“Please, Phillip. Come in. Stop hurting people. It’s not too late. We’ll get your message out.”
“I’m not done yet, Jane. There are four more who must die.”
Clearly, Phillip wasn’t well. She took her phone out, deciding to chance that he might see her.
“Ah-ah-ah. No calling anyone else while we’re talking. That’s rude, Jane.”
Bingo. The video feed was live, which also answered how he’d known she would be the one on the other end of the line. She tucked her phone back into her pocket and looked around the bakery as if just now spotting the obvious video camera.
She waved at it. “Apologies.”
“Accepted. Hey, I’m waving back at you, though you can’t see it.”
A polite killer. How nice.
Maybe he’d appreciate a helpful, polite FBI agent. “What can I do to help you stop killing, Phillip?”
“Nothing. What’s done is done. It’s a travesty, but we can make things right.Ican make them right.”
“Ishetelling you to do this?”
“He doesn’t have to. We’re all God’s children.”
Jane didn’t know what to believe. At turns, Phillip sounded incredibly intelligent then off his rocker. Was he acting alone? “Phillip, did you call this in to let the FBI know about your work?”
“About Justice, you mean?”
“Yes.”
“I cannot know his plan. I am the arm, the tool he uses to make it right. Aunt Maria really misses my mom, you know?”
Jane rolled with the change in conversation. “I know. I met your aunt and uncle. They’re very nice people.”
“They are. I’m sorry this will hurt them. But it can’t be helped. And it’s so much bigger than me.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Phillip laughed. “I like you, Jane. I’m sorry about our fight in the garage. I don’t like hurting women.”
“Then don’t.”
His tone changed, lost all warmth when he said, “But I will. I’m coming for the others. If you get in my way, I will end you. For I am Justice.”
He disconnected.
She stood there, thinking about all he’d said and didn’t say. One thing struck a chord. A small, perhaps coincidental turn of phrase or not?
After calling in to get forensics on the scene, she turned off the recording she’d started the moment she’d dialed the flip phone.
With any luck, they’d get something useful from it.
And she’d figure out if he’d meant to drop that major clue or if he’d done it by accident.
“It’s a travesty, but we can make things right.Ican make them right,” Phillip had said.
Echoing the exact same wording his uncle had used.
CHAPTER FORTY
