Henry jumped at the sound of her voice. “I’m coming,” he replied.
He opened the door and walked out, fighting the urge to return to his bed. Agnes was cooking eggs with a preoccupied look on her face. She hummed to herself and smiled as Henry emerged from around the corner.
“You look good,” Agnes said. “Well rested. It’s good they’re gonna give you a desk assignment, something where you can really put your intellect to work.”
Henry snuffed. “I turned it down.”
“What? Why?” Agnes asked.
“Because, birds were meant to fly.”
Agnes grew impatient and threw the spatula into the wall. “Henry, what the hell does that even mean? You’re not a Goddamn bird and there are plenty birds that don’t ever fly.”
“I’m a reporter Agnes. I gotta report and I think I owe it to Benny to finish this story.”
“Are you insane? Benny is dead. Some sick, sick bastard mutilated his body and from the looks of it, they enjoyed it. Now you wanna go back down in those sewers?”
“Hell no!” Henry spat. “No way would I ever go back down there.”
“Good, at least you’re not a complete idiot. You can sit at a desk and earn a paycheck until you retire. What’s so hard about that?”
“There’s plenty of ways to report on the story and help the police find this psycho without going into the sewers,” Henry continued.
“Jesus Henry, why can’t you just let it go?”
“Cause it’s my fault. I may as well have killed that kid myself.”
“So now you make amends for that by playing detective. How does it make up for his death by you getting yourself killed?”
“See,” Henry sputtered and pointed his finger. “See you know it’s true. I killed him, it is my fault.”
“I never said that,” Agnes cried out in exhaustion.
“You never said I didn’t.”
“I don’t have time for this shit, you’re ridiculous.” Agnes turned off the stove and started to walk off.
“Then just answer me. You blame me don’t you, you blame me for Benny’s death?”
Agnes continued to walk away. “Let it go Henry,” she groaned.
“No…no you answer me. Tell me it’s not my fault. I know it is. I know I’m just as guilty as the psychotic bastard that murdered him.”
Agnes’ back was turned as she stopped and lowered her head. An evil smirk stretched across her face and she whipped around and charged towards Henry. “Yes! Yes, it was all your fault. You wanted that story. You wanted to go into the damn sewers. I warned you not to go down there. I told you to be careful. Of course it’s your fault. You practically chopped that boy up yourself.”
Henry stared at her with his mouth gaping open. He wrinkled his face and grasped for words to say.
“That’s what you wanted to hear isn’t it. That’s what you’re expecting me to say.” Agnes added.
“I…I’m going to work. I’m getting back in the field and I’m gonna help the police any way I can.”
“Seriously,” Agnes laughed. “What latent detective skills have you been hiding?”
“There are plenty of things I can do, plenty of things they haven’t thought of. I’m not stupid Agnes. I can be smart. Just because I’m not a doctor doesn’t mean I can’t be smart. I can help, I can do things.”
“Yeah, like what?”
“For starters the fucking cameras,” Henry jumped forward and shouted.
“What cameras?” Agnes asked forcefully.
“The cameras they installed in the park years ago. I know they think the victims are being dumped in the sewers, but maybe the cameras caught something.”
Agnes didn’t say anything else, she just stared at him.
“That’s right, I do know shit. And I’ll help…I’ll help and they’ll catch this sick fucker. I hope they fry his ass, I hope he never even makes it to a trial.”
Agnes stared at him, blinking her eyes. “Okay then Henry, do what you have to do,” she said in a flat voice.
“I will, I’ll find a way to help.” Henry said then kissed Agnes on the forehead and walked out of the door.
“I’ll be late tonight,” Agnes yelled after him.
“Okay,” he shouted back and closed the door.
Agnes tossed the pan of eggs into the sink and growled, “He didn’t even eat his breakfast.”
Fuming, she headed into the bedroom to get dressed. She rummaged through her closet until she found a thin, strapless, red dress. She smiled and grabbed her red heels then laid her clothes on the bed.
She quickly showered then dried off and curled her hair. She spent twenty minutes deciding the perfect perfume to wear then finally started to put on her clothes.
Half an hour later she climbed into her car and headed straight for the police station. She parked across the street on the curb where she had a perfect view of the entrance. Then, she waited.
Hours passed, but eventually Eve showed up and walked inside. Agnes sat up and watched as she entered the building. Moments later she watched Eve exit then get into her car and leave.
Once Eve’s car was out of sight Agnes popped a piece of peppermint gum into her mouth and opened her car door. She stood up and gave herself a once over in the reflection on her window. Cupping her hands she pushed her breasts together and licked her lips.
Smiling, she headed across the street and straight into the police station. A middle-aged lady with faded brown hair was sitting behind the counter. She wore a traditional police uniform and had a “been there done that,” look to her face. Across her chest was a gold plated nametag that read Officer Nancy.
“Can I help you,” she asked.
“Oh yes Nancy,” Agnes smiled. “I’m here to see Captain Wilson.”
“In regards to?” the woman asked, sounding skeptical.
“It’s a bit of a personal nature,” Agnes snapped back.
The woman beamed at her and bit her lip. Sighing, she picked up the phone and mumbled something into it. Seconds later she slammed it down and motioned her hand towards a row of plastic chairs by the window.
“Have a seat,” she grumbled. “He’ll be with you in a minute.”
“Thank you,” Agnes said.
Prancing across the room, she took a seat in one of the multi-colored chairs and crossed her legs. Not more than three minutes later a tall, dark, bald man wearing suit pants, a white button up and a tie appeared from a room in the back. He stopped at the desk and Nancy looked up and nodded her head towards the chairs.
“The prostitute,” she mumbled under her breath.
The captain scoffed at her then turned towards Agnes and smiled. “Can I help you ma’am?”
Agnes stood up and her dress fell softly over her legs. She slowly ran her tongue across her lips and extended her arm. “You can call me Agnes, captain,” she said in a low raspy voice.
“You can call me Steve,” the captain gleamed back.
“Steve, is there someplace um, private we can talk?”
Steve looked Agnes up and down with little discretion. He took a shallow breath and traced her from the red high heels that accentuated her lean, tanned legs, all the way up to the top of her low cut dress that barely covered her breasts.
Grinning, Steve motioned towards a door to his left, “This way.”
Agnes followed him into a small square room with bleak white walls and a dirty tile floor. There was a rectangular metal table with two chairs situated in the middle and pile of candy wrappers in the corner.
“Interrogation room?” Agnes asked and raised her eyebrows.
Steve laughed. “It’s just a holding room, but it’s private. Have a seat.”
Steve pulled a chair out and Agnes sat down. He closed the door then leaned against the wall and grinned. “So how can I help you today?”
“Well this is a bit odd. I’m here about Detective Rosario.”
“You just missed her.”
“Good, good. I kno
w we’ve never met, but she and I are pretty good friends. She speaks about you often, although she’s never mentioned how terribly handsome you are.”
Steve blushed.
“As you know her husband passed and she’s been very distraught.”
“We’ve all been worried about her,” Steve said.
“Well the other day she broke down. Went on a rant about how she was going to kill whoever did it.” Agnes paused and put her face in her hands. She whimpered then sniffled and when she lifted her head her eyes had begun to water.
“What is it?” Steve asked.
“This is hard. We…we are such good friends. But I really think she might hurt someone. She said she’d kill anyone that got in her way and how the only justice now was to take another life. I don’t want her in any trouble, but I’m sure you have programs to help officers that are grieving.”
Steve handed her a napkin to clean her face.
“Thank you,” she mumbled.
“I appreciate you coming to see me. I know this couldn’t have been easy. How long have you known Eve?”
“About six months now,” Agnes replied. “I just want what’s best for her.”
“We all do. I’ve known Eve for years and she’s always been level-headed. But between us, that bastard deserves whatever Eve gives him. And I can’t reinstate her right now, but I’ll do everything in my power to help her out,” Steve said proudly. He walked towards the table and put his hand on Agnes’ shoulder. “I can assure you Eve will be fine and we are all keeping an eye on her. She’s in good hands.”
Agnes wiped her face again and smiled. “That makes me feel so much better. Maybe I was just overreacting.”
“You’re a good friend, I’m sure she’d appreciate you looking out for her.”
“Thank you,” Agnes said as she took a deep breath. “Well, I should get out of your hair.”
Agnes slid her chair back and stood up. Steve reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card.
“If you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to call me,” he said as he handed her the card.
“Thank you Steve,” Agnes walked to the door and cracked it open. “Maybe you’d like to get a drink sometime?”
“It’s not really protocol, but…I’d make an exception for you,” Steve smiled.
“Maybe tonight? I know a really good mojito bar not far from here.”
CHAPTER 22
WEB OF LIES
“Hello?” Agnes said as she picked up her cell phone.
“It’s me,” Eve sputtered. “Can you meet me? I need your help with the science stuff. I’d ask Tony back at the lab, but I’m trying to keep this out of the system. And Steve hasn’t returned any of my phone calls.”
“Sure Eve, I can meet you. When?” Agnes said and her voice echoed.
“Where are you?” Eve asked. “Sounds like you’re in a tunnel.”
“Oh, that. I’m…I, I’m in the bathroom.”
Eve laughed to herself. She started to say something else but heard a muted scream over the phone. “What the hell was that?”
“TV…some stupid horror show.”
“Oh, well I’m at my house if you’re free.”
“Yeah, I’ll head over now. Give me a few to get ready.”
“Thanks Agnes, you’re the best.” Eve said and hung up the phone.
Agnes closed her phone and sat it down on the table in front of her. She sighed and leaned back in her gray rolling chair. She stuffed her hands into her jean pockets and propped her feet onto the table. The sides of her long, white medical coat swept across the floor.
“Please,” a voice moaned.
“Keep it down captain, or I’m gonna have to put you back to sleep.”
Steve had just awoken and found himself strapped to a gurney. A needle connected to an IV was haphazardly jabbed into his arm. Cables were taped to his chest hooked up to medical monitors.
“What the hell,” Steve mumbled.
He glanced around the cramped room and shivered. A cold breeze drifted in from the door where two other gurneys sat.
He didn’t recognize where he was. It was a small, dingy room that reminded him of a cellar. Thick pipes ran across the ceiling and connected into the wall. A dim light hung over his head and across the room Agnes sat in front of some type of control station.
“You?” Steve mumbled. “It…it can’t be.”
“And why not?” Agnes asked sharply.
She stood up and walked towards the door. In one hand she had a marker and two playing cards. In her other hand she had a syringe.
Lying on the gurneys next to the door were two more men. Their restraints had been removed and their IV’s taken out. They were both still breathing, but aside from that, they weren’t moving at all.
“This is Daniel,” Agnes said as she laid the syringe onto one of the men’s chest. He looked to be about her age, with silver hair and wispy eyebrows. “He’s a doctor, a very good one. In fact, he’s the best plastic surgeon on this side of the Mississippi. He’s ill though, he thinks his name is Charles. I’m going to fix him.” Agnes scribbled on one of the playing cards and stuffed it into his pocket.
Steve groaned in pain and began to cough. “Let them go Agnes, I can help you.”
“Pathetic!” Agnes suddenly snapped. “All of you are all the same.” She reached inside of her coat pocket and pulled out a small bottle filled with a greenish liquid. She used it to fill the syringe and then jabbed it into Charles’ neck.
Instantaneously his eyelids flipped open. His blue eyes whirled from side to side, but he didn’t move.
Agnes stepped around to the other gurney and sat the bottle and syringe onto the other man’s chest. He was much younger, fair-skinned with red hair and a thick, scratchy beard.
“This, this is Milton. You met him last night. He helped you to the car when you had too much to drink,” Agnes continued as she stuffed the second card into his pocket. “I think he thought too much of my innocent flirting though. He followed us and I just couldn’t have that.” Agnes filled the syringe again and stabbed him in the neck.
Like Charles, his eyes flung open, soaking in his surroundings.
“They can hear you Steve. Why don’t you introduce yourself?”
Steve swallowed and licked his dry lips.
“I said introduce yourself!” Agnes yelled and slammed one of the gurneys into the wall.
“I’m Steve, Steve Wilson.”
“And what do you do?” Agnes said more calmly.
“I’m a captain with the New York Police Department.”
“And are you here to save them?”
“What?” Steve replied.
“Are you here to save them?” Agnes belted.
“No, no I’m not,” Steve responded.
“Now, tell them how they are going to die. Tell them how you failed them and they’re going to die.”
“No, they are not going to die. You’re going to let them go Agnes. You have me, you don’t need anyone else.”
Agnes began to laugh hysterically. “I have you. Just like a man to think just one of you could ever solve all of our problems. I don’t want you Steve. But yes…I do have you now don’t I,” Agnes crooned and walked over to Steve.
She rubbed her hand across his bald head and down over his face. “Do you know what’s outside that door?” she asked.
Steve looked at her blankly.
“It’s destiny, for you all. It’s redemption. I’m gonna clean your souls, but not you …not yet. I have something special in store for you,” she said then leaned down and kissed Steve on the forehead. “Tell your friends goodbye.”
Agnes turned and started pushing Charles out of the door. She struggled with the gurney, trying to wedge it through before the heavy metal door slammed shut. Charles looked back at her with horror in his eyes.
“Agnes you don’t have to do this,” Steve yelled.
Agnes stopped. She turned around and looked back at Steve.
> “Please,” he pleaded.
Agnes removed her hands from the gurney and stepped away. She walked towards Steve at a slow and methodical pace. At the last minute she turned and slammed her hand on a red button at the front of the control panel she’d been sitting at earlier.
“Almost forgot about this,” she grinned.
Through the open door Steve could hear the rush of charging water. “Please Agnes,” he moaned.
“Shut up!” she spat back.
Without another word to Steve, she turned and pushed Charles’ gurney outside of the door. She parked it next to the rail and stared into the stream of running water.
“Ready for your swim?” she laughed.
Leaning over she kissed him on the forehead. Charles stared back, unable to even blink. Without wasting another second, Agnes tilted the gurney and his body slid into the water.
“Goodbye Daniel,” Agnes said and walked back into the control room.
“Don’t Agnes, you can stop now. Please!” Steve begged.
Agnes quickly wheeled Milton out of the door without sparing a look in Steve’s direction. She pushed him to the rail and started to tilt the gurney towards the water.
“I’m in a hurry,” she said nonchalantly as his lifeless body toppled from the gurney and splashed into the water below.
~~~**~~~
There was a loud buzzing and Eve rushed to the front door. She swung it open and grabbed Agnes by the arm. “Get in here,” she smiled. “I found something.”
Agnes forced a smile on her face and followed Eve into the house. She stopped in the living room and took a seat on the couch as Eve ran off to get her a drink.
Eve had turned her living room into a makeshift workshop. There were lab reports and scene descriptions covering the coffee table. Pictures of the victims were tacked to the wall alongside schematics of the cities intricate sewer systems.
“You think you may have gone a little overboard?” Agnes asked as Eve reemerged from the kitchen with a glass of water.
“Oh this? This is nothing. Anyway we need to talk about that drug you said suc..succin—”
“Succinylcholine or just sux,” Agnes finished for her.
“Yeah sux. Well, Tony was able to rule that out, metabolites didn’t match up or something like that. You were right though he said all of the victims were drugged with some kind of paralytic.”
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