Four Faces of a Killer

By Carol Ann Brown

Special Agent Kyrie Shea thought things were finally settling down for her. There were no crazed killers after her,and she was enjoying a committed relationship with best friend and lover, Derrick Chamberlin. She should’ve known the normality wouldn’t last… Her best friend and coroner moves to Hollow Cove, bringing with her a case that sparks an investigation into a new breed of serial killer. Next: She acquires a new nemesis in Army Lieutenant Raina Lowe, who’s popped in for her yearly attempt at seducing Kyrie’s boss, Matthew “Fox” Foxworth. Which causes jealousy to ignite, forcing Kyrie to face the fact her feelings for Fox are still there. And quite possibly, are even stronger than she realized. Then, mentor from the Quantico FBI head-quarters shows up to help solve the serial murders. Now she’s dealing with his cynical attitude, hard drinking, and reckless sexual escapades while they track the killer cross country and back. Kyrie will have to face off with the nemesis, the killer, and the friend.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Carol Ann Brown
• Release date: Sep 4, 2016
• ISBN: 9781495197116

Carol Ann Brown

Carol Ann Brown is a real estate agent in Northern California. Carol sells new homes and is one of the top sales agents in her office. Carol attended the College of Alameda in Alameda, California. She also attended Anthony Real Estate School, where she received her real estate license. Carol’s hobby is writing, and she has written another manuscript called Destined, which is also a fiction story.

Book preview

Four Faces of a Killer

FOUR FACES OF A KILLER

A KYRIE SHEA NOVEL

Carol Ann Brown

Carol Ann Brown

2016

Also By Carol Ann Brown

One For The Girls

Second Coming

Death Comes At Three

Copyright © 2016 by Carol Ann Brown

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

First Printing: 2016

ISBN 978-1-4951-9711-6

www.carolannbrown.com

1

SOMETIMES LIFE TAKE YOU in strange directions. Mine has taken me a direction best described as the Bermuda Triangle meets Hell. Do not get me wrong, it has not been all bad; some of it has been pretty good actually. I just seem to get more than my fair share of psychos trying to kill me. I have trouble deciding if it is just my job that brings me in contact with them, or some kind of internal beacon that calls out to them.

Either way, locking away psychos is my calling, and I won’t give it up.

I am Kyrie Shea, and I mostly go after serial killers. I work with a group of ex-military guys who go after everyone else. The agency we work for is called Dark Force One. We have the top experts in computers, weapons, and forensics. And the most accurate snipers in the world. We dress in all black, like your basic SWAT team. Only, given the muscle mass that the men I work with carry on their well over six feet tall bodies, there’s nothing basic about any of them. You might say I’m a little out of place, my being a five-foot-seven, hundred twenty-five pound woman.

And you’d be right.

After a rocky start I’m finally being accepted by the all male squadron. A lot of them have grown to respect my abilities. In addition to my extensive knowledge of serial killers, I’m highly trained in fighting and self-defense, I speak seven languages, and I can shoot as accurate as most snipers. Not that I’ve ever had to use my sniper skill. And I’m not looking forward to that first kill, but given my almost magnetic-like ability to attract murderers, I figure it’s bound to happen sooner or later.

I’ve almost been killed a half dozen times since moving to Hollow Cove, Maine a few months ago. Who would’ve thought that there’d be that many killers in such a small, isolated area. They must have the same thought on location that our agency has; Low population, seclusion, and cold climate equals anonymity.

My job is hectic, I work long hours, and end up in more dangerous situations than I care to think about, but I think I’m starting to come into my own, gaining more perspective and control of the chaos.

At least that’s what I’m telling myself this week.

My personal life is a whole other matter, even though I have a wonderful man in my life, my best friend and lover, Derrick Chamberlin, whom I recently became exclusive with, I don’t feel in control at all. I feel like I’m flying blind. Derrick and I have been together since we were two, and other than the year I was abducted and held captive by a man that was psychotically in love with me, Derrick has been the only man I’ve been with.

I recently accepted his class ring as a symbol we were exclusive. Why a class ring, considering we’re way past high school? Not to mention he’s been holding a beautiful engagement ring since we were in school. Well, I’m what you might call a coward when it comes to relationships and trusting anyone with the responsibility to keep me happy, protected, and feeling secure. I guess being kidnapped, held captive and raped at the tender age of sixteen by a very charismatic FBI agent who was supposed to be protecting me and my family from a syndicate out to kill us gives me some cause to those phobias. I just think it’s easier on (and safer for) my heart to remain free of commitment. Even though I remained completely faithful to Derrick.

I know it makes no sense. Then again, it feeds right into my life.

Derrick recently bought a beautiful two-story house with wraparound porch, on a hundred acres of untouched timber. I’ve been helping him remodel it. It’s looking great, but we have a little ways to go in finishing it completely. He’d love me to move in with him, the part of me afraid of allowing myself to completely rely on someone else is keeping me from that little step. For now, I intend on keeping a place of my own.

Even with the doubts and confusion I feel in regards to my relationship, I still count it in the good things in my life category.

There are other good things in my life too; my team, a group of fun-loving guys that I now consider part of my family. And my boss, Matthew Foxworth (everyone calls him Fox). My relationship with him is evolutionary to say the least; We started out seemingly at odds, clashed a little in a healthy competitive way, almost crossed the line to become lovers, then reined it back to a close friendship-with enough underlying sexual tension to fill a football stadium.

Yeah, the feelings that almost turned us into lovers haven’t gone away. For either of us. But we decided in the whole scheme of life, it’s not our time. Especially since I can’t seem to let go of Derrick. I know it’s partially because Derrick was recently almost killed when Russian mobsters slaughtered his FBI surveillance team and kidnapped and tortured him. My fear of losing him sent me into a state of despair I’d never imagined existed. I do love him deeply, I just need to figure out if it’s the happily ever after kind of love.

Well, that about sums things up on the state of my life.

Back to work.

DK, ONE OF MY TEAMMATES sauntered his LL Cool J looking, muscle-bound self into my office and sat down in a chair in front of my desk. I knew the other two musketeers would be along soon. The four of us were together as much as possible.

What’s up, baby? he smiled, his brilliant white teeth gleaming.

Still trying to dig myself out of paperwork hell, I replied, watching his pale blue eyes wash across my desk full of files. The pale blue eyes came from his Swedish mother, the caramel skin came from his father.

You wanna get out for a while? he asked. The guys and I were going to lunch soon.

I’d love it. Just let me know when.

Hey, Wildfire, Montoya said, entering with a box in hand.

Hey. Whatcha got there?

Fred said this came UPS for you. He sat it on the edge of the desk and hugged me.

Although me and my guys have become close, Montoya and I are slightly closer. He’s the one I was partnered with, and from the start, has looked out for me like we’d been friends all our lives. He was also the first in the squad I told about my past trauma. And I was the first, and only one, he’s told his secret-he’s gay. I can’t help think it a waste for the female population. He’s very attractive, all lean muscle, his dark hair and pale green eyes set off his chiseled features like some model. And he’s very loyal.

My Chicklet, what’s doin’? Ghost asked, entering with his sex-god male swagger. Ghost acts and dresses a lot like his idol Vin Diesel’s xXx character. I’m not sure which came first, his obsession with being a womanizing carholic, or the desire to be a tatted up, shaved headed wannabe street racer. Normally it would be annoying, but somehow he made it come across as endearing. It just works for him.

I smiled. I love hanging out with them. Fox says I’ve rounded out some of their hardness. And I know they’ve helped me become stronger. We’re a good fit.

Where’s X-man and Mac? I asked, wondering about two other guys on our team.

They’re helping team Bravo on an espionage investigation, Ghost replied, eyeing the box. What’s that?

Don’t know. It just arrived, I replied, took my knife from its scabbard (one of many items we carry on our utility belts), and pulled the box to my side of the desk.

I gently slid the knife along all the taped areas, unfolded the flaps and peeled back the plastic.

Now I’m not your typical girl when it comes to certain things. My ability to handle gore for one. Horror movies are my favorite genre. But there are some things that you just never want to see in real life. I screamed and backed into the bookcase credenza behind my desk. My guys leaned in to get a peek at the box’s contents. Everyone gagged and backed up quickly. So quickly, DK and Ghost almost fell over one of the two chairs that sat in front of my desk.

Fox came running in through the connecting doorway of our shared bathroom.

What’s wrong? he asked, eyeing me as if taking my pulse, blood pressure and temperature all at once.

"Box…head… in the," I muttered, shook my head. That didn’t come out right, so I just pointed to the box.

Fox peaked into the box, his eyes narrowed and he looked at me. Where did it come from?

UPS, I replied. I guess they’ve lowered their shipping requirements.

I have a tendency to joke when I’m nervous or scared. And I was two for two. A severed head would make anyone nervous. The fact it was sent to me personally, scared the crap out of me.

Fox pulled a pair of latex gloves (we all carry a pair) from his pants leg pocket and examined the outside of the box, then reached in for the head.

You’re not removing it here are you? I gasp.

I think there’s a note under it, he replied. I’d like to see what it says as quickly as possible.

If it means taking the head out and sitting it on my desk, I could wait. Like, till Christmas.

He gently tightened the plastic and pulled the head from the box, and sat it next to it. It made a sticky, slurp sound when placed. I moved closer to the trash can, thinking it might be a good idea to have it close, considering I was about to hurl.

Fox reached back into the box, removed the freezer bagged note and read it:

Let’s begin our game of cat and mouse, I’ll send you toys and you can build a trap. But beware little kitty this mouse has a few of his own. Here’s a clue to find the rest of the body. It’s an easy one to start.

What has a body and no head?

I shook my head, I couldn’t believe I had yet another killer taunting me with his kills.

"Check the nearest body of water, I said. He’ll dump the first one close, to show us his lack of fear at being caught."

Fox pulled out his cell phone and ordered a team to Lake Crane. He took a picture of the head to upload into our computer for running facial recognition on it, then loaded it back into the box.

I’m gonna get this to forensics, he said, heading for the door.

I’m thinking we should forget about lunch for a while, DK said.

We all agreed and they left on their daily patrols. I took the note and ran it through our paper analysis program. It came back nothing special about the paper, but it did have fingerprints on it. Now if we can just find a suspect to match them to. Although I had doubts it would be that easy. The prints were probably on purpose. Usually when serial killers taunt the authorities, everything is thought out and for a purpose.

As I scanned the prints into our print database, my office phone rang. I picked it up, watching the little scanning bar wave over and over, searching.

Special Agent Kyrie Shea, how can I help you?

Hey, darlin’, Derrick replied.

Hi.

How’s your morning?

Um… on a scale of one to ten, how bad would you rate a severed head delivered by UPS?

I’d give it a solid seven, he replied, voice steady. Yet I could read the concern he was working hard to hide.

I’d hate to see eight, nine, and ten. I thought. How is your day?

"Fine. Let’s get back to the severed head. Was it sent to Dark Force in general? Or you personally?

I hesitated, then fessed up. Me.

When you get ready to leave work tonight, call me. I’ll pick you up.

You’re not going to get all crazy protective over this, are you?

Probably. But at least we’ll get to have lots of make-up sex when I get on your nerves for it, he laughed.

I smiled. Deal.

I need to go, but I wanted to ask you to stick close to the office today, there should be a surprise showing up sometime in the next few hours.

I’ve already had enough surprises for one day.

Well, this one doesn’t come UPS, and I promise you won’t want to return it.

You’ve peaked my interest. What is it?

Nope. Not gonna tell you. You’ll just have to wait and see, he laughed. Love you, gotta go.

Not fair! Love you, too.

I didn’t waste time thinking on what it could be, Derrick knew how to set up a surprise, and there’s no way you’d ever figure it out.

After I did a once over on my desk with a can of Lysol I went back to work.

2

IT WAS AFTER TWO, and I almost had my desk cleared. Paperwork was actually a welcomed diversion to the severed head that had been UPS’d to me earlier in the morning. We didn’t have an ID yet. Two teams were still out searching for the rest of the body. And of course, we had no idea why it was sent to me.

There was a soft knock at my office door.

Come, I said, not bothering to look up from my computer screen. I figured it was just my next set of cases being delivered. And that was nothing to get excited about.

I heard the door open, the rustling of feet across carpet.

Well, well, look at you, a beautifully familiar voice pulled my attention immediately.

"Jill! I jumped up, ran over and hugged her. She hugged me back so tight I thought she’d crack my ribs. When did you get into town?"

Jill Mason is my best, and only, female friend from high school that I still kept in weekly touch with.

This morning, she replied, hugging me again. God, I’ve missed you.

I’ve missed you, too. Why didn’t you call me? I would’ve picked you up at the airport.

That’s ok. I wanted to surprise you. Besides, Nick picked me up and we had a little morning reunion, if you know what I mean.

I blushed.

I think I missed that most of all, she smiled, touched my pink cheek. Still such an innocent.

Have you got time for lunch? I suddenly felt like taking a break. And I was starving since I’d skipped breakfast.

Sure.

Wait’ll you see our cafeteria, I said, linking my arm through hers. The food’s better than some five-star restaurant.

Dark Force has chefs on duty twenty four hours a day, and the meals were free. One way to show appreciation for its employees.

I don’t know about the food, but you’ve got enough eye candy around here, she grinned. I’d never get any work done.

Jill, though totally in love with her fiancé, Nick, has no qualms about looking at, and commenting on great looking guys. Jill and Nick both are quite experienced when it comes to the opposite sex, they’d sowed enough wild oats for ten people. And were perfectly comfortable talking about it.

We walked to the elevator and rode it down to the fourth floor cafeteria. I wasn’t at all surprised at the lunching males all staring at her like an artifact just discovered someplace it shouldn’t be.

Jill is very beautiful, her beauty alone demands such attention: Petite, except for her boobs. Five-five. Wavy, golden blond hair cascading to the waist of her curvaceous frame. And piercing gray-blue eyes.

The other reason I’m sure she was getting eyed so extensively was that women at Dark Force were an anomaly. Before I came to Dark Force there had never been one working here. From the response I got my first day, I’m not so sure there’d ever even been one in the building. And I suspect after the turmoil of my coming on board caused, there won’t be another added anytime soon.

The guys’ curiosity would soon be appeased through their information-line. The way these guys spread news would rival any soccer moms phone-tree line any day. You tell one team to spread something and within fifteen minutes all hundred and twelve members of Dark Force would know about it. A major contribution to the success of their communication is our control desk guys for each floor. They can enter any information you want into a computer and transmit it to the special watches we’re all required to wear.

Jill’s reason for coming to Hollow Cove (aside from being close to her best bud) was to join the coroner’s office. Jill has wanted to work in forensics practically since birth. Somewhere along the line she decided to become a forensic pathologist, and she’d worked very hard to reach that goal.

She left her job at the Los Angeles morgue to come here to also be with Nick, who had recently been chosen by the Quantico office of the FBI to join my boyfriend’s team of agents at his Hollow Cove field office.

Her move had taken a few months to iron out because Hollow Cove being a small town, the only way to get a job with the coroner’s office was someone else’s out. In this case, a retirement. Angus Munford had retired to Florida. Best wishes, Munfy!

When do you start your new job?

Tomorrow morning, Jill replied, meeting each guy’s stare with a masterful flare I’d never achieved. Probably never would.

We ordered our lasagna and sat down to eat. The whole staring thing was making me self-conscious about eating, so I motioned for Dave to come over. Dave is leader of team Condor, and one of the guys I’d gotten to know pretty well at this point. He even gave me a pretty cool nickname after I’d had an altercation with one of his ex-teammates who made some derogatory comments on how I got into Dark Force.

He came over with a smile.

What’s up, Supergirl? he asked, planting himself on a chair next to me.

I took a few seconds to tell him that Jill was my best friend since high school, and that she was about to start her new position with the morgue, then added that she was engaged to Nick. He’d met Nick already, and knew he was also a high school friend.

Could you make sure that gets around? I asked, giving him a wink. He laughed.

Yeah, that’s probably a good idea, he caressed my shoulder. We don’t want the wrong idea out there.

No doubt, I sighed deeply, recalling what the guys thought of me when I first encountered them.

Being the first female brought into Dark Force, and not having a military background like the guys, suspicions and anger caused some pretty bad things to come out. The guys have been coming around to understanding why I was here. Some, like Dave and my team, have even took me under their wings and go out of their way to make sure I’m made to feel at home. Others, not so much.

I must admit, I couldn’t believe it myself at first. What could I contribute to a group of hardened, ex-military secret agents who were the best damn guys in the biz? But, over the last few months I’ve started to gain confidence in my own ability to solve cases. And I’d come to realize that even though the guys were the best in their work, their personal lives left something to be desired.

Which, I suspect, is another reason I was brought in. My new boss seems to think I have a healing capability with troubled souls. I’ll have to take his word for it. He says the guys who’ve gotten to know me have become happier. Calmer. He told me he’s noticed a peace settling in them. I was glad someone had some inner peace, mine was heading even farther in the opposite direction.

I watched Dave make his way to every table, filling the guys at each in on Jill. I saw some disappointed looks, and some relieved ones. I figure there are still guys who prefer Dark Force stay as estrogen deprived as it once was. Hell, maybe they all secretly wanted it that way. Maybe the disappointed looks were not about her coming on board, but more about Jill being off the market.

So, what are your plans? I asked, turning my attention back to Jill.

Well, as you know, Derrick is going to let us sublet his apartment since he’s moved all his stuff to your new house.

Derrick’s new house, I corrected in my head. Didn’t bother to do it out loud. Jill and Nick wanted Derrick and I together as much as our families and Derrick wanted us to be. Why couldn’t I just get with the program?

It was easy since he didn’t want to take the furniture, I replied.

It’s great of him to let us use it, it’ll save us money, not having to buy anything right away. Which is good because the wedding is going to cost us a fortune. But we have to have the fairytale wedding.

You should have what you want, I offered.

And we are, she giggled with resurrected teenager’s giddiness. "Right down to a horse drawn carriage ride after the I dos."

Sounds romantic.

I listened for a long time as she went through wedding plans: Flowers, colors, designs… It was all Greek to me. I wondered if something was wrong with me. Didn’t all women want that stuff? Weren’t they predisposed from birth knowing they wanted a big wedding with all the trimmings? Where was my desire to pick out the right flower, and the perfect venue, and…

Kyr’? Jill’s voice broke through my wandering thoughts.

Hunh? I said, meeting her eyes.

Where’d you go?

I shook my head. Doesn’t matter. I’m back. What were you saying? Something about bridesmaid’s dresses, I think.

Kyr’, you’re my best friend in the world, next to Nick. I want you to be happy. You know that, right?

I know, I replied, forcing a smile.

You worry way too much. Fate has a way of slapping us in the face and correcting what we’re dragging our feet on.

What the hell did she mean? I didn’t feel like any lengthy discussions right now or I would’ve asked.

Or was I just dragging my feet? I almost laughed.

So, what’s your new boss like? I asked, changing the subject.

You remember that huge scary guy in the Phantasm movies? The one who looked like the walking dead?

Creepy. Looks like he should get a casket and lie down already. Got it. I grinned.

Picture that, with the personality of a yapping Chihuahua.

We laughed like school girls.

Seriously though, he seems pretty cool, Jill said. And you know me, I can get along with any guy.

Guys were never a problem for Jill. She had the capability to wrap them around her little finger within seconds of meeting them. Women were different. Women misjudged her for her looks, and got all catty. In fact, I was her only female friend.

True, I smiled.

It’s a small setup, just Morty and his two morgue technician uncles.

Sounds cozy.

Jill smiled. Speaking of bosses, when do I get to meet yours? The one you’re so hot for.

I swallowed, glanced away with embarrassment, and caught sight of him coming through the cafeteria door. Fox’s muscular, six-foot-four perfect body stepped aside to let the team file in beside him.

Now, I guess, I said, stood and waved to my team. They waved back and rushed over.

Sorry we didn’t get back sooner, DK said with a hug. We needed to… He noticed Jill. Wow.

That’s ok, I replied, mentally rolling my eyes at his easy distraction. Guys. Go figure.

Jill smiled at his attention, extended her hand. You must be DK, she said, glanced at me and winked. He does look like LL.

DK grinned.

And you, she turned. You must be Ghost, with the Vin Diesel vibe going on.

Ghost smiled and shook her hand. Welcome to town.

Thank you, Jill replied, eyes moving on. And you are beautiful gorgeous like an underwear model. You have to be Montoya.

Nice to finally meet you in person, he smiled, hugged her. Montoya has talked with Jill on the phone several times when I was on a call with her, and had her on speaker. They’d become friendly.

Whoa, Jill looked up, and up, and up, and up, at Train. You’re a really big one. You have to be Train. You married Kyr’s sister, Susan.

Train grinned his silly, newlywed euphoria grin that made him so endearing. Considering he was seven-foot-six, and twice the muscle mass as everyone else, endearing wasn‘t usually used to describe him.

And you two dynamic duos must be Mac and X-man, she said, shook each one’s hand, then turned to Fox. She eyed him, me, and then him again. You have to be Fox.

It’s nice to meet you, Fox said, shaking her hand.

And as you all are aware from the pics in my office, this is my friend, Jill.

Nick’s girl. Damn, DK flirted, winked.

Jill grinned.

So you’re going to be working with ol’ Morty, Ghost said.

Yeah, I start tomorrow.

Well, if he gives you any problems just let us know, we’ll pay him a visit, Mac offered.

Definitely, X-man added. You’re Kyr’s friend, that makes you family. We protect family.

Thanks, Jill replied. I’ll definitely keep that in mind.

We were just grabbing some lunch, I said. Would you guys like to join us?

They were thrilled at the offer, quickly ran off to get their food.

I’d like you to join us, I said, to ease Fox’s hesitation about having lunch with us. He and I were still working out just how much contact we should have with each other, being that I was giving my relationship with Derrick a chance.

I’ll be right back, he smiled, went for food.

Kyr’, Jill said, drawing my attention from watching him.

Yeah? I replied, turning to her.

You should… she shook her head. Never mind.

I was about to ask her what she was trying to say, when Montoya came back to the table with his food.

Lunch ran long, and I was happy for it. It was great to be amongst my friends, old and new. I truly cherished these moments. Captivity gives a person perspective when it comes to the little moments most let go by without a second thought.

Life is unpredictable, enjoy it while you can.

Before I get out of your hair, I wanted to give you this. Jill said, pulling a file from her huge designer purse.

What is it?

A case file on a girl who was murdered that came in through the LA coroner’s office a few days before I left.

And you brought it here?

Copies, she replied. Something bothered me about it.

What?

She had one of your business cards from a few years back. The ones you only give rape victims.

I opened the file and looked at the girl’s picture. This is Valeria Jensen. She was victim of a serial rapist in Virginia. The first case I worked at Quantico.

I never forgot a name or a face of victims from my cases.

I figured she was a victim. That’s kindov why the case is weird. There were signs that she had been raped again before she was murdered.

Statistically crazy, but it has happened.

True. But the weirdest part was that the rapes were identical in nature. She was found bound and gagged, face down. Just like her first rape, Jill said. When I’d found your card, I had a detective friend run her name, and he showed me the old file he’d had sent out from Virginia.

Ok. More of a statistical anomaly, I said. Maybe the first rapist somehow got out of prison…

Nope. I also had him check that, the guy’s still in prison. It couldn’t have been him. So either she had the worst luck ever, or… I don’t know. It’s just too strange.

I’ll look into it, I said, my curiosity wheels already spinning. I hugged her. Dinner later?

I think Nick and Derrick have already talked about us coming over to your house for dinner. He wants to show it off.

Derrick’s House, I corrected mentally.

Ok. I’ll see you tonight.

Do we need to bring anything? Jill asked.

Just yourselves.

Alright, love ya.

Love you.