Leo: Zodiac Killers #9

by WL Knightly

  “Trust me; I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. I know people think I’m a battered wife.”

  Darek gave her an apologetic look. “Yeah, they think I did it. I’ve had some dirty looks.”

  Darek’s phone rang on the way to the office, and seeing it was Bay, he decided to step into the men’s room as Lizzy continued on to the office. “What’s an early morning Bay Collins got for me?”

  “Good news this time,” said Bay. “Mia is home, safe and sound. I thought I should call off the dogs.”

  He sounded alive again, almost like he was smiling, and Darek could imagine the devilish grin. “I know you’re relieved. Don’t be too hard on her.” He couldn’t imagine what he might put Mia through.

  “All is good in my kingdom,” said Bay.

  “Well, let’s hope it stays that way. I’m about to question the boyfriend of that girl they found. She was stabbed multiple times, and Cobb is still checking on the type of blade that was used to see if match’s the other killings.”

  “Do you think our killer did it?”

  Darek hated the way that sounded. “Our killer” was only a reminder that their turn in front of the firing squad was approaching fast if they didn’t figure out who it was. He shook his head. “I don’t know. Oh, there’s something else I needed to tell you.”

  Bay gave a sound of disappointment. “Not bad news, I hope. We were on such a roll.”

  “I’ve called Carter and asked him to come out. My boss wants me to dig into Sin’s mind a bit and wanted to know if he had maybe gotten the idea from some type of religious influence.”

  “Ah, I remember our friend claiming that he knew him. I bet he’s kicking himself for that little confession.”

  “He didn’t sound too impressed about coming to New York, but he’s checking his schedule, and he’s supposed to get back with me.”

  Bay laughed. “There’s no way he’s going to come willingly; you might have to force him. Whatever you do, make sure he knows to keep his mouth shut. We don’t need him to let on to you two knowing each other.”

  “Yeah, I’m aware. I’m getting good at this game.” He had sure played it for long enough.

  Bay laughed. “Well, just don’t get too cocky. That’s when mistakes are made, my friend.”

  “I’ll let you know what happens with that. But when he’s in town, I want us to get together with him, maybe bend his ear about the New Orleans shooting.”

  “I’m game. Give me a call. It will be nice to see Carter again. You know, it could be the last time. I mean, with him being on the chopping block, he might just be dead in another week.”

  “Don’t say that.”

  “Why? You don’t want to bring bad luck down on us or something? It’s a little too late for that.”

  “Right. I’ll hit you up when I know something.” Darek ended the call and then went back to the office where he found Lizzy and Max talking at the coffee bar.

  When she turned around and saw him, she hurried over. “They’re ready for us. And I got a call from Dr. Cobb. The knife marks do not match the same blade that the killer used. The blade was serrated, which is why it did a lot more damage to the tissue even though there weren’t as many entry wounds.”

  “Was there any other kind of marks on her? Tattoos of the zodiac? Something carved into her skin?”

  “Nope, nothing. But the stab wounds weren’t the only thing they found. She had blunt force trauma to the head, and Cobb took his time to make sure that it was the initial blow.”

  “So, she was hit with something?” Darek asked. “Before she was killed?”

  “Either that or she fell and hit her head, but he did say it’s more consistent with someone being struck than falling. And she also had some older wounds. Bruising and some evidence of past injuries. Some were as recent as ten months ago.”

  “She’s been abused?” he asked. Lizzy nodded as he continued. “So maybe this asshole finally fucked up and killed her.” Darek had seen so many domestic abuse cases in his time. It was something he never got used to, and it oftentimes ended with the abuser accidentally killing or seriously injuring their spouse.

  “Well, we’ll get to ask the asshole.” Lizzy walked over and took another sip of her coffee. “They said they’re almost ready with him.” She took her cup across the room and tossed it in the trash as Darek prepared to go.

  “Come on, let’s get this over with. The victim’s name was Sarah Beth. Let’s make sure to use it a lot.” Lizzy let out a sigh, and Darek wondered if she were nervous going in to meet with another man that might get violent.

  As they walked into the room, Darek walked over to the guard. “This time, make sure to cuff him to the table. I don’t want to take any chances with this asshole.”

  The man nodded, and minutes later when they brought him in, they secured his cuffs to the table.

  He was covered in tattoos, his face looking like someone got carried away doodling, and the sour look on his face gave away his personality.

  Lizzy walked over and sat down, not bothering to keep her chair back like Darek wished she would. The man looked like a rabid grizzly bear compared to Ken Sin, and he’d done enough damage. Instead, she seemed to make a point of moving her chair close to show she wasn’t at all intimidated by the asshole.

  “Antonio Mendez,” said Lizzy.

  “Smart bitch, glad you can read.” He gave a cocky smile and looked down his nose at her.

  Lizzy didn’t let his mouth faze her. “I can also read that this isn’t your first arrest. Seems you have a history of drugs and violence. There are domestic assault charges on your file. That explains your girlfriend’s medical records.”

  The man’s dead stare was unaffected. He had to be a monster compared to the small woman they’d found.

  “You like to beat on little girls?” asked Darek. “Think it makes you a man?”

  “I didn’t hit that little bitch.” He turned his nose up.

  “Did you stab Sarah Beth?” asked Lizzy, leaning forward toward Antonio.

  “Who hit you?” asked Antonio. “Was it your husband?” He turned his head, and a slow smile spread his lips.

  “You think this is funny?” Darek had the urge to beat his ass. There wasn’t anything humorous about the girl’s mutilation. “I think you did kill Sarah Beth. And I think if you did, your best option would be to tell us. Show the judge you can have some kind of remorse.”

  The smile left his face. “Why you putting this on me? There’s a killer out there in the city stabbing people. How do you know this isn’t him?”

  Lizzy gave him a sideward look. “Is that what you want us to believe, Antonio? Is that why you cut Sarah Beth up?”

  He turned and shook his head. “I didn’t cut her up.”

  “No?” asked Darek.

  “No.” His eyes turned to Darek’s so fast that he felt it.

  “You beat her up though, didn’t you?” Lizzy eased back in her chair. “You went a little far. Sarah Beth cracked her head on the floor. You realized how bad it was, that she probably wouldn’t make it, and so you needed to cover it up.”

  The man clammed up, and Darek knew she had him. “You found it easy to put the blame on someone else, so you stabbed her, finishing her off.”

  He shook his head. “She was already dead.”

  “No, see, that’s where you’re wrong. Sarah Beth wasn’t dead, Antonio. Stunned, unconscious, yes. But not dead. There was still hope. Still a chance to save her, but you didn’t know that.”

  “She was dead!” he shouted, his voice booming.

  “The blood shows she was still alive. She bled out. Blood reacts differently when a deceased person is stabbed. There is no heart pumping to push the blood through the veins, to make the type of patterns we saw on her face and clothing.”

  Antonio reached up and wiped a single tear that pooled in the corner of his eye. “I thought she was dead. There was no pulse. My friend had told me about the murders. I thought it was my best chance.�
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  Darek breathed a sigh of relief, and Lizzy met his eyes. He had thought for sure that this idiot would put it all on the killer, but somewhere in him, he had a conscience.

  Lizzy got up and stood over the man, resting her palms flat against the table. “At least she’s at peace now. No more coming home to a monster like you. What are you going to do with yourself now that you can’t beat on her? You see, we’re going to lock you up and you’ll have to face men who will knock you around. And every time one of their fists connects, and you feel that pain, I want you to remember this face.” Lizzy tossed out a few crime scene photos.

  Instead, the man leaned in closer. “You sound like you speak from experience. Tell me, who beat on you? Was it your daddy? Husband? I bet you took it real good. I bet both of your old men put it to you hard and beat that ass.”

  Lizzy lunged forward, but Darek managed to grab her from behind and pull her away as she wailed like a cat in heat and kicked and screamed. Darek picked her up and took her away, only putting her down on both feet when he had her in the hallway.

  “What the fuck was that about?” he shouted. He could hear the man’s laughter in the next room. “You let that asshole get the best of you back there.”

  Lizzy spun around and pushed him, but then she stood there, panting.

  “Get yourself together. I think Reed was right to send you home yesterday. I think you need another day to cool your heels. What got into you?”

  “Assholes like him deserve to be brutalized.”

  Darek had never heard that tone come out of her mouth, and he narrowed his eyes, wondering if she really had been speaking from experience. He pushed her back down the hall as the guards took care of Antonio and was glad that hadn’t taken any longer than it did. They had their confession, and best of all, the case didn’t connect with theirs. That bought him a bit more time to try and figure out who the killer was and do what Reed had asked.

  Now, if he could keep Lizzy from cracking up, he’d be doing good.

  Chapter 10

  Carter

  Carter leaned back in his chair and pulled out the top drawer of his desk where he kept his planner. With nothing else on the schedule, he had no excuse not to go and see Darek and Ken Sin. Part of him wanted out of it; another part knew going away at a time like this wasn’t going to make his life any easier when he came back.

  He picked up his phone and dialed Darek’s number. The man answered after one ring. “Carter?” he said with a surprised tone.

  “Yeah, it’s me. I’ve called to tell you I’ll come up and see you, but I wanted to know if this is going to be a private meeting or will your partner be there? Anyone else?”

  “Why, is there something I should know?”

  Carter wondered if he should tell him exactly how well he knew Ken.

  “Look,” said Darek. “I’m just going to say this. You need to make sure you tell me everything. If there was more to the relationship with you and this man, I need to know it.”

  “Everyone knew Ken was some kind of washed-up rockstar when he showed up at the church, and since we’ve been televised, we’ve had all sorts show up wanting to be on our stage. I listened to his testimony, and while I wasn’t too sure that he was truly sincere, I knew a lot of the staff and members really thought he was a changed man.”

  “So he was a celebrity guest?”

  “Somewhat. It always looks good when you can get someone who people have heard of, who had been through hell and are looking for redemption. The crowd eats it up. If they see that God’s worked a miracle in their life, then they are more likely to have faith that he will do some great thing with their own. The harder the testimony, the harder the climb from the pits of hell, the better. I saw great potential in Sin. I mean, hell, the name alone would be enough to make a good pitch. Ken Sin no more. Could you imagine the marketing?”

  “So, you were closer to him than you let on,” said Darek.

  Carter let out a long breath. “Yes. I befriended him. I tried to get him to see the light, but then I learned that he was just playing the church for attention. He became obsessed with me and my reputation and wanted to have something like that of his own.”

  “Jesus. You should have told me before, Carter.” Darek’s disappointment was clear in his tone.

  “I just need to know that our past won’t come into it,” said Carter. “And I need to let you know that while I didn’t say what we did, I did talk extensively to him about how one person could lead a group of people to do unspeakable things.” He figured Darek would know where he’d learned that. Bay Collins

  “Did you tell him anything about your own past sins?” Darek’s voice took on an accusing tone.

  “I never gave him specifics, Darek.”

  “You have to understand how crazy this is to me. With him stepping up as the Zodiac and then knowing you. You’re the one who encouraged his behavior.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far, Darek.” He let out a sigh. “Look, we’ll talk more about it when I get there. I’ve got to go and break the news to my staff and make my reservations. I’ll tell them that I’m going to work with the NYPD, and hopefully, they won’t give me too much shit about it.”

  “I’ll see you soon,” said Darek. “But we’re going to finish this conversation.”

  Hopefully, by then, he could make up his mind about what to say. He didn’t want Darek to know about the times he and Sin had sneaked off to clubs and went drinking in another town; the times the man had managed to get him out of his shell. It was then he’d let too much spill.

  He ended the call and got to his feet. He walked over to the door that connected his office to Peggy’s and opened it just enough to stick his head into the room. “I’m leaving for New York as soon as I can get a flight out. I’ll need you to contact Eddie and tell him I’ve got no choice. I know he’s not going to be happy, but when the NYPD calls, you respond. I’ve been asked to go and meet with Ken Sin.”

  Peggy turned to face him with an expression that made him look as if she’d sucked a lemon. “Ken Sin? That washed up rocker who came to our church?”

  “Yes, he’s the one. He’s been arrested in a high-profile case, and naturally, they want a high-profile pastor to come and counsel with him. They think I might be able to offer some insight.”

  “Insight? Will you tell them how he got pissed and left after you wouldn’t let him preach a Sunday service?”

  Carter hadn’t even mentioned that to Darek, but there was so much about Ken that he’d tried to put out of his head. “No, I’m not going to make it personal. They’ve asked me to a job, and I’m doing it.” He wanted to make it sound as professional as possible so the elders and deacons couldn’t bitch about it.

  About that time, there were footsteps coming up the hallway, and Ava stopped at Peggy’s office door. “Hi, I need to speak with you, Carter.”

  Carter had hoped he’d get out of the state before having to deal with Ava. “Of course, but we’ll have to make it quick. I’m planning a trip to New York City.” He watched as her face fell into a harsh expression.

  “What’s in New York City?” She folded her arms as if making an accusation.

  “NYPD. They’ve asked me to come and help with a case.” He wasn’t going to explain himself any further. What he did wasn’t her business, and she had really lost her mind questioning him in front of Peggy.

  “I see,” she said, as he opened the door, and she stepped around Peggy’s desk to join him without so much as giving the older woman a second look. Carter thought she should give the woman her proper respects, but apparently, there was no honor among church whores.

  He shut the door behind her and offered her a seat. “What do you think you’re doing, coming here during the day?”

  “Business,” she said. Ava had really grown bold. “Besides, if I were to drop in at night, as usual, you’d probably be busy with another woman.”

  His phone rang, and he looked at the screen, seeing that it was hi
s wife. “I’ve got to take this. One second, please.”

  “Whatever,” said Ava. “I’m not going anywhere.” She crossed her legs and folded her arms across her chest. Carter couldn’t help but notice that she had not dressed too scantily, nor had she showed her usual displays of affection.

  “Hello, darling,” he said to his wife, hoping to get rid of her.

  “Carter, sweetie. It’s so good to hear your voice. I’ve had such a breakthrough here, and well, I think I’m going to come home for the weekend and share it with you.” Her voice was so syrupy that it gave him a headache.

  “Home? But you still have a month left, precious. I think you should stay.”

  “But why? I miss you, and I want one night with my husband in our bed. Have you forgotten what Saturday is, Carter?” Her voice took on an even squealier tone.

  He racked his brain trying to remember. Their anniversary was near Christmas, so it wasn’t that. It wasn’t her birthday or his. “I give up.” He let out a long breath as Ava seemed to grow more and more impatient.

  Adrian giggled through the phone. “I knew you’d forgotten about the anniversary of our first date. Remember, we went to that fancy restaurant, and you kissed me for the first time?”

  He had known he had better move fast to secure her hand. Her father was about to try and hook her up with a doctor, and Carter wasn’t about to let the opportunity slip him by. “Of course, I do, baby. I just wanted to see if you remembered.” He gave a chuckle. “But I’m afraid you can’t come. I’m going to help the police with a case, and I won’t even be home. It’s a very ugly situation, and it needs my immediate attention.”

  The disappointment followed with more of her irritating sounds. “Oh no, that’s just horrible, honey. You be safe.”

  Ava cleared her throat and gave him a hard look. He wondered what kind of bug had crawled up her ass. She certainly wasn’t acting like herself. “Look, Adrian. I have to go. I have a meeting, and I can’t miss it.” He hurried off the phone with her, and Ava huffed and shook her head as he put down his phone.