Page 89 of Counter Attack

“I wish.” Alex turned as a car pulled to the curb. A silver-haired woman sat in the back. Maybe it was Ms. Mattie.

47

There was something off about this whole bomb deal. A piece of stationery left on the kitchen floor ...

Nathan looked up. Madden walked toward him. It might be a good time for Nathan to question the detective about the Queen’s Gambit victims in Chattanooga. It might help with the investigation in Pearl Springs. So far neither the Russell County deputies nor his detectives had found a connection between Gina Norman and the other victims other than she’d moved from Chattanooga to Pearl Springs and her resemblance to Alexis.

“Learn anything?” Nathan asked when the detective reached him.

“No one I’ve talked to knew Phillip Denton personally.”

“That’s been my experience too. What’s your take on the explosives?”

Madden shook his head. “I didn’t understand the bombing when it happened, and I certainly don’t understand what we found today. Never have been able to discover Denton’s motive for the bombings, and until we know that, there are no answers.”

“Not likely to happen with him dead and no one to ask.”

“You got that right. Denton was the reason the city came up with the funding for another explosive detection dog after they retired Belle. Sure would’ve been nice if we’d had Mal then. I understand there may be missing C-4 and detonators.”

“Afraid so.” Just what they needed. A serial killer on the loose with bomb material. Nathan scanned the crowd. He imagined Carl would release the building soon and the people could return to their homes.

“Do you think Denton and the Queen’s Gambit murders are connected?” Madden asked.

“Alexis said the newspaper clippings found at the crime scenes were about Denton, so that makes me think this Phame we’re getting notes from is related to him in some way.”

Madden rested his hand on his service gun. “Phame. What kind of name is that?”

“Alexis’s CSI thinks it might be a gamer name. Or a hacker,” Nathan said. “Have you ever played one of those computer games?”

“Don’t have the skills for them, but my kids play all the time,” Madden said. “I have to keep after them or they’ll spend all their free time on them.”

“I don’t doubt that. What can you tell me about the Chattanooga victims of the Queen’s Gambit Killer?”

“Not a lot on the first three, except the one Alex knew, and not all that much on her. They would’ve been easy prey for the killer, on the streets like they were. I’m not sure the killer stalked them—could’ve just happened upon them.” He shoved his hands in his jacket pockets. “But the other two ... all their friends indicated they weren’t the type to take up with just anyone. Career women with good jobs. There were witnesses who saw the women leave the Lemon Tree and they were alone. I think the killer followed them home and either forcedhis way in or the victims recognized the killer and thought he was harmless.”

“How about George Smith?” Nathan asked about the man Alexis had shot and killed, the one they’d originally thought was the Queen’s Gambit Killer.

“I’ve written that one off as a copycat. Some of the people he hung around with said he talked about the Queen’s Gambit murders all the time.”

“Okay, thanks for filling me in.”

“Most of it was in the report,” he replied.

“But not all of it. I think I’ll try and find Alexis.”

His phone rang as he walked toward the building and he checked the call. His sergeant. Nathan pressed the answer button. “What do you have, Jared?”

“We got a hit on Gina Norman’s prints.”

“And?”

“She was arrested for prostitution in Chattanooga.”

“You’re kidding. Let me call you back.” Nathan turned and jogged back to where he’d left Madden standing. When he reached the detective, he said, “Gina Norman is from Chattanooga, and you guys arrested her in the past for prostitution.”

Madden frowned. “What are you talking about? Who is Gina Norman?”

“Our victim in Pearl Springs. Didn’t you get the case notification? I emailed it to you Monday night.”

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