Heartbeats of a Killer

by Michael Merson

  The team went through the house as they had planned and precisely the way they were trained to do. No room was missed and no closet unopened. After about twenty minutes, Sgt. Denton walked out the door between Axel and Jaxson and radioed to Lt. Jenkins that the house was clear.

  After the team checked the surrounding structures, Axel and Jaxson met with Wilson in the living room of the home. The house was immaculately clean, and there didn’t appear to be any sign of people living in the home. The house seemed to be more of a museum than a residence.

  “Where are the parents?” Jaxson asked as he looked at Axel.

  "I don’t know. The house is still listed to them, and their mail is here on the table," Axel replied.

  “I’m going back to the station to update the Chief,” Wilson announced as he walked out the front door. It was evident that he was disappointed. He, like the others, really wanted to apprehend PPK.

  “We’ll finish up here.”

  “All right,” Wilson replied without turning around as he walked out to his car.

  “He’s upset,” Axel said as he turned around to face Jaxson and Beck, who remained at the house to gather evidence.

  “Yeah, but he’ll get over it,” Beck added.

  “I guess we should get started,” Jaxson suggested as he walked down the hallway.

  “I’ll cover the bedrooms upstairs,” Axel said as he walked up the stairs from the front entry.

  “I’ll cover the living room and kitchen if you can check the other rooms down here Jaxson,” Beck suggested.

  “Got it,” Jaxson replied.

  Jaxson started down the hallway from the foyer, and Beck walked into the kitchen. The house was decorated in a mountain décor with pictures of wildlife and mountains. Jaxson continued walking down the hall and stopped a few times to look at the decorations.

  The hallway was filled with large pictures and Jaxson moved from one to the other, slowly studying them. It was the Forensic Psychologist within him that forced him to try to understand his suspect’s behavior, his life, his choices, and his thinking. Moving by the pictures along one wall, Jaxson stopped to analyze one specific painting.

  The painting ran from the floor to the ceiling. It was framed in a dense dark wood that appeared to have been carved by hand. The picture was of a grizzly that was standing on top of a mountain, overlooking a herd of elk. The grizzly was large, muscular, domineering, and a bit demonic.

  “This is him,” Jaxson said quietly.

  Jeramiah watched from the peephole from the other side of the panic room. The painting concealed the entrance to the secret room. The small holes that he had made in the tapestry allowed Jeramiah to observe the FBI agent on the other side. Slowly and very quietly, Jeramiah placed the gun down the front of his pants and gripped the knife tightly.

  Jaxson turned away from the painting to look at one of Pikes Peak on the opposite wall. He was examining it when he started thinking about the grizzly and how it was watching the herd of elk.

  The grizzly was watching his prey as they grazed, Jaxson thought to himself.

  He then slowly turned back around to look at the grizzly one more. He looked up and then down at the entire painting and determined that the picture was approximately the same dimensions as a door. Jaxson leaned in closer to the canvas and saw two small holes. He quickly backed up, drew his pistol, and held it at chest level just as PPK burst through the painting. Jaxson fired shooting from the close quarter position.

  At first, Jaxson didn’t notice the knife, nor did he feel the blade enter his torso between his ribs. He was speechless, but he stood there trying to speak while looking into the eyes of a killer. PPK pushed Jaxson against the other wall and then slowly pulled the knife out. Jaxson dropped to his knees, and his gun fell to the floor.

  “Tell Axel I’m still watching,” PPK said.

  Jaxson slumped backward against the wall as PPK moved passed him toward the front door. He then leaned forward, grabbed his gun, and fired at PPK. A round struck the wall next to his head. PPK, angry now, turned and faced Jaxson once more and then lifted his gun to finish the agent off when suddenly Axel appeared at the top of the stairs with his gun in hand.

  “Stop!” Axel screamed.

  PPK quickly turned and pointed his pistol at Axel and fired multiple rounds at the detective. Axel ducked down and then stood and fired his own gun from behind cover, but it was too late. PPK had run from the house.

  Axel quickly ran down the stairs and heard Beck screaming from the hallway.

  “Axel! Jaxson is down!

  Axel entered the foyer and looked out the front door and then down the hallway where Beck was kneeling over Jaxson.

  “Go! I’ll take care of Jaxson!”

  Axel ran across the yard and into the driveway. The driveway led to a garage that sat alone, away from the house. He moved to the side of the open garage, and cautiously looked inside with his gun drawn. He turned the flashlight on at the bottom of the barrel of his pistol. It allowed him to see where he was aiming. The garage was dark, Axel moved inside slowly. A black pickup truck occupied a portion of the garage.

  As Axel passed by the front of the truck, the lights came on and illuminated him. He then heard the truck crank as the motor came to life. Axel turned and faced the truck with his gun pointed at the driver’s side. There, sitting in the driver’s seat, staring at him was PPK. Gunfire erupted from the driver’s side window which forced the detective to roll to his left and to fire blindly at the truck as it charged forward at him. The flash of red was all Axel saw from the taillights as it passed by him.

  Members of the tactical team ran down from the main road and fired at the truck as it passed by them as well. Axel watched as it disappeared down the driveway.

  “Damn, damn!” Axel shouted and then kicked the garage door.

  “Axel!” Beck screamed from inside the house.

  Axel ran back into the house and hurried over to Jaxson. He knelt on the other side of him and looked at Beck, who was applying pressure to the wound on Jaxson’s side. Axel reached down and grabbed the agent’s hand and held it tightly. The three men sat quietly and waited for the tactical emergency medical support team to come inside. Axel listened to the radio. He heard officers explain how PPK had successfully crashed through the barricade. He then heard that the police cruisers were damaged, and they weren't able to pursue the suspect. Axel shook his head and then looked at Jaxson.

  “Hold on.”

  ***

  When the ambulance arrived, Axel climbed inside and sat next to Jaxson while Beck stood at the backdoor.

  “You’ll be all right,” Beck said and then looked at Axel.

  “I’ll take care of him,” Axel said just as the doors shut.

  Axel was looking down at Jaxson when he heard the sirens wail from the rooftop of the ambulance as they started down the mountain.

  “Can you contact my boss?” Jaxson asked from the gurney.

  “I’ll call them.”

  “Why am I getting cold?”

  “Because we're in the mountains. You just lay back and think about all those pretty nurses who are going to be waiting on you hand and foot for the next few days.”

  Jaxson then closed his eyes. Axel quickly looked up at the paramedic.

  “I gave him something to help him relax. He’s looking good on his vitals right now.”

  “Thank you.”

  ***

  At the hospital, Axel made the necessary phone calls and waited until Jaxson was out of surgery. He was tired, and before long he dozed off, only to be awoken by agents from the FBI. Agent Moore identified himself as the Special Agent in Charge and explained to Axel that he had many questions for him.

  Axel followed Moore to the cafeteria where they both got a cup of coffee and sat at an empty table away from anyone who may be listening. Axel explained how he had asked Agent Locke for his assistance in the investigation. Agent Moore looked as though he knew Axel was lying, but he didn’t ask any follo
w-up question about the matter. Axel figured that the FBI was content with the explanation if they could say that Agent Locke was asked to help with the investigation.

  After the surgery was over, Axel was the first visitor who entered the recovery room. He walked over and spoke in a low voice to Jaxson who appeared to be half awake and half asleep.

  “Are you awake?”

  “Yes,” Jaxson whispered.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “Really good,” Jaxson answered slowly.

  “Well, that’s how you’re supposed to feel.”

  “What time is it?”

  “It’s late or early depending on how you look at it. You should get some sleep. I’ll come by later and see how you’re doing. If anyone from the bureau comes in, make sure you tell them that I asked for your assistance with the investigation.”

  “But you didn’t. I just…”

  “I know what you did, and I should’ve asked for some help sooner. Maybe others would still be alive if I had.”

  “You did everything you could.”

  “Thanks,” Axel said as he started to walk out the door, just as a nurse walked in carrying a syringe. She smiled and made her way over to the IV drip and added the contents of the needle to the line going into Jaxson’s arm.

  “This will put him out for a little while,” The nurse explained and then left the room.

  “Watch your back, Axel.”

  “What?”

  “He told me to tell you that he’s still watching,” Jaxson said as he began to slide deeper into unconsciousness.

  “What else did he say Jaxson?” Axel asked as he moved closer to the bed from the door.

  “I tried to find Lisa,” Jaxson whispered right before he ultimately passed out.

  Axel tried to get Jaxson to continue talking, but the medication quickly took him somewhere else. Axel patted his friend’s leg and walked out into the hallway. Before leaving the hospital, he spoke to FBI agents waiting for their turn to see Jaxson. Axel then spoke to Jaxson’s doctor. He learned that the blade was pushed away from Jaxson’s vital organs, thanks to the bulletproof vest he had worn. The wound was more of a hindrance to the muscles and that he would recover quickly.

  A ride back to the station was easily found in the Emergency room as cruisers came and went every few minutes in a busy city like Colorado Springs. Once he was back at the station, he called Beck, who had left him a message through dispatch. The message was short and to the point. Axel learned that the house provided plenty of evidence. He also learned that two coffins were found in the hidden room that Beck believed contained the remains of PPK’s parents. The CSI team also found PPK’s trophies that he kept in glass jars in the same place as his deceased parents.

  At his desk, Axel worked on his report concerning the events of the day. When he was finished, he sat back in his chair and wondered where DJ would have gone. He then thought of the warning for himself that was given to Jaxson by PPK.

  What did he mean by, he’s still watching? Why me? He asked himself.

  “I’m still watching,” Axel whispered as he closed his eyes and started to slowly fall asleep. He thought of Amanda. He thought of the nights they had dinner together and remembered each one separately. The first night at the restaurant was perfect up until he went out to his truck and saw the damage.

  Suddenly, Axel jumped to his feet and remembered what was written on his door. DJ must have been following him that night.

  But why? He asked himself.

  He began pacing back and forth in front of the cubicle.

  Why was PPK following me that night? There has to be some reason, but what is it?

  Then it hit him, and he stopped pacing. It wasn’t him that was being followed that night, it had been Amanda!

  Pulling his phone out, he dialed Amanda’s number and heard it ring once before he heard her voice on the other end.

  “Hello,” Amanda said as her voice began to crack.

  “Amanda!” Axel said.

  “Amanda, are you there? Amanda!”

  “Amanda! Amanda! Answer me!” Axel shouted into the phone.

  “Amanda is predisposed right now and can't speak. She’s tied up. I can take a message, and maybe she'll call you back, but I doubt it,” PPK said into the phone.

  Axel said nothing. He just listened.

  “Oh, come now, Axel. Surely you knew this would happen. After all, you don’t think that people can go on television and call someone a monster and get away with it. Do you? I just thought it’d be a good idea to let her get to know me after calling me a monster.”

  “DJ you don’t have to do this! Where are you?”

  “I can’t tell you where I’m at now, but I’ll tell you where I’m going to be.”

  “Where?” Axel asked calmly.

  “North Cheyenne Cañon in tunnel one. Why don’t you try to make it there?” Jeramiah suggested.

  “You can count on it,” Axel answered.

  “Axel, I don’t believe I have to say this, but I will. Come alone,” Jeramiah ordered.

  “I will. Now let me speak to Amanda again.”

  “No. But we’ll see you at two in the morning.”

  The phone went dead.

  That’s a lot of time.

  Axel sat at his desk, trying to figure out what he should do. After a few minutes, he rushed out of the building and got into his car. He had an idea.

  ***

  “Amanda, don’t cry… There'll be plenty of time for that later.”

  Amanda couldn’t stop crying. Her hands were tied behind her back, and her feet were bound at the ankles. She wondered if she would make it out alive. She thought of her parents and her sister. She tried to remember the last time she had spoken to any of them.

  “You and I are going to have fun before we’re finished tonight. You think he’ll show up? I think he will,” PPK said sarcastically as he ran his hand over his captive’s bare leg. PPK had Amanda tied up in the backseat of her car.

  “I need to rest before we meet with Detective Frost,” PPK said before placing her car in Drive and leaving the parking lot of the Police Operation Center. He left Amanda’s cell phone taped to the driver’s side door of Axel’s car where he was sure to find it.

  Chapter 35

  Sunday, July 8

  The drive up to Gold Camp Road was slow, and it was agitating Axel as he wanted to get there as quickly as possible. The thoughts of what could be happening to Amanda enraged him. The images of the other victims flashed in his eyes, and it made him drive dangerously faster. As he sped up, the car slid out more than once, almost sending him over the edge down to the bottom of the North Cheyenne Cañon.

  The final curve before the tunnel was just a few hundred feet away and Axel reached down and shut the lights off. He brought the car to a stop, took his pistol out, and flipped on the light on the bottom of the barrel. Holding the gun in one hand, he looked at Amanda’s cell phone in the other. PPK had changed her screensaver to a picture of Amanda. She was tied up in the floorboard of her car, she was crying, and she was scared. The rope around her ankles was the same as the ones that were found on the other PPK victims. On the screen, he had written in black marker the words, ‘Final Victim?’

  Axel threw the cell phone to the side and then reached over and pressed the trunk release. He got out, shut the door, and started walking toward the tunnel. He adjusted his vest while consciously surveying his surroundings for PPK.

  When he got to the entrance to the tunnel, he saw a light at the other end, and he stopped momentarily. He took a deep breath and began walking down the center of the dirt-packed road. Axel knew that he was walking into a trap. Halfway through the tunnel, it began to turn, and the light became brighter. As he got closer, he saw a car sitting in the tunnel with the headlights on. There in front of the car was Amanda still bound at her wrist and ankles.

  Axel’s heart beat faster, and he began to run toward her. He was about to reach Amanda when he saw the flash
of light. The impact of the bullet sent him backward. The sound of the pistol firing echoed through the tunnel.

  “No! No!” Amanda screamed.

  “Shut up! Shut up!” PPK screamed louder as he walked from his hiding place at the side of the car. He moved over to Amanda and looked down at her, still holding the gun as smoke drifted upward from the barrel.

  “You killed him, you bastard!”

  “Maybe, maybe not, but we’ll soon find out,” PPK said as he started toward Axel who was still on the ground not moving.

  PPK slowly and cautiously walked toward the motionless Detective Frost with his gun at his side. The lights of the car illuminated him as he stood over what he believed to be his latest victim. PPK smiled and positioned himself to take a final shot into the head of the man that had been following his every move. Then suddenly the car’s light beams were interrupted by someone walking in front of them, directly behind PPK.

  PPK turned and saw the figure of a man standing in the light. The man stood in front of Amanda, blocking her from her kidnapper. He turned and looked at Axel, still on the ground.

  “I said, alone, didn’t I?” PPK screamed.

  “Hey, monster.”

  “What did you call me? I’m no monster! No one has the right to judge me. I’ve been judged my entire life by people like her. She doesn't know me, and neither do you!” PPK screamed in anger and raised his gun hand at the figure off in the distance.

  Axel took advantage of the distraction and raised his own gun at PPK. PPK saw the movement from the corner of his eye and turned to face Axel, just as the flash of light from Axel’s gun brightened the cave. The round hit PPK in the chest, and he winced in pain. He fired his gun once more and caught Axel in the leg.

  PPK fell next to Axel. The dark figure at the other end of the tunnel ran toward the two of them on the ground. Axel had followed PPK’s large body with the barrel of his pistol as he fell next to him.

  “Don’t do it!” Axel yelled as PPK lifted his own gun slowly once more toward the detective.

  “No!” The dark figure and Axel screamed at the same time and then began firing their guns into PPK. The killer jerked many times before the two of them stopped filling him full of lead.