothing was okay. All she saw was darkness and heartache.

Somehow she had to clear her name, but so much was stacked against her. Everett was a special agent on the hunt for a killer. A bull’s-eye was painted on her back, and in spite of his seeming concern for her present well-being, he couldn’t change the mind-set of the powers that be at Fort Rickman.

With Mason spouting lies about what had happened in Germany, the CID would come to the wrong conclusion. She didn’t have a chance, unless she could uncover evidence that proved Mason’s guilt and convince Everett of her innocence. Would the special agent be a help or a hindrance?

* * *

Everett hated being the bearer of bad news, and Natalie appeared to have had her quota today. He’d never seen anyone blanch so quickly or look so fragile.

Criminals were habitually good actors, but the total shock Natalie seemed to be experiencing was hard to feign. Still, he needed to be cautious.

He placed the baby in the crib. By the time he had retraced his steps, Natalie’s breathing was more even, and her deathly pallor had changed to a healthier hue.

He filled a glass with water and added ice.

“How ’bout a drink?” he offered.

“Thanks.” She reached for the glass. “I... I can’t believe—”

Her voice caught. She turned away from his gaze and shook her head. “Denise? It can’t be true.”

“How long had you known her?”

“Almost a year. She needed a roommate and placed an ad in the Freemont paper. I responded and moved in the following day.”

“You were good friends?”

Natalie took a sip of water and shrugged. “We shared an apartment. Denise worked nights, and I was gone most days to my classes. On the weekends, we each went our separate way.”

“Was there anyone who wanted to do her harm?”

“Not that I know of, although she’d been dating a guy for about two months. Their relationship was questionable in my mind.”

“In what way?”

“He wanted everything kept private. She wouldn’t even tell me his name.” Natalie glanced up, her expression open and unassuming. “I thought that was strange and not what I would want in a relationship.”

“Did she know how you felt?”

“I’d mentioned the importance of trust. She wasn’t one to take advice.”

“So you knew nothing about him?”

“Only that they met outside of town, and he never came to our apartment.”

“Any chance he could have been married?”

“That’s what I thought, which upset me. Denise was a good person. She came from a great family. I couldn’t understand why she would keep the guy’s identity secret.”

Natalie took another sip of water before continuing. “Whatever was going on affected Denise. She had changed over the last few weeks. She used to be upbeat and happy. Recently, she’d seemed on edge.”

“Did she reveal anything about the boyfriend?”

“Only that he drove fast cars.”

“More than one?”

“She mentioned a sports car and a sedan.” Natalie’s eyes widened. “How many cars does Mason drive?”

Everett didn’t see that coming. “Why do you think he might be the boyfriend?”

“I’m just searching for a common thread between the two deaths.”

A common thread that didn’t involve her.

Everett pulled his cell from his pocket. “I’ll call post and pass the information on to Frank.”

Natalie grabbed his hand. “Please don’t. The CID will want me to return to post. I’m afraid of what Mason might do.”

“I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

She bit her lip. “Mason’s opinion will carry weight. He could make up all sorts of stories about our time in Vilseck, all of which would paint me in a bad light. I don’t trust him, and the CID will be more prone to believe one of their own than anything I have to say.”

Natalie was right about Mason’s statements carrying weight. She was an unknown. He was an established investigator.

Her mention of Germany raised another red flag. “Mason was your supervisor in Vilseck. Did he threaten you?”

Her shoulders slumped ever so slightly. “He...he had a wandering eye.” Her voice was barely a whisper.

Everett fisted his hands in respond to the flash of anger that swept over him. “Did anything happen?”

“I was careful to keep my distance.”

“Did you issue a sexual harassment complaint?”

“That would have made the situation worse.”

Natalie should have issued a complaint that would have been investigated. Instead, she’d reacted like too many women and remained silent for fear of retribution. Everett didn’t understand her logic, but then he’d never been in such a situation.

“Do you have any proof of his inappropriate actions?”

She shook her head. “He was careful to insure no one heard his comments.”

Everett let out a stiff breath. “So you didn’t issue a complaint because it would have been your word against his.”

“Exactly. I was due to return to the States and decided not to reenlist. Freemont is a nice town. I thought I could start fresh there, never thinking I’d see Mason again. That’s why I can’t go back to Fort Rickman. He’ll bring up Germany, only he’ll twist what happened and make it seem that I was the one at fault.”

“You’re jumping to the wrong conclusion.”

“Am I?” She tugged at her hair. “After I left, rumors circulated to that effect. One of the other personnel clerks emailed me and told me what she had heard.”

“Did she know where the rumors had originated?”

“She didn’t need to tell me. I knew. Mason spread lies about me to make sure his name wasn’t sullied.”

The sincerity in her voice and the strength of her conviction brought back memories of another woman who had been threatened by a superior. Everett hadn’t looked deep enough into that case, and the results had been catastrophic. He couldn’t make the same mistake again.

The lines of fatigue around Natalie’s eyes were telling. She was exhausted and needed rest.

“Let’s wait until morning,” he suggested. “Then we can decide what to do next.”

She flicked her gaze around the cabin and nervously tugged at the sleeve of her sweater. “I’m not going back to Fort Rickman.”

“We’ll decide in the morning.”

“You don’t believe me, that’s why you’re determined to take me in.”

“I have a job to do, Natalie.”

“You have a job to find out the truth. That’s what you told me earlier. I didn’t kill Denise, and I had nothing to do with Tammy Yates’s death.”

“Two deaths in one day are more than a coincidence. You seem to be the common denominator.”

“That doesn’t make me a killer.”

She was right, but it did make her a possible suspect. Everett should be in his car driving her back to the CID Headquarters at Fort Rickman or to the Freemont police. Both law enforcement agencies considered her a person of interest. Everett did, as well, but ever since Specialist Carolyn Rogers had stepped into his cubicle seven years ago, he’d been overly cautious about jumping to the wrong conclusions, which is why he was hesitant to take Natalie back to post, at least not tonight.

Eventually she would need to be questioned by law enforcement, but right now, he was concerned about Mason Yates and the strings he might pull to wrap the investigation up too quickly. Getting to the truth was the bottom line. Natalie wasn’t a threat or a flight risk tonight. By morning, the CID might have more information that would shed light on both crimes.

Hopefully, Natalie’s innocence would be established. If not, Everett would have to admit his mistake. The delay might cost him his career, but he had to trust himself and everything inside him told him to be cautious.

How could he look at himself in the mirror, even if his career advanced, if an innocent woman’s life was ruined in the process? He had to follow his gut on this one.

Was she guilty or innocent? A hard question he couldn’t answer. At least not yet.

FIVE

Once Natalie had turned in, Everett stepped outside and slowly walked around the cabin. He had followed Natalie here from Fort Rickman, which meant someone else could have, as well. Like the killer who had thrown Tammy Yates to her death or whoever had shot Denise Lang.

The moon broke through the dark cloud cover. In the distance, he could see a lake and boat dock. The scene looked peaceful, but anything—or anyone—could be lurking in the shadows.

Slowly, he approached Natalie’s car and spied the keys in the ignition. Opening the door, he hesitated for a long moment as a floral scent, like the gardenias his mom grew in her garden, wafted past him. He had noticed the scent earlier when he’d stood close to Natalie, but now it brought thoughts of a determined woman who wanted to keep baby Sofia safe. Natalie tried to appear tough, yet the totally feminine scent she wore and her concern for the infant revealed something about the real person beneath the facade.

Everett admired her spunk and focus. She was pretty with her black hair and big eyes that stirred an awareness deep within him. The intensity of her gaze haunted him. She seemed to plead for help yet refused to ask, as if any sign of weakness should be kept hidden.

Checking his watch, he did the math with the six-hour time difference between Georgia and Germany, then punched in a number and waited until Special Agent Tyler Zimmerman answered.

“Hey, buddy, it’s Everett. I heard you were in Vilseck.”

“Good to hear your voice, Rett. Last I knew you were at Fort Sill.”

“And transferred to Rickman some months ago.”

“A good assignment,” Tyler said, “if you’re working for Craig Wilson.”

Surprised by the comment, Everett asked, “You know Wilson?”

“Only by reputation. Do me a favor, and put in a plug for me.”

“How long before you PCS back to the States?”

“I spent two-and-a-half years at Heidelberg, and the last eight months here in Vilseck. I could ask for a transfer in a couple more months, especially if Wilson requests me. Tell the chief that I’m an outstanding special agent with exceptional investigative skills.”

Everett chuckled. “I’ll let him know.”

“Appreciate the support, but you didn’t call to talk about my career goals. What’s up?”

Everett cut to the chase. “Special Agent Mason Yates’s wife died a few hours ago. She either fell or was pushed down the stars in their quarters.”

Tyler let out a stiff breath. “That’s tough. How’s Mason?”

“Grieving, of course. He wasn’t home at the time of death. Right now we don’t have any leads.” At least none Everett wanted to reveal. “A personnel clerk, Specialist Natalie Frazier, worked with the CID and left Vilseck about a year ago. I need information on her and any involvement she might have had with Mason.”

“Involvement? You mean a relationship?”

“Supposedly not, but let me know if any scuttlebutt is floating around. I don’t put stock in rumors, although sometimes they hold a hint of truth.”

“I’ll be discreet.”

“There’s something else. A woman fell down the stairs to her death in Vilseck while Mason was there. Her name was Paula Conway. See if anyone remembers the incident. Let me know what you uncover.”

“Roger that.”

After disconnecting, Everett stared into the woods. The chatter of cicadas and tree frogs filled the night. Returning the cell to his ear, he made one more call, this time to bring Frank Gallagher up-to-date.

“You need to drive Natalie Frazier back to Fort Rickman. If not now, then in the morning,” Frank insisted once Everett explained the situation.

“I’ll talk to her and get back to you, but I have to tell you, Frank, she’s been forthright about everything so far.”

“She can be forthright at Fort Rickman.”

Everett told him about the roommate’s boyfriend. “See if you can find out who Denise was seeing. Could be a married man who wants to keep his transgressions quiet.”

“I’ll pass that on to the Freemont police.”

“Although it’s a long shot, we need to be certain Mason isn’t involved.”

Frank’s sharp inhale sounded over the phone. “Did Natalie think he was seeing her roommate?”