Blood Red Sundown: Evil Begins (4 page)

THE DIMNESS IN
the motel
room was bright enough to allow him to see her facial expression turn to; “I recognize
something about him appear over her face.”

It must be the ring, he thought. I forgot to remove it.
It didn’t matter now, but it brought to the front once again how the smallest overlooked
step, could lead to his demise.

“Does she suspect that it’s me yet?” he wondered.

Placing the glasses and the wig into the case he looked
back into her eyes, looked into the mirror and removed the blue contacts. He smiled
at her reflection as he continued to reveal his identity step by step. Her look
of confusion sent a sense of accomplishment through him. He removed a thin layer
of plastic skin from his cheeks and nose. He almost giggled as she watched thinking
this should do it.

He smiled as her body began to jerk and stiffen as she
began recognizing her assailant. Her eyes were wide with fear and confusion and
then realizing the truth she began to thrash wildly straining against her bindings
desperate to escape. She rolled from side to side, fighting and pleading with every
gesture but realized it was futile for her to struggle. He stood over her smiling.
She became still, while leering back at him.

“Hello, Marie, surprise, surprise.”

She glared up at him in anger now dismissing her fear
of dying. Mother warned me from the beginning you had a cheating heart so I set
a plan to find out if her suspicions were correct. But imagine the irony Marie,
to discover your cheating encounter was with your own husband. I want you to know
I was pulling for you and was confident you would realize your sinful way and change
your plans.”

“However, you chose to follow your wanton desires and
so you completely understand the theory of my plan, your body will be discovered
here in this room and the police will seize your computer and read your emails and
begin a search for your secret computer lover Brick you met here tonight. They will
not find him or his computer; I have seen to that. I am following the pattern of
the previous murdered women so the police will theorize that your death was caused
by the killer they are looking for.” He stared down at her and then leaned close
and looking into her eyes asked, “It’s a brilliant plan, don’t you think? But wait,
there’s more, Marie.”

“There is a witness of your arrival at the motel. That
same witness has seen me in full disguise and will testify to that identity. He
gently touched her hair as he said, “Marie, all you had to do was refuse to take
part in this meeting and all would be as it was. I believed in you enough to argue
with Mother that you would change your mind when you arrived at this low life motel,
but she was right once again and here you are.” He touched her cheek and arranged
her hair trying to comfort her.

“I do love you, but you know the rule, you must always
reap what you sow. I have told you that over and over again, haven’t I?”

He kissed her tenderly on the forehead and then placed
his hand over her nose and mouth and closed her airways. She struggled to turn her
head away from his hand but to no avail. He was confused when he felt tears on his
hand and realized they were his. He was crying. He truly did love her.

Her struggle slowed and finally ceased, but he continued
to cover her airway for several more seconds before he stepped back and stared at
her lifeless body. The realization that it was over caused his legs to begin shaking
and a temporary feeling of an inability to move came over him. Now for the first
time he felt fear and a need to be out of that room. He removed the tape first from
her mouth and then from her hands and feet. Turning her over onto her stomach, he
carefully arranged her as was depicted in the news reports of each of the serial
killer victims. He was sure they would have to assume it was his work. His last
act was to arrange her hair and then take one last regretful look at her.

“Time to go, Marie.”

He retrieved the wig and glasses and closed and locked
the black case. Then he looked around the room to search for anything that could
possibly spoil the plan he had created and feeling confident he was safe he made
final preparations for departure. He placed the wig on his head and donned the horned
rimmed glasses. Walking to the draped window, he peered out in the direction of
the office, and scanned the parking lot. Seeing no one in sight he went to the door
and after turning off the lights, he stepped out into the night.

Pressing the automatic door unlock button on the key
chain, he opened the car door and quickly got into the driver side seat. He glanced
at the office window and could see the clerk with his back to the window.

“Okay William, take it nice and easy and we’re out of
here free and clear,” he said to himself keeping an eye on the office window.

He backed his car away from room 12 slowly and gently
pulled forward toward the exit. The agent was busy on the computer and never bothered
to glance up as he passed. He drove out of the parking lot removing the latex gloves
as he drove and laid them on the black case next to him. He turned on the radio
and laughed out loud as the song that was playing was by George Strait, “All My
Exes Live In Texas.”

THE NEXT MORNING,
Anne
was determined to get to the office early and she stopped to pick up a dozen doughnuts
on the way. To her surprise, Lon was already at his desk busy talking on the phone.
He looked up at her and smiled as he noticed her approaching his desk.

“How ya doin?” he asked her in his attempt at a New Jersey
accent.

“That’s so bad, Lon, you should drop that impression
and stick to your almost as bad, Elvis.”

Lon laughed and turned his attention back to the phone
call.

“Alright, get back to me when you have more info.”

Anne opened the box lid.

“Here’s your favorite, toasted coconut, you had better
take possession before the gang of leaches notices the box.”

She handed him the coconut doughnut, sat the box on his
desk, and headed to the coffee station. Lon followed her into the side room and
Anne refilled his cup.

“How was your reception at the home base last night?”
she asked.

“My wife wasn’t home.” And as soon as he said this, he
began to laugh.

“What’s so funny?”

“I’m sorry, it’s an inside joke.”

He continued to smile as he walked back to the stack
of files the chief had piled on his desk. Dividing them equally, he placed half
on Anne’s desk. “I don’t think we’re going to find our guy in this pile, but the
big guy wants us to peruse these formerly misunderstood and mistreated malcontents.
Don’t tell him I said that.”

“I think that sounded pretty impressive don’t you think?
Peruse? I like that word. How about you, partner?” She ignored him shaking her head
and grabbed the first file.

The rest of the morning was quiet, except for an occasional
phone tip that came in which they would document, but the majority didn’t seem important.

Lon laid down the file he was reading and checked his
watch. He had promised Tad he would leave early to catch his soccer game after school.
They had talked at breakfast and his son’s sudden maturity had caught him off guard.

He now realized he had to be careful. Tad was growing
up fast and if he was not more attentive he was going to miss it. Adjusting his
mind-set he leafed through the final file and placed it back on the stack.

“That was a waste of manpower,” he confided to Anne.
“Anything show up on your end?” His cell phone rang and he sat and let it ring longer
than usual smiling at Anne. “God, I love that tune,” he said as he answered. “Sanders
on this end, oh, hi honey, what’s up?”

He glanced at Anne, who was mocking him from across her
desk.

“Allie, I am aware that I promised Tad that I would be
at his game! I know he would be disappointed; I will be there!”

Hanging up, he said, “Oh, oh, my wife’s back in town.”

Anne looked puzzled at his comment and his expression
of childish guilt on his face at what he had said.

Walking over to the clue board, he stared at the victims
pictures searching for anything that could be the one link they were missing that
could bring this guy down. He turned and motioned for Anne to join him at the board.

“Try to put yourself into this guy’s mind-set and let’s
ask him some questions.”

“What is he thinking? What’s driving him? How long, before
he strikes again? More important, ask him how does he select these poor innocent
victims?”

Anne noticed Lon’s face and his body language and realized
his anxiety over these killings was real.

He turned back to the faces of the victims displayed
along the top of the board. Staring at the most recent girl, he imagined her to
be in her late twenties or early thirties.

“What does she have in common with the others, Anne?
Maybe it’s something that she does not have in common with the others.”

Anne, not sure how to respond to his mental agonizing,
continued to stare at the displayed images.

“What the hell does that mean, Anne; maybe it’s something
that she does not have in common with the others?”

Turning away completely frustrated, he went into the
Captain’s office to report on the previous night’s murder victim and to explain
his need for early departure and where he could be reached if something came up.

On his way out he stopped by Anne’s desk and told her
his plans and if she found it necessary, they could meet later. Anne shook her head
disapprovingly as he reached in the box and grabbed another doughnut.

FOLLOWING THE PLAN
with
the utmost care, the senator pulled the car in an open twenty-four hour business
parking lot. He had reported the car stolen two days earlier and had kept it hidden
until this night. He parked in a lane that had several parked vehicles opened the
door and retrieved his bag from the back seat and walked to the Lincoln Town Car
parked two lanes over. The lighting in the parking lot was poor and when he saw
no movement in the immediate area and no one entering or exiting the store, he felt
safe that he had not been seen.

The plan is working perfectly he assured himself and
inserted the key, started the engine, and drove out of the parking lot. The next
phase called for him to go home and sleep until four o’clock in the morning. Then,
he would phone the police and start the search for Marie.

“The plan is brilliant Mother and I believe it’s working
to perfection.”

Turning into the gated drive of his estate, he felt his
confidence growing and completely safe from ever being implicated in the crime he
had just perpetrated. Totally at peace with himself as he reached over and grabbed
the case, opened it and deposited the rubber gloves and locked it. Entering the
foyer he felt a bit of remorse come over him, as the house now felt so large and
hauntingly quiet.

He walked up the stairs and entered their bedroom. Marie’s
things were visible all around the room giving him an uneasy feeling. Grabbing the
bedside remote, he turned on the late news. Now he planned to relax on the bed until
the time for the next step. Her voice startled him.

“Hello William. I’ve missed you.”

ARRIVING AT THE
soccer
field before the beginning of the game, Lon was able to catch his son’s eye and
give him the thumbs up sign before continuing up the bleachers to the seat next
to Allie.

“Hi beautiful, are you who I think you are, or could
you possibly be the woman out of the erotic dream, I experienced last night?”

His wife blushed and smiled. “I know which one you hope
is here, but forget it Romeo, you’re stuck with your wife sitting next to you. How
does that fit into your plans, oh great one?”

“I am completely satisfied with the company accorded
me,” he said and kissed her.

“Tad looks good out there don’t you think? I can’t believe
how he’s growing up Allie.”

“Hello there,” broke the mood, and they watched Grandma
and Grandpa’s slow approach up the bleacher steps to where they were sitting. Lon
was intrigued with how much Allie and her mother looked and acted alike. He did
his best to keep his concentration on the game, but his mind kept visualizing the
faces of the victims and anticipating, maybe even hoping to hear the sound of
“Dixie” and Anne asking him to return to the station. It never happened until the
next morning at breakfast.

He picked up the phone, it was Anne and her voice was
distraught.

“We have another one. This one is big time, Lon. I’m
on my way to pick you up as we speak.”

Explaining everything as best he could to the family,
Lon stepped outside on the porch to await Anne’s arrival. He watched her pull up
to the curb and walked quickly down to the car. As he struggled to get his right
leg inside he heard her snickering.

“You need to get a bigger car if you’re going to be hauling
me around, partner.”

She pulled away quickly and continued driving at high
speed while filling him in on the identity of the latest victim.

“Marie Radford, are you kidding me?” He stared ahead
deep in thought trying to wrap his mind around what he was hearing.

“This is bigger than big. A senator’s wife murdered.
Wow. Where was she found?”

“Are you ready for this, Lon? She was found in a room
at the Moonlight Motel a not so high class flea bag on the outskirts of town. That’s
all we have right now, but we should be there soon. Can you even imagine the fun
the press is going to have with this one? I can hear it now, how we are not protecting
the public and now allowing a prominent citizen to be murdered.”

“Does the big guy know yet?”

“Yes, he’s all worked up and called this morning ranting
and raving about us not finding this guy and told me in very strong language to
get you on the phone and get our butts there pronto and to be extra thorough in
our investigation because of the status of the senator.”

“What a guy,” Lon said. Then he thought
why did
he call her before me?

He looked over at her wanting to ask her that question
to satisfy his ego. Instead he noticed her hair, dark and obviously styled by a
professional. Her body, all five foot five of it was perfect. She wore very little
lipstick, which he preferred and her eyes were large and blue.

She caught him staring and he felt slightly embarrassed
knowing his stare had given him away. She accepted it as the compliment she had
been waiting for.