Serial (13 page)

“So what do you think?” Emily’s voice broke through my thoughts.

“I think we’re wasting our time here.”

Emily chuckled. “I recall telling you that when you suggested we come here in the first place.”

I couldn’t deny that she was right, but there was still something bothering me about the entire situation. “How big would you guess Billy was?”

She shrugged, taking a sip from her coffee and grimacing at the acrid taste. “Couldn’t get a great look at him in the position he was in, but I would guess he had to be over six feet in height, maybe 250 pounds.”

I was silent for a moment and she stared at me like I was insane. Maybe I was.

“How could a small woman overpower a man of that size? Not only overpower him, but hold him in place long enough to cut his throat?”

“Adrenaline can do amazing things for the body. It can cause superhuman strength in rare cases, or overpower a person entirely so that they pass out.” She looked at me like a doctor would her patient…analyzing me and making me uncomfortable in my spot. I liked that she could do that to me. She set me on edge; sparked life in a part of me that I thought had long dulled and died. “I think you’re seeing too much into this¸ Donovan. There’s no connection between this missing girl and the case we’re here to solve. It’s a waste of time and effort. I only went along with you tonight because I thought you needed to play this out and move past it. I know you can’t resist a puzzle, but this piece doesn’t fit into the larger one we’re putting together.”

She was right. Choosing to drop the subject, I asked, “Where are we meeting the team tonight?”

“Our hotel. They have a suite set up to act as a satellite office. We’ll have access to everything we’ll need from there.”

Nodding, I glanced out the window. A man was approaching the restaurant. He was dressed well in a suit that fit him like it had been tailored. The shine of his shoes was pronounced against the filthy street. I was impressed by his stride, long and assured.

“Does that man seem out of place to you?”

Emily glanced out the window and back to me. “He looks normal enough. Why?”

“Look at the way he’s dressed. He appears polished, the type of man that spends his time throwing money around to prove his accomplishments. Why would he be eating at a dive restaurant?”

The bell above the door rang out as he entered. Without waiting to be seated, he moved through the cramped interior, heading into the bathroom.

“I need to go to the restroom. I’ll be back in a second. If the waitress returns, you know my usual order.”

Emily’s forehead wrinkled with disbelief and suspicion. “Sure thing, boss.”

Ignoring her quip, I crossed the room, throwing open the bathroom door and selecting a urinal next to the well-dressed man.

“Evening.”

He didn’t turn to look at me, instead choosing to nod in response.

“You don’t look like you’re from around here.”

“Are you making an observation or trying to pick me up?” Shaking off, he zipped himself back in his pants and moved to the sink.

I didn’t like him, my hackles rising to be near him. Something wasn’t right.

Choosing not to respond, I finished, taking the sink next to him to wash up. He didn’t look at me or say another word as he dried his hands and exited the room.

When I returned to the table, Emily eyed me. Sitting down, I noticed the man had selected the table directly behind her, his weary eyes glancing up at me just before the waitress reached his table.

“What are you having tonight?”

Drumming his fingers on the table, he looked out the window when he answered, “Same as usual. Omelet, no cheddar, whole wheat toast, cut diagonally and butter on the side.”

She walked away without him ever having looked in her direction.

Based on his response, I assumed he was a regular.

Before I had the chance to speak, Emily complained, “What’s taking our food so long? We have a half hour to be at the hotel.”

I continued to eye the man. He never looked up at me even though I could tell by the tension in his body that he was aware I was watching him.

“Why don’t you just tell the waitress we’ll take the food to go?”

Emily pulled her napkin from her lap, tossing it on the table as she stood. “It’s probably best. The team is restless and for all we know CK is out there killing another woman as we speak.”

Her heels clicked as she walked away and when I glanced back at the man, he was staring right at me.

***

“What more do we know with these last two bodies?”

Agent Reynolds glanced up at the pictures before answering my question. “The mode of death is the same, but not exact. He slit one girl’s throat from ear to ear. The other cut was nothing more than a slight nick of the carotid. The way he removed the nipples is different as well. These aren’t ritual killings.”

“Why a knife instead of gun?” I knew the answers to most of these questions, but I wanted to allow the team to formulate their own ideas.

Agent Cartwright answered this time. “Less noise and more personal. It’s a slower death.”

“What does that tell you?” Pacing in front of the task board, I wrapped my hands together behind my back. My focus was on the walls and door in the room, but in my mind’s eye I attempted to visualize the crime.

“That he might be killing them in a public place. A bathroom at a park or some other place where he’s out of sight but still within hearing range of other people. To be honest, I don’t think that’s the case though.”

Stopping in my tracks, I looked at Agent Ward. “Have we heard back from the labs? Were they able to find DNA on either of the bodies besides the victims’?”

He shook his head with a grimace brandishing his face. “No. Nail scrapes, hair combs and vaginal swabs came up clean.”

Smiling, I asked, “Does anybody else find that to be odd?”

“The body was cleaned.” Emily finally comments. “It had to be. The victim was a prostitute. You would expect something on her…”

“Unless it was her first client of the night.” Reynolds interjects.

Rubbing my chin between my thumb and finger, I considered everything the team was saying.

“Reynolds. I want you to canvass the neighborhood tomorrow where the last two victims were known to work. You have a way with people. Get in there, gain their trust and get them talking.”

At 5’10”, Reynolds didn’t appear threatening. He never dressed in a suit and his hair hung down to his shoulders, making him appear less official. He looked up at me with friendly brown eyes and smiled in such a way that dimples indented his cheeks. “On it.”

After some thought, I added, “Also, Reynolds, while you’re down there, a murder took place in one of the houses about a week ago. I want you to see if anybody can tell you about the man who was killed or his girlfriend, Veronica Lapierre. She’s been missing since the incident.

“Agent Blake, I don’t think that’s a valuable use of Agent Reynold’s time,” Emily objected.

My eyes shot to hers. “I’ll make that decision, Agent Chase.” There was no leeway in my voice for her to argue again. “A 250 pound man supposedly had his throat cut by a woman who, at most, weighs 100 pounds. Overpowering him alone is an incredible feat, but to also cut his throat? It’s doubtful. Considering the manner of death matches our perpetrator’s MO, I’d like to have it investigated fully.”

Emily’s mouth pursed in objection, but she held her tongue.

“Cartwright and Ward, I want you to speak with the Portland PD tomorrow regarding their search for Veronica Lapierre and obtain any information you can regarding DNA found at the scene of her boyfriend’s murder. I want everything. Witness statements, evidence, hair samples, fingerprints…whatever they have.”

The men nodded. Looking at the rest of the team, I instructed, “The rest of you need to be at the dump site tomorrow. I want the grounds scoured. Gum, cigarette butts, animal feces, I don’t fucking care. If you find something that is not connected to the ground, I want it. I don’t trust the local authorities to have located everything.”

Returning my attention to the board, I fixated on the lifeless faces of the victims. “That’s all I need tonight. Everyone get a good night’s sleep and we’ll reconvene tomorrow late afternoon.”

As the men stood and gathered their belongings, I called out, “Agent Chase. Please remain in the room. I have something I need to discuss with you.”

“Ooooh! Looks like someone is in trouble with the boss. Off to the principal’s office with you, Chase!”

I ignored the men’s razzing and waited patiently for them to exit the room. Once Agent Chase and I were alone, I forced myself to look away from the task board and turn to her.

She leaned against one of the tables, her sharp brown eyes burning into me with heat. “Am I in trouble, boss?”

“What the hell was that, Chase? Don’t you dare question me in front of the team again.” Stepping forward, I stopped within arm’s reach. The palm of my hand brushed up her arm and shoulder, finally settling against her throat. Her eyes widened when I applied slight pressure.

My other hand slid up her skirt, my fingers brushing over the end of her stockings and over the clasps of the garter that held them in place. “I think your misconduct cannot go without reprimand. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Forcing my hand up farther, I closed my eyes at the sensation of my cock swelling with need. My fingers brushed over her silk panties and I smiled to find them wet.

Emily grinned, something mischievous and wicked. Her lips parted and her throat moved against the palm of my hand. “I agree, boss. I’m not sure I can learn my lesson without being punished.”

Sliding her panties aside, I slipped one finger into the wet heat of her body. She moaned and I squeezed my other hand around her throat tighter. Stepping between her legs, I continued pumping my finger in and out, curling the tip so that it dragged across the sensitive spot inside her. My thumb moved over her clit and she moaned louder upon contact.

I squeezed even tighter and her eyes flashed with need.

“I don’t want to hear a word out of you, bitch. You understand me?”

She nodded as she gasped for air and I removed my hand from her throat, quickly ripping open her blouse and unclasping the front of her bra. Her breasts bounced free and I mouthed one, allowing my tongue to circle the taut nipple. Her head fell back and her hips bucked forward begging for more than what my finger could give her.

Taking my time, I teased her, bringing her close to the edge of her release, but then slowing down again. She complained with small mewls and groans. I bit down on her tit, battling the images in my head of what CK had done to his own victims.

I didn’t want to acknowledge the fact that thinking of his crimes somehow made my dick grow harder.

Pulling away from Emily, I stepped back and ordered, “Strip down to everything but your heels, stockings and garter. When you’re done doing that…” I moved around the table, taking a seat in the chair. “…You’re going to remove my cock from my pants and get on your knees to relieve me of the pain you’ve caused.”

She smiled as she stepped in front of me, moving seductively as she removed her shirt, bra, skirt and panties. I nodded my head at her and she smiled again, reaching up to let her hair fall free from the tight knot. Once her brown hair fell over her shoulders and down her back, I hissed out a breath, nodding again to let her know she pleased me.

Dropping to her knees, she crawled on all fours in my direction, holding eye contact as she undid my belt and pants and pulled my cock free. Her eyes never left mine as she slipped the tip of my cock in her mouth, humming as she took it in until the tip met her throat.

My hips bucked up and she worked her mouth along the shaft, licking and sucking me off faster than I liked. I watched her as I reached out to take her hair in my hand and pulled her away.

She looked at me in question.

“Bend over the table. I feel like riding you from behind tonight.”

Licking her lips, she stood up, bending herself over the wood surface, reaching out to grab on to the opposite edge. She looked back at me, needy and ready for what I would do to her.

When I was behind her, I grabbed her hair again, pulling her head back as my lips traced kisses along her spine. After pushing one thumb in her ass, I circled it until her hips were moving in time with the rotations. Fuck, she was ready.

Removing my thumb, I grabbed my cock, placing the head at the opening of her cunt before forcing myself inside. She moaned. My thrusts were hard and hurried, pushing both of our bodies to a peak of ecstasy that helped relieve us both of the stress and pressure of our jobs.

My balls pulled tight as her screams increased and just as I shot my cum inside her, I looked up at the task board and into the lifeless eyes of a monster’s victims.

Chapter Thirteen

Jude

Blood, blood, blood. It had clouded my vision and had taken over my world.

Her blood.

Just a fingertip, but it had been enough for the thirst to rise like gorge in my throat. It brought up urges that should have been dormant. I had killed almost ten days ago, it should’ve been three or four weeks until the need rose again. Longer even, as I’d taken them so close together.

Eight days. She’d been in my apartment for eight days. Two nights spent with me killing and glutting myself in order to lay down beside her, the rest spent pacing and longing to kick the door to my own guest room in and fuck her senseless.

Three days ago I’d made a move. I’d leased an abandoned warehouse in a deserted part of the city. A long, open area along the train tracks in Northwest Industrial, complete with a homeless camp right outside the building. Pay them a little to monitor people snooping around. Fellow criminals have a special type of loyalty to those feeding them money.

The warehouse had been good while it had lasted but I’d noticed more and more activity over the past week. Activity made me nervous. The warehouse was absolutely perfect, as if divine intervention had placed it in my path.