The Darkness of Evil (Karen Vail #7)(111)

“Because she was grooming you, manipulating you for her benefit.”

Vail thought about that. And felt like putting her fist through the wall. She had to take the personal affront out of the equation. She forced her thoughts back to the case. “Why would Marcks plead guilty to the Blood Lines kills?”

“He only pled to two murders.” Underwood chuckled wryly. “And he only did that because Jasmine was going to rat him out on Rhonda and the gas station attendant. This way, if he pleads to the two Blood Lines kills, he’s famous, he’s talked about forever in serial killer lore, and it’s no difference to him. He was probably going to go down for the murder of his wife, without question. There was a witness. A compelling witness who could turn on the tears of how her father bullied her and threatened her if she didn’t lie for him. No one was going to believe the hulking thug over the beautiful blonde when those tears start flowing.”

“And I’m guessing she planted the evidence at those two Blood Lines scenes. Her father’s hair and blood. To frame him.”

“Right,” Underwood said as he slowly rose from the floor and sat down on the couch. “And he knew that. He knew there was no way he was going to get acquitted for those two murders. We had his DNA at the scenes. Not a chance in hell they’d believe his story.”

Vail joined him on the sofa. “That’s why he took the deal. Plead to the two, no death penalty.”

“He was going to do life no matter what. If he didn’t agree to the deal—the one Jasmine presented him with—she would tell the police a convincing story she’d cooked up about how her father planned Rhonda’s murder for weeks. Maybe she even planted some evidence for us to find as well in case it became necessary, in case we went looking. Bam, you’ve got premeditation. Special circumstances and the death penalty.”

“She’s one smart, evil bitch. But why does he want to kill her? Because she was going to rat—” Vail’s ears perked up at the sound of footfalls on the steps.

“Vail, you down here?”

“Yeah.”

Hurdle appeared seconds later. His eyes found Vail’s colleague. “Thomas Underwood, I take it.”

Underwood held out a hand and they shook. “Karen here saved my life.”

Hurdle smirked and nodded. “Good for her. Might be the only thing she got right in this case.”

“Hey.” Vail rose—but Underwood grabbed her arm.

“I don’t know what agency you’re with, but—”

“Marshals Service,” Hurdle said, subtly moving his jacket aside and revealing the badge he was wearing on a chain around his neck.

“He heads up the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force.”

Underwood absorbed that, then nodded. “Marshal, I don’t want to sound condescending, but this was a very complex murder case, perhaps the most difficult in my career, which spans four decades. It’s wholly unfair to find any blame with Karen. Or me. Or Erik Curtis. We were all duped by two people who had motivations and a set of circumstances we’ve never encountered before. I’d even say no police force in the world has come up against something as elaborate as this, featuring two very disturbed psychopaths.”

Hurdle frowned. “I’ll debrief you tomorrow. Assuming you get it all figured out.” He faced Vail. “And assuming we catch your buddy Jasmine.”

“I feel bad enough about this. Thanks for rubbing it in.”

“My pleasure. Really. It is.” He turned to leave and spoke as he walked out. “Now I’ve gotta go catch two goddamn fugitives.”

“He’ll get over it,” Underwood said as Hurdle ascended the steps. “He’s pissed. But he doesn’t have a clue what was really going on in this case. I do, I lived it. You do, because you lived the tail end of it. Just know that it is what it is. We do our best and sometimes that’s not good enough. But know that you gave it your all. You did, didn’t you?”

“Give it my all?” Vail studied his face. “Always.”

Underwood smiled. “I have no doubt.”

Vail’s phone vibrated with a text from Leslie Johnson:

townhouse owned by edna heasley age 94

curtis told me why you were looking at this place

ss checks still being cashed

no children no known friends still alive

curtis thinks edna is another jasmine victim so to speak

I think he’s right. “Sorry, just got the 411 on who owns this house.” She typed a quick thanks to Johnson, then turned back to Underwood.

“Jasmine’s had it for nine years,” he said. “This is the place we searched for and never found. There are supposedly trophies here. Somewhere.”

“How do you know? How’d you know all this other stuff about Jasmine?”

Underwood chortled—and coughed. He cleared his throat, then said, “I asked her. She told me. When I started to put it together, she laughed at me for getting it so wrong. I felt so humiliated. It’s not just you. I’m good at dishing out advice, but don’t think I didn’t beat myself up over it, too. Which was, of course, what she wanted. She wanted to feel like she was in control, which meant beating me down. Me, the expert. Plus, she figured there’s no reason not to tell me.”

“Because she was going to kill you.”