Page 105 of Compulsion
Atlas lifted a hand, and Desmond stilled half-way down the stairs.A good position to guard Lilyandto listen to his conversation with the Feds.
Gage glanced toward the stairs.Swept his gaze over Desmond, then returned his attention to Atlas.“Benedictisa murder victim.They pulled his remains out of the cabin—what wasleftof the cabin,” Gage amended.“His badge was still on his body.Fuckingburnedto him.The poor bastard is unrecognizable.”
Atlas did not let his expression change.But he had a flash…a very long ago flash…
A smoke-filled room.Four beds.All bunk beds because that’s what they’d had in the group home.The flames had been billowing, eating up the wood and the mattress.His clothes had been scattered on the bottom bunk, and they’d already been burning, and Benedict had been right there, just watching.Laughing.Not even realizing how close he was to the fire.
Atlas had tackled him before the flames could reach Benedict.That time.That time.
He kept his pose relaxed.“Tonya Johnson,” he said.“She’s the victim I was talking about.”
“You sure do like saying her name,” Gage noted.He edged closer.“Why is that?Is it because you get a little thrill thinking about your victim?Reliving the moment?”
Nope.He’d been wrong.Gage was clueless.Utterly.“She isn’t my victim.”
“No?Then you didn’t get her address from Lily’s files?You didn’t sneak off in the middle of the night and head to Shreveport?You didn’t go into her bar and convince Tonya to walk out with you?”
“No.”Easy.Calm.“I didn’t.”What a crock of BS.How did this man solve any cases for the FBI?Oh, wait, he’d been using Lily to solve the cases.Check.
Gage took another step toward him.“You’re telling me that you didn’t drive your knife into Tonya’s stomach, then yank it to the side—to the right, to the left—to cut her wide open, and thenstabher until she died?”
Sharon’s hand had dropped to her waist, hovering near her holster.
Gage’s hand was in the same position.Way too close to his weapon for comfort.
Just what did these two Feds expect him to do?Lose all control because they were asking him a few idiot questions?“Haven’t been to Shreveport recently,” he retorted.“Been a bit busy.What with getting kidnapped and becoming engaged and all.”
“I recognized Tonya’s name.I heard the news story, too.”Gage’s nostrils flared.“I called the Shreveport PD.I interviewed the responding officer.He found some interesting items with the vic.”
Based on the smugness in Gage’s tone, this was not going to be good news.
“You’re a rich man, Atlas.”
Desmond still lingered on the stairs.Watching.Listening.
“Rich men buy gold cufflinks, don’t they?”Gage wanted to know.“Expensive, distinct cufflinks.”
Atlas did not blink.
“They get their initials on their gold cufflinks,” Gage continued.“Bet you didn’t realize it, but before you killed Tonya, she stole them right off you.See, the bouncer revealed that was what she did.Quick sleight of hand.She’d fleece men in the dark.Make out with them, steal from them, and her bouncer buddy would send them running so that she and Mico could cut profits.She took your cufflinks, even as you killed her.One was found in her pocket.One was still gripped in her blood-stained, dead fingers.”
Hell.
Gage smiled at him.“The bouncer chased her attacker off, by the way.Didn’t get a look at his face, but he described him.Physically.Your height.Your build.And guess what else?”
He wasn’t in the mood to guess.
“I got the cop on scene to send me a pic of the cufflinks.Just another piece of evidence.Another nail in your coffin.”
“I don’t think I’m dead, so I don’t need a coffin.Thanks, though.”
“Tonya Johnson is dead.You killed her.”
No, he had not.
“You are a killer, Atlas Bennett.”Spittle flew from Gage’s mouth.“And I’m placing you under arrest.”
Oh, this should be fun.“I’d like to see you try?—”
