Shoot to Kill

by James Kipling

  Shoot to Kill

  James Kipling

  Shoot to Kill

  Copyright 2014 James Kipling, Dipasha Tara Raj Publications House

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  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Links to other books by James Kipling

  Notes

  Prologue

  The silent vacancy of the streets amazed her. The normal hustle and bustle had evaporated, as if the city’s million plus inhabitants had made a collective decision to stay indoors. Somehow the absence of others lent a surreal quality to the harsh glow of the street lights illuminating the path ahead of her. The chill in the air penetrated through her light jacket as she made her way down the lonely street.

  Although Kelly had lived her entire life in New York – the island to be exact but still New York – she had never gotten used to the Big Apple. She wondered what would have happened if she’d stayed home with her mother and become a doctor instead of following in the footsteps of her father to become a lawyer.

  Further down the road she came upon a sleek, black alley cat with gorgeous orange eyes. He meowed loudly from his perch atop the steps as she passed, clearly demanding some attention. Ordinarily she would have stopped but tonight she was in a hurry. Her last class of the day had been canceled and she had a paper that sorely needed her attention. Plus, it was Morgan’s turn to fix dinner. Her sister had a natural talent for cooking and Kelly was happy to take advantage of her sister’s culinary skills while she could.

  Her apartment building came into view up ahead just as the insistent mewlings of the black cat faded from earshot. The geriatric red brick building had some history to it, none of which interested her. It was old and had over a hundred other people crammed inside, that was all she cared to know. She was just a house away when her cell phone rang. Reluctantly pulling her hands from her warm pockets, she picked it up to see Caller ID announce her mother on the line.

  Her mother called at least once a week to check in on her girls, convinced the world was filled with crazy people (New York City most of all), and that no one was safe. Kelly didn’t know why her mother had become so overprotective, even overbearing at times, but she appreciated the concern. It was always good to know someone was looking out for you.

  “Hey Mom, how are you?” she answered, carefully tucking the phone between her cheek and shoulder so she could slip her hands back into her pockets before they became as cold as her face. At the foot of the building she stopped and leaned against the brick façade. The warm entrance beckoned just a few feet away but she lingered outside, still intrigued by the utter lack of human activity on the streets around her.

  “I’m fine. I was just checking in on you girls to make sure everything was okay. Are you two still planning on visiting this weekend?”

  Kelly hesitated. She didn’t think they’d made any plans, but she’d been so overwhelmed with law school it could have slipped her mind. The only thing she knew for sure was that they were both swamped with assignments and likely could spend the entire weekend busy with school work. They hadn’t been home in three months and Kelly really did want to go, but she also wanted to outsmart her sister and that meant keeping her nose to the grindstone. “I will have to talk to Morgan about it. I really want to, and we will definitely let you know tomorrow.”

  “Alright, Kelly. Just tell your sister that I love her and you two have a good night.”

  “I will. I love you, Mom.”

  The disappointment in her mother’s voice was painful to hear. Kelly knew her Mom was lonely and felt a twinge of guilt. After the divorce she’d been left completely alone, and thanks to Kelly’s father betraying her with a string of other women, she’d been left an emotional wreck. Despite his betrayal, her mother never cared to meet anyone new and spent most of her time pining for the long, happy marriage she imagined she’d once had. Nothing seemed to convince her she was better off alone, and Kelly could do nothing but pray that eventually her Mom would pull out of it and move forward.

  Stuffing the phone back into her jacket pocket, she hurried up the front steps and quickly punched in the access code to unlock the doors. Despite its age, it was an expensive place in a desirable neighborhood. If their father hadn’t bought the unit for them in hopes of salvaging a relationship with his daughters, they would have been living in much meaner surroundings. Not that it did him any good – Kelly and Morgan had no intention of forgiving him for his actions. He’d cheated on their mother with multiple women over the years, and after the divorce he’d wasted no time remarrying… this time to a woman half his age. Together they had a son, Gregory, and a happy life. The girls accepted the apartment but would never accept what he’d done.

  A welcoming blast of warm air greeted her as she entered the building. The hallways were flooded with golden light from the numerous wall sconces, reflecting brilliantly against the gorgeous tile floors. The main lobby boasted a multi-tiered crystal chandelier and each wall was adorned with expensive paintings in even more expensive frames. Carefully tended orchids were placed on stands throughout the hall, each one unique to the next, and the subtle scent of cinnamon and vanilla permeated the entire building. She may not have approved of her father, but she was glad she and Morgan had decided to accept the gift. Despite the over-the-top opulence, the decorators had somehow managed to retain an inviting, even homey feel, and she always felt at home when she came through the front doors.

  Of course no matter what your zip code, something can always go wrong. Less than a year earlier there’d been a break-in. At the time Morgan had been living there alone, and her father immediately ordered a security system for the apartment. He’d also demanded improved security from the property owner, and got it. The fact that the owner’s son, Logan Peters, was dating Morgan gave him added incentive to ensure the property was well-secured, and within forty-eight hours he’d made sure that no one could access the building without the security code.

  Logan was a decent-looking man who treated Morgan with love and respect. Though quite wealthy, he wasn’t the sort to flaunt it. More often than not his clothes came from Target, and his watch was a simple, twenty-dollar timepiece instead of a fancier, more expensive brand. Recently he’d confided to Kelly that he intended to ask Morgan to marry him, and she couldn’t have been happier for her sister. They were simply one of those perfect couples that everyone envied, and she couldn’t wait for him to propose so she could help her sister plan the wedding.

  Standing before the brilliant white door with gold numbers that led to her apartment, she paused to shrug out of her backpack and began rummaging around in the front pocket for the keys. Even through the door she could smell the mouthwatering aroma of whatever Morgan had whipped up for dinner. Chicken, she thought. And something spicy. Eagerly she let herself inside, pausing just
long enough to kick the door shut behind her and reach for the alarm keypad to enter the security code.

  “Morgan?” she called out. “Mom wants to know if we’re heading out to see her this weekend.”

  She turned away from the pad and froze in disbelief and shock. Just a few feet away a man hunched over her sister’s body, or what was left of it anyway. Morgan was mutilated and covered in blood, and worst of all, not moving. Kelly’s keys fell to the floor as she tried to comprehend the grisly scene before her. You’re supposed to be making dinner, she thought wildly. Her eyes jumped from Morgan’s body to the man crouched beside her, and suddenly confusion turned to a boiling wave of rage rising fast. There would be no dinner from Morgan tonight, or any other night. Her sister was butchered on the floor in front of her, and she was staring at the man responsible.

  As their eyes met, she saw a single drop of blood pull away from the tip of the knife he held and fall to the carpet in slow motion.

  The next few seconds went in a blur as the two reacted simultaneously. Kelly swung her backpack wildly at him as he lunged for her, knocking him to the floor and sending the knife flying from his hand. She dove for it, determined to use it on him, but he recovered too quickly and grabbed her ankle as she went past. A sickening crack rang out. Kelly shrieked in agony but managed to grab the knife anyway, rolling to her back quickly and thrusting it at him as he threw himself on top of her. There was no way she could have missed, but he gave no indication she’d done any damage.

  His hands circled her throat and began to squeeze, but in doing so he left her hands free. Kelly knew she had no time to waste and immediately plunged the knife deep into his shoulder. It had no effect. Keeping one hand firm around her throat, he used the other one to pull the knife from his shoulder. Her vision was growing blurry but she could still hear the sound of the knife as he began to stab her over and over, and behind it, she could hear someone pounding on the apartment door. She tried to scream for help but no sound came out. As everything began to go dark, she heard the door open, and then a man screaming. In a flash her attacker shoved himself away from her and was gone.

  Seconds turned to minutes as Kelly turned her head to look at her sister. Her vision slowly recovered as the air returned to her lungs. Each painful gasp brought a cough, and with it, blood. Ignoring the knife still twisted in her belly, she heaved herself over and crawled to Morgan. The carpet became a sticky bog of congealing blood as she reached her sister, and Kelly saw he’d slit her sister’s throat so violently that he’d nearly decapitated her. But the worst part was her lifeless eyes frozen wide open and staring in accusatory silence. If you’d come home just a few minutes sooner, they seemed to say, I might still be alive.

  Voices began to filter through the haze that threatened to overtake her. “Help is coming, hang on!” they urged, but she couldn’t tell if they were right beside her or a million miles away. In the distance she could hear sirens, but for now all that mattered was her sister. “Morgan, please don’t leave me,” she croaked hoarsely. “I need you.” Her body felt paralyzed and her lungs struggled to take in air. She reached out to grasp her sister’s hand weakly in her own, and as she heard footsteps rush into the apartment she felt everything begin to fall away.

  Strong hands grasped her and turned her over, and through her fog she heard an EMT call out that she was still alive. “Morgan,” she gasped weakly. “My sister, save my sister.”

  She couldn’t accept the truth, that Morgan was beyond saving, and even as she was loaded onto the stretcher and rushed to the hospital she wondered if any of it had been real.

  Chapter 1

  Hazel sat on the couch between her two brothers, who bickered over what to watch as if she wasn’t even there. The sight made her laugh. Despite being grown men they still acted like puffed-up little boys whenever they were around each other. Percy tried to snatch the remote from Jacob, who kept dangling it just out of his reach and taunting him. At last Percy had had enough. He jumped up and tackled Jacob, dragging him off the couch and onto the floor. In response, Jacob tried to kick his brother, but missed and hit the coffee table instead, knocking Hazel’s popcorn off in the process.

  Suddenly their mother appeared beside them, arms crossed over her chest and a warning glare in her eye. As if by magic, the fighting ceased. Percy grabbed the remote and stuck out his tongue. Jacob rolled his eye in response. “Whatever dude,” he shrugged as he began picking up the spilled popcorn.

  “You always win because you’re the baby of the family, but not this time!” Percy gloated.

  “Um no, I always win because I’m so awesome.”

  “Is that what you tell yourself? I think the only reason that gorgeous Lisa agreed to marry you was because she felt sorry for you,” Percy teased.

  Jacob punched him in the gut and Percy laughed. Hazel got up from the couch and got away from them. She knew that they were going to insult one another until they could fight again. Boys, she thought. It was difficult being the only daughter, but it had its perks.

  Walking into the kitchen, she saw her mother washing dishes. She had a dishrag over her shoulder and her auburn hair was tied back in a bun. Hazel knew her mother disapproved of the career paths her children took. All of them had gone into law enforcement, becoming the third generation of cops in the family. She had been nineteen when he was shot dead in the streets, but his murder only reinforced her desire. Her mother had nearly fallen apart after it happened, but her Dad’s partner had been a close friend and helped her mother get through it. No one was surprised when two years later they married. Hazel knew her mother had good reason to fear for their safety, but it was important to be out there stopping crazy people. The only downside was that there were so many.

  Hazel lifted herself onto the countertop and watched her mother, who always got lost in her own little world when she cleaned. Looking around the kitchen, she noticed it was gorgeous – magazine cover quality. For their anniversary last year, her stepfather decided to remodel the kitchen. He’d pretended to have forgotten the important event, and Hazel had conspired by getting her mother out of the house for the day, encouraging her to wallow in her misery while her stepfather cracked the whip over the remodeling crew.

  When they returned late that evening, her mother had nearly fainted. The broken-down brown cabinets had been replaced by gorgeous new cherry wood cabinets, and the battered linoleum countertops had given way to customized light granite and backsplashes. The old 1940s appliances were gone. Now everything was brand new, gleaming stainless steel and top-of-the-line brands to boot. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as they watched her mother gasp and giggle and cry over her beautiful new kitchen.

  At last her mother came out of her thoughts and noticed Hazel sitting quietly on the countertop. “Need any help, Mom?” she asked.

  “No dear, I think I am about done. I just want everything to be perfect when Lisa is here for Thanksgiving dinner next week.”

  “You know she already loves this family.”

  “Yes, she loves the immediate family, but your grandparents are going to be here as well.”

  “I know, but it will be fine. They aren’t that bad.”

  Her mother rolled her eyes and chuckled. Hazel nodded in agreement. Her stepfather’s parents were different. They were friendly, but how they acted was annoying. She wasn’t sure how to describe it, but there was definitely a lot of stress added to her mother whenever they visited.

  “Anyway, I’m trying to forget they’ll be here. So how have you been?”

  Shrugging, Hazel was not sure how to respond to that. She was fine, but she knew what her mother meant. She wanted to know if anyone had spiked her interest, but that had been a no. She didn’t want to be with anyone at all. “I’ve been good,” she said at long last. Her mother gave her a look but she didn’t continue down that line of questioning.

  “How has work been?”

  There was never a right answer for this question
. Work was work. She caught killers and sent them to jail for as long as she could. Her mother was silent as she waited for the answer. Anything negative would drive her mother to get her to stop being a cop and go do something else, anything else.

  “Work is fine. I’m just frustrated that we haven’t caught the Slitter. It seems that every time we get close to something it falls through.”

  Her mother shook her head. “You know this job is too dangerous for you, Hazel. You are very intelligent and could do something else. You should take a profession where you don’t get shot at.”

  “You know I like my job, Mom. I send bastards away and I make the streets safer. That is what the future generation needs, a safer environment.”

  “Hazel,” her mother said disapprovingly as she began drying and putting away the dishes. “There will always be danger in the streets. Men like – well, the one you’re chasing now. They don’t just disappear. And these monsters are getting better at killing, too. I mean obviously this man who is killing these women is smart. He doesn’t leave behind any evidence and knows when they’re alone. He intends to be doing this for a long time.”

  Privately Hazel agreed. Her mother was no slouch and knew what her kids and husband were up against. Hazel had learned a lot about people and how they behaved from her volunteer work at various battered women’s shelters, but nothing she’d learned seemed to help with this particular case. It had been open for fourteen months and still there were no leads. Every day they held their breath, hoping another body wouldn’t turn up, hoping perhaps their killer had been arrested on something unrelated, or even better, had been hit by a bus. A few months would go by and they’d start to relax, only to have another body appear. Like all the others, it was always in the supposed safety of their own home.

  For the most part the media had remained in the dark. Normally they were masters of manipulating rookies into giving them the dirt, but for once they’d been unable to uncover the gory details. They’d christened him “the Slitter”, but beyond that they had little to titillate their readers with. Hazel was grateful for that. If her mother had known just how depraved he was, Hazel suspected she might lock them all in their rooms until someone else caught the guy.