Heartbeats of a Killer

by Michael Merson

  Axel and Gary listened to Jaxson explain a lot of what they already knew about the serial killer. The profile they received from the FBI earlier in the investigation mirrored much of what Jaxson was covering.

  “And…” Jaxson started to say.

  “Come on. I think I heard this all before!” Gary interrupted sarcastically.

  “I’ve got to agree with Gary,” Axel said as he began to stand.

  “Well, did you know that he uses a knife with an interchangeable blade or that he made the ‘X’ mark on the knife?” Jaxson added and then waited quietly.

  That was not in the previous profile.

  “Okay, you have our attention. What else do you know?” Axel asked as he sat back down.

  “I think he knows the victims or has had contact with them at some point in time before abducting them. I believe all the victims are a reminder of the girls who he desired as a teenager. I believe that when he was in middle and high school, he was awkward physically in some way. Girls made fun of him or talked about him in their circle of friends. I also think he drives a black, gray, or silver off-road type of vehicle.”

  “What about the last killing? Do you know anything about it?” Gary asked.

  “Only what your Lieutenant told me before you arrived. I haven’t reviewed anything yet. I know that a young male was killed. I know he probably wasn’t supposed to be there, and I know that the killer left some evidence for you. That is about it.”

  “Anything else?” Axel asked.

  “Yes, but I don’t think you’ll want to hear it,” Jaxson answered.

  “What are we not going to want to hear?” Gary asked.

  “Well, he probably still lives at home with his parent or parents and…” Jaxson said and then hesitated.

  “And what?” Gary asked impatiently.

  “I also think he’s working in law enforcement.”

  “What in the hell are you talking about Agent?” Gary asked angrily.

  “I think he’s working in the security field or in law enforcement.”

  “You think he’s one of us? How in the world could you come up with that idea? I’m finished sitting here listening to this stuff,” Gary stated and then stood up.

  “Gary, wait,” Axel said as he looked down at the table.

  “You’ve already thought about that haven’t you Detective Frost?” Jaxson asked.

  “Every time this guy kills someone, he leaves nothing for us to track him down. Up until last night, he’s not left one single piece of evidence behind, except the body at all his crime scenes. The only thing we have is his DNA but no match in the national database. After the third murder, I thought it could be a cop, but I knew if I said something, people would react just like Gary reacted to you just now,” Axel explained.

  “Gary, I know it’s hard to imagine that a cop is doing this. It’s happened before in other cities. Look, he may not be a cop. Maybe a security guard at the mall, a car lot, or even at the airport. But either way, he knows police procedure and evidence. The only thing we have right now is that he knows he left something behind at the scene last night and that’s going to make him desperate.” Jaxson added.

  ***

  Jennifer returned from vacation on the evening flight from Las Vegas. She was soon overwhelmed with grief, and she almost took another day off, after arriving home and learning of her friend Tammy’s death. She decided to go to work at the last minute and walked into the security office late in the afternoon. She sat at the desk and began looking through the files on the shoplifters that were captured by her security personnel while she was out of town.

  “How was your trip?”

  Jennifer turned from her desk and saw Jay standing behind her. He was dressed casually with a newly grown goatee. He smiled at her and then walked in.

  “Did you hear about Tammy?” Jay asked, sympathetically.

  Jay had worked with Jennifer for over two years in the security office at the store. He was a welcomed addition to the security team as he stood six foot four and weighed two hundred and eighty pounds. There was more than one occasion that his size had helped her detain a violent shoplifter. Jennifer had hired Jay as a part-time employee because he was still currently employed by the Colorado Springs School Districts’ Security Department. She paid him a dollar more an hour than the rest of the staff, and she didn’t require that he wear a uniform.

  Jennifer thought that Jay would have resigned by now because he had tried to get hired by various police departments in the area on numerous occasions, but unfortunately for him, he still hadn't made it on to any law enforcement agency as of yet.

  Turning away and reaching for a tissue, she did not answer. She thought that she would be able to talk about Tammy without tearing up, but she was mistaken. Jay reached over and put his hand on her shoulder.

  “I’m okay! How is the hiring process going with the police department?” She asked, trying to change the subject from the loss of her friend to something else.

  “I think I did okay, but I still haven’t heard anything. I think it will be about two or three more weeks before they let anyone know.”

  “I’m sure you did fine, Jay.”

  “Well, the third time is a charm. Right?” Jay said with a shrug of the shoulders.

  “Your resume will speak for itself. You’re a great security officer at both your jobs.” Jennifer said, encouragingly.

  “Thanks, Jennifer. Hey, before I forget Officer Bates came by and wanted to review the video of the outside cameras for an accident that happened in the parking lot over the weekend. I told him you would be back today and could call him back after you looked at the video. I would’ve done it, but you have the password and only access to the files.”

  “Yeah, I’m sorry I left in such a rush for Vegas that I forgot to write it down for you.”

  “Bates said he’d come by tomorrow and see if there was anything on the video that would help him.”

  “Okay. By the way, have you caught any thieves so far this week?” Jennifer inquired.

  “I caught two yesterday. I had to chase one of them down Academy Boulevard,” Jay answered.

  “I also filled out an injury report for myself and placed it on your desk.”

  “How did you hurt yourself?” Jennifer asked, looking him up and down.

  “I tripped over a curb, chasing that kid down the street. I didn’t fall, but I hyperextended my knee. I just won't be chasing anyone else this week.”

  “What did he steal?”

  “I’d rather not say,” Jay replied as he turned to walk away.

  “Jay, as your boss I need to know,” Jennifer called out leaning against the back of her chair with a smirk.

  Jay stopped, turned back towards Jennifer, and stood with his hands on his hips while looking down.

  “He swiped a pair of earrings that were on a rack in the jewelry department,” Jay mumbled.

  “What was the price of the earrings?”

  “I think they were 599 on sale,” Jay answered.

  “$599.00! I’ll have to speak to the jewelry manager about placing items that expensive outside the glass,” Jennifer said as she started reaching for the phone.

  “Umm Jennifer, don’t call him. The earrings were $5.99.”

  “Jay. You chased someone down the street for $5.99?”

  “It was a slow day, but hey, I got him.”

  “Jay, you kill me sometimes,” Jennifer said as she shook her head back and forth.

  “I’m going to go walk the floor and look for more thieves,” Jay advised before turning and walking away.

  “Hey! lunch is on me today!” Jennifer yelled.

  Jay didn’t say anything. He just placed one hand in the air with a thumbs up. Jennifer turned toward her desk and began to catch up on the items and issues facing the security department that she had missed while she was on vacation. She knew that she wanted to stay busy with work rather than think about her friend Tammy. She then wrote a note to herself as a re
minder to review the video+ tomorrow morning for Officer Bates.

  Chapter 24

  Axel invited Jaxson to follow along with him and Gary as they reviewed the evidence that was recovered from the scene in Black Forest. The three men walked out into the lobby, entered the elevator, and took a quiet ride down to the basement where the evidence room and crime lab were located. Gary wasn’t convinced that PPK could be one of their own.

  “Is this the awkward silence that people talk about?” Gary asked the two.

  “Yes. I do believe it is Gary,” Jaxson answered.

  “So. Jaxson how long have you been with the FBI?” Gary asked.

  “Just over three years.”

  “Have you spent all that time in the BAU dealing with serial killers and profiling?” Axel inquired as the doors opened.

  “No, actually.”

  Axel and Gary looked at each other as Jaxson walked out past them into the hall.

  ***

  “Amanda, how is that detective friend of yours doing?”

  “Axel is fine. Thank you for asking,” Amanda answered Frank, her cameraman.

  “Have you gotten him to confide in you about the case?”

  “I’m not seeing him for that reason, Frank. Besides, I wouldn’t do something like that for a story,” Amanda responded sternly.

  “I’m sorry, Amanda. I didn’t think you would do that. I was just teasing you a little,” Frank said in response to Amanda’s defensive remark and her now upright posture.

  He knew he had crossed the line. He’d seen a lot of news reporters use their looks to get a story or a lead in the past. He also knew if he didn’t apologize that he’d hear about it later from his boss. Frank knew of others who had lost their jobs over inappropriate remarks in the workplace.

  Why couldn’t I have gotten assigned to a male reporter? Frank thought to himself as he began looking over the equipment trying to appear busy.

  Amanda saw the look on Frank’s face as he began to check his equipment, and she knew that he probably didn’t mean what he had said in the manner that she had taken it.

  “Frank, I know some women do that sort of thing. But I wouldn’t. Now if you ever accuse me of that kind of unethical behavior again, I’ll…”

  “I know you’ll report me to the boss, right?” Frank said, interrupting her.

  “No, Frank. I’ll tell all the girls back at the station that you wear superhero underwear,” Amanda said with a smile.

  “How do you know that? I mean, what are you talking about?” Frank asked, trying to pretend that he didn’t know what she was talking about.

  “Frank, you show more of your backside when you bend over to work on that equipment than you are aware of,” Amanda said and then laughed, which encouraged Frank to laugh as well.

  Frank then thought that maybe he was with the right reporter. He continued to work on the equipment and laughed as Amanda walked past him, slightly knocking his hat forward over his eyes from behind.

  Amanda walked back to the van and sat in the passenger seat. She looked around the area and admired the quiet serenity that the Black Forest community offered its residents. She thought about how nice it had to be to live in a community like this.

  How quiet it must be at night, she thought.

  Then suddenly she remembered where she slept last night and how quiet it was there as well. Sleeping at Axel’s house was a great feeling. The smell of his cologne on the sheets was intoxicating. She began to think about their relationship.

  If that’s what I can call it, she thought.

  Maybe he thinks that I’m moving too fast.

  Reaching into her purse, she pulled out her cell phone.

  ***

  Jeramiah slept for a few hours. After he awoke, he laid there for a few minutes before deciding to get up and try to move around. He felt the soreness in his leg and pulled the sheet back to examine the injury. It was a deep purple and red. He reached for the bottle of Vicodin on the coffee table and unscrewed the cap. He picked up a glass of water that was on the floor and quickly washed down some pills. He then slept for a little longer before rolling out of bed and into the tub where the warm water helped to loosen up the tightness in his leg and shoulder.

  After getting dressed, he took his father’s car and drove over to the Black Forest neighborhood. Sitting on the side of the road he watched as reporters and their network vans set up their equipment and conducted interviews with the other residents in the area. He didn’t see many police cars around and wondered if he could walk in the woods without being noticed.

  Surely, they searched the woods for the knife or any other traces of evidence. The only reported deaths were the two people inside the house. The people from the car must not have been hit by his gunfire. He was sure they had told the police the direction he ran. But the need to recover his knife was consuming his thoughts.

  As he began to open the door, he stopped suddenly and sank back down in the seat. He attempted to cover his face. Two crime techs walked out of the woods carrying cameras and plastic bags, most likely containing his knife, or at least that’s what he thought.

  After the officer passed, he made no attempt to exit the car or to enter the woods. The decision to leave without getting caught was the smarter choice. Jeramiah turned the ignition on and then looked up and through the trees. He froze as he saw her sitting in the white news van a few hundred yards away.

  ***

  “Hello. No, I’m not doing anything right now. I’m glad you called…Yes, I think I could meet you tonight after work,” Axel said as he spoke into the phone while walking away from his two companions.

  “Is that Commando?” Gary asked as his partner smiled and waved him off.

  “Commando?” Jaxson asked as he looked to Gary for a response.

  “Oh… you want to know about Commando?” Gary asked while speaking loud enough for Axel to hear.

  Axel held up a single finger, instructing Gary where he could go and what he thought of his comment.

  “Yes, I can meet you at Mario’s, and yes, I know where it is. Seven o’clock will be great,” Axel said as he shook his head in agreement while speaking into the phone.

  Gary continued to poke at Axel as he tried to finish his conversation. Axel began walking in circles, trying to avoid his old friend. Jaxson stood back, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and watched the two friends with a grin on his face.

  “I’m looking forward to it. I’ll see you tonight. Goodbye,” Axel said into the phone.

  “Was that your girlfriend?” Gary asked.

  “My girlfriend… How original Gary. Did you come up with that all by yourself?” Axel asked.

  “Why, yes, I did! But you can use it anytime you feel the need,” Gary said smugly.

  “Weren't we going somewhere, guys?” Jaxson asked.

  “Yes, I do believe we were, Agent Locke. Thanks for reminding us. Now Detective Frost, if you’re finished with your personal call, I think we should get back to work,” Gary explained.

  The three walked inside, stood in the waiting area until they were buzzed in by Beck. Beck had been working all morning since he’d left the crime scene. He smiled as the trio entered.

  “I hope you’ve got good news for us, my friend,” Gary remarked as he sat down in a chair behind Beck’s desk.

  “Hey, get your sorry ass out of my chair!” Beck barked as he limped over toward Gary, who began to stand up to allow Beck to sit down.

  “You haven’t changed one bit, you old bastard!” Gary said as he smiled at Axel, who was pulling a couple of chairs over to the desk.

  “Yeah, you wouldn’t know what to do if I did change, and yes, Axel, I got more photos of the impression marks from the latest victim this morning. Dr. Ryan’s office sent them over. This afternoon I was able to make a cast of the knife that was found at the scene. I then compared it to the mark on Tammy Johnson,” Beck started to explain and then stopped to rub the stubbles on his chin with his hand.
r />   “So, what did you find?” Gary asked excitedly.

  “You know, you interrupt me more than anyone I know, Gary.”

  “As I was saying before I was interrupted, I compared the impressions, and we’ve got a match. The knife we found at the scene is the same one used on Tammy, and by tomorrow I believe we will have a match on all of our other victims, who have the impression, where the knife was pressed hard into their bodies.”

  “Now that we’ve got a match is there any way to tie the knife back to a certain brand or manufacturer?” Axel asked.

  “No, Axel. I had my guys run a check through different companies that are in our network. The knife is pretty generic, and I think the skull and bones on the side near the base of the blade were put there by someone after it was purchased. Most likely PPK,” Beck said as he stood up and walked over to the wall and flipped off the lights. Axel and Gary looked over to Jaxson who didn’t say anything about being right concerning the ‘X’ mark being affixed to the knife by PPK.

  Beck then moved next to a laptop computer and used it to display a magnified image of the knife onto a screen next to his desk.

  “If you look at the skull and bones here at the base you can see that it was placed there very sloppy, like with probably a five and dime soldering kit.”

  Beck used a laser pointer to direct his audience’s attention to the knife on the screen.

  “Why do you think the skull and bones were put there?”

  “I really don’t know Gary,” Beck answered.

  “I think it’s being used by the suspect as an alter ego, fantasy, or some another part of his psychological signature,” Jaxson chimed in.

  “Locke, what in the hell are you talking about?” Gary asked.

  “PPK uses the impression of the skull and bones on the knife because it represents the illusion of being bad, evil, or even rebellious.”

  The three men looked at each other in a way that let the other ones know that all three men were confused by what Locke was saying.

  “Jaxson, pirates used the skull and crossbones on their flags and ships,” Axel said as he leaned forward toward the FBI Agent hoping to get more of an explanation from him.