Burning Truth (Lost and Found Columbus #3)

Chapter 18

18

A ddie stared through the one-way glass at the man who had been responsible for so much destruction and lives lost. They were downtown, at Central Headquarters, in the detective bureau. It was a hectic, massive place, and she’d been here before for a segment, but the energy seemed very different today. Tense. Johnson seemed to see her hesitation. “We all know we have a monster nearby.”

Addie nodded and followed her through a maze of incredibly dull hallways, until she stepped into a dim room. There were a few chairs, but it was obviously a viewing area. Johnson paused in front of a large window. “He can’t see you in here.”

Addie took a breath and stopped beside her, looking at the man who had been stalking her. Russell Dunn was not a big man. Spare and lean, with thinning brown hair, he looked like an insurance salesman. He wore a pale blue dress shirt and khakis, and loafers. She had a feeling he had money in the bank and a retirement portfolio.

“Not exactly what you think of when you think of an arsonist or murderer,” she murmured. “Although I do see stalker,” she said with a soft snort.

There was a caginess to his expression that Addie didn’t like, like he knew what the inside joke was to life. He seemed very calm, like if she didn’t show up, he was okay with taking more lives. Had the killing bothered him at all?

Detective Johnson had given her a copy of the arrest report from the woman he had assaulted months ago, Victoria, and Addie’s heart had ached for what she had gone through. Russell Dunn had a cruel streak, and the protection order she’d had in place hadn’t helped her. Russell had tiptoed around it, according to the subsequent reports she had filed.

“Are you sure you’re up to this?” Detective Johnson’s rich brown eyes were kind as she took Addie in.

“I’m fine,” Addie said firmly, then reached back to tighten her pony tail.

Severn had suggested that she not dress up like she was doing a televised news segment. Russell had an ideal of her in his mind, and he’d certainly criticized her looks enough in his comments. If she varied from that ideal, maybe it would put him off his game. Addie had agreed with that assessment, so she’d scraped her damp hair back into a ponytail, put on the same t-shirt she’d slept in and found a pair of ratty shorts and dirty tennis shoes. Her face was free of makeup, showing the tired bags under her eyes.

Addie looked to Severn, needing his reassurance.

“I’ll be right outside the window. He’s chained to the table, so there’s no way he can touch you. We have Gabbie on the line, so if he brings something up, she’ll be doing real-time research. Don’t be surprised when you hear us in your ear.”

“I’ve got you, Addie,” Gabbie said, her voice coming through clear on the tiny earpiece. It was like what the news anchors used at work, with no external wires to see. Hopefully, Russell wouldn’t even know it was there.

“Don’t make any promises,” Johnson said, “but see if you can figure out what he’s thinking. If he has a bomb planted out there somewhere, the bomb squad is ready to go. They just need a location. Rodrigo is servicing the warrant on his house and office right now.”

“Okay.”

“Are you ready?” Severn asked her.

Was she? Did she have a choice if she wasn’t?

Severn must have seen how much this was freaking her out. “If it gets to be too much, just get up and walk out. It’s that easy.”

She nodded, turning toward the interrogation room. Her heart was going to slam out of her chest. There was a tinge of excitement, but more fear than anything. This man had been terrorizing the city, and her, for months, and it was time they stopped him.

Dragging in a big gulp of air, Addie opened the door and let herself inside the room. Russell Dunn looked up at her, a slow smile spreading across his mouth. “I knew you’d come see me,” he murmured. “That’s one of the things I admire most about you, Addison. Your sense of community. You do what’s best for the people of the city.”

He motioned with his head toward the chair opposite him, as if they were in his living room. Addie sat down and surveyed her stalker. “Hello, Monster.”

Some of the shine went out of the man’s smile, and a muscle jerked in his cheek. Maybe he hadn’t liked that nickname after all.

“Now that the cat’s out of the bag, so to speak,” he made a motion with his hand, “you can call me Russell. We have met before, after all.”

“I remember,” she said, leaning back against the chair and trying to look calm. “We met at the warehouse, where you killed three people.”

He shrugged lightly, the chain on his handcuffs rattling against the table. “I love my community as well, and those three people shouldn’t have been in that building. They were leaches on society. I didn’t actually mean to kill them, but it was a bonus.”

Addie fought not to show the disgust and horror on her face.

“You’re doing good,” Severn whispered in her ear. “Keep pushing him.”

“I knew one of the women you killed,” Addie said. “Mama Kate actually helped people get off the streets. If you’ve been watching me for a while, you probably saw me do a segment on how she was trying to help. So, you knew people were in there. I think you meant to kill them.”

Russell shrugged. “Even if I did, what does it matter now?”

“Well, it matters because if it’s premeditated, that’s a completely different charge than second degree murder.”

Russell shook his head, glancing at the mirrored glass behind her. “It doesn’t matter what they want to charge me with. That’s not why I…”

“It does matter,” she interrupted, her own anger spiking. “Human lives are important. Whether you think they are or not. They’re important to me.” She tapped her chest. “So, tell me why I’m here, Monster.”

He was glowering now. Obviously, he’d had a script in his head on what would happen, but she was not kissing his ass the way he expected her to.

“Well, if human lives are important to you, you should be nicer to me, because there are a lot of lives at stake right now.” His eyes flashed as he leaned toward her, looking her up and down. “Why you didn’t get cleaned up? You look ridiculous.”

Addie lifted her chin. “I was told to get here as quick as I could. I was still in bed when the detective called me.”

“With your bodyguard?” Russell asked, his lip curling.

“Yes, I was in bed with Severn.”

“Why are you laying with him? You could do so much better, Addison.”

She quirked a brow at the contempt in his voice. “I disagree, Russell. I think I’ve found the perfect man.”

Russell snorted. “Oh, I get it. I mean, as disgusting as he is, he’s probably kissing the ground you walk upon that you’re paying attention to him. You’re a beautiful woman, Addison.”

Addie didn’t respond, and she hoped Severn wasn’t taking any of his words to heart.

“Maybe he’ll try to play hero again. I didn’t expect him to do as well as he did at the maintenance yard. How is Jake, by the way?”

It took all the experience Addie had gained being on camera learning to control her expression to not show him how pissed she was. “He’s fine. Some smoke inhalation.”

Russell gave her a slight smile. “Jake wasn’t the target. You know that.”

“I know that,” she agreed, “and I understand why you went after Severn. He has more experience with arson and explosive devices than you do, so I can understand why you’d feel threatened.”

Russell jerked his cuffs as he tried to stand. “I’m not threatened.”

“He was also a two-time purple heart recipient for his actions in Afghanistan,” Gabbie whispered in her ear.

Addie repeated the information, and Russell’s face darkened even more.

“Well, even he can’t dismantle everything I’ve set up, Addison. If I don’t use my cell phone to log into my system within the next,” his gaze flicked to the clock on the wall by the door, “two hours and fifteen minutes, Columbus is going to burn. And I’m going to laugh.”

“Addie,” Gabbie said softly. “It looks like he’s been at a storage building downtown several times, and I’ve found receipts for payment of the building under a bogus name. Oh, no, it’s under Victoria Sincenze’s name. She was the first one he killed!”

Was that the key to this whole thing? Obviously, he thought he was smarter than they were. Did he not think they would research his background and what he’d done? Addie tried to decide if she wanted to bluff him. If they’d found anything at his house or office, they would have told her over the earpiece.

“Johnson says they haven’t found anything connecting him to the arsons at his house or his office,” Severn said, as if reading her mind. “They’re spotless.”

“So, what is it you want from me exactly, Russell?” Addie asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I want you to do a news segment on me,” he said, lifting his chin as he sat back in his chair. “About how I’m cleaning up the police department.”

Addie frowned. “How exactly are you doing that? So far, all I’ve seen you do is burn the places where they hang out. Like a scorned child. I know they kicked you out of the police academy. And I can understand why, now.”

Russell’s face turned furious, and a coldness settled into his eyes. “That was their first mistake. But definitely not their last. They will pay for everything they’ve ever done to me.”

Gabbie’s voice whispered into her ear. “Besides washing out of the academy, they arrested him at work for the sexual assault case. He missed a court date, so they filed a bench warrant. They picked him up twice at work.”

“So, you’re mad at the cops,” Addie said, her voice tired, “just like the rest of Columbus. I got a parking ticket the other day. Doesn’t mean I’m going to kill somebody,” she said, laughing lightly.

“It’s more than parking tickets,” Russell snarled.

“You’re talking about Victoria?” she asked quickly, trying to take him off guard.

For a moment, he stalled out, his face going slack.

“And the protection order mess,” she continued. “I read a report on that. They arrested you at work. How the heck did you keep your job?”

His gaze had focused on her again, and there was a smugness there. He didn’t think she realized he’d murdered Victoria.

“Victoria misunderstood my intentions,” he said slowly, “and management agreed to look the other way.”

Addie cocked her head. Something in there seemed flimsy. “I don’t think they would have tolerated the police arresting you twice in the lobby of the building. Not unless…” she trailed off expectantly.

Russell gave a short laugh. “I would have told you in the interview. This is another example of their corruption. Not unless… I had incriminating evidence against the Executive Director. He has a few skeletons in his own closet that I happened to find out about. My job at the department is secure for as long as I want it.”

Damn. That must be something big. Johnson might have to circle back to that later.

“Well, doesn’t that make you a hypocrite?” Addie asked smoothly. “You’re as corrupt as they are if you’re blackmailing your boss.”

Russel’s face tightened. His lips pursed. He didn’t like it when the tables were turned.

“I’m not a hypocrite,” he snapped.

“But you are. You just told me you were. So, how is that saving the city?”

“There’s no saving the city,” Russell said eventually, “but if we cut out the rot in the police department…”

“And the Emergency Medical Services Department…”

Russell glared at her, and she knew she was pissing him off. She wanted to grin at his frustration, but maybe that would be too much.

“You’re doing good, Addie. Keep going,” Severn said. “Try to figure out what he has planned.”

“So, assuming that there is corruption in the CPD, how are you going to get rid of it? Do you have dirt on them, too?”

Russell shook his head. A new, frenetic light lit his eyes. “No, Addison. It needs to start at the source. It needs to be completely wiped out.”

“You want to take out the police academy.”

It made sense. That was where everything started for him. Russell’s slight grin was her answer.

“Among other things,” he agreed. “But I want you to do a broadcast, first.”

Addie shook her head. “Like I said before, I’m not stroking your ego anymore.”

“Then more people will die,” he snapped. “On a scale you can’t even imagine. I have this entire city wired, Addison. I thought you were beginning to see the good I was doing.”

Addie tilted her head. “Explain it to me, Russell. Because right now you’re just looking like a crazy person.”

Again, his face went flat and something hardened in his eyes. “Don’t call me crazy. I warned you, Addison.”

“What do you mean you have the city wired, Russell?”

He smirked. “It’s funny how helpful other departments in the city are if you tell them you’d like to take a tour.”

Fear twisted her gut, and she hoped Gabbie or Johnson or someone was on the phone, figuring out where he’d been recently.

“Did you plant more devices?”

Russell grinned. “You’re a smart girl, Addison. What do you think?”

She stared at him for a long moment. “I don’t think you have any intention of cleaning the city. I think you’re just burning things because you can, because it gives you a sense of power over the people who scorned you. Victoria couldn’t stand you. I read the report. The police department didn’t want you. Even your job doesn’t want you. So, you’re lashing out like a petulant child.”

Russell’s face contorted with fury, and he stood up from his chair. He had to stay stooped over though, because of the length of the chain connected to the table. “You’re right, Addison. I am getting back at them, and you’d better watch your step before you really piss me off.”

Addie scoffed. “What are you going to do? Burn me like you did Victoria Sincenze? You’re a joke, Russell. And a coward. And Severn will take care of anything you throw at him.”

Addie stood up from the table, preparing to leave. She’d listened to enough of his ridiculous vitriol.

“Victoria didn’t take me seriously, either, Addison, and she paid the price.”

She paused. “That was the woman you professed to love. And killed. I think she knew how cracked in the head you were, and she did her best to let people know. You’re a nobody, Russell, trying to be a somebody.”

His ordinary face contorted with fury, and he leaned forward.

“Your fancy bodyguard cannot dismantle all of my devices, at least not before people die. You have less than an hour. I’d better have my phone in hand at that time, and you with a camera ready to talk.”

“We’ll see,” Addie said, and left the room. Russell was yelling as she closed the door behind herself.

Severn waited in the hallway, and he wrapped her in his arms as soon as she was clear. Addie could have wept at the comfort and support she felt from him, but they had work to do. “Did you get all that? The academy, his place of work, and I think probably more. He let the cops catch him, because he was ready to pull off his master plan.”

Severn nodded. “We’ve got a whole team working on tracking down his movements. The bomb squad is on their way to the storage building, because that’s probably where he set everything up. I’m thinking about heading over there.”

She winced. Before she’d even stepped foot in the room, she’d known that Severn would want to be a part of the rescue effort.

“This is me hesitating,” he said, leaning down to catch her eye.

Addie could have cried, then, when she understood what he was telling her. “I love you, Severn. Go do what you need to do. But you’d damn well better come back to me.”

His mouth quirked, and he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. “I’ll be back.”