Evolution of a Killer

by Robert Ullrich

  Angelique sipped her martini, forgetting the Kindle in her other hand. Lazarus sliced the water with almost no wake, which really got her juices flowing. She found herself wondering how he was in bed. Was he gentle, or would he take her like an animal? She thought to herself, “Either way would do just fine right now, thank you very much.”

  Lazarus swam for about 15 minutes before climbing out of the pool, grabbing a towel off the table near the steps. He sat down next to Angelique, toweling off.

  “Thank you for looking after Langston,” he said. “I apologize for taking so long in Houston. I’d hoped to get things handled in a day, but such was not the case.”

  “It was my pleasure. Besides, Langston was no trouble at all. I will admit though, it was a little dicey the first time I went over.”

  “What happened?” asked Lazarus.

  “Cheyenne happened,” she said with a laugh. “She damn near got away from me at the door. I don’t know what would have happened if I’d lost my grip on her leash.”

  “Probably nothing,” said Lazarus. “Langston isn’t prone to attacking dogs, even if they get a little excited around him. That is of course, provided he isn’t attacked. Even then he would only defend. I’m glad everything worked out okay. Again, thank you for taking care of him, especially for bringing him home to spend the night. What did your husband think of a stranger’s dog in the house?”

  “Enrique hasn’t been home for 2 days so it’s a moot point. Regardless, I would have brought him anyway.”

  “One thing’s for certain,” said Lazarus. “I need to find an appropriate way to thank you for looking after him.”

  “Who says it has to be appropriate?” she asked with a raised eyebrow, still feeling the heat from watching him swim.

  Lazarus had to laugh at that, and he did heartily. Once again it struck him this was one hell of a woman and how much he wanted her. She’d caught him off guard, a rarity indeed.

  “Fair enough,” Lazarus replied. “That opens up the playing field a bit more, a good thing to know.” He looked her straight in the eyes when he said it, and she didn’t flinch.

  “Do tell,” said Angelique.

  “Is your husband coming home tonight?” Lazarus asked.

  “Not tonight, no. He called and told me he had to work late, so he’ll be staying at the condo,” Angelique responded.

  “Then have dinner with me,” he said with a smile. “I want to check out Charlotte Plummer’s. I’ve heard good things about the food there.”

  “Good choice,” said Angelique. “It happens to be my favorite restaurant in the area. You can pick me up at 7, and for the record, I will be ready. I’m not one of those ‘keep them waiting’ women.”

  “Seven it is then. What’s the dress code?” Lazarus asked.

  “Handsome, this is Rockport. You can wear anything as long as it includes a shirt and shoes. Although, you should probably wear shorts or pants, too, for propriety’s sake,” she added with a wink.

  “Then I’ll pick you up at 7, pants included,” said Lazarus as he stood up and whistled twice. “Come on, Langston, it’s time to get you home for a bath.” Langston’s tail drooped at the sound of the word ‘bath’, but he complied after a quick detour, licking Angelique’s hand on the way out.

  “Damn, Angelique, he’s really taken a shine to you,” commented Lazarus, surprised by the action. Langston had never shown affection for another human, not even Katsumi. The closest Langston ever came to showing Katsumi affection was wagging his tail when he saw her.

  “Why wouldn’t he? I’m beautiful, witty, and a dog lover. Besides, if I’m going to be spending some time with you, he needs to get used to me, don’t you think?”

  “Point made,” conceded Lazarus, “since I intend on spending as much time with you as I can.”

  The response Lazarus read in her body language told him everything he needed to know. As to why the attraction, he didn’t concern himself with it. He accepted life as it came. He left the philosophical search for answers to the ever-elusive question ‘why’ to people with nothing better to do. Lazarus never second-guessed himself, on anything.

  He changed back into his clothes, not bothering to close the door this time. Modesty wasn’t one of Lazarus’ character traits. Besides, he was stoking the fire in Angelique who was watching him as he changed. She liked what she saw, every bit of it.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Lazarus pulled into the drive at 5 minutes to 7, expecting to be kept waiting. It wouldn’t have bothered him. That’s what beautiful women do, they make men wait. As he put the Rover in neutral and set the brake, the front door opened, and Angelique stepped out. She was wearing plain jeans, a white camisole and black 4-inch heel stilettos. Her hair was loosely flowing behind her as she walked towards him. Lazarus jumped out and literally jogged to the passenger side to get to the door before she did. Lazarus noticed the marquise cut sapphire pendant surrounded by diamonds and matching earrings. They were mirror images of Angelique’s eyes. The effect was stunning. Lazarus took it all in before speaking, “You look amazing, Angelique, although the word amazing doesn’t do you justice.”

  Angelique stopped for a moment, looking him up and down. “Thank you,” she replied. Lazarus was wearing stone washed Levi 501’s, black alligator skin boots and a starched white dress shirt; open at the collar. She leaned in and inhaled near his neck,

  “Not only do you look pretty damn good yourself, Mr. Solaris, you smell delectable.” With that, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and climbed up in.

  Lazarus stood there for a moment before closing the door. He walked slowly around to the driver’s side and climbed in behind the wheel, never taking his eyes off of her. The effect on Angelique was electric. She felt her pulse quicken under his steady gaze. She hoped he wouldn’t notice the crimson blush creeping up her neck. He did.

  They drove to Charlotte Plummer’s in a comfortable silence filled with subtle sexual tension. Lazarus parked the Rover in a vacant spot across from the restaurant. Angelique reached out and put her hand over his as he shifted into neutral, taking him by surprise.

  “You really do look magnificent tonight, Lazarus,” she whispered, lifting his hand to her lips.

  It was like Angelique flipped a switch inside him. Lazarus’ heart raced as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. In that moment, Lazarus realized that the hunter had found what he was seeking. He didn’t even know he’d been searching for someone. It was a feeling unlike any before. It was a connection forming between them, one that could never be broken. Regardless of the outcome, the connection would remain.

  “My beautiful, Angel,” said Lazarus, his words a soft growl. He reached for her with his other hand, drawing her close, turning her head as he kissed the base of her neck.

  Angelique closed her eyes and shuddered at the touch of his lips on her skin. It was a moment of understanding, feeling the connection herself. She realized Lazarus was the hunter, and she was his chosen prey. She opened her eyes, looking into his. What she saw both thrilled and scared her. Angelique realized in that moment there was much more to Lazarus than she knew. She sensed danger in him, a danger she felt no fear of. If he wanted her, she would be his.

  *****

  In the years to come they often reminisced on that night; the moment in time they began their journey together, neither understanding nor knowing why. They connected on a primal and spiritual level that was almost tangible. Lazarus and Angelique accepted the moment for what it was meant to be, never questioning the why of it all. It was the beginning of “Now” for them; no past, no future, simply ‘Now’.

  *****

  Lazarus requested and received a corner table with a view of the bay. Angelique ordered blackened redfish, her favorite, while Lazarus chose grilled flounder. They shared a bottle of the house zinfandel, which both agreed was quite good.

  They discussed a myriad of topics over dinner. What they were passionate about, their favorite musicians, cuisines, pl
aces to visit, authors and many other subjects, too numerous to list.

  They spent quite a bit of time talking about spirituality, something that those who knew Lazarus would have been surprised to hear. They would have found it odd to hear Lazarus speak of God as an integral part of his personal morality. He was after all, a killer, and a killer that was capable of sadistic cruelty. It was his personal feelings towards whom he referred to as, “The Creator” for the most part, that evidenced itself in his Second Chance Foundation. Lazarus had saved far more lives than he had ever taken. There were hundreds of young men and women whose lives he’d impacted in a positive way. Lazarus saw no conflict in that. The killer was just one facet of him, and one facet does not determine the nature of a man.

  Lazarus spoke with affection when he discussed the Foundation. Its primary purpose was to identify boys, girls, and men or women who would benefit from higher education. He was quite pragmatic about it, too. Lazarus acknowledged that some people simply were beyond the reach or scope of his endeavors. The Foundation awarded an average of 100 scholarships of varying degrees annually and had been for over 15 years. The majority were for trade schools, or partial scholarships. Every year though, the foundation awarded full ride scholarships to Lazarus’ 5 favorite colleges and universities: The University of Iowa, Malcolm X College, Wharton, Northwestern School of Law and The Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He occasionally chose a specific school relative to the location of the recipient, based on family situations.

  The majority of the scholarships were awarded by his board of directors, but Lazarus always selected the five to receive the most prestigious ones. One of his selections, Marcus Young; arrested at the age of 17 for murder, spending 20 years in prison. Lazarus spent the better part of a week spending time with Marcus in Key West, before making his decision. He saw something in the convicted felon Marcus couldn’t see for himself, potential. Lazarus sent him to the Northwestern School of Law.

  Lazarus’ decision proved to be a good one. Marcus graduated in the top 5% of his class. He was hired by a prestigious Miami firm a month after passing the bar. Marcus Young was now a full partner in the firm, 10 years after being released from prison.

  Angelique spoke with passion about her hopes for peace in the Middle East. Having grown up in Lebanon, she was intimately familiar with the challenges that faced the region. Her father, an Egyptian, was a devout Muslim. Her mother, born and raised in Lebanon, was Catholic. Together they showed her that religion didn’t have to be divisive.

  Lazarus learned that Angelique was only 14 when discovered by the director of a Parisian modeling agency. He was vacationing in Beirut and spotted her walking with her father on one of the more popular beaches. The director approached them with the proposition of modeling. Jabari invited the director to their home to discuss it with his wife, Sabella. Together they saw it as a way out of the region for their daughter and gave their consent, provided one of them would always be with her until she turned 18.

  Angelique was an instant success in Paris, quickly catching the eye of the fashion world. She was 5’10” at 14, with a flair that was singularly hers. As her wealth grew under the watchful eye and investments of her father, she began to donate thousands of dollars to various charities every year. Her favorites were Doctors without Borders and The World Wildlife Foundation.

  Lazarus lit up at the mention of the WWF, one of his favorite charities as well. They discovered they shared a common passion for nature and all her creations. Lazarus got a chuckle out of their waiter who overheard, “I honestly prefer the company of animals to 99% of the human population.”

  They ordered dessert and a second bottle of wine, lingering for almost 4 hours at the table. Though the restaurant was extremely busy, no one approached them about the time. The waiter came and went almost unnoticed, delivering their meals, removing the dishes, taking care of their orders and refilling their wine glasses without being intrusive.

  Angelique was well known at Charlotte Plummers, and the staff knew this was no ordinary dinner. The man she was with spoke with an air of authority, which told them he was used to getting what he wanted. They also noted that he wasn’t condescending towards the staff, which spoke volumes to them. Speculations were running wild as to who this tall stranger might be and how he fit into Angelique’s life.

  At 10:30, Lazarus signaled the waiter, who presented him with the bill for the evening’s fare. He took the credit card that was already in Lazarus hand and ran it through. Lazarus added in a tip, totaled the check and wrote a note on the bottom. “Thank you, Alex, for your impeccable and unobtrusive service, as well as your patience. I know you could have easily turned this table 4 or 5 times in the hours we have occupied it. You’ve made our dining experience one to remember, and I hope this will compensate you for your valuable time.”

  Alex didn’t read the note until after they’d left. Then he saw the tip for $500.00, easily twice what he normally made on a Saturday night. Alex would never forget the tall brown-haired stranger with the piercing eyes.

  *****

  They pulled into the drive on Barbados 10 minutes later. He put the Rover in neutral, setting the brake. He walked around to open the door for Angelique. Taking her hand, he walked her to the front door. He put his finger to her lips as she began to speak. It was as though he read her mind. He whispered, “Not tonight, my Angel, though I have no doubt it would be wonderful, but not this night. This evening has been perfect. It will remain perfect forever in my heart, as I hope it will in yours.” He pulled her close against his chest, her perfume filling his senses, and kissed her gently at first until then their desires turned it into one worthy of the evening. Lazarus pushed her slightly back so she could see the smile in his eyes, kissing her one last time on the forehead and whispering, “Good night my beautiful Angel.”

  With tears welling in her eyes, she replied in a broken whisper, “Good night, Hunter of my heart.”

  Lazarus’ smile broadened at the deference in the words she chose, slowly releasing her hands after kissing each one, before walking away. There wasn’t a shadow of doubt in his mind; someday soon she would be coming with him. He believed it as surely as he believed the sun would rise in the morning. Lazarus believed it would come to pass, not because it was what he wanted, but because he knew it was what Angelique wanted. For the first time in his life, the want of another human being was more important to him than anything.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Lazarus slept little that night. He spent most of the time on the back deck, planning out Garza’s disappearance. He got up twice to spend time working out, primarily Ti-Chi, keeping his mind sharp and his body relaxed. There was something roaming the recesses of his mind and he couldn’t get a handle on it. Part of it he knew had to do with the 16.7 million dollars of Cartel money in the Cayman account. Lazarus knew that wasn’t the root cause of his nagging suspicions about Garza. Regardless, by sunrise he had the plan fleshed out to his satisfaction. It was time to put things in motion.

  He called Katsumi to check on the status of the new ID. She gave him the details where she was in the process, which was nearly complete. The package would be ready to send in 2 or 3 days. Lazarus picked up on her tone as she spoke, something was bothering her. “Is Baxter okay?” he asked, knowing that wasn’t the problem.

  “Oh, yes, Sir, Baxter is lying here beside me, chewing on his favorite toy.”

  “Are you okay, sweetie?” he asked kindly.

  Kat hesitated before answering, “Yes, Sir, I think so.”

  Lazarus quietly waited for her to go on. Something was bothering her, and he would give her all the time she needed to find the right words. He would wait all day if necessary, because of the deep affection she had for him. Nearly 5 minutes passed before she spoke again.

  “Something is bothering me. It’s about Mr. Garza and where the money came from.”

  “First things first, then,” he replied softly. Lazarus knew instinctively Garza was the real i
ssue, not the money.

  “The money is Ramon’s,” she stated flatly, “Los Zapatos de la Muerte money.”

  Lazarus wasn’t surprised; he already knew Garza had stolen the money from Torano. He’d had dealings with Torano in the past, although not in person. He’d been approached by a third party to execute a contract for the Zapatos several years ago. Lazarus didn’t care much for Ramon. He also didn’t give a flying fuck about the Cartel, or their money. What surprised him was Katsumi had figured it out. “Go on Kat, what else?” he asked.

  “Mr. Garza is Ramon Torano’s half-brother. They have the same father.”

  That did surprise him. Enrique wasn’t just skimming from the Cartel; he was skimming from his own brother. Lazarus quickly filtered the new information into the equation – planning for Garza’s exit.

  After a couple of minutes, he realized there was something else still bothering Katsumi. The statements about the money, and the relationship with Torano, had been delivered without emotion. He went back to waiting, pushing the plans from the forefront of his mind to focus on her.

  “Lazarus?” she asked in a soft voice.

  That got his full attention. She rarely called him by his first name, maybe three times in all the years he had known her. “Yes, Kat, I’m here,” he replied.

  “I contacted your friend at the NSA, Mr. Grimsrud. He provided me with some information that I don’t believe I would have found on my own.” She hesitated for a moment, telling Lazarus it was something she was reluctant to speak about.