“Well, if it’s not then we got a copy cat. Roommate just came back from a week-long trip and found him in the living room sliced and diced.” The Sergeant shook his head and handed Jax a folder. “The guy is pretty shaken but he’s there with the officer’s giving them everything he knows.”
“Another college kid?” Mike asked.
Jax shook his head. “No, this guy was almost thirty and worked for a local radio station.”
“Look further. Worked is the key word. His roommate said he was fired last week for some incident.”
“Well, he also has no family in town according to this so that means he could have been dead for awhile.” Jax eyed the file
The Sergeant eyed Jax. “That’s what the one officer told me. Said the scene is ripe. Get going fellas and I don’t want to see this shit on the news. No matter what the hell you have to do, no one hears about this. If our little town thinks we have a serial killer roaming the streets… Well you know what that means and the Mayor will be breathing down my neck. It’s an election year.”
Jax nodded. The Richmond City Mayor, James Grant, was a gruff pain in the ass that required every man and woman to toe the line and give him exactly what he wanted when he wanted and he had given the department grief more than once. He was a lose cannon that tolerated no bullshit. “We’ll do what we can.” He nodded to Mike who grabbed his notebook and headed out the door.
Sergeant Sikes place his hand on Jax’s shoulder, keeping him still. “Detective…Jax, look, I know this is going to get to you. I know you too well. If you don’t think you can handle it, then I’ll assign someone else.”
Jax closed his eyes and swallowed, his ragged breath pulsing past his lips as the memory of the boy flooded his mind. He had done everything to lock the wretched incident away, but here it was slamming him in the face again. “No, I can handle this. This case is entirely different. I have a feeling about this one, Sergeant. I don’t know, but I think this one is going to get messy.”
“I hope to hell you’re wrong.”
“I do too, but I don’t know. Regardless, I’m fine,” Jax breathed.
Sergeant Sikes patted his shoulder. “Good man.”
Yeah, then why did he feel so damn wretched?
***
Brent Taylor lay sprawled naked on his stomach across the worn carpet in the expansive living room. It was obvious that he had been dead at least a couple of days by the wretched smell of rotting flesh. Jax coughed, fighting his watering eyes and glanced across the room. Seeing nothing glaring that appeared out of place, he sighed. The most damning cases were never easy to solve. No amount of cloth could hide the vile smell. The horrendous condition of the body suggested extreme violence.
The fidgeting man standing with the black and whites was in his forties and very shaken and had been the victim’s roommate for several years. Unfortunately that was all the information Jax had gleaned from the initial introduction.
The tick tock of the old grandfather clock matched the clicking noises of the refrigerator turning on and off in an aimless pattern. He glanced around the perimeter and noticed easily that the man had been enjoying an evening by himself. An open book set on the table turned over and a single plate full of crumbs was beside. He walked further inside the room and allowed his eyes to sweep across everything. Other than the thick coating of dust on the mantle, the room was tidy.
“Jesus fucking Christ, is that a fucking wine bottle stuck up his ass?” Mike choked and wheezed, jumping back from the body. “You can get close to that one if you want. I’m going to check the perimeter. God damn it!”
Jax nodded and knelt beside the man. The bottle had been shoved with enough force that it was imbedded at least five inches and there were obvious signs of his flesh having been shredded from the violent act. “Jesus. The amount of rage is incredible here.” Slash marks covered almost every section of his lower torso beginning on his buttocks and moving down his legs. The crisscross pattern seemed random but somehow calculated as if the killer was leaving a message. “Unreal. What the hell is going on here?” He took out his digital camera and began taking pictures of the body. The darkened pool of blood coagulating under the body suggested significant wounds on his front torso. Something caught his eye and he squinted to try and make it out. The look of seared flesh didn’t seem out of place to the scene but the feathered edge depicted possibly a symbol. He reached into his pocket, pulling out the latex gloves and slapped them on. Damn it he hated this shit. How many crime scenes had he seen mutilated bodies over the long years? This had the flavor of a sexual kill but the two murdered men ran in completely different worlds.
He feathered his finger over a spot on the dead man’s ass and scrutinized the area. “A burn mark? What the hell?” The wound looked recent but it was difficult to tell anything because of the amount of blood covering the body.
“He had to have known the killer. There’s no sign of forced entry,” Mike said as he leaned against the door jam, arms crossed.
“Just like Greg Barnes.” Jax stood and took several additional photos before placing the camera in his coat pocket. “There’s got to be a connection. Sweep the area upstairs and I’ll take down here and then we’ll talk to the roommate.”
“Gotcha boss. Anything to get away from the damn stench.”
Jax looked down at the body. There was no doubt the killer was sending a message loud and clear. The level of brutality was far too sexual in nature. Over his years he had seen this kind of raging kill before and it generally meant a jilted lover or an incident that the killer felt the victims were somehow responsible for. As he stared down at the burn mark, he had the distinct impression that the killer was laughing his ass off.
He headed toward he kitchen, stopping briefly as a photo caught his eye. Hmmm…the obvious vacation shot appeared to be the victim and the roommate on a fishing trip. “Good looking fella.” In truth, he was stunning. His long dark hair and chiseled features could rival any male model he had seen. Similar to Greg in build but Brent was a yin to Greg’s blond yang. He glanced back at the body and wondered whether they had frequented perhaps another gay bar in the city. He shook his head. So far none of it made any sense but the bar concept was an avenue he needed to check.
The kitchen was brightly lit and well organized and other than a huge stack of unopened mail, there was nothing that would indicate anything was amiss. Jax glanced into the sink. A single glass sat with the remnants of what appeared to be a juice of some kind. Plate on the table and drink in the sink. Had he been interrupted? “So you didn’t invite your killer in or a drink it seems.” Jax sauntered back to the counter and picked through the mail. There was an expansive mass of bills addressed to Brent.
Jax shook his head. The two dunning notices were serious enough. “Poor bastard. Lost your job and had a mountain of bills.” An idea flashed through his mind. The kid needed money. Wonder how far he’d go to get it? He grabbed his phone and dialed the precint. “Hey Sheila. Do me a favor and check both Greg Barnes and Brent Taylor’s financial records.” Thank God they had a capable assistant that had a degree in criminology. Helpful and organized, she was a Godsend.
“What are you looking for?”
“Not sure but I’m wondering if perhaps they were receiving income from anything else. Greg worked part time at a Stuffy’s near campus and Brent just lost his job so I’m looking for anything else.”
“You got it,” Sheila said.
Hitting end, Jax rifled through the mail and other than the usual stack of junk, the only thing that caught his attention was a flyer for an art gallery. The colorful tri-fold was addressed to Brent and from a gallery in Shockoe Slip and while he had never heard of Audax, it was simply an invitation to join a new showing. Inhaling deeply, he knew he was reaching for any connection period. Hell, he couldn’t even positively say the two murders were connected. Hearing a rustling, Jax looked up. Seeing Charlotte’s grim face, he nodded.
“Detective, well at least this s
aves me a phone call,” Charlotte said quietly as she crossed her arms.
“Greg Barnes?”
“Just finished about thirty minutes ago. He was alive when the heart was removed.”
“Holy Christ and I’ll venture a guess that you have more to tell me.”
“Unfortunately yes and there are so many things about this case that trouble me. He was also very much alive when his penis was ripped off. Perhaps I should say bitten off. Your instincts were correct. The area around the ragged flesh was definitely from teeth marks and from some sharp incisors.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me?” Jax hissed. Who the hell bit off a man’s cock?
“I wish I were. The kid must have been in complete agony. Also, the blunt force trauma to his neck crushed his windpipe and I’d say that it was a heavy instrument like a pipe but I can’t be sure.”
Jax sighed. “What about how the heart was taken?”
Charlotte laughed, her voice trembling as her eyes darted across Jax’s. “That’s just it. I have absolutely no idea what type of instrument could do that.”
“But you suspect something.”
She cocked her head. “Look, I’ve done this for way too long and I’ve seen every creative way to kill a man or a woman. I’ve seen them ripped to shreds by a chainsaw and hacked to death with a meat cleaver but this…this level of pure torture in my honest opinion, I think our killer was strong enough to literally crush through the chest cavity and jerk out his heart.”
Jax shook his head. “There’s no way Charlotte that a man let alone a woman has enough brute strength to be able to do that.”
“Ever arrest someone on crack?”
“I understand what you’re saying but the human body can’t be penetrated in the manner you described. You of all people know that.”
“Jax, I’m telling you that there are no metal, wood, plastic or any other kinds of fragments that would suggest any type of instrument used. There is extensive bruising of the tissue around the area that appears to be caused by fingers, large fingers. The skin and muscle were both shredded like pulled pork and the bone fragments were gnawed on.”
Jax stared into her eyes seeing the horror all over again. Biting back a groan, he swallowed and looked away. Dear God this couldn’t be happening again. “You mean…”
“Yes, I mean it appears some of the flesh and muscle was eaten, Detective.”
Cringing, prickles of fear trickled down his spine. “There has to be something else. There has to be.”
“Well, there was a jagged knife used all over the body and I found evidence of cuts in the tissue surrounding the area of the chest cavity but I honestly think those were inflicted later. They were random and haphazard with various degrees of violence. I think the killer wants you to think that it was a knife but I know better,” Charlotte said, her voice edgy.
“So what are you suggesting?”
“So I’m suggesting Detective that you have a madman on your hands. This kind of kill, you damn well know he or she will do it again, hence the body lying in the next room. I took a cursory glance and while I’m not the detective here, you know what I think?”
“That this murder was just giving him the taste for the kill?”
“Exactly. I would watch out. I think the body count is going to pick up.”
Jax shook his head. “Did you find anything else odd on the victim?”
“Other than the missing parts? Well, he had a burn mark.”
Hair sizzled on the back of his neck from the information. “Fuck! Come with me.”
“What?”
“Just come.” He guided her into the living where her team was already examining the body. “Like that one?”
Charlotte knelt by the body and slid her gloved finger across the mark. Hesitating, she inhaled before gazing in his direction. “Detective, you’ve just made your connection. The mark is identical to the one on the other body.”
“His calling card.” A sharp chill thrashed through Jax’s system. “He wants us to look. Dear God, we have a monster loose. Charlotte, I don’t give a Goddamn who asks you what happened including the Mayor, you tell them nothing. This can’t get out or we’ll have mayhem in the city.”
“Understood.”
Jax groaned and rubbed his eyes. Every part of his system craved shutting down. Karma was coming back to torture a soul that had already been destroyed. Swallowing hard, he turned to find Mike.
“Buddy,” Mike said, his voice strangled.
“Wait. There is one more thing and I definitely do not want anyone to hear this.” Charlotte rose and took Jax by the arm dragging him away from her team.
Jax noticed for the first time just how nervous she was. “What?”
“Well, you’re going to wonder what in the world I must be thinking.”
“Charlotte, what? This case is damning enough to hold anything back.”
“Greg’s body was almost completely drained of blood.”
“The injuries were that severe?”
Her eyes fluttering open and closed, she hesitated before she gripped his arm, her fingers digging into his flesh. “No, Jax. While he lost a significant amount of blood from the injuries, he was…um…drained of his remaining blood, almost completely. I can say I’ve never seen that occurrence before.” She looked away as tiny bubbles trickled past her lips.
“Wait a minute here. Are you suggesting that someone removed the blood for a particular reason?” Jax’s mind raced to the scene. There wasn’t enough blood there to indicate he had been drained and…and…shit!
She nodded. “And from the initial looks of Brent Taylor, I’m suggesting the same thing happened here.”
As Jax’s heart thumped into his chest, sending quivers into his legs, he tried desperately to process the information. “I don’t think I understand.”
“Detective, I know you will think I am nuts here but there are societies that believe in this kind of thing.”
“This kind of thing?”
Charlotte bit her lip. “Yeah as in vampires. I believe you have a vampire on your hands. And from what I know, when there is one, that usually means there is a society present.”
“Detective Steele? Do you have any questions for Tim before I let him go?” A young officer came into the living room. His haggard face spoke of early burn out.
“A couple. I’ll be right there.” Jax shook his head. What in the hell was he supposed to make of Charlotte’s comments? He had never known her to go out on a limb before but seeing her face, he had to believe they were dealing with something extraordinary.
The officer nodded and stole a glance toward the body before he moved stiffly out of the room.
While Jax was well aware that Charlotte was not talking about a night stalker from his childhood nightmares, the idea that human vampires had infiltrated the city was certainly new in concept to Richmond. The Goth scene was rich and ripe and generally under the radar but other than the occasional scuffle and drug use, the folks involved hadn’t caused much trouble. He knew damn good and well he wasn’t going to say anything to Mike until he had the opportunity to look into it. Hell, the man would have him committed.
“I know that look, what’s crawlin’ up ya?” Mike asked.
“Just trying to put the pieces together. I want to try and see the girlfriend after this so why don’t you call her parents and see if she’ll be available in thirty minutes.”
“You’re hiding somethin’ from me buddy.”
“Just thinking, Mike. I’m already terrified this is going to get out of hand.”
“I hear ya.”
Jax sauntered out onto the porch unable to get the thought of vampires off his mind. He had certainly tried several kinky things in college but drinking blood was way beyond his comprehension. Eyeing the roommate, he tried to put on his game face. “Tim? I’m Detective Jax Steele. Thank you for all the help you have provided to the officers and I know how difficult this must be for you. Just a couple more questions.�
�
“Sure,” Tim breathed, barely able to look at Jax. While Tim was still shaking, he appeared resigned and calm. Almost too calm.
“Was Brent into going out to clubs?”
“We went out sometimes to bars and grabbed a beer but he was writing a book and…and…he was always working. Like to stay busy. Liked money. Hell, we all do.”
“What about women?” Jax caught a slight tick over his upper lip.
“He had a few girls he ran with but no one special. He was engaged once and that ended badly.” Tim looked away.
Interesting. “Tell me about his job?”
Tim shrugged and kept his eyes dancing across the uncut lawn. “Not much to tell. He loved what he did and when he got fired, I thought he was gonna freak.”
“Tim, why did he get fired?” Jax looked away giving Tim space.
“Um…he refused to tell me really. Said it had to do with someone he had to interview. So dunno.”
Jax heard the catch in his voice. “Any idea?”
“Just that he got pissed off and had a screaming battle with someone but I honestly don’t know who it was. I left town the day after. I wouldn’t have gone but I had the trip planned for a long time and he insisted.”
“So they fired him for getting into a screaming battle?”
“It um…wasn’t his first.” Tim looked away as he feathered his fingers through his shaggy blond hair. He finally turned his head after several quiet minutes and stared into Jax’s eyes. “He had a temper. When he didn’t like something he told you. His boss warned him but Brent was his own man. He didn’t listen to anybody. Brent just did his own thing. He is…he um was…a good guy but a firecracker.” His voice waning, he leaned against the side of the house and closed his eyes. “Man, I just don’t understand who would some shit like that to him. Jesus he had to have pissed somebody off bad.” Tim laughed and his voice broke into nothing but scattered pants.
“Tim, was Brent doing anything for extra money on the side?” Ohhh...now isn’t that a look. The only reason people garnered a look of shock and horror for a question as simple as whether he had been moonlighting meant that whatever Brent had been doing was either illegal, dangerous or something completely out of his character and at that moment he was taking bets which one.
Surrender Page 5
