Page 32 of Dead Rattled
Ten noticed other squad cars pulling up with the team who was going to conduct the search warrant. Other than the gentle shutting of car doors, the neighborhood was still.
When the other officers gathered around, Fitz broke the silence. “So far as we know, Savini lives with his wife, Chloe, and a housekeeper/chef named Briony. It’s early enough for her to be meal prepping for the day. If you encounter her, usher her out of the house where the uniformed officers will be waiting. I’llcall over the radio when we’re ready for you to start working the warrant.
“Understood, Captain Fitzgibbon,” one of the uniformed officers said, stopping short of saluting.
“Ronan, I want you and Jude on the door. Ten and I will be right behind you.” Fitz turned to Ten, a look of surprise on his face. “You’re ready to go.”
“No pep talk needed today.” The other times Ten had been part of a tactical team Fitz had to assure him he’d be safe and to shout if his gift gave him any information. Today, Ten was ready to breach the door to take down Savini.
“Be mindful that you’re experiencing an adrenaline high. Watch out when it starts to fade, you’ll crash hard.”
Ten nodded. He’d had enough talk. What he wanted now was action. He crept along behind Fitz while Jude and Ronan climbed the winding driveway. He was surprised a house like this wasn’t guarded by a fence and wrought iron gate. Savini’s lack of security was their good fortune. If they’d had to ring a bell for the gate to open up, that would give the doctor plenty of time to destroy evidence, the most important piece of which was the scrapbook.
Ronan pounded on the beveled glass and stood ready, along with the other officers, to breach the door. It was opened seconds later by an older woman dressed in workout clothes.
“Who the hell are you?” The woman asked.
“Detective Ronan O’Mara, Salem Police. We have a warrant for Andrew Savini’s arrest.”
“I recognize you from the news last night.” A look of relief came over the woman’s face. “It’s about damn time. He’s still in bed.I’m Chloe Savini, Andrew’s soon to befourthex-wife. He’s all yours, boys. Make it hurt. I’m off to the gym. Bye.” Chole gave Ronan the once over before heading out on her way.
“I like her,” Ronan muttered.
“Savini tried to beat her on their honeymoon and instead of cowering in a corner she Krav Maga-ed his ass into next week.” Ten snorted. “I hope she drains his bank account on the way to the gym.” He meant every word. Ten almost didn’t recognize himself. It wasn’t like him to behave without empathy, but as far as he was concerned Savini deserved none for what he’d done to those young, helpless teenagers at the St. Agnes House, not to mention for what he’d done to Kitty Maxwell.
Ronan entered the house with Jude by his side. The front door opened onto a larger foyer that soared twenty feet to the roof. A large black chandelier dangled above his head. “Clear the downstairs,” Ronan said to his fellow officers. “We’ll take the bedrooms.” He took the steps two at a time. Jude was a step behind, followed by Fitzgibbon. Ordinarily, Ten would have hung back waiting to be told it was safe for him to enter, but not today. His hand brushed the knife strapped to his leg. He knew he’d be ready to use it if someone came at him.
“Clear,” Ronan whispered from bedroom to bedroom on the right side of the hallway. Jude did the same on the left, until the only door that was left unopened was the master bedroom. Ronan kicked it open. It hit the back wall with a barely audible thump.
It sounded as if there was a hurricane in the room. Ten could hear the sound of pouring rain and lashing winds. What the hell was going on?
Ronan snapped on the light and charged toward the bed where Andrew Savini slept on his back in grey pajamas, his mouth slack, snoring heavily. Ronan gave his shoulder a shove. “Wake the fuck up!”
“What the fuck! Who the hell are you? Get out of my house!” Savini shrieked, yanking the sleep mask from his eyes.
Fitz stepped forward. In one hand he held a warrant. In the other his badge. “Captain Kevin Fitzgibbon of the Salem Police Department. Get the fuck up. We’ve got questions for you.” He shoved the search warrant at the disheveled man.
Savini took the warrant and grabbed his reading glasses from the night stand. He began to read.
“Shut that fucking sound machine off. I can’t hear myself think,” Ronan said, grabbing Savini’s arm and yanking him out of bed after he’d complied with the order.
“Where the hell are you taking me?” Savini yelped.
“To the kitchen while our officers carry out the warrant.” Fitz took Savini’s other arm and together with Ronan, led the man down the stairs and into a huge eat-in kitchen.
In Ten’s estimation, the kitchen was bigger than the entire downstairs of his house. It held a French Kitchen Suite of appliances and the table could comfortably seat ten people. Ronan pulled Ten aside after shoving Savini into the closest chair. “Find the scrapbook. We’ll wait in here.”
Ten nodded and hurried out of the kitchen. He ran into several officers who were searching an office with large windows that looked out toward the sea. “Have you seen a library?”
“Living room.” One officer pointed the way.
Ten practically ran into the room. It looked just as Everly described it. Shelves lined the two long walls of the room. There must have been hundreds of books, which ordinarily would have piqued Ten’s interest, but today, he couldn’t care less. He snapped on gloves and started pulling open the cabinet doors below the shelving. Some had more books stacked inside. Another had various candles, while the last two on the right hand wall held blankets. Ten yanked them out of the cupboard to make sure they weren’t concealing the box.
Moving to the left side of the room, he repeated the same process. On the second cabinet, he hit pay dirt. A long, black box, with a matching lid sat pushed to the back. He pulled it out and walked it back to the kitchen.
Ronan’s eyes lit up when he saw what Ten was carrying. Savini’s back was to Tennyson.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Savini demanded. “I’m calling my lawyer. He’ll make sure you all lose your jobs.”
