“I wouldn’t worry too much,” Detective Shandling offered. “We found a bag of knives in his room, covered in blood. We’re still investigating who it might belong to … but we also found some of the pornographic materials on his computer.”
“Pornographic?” Nadine said.
“Images of Justin and Kellie. As well as…”
“What?”
Culhane leaned over and whispered in her ear.
“What?” Nadine said again. “Were there pictures of me?”
“We’re looking into that,” Shandling said.
“Well, I’m glad we’ve got our best detective on the case,” Nadine snapped. “Weren’t you supposed to be suspect number one in this thing?”
Taylor shifted uncomfortably.
“She’s been cleared,” Leoncelli said softly behind her.
Nadine glanced back. “I just think maybe there’s another angle to this thing –”
“Detective Shields!” Culhane thundered.
She turned back around.
“If you have a problem with Detective Shandling you’re free to lodge a report with the front desk. But at this time Taylor has been cleared of involvement and is currently assigned as your partner. Unless you require a transfer?”
Nadine sighed.
Taylor glared at her, eyebrows raised.
“That’s not necessary,” Nadine said. “I withdraw my earlier comments.”
Culhane leaned back. “That’s good. Maybe you should shake on it.”
Nadine exhaled.
Taylor rose from her chair.
Nadine got up and went over to the table.
Took hold of Taylor’s extended hand.
“I’m sorry,” Nadine said.
“It’s cool,” Taylor replied. “You’ve been through the ringer.”
Nadine feigned confusion.
“You shot someone,” Taylor said. “I know if I was you I’d want to believe with all my heart that they were guilty. But deep down, you have doubts. Because it feels wrong.”
Nadine nodded. “Yeah. That sounds right.”
Their hands separated.
“I want you to know you always have me here,” Taylor said. “Day or night. You don’t have to be alone through this.”
“Thank you.”
“Special Agent Ross also shared some of your background and I must say I’m really curious about a few things –”
“Oh, fuck off!”
Nadine stormed away from the table towards the door.
“Detective Shields!” Culhane called after her.
“What did I say?” Taylor asked.
Leoncelli was blocking the door.
“Walk me out,” Nadine said to him.
He sighed and opened it for her.
♦ ♦ ♦
In the corridor she avoided eye contact with Ryan and hurried away, her legs moving faster and faster. Detective Leoncelli followed as requested.
“You’re okay,” he said. “Don’t worry. Blowing off steam happens. Shandling was out of line bringing up that stuff about your past –”
“What the fuck do you know about it?”
“I was – it’s my fault actually,” Leoncelli said. “I requested the files on you.”
“Oh that’s right,” Nadine snarled. “Asshole.”
“Please. Don’t be like that. I genuinely am sorry. For … Well.”
She stopped him.
“Listen here, Leoncelli,” Nadine said. “You don’t know what’s happened to me. You wouldn’t even be able to imagine it if I told you. So let’s just leave the past buried. And forget you read a word of it.”
“I promise,” Leoncelli said.
“I’ll see you later.” Nadine took off, walking down the hall.
He wasn’t following her this time, but she could feel his eyes on her.
“My name’s Sal,” he hollered. “That’s what you can call me from now on.”
Nadine glanced back. Gave him the finger.
“I’m serious,” he said. “I see a long and prosperous friendship in front of us.”
“Yeah sure,” Nadine said, walking backwards.
“Come by my office some time. Or better yet – my car,” he suggested. “There’s a bottle with your name on it, Shields.”
Nadine grinned. “Fuck you, Sal.”
ONE LAST LETTER
SUBJECT: Goodbye
To Nadine,
My ever-sweet, gorgeous and beautiful, Nadine.
You remember me, don’t you? I hope I haven’t left it too long.
I think about you all the time. You’re in my mind. You’re driving me crazy. I’m sure you’ve heard that all before. You’re so beautiful, so hot, so fucking heaven to look at.
And I know you’ll never feel the same way about me. Even if I got you at the right moment. Even if I saw your true face. I’ve already made a pass at you, rejected. I’m sure you remember.
What you did with that weasel Justin hurt me. It ripped the heart right out of my chest. And I just had to get the hurt out. You understand, don’t you?
That’s why I’m coming for you again. And him. And whoever else is going to stand in the way of us being together. Even if that’s you yourself.
I really am a sick person. I really am Evil.
I wish I wasn’t this way, but…
Isn’t that the same for –
♦ ♦ ♦
I stopped typing. There had just been a loud noise outside the front of my house. Like someone had thrown something at my door.
“Son of a bitch,” I muttered under my breath. “I was just in the middle of –”
Bang, bang, bang!
No mistaking that. Some motherfucker was out there.
I went to the cupboard, got my pistol and stuffed it in my jeans behind me. I hurried out through the house towards the front door, opening it, peering out.
No one there.
“Hello?” I said.
I took a few steps out and cleared the veranda.
I continued forward around the corner and just as I was reaching for my gun –
♦ ♦ ♦
Black.
♦ ♦ ♦
More black.
♦ ♦ ♦
Ouch…
My eyes fluttered open.
The garden had dissolved.
I was in the back of a vehicle of some kind with a black bag over my head, my hands cuffed behind my back. As the vehicle bounded over speed humps my body was flung around.
“OUCH!” I cried out.
I tried to bite through the cloth over my face, but it was useless.
No idea who had nabbed me. No idea what they wanted.
A sudden, unfamiliar wave of emotion came over me.
This -
This is –
I’m scared
♦ ♦ ♦
“Get out.”
Cold, nasally voice. Male.
“I said move it. There’s a gun on you. I’ll shoot you here if make me.”
I got up on my knees and hobbled forward.
He took my hand and yanked me out of the van.
“Ouch!” I squealed, falling into him.
He pushed me upright. “Easy now. We have a little walk. Then you can have your mask off.”
“Where are we going?”
“Just walk. Straight ahead.”
I stumbled forward.
We carried on like that for a while. The cold night’s atmosphere engulfing every crack and corner of my exposed skin. The moon felt like ice. My feet crushed by the grass below.
“Alright. Not a step further.”
He came up behind me.
“On your knees.”
I fell down.
He removed the bag.
Before me was a large dirt hole. Enough for a few people.
Or just me.
“Oh no,” I said.
The gun clicked behind me.
I tried to turn around.
“Face forward,” he said.
&nbs
p; “Please!” I begged. “What do you want? I’ll do anything. Just don’t shoot me.”
A pause.
“Nadine is not interested,” the voice said.
“What?” I gasped.
“You need to abandon your pursuit with her.”
“Okay…?”
“You need to leave Justin alone as well.”
“Right…”
“No more emails. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” I said. “I’m … I’m sorry…”
He started walking away.
I turned around, nervously. “Hey!”
He stopped. His back to me.
“You’re not going to kill me then?”
“She wouldn’t like that.”
“Who – who is she?”
“Nadine.”
I looked down at the grass. “Does she know? That it was me?”
“Not as of this moment. But things change.”
“Don’t tell her. Whoever you are. Let it be a secret. And I promise I’ll leave her and Justin alone.”
I saw him nod.
He started walking away.
I got to my feet.
Shaking. Shivering. Freezing.
I saw him approach the van and get in the driver’s side.
I caught a glimpse of his face. Just another middle-aged man.
Wearing tinted blue glasses.
As he started the van, he looked at me, the headlights pounding. I looked away. Back into the blackness of the dirt hole.
And I guess this is where we leave things for now.
Although, I know you’ll probably want to know my name. And I should probably tell you.
But a part of me thinks you would have already figured it out.
You would have guessed.
ALSO BY CYRUS WINTERS
THE DARK THEATRE
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082FVW6QM
This book concludes the series.
In the aftermath of the Spider Jack killings, ex-lawman Ryan Dobbs is sitting at a bar watching a news report that makes his blood run cold. He knows he should probably go home and turn in for the night, but the thought of an old enemy on the loose is too much for him to take.
Soon he joins forces with the conflicted Taylor Shandling, and together they begin to piece together the breadcrumbs which will lead them to the secretive criminal mastermind, known only as The Magician...
KEEP IN TOUCH
Cyrus’s New Release Alert Mailing List
http://eepurl.com/cVFpHn
Cyrus’s Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/Cyrus-Winters-115663759058078/
Email: [email protected]
The Evil One (Guess The Killer Book 3) Page 9
