by L. L. Soares
“Including the ones today? Well, we’re not done counting, Ben, but I’d say the number is almost forty at this point. Over the last year or so.”
“And who knows how many were before that. Maybe he’s been on a killing spree
across the country, and has killed thousands by now. For all we know, he could have moved on already. How long ago were these people killed?”
“The ones in the pit? Two, maybe three months ago.”
“That’s fucked up,” Ben said. “So he could be long gone?”
“I know as much as you do, Ben. He could be long gone, or he could be killing more people right now, as we speak. The only thing we know is that he’s male and that he rapes most of his victims. And that his sperm doesn’t seem to be human.”
“Shit.”
“Kind of freaks you out, hearing these were his, huh?”
“Not really. I mean, I knew it when I saw the condition of the bodies. But the sheer number, Jasp, that’s what freaks me out. This kind of mass slaughter going on right under our noses. And not a witness to be found.”
“Seems like any witnesses would be dead.”
Ben Carroll faced the wall. Took a deep breath.
“I never saw anything like this before. I don’t even know how to process this kind of information. I don’t know what’s harder to accept, that he’s killing this many people and getting away with it. Or that fucked up sperm you keep finding.”
“I sent it for analysis, Ben. It’s just that nobody else can figure it out, either. It’s a mystery.”
“Have there been other killings like this. In other parts of the country?”
“I haven’t heard anything yet. But I suspect we will at some point. With something this big, something’s bound to turn up sooner or later.”
“Well, let me know if you hear anything.”
“You know I’ll do that, Ben. Anything at all.”
“Thanks, Jasp. I better head out. I just don’t know how to process this shit anymore,” he said, shaking his head. Eng knew exactly how he felt.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
They were walking along the beach, the water crawling along the sand, reaching for their feet, and always retreating soon after touching them. The smell of salt was strong in the air around them. They were walking hand in hand, and Colleen should have been happy.
She was thinking about Turney. About the night he was killed right in front of her.
She was thinking of the man’s face. The man who killed him.
Colleen hadn’t thought about that in days now. She thought she’d finally gotten past it. But the image was haunting her again. There had to be something she could do about it.
Once she’d been able to think about it clearly, she suggested to Jeremy that maybe she should go to the police after all, but he seemed visibly distressed by the idea. At first she thought that he was afraid for some reason, but that didn’t make any sense. He hadn’t been there that night; he had no reason to be afraid of anything. Then again, maybe he was afraid that the killer would somehow come after her.
And he’d looked distressed when she’d told him about the vision she’d had. Like the one she’d seen on Viv. That meant something to him. Something he wouldn’t tell her.
Colleen wanted to know so badly what it meant.
“Jeremy,” she asked him. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
“Remember that night I met Viv, the time I told you about the vision I’d seen.”
“Not this again, Colleen.”
“And I told you I’d seen something similar around that guy who killed Turney.”
“I remember.”
“What do you think it means?”
“I have no idea,” he told her.
“But you had a reaction when I told you about it. Like it bothered you.”
“I just thought it was odd, that’s all. Especially when you said that you’d seen it on Viv. I’ve known her for years, Colleen. There’s no reason to be afraid of her.”
“I know. What I saw on her was different. It didn’t seem dangerous. I was just wondering if it made any sense to you at all.”
“No, of course not.”
“You’d tell me if you knew something, wouldn’t you?”
“Of course I would.”
She couldn’t tell if he was lying to her.
“Maybe there’s something at the library, or on the Internet. Something that would explain that kind of thing.”
“Maybe.”
“You think I hallucinated the whole thing, don’t you?”
“I don’t know what to think, Colleen,” he said. “You were traumatized that night, when your friend was killed. Who knows how that affects a person?”
“You still don’t think I should go to the police, do you?”
“I fear for your safety,” Jeremy told her. “That’s why I moved you out of that apartment. If he found you, then you might be in danger. There’s no way he’ll trace you out here. I really think you should stay here until they catch him.”
“But don’t you think I could help the police? I saw his face, after all. When I read the papers, it said that there hadn’t been any witnesses who could describe him.”
“I know, Colleen. But I really think you should just stay here with me. I can’t explain it, but I have a bad feeling about all this. I don’t want you to put yourself any closer to danger.”
“You still have a bad feeling about it?”
He hesitated. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s safer now. But we can’t be sure. I haven’t heard anything about them capturing him yet.”
“I know.”
“Do we really have to talk about this now, Colleen? It’s such a nice day.”
“I was reading Turney’s diary last night. I just felt so bad about what happened to him. He was such a sweet guy. Really, he was. I wish there was something I could have done to help him.”
“I know you do, Colleen. I know this whole thing is really bothering you.”
He squeezed her hand. “Really, I just want to keep you safe.”
“I know.”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you. I noticed you tend to have a really bad cough in the morning.”
“I know,” she said. “It’s the cigarettes. I know I should quit.”
“Once you’re up awhile you seem okay, but in the morning it just sounds so bad. I was really concerned. And you smoke so much. Have you ever tried to quit?”
“Yeah, a few times. It’s tough.”
“You know, there are a lot of ways to do it these days. I’d be more than happy to help. Maybe you could see my doctor.”
“When I’ve tried to quit in the past, the cough gets worse. So I just gave up. But I’ll try whatever you want me to.”
He smiled. “Don’t do it for me, do it for you. Hell, I’ll even quit along with you. But we can talk about it more later. It’s so warm today. This might be the last day of Indian summer. Don’t you want to do something today? Maybe we could go to the city and do some more shopping. There must be something you need.”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, maybe if you see it you’ll realize you need it,” he smiled that crooked smile of his. She could still see the handsome face that used to be on newspaper covers. It was still there, slightly altered but not gone at all.
And she was here, with him.
It was so much like a dream.
“So you want to go back to the city again today?”
“Why not? And afterwards, we can go somewhere really nice to eat. You don’t know how tired I am of being locked up in this house. I’d been hiding away from the
world for so long, and now I want to go out again. With you, Colleen.”
“Aren’t you afraid for my safety?” she asked.
“We won’t be in any one place long enough to be in danger,” he said with a laugh. “Besides, you’re with me. I’ll protect you.”
Despite the accident, he looked i
n good physical shape. He had no doubt been working out regularly all these years in solitude; there was a personal gym in the basement. But could he do anything against the man who killed Turney? A homicidal maniac?
Something about Jeremy did make her feel safe, though.
She smiled and closed her eyes. “I’ll go wherever you take me, Jeremy.”
* * *
After he left Charlie’s house, Sam did not go back to the office. He’d told Carla to cancel all his appointments for the afternoon, so there was no reason to go back there.
And there was no reason to go back home. Maggie was dead. The house was empty. There was nothing for him there, either.
He resisted the urge to stop at a bar. Alcohol made him think too much of Maggie.
He wondered about the blonde woman the police detective had mentioned to him. Sam realized that he didn’t know any of Maggie’s friends from work. She tended to keep that part of her life separate. And the friends she’d had before they’d gotten married, well, they were mostly on the west coast. She hardly spoke to them at all toward the end.
And this woman, whoever she was, was it true that Maggie had been having some kind of lesbian affair?
Sam had been driving around randomly since leaving Charlie’s house, and his gas was getting low. He’d have to stop at a gas station soon.
What can I do about Charlie? Sam wondered. What can I do to get through to him so that he doesn’t end up as another casualty, like Maggie?
And Richard Croix.
Too many people he knew had been dying lately. People he’d been trying to save. People he felt responsible for in one way or another.
And he felt responsible for Charlie, too. He was sure they’d established some kind of connection between them. That the boy wanted to reach out to him, to ask for his help, but something held him back. Pride, perhaps. Or maybe the kid was scared to spill his guts. Maybe there were things he was holding back and felt he couldn’t tell anyone.
One thing was sure; Sam had never seen anyone so full of anger before. It was like Charlie was constantly holding back the floodgates. The tension coming from him was so tangible. And yet so invigorating.
There was a gas station up ahead. Sam got in the right-hand lane.
I’ve got to save Charlie, he thought as he drove up next to the gas pumps. I
can’t let him die as just another statistic.
* * *
They were seated at a dark table at the back of the bar. The waitress clearly knew Viv and was flirting with her. Grif was impressed.
“You always were able to make friends easily,” he told her.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Viv said. “I’ve actually been trying to keep a low profile these days.”
“Why bother? And what about your sugar daddy?”
“He’s not my sugar daddy. He’s a close friend.”
“So you haven’t fucked him?”
She stared at him, but did not respond.
“There’s something wrong with him then, am I right? Something that puts him at risk?”
“Shit, Grif, you must have found out by now. Everybody has something that puts them at risk. I haven’t met a person yet who didn’t have some part of them that wanted to just give up and die. Most people are able to cover it up under layers of denial, but there is a seductiveness to death. It’s just closer to the surface with the real vulnerable ones. That’s why you learn early on to avoid getting too intimate with the people you really care about.”
“I haven’t been really close to anyone in a very long time,” Grif told her. “Not since we were younger and had each other to lean on. I have to admit, it’s been pretty lonely sometimes.”
“I’ve been there.”
“Even with your friend in the same house?”
“I don’t want to talk about him anymore. But no, his being there doesn’t take away the loneliness. I still feel it. I feel it because I can never be as close to him as I want to be. Because I can’t be really close to anybody. But he’s involved with someone now, and it’s a little uncomfortable. I feel like an intruder when I’m there. I try to be at the house as little as possible.”
The waitress brought their drinks. A draft beer for Viv, and Scotch for Grif.
Grif drank half his glass then put it down. “So, does he know about you? The real you?”
“Do you mean did I tell him what I do? What I am?”
He nodded silently.
“Yeah, he knows.”
“Amazing. I thought you were the one who told me it was better to keep it our secret.”
“He wanted to know why I wouldn’t sleep with him. He thought there was something wrong with him, and I couldn’t let him think that. Not if I wanted to stay living there.”
“You could have always moved on.”
“I need him as much as he needs me,” Viv said. “Or I used to. I’m not sure how much he needs me anymore. Like I said, he’s got someone new.”
“It was bound to happen. He couldn’t wait for you forever.”
“Like I said, I told him about me. He wasn’t waiting anymore. He knew there was no real future between us.”
“I wish I had someone like that to confide in. Someone who could understand. He must be pretty special.”
“He is, Grif. And he’s been through so much pain. If I ever gave into the desire, it would be torture to keep from taking him. And he wouldn’t be any good to me dead.”
Someone new entered the building and headed over to the bar. Grif was sitting against the wall and had a good view of the place.
“That guy has cop written all over him,” Grif said.
Viv resisted the urge to turn and look. “A problem?”
“I don’t think so. He’s just so obviously damaged goods. A lot of them end up that way. On the verge of suicide every time they wake up in the morning. I’ve never seen such a sad lot. You must have taken a cop or two in your day.”
“Yeah, sure. I know what you mean. I was just wondering if he had something to do with the reason you’re passing through town.”
“Naw, he’s not looking for me,” Grif said. “I’m safe here for a little while.”“So what happened?”
“I maybe took a few more lives than I should have,” Grif said, quietly, as if talking into his glass. “I’ve had this insatiable hunger lately.”
“Me, too. I’ve been trying to resist it, but it has been worse than usual.”
“Well, I don’t resist things, as you know. And some cops started sniffing around the trail. And I realized if I wanted to stay ahead of these dudes, I’d better move on.”
“So you got sloppy.”
“I didn’t get sloppy so much as greedy. But I regret it now.”
“My most recent one was this really sweet woman I met in a bar just like this,” Viv said. “I think I was almost falling in love toward the end. It broke my heart when I couldn’t resist the ache anymore.”
“How long did it last?”
“Not all that long, but I tried to put it off until I couldn’t anymore. I find that makes it even sweeter. But I started to have real feelings for her. After I did it, I felt so horrible afterwards. I still do. Even though she was practically begging for me to do it.”
“I try to never get emotional, but I’ve been on the verge a few times. It gets rough.”
“Tell me about it.”
“So what else have you been up to? Just feeding and relaxing around his house?”
She took a pull from her beer. “Not that much relaxing. I’m afraid I might have to move on myself sometime soon.”
“Because of his new girlfriend? Just get rid of the bitch.”
“I can’t do that, Grif. First of all, he really cares about her. And secondly, she seems really nice. I can’t bring myself to harm what they’ve got. I really want him to be happy. Besides, what do I really have to offer him? I mean, I’ve kind of added to some of his misery over the last few years.”
“You could have ended hi
s misery at any time.”
“I know that, but I didn’t want to. And I don’t think he did, either, even though he sometimes tells me otherwise.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know yet. I’m thinking about it. But, it’s not every day I see my little brother. So let’s forget about that for now. How’s about a fresh drink?”
“Sounds like a plan,” Grif said. “Hey, see that guy at the bar? That cop? It’s torture watching him like this. He’s so obviously depressed.”
“Not tonight, Grif. You know, you really have to start learning some self-control.”
“But I need it,” her brother said. “And he’s so ripe for the plucking.”
The waitress came back. “How is everything?”
“Just the tab,” Viv said. “We’ve got to go.”
“Hey, we just got here,” Grif said. “I don’t want to go yet.”
“You’re visiting me, remember? I want to move on, so you’re coming with me.”
“Some hostess you are.”
“Look, I haven’t seen you in years. And all you want to talk about is if someone’s ripe. Don’t you want to catch up on my life? I know I want to know about yours. I don’t get a call from you in months, and all of a sudden you ring me out of the blue and say you’re in town. And you’re passing through. So who knows how much time we have together.”
“Don’t give me that. I know I make you nervous, and you can’t wait for me to leave.”
“You make me nervous because you don’t know how to control yourself. You never did. That’s why you’re in trouble now. I mean, how long does it take for this shit to start sinking in? Are you incapable of learning anything?”
“That hurts, sis. You know it does.”
“I want it to hurt. I want you to wake the fuck up.”
“So glad I called. Maybe I should take the next bus out of here tonight.”
Viv took a deep breath. “Look, I don’t want to you leave so soon. I’m glad to
see you, really I am. But after all this time, I want some time for us. I don’t want you half-listening to me while you scope the place.”
