Gabriel, I'm (not) a serial killer

by Frank Spoiler

  -¡Cuestas, Wake up!- Shouted, Mathias-. Would you fucking tell me for once what you know about that crime and that damn murderer? Fuck!

  Cuestas finally came out of his daze and continued embarrassed.

  - It's true sir, a witness who was interrogated, confirmed the description matches with the physical description of Gabriel, (of course that's just what we know), but ... what I’m saying, Lieutenant, it couldn’t be Gabriel, he must be mistaken-the sergeant explained, shocking the lieutenant even more.

  -Dam, Cuestas, did you have your glasses on when you saw him?- The Lieutenant snapped mockingly.

  Needless he knew Cuestas had a keen eye.

  - Sir ... with all due respect, you know I have no need for glasses.- Cuestas whispered, blushing.

  Mathias could no longer contain himself and gave a hearty laugh.

  - Come on, goofy, we have Gabriel caught by the balls! - Saying this he left the cell, leaving Cuestas with stupid face, (I had never seen him so happy), and the alleged witness, more sweaty than if he had run the marathon of Barcelona with tied feet and hands clasped behind his back.

  When I saw them leave the cells and the Lieutenant so pleased and happy (even hummed a song between his teeth) I understood that my plan was coming round. Stupidly, Matthias had fallen into my trap like a kid for candy.

  I could not help but laugh. Bogdan, who was next to me since we left the cafe, who was part of my plan and one of the conditions was him not to get off my ass, looked surprised, making a face that was so funny (eyes and mouth wide open), he was almost drooling.

  -Boss, why are you so happy?

  - Hush, it's just a tic, you know, because of the damn pills I take for my frequent headaches-Bogdan looked at me worried or at least I thought he was.

  - Chief, you have to go to a specialist, a neurologist. By the way, chief- he said, as if suddenly remembering-, one of my friends from college has come to Barcelona to a conference on neurosurgery and we have plans to party in his first night- Bogdan thought for a moment as if doubting.- Boss ... why don't you come with us - the big boy finally said.

  That could go great for my plans ... I thought immediately. I must think of something before that day comes.

  - You've had a great idea "little one", it will be good for me to have a night out and have fun, it's been a long time since I go out and entertain myself. I accept your offer!

  I thought I saw a tear in Bogdan eyes.

  Two Murderers and a half

  Since I learned how to operate the "toy", everything is much easier, I can do whatever I want and whenever I want. Alicia gave me a great gift hahaha. I will someday repay her the way she deserves, hahaha.

  Well, I have to get my witness Bogdan to see what I want him to see. It will be fun to see his face when he sees mine. Of course, at two different times ...

  With Bogdan testifying, no one will doubt my innocence. And good Mathias is going to have to "eat" his witness with potatoes. What I could not imagine then was that arbitrarily using the "toy", it was about to reveal myself to someone even more dangerous than lieutenant Matthias: Alicia. And before long I would find out why.

  ++++++++

  Bogdan patiently waited in "Otto Zutz" a new club, built on an old factory on Lincoln Street. Three floors with different rooms and environments, with different types of music. Although all I wanted was a very visible place, with many people and "good company". Arriving I still had time to listen to his lecture on law and justice:"Justice is too soft, our politicians, apart from corrupt, are truly useless. Defense attorneys unscrupulously let themselves be tempted by easy money by allowing themselves to receive money directly, lavishly, from mafias, whether Russian, Turkish or cartels; whoever they are, the deal is to defend these gangs of murderers, rapists, pedophiles and drug dealers; lawyers just don't care (and god forbid if any of them fall victim to any of their clients). Of course it is not new...everything comes from the beginning of time. Man is a predator, a potential murderer...if you make it easy for him...I will say no more.

  Bogdan left me amazed, I had no idea he had reason enough to speak his mind...

  Then he saw me and, apparently, he was delighted to see me, so he stopped talking immediately. Then made the introductions;

  - Chief, I introduce my good friend and neurosurgeon, Javier Haro Herráiz, Russian like me, but a descendant of Navarre parents. Mr. Javier, this is my boss, Dr. Gabriel Soto Garcia, coroner from District 21 Hospitalet ...

  I did not let him continue, I shook hands, I threw my arms around them both and ordered a new round whatever was the strongest drink in the house. I wanted a crazy night and would have it, of course I would. It would not be for lack of alcohol. I glanced at my watch: 1:30 in the morning, perfect.

  At that same time a considerable number of witnesses were watching, live, how a man like me tremendously, murdered a sports journalist in cold blood. Live and in front of more than four million viewers. They could also see him winking at the camera seconds before disappearing, as if it were a camera trick, leaving, with the body, the huge butcher knife used in the disgorging of the poor and unfortunate journalist. At the end of the day, it was just a decoy.

  I'm tired, this damn headache will kill me if Mathias doesn’t do it first. The thought passed swiftly before I dismissed it immediately. And to think I was such an optimist!

  Anyway, that's not the issue. You know me by now, when I have bad headache, there is only one way to calm it. I have to kill someone. So I have to find a new and appetizing victim or I’ll go crazy, but not before going to see my kids.

  Of course this time I’m not taking Bogdan with me, after all the drinking we three had, his friend neurologist, him and me.

  What were you thinking stupid? You imagined me among whores and pimps, eh? We didn't even talk about my frequent headaches, though good old Bogdan tried several times, but a good pinch on the arm convinced him that it was not the best time.

  So I was saying...

  I have not been a good father, even a good husband, but nobody can doubt that my children are very important to me, they have never lacked for anything, -well yes, a good father ... I admit it, also I never tell them how much I care. Although this is not my fault, since my ex-wife took them she doesn't want me visiting them.

  It’s true I did not do much for them, it was hard to see her...I never understood how it all went to hell. My work, perhaps? Back then, working the night shift, there wasn't much time to go out on vacations. I had been working in the forensic laboratory for a short while and I was not planning to ask my bosses for vacations upon arrival. But later yes, I admit, it was addictive, I loved my job, cutting corpses open and finding out why or how they had died. I let myself get completely absorbed by work and put aside my wife and my children. I didn't even play with them, after work, due to my tiredness

  God! How old are they now? I've forgotten even that ...

  Now that I'm thinking about it...I blamed my mother for my radical change and my new found murderous vein and... no, I've always had it, it only needed a little push, and she did it. Thanks, Mom.

  - Wake up damn it! -the scream of lieutenant made his subordinate bite his lower lip. He was thinking about the lieutenant a few months back.

  "The lieutenant was not always like this, it started since the premature death of his partner Rose, who died under his care, because his superior suspected Gabriel. The lieutenant blamed him and not without reason, he should not have been distracted by those fags who were drunk in the alley next to the entrance to the Pub "San Gabriel"; no, he should not have stopped to call a patrol car, much less, stay to give his statement. It was his duty as a policeman, they were having sex on a public street and that is penalized, very true, but because of that nonsense, his partner ... was dead! And no, it seemed that his lieutenant was not going to forgive himself. Not until they arrested the murderer.

  It was hard to imagine a colleague, a respected coroner with many years of service behind his back... was a murderer. Of cou
rse that's what the lieutenant said, he still doubted that Gabriel, was a murderer; rather he thought that it was jealousy towards Gabriel for taking away his girl (Rose).

  While Cuestas thought all of this, the lieutenant reiterated.

  - Come on wake up already! And warns the witness, do not waste any more time.- Roared Mathias.

  - Yes, sir, right away sir!- Replied Deputy Inspector Cuestas saluting soldier-like and ironically.

  The dry look the lieutenant directed at him made it clear that he had not liked the joke of his subordinate.

  I am a murderer ... with a heart

  I didn’t even sleep after that party, I showered, got dressed and combed the few hairs I had left In front of the mirror. I could not help but smile satisfied, thinking that, when Lieutenant Mathias saw the television images, he would not believe his eyes ... God, he was finally going to fulfill his greatest wish, I, Gabriel, would have made the greatest mistake of my life! I had murdered again ... live, in front of more than four million horrified witnesses who had been granted the horrifying chance to witness such a senseless crime! "How could he be so stupid", he would think satisfied?

  And the great Mathias would drool with delight.

  I felt elated, Mathias would never understand, if he lived to be a thousand, how close he was to ... disappearing. The plan was going perfectly and surely he would soon come after me.

  I had to hurry, I wanted to see my kids before ...

  Sure, what do you expect, I have committed a crime, on broadcast, it is logical for them to come and get me and take me prisoner, isn’t it?

  As I walked down the wide avenue, I kept thinking about it, I had every loose end tied, but something still did not add up.

  I finally got to the school where my daughter was studying. There would be little time, she and many other students were waiting for the bus to take them home. I was lucky to get to see her, and that she had gone to school that day. "She was in that part of life when her body was not really used to growing... and she would miss school or skip it. How did I know? Very simple, I had an informant watching her closely and he told me everything.

  I didn’t have to wait long and ... yes, there was my little girl! God she was beautiful and grown, I could not believe how much she resembled her mother, she was her spitting image!

  I admit... I cried at that moment. I was well aware of all that I had missed and ... would continue to miss, there was no turning back, I was just ... a murderer. I did not want her to see me, so I hid behind some nearby bushes, but for a moment, my eyes and hers, green and beautiful, met. It was at a distance large enough to not know for sure if her eyes recognized me; I hoped not, I preferred that it was just a bad memory to an unwanted presence.

  When the bus closed its doors and departed, it felt like sharp claws had ripped out my heart. It had been a long time since I felt anything like it ... except the day I lost my mother. Yes, that's right, I killed her ... with my hands, but I did it for her sake, I could not see what she had become 'a monster'.

  I could not leave her like that... I had to, and I did, I had to set her free, that’s why I killed her.

  Circling my memories, I hadn't realized the bus had disappeared an avenue above. I shook my head trying to scare my thoughts, I had to go for my car, which I'd left some streets away. Now I had to go to my son's school, which was in the next village, about ten miles or so. And I had to try not to meet his mother or grandmother. I still did not know how I was going to manage to avoid one or the other ... not that I do not get along with them, they both hated me. I still insist that I do not know why that is, given how friendly and good I am.

  On the way I could not think of anything so I had no choice, once in the school parking lot, I opened the glove compartment and pulled out the only thing that was going to save me from them... Binoculars. I would have to watch from the car. Neither of them knew my new car, well...new, used, the salary of a state officer is not enough to have luxuries. I bought the car after the lawsuit I had with my ex-wife and worked double shifts, I managed to save enough to buy a Citroen Xara blue, and it was only five years old, come on, a bargain!

  Finally the school bell rang and I prepared to look out for my son. I feared I would not recognize him, knowing how they grow so fast...

  It wasn't difficult to find him; physically he was just like me at his age, short and round, not weak, -according to my informant, he was practicing Ice Hockey, something I had not practiced in my life, but if my son practiced it he must have had good genes. His face was even more like mine, he was handsome. I'm not underestimating his mother.

  I had an outbreak of emotion that made me bite my lip in anger, I could not hug him and tell him how much I loved him and that left a sour taste in my mouth. It was my fault, I know, maybe I should've been a better parent, and not walk away the way I did, without fighting, without fighting for them ... and because I didn't want to argue with his mother.

  Not being able to hug him took a great deal of strength from me, my son was like me (well, before being as I am now). A good boy. He had a bad temper when he is provoked, (like me), but his heart was huge and if he committed some mischief, and was caught, he quickly apologized to his mother or me.

  I could see how raced and embraced, first his mother and then his grandmother. I envied them. Yes, I envied them very much, I wished those hugs for myself...

  Chapter 14

  Little was I able to wish or think, in less than a second, I was dragged out of the car without much subtlety, causing me to drop the binoculars from my hands, which fell under my Citroën, and my screaming was so loud that even the mother of my son and grandmother turned to stare at the same time. Being able to see how I kept clamped between two burly police men in plain clothes, Mathias was smiling and happy in front of the three. They were not alone, (no surprise), my car was behind at least five official cars of the Autonomous Police(National Police of Catalonia). I did not understand how he had not realized before that detail, given how loud and rowdy they are.

  - Well, well...What have we here?- Mathias's voice sounded in a victorious tone.- Well, it turns out that our murderer is a father. The laugh that followed offended me and hurt more than words.

  - You don’t learn, do you, lieutenant? Murderer of whom? if I may ask.- I spat sideways into his official boot.

  - Damn pig!- He tried to punch me hard enough to leave me toothless, but failed, thanks to sergeant Cuestas, who had the agility to get in the way and stop his fist with his chest; Mathias almost knocked him breathless- Cuestas stood his ground while saying I was not worth getting his hands dirty. Thanks to him, I can now proudly say that, at my age, I still have all my original teeth.

  From the corner of my eye I could see my ex coming towards us, I guess that she was curious to know what I was doing there and why I was accompanied by the police. Her mother stopped her, I could not know what was said but I saw that she retraced her steps, then entering the school grounds; I can imagine; "No honey, don’t, not in front of the child".

  I thanked her mentally.

  - You really are blind for me, Lieutenant, what have I done for you to love me so much? -He must have really disliked my mocking tone, because he tried to hit me again, but sub inspector Cuestas stopped him again (this guy is getting on my good side, really.)

  -Put him In the car before I lose my patience!- Mathias bellowed with his booming voice -. And take him to the station, I'll take care of him-that last thing sounded like a threat and when Mathias threatened... one had to start trembling.

  Then I thought about my plan, it wasn’t bending at all.

  As it was drawn, at the station my assistant Bogdan and his best friend, Javier Haro Herráiz neurosurgeon were waiting , and ...they were not alone.

  When Lieutenant Mathias entered the station, Bogdan began to tremble, -such was the respect that he had at that police station, I’m not kidding when I say that his reputation preceded him hard from his youth in [GEOS]. The gossips said he also was involved in t
he [GAL], (group antiterrorist force), because of which, Felipe González lost his last election in 1996 as President of our country.”The Spaniards lost confidence in their elected president." Although he was never accused (Mathias) or his participation in the police group proven. Case closed and transferred to the group of special actions, better known as [GEOS].

  Bogdan coughed nervously, cleared his throat before speaking, addressing lieutenant Mathias.

  -Lieutenant- he looked at me, watching my two burly companions who had not for a single moment separated from me, -like a cheese on a ham sandwich, that’s how close I was to them.

  Matthias looked at him as you would look at a flea, in disgust, then looked at me, this time as if I were a tick.

  - What’s going on Bogdan? Have you grown fond of your boss?- He gave a wry chuckle.

  -Gulp...- poor Bogdan swallowed with difficulty.-w... Why have you detained him Lieutenant? What did he do?

  - What? ...! What did he do?- Cried the lieutenant angrily.- Did not you see it on TV? He Killed live, and in front of more than four million people, the sports commentator Andrés Manuel! Do not tell me you're the only one who did not see it?- Mathias's eyes blazed with anger.

  - No sir, I could not see it, for the simple reason that I was not home, nor my good friend Javier Haro and...my boss Gabriel.- Said Bogdan quickly, not breathing, with fear of not having the courage to speak.

  Mathias looked at him without understanding what he meant.

  - Sir, with all due respect, we three and ...- He pointed at three women who were sitting in an annex to the office of the lieutenants office- ...these three ladies, and us, were drinking, dancing and having a few laughs...- Rasped, Bogdan... and as I have learned not long ago, the crime was committed at forty-five minutes in the morning hour, when the three of us were enjoying the pleasant company of three beautiful girls.. which we can assure front of any judge we were together all night, all six of us.

  It was surprising, even for me, the great poise shown by Bogdan in his last statement, I almost hugged and kissed him, but I could not because I was handcuffed and restrained by two large agents.