Hank frowned up at King. Hank wanted the young man to relax and tell them what they needed to know, but King wasn’t helping with his fear-mongering.
“Tell me about Raymond Ronson,” Hank asked, his voice taking on a softer tone.
Adam took a couple of breaths. “Everybody at school knew Mr. Ronson. He liked to talk to the kids and get to know us. He was real friendly.”
Hank leaned in, resting his arms on the table. “So why’d you kill him after all these years?”
Adam hung his head, his voice barely low enough to hear. “I don’t know.”
“What about the third one? The one you told Annie about on the phone?”
Adam raised his head. “I barely remember that one. Some of it came back to me. I remember blood and a knife.”
“Who was the victim, Adam?”
“I … I don’t know. I felt a lot of hatred.”
“Who do you hate, Adam?”
Adam looked bewildered. “I don’t hate anyone.”
“What about the boys who used to bully you at school?”
Adam nodded slowly. “Yeah, I guess I hate them. Sometimes.”
“Did you kill one of them, Adam?”
Adam stared blankly at Hank, then his eyes widened and he took a sharp breath. “Maybe.”
“Think,” King shouted, leaning on the desk.
Hank looked at the impatient cop. “You’re not helping. You’re only agitating him.”
King huffed and leaned back against the wall.
Hank touched Adam’s hand. “Was it one of the bullies?”
Adam nodded once, stopped to think, then nodded again. “Yes, it was.” His eyes filled with dread at the thought. “I think I remember now.”
“Do you remember his name?”
The prisoner stared at the ceiling a moment then closed his eyes. Then his eyes popped open and he stared at Hank. “It was Patton. His name’s Paul Patton.” He blinked rapidly. “It was at the grocery store where I work. He’s a stockboy and I knew him from school.” He dropped his head into his hands and moaned.
Hank sat back. It appeared they were finally getting somewhere. He glanced at King, removed a pen from his jacket, and wrote down the name.
“What did you do with the body?”
Adam looked up, tears in his eyes. “I … I put him in the dumpster behind the store.”
That’s why the body had never been found. It was probably long gone, perhaps buried under a mountain of trash in a landfill somewhere.
Adam breathed rapidly, erratically, the tears now escaping from his eyes. He tried to speak, his body shivering, the cuffs rattling as he shook. Through sobs, he managed to say, “There … there’s another one.”
“Another victim?” Hank asked.
Adam nodded furiously, tears dripping off his chin. He dropped his head and wiped them away with a cuffed hand. “I can remember some of it now, too. It happened this morning.”
“Tell me about it.” Hank was shocked, but he kept his voice soft, encouraging the young man to continue.
“Richdale Pizza.”
Hank waited until Adam recovered enough to continue.
“Ira Toddle.”
“Was he a bully too?”
“Yes,” Adam whispered. “He was.”
Hank wrote the name down before asking, “He worked at Richdale Pizza?”
Adam nodded.
“Where did you kill him?”
Adam could barely speak. “Behind the store. I … I shot him. In the face.”
“Where’s the body?”
“I hid it behind a parked car.”
Hank spoke in a low voice. “Were there any more, Adam?”
Adam shook his head. “That’s all. I’m pretty sure.” He raised his eyes toward Hank, pleading, “Please help me.”
“We’ll get you some help.” Hank closed the folder, picked it up, then looked over at King. “That’s enough for now. We’d better check out these bodies and continue from there.”
King nodded, bounced off the wall, opened the door, and Hank followed him out. King wandered back to the precinct while Hank stepped into the next room.
Jake and Annie turned toward him as he entered. Hank glanced at Annie. Her eyes were moist, but he said nothing about it and turned to Jake.
“He’s a pretty messed-up guy,” Hank said. He glanced through the glass where Adam still shook, his head in his hands. The man’s sobs came through the speaker. Hank turned back to Annie. “Thanks for your help on this one. Diego will be extremely pleased.”
“I’m just happy it’s wrapped up,” Annie said, her voice shaking.
Jake turned to Annie. “Shall we go?”
Annie nodded and followed Jake from the room. Jake turned back, leaned through the doorway, and grinned at Hank. “I’ll let you tell Teddy White the news,” he said, then closed the door.
Hank watched the prisoner a few moments longer before going back to his desk. He was disturbed about the news of a fourth victim, but relieved it was finally over.
Chapter 45
Thursday, 3:52 p.m.
ANNIE SAT QUIETLY in the passenger seat as Jake pulled the Firebird out of the precinct parking lot. Adam would finally get the help he so desperately needed, but his life was about to undergo a drastic change.
His mother would be brought in for questioning before long, and when she heard the news of Adam’s arrest, she would be devastated. She had protected him through it all, but she’d broken the law in doing so.
Annie’s heart ached for everyone concerned, and other than her drinking buddy next door, Virginia Thorburn had no one to talk to.
She turned to face Jake. “I want to drop by and see Mrs. Thorburn.”
Jake glanced over and raised an eyebrow. “It’s over, honey.”
“It’s not over for everyone. It’s just starting.”
“I’m not sure if she wants to see me,” Jake said. “I didn’t get a very warm reception last time.”
“She’s under a lot of stress,” Annie said. “Besides, I have a few things I’d like to talk to her about. She’s going to be in a lot of trouble once the police bring her in and I don’t think she realizes it. I want to get some facts straight before she gets a lawyer and clams up.”
Jake gave a soft sigh, pulled to the side of the street, and made a U-turn. “You’d better call Chrissy.”
Annie took out her phone, called her friend and told her they would be awhile yet, asking if she would watch Matty a little longer. Chrissy informed her it was no problem and Annie hung up the phone.
In a few minutes, they turned onto Mill Street and drove toward the Thorburn residence. The police car that had sat across the road from the house was now gone. The officers hiding in the garage were likely relieved as well and would move on to the next task.
Jake pulled the Firebird to the side of the street in front of the house. They stepped out, went to the side door, and opened the screen. Jake knocked on the inner door and waited. After a few moments, he knocked again.
“I don’t think she’s home right now,” he said.
Annie peered through the window in the door. “She might’ve gone to work.”
“It’s a little early for that,” Jake said, looking at his watch.
Annie stepped off the porch. “Maybe we can come back later.”
Jake shrugged and followed Annie out to the street. Annie glanced down the sidewalk. A woman was walking toward them from some distance away, carrying a large handbag, and it looked like Mrs. Thorburn. “I think that’s her,” Annie said, pointing. “I wonder if she knows about Adam yet.”
Jake squinted up the sidewalk. “That’s her,” he said, leaning against a tree. He pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “And I’m pretty sure if she’d gone to see Adam, she’d still be there wondering why the place is filled with cops. Besides, she’s coming from the wrong direction. I don’t think she knows yet.”