Bloody Mask

by Alan Spencer

  Hanley talked about Mitch the Bitch, and he asked Dan why he didn't report the guy to the police.

  "I didn't want the guy to ruin the week," Dan said. "He keeps claiming I owe him money. I don't owe him shit. The guy's a lunatic."

  "That lunatic is missing."

  "Missing?"

  "Yeah, missing. Like your pal, Brian. Poof, gone. Like a magic trick."

  "I had nothing to do with it."

  "The cops found an envelope on Brian's front lawn while the fire fighters were putting out that fire tonight. It makes me think you, or Brian, or both of you, read the letter and didn't like what it had to say."

  "What did the letter say?"

  Hanley gave him the funny eye. Nice try. Keep playing dumb, chump.

  "The letter was from Mitch Brundage, or excuse me, Mitch the Bitch, as you call him. Mitch wrote out a typed out letter saying you owed him two thousand dollars from costs of publicity."

  "Two thousand? The guy said a thousand, then he says five hundred. That guy's a joke. Mitch stole a copy of my movie twenty years ago. I owe him jack shit."

  "But Mitch feels strongly enough to taser you in parking lot about it. Something must've happened to make him think you owe him money."

  "The guy just sees the movie release as a way of lining his pockets with green. The guy has no legal, or moral standing, to demand a penny from me. Mitch is crazy. Why are we talking about him?"

  "Because he's missing. His wife said he didn't come home last night. Mitch's car was at his house in the driveway like it should be, but the guy is nowhere to be found."

  "And you think I kidnapped him?"

  "Brian or Andy could've done it. You guys could be doing a bit of teamwork."

  "Teamwork, for what? Listen, Detective, do you know anything about horror movies? Do you know anything about shot-on-video horror movies from the '80's? Let me educate you. There is no money to be made. It's for the fans, by the fans. I got four grand up front to sell the movie rights to Cult Crushers. Four grand. So if you think I did this for some wild publicity stunt, you're sadly mistaken. I would've spent more money orchestrating this wild plot than I would make back on any investment. So start looking for my friend and quit wasting your time with me."

  "Money doesn't have to be the motive." Hanley was spinning it every way he could. "You were mad your movie didn't make you famous. Or you wanted the movie to make you famous, so killing people might put you on the map."

  "I called the police from my phone. I wanted help."

  "This could a part of some elaborate plan."

  "Come on, Detective. You're reaching, and all you're grabbing is your own ass."

  "I got a dead woman, I got a hell of a fire, and I have to wrangle up evidence and suspects within forty-eight hours of the crime. If I hesitate to question people, or I forget to turn over every stone, the case could grow cold, and that means unsolved."

  "Ask the people at Debby's. Brian, Andy, and me were all there past two in the morning. Think about the time of the fire, and they can vouch for me."

  "People from the reunion party are missing too."

  "Who's missing? Jesus."

  "I've got reports of six missing persons reports. They all attended your party."

  "Like who? Who, Detective?"

  The detective read the names on his flip pad of paper. Hanley started with the names of people from out of town. Dan didn't recognize any of them. Then he read the names Dan did know. "Trisha Cooper, James Cooper, Lester Carpenter, Clayton Jones, Chad Paulson, Ellen Roth, Becky Little, Janey—"

  "My ex-wife?"

  "Now you see where I'm going with this, Mr. Daniels."

  "And the rest, they're all former cast members of the movie. Jesus. It's some crazy fan, Detective. It makes sense. It's not me, or Andy, or Brian. It's someone who came here from out of town who loves the movie. That's got to be it."

  "You could jump on that theory, pal. But why butcher Lucille? She wasn't in the movie, and she didn't attend the screening. She's a harmless old woman. This screams premeditation. Sure, it could be a fan. It could be anybody. That's why I'm shaking you down so hard. I'm not here to be polite. I'm here to solve a crime."

  "Fine. Very well. What do you want me to do? I'll answer any questions you got. I want to fully cooperate. You want to book me?"

  "No, I don't. I want you to help me."

  "You got it. Anything to put an end to this."

  "The timeline doesn't work for you to be involved," Henley said. "You couldn't have kidnapped these people. We got reports on half of these people going missing in the past two hours, and you've been sitting in that holding cell for three hours before we brought you in here. You were out of it, man. I thought the way you were acting, you had just killed someone. Now seeing how things are adding up, you were just in shock.

  "That's not to say I don't think Brian and Andy aren't up to something. Andy showed up at the station after he saw your van pull up to his hotel room, and he noticed it wasn't you or Brian, and he got scared. That still doesn't mean you three aren't pulling something, but it's doubtful.

  "And I don't think it's a random fan. It's a person from around here. Someone who knows who was in the movie and where they live in town. It appears right after your movie showing, they killed Lucille, set fire to the place, and started kidnapping people.

  "It doesn't matter about my theories. My job is to figure it out. You have a job as well, if you're really wanting to help me."

  "So what can I do?"

  "This is my idea. You and Andy are going to stay in town for the next few days. I've got too many suspicions to let you go. I could arrest you, but that won't be necessary, will it?"

  "Aside from the fact you don't have evidence to arrest us?"

  "That's not the point. If you're such a good person, and a good friend to Brian, you'll help me. I'm in a terrible position. New people from out of town are going to be coming in and stampeding all over my investigation. If I can get a handle on it before the suits arrive, it's all the better for everybody.

  "Can I have you stay at the hotel Andy's staying? You have every right to get a lawyer and fight me, but if you want your friends back safely, you'll help me every way you can."

  "Yes, of course. I said I would, and I meant it. But Brian and Andy aren't the people you're looking for."

  "You can't say that for sure, now can you? Nothing is ever for sure until we put away the asshole."

  "Then tell me what to do."

  The detective told Dan what to do.

  The instructions were easy. Detective Hanley told Dan to stay at the local motel in town. Andy had been questioned as well and told to stay in the same motel. The director was staying in a room three day from Dan's. Dan didn't visit with Andy just yet. Dan was exhausted from both the reunion party and the tragic events at Brian's house. So many ranges of emotions he'd experienced this week, and the final emotion was horror.

  Dan showered and realized he didn't have a change of clothes. His luggage burned in the fire. He would have to settle for wearing what he had until he could go out and buy something else. There was a Wal-Mart down the road. It was the best he was going to do in Prudence. That, and he didn't want the police to think he was going to skip town.

  When Dan relaxed in bed, he didn't remember falling asleep.

  "Yes, I'm staying in Prudence, Dad. I don't know for how long. The police don't want me going anywhere. I'm not sure how long it will be. I have to do what they tell me to do."

  Dan's dad didn't like any of it. "I'll hire a lawyer, son, if that's what it'll take. These people can't push you around. You didn't do anything to anybody. They haven't filed charges because they don't have charges that'll hold up in court. They can't keep you there against your will. It's not right."

  "It's not against my will. I'm worried about Brian, and you guys. I don't know the first thing about this guy who murdered Brian's mom. They said she was in pieces. Jesus Christ, Dad. This guy means business."

  D
an heard his father breathing hard on the line. The man was fired up for all the right reasons. Brian was kidnapped and possibly dead. Lucille was dead. Dan was in obvious danger. The man in the mask made that much clear. And the police weren't playing by the rules, or making the rules clear. Dan didn't care. He'd do anything to find Brian safe and alive. And if this person in the mask was a psychotic obsessed with Bloody Mask, the guy would certainly follow Dan back to his home and harm his parents, his ex-wife, and his children. He had to keep the threat contained in Prudence.

  The killer said Brian would be dead if Dan left town.

  Who else would die?

  His dad had still been talking to him. "You have a gun, son?"

  Dan remembered the gun Andy gave him after Mitch the Bitch attacked him.

  "Yes. A 9mm."

  "Be careful son. I'm coming down. I can't stay here knowing you're in serious danger."

  "No, stay with Mom. In case the guy gets any ideas and comes down there."

  "But what about you?"

  "I'll be careful, Dad. I don't like the idea of you being in danger because of my stupid movie."

  "You can't control what others do. Nobody kills anybody over a movie. If they say that, it's just an excuse for being crazy. You can't reason with a crazy person."

  "Look, I'll check in, Dad. I'll even give you that detective's phone number. We'll keep tabs on each other until this blows over."

  After reassuring his father he would be careful, and that Dan was sure he was going to stay in Prudence, they ended the conversation.

  It wasn't long after that somebody knocked on the motel room's door.

  "You don't think I had anything to do with this, do you?"

  Dan didn't have to think. "Of course you didn't, Andy. Even if I had my suspicions, the timeline doesn't work. You were with me at the party, then we got home, and everything was already set in motion."

  Andy was sitting at the table near the window. The curtains were drawn, and Dan planned on keeping it that way.

  "That Detective thought I had everything to do with it. He's accusing me of setting this all up just so I could murder you guys. Which makes no sense. I have a job to do. I've already sent in the interviews and the footage from the reunion party. Yes, I'm a fan, and if I was crazy, I can see why a third party might scowl at me, but I had nothing to do with this."

  Dan wanted to reassure Andy that he didn't agree with the detective.

  "There's one big clue that tells me you're definitely not the guilty party."

  Andy's eyes widened. "Yes?"

  "While we were both at the station, Mitch the Bitch went missing. Did Henley tell you about the note that was left in Brian's yard?"

  "Yeah, that's right."

  "I think Mitch did this."

  "It'd make sense. The look on the guy's face when he tasered you. And let's not forget he's been holding some weird grudge against you about money you didn't owe him."

  "He stole a copy of my movie," Dan said. "Mitch broke into my house back then, went through my stuff, and he's been obsessed with Bloody Mask all this time. I say he's the perfect suspect."

  "I'm glad you're thinking clearly, man. I was worried."

  "No, Andy. I know you're not involved."

  Dan told him he was going to go to the Wal-mart to pick up some clothes. He asked if Andy wanted to come along. Andy said he had a few more things to send to his boss. Dan said he'd meet back up with him in a few hours and talk things over again.

  After buying what he needed from the store, Dan picked up some burgers and took it back to his hotel. Thoughts kept creeping up on him during the errand. Dan couldn't keep his mind from straying. Was Brian in that body bag? If he wasn't in that body bag, would Brian kill his own mother, burn his house, and drive up to Dan and threaten him? But if Brian was a psycho, or wanted publicity, wouldn't he just kill Dan on the spot?

  You didn't see Brian actually run into the burning house. You didn't see him go anywhere. You lost track of him, then the van drove up next to you, and there was the guy in the mask.

  Dan remembered how passionate Brian was about making a sequel. Dan was caught up in the enthusiasm, but their conversations were a product of the moment. There was no way they could get by with making another movie.

  No, I refuse to believe it was Brian.

  Mitch the Bitch was a better candidate. He wasn't at the reunion party. Mitch's wife said he was missing since last night.

  That's not right either. Mitch's car was at home. He would've had to walk fifteen miles to get to Brian's house. His wife said he was home to a certain point that night. Unless Mitch got a ride from someone else, there's no way he could've been at Brian's house. There wasn't a car left nearby. The cops would've noticed it.

  Mitch still could've found a way to make it happen.

  Dan thought again about the fans Henley said were missing. This could've been one of the fans from the party doing all of this, or a group of them.

  If they were stalkers, they would've found you a long time ago.

  Why now?

  Dan sat in his hotel eating his food and thinking. He had to stay focused if he was going to see the end of this safely.

  Another idea occurred to Dan. When he had a nice talk with Janey, she told him about the surgeon from San Francisco. She was a prostitute, and the guy wanted to marry her. What kind of weirdo wanted to marry prostitutes?

  Dan made a mental note to mention the surgeon to the detective.

  He again went back to the idea of a group of super fans being the perpetrators.

  Or was this Brian's way of forcing a sequel?

  Dan's head was aching. He couldn't sit in the motel room alone and keep kicking around theories. Dan decided to go talk it over with Andy again.

  Andy would hit him with a very interesting piece of information.

  Dan met up with Andy in his motel room. Andy had his laptop running. He played a recorded sound bite from the movie showing. Andy fast forwarded and rewound it to find the exact spot. It was hard to hear much of anything except the noise from the crowd. The audio was recording during a particularly funny scene. It was the butter throat slashing scene. People were whooping and cheering. Andy played it three times.

  "You didn't hear that?"

  "Hear what?"

  Andy played it again. "Listen really closely. It's one person speaking up. I caught a few words, then I kept listening to it. It's not just what they say, but the way they say it."

  Dan listened to it again.

  He only heard noise.

  Andy insisted he listen again.

  Then Dan caught what he was supposed to be hearing. It was right after the laughter died down.

  "This isn't funny. Why is everybody laughing?"

  The person wasn't saying the movie sucked. The person was outraged by the crowd's reaction.

  Andy kept the audio playing, while they absorbed the shock of the words.

  Dan caught another set of words.

  "They will never understand what this movie means to me."

  Dan and Andy kept listening to the audio. They didn't hear the person speak up again. If they did, the words were drowned out by the audience's reaction.

  "Did you record the audience watching the movie?"

  "No," Andy said. "I only recorded an audio track. I was planning to have it as a feature. You could watch the movie while hearing the crowd's reactions. Kind of like a grindhouse thing."

  "We should let Detective Henley know about this. It might help."

  Andy agreed.

  Dan didn't have a car, so they decided to head to the police station in Andy's work van. Andy took the driver's seat, and Dan rode shotgun. Before Andy could turn the key, Dan caught the syringe needle prick Andy's neck. Andy slumped forward in his seat, his body going dead. Before Dan could react, the cold muzzle of a gun was pressed into his side.

  Dan lifted his eyes up to the rearview mirror. He saw the mask and the eyes leer at him. Dan, the piece of meat. Dan, the p
rey to be captured.

  "Wait, why—?"

  The handle of the gun struck him over the head.

  It was Dan's turn to go unconscious.

  Dan enjoyed five seconds of consciousness before he slipped back under the dark curtain of forced sleep. Andy was laying in the backseat of the van, unmoving. Dan realized he had his hands tied behind his back and his legs were hogtied. Then that was it. His eyes were too heavy, and his head was pounding with a terrible migraine. It was easier to close his eyes and pretend like none of this was really happening.

  There should've been light coming from the windows. Thick cardstock covered the panes. Between the cardstock were thin slivers where faint cracks of yellow gave dimension to the room. He sensed the room was long and wide. Dan noticed a chalkboard. Cut out numbers on the wall made of laminated construction paper. A tall and long bookshelf without books. Graffiti covered most of the walls. Most of it was hard to see, because Dan couldn't blink the cottony blotches from his eyes. He felt the divot on the top of his head where the killer had struck him. The pain wasn't just from the blow. He had a strange taste in his mouth, and a weakness throughout every extremity. He was coming down from a doped up state.

  "He's awake. We can't have that. We're not even close to being ready."

  Dan saw the masked figure loom over him. The horrible mask seemed to writhe with strange inhuman expressions. The killer raised a filled syringe and pricked Dan in the neck and it was time to say goodbye again.

  * * *

  The hammering woke Dan.

  Bang bang bang.

  Dan saw the stacked up school desks in the far corner of the room. The windows were covered in cardstock. This time, no light snuck into the room. Dan had no idea if it was night or day, or the amount of time that had transpired. The only source of light was coming from a propane lantern. Dan felt very weak. There was a hunger in his belly and a thirst in his throat.