Gemini

by WL Knightly

  He couldn’t help wondering why he couldn’t just stay there forever. Sturgis was a decent town, and he had enough money he could quit his job and do whatever he wanted for the rest of his life. He could let Brandy move in with him if she wanted, and when they felt like it, they could take her trailer and explore the world.

  It all sounded so perfect when he thought about it that way. And what did he have to go back to? What did he have in Phoenix waiting, other than an apartment with bloodstains and bad memories? He didn’t think he’d ever be able to go back there, not with him spending the last days of Alan’s life with him there, not with him pulling that trigger and watching the life escape Alan’s eyes. Those pleading eyes of his that only asked Corey “Why?” every time he thought about them. If he’d had another choice, he would have taken it, but with Alan already killing one of his friends, a man he’d done business with no less, there was no way Corey could have trusted him.

  He told himself that over and over, and as he watched Brandy across the room, he really wanted to keep her. He wanted to keep this life.

  “I’m going to go ahead and get out front,” she said. “We’re having that stupid sidewalk sale.”

  “I’ll be down, but I’m going to my room first.” He had to check his emails and do some things for his other job.

  “Okay, I’ll see you.” She leaned in, gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and then she hurried out.

  He took his time and walked to the back, then up the stairs and past the entrance to the employees’ lounge so he could go to his storeroom. He had his laptop set up there, and he wasted no time logging on.

  No sooner than he got logged on, his phone rang. He glanced down at the number, and Bay’s name was in small print above it. “Shit.”

  He took a deep breath and decided to answer the phone. “Hello?” He held his breath and hoped that Bay hadn’t heard anything about Alan.

  “Hey, it’s me Bay. Where in the fuck have you been, man?”

  “On the road. I left my apartment, and I’m bed hopping across the States.” He wasn’t going to tell Bay the exact location unless absolutely necessary.

  “Well, I need you to call Alan and tell him to check in with Darek. He’s been worried about the two of you. Is he with you?”

  Corey felt his heart pounding. “No, he went home last I heard.”

  “I figured you two had killed each other by now.” Bay’s voice took on a suspicious tone. “Or maybe you killed him?”

  “Is there another reason you called?”

  “Actually, there is. Darek wants a gathering. I’ll let you know where and when if you want to come, but I mostly just wanted to make sure you were still alive, man.”

  “Wait, he wants us to meet up? Why?”

  “To get on the same page. He was really put off by the whole Seth murder, and I think he wants to make sure we understand that we don’t have to stoop to this asshole’s level by killing each other.”

  “Right,” he said, his voice cracking.

  “Are you okay, Corey? I mean, if there was something you needed to tell me, you know you can. Anything. We’re close like that, you and me. You’ve helped me out a lot of times, and I’d help you. You know that. So, where are you, friend?”

  “On the road.”

  “Do you need anything? A place to crash? I don’t have much, and I can’t guarantee your safety, but the penthouse is open, and then I do own a hotel if you don’t mind being haunted by Tad’s ghost.” He gave a chuckle.

  “I’m good.” He was so close to telling Bay that he was never going back home again and why. He felt a tremendous pressure weighing him down.

  “You’re on the run, aren’t you?”

  “I’m not running from anyone. There isn’t anyone to run from at the moment.”

  “And why is that?” Bay sounded suspicious. “If you’ve done something and need a lawyer, Corey, you can talk to me. It will go no further than me.”

  “He was going to kill me; he came to my house to do it, man. What was I supposed to do? Sit there and take it? We had a plan, and it fell through, and in the end, it was either him or me. I did what I had to do, and I’m not proud of it.”

  “I don’t blame you, okay? You need to know that you did the right thing. It was self-defense.” He let out a breath into the phone, and it sent chills down Corey’s back, knowing he’d just spilled his guts.

  He felt a little bit of relief but not much. Not like he’d thought he would.

  “Where is he?”

  “In the desert. I took care of it the best I could. It took me hours. But I have no idea what the fuck his wife thinks. She’s going to know he’s missing and report it. And they’ll find him. They’ll figure out where he was, who he was with, and they’ll come looking for me. I know they will someday. I won’t be there, though. I think I’m moving on for good.”

  “If you buried him deep enough, you’ve got nothing to worry about. He’s not likely to be found, and as long as you stick to your story, you’ll be fine.”

  “I’m not proud of it, Bay. I didn’t want to do it. I’ve never killed anything before.” He didn’t count the girl. He was too young, and he knew he hadn’t cut her deep enough. He’d scratched her skin, just enough to make the mark, and then he’d passed it on to Justin. She was alive then.

  “I know, man. But there are times in life when we have to make hard decisions, and no one will blame you for surviving. Alan and Seth, the others, they were weak. The strong will survive, Corey. You’ll see, and some of us will do it together.”

  Corey held up his hand and noticed it was shaking; it was finally shaking. Then he reached up and wiped the tears from his face. “Are you going to tell the others?”

  Bay chuckled. “No, this is your story to tell, my friend. I wouldn’t take that from you.”

  Corey decided that he was never going to tell another soul, not so long as he could help it. “Tell me when this meeting is going to take place, and I’ll be there.”

  “I’ll let you know.”

  “I wish he’d never come to my doorstep, you know? He came there to kill me. The Zodiac killer told him to. They said for me to pick another victim.”

  “Yeah? Anyone you wanted?”

  Corey could tell by the change in Bay’s tone that it excited him. “Yes, anyone I wanted.”

  “Tell me, Corey. What are you going to do now? Who is next on your list?”

  “No one,” he said. “I told the mother fucker that it ends with me. I’m not playing their fucking game. I did what I had to do when I killed Alan, but I don’t have to do shit anymore. I don’t have anything else to lose, you know? No family and kids. No parents to threaten or kidnap.”

  “I bet that pissed the killer off,” said Bay with laughter in his voice.

  “It must have. I haven’t heard anything more out of them since I sent that message.” He hoped that he never did again too. He wished the stupid person responsible would drop dead or move on to some other hobby.

  “So, you’re going to leave one life for another?”

  “I’m strongly considering it. Why not?”

  “It just reminds me of a little boy who was so desperate and at the end of his rope, he went to camp to find a better life.” Bay paused a moment as Corey let it sink in. It was true. He had many chances for something new, and this time, he was going to make the best of it.

  “Good luck. I will be in touch, and I’ll see you soon.”

  “Later.” Corey hung up the phone, and that was when the sound of boxes turning over came from the other side of the storeroom wall.

  He got to his feet and rounded the corner, wondering who might have been listening, but there was no one there.

  He looked around a minute and found a stack of pricing signs that were knocked over. He’d been in that part of the stockroom the day before, and things were not like this. Whoever it was, they had left in a hurry, and he decided to go down and see if anyone was close by or acting strangely.

 
Maybe it was just paranoia, but he couldn’t take any chances. He’d already spilled his guts to Bay, but he would represent him if need be. Besides, considering their past, he knew the man wouldn’t rat him out. Bay was many things, but a snitch wasn’t one of them.

  He walked down the stairs and rounded the corner to find Erma on her way out of the bathroom, and by the smell that followed her, she had been in there awhile.

  He held his breath and headed out to the downstairs warehouse, but it was empty, all but for a stray bird that flew overhead.

  Maybe he was paranoid. Maybe it was a draft that knocked the signs over.

  He walked out to the front sidewalk and found Brandy pushing a rack of fishing shirts to the small area where they were set up to have a sale. She looked up, and though her expression was unreadable, he didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

  “Hey, you need any help?”

  She smiled and wiped the sweat off her brow. “It’s hot out today. Could you make it rain so I can go inside?”

  He smiled, certain that it wasn’t her. The chances of it being anyone else were just as slim, and he was quite certain that if anything was ever said, he’d claim that he was only talking about plans for his next story.

  He walked over and put his arm around her, and she pulled away. “It’s too hot for all that,” she said. “I feel like I’m back in the south.”

  “You’re from the south?” He hadn’t ever bothered to ask, but it made a lot of sense with her accent.

  “Yeah,” she said. “We have a lot more in common than you think.”

  Chapter 17

  Darek

  With Raven staying over, Darek had gotten out of the habit of waking up alone, but now and then, it was nice to have the bed all to himself. He rolled over and got to his feet when his phone made a sound. He grabbed it off the side table on his way to the bathroom and found a text from Lizzy, asking him to call if he had the chance.

  He waited until he was on his way to the kitchen and dialed her number as he poured a cup of coffee.

  “Darek, hey,” she said when she answered. “I’m glad you saw my text. I was actually going to see if you were busy and wanted to meet for breakfast. I have some new information about our guy, and I didn’t want to wait until Monday morning.”

  “Sure, I can meet you.” It had been a long time since he’d gotten any time with her outside of the office or a crime scene, and even though it was work related, he’d take it.

  He missed her laughter and smiles and, more than that, the warmth that had come with them. He had killed that between them and wondered if he’d ever get it back. Maybe meeting with her would lead to a path of mending.

  “How about Mo’s?” she asked.

  “Sure, I’ll meet you in ten.” He hadn’t realized that she was so close to his house, but he wondered if she’d passed by to see if Raven’s car was around or not.

  “I could pick you up if you want? I’m already close. I’ve been driving around to clear my head and think over this case.”

  “Sure, that would be fine.” He knew his guess was right. She’d been by and knew he was alone. Darek couldn’t help but wonder if she was regretting the way things had happened, and with any hope, they could start to mend things between them.

  They ended their call, and Darek pulled on some pants and a T-shirt, then found his shoes by the door, and a few minutes later, Lizzy pulled into his driveway and parked.

  He walked out to the car, and she unlocked the door so he could join her in the cab. “Hey,” she said as he slid in beside her.

  “Hey.” He tried to keep the smile off his face, but he was just so happy to see her that he couldn’t.

  She grinned like a schoolgirl too and then shook her head, backed out of the driveway, and headed toward Mo’s. “So, how was your morning?” she asked while raking her hand through her long dark hair. She was dressed as casual as he was for a change, and he liked to see her dressed in jeans and a T-shirt now and then, instead of looking so buttoned-up for work every day.

  “I just got up,” he said with a yawn. “How about you?” He wasn’t ready for them to start with the case, but the conversation was strained.

  “I was up all night trying to learn about Ophiuchus and Barney’s star.”

  “Yeah? You shouldn’t do that, you know? We burn enough energy and sanity daily over that shit. You need to rest.”

  “I can’t rest anyway,” she said. “I’m a hopeless insomniac these days.”

  He turned and looked at her, noticing the dark circles under her eyes that hadn’t been there when he first met her. “The case keeping you up?”

  “Not just the case. It’s everything.”

  “Do I keep you up at night?” He should have known that the question would create silence.

  Finally, after an awkward pause, she shrugged. “I guess that could have a tiny bit to do with it.” She laughed in a nervous way, and he turned and looked out the window beside him.

  “Yeah.” He didn’t know what else to say. The situation with Raven was not only going to make things with him and her impossible but more volatile, and he wasn’t looking for a messy fight. Not when one phone call from her could mean the end of his career.

  “Anyway, I found out our man’s true identity, and you’re not going to believe it.” She gave him a sideward glance and then turned her attention back to traffic.

  “Shit, you mean he’s not really Ophi from Barney’s star?” He couldn’t help but laugh, and when she laughed with him, he smiled. “That’s a sound I haven’t heard much lately.” He reached over and gave her a playful poke in the ribs.

  “Yeah, well, I’m not sure what’s funnier, the man’s made up name or his legal name.” She slowed the car and pulled into the parking lot beside the diner.

  Darek couldn’t believe anything would be worse than the story the man had concocted when he turned himself in. “Oh boy, let’s hear it.”

  Lizzy stopped the car and shut it off. “His birth name was Kenneth Allen, but he changed it to Ken Sin for professional reasons.” She shook her head and gave a soft laugh.

  “Ken Sin?” Darek laughed with her, and for a moment, there was no stress or tension between them.

  “Yeah, and before he was a cult leader, he was the bassist in a black metal band called The Cock Clowns. Their logo is an evil clown with a bloody beak and rooster’s comb glued on. It’s pretty morbid.”

  “Black Metal? That’s the dark, satanic shit.” Darek had a friend in school who used to listen to it religiously.

  “Yeah, I sampled some of the music to see if there was any mention of the zodiac, and they did have a song with it in the title, but it wasn’t relevant.”

  “Do they still make music?”

  “No, that’s the strange thing. Ken Sin was the reason the band split, according to their blog. The lead vocalist, Danny Death, claims the reason for all of the band’s problems all stemmed with Sin’s ego. It was a very bitter ending. The blog hasn’t been updated in a while, but I thought we might call this guy and see if he can come in and answer some questions.”

  “That’s a good idea. He’s probably got a lot to say.” Darek looked out the window to the bustling diner. “Shall we go inside?”

  Lizzy got out of the car with him and followed him to the door which he opened for her. Then he followed her in and let her pick the table.

  He slid into the booth and grabbed a menu. “I’m having the waffle burger. What about you?”

  She looked at the picture on the menu. “It looks good. I want it with bacon, though.”

  Darek smiled. He always got it that way. “Trust me; it’s the only way to have it.” He closed the menu, and the waitress came over to take their orders.

  When she was gone, Lizzy leaned forward. “The DA is going to try Ken Sin for the murders. The case is taking a turn, and our days will be a lot different now. We’ll be trying to build a case, learn about his followers, and do interrogations when we find them, so our days
might be a bit busier. With any luck, we’ll see who we can flush out that have actually committed the crimes under Ophi’s orders.”

  “I’m just glad to still be on the case.” He looked up from the table where he had his hands steepled and met her eyes.

  “I know I said some things I wish I hadn’t, Darek. I wouldn’t really do that to you. I said them in anger.”

  “I just wish it hadn’t gotten so mixed up in the first place.”

  “Me too, but this is where we’re at. Let’s focus on getting along and getting through this case together. I really wouldn’t want to work with anyone else on it.”

  “It’s good to hear you say that. I want it to all work out.” He wanted to have her back. He wasn’t sure that she would ever feel that way again about them or if she’d be willing to risk her heart again someday, but if he ever got it back, he knew he’d treat it a lot better. He would just have to wait and see. All that mattered was knowing she didn’t hate him.

  “So, I just wanted you to be ready,” she said as the waitress walked up with their drinks. They thanked her and then waited for her to walk away before either of them talked.

  “I am more than ready for all of this to be over.” Darek thought about it and realized that the real case was probably going to end much differently, and while he had to admit the killer had gone into a state of radio silence, he just didn’t think it was Ophi who had been messaging him.

  “We’ve got a long way until it’s over. I ordered lie detector tests for them, and even though I know they are not admissible, it will be good to see how they perform.”

  “When are we doing those?”

  “We’re not, and I’d rather us stay in observation when that goes down. I don’t want anything interrupting or contaminating the outcome.”

  “That’s smart,” said Darek. “We both know this guy is a showman. He is influenced by other people’s reactions.”