Her Silent Shadow: A Gripping Psychological Suspense Collection

by Edwin Dasso

  She lay quietly and listened to him mumble incoherently. Bruno had disappeared, and she and Lenny were alone on the yacht. Her eyes inspected the opulently designed stateroom in search of means of escape. Lenny was drunk and a bottle of brandy was next to him on a small table. Her eyes searched the room. It was a cluttered, disgusting mess. Clothes and old booze bottles littered the floor. A blanket near her smelled of rotting fish. The air was sour and smelled of diesel. She wondered if there was a sewage issue with the yacht. The luxurious trappings in the stateroom did nothing to hide the putrid, decaying smell of old fish, trash, and death. Her heart hammered in her chest. She realized her good arm was tied to something in the stateroom behind Lenny’s chair. I have to get free.

  Lenny hung his head to the side. She saw drool drip from his half-open mouth. She hoped he’d pass out so she could get away. A quiver of fear raced through her body when she recognized a sequined shoe. Valerie Taylor’s shoe. She immediately knew that Valerie had been murdered here. Just as Lenny planned to murder her. She blinked back hot tears and a sob strangled in her throat. She tried to remember if Valerie’s throat had been slit, but she couldn’t remember. Her heart felt like a sledgehammer in her chest. Her damaged face sent agonizing slivers of pain to her brain and the agony of her broken jaw crippled her.

  Where is Joe? Certainly he knows how much danger I'm in. And Kat and Mike must've realized I didn’t return from the restroom. She lay on the floor as tears oozed out of her eyes and fell on to the floor next to her. She thought of her dying mother and how devastated her father would be if they both died in the same week. She wondered if his strong, devout faith could sustain him through such a loss.

  Lida turned to her side to keep her face away from Lenny who appeared passed out. It was then she realized that her unbroken arm was attached to the bedpost. Dismay paralyzed it. How was she going to free herself before Lenny woke up and killed her?

  She shivered from cold, her clothes wet from her near escape in the Gulf. She searched her brain frantically for a way to escape. She moved her broken arm up beside her and fumbled with the bonds that secured her to the bedpost. She arduously began working with her fingers to free herself. Her fingers were stiff and clumsy. As she moved her hand back and forth, pain raced through her fingers into her hand and up her arm until it shattered her brain. She remembered the doctor had warned her to keep her hand still until her broken hand, wrist, and arm had been in the cast for at least three weeks. She’d been in the cast for only a little over three weeks.

  I want to live. I must get free.

  Lenny coughed and snorted. Lida’s heart skipped a beat. He was awake. She was as still and as quiet as a church mouse. She hoped he was too drunk to remember her. But no such luck. He kicked her in her back. Pain shot up her spine, but she didn't cry out. Maybe he’ll think I’m unconscious. She prayed he would. A second later, she felt the prick of his knife. The pain of the knife paralyzed her.

  Blood seeped from a long slice wound he made on her shoulder. Lida’s tears and fear were soundless as she continued to remain still.

  Lenny stood up and stepped over her body. She could detect the disgusting smell of his body as he stood over her. He leaned down and grabbed her face. She cried out from the pain and trauma his hand inflicted on her broken jaw.

  "Turn over. Turn over, bitch, and look at me." His voice was a growl. He was a snarling monster as he towered over her. "How dare you defy me, you ignorant slut."

  Lida’s mind was deadened by fear as she struggled to turn to her back. She knew she had loosened her bond that held her. The rope had stretched, and she was almost able to wiggle her hand. I need five more minutes and I can get loose. She prayed she’d have enough time before he killed her.

  Lenny gawked down and brandished the knife. It shone brightly in the low light of the state room. He was mesmerized by the flickers of light as they reflected on the wall. His smile widened as he used his wrist to twist the knife back and forth as he watched the reflection of the light dance on the wall. After a few minutes of playing with the knife, he reached for his brandy and took a long swig.

  He looked down at her, his eyes bleary from drink. “So, what should I do with you? You’re a smart little bitch, stomping on Bruno’s foot like that and getting away.” He laughed to himself. “How’d you like your swim in the Gulf?” His laugh was evil as he turned the bottle up and drank again.” He looked down at his prey, his face dark, malevolent and angry. A second later he leaned down close to her, his knife poised directly above her throat. His voice was an evil whisper.

  “Now, what should I do with you? Should I kill you first and then have my way with you, or should I just torture you very, very slowly?”

  Lida’s heart spun out of control as she lay helpless. Her erratic heart beat made her weak and dizzy. His lewd, lustful look frightened her. She prayed he’d get drunk and fall over. She was terrified and knew he would do vile, hurtful things to her. She struggled against her bound wrist and continued to work at the rope that bound her until it was almost loose. Her heart lifted. Perhaps I can escape if I have enough time.

  Lenny laughed at her fear. “You’re not so brave now, are you, bitch? By the time I finish with you,” He winked at her and ran his pig-like eyes over her body – “you know, playing with you, toying with you, hurting you -- you’re gonna beg me to kill you.” He laughed malevolently, his voice coarse and vulgar. He took his knife and with a quick twist of his hand, sliced open her silk camisole. A lecherous monster stared down at her breasts.

  Lida was panicked, frozen with fear. The air conditioning in the yacht caused her to shiver. She turned away from Lenny to avoid his vile, lustful look. She swallowed nausea as she saw him unzip his pants.

  A moment later he jerked her around and pressed a huge hand over her windpipe. Lida noticed how dirty his fingernails were before she lost consciousness. She remembered hearing a foghorn in the distance.

  19

  Mike sat on the passenger side of Agent Williams’ vehicle. The traffic on the Beach Road was always brisk but extra busy due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Unfortunately, there was no other way to get down the beach to the small town of Pass Christian. Mike H was angry, uptight, and anxious. e was also scared they’d be too late and find Lida dead. He knew of Lenny Minelli’s reputation for cruelty and brutality.

  He shot Agent Williams an angry look. "So how long has Lida been working for the FBI?” He shook his head. “We, her oldest friends, had no idea she was an agent. And, as a matter-of-fact, it's hard for me to believe it since I've known her since we were freshmen in college.”

  Thad Stevens focused on the road. "Lida’s been with the Bureau for almost eight years. She generally works out of the New Orleans office as a forensic accountant, but we share her with several other smaller offices on the Gulf Coast. Her skill set is quite specified and she's always investigated for white-collar crime."

  Mike muttered under his breath. He shook his head. "Are you telling me that she's a full-blown FBI agent? That she trained at the FBI Academy?"

  Williams nodded. "Yes. She did and she is a special agent. What's different here is that she's not normally a field agent and she’s generally not undercover."

  Mike's anger increased. "What? So, she has no experience.” He cursed under his breath and continued. “So y’all sent an inexperienced, non-field female agent into a Dixie Mafia hotspot to spy on the Minelli family? A group of known thugs, murderers, and thieves?" He was bewildered and his voice hostile.

  Thad Williams nodded slowly. "Yeah, we did but Lida isn’t inexperienced. She knew the dangers and she has the specialized skills that can put Lenny Minelli out of business. Lida’s fully-trained in self-defense like any other FBI agent."

  Mike banged his fist on the car dashboard. "For god’s sake, man. Her training is old at best. You sent her like a lamb to slaughter and y’all know you did."

  Williams sighed deeply. "Lida knows the job she signed on for. We’ve been after the Mine
lli family for over twenty years. With old man Minelli back in New Jersey, Lenny's gotten sloppy and careless. We knew she'd be able to get him."

  Mike wasn’t mollified, nor was his anger quelled. “A lamb to slaughter. That's what you've done. I hope we can get her before he kills her."

  Williams nodded and hit the brakes. “Yeah. So do we. That’s the plan.” He flashed Mike a quick look. “We're sure Lenny Minelli is a serial killer and that's part of the reason we want to bring him down. We think he’s committed multiple murders of young women in the past few years."

  Mike's jaw dropped. "Serial killer? You sent Lida to bring down a serial killer."

  Thad Williams glared at Mike. "We sent Lida Dewey to do her job. A job she’s trained to do. A job she is prepared to do. She's wanted, just like the rest of the FBI, to bring down the Minelli family for years. The scenario was perfect. Lida’s mother is dying from cancer and it provided a reasonable excuse for Lida to return from NOLA to the coast. That would cast no suspicion on her at all. Plus, the FBI has known for years that she and Joey Minelli were high school sweethearts."

  Mike shook his head. "Yeah, and because of that, Lida’s probably dead in a pool of blood."

  Agent Williams flicked on his turn signal and pulled into the Pass Christian harbor. The Magnolia II looked beautiful as it sat in the harbor. "Now that, Mike, is not part of the plan. My plan is to board the yacht, find Lida and rescue her."

  “That may be the only thing we agree on,” Mike snapped as he shut the vehicle door quietly.

  Williams and Mike walked quietly across the parking lot of the Pass Christian Harbor toward the Harbor Master’s office. They were met by the harbor master and two local Pass Christian police officers. The Minelli yacht, qu Magnolia II, remained ietly in the water about a hundred yards away from the Harbor Master’s office. The yacht was impressive, and the exterior lights glowed in the dark sky.

  “Have you seen anything unusual or suspicious?“ Williams asked.

  The Harbor Master shook his head. “Nah. No suh. We ain’t seen anyone board or leave the yacht all day.”

  Mike’s hopes of rescuing Lida fell. He was overcome with dismay.“ Are you sure? We’re positive they came here.” Mike kept his voice down. They were conscious of how easily sound carried across water.

  The Harbor Master shrugged his shoulder. Mike wondered for a moment if he was “owned” by Minelli.

  “Could’ve boarded the yacht by water.” He scratched his head and peered out of his office window. “Minelli’s been known to do that before. They keep a small craft over at the Magnolia. We may or may not have heard an engine noise. Most likely, if anyone is onboard, they got here via water.”

  Mike and Williams locked eyes. Williams nodded and pointed to the yacht. “Let’s go. Make it quiet,” he cautioned to Mike and the two police officers.

  “We’re boarding.” Mike’s voice was impatient. “She has to be there. We have to find her before it’s too late.

  Thad Williams nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go.

  The two men, flanked by the Pass Christian police, stayed in the shadows and walked quietly towards the massive ship that swayed and groaned at its moorings.

  20

  Lida regained consciousness and struggled with her bond as she watched Lenny snore in his chair. He was a sleeping, disgusting monster. She knew he’d passed out again and that she needed to get away as soon as possible. She prayed as she worked the single bond that bound her to the bedpost. Her body was covered with sweat from exertion. She cringed as Minelli fell forward in his chair. It woke him and drool ran from his mouth. He slowly opened his eyes.

  Lenny looked down and leered at her. He looked dark, and evil in the low light of the cabin. He gawked over her naked torso and his pig eyes feasted on her breasts. He lusted for her body. He was a maniacal, evil monster. Lida cringed as a drop of drool fell on her neck.

  His voice was a whisper. “What are you going to do now, pretty girl?” His eyes roamed over her body. “I gotta say, you’ve got some fine-lookin’ tits. My baby brother finally found him a good-lookin’ woman.” Then he began to laugh, a long, loud, hollow sound that curdled her blood.

  Lida’s eyes filled with tears when she thought of Joey. Where was he? Had Lenny killed him?

  Lenny saw the tears. “Aw… that’s sweet. I hope you don’t think my namby-pamby, stupid brother is gonna rescue you.” Lenny leaned back and rocked in the captain’s chair. The squeak of the chair pierced Lida’s brain and the repetitive noise sent slivers of chain sent fear and uncertainty through her mind. Her face was a mass of throbbing misery.

  Lenny checked his watch and ran his hands through his greasy black hair. He glared at her. “Tell you what, maybe I’ll ask Bruno to go pick up baby brother so he can watch me kill you. That would be fun.”

  Lida’s eyes clouded with tears. She was exhausted from trying to free herself and her broken arm hurt. Her body groaned with misery. She shook her head helplessly. “Let me go, Lenny. I’ll do anything you want me to do. I can keep the Feds off your back for decades if you want.” She saw the triumphant gleam in Lenny’s eyes.

  He shook his head slowly. His smile was lewd, his eyes full of lust. “Too late for that pretty girl. You pushed me too far.” He looked through the port hole and then back down at her. “Yeah. I’ll send Bruno to pick up Joey and he can watch me rape and slowly kill you.” Lenny stood and cupped his genitals. “Look what I’ve got for you.”

  Lida turned her head away.

  “I know you can’t wait.” Lenny mocked her. “Yeah. I hate that little bastard brother of mine. He always got the pretty girls and I got nuthin.” His hideous laugh sent shivers up her spine. He reached for his liquor and took a large gulp. “I gotta idea, bitch. I’ll get Bruno to bring Joey here and he can watch. He can watch me kill you, very, very slowly.” He paused and leaned down until he was inches from her face. His voice was a whisper, and his breath reeked of whiskey and rot. “I’ll bleed you out and little baby Joey can watch the last breath of life leave your body. Then he can stare at your body until you turn cold and hard.” Lenny grinned to himself, proud of his idea. “And finally, I’ll kill him so y’all can be together – you’ll be like two united lovers… like Romeo and Juliet, Anthony and Cleopatra.” He laughed uproariously.

  Lida’s heart raced erratically. She was frantic with fear. Her time was out. Adrenalin pumped through her body, but she was powerless to move. She was vulnerable, virtually naked, and terrified. She was in the clutches of a madman.

  Lenny rose from his chair and stood above her. He dropped to his knees and straddled her body. He laughed at her fear. Lida turned her head away. Lenny stroked her breast. He snapped her head around. Her head exploded with pain. “Look at me bitch.” They locked eyes. “Are you ready for some loving, pretty lady?”

  He was inches from her face. She smelled body order, booze, and rotted teeth. Bile rose to her throat and she was afraid she’d vomit. She focused on her parents and friends. She let her mind float away as Lenny continued to torture her with words, hands and knife. He was crazed and demented as he waved the knife above her. Lida cried soundlessly. Her body shook, but there was no sound of movement. She was terrified, humiliated, and shamed. She’d never appreciated just how insane Lenny Minelli was.

  Finally, he paused. Lida watched him pull his phone out of his pocket and hit speed dial. She could hear the phone ring, but no one picked up. She heard Bruno’s voicemail pick up. Lenny cursed loudly and threw his phone against the wall. He stared at her, his face suffused with anger. He grabbed the lamp and threw it at the wall. Lida rolled out of the way as the lamp landed near her bound arm. Lenny cursed again, this time loudly. He kicked her in her ribs. Pain shot through her body like a bullet.

  Several minutes passed as Lenny quietly stared at her.

  Lida turned away from him. She swallowed her fear and tried to think clearly. She needed time. She was almost free from the rope that bound her wrist. She felt a rough edge of a
surface. She cautiously felt it with her finger. It was the end of a heater vent near the bed post. She quickly angled her body so she could use the vent as a saw. She ran her bound wrist up and down the rough edge of the metal.

  Lenny struggled to stand and lumbered drunkenly back to his chair. He grabbed his cell phone off the floor and dialed Bruno again. There was still no answer. He cursed and dropped his phone.

  Lida was free. She’d cut the rope from her wrist on the rough surface of a heater vent cover. She almost cried as blood gushed into her one good hand. The pain from the numbness and tingling as the blood re-entered her hand was excruciating and yet welcome. She had a chance to escape. She prayed for a few seconds as she flexed and unflexed her hand. Her eyes searched surreptitiously for any means of escape. I need a weapon.

  Lenny grabbed her face and yanked it towards him. Pain flew from her jaw into her head and momentarily blinded her. Tears blocked her eyes.

  Once again his angry, raspy voice sent shivers up Lida’s spine. Her heart raced with fear. Her mind tried to travel to a happy place.

  But. She. Couldn’t. She was there and he was gonna kill her. She sensed she was out of time.

  His voice was a whisper. “Are you ready to die, bitch? Don’t you know no one betrays me? That my word commands you? You defied me.” Lenny’s face was a mask of evil as the blade pierced her neck. She felt the warm blood seep to her shoulder.

  Lida moved her head back and forth as terror reigned in her heart. She tried to numb her brain. She tried to escape from her own mind.

  But she couldn’t.

  “Please, please, Lenny. Let me go. I promise I’ll go back with you and I’ll fix the books.” Lida gasped for breath. “I promise, Lenny. I’ll do anything for you.”

  Lenny shook his head slowly. His eyes lusted on the blood dripping from her neck. He was crazy. “Pretty girl, you ain’t got time.” He threw her a lustful look. “You’re gonna do everything I want anyway.”