Answering the Call

by Ali Vali

  “Cover up isn’t quite right,” she said, holding up her finger. “The perpetrator wants us to find the murders. Any evidence they might’ve inadvertently left behind on the murders that have nothing to do with the sacrifices need the extra step. The bombs are their security blanket to avoid any possible mistake.”

  “By finding one, we can see where the components come from, and that should lead us to who,” the bomb guy said.

  “Good work, Sept,” Fritz said.

  “Thanks, sir, but I want to get one step closer to bringing whoever this is down for what they did to our guys and all the other victims.”

  “You know my feelings about that,” Fritz said. “This asshole killed our people, and I want whoever it is brought in. Keep at it until you get something.”

  “Yes, sir, I do, and those dead officers are never far from our thoughts.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Hunter woke in the late afternoon, stretching and trying to mentally prepare for the night ahead. Everything was already in place and planned, but getting up earlier than necessary was crucial to reviewing every step with fresh eyes. It was a new beginning, and she couldn’t derail the success of the game because of an early start.

  Waking with a specific mission always filled Hunter with a nervous energy that would help only in the most complex of necessary sacrifices. The game was too fresh to kill the warrior, but it didn’t mean the warrior’s mate couldn’t serve a purpose. That sacrifice would be like opening a wound that, while not immediately fatal, eventually would bleed the warrior dry emotionally and figuratively.

  It was time to go, and Hunter picked up the kill bag, along with the directions to where the car was. The time to prove worthiness had come, and failure meant being trapped into watching the thrill of the kill from afar. If Hunter was relegated to being only a witness to the game, it would make death an easy option.

  * * *

  “What are you wearing?” Sept asked softly into the phone while she had a minute of peace at her desk.

  “My boring muumuu outfit, but I have a surprise for you underneath if you make it home in time to watch me take it off.”

  The quiet from Keegan’s end meant she was in her office getting ready for the dinner rush. “Man, you know how to make the clock come to a crawl, babe.” She watched Nathan on the phone, and he gave her a thumbs-up for some reason. “How about I come by later and take a peek?”

  “Not while I’m working, honey. When you get me excited, I have a tendency to over-salt stuff.”

  “Then keep those pretty panties unknotted, and I’ll come by for dinner, if you don’t mind me bringing guests.”

  “Bring a crowd, if you want,” Keegan said, sounding perkier. “As long as I get to stare at you for most of the night, I don’t care who else is there.”

  “We’re double-dating with Nathan and his new love connection, so no crowds. I’m trotting out my rusty social skills.” She glanced at her screen, but still no report on the device they’d found.

  “Your social skills are way above average, boo-boo,” Keegan said and laughed. “At least I certainly think so. What time are you coming?”

  “Hopefully later tonight when we’re alone, since Jacqueline barged in on us and left me hard and ready for most of the day. But I’ll be there for dinner around eight. Save me some bread-pudding soufflé.”

  “Thanks for putting that image in my head,” Keegan said and sighed. “And we’ll run out of wine before we run out of that, but dinner first, then dessert,” Keegan said, making Sept think she’d be an excellent mother.

  “If I’m lucky, you’ll feed me dessert later in your new pretty panties.” She lowered her voice again, not wanting to advertise her sexual fantasies to her coworkers. “I’m guessing white with plenty of lace and silk.”

  “Good-bye, Detective Savoie,” Keegan said, laughing again. “No hints, so keep that sexy voice and all your guessing to yourself, but remember that I love you.”

  “Love you too, baby.” Sept sighed when Keegan hung up, leaving her too restless to sit and wait any longer. The call Nathan had been involved in had ended as well, so she stood and put her jacket back on. “Let’s go see Gavin and ask a bunch of annoying questions.”

  “That was Judy, and she’s thrilled about tonight,” Nathan said, following her out.

  “Keegan’s happy as well, since she loves to feed people, and I’m looking forward to talking to Judy. I don’t think I’ve ever run across her on the job.” The ride to the morgue wasn’t that long, but Nathan managed to list all the things he really adored about Judy. He was like an eager beagle puppy sometimes, but it was part of his charm. That’s what Keegan kept reminding her about anyway when she made too much fun of him.

  “I thought you two broke up with me,” Gavin said, leading them to where they kept the bodies.

  “And miss Nathan throwing up every time he has to watch you work?” She handed Nathan a roll of mints, and she and Gavin laughed when he popped three into his mouth. “Not on your life. Our time’s been blown to hell lately, and I mean that literally, so we had to keep postponing our visits.”

  “I heard about that.” Gavin opened the drawer that held Bonnie first. “That’s kind of nuts.”

  “We’re waiting on the report on the bomb we found, but don’t worry. I’ll keep you updated. We’ll also have the bomb guys check anyone we send you. I don’t want you to cut into something that’ll really ruin your day.” She and Nathan stood on the other side of the gurney and waited for Gavin to put on gloves.

  “You were right.” Gavin pointed to a spot on Bonnie’s shoulder. “We didn’t miss it the first go-round, but since she had other track marks on her arms, we didn’t highlight it.” He pushed Bonnie back in, went a few drawers down, and pulled Lee Cenac out. “Lee Cenac, though, wasn’t a known drug user, but she had the same puncture mark in almost the same exact spot. We took blood samples, and in both cases I expanded the screenings. With any luck we’ll find out what this was, and it might lead somewhere.”

  “Thanks, Gavin. Anything else jump out at you with any of the bodies we’ve piled in here?” she asked, and he moved to another drawer that contained the charred remains of Nicholas Newton. His hands were frozen around his neck, and his arms were up as well.

  “There’s too much damage to what’s left of him, but in my opinion he was stabbed before the bomb did its job. The shrapnel most likely finished him off, but that’s a classic pose for an injury to the neck.”

  “What about Roger Breaux?” Nathan asked of Bonnie’s boyfriend.

  “No needle to the neck or shoulders,” Gavin said, moving his arm to show the markings of a junkie. “These are self-inflicted, and the amount of heroin in his system means he never knew the bullet to the back of the head was coming. Even if he did, he probably didn’t give a damn.”

  “Hopefully this is the last of them, and something you found will lead us to the asshole,” Sept said as Gavin stripped off his gloves. “We’ll be in touch.”

  “I’d rather have a lunch date than any more of this shit, and call George tomorrow. I sent the bullets I took out of Breaux and the two teenagers for comparison. If it’s the same gun, you know for sure the same guy pulled the trigger.”

  “Amen to lunch, my friend,” she said, smiling when she glanced at her watch. “And I’ll touch base with George in the morning. Come on, Nathan. We have time to relax over a drink before our meal.”

  “You’re a lucky bastard, Sept,” Gavin said, flicking the lights off.

  “That’s no lie, Doc, and I’m planning to keep it that way.”

  * * *

  Hunter watched the woman hurry from her car and rush inside. This would be tricky, but the perfect time to strike was when the key went into the slot. No one ever did that one-handed, and taking them unawares was almost certain.

  The blond head came up at the feel of the needle, and the expression of horror lasted only momentarily as the petite body went limp. The sacrifice was attractive, b
ut this wasn’t the moment to concentrate on superficial, unimportant things. Hunter stared only a second more before putting on the mask and dragging the woman inside. The altar was already made in the front room that appeared not to get much use, but it was the victim’s fault. For such a beautiful home, the break-in had been easy.

  The beginning part had to be fast, since the enjoyment came from the actual killing and not from watching the victim die as the drug suppressed their breathing to the point of death. But this one had to be quick. The warrior could interrupt, which was unacceptable.

  “Are you ready?” Hunter asked when the blonde jerked awake, disoriented at first but then instantly afraid.

  The woman opened her mouth, trying to speak around the gag, but it wasn’t coming off. Nothing would stop this—nothing. The blonde kept struggling as Hunter took everything from the bag needed to complete the altar. This time would be different, since the weapon would have to be left behind as a gift for the god that would be invoked.

  “So many bread crumbs, but none lead back to me. You, though,” Hunter said as the sharp knife made work of the unattractive pants and top, “will be a real wake-up call for the warrior. Your protection should’ve been a priority, but it wasn’t.”

  The salt circle looked about right, so Hunter centered the statue of Our Lady of Candlemas, or as the seller called her by her more popular name, La Virgen de la Candelaria. “It might seem silly to you, but I have to follow all the steps. Alex Perlis was calling the dead, and I’m here to answer the call.”

  Hunter glanced at the cheat sheet in the bag, ashamed, but there was so much to remember. The cut to the wrist did bleed plenty for the shepherd’s crook on the bottom of the woman’s foot and the number nine on the top. The blood really stood out on the creamy, pale skin.

  The brown and burgundy candles were lit and illuminated the room enough for Hunter to see the blonde close her eyes as if in recognition of what came next. The fat tears that dropped despite the closed eyes meant the woman had resigned herself to her fate.

  “I call on the fierce and powerful female warrior Oya to help me defeat the warrior and show the world what a false warrior she is.” It took more force to drive the machete in, and Hunter had to really saw to get it to cut to the other side. Hunter used it to cut up into the chest as well before taking out the heart and dropping it into a sealable bag.

  “What a waste, but it had to be done,” Hunter said, placing a gloved hand on the woman’s forehead before rising. “Oya, I can’t finish your altar here, but I’ll give you all you require where you live.”

  It was time to go, but Hunter had a few more things to do before ending the night and returning to the sanctuary of the condo. She left only what she wanted the police to find. Until the game was done, and beyond that, Hunter had to stay peacefully in the shadows. If not, she couldn’t play the game anymore.

  The bag was lighter now, containing only the last remaining necessities and the woman’s heart. “Will finding it break yours, warrior?” Hunter asked, waiting to be outside before removing the mask. “If it does, you’ll be that much easier to kill.”

  Chapter Twenty-one

  “Judy’s set to meet us there,” Nathan said, once they’d updated the team on what Gavin had found. For every new thing they uncovered, they had to hurry up and wait for the follow-up reports. “She wanted to change into something nicer.”

  “Great. Let’s get going, and I’ll buy you a drink. Call her and tell her to make sure to use the valet. It feels like rain, and she doesn’t need to get soaked,” Sept said, glad to turn her brain off from the job for the rest of the night. That wouldn’t really ever happen, but flirting with Keegan did tend to derail the runaway train her mind could be.

  “I’ll lift a glass to a quiet night. Not that I don’t love you, but I’d rather spend the night with Judy.” Nathan wiggled his eyebrows at her.

  “I’m crushed, but if you linger after dinner, I’m going to run you off with a few warning shots.” She laughed and directed him to where the staff parked.

  Keegan’s missing cute little car made her worry for a millisecond, but she figured Jacqueline had most probably dropped her off. That would mean a nice walk home, and she looked forward to holding Keegan’s hand and talking about her day. If she’d ever thought she’d find recipes and cooking techniques fascinating, she’d have had a good laugh at herself, but she could listen to things from Keegan’s world for hours. Someone so passionate about their work tended to suck even the most reluctant kitchen enthusiast in.

  “Let’s head through the kitchen to the bar and wait for your date,” she said, smiling at the staff who’d glanced up with welcoming expressions.

  Keegan’s number two, Louis Hibbs, was barking orders through, which made her glance at the office, but it was dark. Maybe Keegan had decided on a table in the dining room rather than the chef’s table, she thought as her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was a blocked number, and the cop part of her brain knew it was no robocall or friendly reach-out from someone she loved.

  “What?” Nathan asked as she answered.

  “Savoie.”

  “Detective, thank you for taking my call.” The voice was distorted by some kind of device, and the sound made her stand straighter. She couldn’t know for sure, but this had to be the killer she was looking for.

  “I’m sure you won’t oblige me, but who is this?” She concentrated on any background noise and walked to the door for more quiet, but heard nothing but slight static.

  “Nonsense. My name is Hunter,” the person said, laughing. It sounded so strange in that mechanical tone. “I figured it was time for us to talk, and then I have a surprise for you.”

  “I’m not really one for surprises,” she said, starting to take notes. She wanted to record the exact words this asshole used. “What do you want?”

  “Please, Detective, don’t you want to know anything about me?”

  “I’m not asking, because assholes like you don’t ever tell the whole truth.” She stepped outside with Nathan right behind her, holding the phone a little from her ear so he could listen in.

  “You aren’t going to start with unintelligent vulgarities, are you? From what I’ve heard, you have more to you than that. After all, aren’t you the great detective who caught Alex Perlis?” The deep breath meant that whoever this was didn’t fear a trace on the line they were using. “That fact alone makes you a worthy adversary.”

  “I’m not interested in any games, Hunter, so drop the dramatics and tell me what this is about.”

  “Did you get my last note? Did you perhaps think I was kidding? I’m not ready to kill you, but you can’t protect your own, and I took an important one tonight. Like the slice through the wrists that always starts the sacrifices, I’ve cut you tonight, and I’m going to bleed you slowly. In the end you’ll pray for me to end the pain.”

  “What are you talking about?” Fear had never been a huge problem when it came to her job. It would be disingenuous to say she was never afraid, but paralyzing, all-encompassing fear would never allow her to wear a badge. Right now, though, that was exactly what washed through her like a rogue wave. It knocked her off the very axis of who she was and what she loved.

  “She’s waiting for you for one last good-bye,” Hunter said, and like in a cheap thriller the caller hung up and left her thoroughly rooted in place.

  “Who was that?” Nathan asked, raising his hands to her shoulders as if trying to get her to look at him. “What’s wrong?”

  “It was the killer,” she said, the words coming out in a whoosh, and she suddenly hurt all over. The most acute pain was concentrated in her chest like her heart had been put in a vise, and perhaps when she figured out the meaning of the call, she’d indeed wish for a quick, painless death.

  “How’d they know where you were?” Nathan asked, shaking her as if trying to snap her out of whatever was wrong and get her to focus.

  She turned and ran back inside, grabbing Louis by the fr
ont of his chef’s coat. “Where is she?”

  “She had a little mishap and ran home to change. Usually she keeps another coat in the office, but they’re all at the cleaners,” he said, staring at her as if she’d lost her mind. “Is something wrong?”

  She ignored him and called Keegan’s cell. The kitchen had come to a silent halt, which made them all turn in unison when it rang from the office. She didn’t have any more time to waste, and even with the possibility of what she’d find, she took off running toward the car.

  “What’s wrong?” Louis yelled after her, sounding upset.

  “Call me if you hear from her,” she said as Nathan unlocked the doors. “Gun this thing and take me home.”

  Nathan went lights and sirens the entire way, and she started choking up when she saw Keegan’s car, but the house was dark. She fumbled with the key so much that Nathan finally unlocked the door for her, and she went inside with her hand on her gun. The place was quiet, so she pointed to the front of the house, and Nathan nodded and drew his weapon while she went up the back stairs.

  A light was on in their bedroom, and she had to stop and blink away the emotions about to choke her and completely rob her of reason. The image of Roxie Stevens, Perlis’s third victim whom he’d murdered in her bed, had wedged itself in her mind, and there was no dislodging it.

  She slammed the door open, and Keegan jumped and screamed at the same time, her hands going from the top buttons of the chef’s coat up over her head. “What the hell?” Keegan asked, stomping a foot in apparent frustration and anger. The outburst stopped when Sept fell to her knees and started crying.

  The same type of sobs had come the day Joel had told her that Noel her sister and Sophie her niece had been lost in Katrina’s floodwaters. She fell forward and pressed her forehead to the floor, moaning from the relief of seeing Keegan standing there alive and unscathed.

  “What’s wrong, baby?” Keegan was on the floor with her, holding her and running her hands along her back soothingly. “Breathe, baby, breathe. Whatever it is, it’ll be okay.”