A Clattering of Jackdaws (The Birdwatcher Series Book 2) Read online

  “I don’t know, man,” Carson said, though Tyler could see he was tempted.

  “C’mon, you can get a decent sleep and some food into you while we work this thing out. I can ask you more questions along the way home and we can come up with a plan. What do you say?” Tyler finished his little speech with a playful punch to Caron’s upper arm., like they were old high school football buddies. It was enough to sway him.

  “Alright,” Carson said, “I could certainly do with that night's sleep!”

  “Excellent,” Tyler said. He was pleased with himself. It wasn’t often he had a star witness entirely to himself and he was looking forward to getting as much as he could out of Carson in the next day or so. They got into the car and the radio came on when Tyler fired up the engine. It was still tuned to one of the news stations but Carson thankfully was not the story.

  “Do you mind if we just put some music on instead of the news?” Carson said, his hand already going to the dial, “I'm kind of sick of the news right now.”

  “Put on whatever you want,” Tyler said smiling as he pulled the car out into the light traffic. There was a scramble of static as the radio searched for something new and then Bruce Springsteen came bursting on, crystal clear singing ‘The Rising.’

  “I haven’t heard this song in years,” Carson said clearly pleased with himself as though he’d found some long lost artefact.

  “You see,” Tyler said looking over at him, “Things are picking up already.”

  Chapter 25

  SARAH WAS SITTING AT her desk when Malick came into the open plan office

  "What has you here so late?" Sarah asked. He looked like he had a shower since she saw him in the shooting range, and his face bore no sign of the tears from then. She had honestly thought he would have slipped out of the building and went home by now.

  "Still catching up on things," he replied, casual in manner but not himself. Only someone who knew him as well as she did would have been able to detect the difference. "What are you doing there?" He nodded to her computer.

  Sarah looked at her screen. She had five different case files open and had been clicking from one to the other aimlessly in her distracted state. The hope was she would see something she hadn't noticed before but her mind was preoccupied with first Tyler going to see Lemond, and then by Malick. Sarah had been so rattled by that, she's forgotten she had come here to chew out the deciphering team.

  "Hoping for a miracle," she replied.

  The phone on her desk suddenly began to ring and Malick sat down at his desk as she answered.

  Malick saw Sarah's eyes widen and then she started writing something down frantically.

  "Okay, I'll scramble the team!" Sarah said and then slammed the phone down. Malick rose in sync with Sarah.

  "What is it?"

  "The miracle," Sarah answered as they left the office. "They finally broke his code, but it says there will be a murder tonight!"

  "What? Is that all we know?" Malick sounded hopeless but Sarah wasn’t willing to join him.

  "This is more information than we had about the others," she pointed out. He pursed his lips and nodded conceding the point.

  "What's the plan?" he asked.

  "Police patrols in the three State's, and calls to possible victims." It wasn't much but it was something. Luck might be on their side for once.

  The next half hour was spent in a frantic rush of phone calls and radio conversations coordinating the search. Sarah and Malick went to her car and drove towards rural Virginia, wanting to be part of the work in progress. Neither of them were very good and sitting and waiting for news.

  The men who were felt to be at risk were called, but it was going to take a long time to get to them all. The only criteria they had to go on was recent census figures of those farmers who declared themselves as single. That didn’t necessarily mean they lived alone, but it was the only list they had available.

  As Sarah and Malick drove around, Malick asked,

  “What did the message say anyway?”

  “It was today’s date spelled out in French, but it used the European way, as in day, month, year, not the month, day the way we use.”

  “That doesn’t seem all that complicated,” Malick said,

  “No, they should have figured it out a lot sooner than this,” Sarah agreed. This had annoyed her already when she thought about it and it felt bad to know the ‘expert’ teams behind her work were not up to scratch. Malick must have been able to sense her anger as he didn’t say anything more for a time.

  They drove, radio reports came in of people being questioned, the number of calls that turned out to be men living with partners and such. Though there was a flurry of activity- enough that some of the media were sure to get wind of it- not all that much of substance was actually happening. Sarah wondered what might happen. Would the ‘Agrarian’ actually kill on the night he said he would? For all he knew they had cracked his code many days ago. Surely he would have expected that.

  Was he still going to kill tonight? Was he hoping to get caught and brought in? Would he kill in a new State or change rural to town areas of the States he was already active in? So many questions swirled about in her head but most ended in the same way- she didn’t think the killer was going to be in custody before the night was out.

  A crackling report came in over the radio. Ten men deemed at risk had not answered their phones and local units were being scrambled to those addresses. Sarah waited- and she knew it would be a long wait, at least it would feel long- while the cars en route checked in one by one.

  Half an hour later, seven men were accounted for. The last three had yet to arrive at their destinations.

  “Come on guys,” Malick said, his hands jittering on his lap in anticipation. “Put a foot on the gas!”

  Another report came in. The house and farm seemed abandoned. Doors all closed, no lights on. The officer circled the property shining a flashlight through all the ground floor windows and could find nothing. Sarah wasn’t sure there was nothing but they had no right to break into a home without cause.

  Then the dreaded call came in.

  “Unit 17, Rural Route 9, body of male, mid-thirties found. Multiple stab wounds and amputation of limbs. Forensics team requested,” came the lifeless voice of the dispatcher over the radio.

  “Nothing is to be touched until I get there!” Sarah bellowed over the radio. “Have the officers go outside and preserve the scene until I arrive.”

  While she’d been talking Malick was putting the address into the car's computer to get directions.

  “We should be there in about an hour,” he said as Sarah pressed down on the accelerator. “Or maybe forty-five minutes,” he amended, checking that his seatbelt was securely fastened.

  Each car they passed on their way Sarah peered out at the driver, trying to take a snapshot of their faces. Would she see the killer escaping? Would she know him if she did? Roadblocks had been set for many miles around but at the moment she didn’t know how long the victim had been dead. It could have been up to twenty hours ago and still be the same date it was now. She only hoped she could get there before the press.

  Thinking this brought Tyler to mind. He was someone who definitely wasn’t going to be there when she arrived. He was out of State or somewhere meeting the number one suspect in another series of murders.

  Sarah’s anger boiled and she willed the car to go faster. This had to be the last murder this guy got away with. She had to bring him in.

  Chapter 26

  BY THE TIME TYLER GOT home with Carson Lemond in tow, he’d heard all about the fourth victim of the ‘Agrarian.’ News reports were sketchy but being in the business he was able to read between the lines. This coupled with some calls coming in from his various police informants confirmed all he needed to know to be sure. The location and the type of victim. There was also a rumour going around that the killer had promised to kill again on this date, but this hadn’t come from a source Tyler
trusted fully and he would have to bring it up with Sarah when he spoke to her.

  He knew she would be flat out at the crime scene right now, but he would try in a while and she would see that he called if she couldn't answer at the time.

  “Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said you lived in the middle of nowhere,” Carson said as he got out of the car. “I’ve never been to a place so quiet as this.”

  “You’ll be safe here,” Tyler said walking up to the house and opening the front door.

  Carson followed him in and looked around the place. Tyler could tell he was impressed but in what way he couldn't be sure.

  “This is some place,” Carson said, “You must earn a pretty penny in your line of work.” There was a hint of doubt in Carson’s voice and Tyler knew it was meant to mean he suspected Tyler had something on the side, something perhaps illegal to fund a house like this.

  “Everything you see is flat pack,” Tyler said, “It didn’t cost much at all.”

  “Looks more expensive,” Carson said.

  “Make yourself at home,” Tyler said, “You want something to eat?”

  “I’m not too hungry, but do you have a bathroom I can use?”

  “Down the hall, on the right,” Tyler said, pointing, “I’m going to go up and get changed, I’ll be back down in a few minutes.”

  When he was upstairs, Tyler closed his bedroom door and called Sarah as he slipped out his clothes and took a fresh t-shirt and pants from his closet. As he expected she didn’t answer. It would most likely be a couple of hours before she called him back- at the very least. It might even be tomorrow at this stage, late as it was.

  Tyler got dressed and went back downstairs. As he got to the bottom two steps, he was annoyed to see that Carson was over near his work desk in the other room. He marched over,

  “You okay?” he said, trying not to betray too much of his annoyance; he still wanted this guy to think of him as a friend. Carson jumped a little but composed himself at once and then picked up a glossy page with the photos of the ‘Agrarian’s’ victims on it.

  “I know these guys!” Carson said and he looked scared.

  “You know them?” Tyler said, instantly forgetting his anger, “All of them?” Carson nodded, “You’re sure?”

  “Yeah, damn sure,” he replied, his voice wavering a little. “Are these the guys killed out in the farms?” he asked.

  “Yeah, how do you know them?”

  “They used to let the gangs leave jacked cars or compromised cars, or weapons on their land. They weren’t involved in anything, they just needed some extra money and took it to turn a blind eye to cars left in the back field from time to time.”

  “What do you mean ‘compromised’?” Tyler asked him.

  “You know,” Carson looked embarrassed, “Car’s used in hits or things like that.”

  “You knew them all?” Tyler asked looking at the photos again.

  “I didn’t know them, but I met them all at least once when I was dropping things off or collecting.”

  “This isn’t going to look good for you, Carson,” Tyler said, taking the paper and putting back down the desk.

  “Don’t I know it,” Carson replied without humour.

  “What else do you know about these guys?” Tyler asked.

  “Nothing, but I do remember hearing about tip offs about raids and all the stuff was getting pulled from the farms.”

  “There are more of these farms being used?”

  “Yeah, but like I said, everything was pulled out in the last few weeks to new locations, I don’t know where.”

  “Have you been to the other farms doing this?”

  “One other one,” Carson said,

  “Rural Route Nine, the one on the news tonight?”

  “No,” Carson shook his head vehemently at this, “never heard of that one, I was in one more down near the West Virginia border with Maryland.”

  “What’s the guy’s name, the farm address?” Tyler asked.

  “I only know his first name,” Carson said.

  “Which is?”

  “Simon.”

  “And the address?”

  “Off Koontztown Road in Falling Waters.”

  Tyler got up and tried Sarah's phone again. This was definitely information she was going to want to have.

  “Who are you trying to call?” Carson asked nervously but Tyler put up a hand for him to be quiet.

  The ringing went on for what seemed longer than usual and then Sarah’s voicemail clicked in. for a moment he almost spoke but then thought better of it.

  He hung up and turned his screen and started typing a message letting her know the information. As he typed this out he wondered if he should make an anonymous call to the FBI Field office in West Virginia, or Falling Waters Police Department, assuming it had one.

  He held off on this, there had already been a murder today, it was unlikely the ‘Agrarian’ would have killed more than one in a day. If he let Sarah claim to have figured out the mob link with the framers that might go some way towards her getting back on the Spalding case- or at the very least coming closer to solving this case- and that would be good for both of them in the long run.

  “Who were you on to?”

  “The FBI,” Tyler said, and then seeing the terror on Carson’s face, “An informant in the FBI, don’t worry, I didn’t mention you, I just gave the information you told me. It might save some lives.”

  “Let’s hope so,” Carson said, “saving lives is something I don't mind being accused of.”

  Chapter 27

  THAT SAME EVENING THAT Sarah was rushing to the latest murder scene and Tyler was almost home with Carson Lemond, Megan Stanver was sitting down at a long table with the people she was in captivity with.

  The scene was surreal and Megan couldn’t get her head around the idea that none of the other people here seemed bothered that they were being held prisoner. They all spoke of how well they had been treated since coming to the farmhouse and how much of a privilege it was for her to have been chosen to come.

  The table was laid with a long red tablecloth and fine China dishes were spaced out with polished steel cutlery. Fresh flowers burst from two glass vases and napkins sat in triangles at each place setting. It was more like a fancy restaurant than a basement prison.

  Everyone was present and they all sat down to dinner.

  As fancy as the setting might be, it was still only takeout food from various places (all reheated in a microwave) that was served up. When everything was set and people started eating, Megan decided it was time to start questioning what was going on.

  “So, who here thinks they’re going to get out of here alive one day?” She asked in a completely conversational tone and didn’t look at anyone as she cut up some meat on her plate. Everyone else was silent and they all looked at her.

  “I think we should talk about something else,” Eric, the first person Megan had met here, said trying to laugh it off like it was a faux-pas at a sophisticated dinner.

  “Something lighter,” a woman called Suzanne said in agreement.

  “No, I think we should talk about it,” Megan said, “You guys are going on here like it’s a holiday camp. Do you even know who it is holding you here?”

  “We know who he is,” Eric said sourly.

  “Do you? Or do you just know his name. Do you know what he’s been doing? He’s been killing people for more than twenty years!”

  “Well he hasn't killed us!” Suzanne snapped at Megan, “but talking like yours is a sure good way to change that!”

  “Why do you think we are here?” Megan shot back her own anger boiling now. “People we love and being forced to do terrible things so we can stay alive!” Suzanne was about to respond when Eric put a restraining hand on her arm. They looked at one another and Eric shook his head. Suzanne cast one more ferocious look at Megan and then looked back to her food.

  “That doesn’t happen anymore,” Eric said to Megan.
r />   “What?” she asked hotly.

  “Once you come here, no one is doing anything for you anymore.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He told us it is a privilege to be here. None of us has had to make a call to our families since we arrived,” Eric said. Megan looked around the faces at the table and each person nodded in agreement with this statement. A feeling of defeat came over her then, but her mind told her she should be happy. Her father was not going to have to do anything more, but what good was that going to be if he was going to be in jail for the rest of his life?

  “Are all your loved ones in jail for the things they’ve done?” she asked though with much less force in her voice now.

  “Not all, but almost all,” Eric replied. Megan let this sink in a moment, wondering what the ones not arrested had done but deciding not to pursue it right now.

  “Has anyone escaped from here?” she asked.

  “No, and Suzanne is right, that’s not something we should be talking about,” Eric said his tone more clipped this time.

  “Does he listen in?” Megan asked, assuming Spalding did. No one answered but as she looked around another young woman, Ellie nodded once before going back to eating. No one else had seen this so far as Megan knew and right then she felt she’d found the one person who might be of some use to her in this crazy place. Megan decided not to ask any more questions at the dinner table but instead she picked up where she had left off with her plan. She listened and watched everything the others said hoping to piece some clues together about what they all might know.

  That night, after washing, they went to bed in one large rom. There were two other rooms with larger beds in them that Megan was told were for privacy if any romance was to bloom down here. The idea sickened her and the fact that this had been told to her without even a hint of humour made it all the worse.

  Ellie’s bed was close to Megan’s and their eyes met as they lay down. Ellie made a motion Megan understood to be ‘We will talk later’ and looked around the room at the other's also bedding down for the night. Megan nodded and lay down, knowing it was going to be an interminable wait for all of the others to fall asleep so Ellie would talk to her.