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“I demand you arrest that man immediately!” he shouted even before he’d fully cleared the stairwell. He was waving his arms in the manner of one mimicking a windmill.

“What man would that be, Mr. Wissinski?” asked Chase.

“Careen, of course! And I demand that you do it right now, before he takes an ax to my head as well!” He gestured vaguely in the direction of the stretcher. “Or whatever he used to kill my best friend.” He then seemed to realize that he was in the presence of death, and he gulped, then uttered a sort of strangled cry, and proceeded to bite down on his knuckle. “He’s really dead, isn’t he? Poor Sergio is dead. Struck down in his prime.”

“Who told you about what happened?” asked Chase, ever the cop.

“I got a call from Luke,” said Omar. “He told me to watch out.” He shook his head. “He’s coming for me now, isn’t he? I’m the only one left. The only one left standing!” He turned a wild-eyed gaze on Chase. “Please provide me with some protection, detective. I’ve posted a guard in front of my shop, but I don’t think that’s going to stop that maniac. If anything, he’ll probably mow him down, too, just to get at me!”

“I’m afraid we can’t provide any police protection at this time, sir,” said Chase stiffly.

“Well, you should! Can’t you see I’m next? If you don’t act now I’ll be dead before tonight!”

“Babe, please,” said Odelia softly, as she placed a hand on her husband’s arm.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Wissinski, but we’re doing everything we can to bring the murderer of your friends to justice.”

“It’s not enough, is it! Four down and one more to go—that’s what that crazy person is thinking right now. It’s only me that’s left now!” Suddenly he was down on his knees, holding up his hands to Chase in a gesture of prayer. “Please help me, detective. Can’t you see I’m desperate? Please save me from this madman. I’m begging you, please!”

“Get up, Mr. Wissinski,” said Chase not unkindly as he helped the poor guy to his feet again. “I’ll see what I can do, all right?”

“You’ll give me police protection?”

“Yes. I’ll arrange for an around-the-clock watch on your house and office.”

“Thank you, sir. Thank you so much!” He nervously glanced around. “Do you think he followed me here? Do you think he’s watching us now?”

“I’m sure you’re quite safe here,” Chase assured the man.

“He’s getting paranoid, Max,” said Dooley.

“Wouldn’t you be? Four of his friends are dead.”

“Maybe he should come and live with us? Chase can protect him much better when he’s living under the same roof.”

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” I said.

“But why not? If he’s that scared, we have to do what we can to save him.”

“I’m sure that the officers Chase will pick will be more than equal to the task of keeping Mr. Wissinski safe,” I said. I didn’t think giving potential victims room and board was the way to go. It might set a dangerous precedent. Soon we’d be running a safe house.

At that moment, Chase had had enough of standing around, and we all repaired downstairs. I think it had finally come home to him that we needed to end this case, unless more victims would follow. And so soon we were off in his squad car. I recognized the route he was taking. He was taking us straight to the house where the Careens lived.

Chapter 29

We arrived just in time to catch the three Careens at home. Dominic and Rick were already standing next to their jeep when we got there, ready to take off. When they saw us driving up, blocking the driveway, father and son exchanged a look of annoyance.

“What is it now?” asked Dominic as he threw his backpack through the open window into his jeep.

“Haven’t you heard?” said Chase, slamming the door of the squad car shut. “Sergio Sorbet is dead. He was killed last night.”

“If you expect me to burst into tears you came to the wrong place,” the bearded forester grumbled. “Good riddance is what I say.”

“Is that what you told Sergio when you killed him last night?” Chase demanded.

“Here we go again,” Dominic said, rolling his eyes. “How many times!”

“Where were you last night, Dominic? And you, Rick?”

“We were right here at home. Where else do you think we’d be?”

“I don’t know. Out and about, maybe?”

“Did you see the weather we had last night? Being out and about was not a good idea.”

“Didn’t you have to be in the woods? Making sure nobody ventured out there?”

“That’s not our job, detective. We make sure those woods are well kept, but it’s not up to us to make sure the public stays out of them when there’s a storm like the one we had.”

“What about you, Rick?” asked Chase, addressing the young man. “What’s your story?”

“I was here,” said Rick. “We nailed some planks of wood to a window at the back, since it’s a little rickety and might not have survived, and made sure not to venture out again.”

“That’s your story and you’re sticking to it, are you?”

“It’s not a story, detective. It’s what happened.”

Chase sighed.“So you won’t mind if I ask your neighbors, will you?”

“Be my guest,” said Rick.