Intrigue (Elvis Presley Story)

Chapter 25

Elvis listened carefully to Kevin Grove's report. He knew the only reason he'd been allowed to sit at this table in this conference room was that Mitch Taylor had ordered him to be part of this briefing.

The official mumbo-jumbo had been something about his superior investigation skills and the fact that he'd been in on Tony Fierro's arrest.

He even began to wonder if his new precinct boss was going soft. The team of forensic specialists and veteran detective's sitting around the  table were talking about things related to his father's murder-similarities between the deaths of his father, James Caldwell and the Jane doe they'd removed from the landfill.

Did they think he could provide some insight? Was this really just an unofficial way to keep him apprised of the investigation without anyone pitching a fit about personal bias? Or was he being giving this information because it affected olivia-major Taylor was a seasoned enough detective to know when one of his men had taken on the role of bodyguard and lover to his administrative assistant?

No. Major Taylor would never go soft. Elvis was here for a reason.

Tony Fierro was dead. Stabbed during the night in lockup.

"Our key witness, Liza Parrish, identified Fierro as the driver of the car she saw leaving the presley murder scene." Detective Grove passed a stack of enlarged photographs around the table.

"The first picture is our sketch artist's rendering of a man she described. You'll note that the face is pretty vague, but so was her description. She's fairly sure about his size, though. He stands about six foot three and weighs in at about two hundred twenty pounds. She never heard him speak."

What Elvis had mistaken for dull and plodding in Grove's investigation was really patient and thorough. If detective Grove put a case together, it was going to stick.

"What about the 'suit' Ms. Parrish says she saw get in the car? Do we have any description on him?"

"I can't even tell you if it is a him. She saw a Gray pinstriped jacket and dark hair through a tinted window."

When Elvis flipped to the next photo, he finally understood why he'd been asked to sit in on the meeting.

"Son of a bitch."

"See something useful, Presley?" Grove asked.

Dr. Holly Masterson, sitting across the table from him recognised it. Mitch Taylor would have understood what was in the photo, too. It was a photograph of Tony Fierro's body, lying dead on the floor of his cell. And there on the concrete, drawn in blood by his own dying hand, was the symbol.

The same symbol that had appeared as a microscopic marking on three different murder victims.

The symbol that olivia wore on a charm around her neck.

Later...

"It's a symbol. In the blood on the floor and on Fierro's keychain. Just like your charm."

Olivia pulled the gold chain from inside her shirt and frowned as she held the telephone against her ear. "My charm?"

She heard people rushing about in the background of Elvis's call. He'd been called into the office for a special meeting and was just calling to check up on her and to tell her that he'd be back to the house soon where he had been camping out for the last three days.

"You said you're father gave it to you. That it belonged to your mother."

"That's right." She traced her thumb around the loops carved into the gold. Olivia turned the the gold disk shaped charm, seeing the the design the way someone who hadn't lived with the gift and story the went with her entire life might. "It kinda looks like a three. But it's a Cyrillic letter. My mother was of slavic descent. It's a Z for Zorinsky. My mother's maiden name."

Wait a minute. Gold shaped like disk. Z for Zorinsky.

Olivia's gaze slid over to the journal as it lay on her desk where she had been working. "Z for Zorinsky," She muttered, thinking out loud.

"Olivia? are you still there?"

"I'm here." She pulled the journal closer to her.

"Can you put sawyer on the line?"

She opened the journal up to the page that she needed. "He just left to drive Peggy and Louise to refill aunt peg's prescription and get some groceries."

Elvis swore. "He's supposed to be there watching you."

"No, he supposed to be watching Peggy and Louise. You're supposed to be watching me." Did that sound like she was sniping at him? She instantly felt contrite. "I mean, I'm not blaming you. You got called in and I need to work on cracking your father's case in this journal. Besides, Tony's in jail and I'm perfectly fine."

"Tony's dead."

"What?" A shiver of unease rippled down her spine.

"He was murdered in his cell last night. That's what the briefing was about. Are McCarthy's men there?"

"No."

"So you're alone?"

"Don't worry. Everything is locked. I'm right here, working away, waiting for you to get here. You are still coming over for dinner, right?" Or did Tony's death mean he'd lost his reason to keep such a close eye on her? Had they moved too fast with their relationship? Of course, they had known each other for several years. Not exactly what she'd call a speedy courtship.

She didn't expect Elvis to suddenly become a romantic and start reciting poems and declaring his love, and she certainly didn't want any surprise bouquets of flowers. But she was completely, crazily in love with the man-maybe she had been for years. The threats to her life and spending so much time together had finally peeled away her inhibitions and made second-guessing her feelings and thoughts seem like a wasteful luxury.

She'd fallen hard. But had Elvis?

"Stop analysing stuff in your head and double check the locks. I will be there soon."

"Why would I be in danger?" Irrationally disappointed that he could know she was stewing over something, yet not fathom what she was stewing about, she sat back in her chair and grabbed a pen and a bit of paper. Olivia had to try. She started to write a word.

Z-O-R...

"Oh, I don't know. Because whoever killed Tony Fierro is probably looking for the same thing he was. That journal you're reading!"

She wasn't reading anymore. Olivia shot to her feet and shouted.

"Ive got it. Elvis, I've got it! I think I've just unlocked the secrets to your father's mystery puzzle."

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! And thank you so much for reading! xoxo