Icy Stares (Guess The Killer Book 1)
Page 13
“Just a patient.”
I stared back out to the waters. I could see the red and blue lights stretching all the way out from the shore behind us.
It felt good to talk.
It felt good to tell my story.
I think about how it could have gone differently for me. How maybe I saw Elsie in the elevator and just looked away. Didn’t see her. Didn’t think about her. Didn’t ever know her.
Would that have been easy?
Or would it have been easier if I grabbed the right sister and no one ever found out what I was getting up to?
And then I could go to a party tonight. Surrounded by people in masks. People who were like me.
People who were fucked up enough that they could look me in the eyes.
And not be afraid.
EPILOGUE
There were a lot of bodies to bury late on a wet Sunday afternoon, following the night Nadine Shields was caught. Detective Taylor Shandling stood by herself in the centre of the yard, her eyes searching out people in the distant foggy crowds. There was a ceremony on her left to say goodbye to a young girl Nadine had murdered some years ago. Her family, including her sister Elsie, and brother Rupert were in attendance. As was Captain McGuinness and her ex-husband.
On Taylor’s right, there was another coffin being lowered into the dirt, surrounding by more people Taylor recognized. That one was for Justin Hodge, whom many believed had been set up by Nadine. Or blackmailed to death at the very least.
The people at the funeral on the left were aware of the people on the right. And vice-versa.
It was cold day for staring, all around.
Taylor looked down at the grave she’d come to visit. She took a small can of bourbon from her jacket, cracked the ring, and set the can down beside his grave.
Salvatore Leoncelli. September 8, 1975 – November 10, 2017.
Devoted life to his job.
Rest in peace.
Taylor shook her head in frustration. Nothing about his daughter, whom Sal loved. Nothing about his daughter, whom Sal didn’t kill. But was probably blamed for by somebody, somewhere.
Taylor leant down, opposite the tombstone.
She put her hand on top of it.
“This isn’t finished,” Taylor whispered. “Don’t you worry. I’ll get justice for her. I won’t stop until every body’s been dug up. Until every child they have goes free. I won’t stop until all of them. Every last one of those freaking monsters. Are dead…”
♦ ♦ ♦
Some of the left party were waiting for Taylor as she went to leave. Elsie ran out from the between them, grabbed Taylor’s arm and led her to the side. “Ms. Shandling. I mean, Detective –”
“I’m just Taylor to you.”
“Okay. Taylor. I wanted to thank you.”
“For what? I didn’t do anything.”
“You were good with me. After I went through the ordeal. I’m sorry I put everyone through that. You must know by now I got myself kidnapped on purpose.”
Taylor looked at her, perplexed. “But how on earth did you orchestrate –?”
“They’re predictable. Once you know how the system works. Once you know how they operate. I was ready for anything to happen. I was ready to get raped. Beaten. Whatever the cost. Just to find my way in.”
“Into what?”
“Wherever those men who came to the house were going to take me. I wanted to see how far it went. But, then you all showed up. Which believe me, I’m thankful for. I probably wasn’t going to make it if you hadn’t.”
“Well. That’s okay… It’s over now…”
Elsie put her arms around Taylor and hugged her. “You know it’s not over. Not until she admits everything.”
Taylor’s vision went hazy for a moment.
She almost thought she saw Sal standing with them, in her peripherals.
“I know, Elsie,” she whispered. “But don’t you worry. I’m on the case now.”
♦ ♦ ♦
The call came in that evening. Just after five pm. Twilight approaching in the next hour or two.
Taylor got out of her funeral clothes and got into the work gear. She removed her makeup in the mirror. Tied her hair back. Pulled on a pair of jeans and strapped her holster on.
She drove to the penitentiary on the other side of the city, through armored gates and security checks to the underground staff car park. She sat in the car a moment before getting out. A cold can of bourbon in the box beside her.
She drank it down.
Five minutes later Taylor was marching down the minimum-security wing where a spacious room had been set up for the interrogation between herself and the criminal, Nadine Shields.
Rose McGuinness and her husband Simon were present behind the glass, and greeted her as she made her way in.
“Glad you could come on such short notice,” Rose beamed.
“It’s my job,” Taylor shrugged. “It’s what I do.”
Rose nodded. They moved round to the room’s centre. “She’s been in there for about ten minutes. Will only talk with you. Said she trusts you, that she knows you’re not corrupt –”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Taylor muttered. “But what’s the real story here? What’s she playing at? Is she actually willing to talk?”
“She’s not going to give herself up that easily,” Simon said standing next to them. “I’ve spoken to her since that night. She’s totally gone back into her shell.”
“But she gave up the location of Elizabeth Bird’s remains,” Taylor said.
“She had to give us something,” Rose said. “They were going to ship her out to Max. At the moment she’s getting premium prisoner treatment. But one act of aggression towards you and all that goes away.”
“Alright,” Taylor said. “I’m ready to start. Let me in.”
Rose signaled to the guy by the door.
The locks went back.
Taylor marched on through.
ONE LAST NOTE
We sat for a long time without talking. Just looking at each other. Staring, as only girls can stare. I had to admire her in a way. I’d never seen her before like this. So controlled. Determined. Resilient. There was no fun in her eyes. She wasn’t going to allow me to trick her.
But then that was never my intention.
“The answers aren’t going to come looking for you,” I said grinning. “You’ll have to ask questions in order to find them.”
She didn’t reply.
Completely stone-faced.
Well done, I thought. Well done, Detective Shandling. She wasn’t going to let me run the show here. Things would go along at her instruction. She would set the tone.
Or would she?
“You really hate me, don’t you?” I said trying a new angle. “I bet you’d like to kill me. What is it I’ve done that sets you off the most? Was it how close we were? Those nights where you chose to confide in me? And the whole time, I was somewhere else. Laughing at you. Or thinking about my next meal.”
“By meal, you mean…”
I inhaled sharply. “If you could only see what’s in my head. If you could only see what I’m looking at right this second.”
I watched the thoughts wrap round her brain.
“There’s nothing left of you, is there?” she asked. “You’re not a person.”
“What’s a person?”
“I mean. You’ve gone mad. You have no self-awareness.”
My expression soured. “I know what I am.”
Taylor blinked. “Let’s start with Justin Hodge. What can you tell me about his involvement?”
“You were there, weren’t you? When he died?”
“You mean, when you shot him?”
“Before that.”
Taylor hesitated. “He didn’t seem to be aware you were running the show. Or was that an act.”
“I knew Justin was involved. He didn’t know anything about me.”
“You had a mediary. Special Agent Ardent.”
“
Yes, William was a middle man.”
“Exactly,” Taylor said. “So Justin was…”
“A foot soldier.”
“Okay. Justin is a foot soldier. And the next rung above him is William.”
“In a roundabout sort of way,” I agreed. “There’s a whole bunch of people in between them. In the peripherals, you know.”
Taylor swallowed. “Yes. About them.”
“Consider your questions, carefully.”
“Right. I just … How did you and William meet? Did you conspire this whole thing together?”
“I was on my own for most of it,” I said telling the truth. “William came much later. He helped introduce me to the others.”
“The others? You mean more foot soldiers.”
“Well. Yes.”
“But?”
I leaned forward in my chair. Studying her face. “Not just the soldiers. The ones who were higher up.”
“Above Justin?”
“Above William.”
Taylor’s head shifted. “You’re saying William wasn’t the only middle man?”
“No, of course not.”
“How many were there?”
“I have no idea.”
“Well, you know, you just don’t want to tell me.”
I chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” Taylor demanded.
“Who do you think I am?”
“You’re…” She paused. “You’re the… You’re the mastermind…”
“I’m not the mastermind. William was my boss. Not the other way around.”
“So you’re saying…”
“I was a foot solider. Like Justin. We were on the same level.”
Taylor seemed confused. “Are you fucking with me, Nadine?”
I saw she was having flashbacks. Trying to put the puzzle pieces together.
Trying to figure me out.
I wondered how good she was.
“You tell me, Shandling,” I said after I’d stopped laughing. “You tell me.”
ALSO BY CYRUS WINTERS
SPIDER JACK
Guess The Killer #2
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074W89JV6
Detective Taylor Shandling is one of the only good guys left standing after events that have shaken her city precinct. Indefinitely suspended and spending her days drinking alone, things spiral further into desolation as an old nemesis from Taylor's past makes an unexpected return.
Once again she finds herself on the hunt for a killer, in a day where friends become enemies, enemies become friends and the unexpected is always sure to happen.
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