Deranged

by C. M. Sutter

  Greg scratched his cheek. She had no idea that her legs were supposed to come off last night, but he’d fallen asleep on the couch and didn’t wake until three o’clock, when he’d stumbled off to bed. Now he was behind schedule, and Tristan would have to die that day. Her legs and head would complete the vision he had in mind, and with different hair and eyes, she’d be a goddess as fine as Venus and at his side for eternity.

  “Hey, Hank, look over here. You’re drifting off to la-la land!” Janine pointed at him then back to herself. “Pay attention. You said you’d release me today, so when is that going to happen?”

  “Soon, very soon. I still have a few things to take care of first. How about some breakfast? I brought you raisin bread this time.” He pressed two slices between the cage wires. “I’ll be back in an hour or so and release you then.”

  Greg locked the door behind him and entered the operating room. He’d have to get the supplies set up in there as well as in room three—the prep room. He stood over the scalped hair that was lying in the garbage can and studied it. He was more than discouraged with the results. It was dry, cracked, and brittle and would break apart as soon as he tried to staple it to Tristan’s head.

  What went wrong?

  He crossed the room to the refrigerator and slid out the shelf that held the torso and arms.

  Thank goodness they look okay, but now I need different hair—or maybe I should dye Tristan’s instead. That might be the easiest route to go.

  Greg grabbed his wallet and keys and headed to the nearest drugstore. He needed to buy a box of black hair dye.

  Chapter 29

  I sat in the police station’s lobby and stared at the door that Dave Masters walked out of yesterday. Seconds later, it opened toward me, and he appeared. He crossed the room with an outstretched hand.

  “Kate, good to see you again. The commander is very curious about you but also somewhat skeptical.”

  I nodded. “I’d be surprised if he wasn’t since most people are, even after reading about the cases I’ve helped solve.” I gave Dave a thoughtful smile. “They usually aren’t believers until after the fact, but I’m used to it, and it’s okay.”

  “Good.” He pointed at the hallway that turned left. “Right this way.”

  We entered a well-appointed office with dozens of diplomas and awards hanging on the back wall. An oversized mahogany desk sat in front of us, and to our right, family pictures filled the bookcase shelves above the police procedure manuals and handbooks. Commander Moss pushed back his wingback leather office chair and reached across his desk. With a firm handshake, he offered us the guest chairs.

  Dave and I sat, with me nearest the wall. I placed my backpack on the floor next to my right leg. “Thank you, sir, and I really appreciate the time you’re taking today to talk to me.”

  He chuckled as he rubbed his chin. “I will admit, I never thought I’d have a reason to speak to a psychic detective, let alone bring one in on a case. Your backstory is quite incredible, Detective Pierce.”

  I held up my hand. “Please, I’d prefer being called Kate.”

  “Sure thing, Kate. Although I wasn’t personally involved in the Robert Lynch case like Dave was, I do remember it well, and you have the condolences of the Atlanta PD for that horrible act of violence. From what Dave has said, Lynch was released from prison several years back and came after you again in Wisconsin?”

  “He did, and I’m happy to say that was his final mistake. One of my dearest friends, a sergeant at our sheriff’s office at the time, shot him dead in an altercation outside my apartment building.” I let out a long sigh. “That’s one more evil human being spending eternity in hell.”

  Moss raised a brow at Dave. “I like her already. Okay, Kate, how do you think you’re able to help the Atlanta PD?”

  “To be honest, what I do is just like what every police officer does. Study the crime scenes, learn more about the evidence found, and talk to the people in the general area. The thing that separates me from the rest is what happens later. I’ll admit, I’m as good a cop as any, and no different than the rest, but when my dreams and visions kick in, I see much more than everyone else. The clues in my nightmares are usually what solve cases, or at the very least, they bring new information to the forefront.”

  Moss jotted down a few notes as I talked. “This is very interesting. Can you give me a recent example of how your dreams solved a case?”

  “Sure. You may have heard of that recent crime in Chicago where the assistant state’s attorney and a well-known defense attorney were murdered?”

  “I do remember that. It was national news.”

  I nodded. “I was called in to assist with those cases, but at the same time, one of Chicago’s best homicide detectives went missing. I kept having dreams of a white car with two men sitting in it and discussing what turned out to be criminal activities. In my heart, I felt that one of those two men was a police officer. Of course, that didn’t go over well with the Chicago PD.”

  Moss smirked. “I bet it didn’t.”

  “Long story short, the white car in my dream turned out to be a Chicago squad car, and the culprit was indeed a police officer. He was the man who kidnapped Detective McCord and killed two police officers as well as those attorneys. He was taken down during Detective McCord’s rescue.”

  Moss whistled. “And you were personally involved in all of that?”

  “I was, sir, but without my dreams guiding us, we would have never figured it out.”

  “Okay, I’m convinced. Where do you want to start?”

  “I need to start where the body parts were found. I’d also like to see where Janine Reilly went missing.”

  Moss excused himself while he made a phone call. “I’m assigning a patrol officer to escort you to those places.” He tipped his arm and checked the time. “Officer Ron Williams should be here in ten minutes.”

  I gave the commander a grateful nod but wanted to kick myself for stopping by the butcher shop that morning. The odds were more than high that Officer Williams was the same policeman who’d questioned me earlier. I forced a smile as I thanked Moss. “I’ll report in at the end of the day, and I promise, you won’t regret your decision.”

  I pushed back my chair, shook his hand, and picked up my backpack. I thanked the commander as Dave and I walked out.

  “How about keeping me posted on your findings?”

  “Sure, I’m fine with that, and I really appreciate you going to bat for me, Dave.” I smiled. “You know, it’s been thirteen years since the Robert Lynch fiasco, but maybe this is something I’m meant to do. I had no desire to come to Atlanta but felt backed against the wall by my sister. Now that I’m here, I realize there was a bigger picture involved.”

  “Yeah? And that was what?”

  “To come to terms with my sister, to help love and console our neighbor during this terrible situation with Janine’s disappearance, and to repay you for saving my life all those years ago.”

  Dave patted my shoulder. “You’re a good human being, Kate Pierce, and I know with your help, we’ll figure this out.” He pointed out the window. “Looks like Williams is here. Come on. I’ll introduce you to him.”

  I watched as the officer stepped out of the squad car and approached the building.

  I shook my head and swore under my breath as I walked to the door. “That’s okay,” I said. “We’ve already met.”

  Chapter 30

  His brows furrowed as he lowered his sunglasses. I had seen the look of recognition in his eyes when I pulled open the door and exited the building. “You again? Another officer spot you who wasn’t as forgiving as me?”

  I smiled at Williams. “I’m Detective Pierce, the person you’re supposed to take to the locations where the body parts were found.” I stood at the passenger door and waited for him to click the fob. “Sorry about earlier. I don’t want to start things off on the wrong foot, and I’ll explain everything in the car.”

  He rolled his
eyes as he popped the door locks. “No shit. I can’t wait to hear this.”

  We climbed in, then I reached across the console and shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Williams. Can I call you Ron?”

  “Sure, and your name is?”

  “Kate. I’m Kate Pierce.”

  Ron tipped his head toward the building. “I’m assuming nobody inside knows about the search for your sunglasses at the butcher shop?”

  I pulled my shades out of my purse and slipped them on. “Weirdest thing. They were at the bottom of my purse all along.”

  The left corner of his lip curled up in what looked to be a grin. “Uh-huh.” He turned the key in the ignition. “So how do you want to do this?”

  “I’d like to visit the original scene from last year and walk the neighborhood where each body part was found. Sergeant Masters has already given me the addresses. I’m not assuming the dismemberment then was at the hand of the same person as now, and for all we know, it could be a copycat killer, but there’s a good chance it isn’t. That said, I’d like to do this in order. The scene from last year, then the Oakland City location, and the Oakland Cemetery after that. I’d also like to walk the street where Officer Reilly was last seen.”

  “Yep, that works.”

  “So how long have you been on the force, Ron?”

  “Six years.”

  “And you like Patrol?”

  He shrugged. “Yeah, I do. Sometimes you’re a first responder at a crime scene, and other times you need to keep trespassers off private property.” He gave me a sideways glance, and I noticed a playful twinkle in his eye.

  “You’re cocky, and I like that. I think we’re going to get along just fine. I did have a reason to be there, though. Something about the proprietor sticks in my craw.”

  Ron swatted the air. “Greg McMillian? He’s harmless.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  “He doesn’t cause trouble, and we’ve never been called to his business for disturbances as long as I’ve been patrolling that neighborhood. Maybe the killer’s moniker is causing you to think about Greg.”

  “Maybe.”

  Ron looked puzzled. “Who are you, anyway? I know all the cops in our precinct.”

  “I’m originally from Atlanta but have lived in Wisconsin for some time. I arrived on Thursday for a birthday celebration, but the mood quickly changed when we found out about Officer Reilly’s disappearance.”

  “We, as in who?” Ron pulled into the left turn lane and stopped at the red light.

  “Janine’s mom, Beth, has been my mom’s best friend for twenty years, and they only live a couple houses away from each other. I asked if I could pitch in on Beth’s behalf but—”

  “But what?”

  “I have other skills that the PD could put to use. The cases haven’t gone anywhere, and the longer Janine is missing, the worse the outcome will be for her.”

  “I agree with that, but what other skills do you mean?”

  I wished I had brochures that listed my psychic resume. I’d give them to everyone who asked about my abilities, and they’d include the case files I’d worked on so people could look them up online and read for themselves. Explaining my psychic skills to everyone who questioned them was time-consuming, and the chances of people taking my word for it at that moment were slim. I went ahead with the short version that I had committed to memory. “I’m a psychic detective and have helped the local police solve dozens of cases in Nashville, Chicago, and in my own county in Wisconsin.”

  Ron turned left at the green arrow, and his eyebrows nearly touched from his frown. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “Not at all.” I gave him a confident nod. “I’m the real deal.”

  “That’s amazing, so what’s your gut telling you about Janine’s disappearance and the Fulton County Butcher?”

  “So far, nothing good, and that’s why I was at Greg’s store—I was trying to get a read on the place. The same goes for the locations we’re heading to. The images in my mind and dreams should lead us in the right direction.”

  Ron parked along the curb and killed the engine. “I don’t get the connection with Greg McMillian, though.”

  “And I don’t have those answers yet, but I’m sure it was him that popped into my dreams several times.”

  “Interesting.” Ron climbed out of the squad car, and I followed suit. He pointed straight ahead then to our left. “This is the intersection of Ward and Pennington, and we can walk to each location from here. We don’t know the exact order in which the perp disposed of the body parts. It’s only our calculated guess. We’re thinking he either dumped the torso first because it was the heaviest, or he saved it for last, when fewer people were out on the streets. Maybe he wanted to display it prominently at the night’s end but just needed to find the perfect spot.”

  I stood on the sidewalk and looked around. “And both ideas make sense. Which way?”

  Ron jerked his chin forward. “Straight ahead on Ward. An arm was found at the tan house up there on the left.”

  I snapped pictures of the street and, as we approached it, the location of the house. “Can you set the scene for me?”

  “Sure.” Ron exhaled then began. “A left arm, from the shoulder to the second set of knuckles on the hand, was discovered on the lawn next to a grouping of jack-o’-lanterns.”

  “I bet that was an eye-opener. I imagine the coroner was given everything found that night and reports were written up for each body part?”

  “You’ll have to ask the sergeant about that, but you’re probably right.”

  “Good, then I can review those later.” I took notes as we walked.

  “This is it.” Ron pointed at the front yard of a modest home. “The arm was found right in that center area.”

  I snapped a few more pictures, took in the vibe of the property, then was ready to move on. “Okay, next.”

  “We’ll backtrack to Pennington Circle, go right on Ruzelle Drive, and then left on Oak Drive. It’s a large subdivision that just goes in a big circle.”

  “How about Lone Oak Avenue?”

  “That street stands off by itself, farther away. Could be why he dumped the torso there.”

  We walked to each home, and Ron set the scene for where the body parts were located. I snapped pictures of every house, the street layout, and the general area where the remaining arm and both legs were found.

  “Now, for the torso.”

  “Yep, we’ll continue west on Oak Drive for a long block until it meets up with Lone Oak Avenue.”

  I took note of that. “So Oak Drive and Lone Oak Avenue intersect with each other?”

  “Lone Oak only goes between Oak Drive and Glenrose Circle.”

  “Got it.” I glanced at the foliage in the neighborhood. “There are a lot of oak trees around here.”

  Ron nodded. “I guess that explains the street names.”

  “Has anyone ever questioned why the recent discoveries were two sets of legs and one torso? I mean, where’s the other torso and the arms?”

  Ron rubbed his chin as we walked. “Guess I wouldn’t know. It’s the detectives’ job to figure that out.”

  We reached Lone Oak Avenue ten minutes later. I would focus on that particular street and house a little closer than I had the other ones. The torso held significance, as it was the main body part containing all the internal organs and primarily the heart.

  “Were all the homeowners questioned?”

  “They were and had no idea who would do such a thing.”

  “Were background and criminal files pulled on them?”

  “Not to my knowledge.”

  I wrote that down too.

  “Here we are.” He pointed at the Cape Cod to our left.

  It was a beautiful home with a well-groomed yard and great landscaping. The house seemed a bit out of place and better suited to an upper middle-class neighborhood.

  “Humph.”

  Ron raised a brow in my dir
ection. “Something catch your eye?”

  “Don’t you think this house looks more expensive than the rest?”

  “Yeah. The previous owner moved out after that discovery in his yard. He was really disturbed by it. The new owners may have wanted to wash away that image and refurbish the exterior. I heard the house was sold far lower than the appraised value.”

  I perched my sunglasses on the top of my head and stared at the home. “I probably won’t get a good sense of this place since it doesn’t look the same anymore. That’s a real shame.”

  “But the discovery was headline news for weeks. I bet the house showed up in some of the newspaper articles.”

  “And that could help.” I made a note to check the archived newspapers from last Halloween and a few weeks beyond, then I snapped a handful of pictures of the house and neighboring homes. “Okay, how about heading to the Oakland City location now?”

  Chapter 31

  Ron and I discussed our next location as we made the twenty-minute drive north.

  I explained how I had heard about the leg discovery on the news last Wednesday, yet no details were released, other than that the legs belonged to a young woman and were found in Oakland City.

  “What type of neighborhood were they found in and by whom?”

  “They were in a dumpster on Culberson Street, directly across from the Wren’s Nest.”

  “The historic house that once belonged to Joel Chandler Harris?”

  Ron glanced at me. “So you know of it?”

  “I do, and I remember touring the home as a kid.” I let out a long breath. “At least the legs weren’t found on Oak Street.”

  “Sorry, Kate, but Oak Street intersects with Culberson.”

  My neck snapped left. “You’ve got to be kidding!”

  “I’m afraid I’m not. This case involves the word oak for a particular reason that’s very important to the killer.”

  “You can say that again.” I stared out the passenger window with a thousand thoughts in my mind. “Who discovered the legs?”