Girl With The Origami Butterfly

by Linda Berry

  “You mean dominated.”

  A half-smile. “Semantics.”

  “What did you do with Mimi to put her in her place?”

  “A gentleman doesn’t tell.” His smile widened. “Saving that for the book. Think it will be a best seller?”

  “Where’s the cabin?”

  “My little secret.”

  She tried another tactic, hoping for another slip. “You took Bailey with you after you killed Sammy. Why? You soft on dogs?”

  “Yeah. I love dogs. I was sorry I had to hit him. After I left Sammy, I carried him to my car. We spent the night together at the cabin.”

  “His paws were bloody when he got back to Ann’s. Looked like he ran about twenty miles. Not very humane of you.”

  “Not my fault. He escaped. It was only seven miles.”

  “Must have been through the woods, the way his paws looked. This side of the lake?”

  He smiled. Clammed up.

  “Seven miles through the woods, this side of the lake…”

  Zip.

  With a flash of temper, Sidney turned off her recorder. “Interview’s over.”

  His eyes widened.

  “No press conference until you’re ready to tell me everything. What you did to those women. Where the cabin is.” Sidney pushed herself out of the chair and without a backward glance or goodbye, walked out of the room.

  She got less than ten feet before she heard his indignant voice call out.

  “Chief Becker.”

  She stopped in the hall, waited.

  “Chief Becker!” Voice hoarse, angry now.

  Sidney breathed deeply, waited.

  “Chief Becker.” A touch of humility. “I’m ready to talk.”

  Sidney just wanted to get away from him. Irritation boiled up inside of her and she took a couple more deep breaths to try to dilute her dark mood. She didn’t want to hear any more about Jeff’s unspeakable acts and the unspeakable pain he caused.

  After taking another deep breath of air, she turned and began walking back to the psychopath’s room.

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  SIDNEY AND SELENA PREPARED scalloped potatoes, roasted vegetables, and a crisp green salad in the kitchen while listening to the hum of male voices and laughter coming from the porch. Sidney smiled, stealing glances at David and Granger socializing while firing up the grill. Smoke wafted behind them as top sirloin steaks hit the grill and sizzled. Selena had beamed when Granger assured her that the prime cuts of beef, straight from his ranch, were grass-fed, with no antibiotics or hormones.

  When the food groups were coordinated, the two couples gathered around the table with a bottle of good Merlot, compliments of David, and dug in, trading flattering remarks about the cuisine. The cats prowled around the table, excited by the company, vying for treats, and finally settling into four bundles of fur decorating the worn Asian rug.

  The conversation was dominated by accounts of reporters harassing everyone in town, turning any grain of information into a speculative story. Though some of the townsfolk were miffed by the invasive questions, the money the outsiders were spending—a boost to the town’s economy, smoothed most ruffled feathers.

  “How’s Ann?” Sidney asked Selena.

  “She’s doing okay. A blanket of doom has been lifted from her shoulders. Noah’s gone. Jeff’s gone. The whole town is breathing easier. She feels safe enough to be home alone.” Selena paused to eat a forkful of potatoes.

  “Miko stopped by with a basket of fresh eggs,” Granger filled in. “He looked exhausted, and pretty torn up. Bags under his eyes. He apologized to Ann for Noah’s behavior.”

  “He’s a decent guy.” Selena wiped her mouth with a napkin and continued while Granger stabbed a bite of steak and shoved it into his mouth. “Ann was surprisingly gracious. She told Miko she knew it wasn’t his fault. She offered to make quiche Lorraine with the eggs and drop some off to him.” Selena shared a smile with Granger before she turned back to David and Sidney. “There’s something going on between those two. I wouldn’t be surprised if they become an item down the road, after everything cools off.”

  I could say the same thing about you two, Sidney thought. The lingering gazes, their sparkling eyes and flushed faces, the way they lightly touched each other while talking, were dead giveaways.

  After dinner, stomachs full, plates pushed aside, another bottle of wine was opened, and inevitably the topic turned to the homicide investigation, now in its final stages. They all needed to talk about it, try to get some closure.

  Warmed by the wine, Sidney found it easier to relate the details of her conversation with Jeff at the hospital, right up to the point where she left his room and returned minutes later after calming herself in the hallway. She paused to sip her Merlot, all eyes on her in anticipation, except for Granger, who knew the whole story. He, Amanda, and Darnel had accompanied her to Jeff’s one-room cabin after she left the hospital yesterday. The cabin—a euphemism for a drafty, old woodshed—was located in a remote, wooded area seven miles from the lake. Jeff had been renting it for years as a writing retreat.

  “So, what did Jeff tell you when you went back in his room?” Selena asked.

  “The location of the cabin and every gruesome detail of the three murders. He didn’t need to go into detail, I discovered later. Just wanted to shock me. We found his video collection when we processed the cabin. He had documented everything, every detail, in cinematic color. The cabin was set up like a love nest. Bear rug in front of the fireplace, silk sheets on the bed. Everything he imagined a woman would want on a dream date.”

  “Yech.” Selena’s face paled.

  “How did he avoid leaving trace evidence on the women?” David asked.

  “He cleaned them up afterwards. Did a thorough job, except for that one pubic hair he left on Sammy.”

  No one spoke. They didn’t need to. Revulsion was etched on their faces.

  “Bottom line,” Sidney said. “Jeff imagined these incapacitated women welcomed his assaults. Once they were put in what he called ‘a submissive role’ they became willing partners to his sexual exploitation.”

  “Demented,” Selena seethed.

  “His own special kind of crazy,” David agreed.

  “Got that right. Definitely a psychopath,” Sidney said. “He spoke of his atrocities like he was talking about the weather. With a sense of pride, even.” For a moment her voice constricted, as the horror of Jeff’s actions threatened to engulf her.

  She focused on David’s handsome face, the deep velvet brown of his eyes, which expressed compassion and support in the soft lighting. She began to relax, like a woman walking on a frozen lake who realizes she’s back on dry land. The worst was over. Her sister was safe. The town was safe.

  “He showed no remorse?” Selena asked, breaking into Sidney’s thoughts.

  “None. It’s clear he’s incapable of remorse, or any kind of real relationship with another human. So, killing them after they met his perverted needs didn’t push his envelope out too far.”

  “So his motivation was sex, after all,” Selena said. “Like the paper said.”

  “Not entirely. The common denominator linking all three victims seems to be Derek Brent.”

  David and Selena looked surprised.

  “All three women were exceptionally pretty. Not the type who would give Jeff a passing glance. But in his mind, all three had been sexually involved with Derek.”

  “So Jeff built up a fantasy about Derek, and was jealous of him?” David asked.

  “Yes. To the point of neurosis. He spoke of Derek with extreme malice. I’m no expert, but he seemed to be obsessed with having what Derek had, at any cost.”

  Selena’s brows came together. “I don’t get it. Why did he think Derek was involved with these women?”

  “He’s delusional.” Sidney sipped the last of her Merlot and met David’s gaze. He smiled and refilled her glass. “I spoke with Derek last night,” she continued. “It appears J
eff twisted things Derek said to him off the cuff. Granted, he did have a thing with Mimi. Impulsive. A quickie in the church, which they both regretted afterwards, and didn’t repeat.”

  “And Jeff may have witnessed Sammy flirting with Derek when the two men ate at Hogan’s one night. But she probably flirted with all the male customers. Seeking bigger tips. Jeff was dead wrong about Derek and Samantha having an affair. Derek was actually outraged by her. Apparently, she sold his nephew illegal drugs. Possibly even the heroin laced with fentanyl that killed him. The lover’s spat Jeff thinks he witnessed in Barney’s parking lot was actually Derek giving Samantha holy hell.”

  Sidney paused to sip her wine, and then continued. “And Jeff was certainly wrong about Satoshi. In reality, she and Derek were close friends, but not lovers. She was gay. While recovering in Sand Hill, Derek spent a lot of time with her. He was extremely grateful that she befriended him when he was nearly suicidal.”

  Selena’s eyes widened. “Suicidal?”

  “Yeah. He was deeply depressed after the accident, and in terrible pain. Thought he’d never walk again. Satoshi spent a lot of time with him. She turned him on to a Chinese spiritual practice that gave him the strength to recover. He feels she saved his life.”

  Sadness touched Selena’s face. “I feel bad we accused him of murder.”

  “Me, too. But following the evidence in an investigation isn’t foolproof. Derek’s not holding a grudge. He’s just thankful we pulled the mask off Jeff.”

  “So Jeff believed he was moving in on women that were infatuated with Derek,” David said.

  “Yes. While Jeff had a history of being rebuffed by pretty women, he watched them ‘drool’ over Derek. Derek was everything Jeff wanted to be—rich, handsome, highly intelligent, successful—while Jeff came up short in every category.”

  “Then Derek was in the car accident,” Selena said. “His face disfigured.”

  “When we talked about that, Jeff gloated.” The memory chilled Sidney. “He was thrilled about Derek losing his looks and experiencing misery, ‘like the rest of us.’” With Derek out of the way, Jeff had the run of his property. He was happy for three years, living a privileged life.”

  “Interesting,” David said. “During that period, there were no murders.”

  “Yep. Since Mimi. Then Derek started coming back to Garnerville on weekends, and then he told Jeff he was moving back permanently.”

  “Oh dear,” Selena said. “Trouble.”

  “Big time. Somewhere along the line, Derek raved to Jeff about Satoshi. Brought her art pieces home, and her photo.”

  “Must have stirred up old feelings of resentment,” Granger said. “Even with his face scarred, Derek managed to attract a gorgeous woman.”

  “Jeff couldn’t tolerate the thought of Derek being happy,” David said.

  “So he had to be punished,” Selena said. “By killing Satoshi.”

  Sidney was silent, staring into her glass.

  “What aren’t you telling us?” Selena asked.

  Sidney looked up and met her sister’s gaze. “Strange, but Satoshi affected Jeff differently. He described her as gentle and trusting, while he referred to Sammy and Mimi as loose women who deserved to be punished. He imagined he and Satoshi had some kind of deep romantic connection. Spent two days with her in her little cottage over the bay. Propped her up at the table, ate his meals with her, read her the paper, read poetry to her after ‘they made love.’”

  “Horrifying.” Selena visibly shivered and sadness weighed on her voice. “That poor woman.”

  “Jeff couldn’t bring himself to leave Satoshi out in the woods, exposed to the elements like the other two, but instead he killed her in the lighthouse. Sealed in what he called ‘a fitting tomb.’ He told me he cried for days after he killed her.”

  “Cried for himself,” Granger said. “Not for what he did to her. He missed his play toy.”

  There was silence around the table.

  “Which leads to me,” Selena said, voicing what everyone was thinking.

  Sidney had planned to avoid talking about Selena’s victimization, but the look on her sister’s face told her she needed to air it out. Sidney said, “After moving back to Garnerville, Derek became attracted to you. No doubt, he mentioned you to Jeff. Jeff couldn’t let that develop.” Sidney cleared her throat, continued. “Jeff was driven to experience whatever good thing Derek experienced.”

  “A beautiful woman that had always been outside his grasp,” Granger said, his gentle blue eyes holding Selena’s gaze.

  “He wanted to gratify his own need and punish Derek at the same time,” Sidney said.

  Selena drew in a long, ragged breath. “So he invaded our house and planted that filthy little camera in my bedroom. How long was it there?”

  “Not long,” Sidney said. “A couple days. While you were at Ann’s. When we reviewed the footage on his computer, your room was empty. Except for the cats. Chili slept on your pillow the whole time you were gone.”

  Selena attempted a smile, then swallowed. “Hard to believe that nerdy Jeff Norcross killed three women, just to hurt Derek.”

  “There’s a completely different entity residing in his body. Something with talons and fangs.” Sidney sipped her Merlot. “I also think he was responsible for Derek’s car accident.”

  Selena’s eyes widened.

  “He strongly inferred as much when we talked. Makes sense when you think about it. He tampered with the brakes on your car, Selena, knowing you’d eventually crash. He led me to believe he did the same thing to Derek’s car the morning of his accident.”

  Selena asked, “Was his intent to kill him?”

  “I don’t think Derek’s death would have fazed him, though the end result suited him beautifully.”

  “Where did this madman come from, anyway?” David asked. “How did he end up in Garnerville?”

  “Born and raised here,” Sidney said. “Jeff wouldn’t talk about his upbringing. But research shows there’s a genetic predisposition to antisocial behavior. An unhealthy environment, with abusive parenting, can push an individual with that tendency into extreme, violent behavior. Jeff is six years younger than me, so I never knew him from school, never met his family. His parents moved out of state a few years back, to Wyoming.”

  “I knew him,” Granger said. “We had classes together. I remember he was very brainy. On the honor roll, the debate team. He had a girlfriend who was just as brainy.” He squinted, thinking. “Oh yeah, her name was Marla Gundwich. Thick glasses. As short and round as he was tall and skinny. I remember the jocks and cheerleaders use to poke fun at them. Called them the odd couple; Bean Pole and Melon.”

  “Cruel,” Selena said.

  “Mean, for sure. But mostly, Jeff was invisible,” Granger said. “He left town to go to Oregon State. Journalist major. Came back and started the Daily Buzz. Filled a void. The citizens of Garnerville were tired of being second class citizens, getting the rare mention from the Jackson Bulletin.”

  “He finally came out of obscurity. Got some attention,” Selena said.

  “Not the kind he craved. He really wanted his name in neon lights,” Sidney said. “Now he’s got it.”

  Again, they sat in silence. Sidney became aware of David’s gaze on her. His eyes crinkled at the corners and a smile flickered on his mouth. She flashed him a tired smile.

  “On a lighter note, who’s up for dessert?” Selena asked. “Warm bread pudding with bourbon cream sauce.”

  There was unanimous agreement around the table.

  Over coffee and the delicious bread pudding, they spent the rest of the evening pleasantly chatting about trivialities, conjuring stories of local lore and funny episodes from the history of Garnerville. It went a long way to cleanse their minds of criminal activity.

  Granger was the first to say goodnight, citing chores waiting at home. Selena was quick to volunteer to walk him to his truck.

  David hung out with Sidney in the kitchen,
helping her tidy up and load the dishwasher. She was aware of the smell of him, musky sandalwood, and the clean scent of his shampoo. She took comfort in her growing sense of familiarity with his face and the lines of his body.

  Selena swept back into the house, eyes sparkling, face deeply flushed. She excused herself for the night, the four cats bounding after her.

  Finally, Sidney and David were alone. He folded the dishtowel, hung it on the oven door, and leaned against the counter.

  As she met the brown eyes she’d lost herself in so many times, she isolated a feeling that had been mixed with other emotions all evening—the stirrings of desire. She couldn’t help the surge of attraction she felt for this man. “Thank you,” she said gently.

  “For what? The wine?”

  “For being here.” She closed the space between them, and he pulled her into his arms.

  She winced, her whole midriff deeply bruised from the bullet hitting her vest.

  Concern flooded his eyes, and he loosened his hold. “You okay?”

  “Yes, just don’t press too hard. At least my lip is healed,” she teased.

  “Is that an invitation?”

  They kissed, long and sweet. It was reassuring to feel his warmth against her body, and it was hard to pull her mouth away, but she did.

  “You’re kicking me out, aren’t you?”

  “Early morning,” she murmured, her lips against his neck.

  “It’s okay. I have to pick up my son. Dillon’s basketball practice ends in about fifteen minutes.”

  “Time for another kiss.”

  He obliged, this one deeper, more urgent. She felt it down to her toes. When they pulled away, she couldn’t speak.

  David filled in the silence. “Dillon is staying with a friend Friday night. I thought I could make you dinner at my place.”

  “I see. You’re a planner.”

  “Yeah.” He chuckled. “You’ve found my biggest flaw.”

  “I’m a planner, too.” And I’m planning a different outcome for Friday night than me sleeping alone. “I’ll bring a toothbrush.”

  “I love how you read between the lines.” He pecked her nose, released her, and let out a barely audible sigh, the sound of a patient man summoning up his reserves. “Until Friday.”