by M. Z. Kelly
The FBI had confirmed that Graham’s father had been a minister in the south. The elder Graham had gone missing while on a fishing trip in the gulf with his son. They theorized that he’d been killed by Taylor and Graham. The Prophet’s apostle had then taken over his father’s church, before eventually moving to California to recruit new apprentices.
The profilers had confirmed that Graham had met Jenna Collins and her mother on a church retreat, and had used his position to insert himself into their lives. William Monroe had been recruited as an apprentice, taking Jenna and delivering her to Graham who had probably become obsessed with her. When The Apostle’s apprentice acted on his own urges and had taken Lori March, she and her abductor paid the ultimate price.
They also determined that Graham had studied entomology while in college and had spent a couple of semesters in Brazil. The profilers speculated that The Prophet’s apostle had learned about the marimbondo species there. He’d become obsessed with the giant wasp that he’d managed to import from South America in large quantities, using the insect in his killing ritual. The experts also felt that Graham had symbolically married the girls that he and Taylor had murdered by placing a ring on their finger, before sexually assaulting them.
Agent Hall and the other FBI cybercrimes experts were still trying to trace the others who had been complicit in the killings by watching the events unfold via the Internet. Just as with Taylor’s predecessor and her lover, Azazel, they had communicated via the dark net using sophisticated proprietary software and a host of servers in other countries. As far as I knew, they’d had no success in tracing the Internet addresses of the others who formed what was left of the group of seven.
I’d also learned that the D.A. was considering filing conspiracy charges against Lucas Caufield. I told Joe Dawson that I thought it was unlikely they’d get to prosecute, considering his brother’s declining health. As far as I knew, Dawson had been forgiven for continuing to work the case, and had moved on to other assignments. I hadn’t heard from him since that terrible night in the mountains.
“Sometimes I feel like Mr. Walker betrayed me,” Lexi said as my thoughts surfaced. “I’ll bet you feel the same way.”
“Yes, but I’m not going to let what happened influence my life or destroy my faith. I believe that we each have a responsibility not to give into what fear produces.” I was thinking about Ted Grady and his theory about fear and love as I added, “And I think in some small way, we’re each the light of God. We have a responsibility to bring his love into the world.”
Lexi seemed to be turning over what I’d said in her mind. “But all those girls died and…” She found my eyes and brushed a tear. “And my mother, she’s also gone. It doesn’t seem right.”
What she said brought to mind the death of my father and how my friend Brie would soon be starting chemotherapy to fight for her life.
I tried to find some words of encouragement and finally said, “What happened isn’t right, sweetheart. I think sometimes things happen that we can’t control, but I also believe that we are empowered by the choices we make.” I reached over and took her hand. “And I’m going to choose faith and love. In the end, I think those are the only two real choices that we have in this life.”
Her eyes brightened as she changed the subject. “Do you think maybe we could go shopping this weekend? The winter formal’s in two weeks.”
I squeezed her hand. “I’m looking forward to it. I think, at the very least, we both deserve a new dress.”
“And surfing? Don’t forget, you promised to take me surfing.”
I laughed, wondering what I’d gotten myself into. “Okay, it sounds like the perfect day; shopping followed by a little surfing.”
Lexi thanked me and then we looked over, seeing that her drama teacher was unlocking the school’s gym. She stood up, started to walk away, but then turned back to me and said, “Roses.”
I walked over and hugged her. “Lilacs,” I said, releasing her and taking a step back. “Now go break a leg.”
***
I got home from Lexi’s play a little after ten. My youthful friend did a good job playing the part of Emily and her grandparents had been overjoyed by her performance. Bernie had been staying with Natalie and Mo, so I went over to their apartment to get him. I heard a deep, familiar voice even before I opened the door.
“Hey, Buttercup,” Joe Dawson said. “I stopped by to say hi and your friends saw me. They were kind enough to entertain me while I waited for you.”
I cringed at the thought of what Natalie and Mo might have told him about me. I saw that they were all drinking and accepted a glass of wine before settling into a chair across from them. Bernie took a moment, giving me sloppy, wet kisses before he settled down.
“So what brings you to my neck of the woods?” I asked. “Don’t tell me there’s a killer loose in the neighborhood.”
Dawson motioned to my friends. “With these two on duty, he wouldn’t stand a chance.”
“We kicked us some serious shit on our Mr. Cornflake case,” Natalie said, agreeing with him. “I heard his ex-wife played soccer with his happy sack when she got our report.”
“Rumor has it he’s already on the rebound, so you might wanna watch yourself,” Mo said to me. She then looked at Dawson. “Kate has a habit of playing rebound in the basketball game of men, if you get my drift.”
“Really?” Dawson said, looking at me and smiling in that way he had that reminded me of the donkey in the movie Shrek.
I did an eye roll and tried to defend myself. “They’re exaggerating.”
“Maybe we should give Joe a list of names,” Mo said, regarding me with one eye and smiling. She then took mercy on me and changed the subject. “Hey, don’t forget Natalie’s guy is still working on that fantasy for us.”
Natalie’s voice pitched higher. “Sammy says it’s gonna be bigger and better than ever.”
I just shook my head and looked at Dawson, deciding it was my turn to change the subject. “Anything new on our case?”
He continued to smile at me, but finally said, “Not that I’ve heard.” He checked his watch. “I’m due in Baltimore later tonight. Something to do with an arsonist.”
“Hey, before you go, I just remembered somethin’,” Natalie said. She picked up the TV remote control and began pressing buttons. “The outtakes for Hollywood Girlz finally aired on TV last night and I got ‘em on our DVR.”
I held my breath as she worked the remote, praying that my scene wouldn’t be included. In a moment I saw that she had the program on the screen. I groaned in mortification as she replayed the scene of me smashing a zombie over the head several times. I knew that most of my coworkers had probably seen my head-bashing performance and I’d never hear the end of it.
“Kate’s pretty good at ball busting, too,” Mo said after Natalie turned off the TV and Dawson finally controlled his fit of laughter. She looked at the big FBI agent. “Better watch yourself around her.”
“I’ve seen her at her best,” Dawson said, rising from his chair. “I’d better shove off. My flight leaves in about an hour.”
I walked him to the door, purposely closing it behind me when Natalie and Mo began saying something about a goodbye kiss.
When we were outside, I turned to him and said, “You don’t have to worry, I’m not going to kiss you.”
“Damn. Thought it might be my lucky day.”
I regarded him for a long moment, holding on his pale blue eyes. “What happens now, Joe?”
He shrugged. “We both chase killers. It’s what we do.” Our eyes were still locked on one another. “You okay, Buttercup?”
My gaze drifted off and I hugged my sides. After a moment I found his eyes again and nodded. “Despite everything that happened, I think I am.”
He smiled. “Like I said once before, we’re survivors, Kate. It’s all we know. Just watch your back. The Prophet and the other crazies are still out there somewhere.”
His words
brought to mind what the profilers had speculated, that The Prophet had other apprentices, along with those who had been radicalized, known collectively as The Swarm. The experts believed that they were all living ordinary lives, maybe still waiting for The Prophet’s signal to begin their killing spree.
I pushed the thoughts away and took a step closer to Dawson. “Come here you big lug and give me a hug.”
When we parted, he met my eyes again and said, “Do you think there’s any chance that maybe someday we could…”
I sighed, took his arm, and turned him toward the sidewalk. “Get out of here before we both say something stupid that we’ll regret.”
I was headed back into the apartment when I heard a familiar voice behind me that reminded me of a dentist’s drill. I turned and saw that Nana was rushing toward Natalie and Mo’s apartment.
“Wait up, Kate,” Nana said. “I’ve got some big news.”
I showed her into the apartment. Mo came over to her from the living room and said, “If this is about you getting a part on Hollywood Girlz you can forget it.”
“Don’t worry,” Nana said, her eyes wide with excitement and her oversized dentures gleaming. “It’s something way more important than that.”
“Maybe Nana’s just excited ‘cause she got laid,” Natalie suggested.
“Is that what this is about?” Mo said, placing her hands on her wide hips. “You been playing hide the salami with Dracula again?”
Natalie was saying something about garlic and coffins as I turned back to Nana. “You’d better just level with us and tell us what’s going on?”
Nana’s lips parted into a gigantic smile, something that was reminiscent of an elderly cat, maybe a cougar with dentures. “Claude and me are getting married next week and you’re all going to be my bridesmaids.”
THE END
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More by this author:
The Hollywood Alphabet Thriller Series, with Detective Kate Sexton and her canine partner, Bernie:
•Hollywood Assassin
•Hollywood Blood
•Hollywood Crazy
•Hollywood Dirty
•Hollywood Enemy
•Hollywood Forbidden
•Hollywood Games
•Hollywood Homicide
•Hollywood Jury (Coming Soon)
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Copyright © 2014 by MZ Kelly
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