Bluebeard 01-Fragments of Fear, page 1
part #1 of Bluebeard Series
FRAGMENTS OF FEAR
BLUEBEARD SERIES BOOK 1
WL KNIGHTLY
STAR KEY PRESS
CONTENTS
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Description
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
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DESCRIPTION
With a reputation for solving one of the most prolific crimes in Ember Ridge, Detective Seth Riordan should feel on top of the world.
But there was a price to pay for catching the bad guy.
Now, Seth’s life is fragmented, and there’s only one constant.
Death.
He has another killer to catch. This time, he has a shot at redemption. Everyone in his life thinks he’s jaded and lost to the dark world of criminals, but Seth knows the truth of it. There are bad people lurking in well-lit corners. They’re not always who you expect.
And this new murderer?
He’s twisted. A modern-day Bluebeard. A wife-killer.
Seth might have lost his own wife to the distance his career put between them, but he’ll stop at nothing to protect those who can’t protect themselves, no matter the cost.
From where he’s standing, he’s already lost everything he has to lose.
Or has he?
PROLOGUE
Celia Long sat on the edge of her bed, rubbing lotion on her legs. “Are you sure you’re not angry with me?”
Her phone lay beside her on the mattress, on speaker. Her fiancé, Peter, always called to check on her before she went to bed, and while it was endearing, things had been tense between them.
“Of course I’m not angry,” he said, though his strained tone suggested otherwise.
Celia let out a sigh. “I know you wanted to go on the cruise, but it couldn’t be helped. I have to consider the spa, and you know how much it means to me.”
“I’m learning,” he said, sounding regretful. “But I still say, what’s the point of working for yourself if you can’t take a vacation once in a while? Besides, you don’t have to pretend you want to go. I know you didn’t. I just wanted us to loosen up and have some fun.”
“Well, when you get back in town, maybe we can go out and have some fun. How about that cute little bed and breakfast I was telling you about? We can spend the night. Besides, there will be other cruises.” She didn’t see the big deal.
“I guess,” he said. “It’s just we already planned everything, and you know how much I hate for my plans to change. I thought you were excited about it.”
“I know, and I was excited—at first. But the thought of being out in the middle of the ocean freaks me out. All of that water? What if something happened? And all of that talk about life insurance didn’t help.” He had gone on and on about it.
“I thought that would make you feel better,” he said. “I told you it was just a precaution. Regardless, now we have that out of the way before the wedding, and when we go on our honeymoon, we’ll be all set.”
“I know but it just put all those thoughts in my head about death. What if something happens? What would happen to the spa? What would I do with my house? I don’t even have a will.”
“Well, we don’t have to worry about that anymore, do we? Not until the honeymoon, at least. Unless you change your mind about marrying me? Maybe you’ll cancel that too.”
She was starting to see the problem. “Is that why you’re so upset with me? You think I’d actually want to call off the wedding?”
“You haven’t exactly nailed down the date.”
She felt bad for making him worry. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’ll tell you what, I’ll have my mind made up about the date before you get back from your work conference. Okay?”
“Okay,” he said.
“And, just to show you how much I love you, I’ll think of other ways to make it up to you,” she said in her best sultry tone. She knew just how to make him feel better, and as soon as he got back into town, she would show him.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said, giving her a soft chuckle. “Now, have you gone down and checked the doors?”
She let out a heavy sigh as she sank down into the covers. Was that really where his mind went when she tried to start a sexy chat? “They’re locked,” she explained. “Not to mention, if anyone comes in downstairs, Chichi will let me know. He’ll go crazy making a racket and scare them away.” Her beloved cockatoo was better than any watchdog.
“Your bird can’t save you if someone breaks in. Besides, while the camera is down, you know I worry.”
He underestimated how loud the bird could be. “Peter, it’s fine,” she stressed. “I locked the front when I came in earlier.” She hated it when he made her go and check every single time he didn’t stay over. “I made it a point to do it because I knew you’d tell me to check. I promise, I listen.”
“Well, check again,” he said with a clipped tone. “It will make me feel better, and you didn’t say you checked the back door. Or the garage door, for that matter.”
“I’m already upstairs in bed, and I just got Chichi settled.” She hated going downstairs at night and getting the bird stirred up unless it was absolutely necessary.
“Go,” he said. “Come on, you know I’ll worry if you don’t.”
“You always think the worst things can happen. I’ll be fine.” She really didn’t want to start another fight with him, but she didn’t see why he couldn’t relax for one night. For all his talk about loosening up, he was wound more tightly than she was.
“Go. You tell me you don’t want me to be upset, and you can’t even humor me for five minutes. It won’t take you long.”
“Fine.” She got up from the bed and put the lotion on the bedside table. “I’m going!”
She headed out in the hallway, fussing the whole time. “I can’t believe you are making me do this. I was comfortable in bed and warm. I should have worn my slippers. My feet are so cold on this hard tile floor. I should have gone with hardwoods instead of this old stone.”
Peter didn’t say anything. In fact, the entire house was eerily quiet.
“Are you even there?” she asked. “Peter?”
A noise behind her caught her attention. Movement caught her eye in the upstairs bathroom. She froze and gazed into the darkness, not seeing anything but the half-open door.
She usually left it closed. In fact, she was sure that it was closed when she came up. But not anymore.
Her heart raced and she quickly put some distance between herself and the bathroom. “Oh my God, Peter, I think I saw someone in the bathroom. Peter? Peter!”
She checked the phone and it said her fiancé was still on the line. “Say something, dammit!” She screamed so loudly her voice seemed to echo through the house. But it wasn’t an echo. Only a split second of off-timing, she was sure she had heard her own voice coming from the bathroom.
Freezing, she narrowed her eyes at the half-open door and went silent to listen. Her pounding heart boomed in her ears, drowning everything else out. Panic clawed at her insides, and deciding not to wait a second longer, she dashed toward the stairs.
The bathroom door opened like a gaping mouth and a dark figure sprang out like a shadow coming to life.
Without thinking, Celia flung her phone at it and ducked toward the stairs. A strong hand clamped on her hair and yanked her off her feet. The hard stone floor knocked the air from her lungs and rattled her skull. Dazed, white spots bloomed in her vision like camera flashes.
“Peter!” she screamed at her phone, just feet away on the floor. Downstairs in the den, Chichi was going nuts, wings flapping, squawking, screeching. So much for being a good watchdog. Chichi somehow hadn’t heard the intruder come in. “Peter, help me!”
“Why would I do that?” The dark figure jerked Celia to her feet, bringing her to eye level. She knew the face looking out of the black hoodie.
“Peter?” For a split second, she was confused.
The man who was supposed to be out of town looked at her coldly and shoved her into the railing. A hot line of pain ran up her spine and she hissed. Everything was happening so quickly, and she was too panicked to think straight.
Before she could ask what the hell was going on, Peter grabbed her shoulders and pushed her with all his body weight, trying to leverage her over the railing. He meant to kill her.
The realization brought clarity, and one primal instinct eclipsed all others. Survive.
Celia slid sideways out of the grip of the man she thought she loved. As always, he had underestimated her, and she caught him off balance. He stumbled over his heavy boots and almost went over the railing himself.
Survive.
As she ran, her singular focus faltered and she wanted to ask him why. Why was he hurting her when he was supposed to love her? What had she done to make him want to punish her like this?
Nearing the top of the stairs, she grabbed the top of the newel post so she could whip around it without slowing down. But her fingers, still slick with lotion, slipped right off. Unable to get a grip, her momentum sent her in the wrong direction, and she flew further down the hall.
Before she could get turned around, rough hands took hold of her shirt and dragged her back toward the stairs, which no longer led to freedom.
CHAPTER 1
Seth Riordan hurried down the hall to his office as his phone vibrated in his pocket. He took it out and saw his younger sister’s smiling face staring back at him.
“Yeah, Jamie, I know I’m late,” he said when he answered.
“What is it this time, Seth?” asked Jamie. “You better be bleeding in a ditch somewhere.”
He grinned. “I got a paper cut earlier. Does that count?”
“Not even a little,” she said.
“Look, I’m not trying to be late,” he started to explain.
“Yeah, it just comes naturally to you.”
Jamie’s quick comeback might have been deserved, but he couldn’t help what had happened. “I was on my way, but I got called back to the station.”
“Yeah, yeah. Same old bullshit.”
“No, seriously,” he said. “I had no choice. There was a woman here to see me. It was urgent. I couldn’t just make her wait until tomorrow morning.”
Jamie’s tone hushed a bit, but the words were still steeped in acid. “Mom wanted you here on time. She specifically told you that Sunday.”
“What’s the big deal? Can’t she start without me? I see her just as much as you do.”
“The big deal? Really?” She groaned in frustration. “Seth, it’s Mom’s birthday, for God’s sake! You’re always late, and you always put work first, which, if I recall, is how your marriage fell apart.”
The words stung. “That’s low, Jamie. Don’t make this about my marriage. That’s over and done with.”
“Well, your son and Em are both here on time as expected.”
“Of course she is,” he said. “I only look bad because she’s always early. She even had Max early.”
“Seth, I know your job is important, but for once, you need to put family first. Mom isn’t getting any younger, and you don’t know how many birthdays she has left.”
He took a deep breath to rein in his patience. “I’ve already come back to the station, Jamie. Some lady wants to report a murder. If she’s a nutjob, I’ll be out of here in no time. If she’s not, we’ll see. Just tell Mom to start without me, and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Fine, but hurry,” she said. “Max has been looking for you. Don’t disappoint him.”
“Tell him I love him and I’ll see him soon.”
“You tell him yourself when you get here in time to see him.” She ended the call, and Seth let out a heavy sigh. He could solve a damn homicide case but he couldn’t figure out how to juggle life’s obligations.
All he could do was focus on the problem in front of him. He came to the door to the interview room, where the woman was already waiting. One glance told him she wasn’t some drugged-out, messy-haired woman with half her teeth missing and an arm riddled with track marks and tattoos. She was stunning.
The woman was an auburn-haired beauty with an upturned nose, full lips, and a body that showed her clothes who was boss. She was so sexy Seth stopped and did a double-take. He looked at the paper in his hand and back at her. “Are you here to meet with a detective?”
“Savvy Smith,” she said, offering her hand.
He took it, feeling an electric thrill when their palms touched. “Detective Riordan.”
She gave him a nod. Her green eyes were bright and piercing, and he found it difficult not to stare into them. Clearing his throat, he pried his gaze away.
“How can I help you?” he asked, thinking of about ten ways off the top of his head.
“I’m sorry for the late hour,” she said in a soft voice that made him tingle. “I just couldn’t wait. I knew if I didn’t come down here today, I never would.”
“What’s the problem?” he asked.
Her shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry. I guess I should explain. It’s my friend Celia. Celia Long. She passed away about two months ago. Well, I say passed away, but I’m pretty sure she was murdered.”
He nodded, feeling some of his professionalism return. “How did she die?”
Savvy shook her head and pursed her lips. “Well, the official story is that she fell down the stairs.”
“But you don’t believe that?”
“No,” she said. “When she didn’t show up at work and wouldn’t answer her phone, I went to her house and saw her through the window. She was on the floor near the front door. She wasn’t moving, so I called the police. They ruled it an accident fairly quickly. But I think her fiancé had something to do with it.”
“Why do you think that?” Seth was eager to hear her theories, if only to see her lips move.
“He was supposed to be out of town at the time, but I knew they were having problems.”
He nodded. “Problems, how?”
Savvy shrugged. “Relationship issues. They were engaged, and yet, she didn’t seem happy. I asked her what happened, and she said that they had canceled their cruise. I was shocked. She said she was afraid. I don’t blame her.”
“What do you mean? Afraid of what?” asked Seth.
“I know what freaked her out. When they were planning their cruise, he kept pushing her to take out a life insurance policy before the trip.”
Seth’s ears perked up. “That’s strange timing.”
“That’s what I thought. He gave her some excuse about why that was a good idea, and I think she bought it. I saw the paperwork at the spa where we worked together. Sparkle. Have you heard of it?”
He shook his head. “No, can’t say I have.” He wasn’t big on salons and spas, but his ex had been. “I’m sure some of my money has gone there at some point.”
“Oh? Wife?”
“Ex-wife. But yeah.”
Savvy smiled. “Well, anyway, Celia owned it, and I was the manager. But one day, after all that, I found where she had signed those papers. I asked her about it. And she said that it was okay. It was just a precaution, and she had taken one out on him, too. I guess she thought that balanced things out.”
“So, did you ever see them arguing? Did they stop getting along?” There had to be more to it. “The insurance policy is odd but it’s not proof of anything.”
“Well, he was pissed when she backed out of the cruise.” She nodded firmly. “They had a nasty argument in her office. I stayed out of it. But he was yelling and made a few customers uncomfortable. When I asked her about it again, she said that everything was fine. And that they had worked it out. I let it go. I mean, what could I do?”
“Do you know why he was out of town when it happened?”
“Business. At least that’s what she said when I asked. I thought maybe it had something to do with them being upset with each other. But Celia said no. It was all good, and she said that he’d get over it.”
“That doesn’t sound like it was all good,” said Seth. “Not if he hadn’t gotten over it already.”
