Scheme Of Sin (Wayne Falls Book 3)

by John J. Hunter

  A WAYNE FALLS SERIES

  SCHEME OF SIN

  JOHN J. HUNTER

  © Copyright 2021 – John J. Hunter - All rights reserved.

  The contents of this book may not be reproduced, duplicated or transmitted without direct written permission from the author.

  Under no circumstances will any legal responsibility or blame be held against the publisher for any reparation, damages, or monetary loss due to the information herein, either directly or indirectly.

  Legal Notice

  This book is copyright protected. This is only for personal use. You cannot amend, distribute, sell, use, quote or paraphrase any part or the content within this book without the consent of the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  WARNING: This book contains violence and other suggestive themes. Recommended for adults ages 18 and above.

  Free Gift

  Subscribe to my newsletter to receive a FREE copy of Her Last Wager. You will be given updates on new book releases, raffles, contests, cover reveals, and whole lot more!

  Click here to sign up to my newsletter

  Book Description

  A road trip to Malibu, California takes an unexpected turn for FBI Special Agent Alice Sloan and her companions when a dismembered body is discovered in a dumpster outside a burger joint. As more bodies turn up, cut into pieces, and stuffed into plastic bags, investigators suspect that a serial killer is on the loose.

  Alice Sloan finds herself in the city of white sand beaches in a desperate hunt to catch the cold-blooded murderer before he strikes his next victim. As she chases after the killer, she stumbles across a piece of her own history. A missing detail about her mother's death opens a window into the past.

  With a surprise waiting at every turn, it seems Alice has landed herself in a never-ending maze with no way out. Will she be able to put a stop to the chilling murders? Will the truth about her past set her free or will it scar her forever?

  As she struggles to solve the murders, the killer lurks in the shadows growing more bold and ruthless with the killings each time he manages to escape her grasp. Will the horror ever come to an end or will he roam freely through the city for years to come marking his next victim?

  CONTENTS

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  EPILOGUE

  PROLOGUE

  The cold water splashed against her burning skin. It ran down her face and dripped into the white ceramic bowl. She clutched the marble to steady herself and watched the droplets of water snaking down the concave slope and into the drain.

  The tiny black holes made her skin crawl as her fear kicked in. The pits bore an eerie resemblance to eye sockets with the pupils swiveling inside. A surge of anxiety made her look away.

  The water instantly cooled her flushed skin and put a stop to the thoughts whirring inside her head. She looked in the mirror; her pale skin glistening under the white glare of the overhead lighting, her eyes wide, filled with panic, and her mouth agape — she looked like she was being chased by a mad man.

  Except there was no running away from the cringe fest she willingly agreed to a few weeks ago. Cramped inside a stuffy vintage Corvette for the last two days with her colleagues, she felt like she had reached the edge of her sanity.

  Reaching for the metal dispenser on the side, she pulled out a brown paper towel to wipe her hands dry.

  Feeling a rising sense of frustration inside her, she crumpled up the paper towel and tossed it in the open trash can — the aluminum lid clanging shut from the force of the collision with the balled-up paper. She took a deep breath and exhaled as she glanced at herself in the mirror.

  What made her agree to go on a road trip with Tyler, Naomi, and Adrian, all the way to Malibu, felt like a mystery now. A few days on the road, away from solving gruesome crimes, seemed like harmless fun back then.

  Staring at her panic-stricken reflection in the grimy mirror in the bathroom of Jimmy's Steak and Burger House, it baffled her how she had missed the terrible combination her social anxiety would make with being confined in a small place with other people for an extended period of time.

  Oblivious of the hellish journey she had signed herself up for, she had walked out of her apartment a week ago with a duffel bag in hand, locking the door and skipping down the stairs in a hurry.

  Naomi, seated inside the Corvette, lifted her sunglasses to give her torn jeans, baggy shirt, and jacket a once-over as she came sprinting toward her from across the parking lot.

  "Good thing you decided to come along." She smirked. "I can't think of anyone more in need of a bit of sun."

  The snarky remark did not ruffle Alice in the least. An amused smile played over her lips as she’d swung open the door to the backseat and hopped inside.

  Naomi Murphy, the gorgeous blonde Medical Examiner, had gone through a horrifying abduction and kidnapping last summer. The terrifying episode had rattled her to the core. It robbed her of her brazen personality for nearly six months after being rescued. Regular therapist sessions and a break from work were helping her get back on track.

  It had been months that Naomi had been away from her job — Alice could imagine examining corpses of the victims of brutal homicides was triggering for her and hoped some time away from Virginia Beach would heal Naomi enough to return to work.

  A few hours on the road and whatever hopes Alice had tied to a beach side vacation went out the window. The stilted conversations, the lovesick looks between Adrian and Naomi, and the general awkwardness of the entire situation made her seriously contemplate the consequences of jumping out of a speeding vehicle at least more than once.

  Naomi and Adrian were least bothered by the presence of their other two traveling companions and spent most of the time tangled up with each other in the backseat, making out.

  When it was Adrian's turn to take the wheel, the two would sit in the front playing with each other’s hands and hair.

  Alice did not know where to place her eyes and had spent most of the trip leaning over the window with the wind lashing at her face.

  She stared at her frazzled reflection in the bathroom mirror. There was no way she could survive the same trip back home.

  Her eyes flashed with resolve and she gave herself a short nod as she decided to ditch the merry company of her fellow FBI agents the moment they got to California and hitch a flight back to Virginia. With a few more deep breaths, she calmed down and walked out of the bathroom.

  Jimmy's Steak and Burger House was a squat rectangular building. A tall pole sign spelling the restaurant’s name in green italics stood next to the highway beckoning hungry drivers to pull to a stop.

  Alice squinted in the sunlight at the row of cars in the restaurant’s parking lot. Her eyes scanned the area before she started walking toward the Corvette. She wanted to take her sweet time before getting back inside hell.

  The road stretched on for miles on either side, lined with gas stations, truck stops, and cheap fast food joints with tall palm and dense elm trees dotting the wide patches of empty land in between.

  They were on the outskirts of California, in a city called Needles located in San Bernardino County, traveling via Historic U.S.Route 66. The sun blazed in the blue sky, its sharp rays glinting off of the chrome fenders and grill guards of the trucks parked on the other side of the road
.

  Adrian’s four-door, 1980’s red Corvette was parked in the corner of the parking lot. Alice could see him standing hunched over outside with Naomi by his side. Dressed in a black tank top, colorful mini skirt, and strappy wedges, she stood with a hand on Adrian's back, watching her green-faced boyfriend with concern.

  It seemed the double cheeseburger he'd had a few moments earlier was acting up. She began walking toward them with a smug smile, hoping this would put a stop to their make-out sessions.

  Naomi looked up at her as she came near them. "I don't know what happened; he seemed fine a while ago. We just had ice cream, he went to throw the cups, and now all of sudden he looks like he's about to throw up."

  Alice studied Adrian's stooped figure. His lips were trembling and knuckles white as he clutched his knees. "Let me check on my phone — maybe there is a hospital nearby," she said, reaching for the phone in her pocket.

  Slowly, Adrian shook his head.

  Alice and Naomi waited for him to say something. He lifted a set of terrified eyes and raised a hand, pointing to a dumpster a short distance away.

  Alice and Naomi exchanged puzzled looks.

  Leaving Naomi with a petrified Adrian, Alice began walking toward the green-colored dumpster jammed next to a red brick wall. She glanced over her shoulder and noticed that Adrian’s eyes were fixed on her as she made her way to the trash. The harrowing look on his face unnerved her.

  Filled with anticipation, her pace quickened. What was it that had him so shaken? She came to a stop and eyed the dumpster lying a few feet away with suspicion. Bracing herself for whatever ominous being lay inside, she took slow, steady steps forward. She lifted the lid and peered inside. A pungent smell wafted up, burning her nostrils and making her gag. Grabbing her nose, she let go of the lid and stumbled away.

  Alice bent over her legs, coughing. She looked at the dumpster apprehensively. Using the collar of her jacket to cover her nose, she stepped toward it once more.

  Lifting the lid, she scrutinized the contents inside. Crumpled up burger wrappers, squished disposable drink cups, and bits and pieces of fried chicken lay in a haphazard pile along with large black plastic bags.

  Her eyes darted from one corner to the other as she realized she could not hold her breath much longer. Just as she was about to give up and head back, a glimmering white object caught her attention.

  Alice narrowed her gaze at the bulging trash bags and glimpsed white flesh sticking out from one. Cold dead fingers with blackened tips reached out from the rubbish.

  Alice stared at the hand, unable to look away. Shock and terror rendered her immobile for a few moments. She realized that the putrid smell emanating from the garbage was that of decaying flesh.

  Breathe through the mouth.

  As if in a daze, she closed the lid and walked away, pacing back and forth for a while. She could feel a metallic taste in her mouth and a dizzying sensation in her head but held herself together. Pausing for a moment, she cast a glance around her; she could see a few truck drivers going into the restaurant and waited until they were out of sight. Shoving a hand in her jacket’s pocket, she took out a pack of cigarettes and flicked it open. She was down to the last two.

  Better use her supplies wisely.

  Concluding that stumbling across a dead man in the trash passed for a good enough reason to smoke, she pulled out a slender cigarette and stuck it in her mouth while fishing in her pocket with the other hand for a lighter. The tip of the cigarette glowed bright red and the paper began to char and crumble as she placed it in the flame.

  She took a long drag, filling her lungs with the blessed smoke. The fog inside her head began to dissipate and was replaced with clarity.

  She could understand why the image had such a jarring effect on Adrian. Working as an Intelligence Analyst for the FBI, she doubted if he had ever seen a corpse before.

  Adrian was a computer geek and spent his time at the FBI field office in Chesapeake hunched over his computer in a small dark room.

  As an FBI Special Agent for the Critical Incident Response Group division, Tyler and Alice had witnessed their fair share of gruesome crime scenes.

  After a few more puffs, she threw the cigarette on the asphalt, stubbed it out with her shoe, and began marching back toward the dumpster.

  A few deep breaths would allow her to stay inside long enough. Her eyes flashing with determination, she lifted the lid, opening it all the way, and flung her body over the edge. With the rim of the dumpster cutting into her midriff and her toes barely touching the ground, she extended an arm to reach the plastic bag.

  For a moment, it seemed she would grip the lifeless hand tearing out of the plastic and yank the dead man out of the trash. Her fingers gripped the black plastic instead and pulled the bag toward her, managing to move it an inch or two. She tried another few times before giving up with a groan.

  Naomi and Adrian watched her antics, perturbed.

  “Careful, you wouldn't want to tip over."

  The voice made Alice heave herself out of the dumpster and land on her feet.

  Tyler watched her with a bemused smile.

  "Give me a boost, I'm going in."

  "You serious?" he asked, his eyebrows shooting upward.

  Judging by the look on Alice's face, he realized she was and nothing could make her change her mind. With a sigh, he proceeded to help her by interlacing his fingers. She hooked her foot in his cupped hands and thrust herself over the dumpster, swinging her leg and landing inside with a thump.

  The six-by-six steel container gave off an eerie feeling as Alice carefully stepped over the mush. Her five-foot-one-inch frame was completely hidden inside the seven-foot tall dumpster.

  Gingerly, she stepped closer to the trash bag with the decomposing body stowed inside. Fear, which had evaded her up until then, consumed her momentarily, uncoiling inside her like a serpent. The small hairs on her arms rose as her eyes fixed on the hand protruding from the bag.

  She grabbed the bag, lifting it up over her head, grunting as she put all her weight behind it and hoisted it out of the dumpster. It tumbled over the edge, falling to the ground before Tyler could hurry and catch it.

  The plastic ripped open and a pair of arms and legs burst out, scattering on the asphalt in a macabre display.

  Adrian, who had been keenly watching the entire scene unfold, bent over forward as his stomach lurched, heaving the half-digested cheeseburger mixed with digestive juices.

  A shocked Tyler stood frozen as he stared at the grisly image of severed human limbs spread out on the ground, flaps of pinkish muscles sticking out from the joints. He gasped and staggered backward as he glimpsed a white bone jutting out from under the flesh.

  Alice climbed out of the dumpster and viewed the mess with quiet interest, slowly circling the decapitated body and kneeling before one of the arms.

  She observed the thick masculine fingers, the nails clean with no dirt or grime stuck underneath. Her eyes trailed the length of the arm — the skin white and spotless. She turned and looked at the leg lying nearby and made the same observation.

  Someone had taken the time to wipe them clean before shoving them in a bag.

  She rose to her feet and stuck a hand in her jeans pocket to take out her cell phone. With the keypad open on the screen before her, she punched the numbers 9-1-1.

  She felt a sickening sensation in the pit of her stomach. It's work. Just work, she reminded herself, trying to distance herself from the victim by attempting to disconnect herself. It helped her to not get emotionally charged while solving homicides.

  Glancing back toward the cut-up body parts lying in plain view in the parking lot, she realized with a sinking feeling that it wasn't "work" this time. She was not assigned to the case and she was not authorized to see through the investigation.

  Alice walked back to Adrian and Naomi.

  "The police will be here shortly to cordon off the area and examine the corpse," she told them.

&nbs
p; "There's no need for us to stay here then," said Naomi, looking uneasy. "We should head to Malibu and let the local authorities do their work. We shouldn't get in their way."

  Alice could not imagine walking away from a murder scene leaving the mystery unsolved. With the torso and head missing, she could not fathom the killer's thought process. Was it some sick kind of treasure hunt?

  Police cars zoomed down the road, skidding to a stop before the parking lot.

  Soon the area was marked with yellow tape with a message in bold black letters instructing people to keep away from the crime scene.

  By now a throng of people had started to congregate around the spot; people craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the bizarre spectacle.

  The police set up a tent around the body parts splattered on the ground to dissuade the crowd busy snapping photographs with their cell phones.

  A wiry police officer with a short bushy mustache sauntered up to Alice. "Are you the girl who made the call?" he asked.

  "Yes, I am," she replied, reaching inside her jacket for her badge. She flicked it open and showed the shield to the office. "FBI Special Agent Alice Sloan," Alice offered her introduction. She felt a sliver of annoyance at the term girl.

  The officer's eyes flickered with surprise. He tipped his hat and introduced himself with an amused smile, "Police Sergeant Bill Whitfield."

  He flicked a thumb in the direction of the tent. "Is that the way you found it?"

  Her eyes fluttered to the white polyester tent erected in the middle of the parking lot and the giant dumpster on the side. She felt a surge of guilt. "It was stuffed inside a garbage bag, lying inside the dumpster."

  Disapproval flashed in his eyes. He pressed his lips together and took a moment to frame his next question. "And may I ask what made you go looking through the trash?"

  Finding a human hand in the trash should have been her cue to call the police. She knew she had overstepped by diving in the dumpster and spilling the contents on the ground for everyone to see.