Blood Red Sundown: Evil Begins (32 page)

“CAN THIS BE
true, Lon?
I can’t get my mind around this.”

“Well, Anne as we learned earlier in the murder business
it is not always the butler. Listen we’d better get moving. Apparently the plan
to meet on the way did not work. The EM boys didn’t pass any auto with flashing
lights.”

“Is it possible they missed each other, Anne asked.”

Leo came in the door angry and animated.

“When I was parking someone told me that Stephanie had
fallen and was put into a car and taken to the emergency room. What’s wrong with
her?”

“We’re not sure, but we think she was drugged and …”

“Look, Lon, what am I missing here? Why would anyone
drug Stephanie?”

“We have no idea. The drugging is only our guess. It
could be something more serious. Len is a nurse’s aide and took her to the emergency
room. He can get quicker attention being an employee there.”

“Len wasn’t the man they saw put her into a car and drive
away.”

STEPHANIE FELT THE
car
slow, then turn, and with the crunching sound under the tires she knew they were
now on a gravel road. She felt panic setting in. She knew she had to control her
fears and keep her wits about her.

Where is he taking me,
she asked herself, and
reminded herself of the need to stall for time to allow authorities, who will be
looking, to find you.

When she heard the driver opening his door she looked
in his direction and the light temporary blinded her, but then she saw him clearly
as he got out and closed the door. She followed his movements as he walked around
the car and opened the door she was leaning against. He swung her legs to the outside
and pulled her to her feet.

“Well Stephanie, we are finally going to be all by ourselves.
I’m going to remove the tape from your mouth. Please do not scream or I will immediately
place it back over your mouth and you will anger the bad man living inside me. Please
do not anger him.”

Stephanie shook her head to let him know she understood.

“Good, you will soon see that I am a much nicer man as
I am now.” He touched her hair straightening it.

Stephanie watched as he removed a black case and a blanket
from the front seat. In the quiet moment she heard the surf and she knew immediately
where she was.

“WHAT DO YOU
mean it
wasn’t Len?

“I mean it wasn’t Len, the guy that was sitting with
Stephanie that put her in the front seat of that car. He said with real certainty,
it was the bartender driving. I don’t understand what’s happening here.”

“Leo, take a look at this.”

Anne pulled out the rendering and handed it to him.

“That person is the serial killer.”

“We had decided to have Stephanie taken care of before
we received this information. Len left here with her and we thought she was on the
way to the hospital, until you told us differently.”

“We have sent a description to the dispatcher and they’ll
send it to the patrol cars. Now, we have a rendering that has been sent across the
media network.”

Suddenly “Dixie” sounded and Lon answered listening intently.

“Thanks officer, I’d like you to stay there and be sure
he doesn’t show up.”

“They are not at his home, so we have to try and figure
where he would take her.”

“I am going to check her place,” Leo said.

Anne suddenly asked, “Where is Len? He carried Stephanie
out of here.”

It was as if they had completely forgotten him.

Lon and Anne walked to their car with two mysteries to
solve. Where is Lenny and where do we start to search for the doctor.

Anne scanned the parking lot and found nothing. She started
to get in the passenger side when a noise caught her attention.

“Listen Lon, hear that faint banging?”

They walked toward it and discovered it was coming from
the trunk of the third car over. Lon checked the door, it was open. He pushed the
trunk latch and walked to the rear and helped Anne pull Len out of the trunk.

“He has her, Johnny has her.”

“We know Len. They’re looking for them all around the
city and outside the limits.”

Len explained how he ended up in the trunk.

“He is armed, detectives.” He held the gun on me and
forced me into the trunk.”

“I think I know where he’s taking her. Remember he followed
her there.”

They knew the spot he was referring to and started running
to their car.

HER HANDS, STILL
bound,
they walked down the slope to the beach area. He stopped her abruptly, and asked
her if she was hearing voices. She shook her head no. When he could no longer hear
them he continued on holding her by the arm.

“This is where I watched you many times. I have pictures
of you sitting in this very spot.”

He spread the blanket on the sand, then helped her down
gently and sat down facing her. He waited hoping the urge would not overtake him
too quickly. Then the voices began again, all women jumbled together. Where are
they? He covered his ears, but they were still there.

Stephanie recognized he was hallucinating and feeding
his obvious confusion said, “Yes, Johnny, I did hear them that time.” Her confirmation
of the voices seemed to calm him.

LON GAMBLED ON
Len’s
suggestion that Johnny would take the doctor to the spot on the coast where he had
watched her.

“We had better be right Lon. This could be our one chance,
to save her. or we will have wasted valuable time.”

“It’s our best shot, and probably our only shot, partner.
Let’s hope my gut is right one more time.”

Leo Trent called from the doctor’s house and related
that he had not taken her there. When he heard where they were heading said he would
meet them there.

JOHNNY STOOD UP
and
removed the tape from her hands and asked her to disrobe. He felt a tremor of the
need starting to form inside. She hesitated and the bad guy inside of him pulled
a gun from the case and pointed it directly at her face.

“Now I want you to do as I say! I want you to begin taking
off your clothes or I will remove them for you. I have been very patient with my
wimpy other self, waiting for this night, and now my patience has run out.”

His voice had somehow deepened, but Stephanie reminded
herself to remain calm. Take your time and find ways to stall hoping someone is
looking for us when we do not appear.

She took off her shoes and then began to fumble with
the buttons on her blouse appearing, for his benefit, to be nervous. As she loosed
the final button and slowly removed it she recognized that the look on his face
had matched his angered voice and she knew she was now in immediate danger. She
watched him place the gun back in the case, then stand and walk to where she was
sitting, and look down at her. He pulled her to her feet and spun her toward the
water and placed his hand over her mouth and nose and the other on her breast. He
moaned loudly as if in a state of bliss.

As she struggled for breath, for some reason, his hand
left her mouth and he shouted over her shoulder in the direction of the ocean, “Why
are you here?”

Stephanie knew he was again hallucinating seeing there
was nobody there.

“Who is she Johnny?”

“You see her too?”

She knew the obvious answer and said, “Yes.”

He looked again and the figure was gone.

Stephanie decided to play out the role of who he seemed
to be seeing.

“Please don’t hurt me. Why are you doing this to me?”

He sank to his knees on the blanket with obvious fear
and pain on his face.

Stephanie, watching, recognized his actions as one searching
for relief from something or someone.

He became very angry when he saw that she was still dressed.
He removed the gun; still on his knees he pointed it at her. She responded by removing
the skirt. He was pleased shaking his head yes.

“More, he said.”

Lon saw the shadowy outline of the car as they approached
and quickly turned off his headlights realizing they had guessed right. He pulled
in very slowly away from the crest of the incline to avoid the inside light giving
them away as they exited.

They found no one in the car, moved to the edge of the
hill, and peered down to the beach area. Two shadowy figures were visible. Only
one was standing and it appeared to be the doctor.

The sound of a car approaching caused a brief panic for
Lon so, he ran up to the road to keep anyone from pulling in and warning the man
below. It was Leo Trent approaching. Lon waved him down and he pulled over along
the shoulder of the road. Lon explained the situation to him as they walked back
to where Anne was waiting.

The plan on how to handle the situation was quickly discussed
between the three of them and when Anne suggested that she be the one to walk down
to talk to Johnny they agreed. It took some hard convincing for Lon, but he finally
gave in.

The plan was for Leo to go around through the woods to
the right and Lon would follow the dark tree line on the left. Anne was to wait
until they were close to the beach area before she would start her approach. That
way they would come at him from three sides.

Anne walked slowly down the path and was close enough
to hear their voices. She heard Johnny in a pleading, yet angry, voice say, “Now
the pants and hurry.”

Anne was holding her revolver ready and was praying she
would not have to use it.

Johnny was burning up inside from the long repressed
desire for this woman in front of him and he needed to put out the flame that was
consuming him. The evil one was in complete control now.

Stephanie was surprised when he shouted at her “No, go
away.”

She did not understand that in his mind he was seeing
three female figures standing in front of him. Number two and five were standing
on each side of her. They stood with their arms extended to him and were begging
him to hold them.

“We’re cold without our clothes. Please hold us.”

Anne continued to move silently her gun trained directly
on him and she sensed by his actions he was about to panic. He raised the gun and
instinctively she yelled, “No, Johnny!”

She calmly continued toward him and asked, “Johnny, are
you okay?”

“Is it really you Anne?”

She could see his relief in knowing it was her walking
toward him, but suddenly he became unnerved and cowered.

“Johnny it’s me Anne. I’m here to help you.”

He was frozen in fear as he was not seeing Anne but number
six. As Anne drew nearer he wiped his eyes with the back of his gun hand as if trying
to erase the vision before him.

Anne watched him stumble back trying to escape from something.
It was as if he was looking at her, but was seeing someone or something else. He
righted himself and wrapped one arm around the Doctor’s neck crying loudly, “Leave
me alone!”

The strong urge left for a moment allowing him to restore
his vision of his surroundings and he saw that it was Anne in front of him, but
then he began waving his gun wildly when he saw a shadowy figure walking toward
him off to his left and then the sound of someone moving to his right. He raised
his hand and placed it over the Doctor’s mouth and nose.

“No Johnny, do not hurt her.” He lowered his hand to
her neck.

Anne recognized the beginning of panic, so she stopped
and stood still continuing to talk calmly to him calling him by name so as not to
press him into any further action and hopefully save his life. Lon and Leo were
just a short distance now yet close enough to the scene that Lon could see the fear
and panic. He knew whatever the man was visualizing in his mind was terrorizing
him. He continually opened and closed his eyes trying to blot something out of his
vision. He kept his weapon down at his side allowing Anne time to try and plead
him down and prevent him from making the mistake of pointing his gun at one or the
other of the them.

Stephanie realizing Johnny was not paying attention to
her took the opportunity to fall from his arm to the blanket and roll away. He made
a grab for her, but turned back toward Anne. Stephanie watched Lon and Leo slowly
moving toward them now pointing their guns at the man. She worried as Anne was very
near now with her gun raised while she continuing to plead with him.

“Johnny, please listen to Anne,” Stephanie suddenly felt
compelled to yell at him.

Hearing her voice behind him he spun around too quickly
almost falling. He managed to gain his balance and started swinging the gun around
wildly. He looked toward Leo and saw number three; he turned to his right and saw
number one with her arms outstretched to him. He heard behind him a woman calling
his name over-and-over.

“Johnny, help me! Johnny, please help me!”

He looked back toward the voice and saw Sherry standing
in the water calling out to him to join her. His fears were becoming uncontrollable
as he let out an ungodly scream and turned back to Anne to ask her for help. But,
it wasn’t her anymore; it was number five standing where Anne had been. He loved
number five, why was she was here trying to hurt him?

He raised his gun as if to fire and three shots rang
out. He stumbled slowly forward and sank to his knees and while smiling up at Anne,
fell face down on the blanket.

Anne ran to him and took the gun out of his hand. Kneeling
beside him, she rolled him over on to his back. As he looked up at her, he reached
for her hand. She let him hold it as he said, “Anne my friend, I want to thank you
for bringing this to an end.”

He tried to raise his hand to touch her cheek, but it
fell limply to the ground and he was gone. She continued to hold his hand for a
moment watching the torment disappear from his face. Laying his arms across his
chest she rose and moved over to assist Stephanie.

Anne held on to her as they walked up the hill. Lon and
Leo followed them to the parking area and listened to Anne comforting Stephanie.
Leo walked over, took her arm, and helped her into the passenger seat of his car
while Lon made the call to headquarters to send a wagon out to remove the body.
Then he walked over to speak to the Doctor.

“Listen Stephanie, go home and relax tonight, but we’ll
need you to arrange a time tomorrow to finalize the necessary reports. He closed
her door and watched them drive away. He turned, walked over, and leaned against
the car smiling at Anne.

“Well, partner, it wasn’t pretty, but we did it. Maybe
we should celebrate with a drink somewhere.”

“Great idea Lon; I know the perfect place. How about
Sutcliff, Nevada?”

He seemed lost for words, even confused.

“Oh come on, lighten up Lonny boy, I’m just being a bit
ignominious.”

She watched his confused face turn into a smile as he
realized what she was doing with her new word.

“Okay smart ass. I’ll let you tell me what ignominious
means over our first drink. Then I’ll tell you how little you contributed in solving
this case and to punish you, I’ll let you pick up the tab.”

She laughed as she walked over and wrapped her arms around
him.