A Kettle of Hawks (The Birdwatcher Series Book 3) Read online

  Tyler’s thigh thrummed as his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. It was silent and he looked at the screen and saw it was one of his people in the FBI, a girl who called herself Valerie. It said simply this: HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE BIRDWATCHER?

  Tyler felt a thrill of energy run through him. He hadn’t heard of ‘The Birdwatcher' but it sounded like something he would come up with as a title for a serial killer. He needed to know more. Tyler messaged back to her: Can you meet me at the Library this afternoon?

  The wait for her answer was only two minutes but for Tyler it felt like a half hour. She said yes and Tyler’s day was looking up. He walked around by the Edgar Allan Poe House on the next street and then went to a coffee shop for an early lunch before making his way to his usual meeting spot with Valerie at the Central Library on Cathedral Street which thankfully had stayed open during its renovations.

  Valerie was there ahead of him and Tyler looked on her admiringly as he approached. She was an administration worker in the FBI who had an affair with her boss and got knocked back a peg while he was promoted. Since then she had been slipping the odd thing to Tyler every now and then. It had always been accurate, though not always titillating. Something told him this time however, it was going to be big.

  Valerie saw him coming and stood up to greet him with a hug. Not for the first time Tyler thought about what it would be like to go to bed with her.

  “Looking good, Tyler,” she said.

  “It goes without saying that you do too,” he smiled back at her as they sat down at her table. “So, who or what is ‘The Birdwatcher?” he asked without any further preamble.

  “Piqued your interest have I?” she laughed, a throaty laugh that showed a woman full of life (as well as venom for her employers).

  “Don’t you always?” he smiled at her, wishing she’d stop the nonsense and tell him. He knew he couldn't rush her too much; she’d walked away from him before when he tried that and he lost out on a good story to a hack at one of the lesser tabloids. She smiled at him but suddenly her face became serious and she leaned in.

  “This is big,” she said quietly, a look of intent in her eyes. “Big enough for me to get in some serious trouble.” Tyler nodded,

  “Well, I don’t want to get you into trouble, but now you’ve really got my attention.” Valerie looked around again.

  “The FBI are looking into a new serial killer,” she said.

  “Which State?” he asked. She met his eyes again seriously and replied,

  “Ten States, and counting.” Valerie leaned back in her chair as if to let this news wash over Tyler and give him a chance to take it in. What she didn’t know was that Tyler was thinking this must be the Spalding case she’d gotten wind of. He hadn’t known how many States were involved in that but this was a lot more than he’d expected.

  “Do they know who it is?” he asked. Valerie shook her head,

  “Not yet, the reports have come in over time, nearly ten years, and someone just made a connection between them.”

  “Which is what?” He was hoping for some information here he could use to leverage Sarah again.

  “The burial sites,” Valerie smiled as though it were she who had figured this out.

  “What about the burial sites?” Tyler asked, not sure suddenly if she was talking about Spalding after all.

  “I don’t know who chanced across the idea but it turns out they were all buried within sight of nesting birds,” Valerie said.

  “Is that where the name came from?” Tyler asked and she nodded. “What species of bird is it?”

  “It’s a different bird at each burial place,” she said. Tyler looked at her with a suspicious look on his face,

  “That doesn’t sound like much, couldn't it be a simple coincidence?” Valerie shrugged and Tyler went on, “I mean, I’m assuming the burials are in some woods somewhere?” She nodded, “What are the chances they wouldn't be near nesting birds?”

  “Hey, I’m just telling you what I know, I’m not the ornithologist, or whatever, who made the connections.” Tyler wasn't expecting this at all; it wasn’t Spalding, not even close.

  “Are there any suspects, at least?” he asked.

  “I don’t know,” she said and he could tell she was getting a little snippy. He hadn’t shown her enough gratitude but that was down to his disappointment and not her information. In fact, what she was telling him was very interesting in its own right. Very interesting indeed. He had the inside story on this one now.

  “This is fantastic Val,” he said and a smile returned to her face.

  “Fantastic enough to warrant you buying me dinner some night next week?” she asked with a sly look in her eyes.

  “I think so,” he grinned back to her. This is what she’d wanted all along and it was time he gave it to her. He didn’t think she was the kind that was going to try to tie him down to a relationship. Valerie had the look and confidence of a man eater and he would happily be a victim of hers for the sake of a good story.

  For the next twenty minutes, Tyler pumped for any more information she had on ‘The Birdwatcher’ which didn’t turn out to be much. She knew the States involved so far and that the victims had been of mixed races and gender- unusual for a serial killer- but that was about it. It would be perfect for his book, but he doubted this case was going to be solved any time soon, and surely not before his book release which he hoped would be within the next couple of years.

  When they separated, with a date made for the following Wednesday night, Tyler thought about all she had said and wondered if there was a way to work this into the Spalding Case for when he let Sarah know about it.

  Chapter 4

  Ellie had been harder for Sarah to get hold of. She lived very far away after her escape from Spalding and it was too far for Sarah to travel just to talk to her. Sarah had found a cell phone number for Ellie but she didn’t know if the girl still used it and none of her calls had been answered by anyone.

  From what Sarah had been able to gather, Ellie had been held in the farmhouse basement since not long after she was taken captive and most likely didn’t have much to say about Spalding. Megan had many more meetings and conversations with him and Ellie likely didn’t have anything more to tell her that Megan hadn’t already. Still, you never knew. There could be one tiny little fact that only Ellie had in her possession and she mightn’t even know it. With this in mind Sarah messaged Megan and asked if she could pass on Sarah’s number to Ellie. Sarah didn’t know if Megan had a number for her but it seemed like the girls had bonded during their ordeal and might talk from time to time.

  It had been a few days since sending that message and every time her phone chimed or vibrated Sarah would glance eagerly to see if it was Ellie calling her. So far it had never been. And this time was no different. On the screen under Tyler Ford’s name was the message:

  ‘I have something you are going to want to hear.’

  Sarah leaned back on her sofa at home. It had been many months since she had slept with Tyler and then he had saved her life from Malick all in the space of a few hours. Things had gotten strange for her then and she didn’t know what to make of her relationship with the journalist.

  On the one hand she knew she was attracted to him. He was strong and resourceful and mysterious, but he was also not to be trusted and she never could read his emotions well. Their night together had been incredible but later on as she thought about it she wondered had he taken advantage of her both upset and drunken state? She had raced there still reeling from her relationship with Marcus (how long was she going to cling on to that one!) Then Tyler had to go and solve her case and save her life at the same time. Sure she was grateful to still be among the living and breathing, but in saving her Tyler had also taken something from her and she didn’t like that feeling. They had talked only a couple of times since that night and lately she had been ignoring his calls, emails and messages.

  Was this one now tonight a feeble attempt to worm hi
s way back into her life? Something told her it wasn’t. There was something urgent about it and she could feel the spindling web of Dwight Spalding all over it. Had the killer been in contact with Tyler again? How she wished he would come to her directly, but this wasn’t how Spalding liked to play his games. She toyed with her phone in her hand for a moment before deciding it was time to reopen a dialogue.

  ‘What is it?’ Sarah replied. She wasn’t ready to be polite just yet.

  ‘Secret FBI case’ That was the message that came back a few minutes later. Sarah read this a few times and wondered if he was referring to the Spalding case to which she was cut off or was this another secret case she had yet to hear about? She supposed if he was coming to her with it, it must be about Spalding. This was a lure that was just too much for her to ignore. Sarah was desperate to know anything she could find out about that case.

  ‘Spalding?’ she replied. His reply was immediate.

  ‘We should meet. The bar by your place. Tomorrow night 8?’

  That answer wasn’t a yes but it certainly felt like one. Sarah put her phone down on the coffee table. She needed to think about this. Since meeting Tyler her life had been completely chaotic. Time and time again her job was on the line but could she really blame him for that? Sure he’d been dishonest a few times, but so had she. If it wasn’t for Tyler, the last two cases she was on could have turned out very differently. They were a good team, there was no doubting that.

  They both wanted Spalding—for differing reasons—and that was something too. Tyler had been through a rough event with the kidnap and murder of Carson Lemond (the latter of which Tyler had been a witness) and that wasn’t easy for anyone. Sarah sighed and rubbed her eyes as she lay down on the sofa. If she was ever going to get Spalding she needed Tyler on her team. He was key to it. Hadn’t they agreed they would tell each what they could when they could and in that vein Tyler had been true to his word? He didn’t let her fall into danger easily either time her life was threatened and for that she had to be grateful. She was going to meet him.

  The following evening at seven o’clock, Sarah entered the bar near her home. Since their first arranged meeting in this place, she and Tyler had played a game to see who would show up first. She was hoping an hour early would do it but she thought she might be cutting it fine. She was right. As soon as she came in she felt his eyes and she looked at the quiet back area and saw him sitting facing her, in the seat she would have taken if she arrived first, smiling. Sarah smiled and nodded back. She should have spent a little less time leaving her apartment, but she looked over some work stuff when she was ready and that had cost her the edge. She ordered two bottles of beer and walked over to him.

  “Good to see you, Sarah,” Tyler said standing up as she arrived at the table. He looked good, perhaps even fitter and leaner than last time if that was possible. His tan had deepened a little too and she wondered had he been away recently. "You look great,” he added.

  “You too,” she replied and then rushed into the seat he’d just vacated, smiling coyly at him as she pulled the chair closer to the table.

  “Touché,” Tyler smiled and he went to the opposite side of the table, his back to the door now, and sat down.

  Sarah had decided in the last twenty four hours that she was not going to mention their night together. Nor was she going to apologize for ignoring all his calls and messages. She just had to hope he didn’t bring those things up.

  “So, what have you stumbled across that was important for me to know?” she asked. Tyler nodded, his lips pressed together a moment as if to say, ‘so we’re being formal now.’ Sarah didn’t say anything to soften her approach. She was confused still; having run over and over again in her mind what she wanted from Tyler, how much of him she wanted in her life and how this was all going to turn out.

  “Have you heard of ‘The Birdwatcher,’” Tyler asked. Sarah saw that he was searching her face for her reaction, seeking out the truth but she didn’t have to hide anything from him.

  “No,” she shook her head, “What is it about?”

  “A serial killer case, murders going back over ten years and at least ten different States involved so far.”

  “Where did you hear this?” she asked. Despite her knowing that the Spalding case was well under lock and key and very few people knew about it, she still couldn't believe something like what Tyler was saying could be unknown to her.

  “You know I can’t reveal my sources,” Tyler grinned back at her sceptical face.

  “You think this is connected to Spalding?” Sarah asked.

  “I don’t know, but I feel it is,” was the reply.

  “Why?”

  “Can’t you feel why?” Tyler asked her, his eyes searching hers again. She could feel it but she didn’t know if it was being led by suggestion or just wishful thinking.

  “No, I don’t feel anything,” she lied.

  “Well I do,” Tyler said and he turned his head to look around the bar. Was he annoyed?

  “If you manage to link this to Spalding I’ll be happy to see what you have then, but I can’t let something like this side-track me now,” Sarah said a little more sympathetically than she intended. Tyler turned back to look at her.

  “This isn’t a side-track,” he said, “I can’t prove it but I know it.” His eyes were afire as he said this and she had never seen so much passion in him. It made him even more attractive than before.

  This is the man who saved your life, came to mind, and at that her resolve crumbled.

  “I’ll look into it at work if I can without getting into trouble,” she said.

  “That's all I ask,” Tyler replied, a smile slowly returning to his lips.

  Chapter 5

  “Letter for you, Tyler,” June said as Tyler entered the offices of ‘The Baltimore Echo’ by the stairs entrance. He usually took the stairs to keep his body moving and keep his edge.

  “Let’s hope this is the big story that breaks me out nationally!” he smiled at June as he took the envelope from her, giving her a wink for good measure.

  “You can’t leave here,” she winked back whispering conspiratorially, “The paper wouldn't last a week without you.” Tyler laughed as he made his way to his desk. He threw the letter down and brought his computer to life to check in on emails. Nothing there that required his immediate attention, so he turned his attention to the paper’s website and had a look through the comments on his articles. As usual there were many, some in agreement and others adding their own suspicions and rumours to the mill. There was always one person who said the writing sucked and the story was completely overhyped or under researched and Tyler had an idea it was one of his competitors.

  Now it was the turn of the letter. The envelope wasn’t anything special but then he saw the return address and post mark. It was from the State Maximun security prision and there was only one person Tyler knew who resided there- his old boss Derek Davis, better known to the media as the serial killer ‘John the Baptist.’! Tyler couldn't believe it and the hurriedly opened the letter and took out the single soft sheet of paper within.

  There wasn’t much text but what it said spoke volumes to Tyler. Derek Davis had put Tyler on his visitors list and there were instructions on how to go about arranging a visit. Tyler leaned back in his chair and looked out the window. He had no idea why Davis would want to talk to him now, but no matter what it was, it was at least going to be something for the paper or his future book.

  It was odd though. Tyler had tried many times to get in to see Davis and his old boss had always refused. Tyler had written letters too and all these had gone unanswered. What had changed that Davis wanted to talk to him now, and in person?

  Tyler stood up and walked over to Briggs’ door. The editor was behind his desk in his large black leather chair, reclining and reading ‘The New York Times,’

  “Keeping tabs on the competition?” Tyler said as he knocked on the doorframe to announce himself. Briggs looked over
the top of his paper and then sat up, folding it before him.

  “We couldn’t be further from being competition to the ‘Times’” Briggs said but he moved on more friendly, “What can I do for you Tyler?”

  “I just got this in the mail,” Tyler waved the letter in the air, “Davis has put me on his visitors list at the prison.”

  “Derek Davis, the old editor here?” Briggs leaned forward surprised and eager to know more.

  “Yeah, I’ve tried to get in touch with him since he was convicted and never once heard anything back,” Tyler replied.

  “Why now?” Briggs echoed Tyler’s own question as he put his pointed fingers to his chin in thought.

  “I have no idea, but I know that even if it’s only for a catch up chat it is still an exclusive for us,” Tyler said.

  “Maybe he’s looking to do a series of interviews,” Briggs said, and then seeming to light up added, “Perhaps he chose us to talk to as a kind of apology for dragging the ‘Echo’s name though the mud.” Tyler didn’t think so but he was happy to let Briggs think it. Briggs looked in deep thought a moment and then looked back to Tyler. “Does he say when you can see him?”

  “No, there are instructions in the letter about making an appointment to visit. I’m going to ring now, just wanted to let you know first,” Tyler said. Briggs nodded enthusiastically,

  “Yes, yes, the sooner the better I say, things are pretty slow at the moment and this will really put a firecracker up the competitions’ ass!”

  “And not for the first time,” Tyler reminded him as he was walking away to make the call.

  After being on hold for a long time at the prison, Tyler got through and was happily surprised to find that he could meet with Davis in only three days' time. He’d expected it would be more like a few weeks at least and this meant he was going to have to quickly prepare for the interview- if that was what it really was- though Tyler had an inkling it wasn’t. No, Davis wanted to talk to him about something specific, but for now Tyler had no idea what that was.