A touch-tone telephone rang, startling Kyle into action. A less experienced officer might have shot off the receiver, but Travis held his fire. Thinking the phone call was a diversion, Kyle kept his eyes peeled for trouble. After four rings an answering machine cut in.
“You’ve reached Toshigi Tasoto. Unfortunately, I’m not here right now. After the tone, leave a message.”
Hearing her murdered father’s voice had to be upsetting for Nicole, especially since his recorded greeting had an awful ring of truth to it. There was a loud beep, followed by a ten second period of cracking static. Kyle and Nicole waited in silence, listening to wind whistle through the cracked windowpanes.
The mystery caller finally spoke. “Sorry to disturb you Toshigi,” she said, “but I thought you were dead. You remember me, don’t you? I’m the girl who arranged your funeral pyre.”
Nicole looked at Kyle apprehensively. “Oh my God,” she whimpered. “It’s her. She’s come for me.”
“I wanted to speak to Nicole,” the woman continued in her chilling voice. “And to the handsome policeman keeping her company. I’m watching you right now, Detective, just like I watched you two at the bank this morning. If you hadn’t been so busy chatting Nicole up, she might have reached her father in time. Sorry about Sarah. She had nothing to do with this, but I was afraid you wouldn’t take me seriously otherwise. Think of your maid as a henchwoman, a supporting character. Nicole, you should know those people always die first.”
“Screw you!” shouted Nicole. “You hear me? Screw you!”
Kyle crept forward, keeping his chest close to the ground. He whispered to Nicole over his shoulder. “You stay here. Understand?”
“Let’s play a game,” said the woman on the phone. “Hide and seek. Come out, come out wherever you are, so I can blow your head off.” She followed her sick play on words with a girlish chuckle. “I want you to understand that I’m smarter than you, Detective. You have no idea who I am. I could be in the same room as you, and you wouldn’t even know it. I could kill you right now, but that wouldn’t be much of a challenge.”
Kyle reached the far wall, pressed his body against the woodwork, and gripped his pistol tight. He shifted weight onto his lower knees, preparing himself for a shootout.
The mystery woman continued her taunts. “By the end of the week, I’ll be famous, and do you know where you’ll be, Detective? In a cemetery, sharing a grave with that miserable bastard’s daughter.”
That insult was too much for Nicole to bear. She leapt to her feet, and marched to the broken window. “Shut up, you crazy bitch!” she screamed through the glass.
Nicole was fully exposed, an easy target for the shooter outside. Kyle shoved her to the floor, and assumed her position by the window. He peered down the barrel of his gun, waiting for the killer to show her face.
“Stay down!” Kyle instructed, but it did no good.
The woman’s psychotic chuckling was all Nicole could hear. Overcome with terror, she sprinted to the telephone, pressed the erase message button, and yanked the receiver off its hook. “Shut up!” she wailed.
The psycho caller had pushed Nicole over the edge, and it was only a matter of time before she snapped completely and did something suicidal. Kyle had to neutralize the threat while he had the chance. Steadying his gun, he hooked his shoe cap underneath the window’s locking bolt and lifted it from the floor groove. He groped for the handle, twisted it full circle, and kicked open the frame.
Frosty blades of grass crunched beneath Kyle’s feet as he stepped out into the open. He swept the garden, using trees and ornaments for cover. He frequently turned on the spot, knowing Lakeysia wasn’t around to watch his back. There was nothing this psycho would like more than to sneak up and pop him at point blank range. Kyle heard the wail of approaching police sirens in the distance. Help was coming, but right now he was alone. Kyle kept his concentration, listening for any small noise that might give the killer’s position away. It came sooner than he expected.
At first the sounds were barely audible. The soft rustles and muffled crunching could have been an animal trampling through the vegetation. Then the ruckus gradually grew louder, and the seven-foot hedge that enclosed the garden shook so violently half a dozen leaves snapped off their stems. It couldn’t be the wind. The movement was restricted to a narrow section, and the surrounding air was still.
Kyle took cover behind a statue: a full size, bronze likeness of Toshigi with a square fountain at its base. As Kyle crouched down, he felt something hard and metallic dig into his trouser leg. He lifted his knee to take a look. The item in question was a spent nine-millimeter bullet casing. Kyle had a perfect, unobstructed view of the house’s rear wall. From here he could see everything: broken French windows, shattered vase, the maid’s body. Behind the statue, there were two deep footprints in the soil. This was the spot where the sniper had made her nest.
Someone was coming, their footsteps soft and spread apart. The killer was making a stealthy approach. If Kyle hadn’t been alerted by the earlier noises, she might have caught him unawares, but now he had the upper hand. The low midday sun cast a human shadow across the garden. The woman was circling towards the house, probably going after Nicole. That would be her last mistake.
Once Kyle had a clear shot, he broke cover. “Freeze!” he yelled.
The suspect lowered her gun, but Kyle’s elation was short lived. His target’s scruffy clothes, African American skin tone and messed up hair were very familiar. She was a killer, but definitely not the woman Kyle was looking for.
“Whoops!” Lakeysia held her gun side on and signaled Kyle to relax. “You did call for help, Travis. At least try and look happy to see me. You can rest easy. I think your date stood you up.”
Kyle holstered his gun. “She was standing right here. Watching me, waiting for her opportunity. The bitch killed Nicole’s maid right in front of me. Not because she didn’t like her. No, it was just for bragging rights. She spent five minutes gloating on the phone.”
“You seem convinced the killer’s a woman. Positive about that?”
“Hey!” protested Kyle. “I know a girl’s voice when I hear it. Okay?”
“Yeah. I’m sure you do.”
Kyle turned away in disgust. He spotted Nicole outside the open French window, gown drawn tight around her body. Her teeth were chattering. If the girl stayed out in the cold any longer, she’d catch pneumonia.
“Nicole, are you crazy? Get back inside,” Kyle said. “Everything’s fine. She’s gone.”
“Don’t you think you’re getting a little too close to this woman?” asked Lakeysia, keeping quiet so Nicole wouldn’t hear.
“Pretty good job I was, eh? Otherwise there might be two bodies at the morgue with Tasoto name tags taped around their toes.”
Lakeysia took Kyle’s outburst in her stride. “It bother you why she’s alive and the maid’s not?”
“What?” Kyle couldn’t believe what his partner was implying. “You think Nicole’s in league with the killer? Does she look like a psycho to you?”
“Suppose she could be innocent,” admitted Lakeysia halfheartedly. “Who knows? Maybe this girl actually likes you.” Kyle knew a punch line was coming, and Lakeysia didn’t disappoint. “By all means, go play a game with your new friend. Just make sure she’s not playing you.”
Lakeysia slipped on a pair of surgical gloves, and combed the crime scene. Kyle reflected on her thoughts as he returned to the house. She was wrong, of course. Maybe Nicole bore some grudge against Toshigi, but there was no way she was complicit in cold-blooded murder. What bothered Kyle was the girl’s connection to all three victims. Someone was specifically targeting Nicole and those around her, which meant she probably knew the killer personally. With any luck, recent events would encourage Nicole to be more open about her past. Kyle was convinced she was the key to the mystery.
Chapter Six: The Victim’s Role
Lakeysia and Kyle were still at Nicole’s house wh
en forensics showed up. Doctor Edwin Matthews had seen too many corpses to be shocked by a gunshot victim, no matter how young. The white haired pathologist scratched his beard and limped around Sarah’s body, studying the cadaver from a variety of angles. Matthews had brought along a female assistant. The Chinese American intern was responsible for taking crime scene photographs, labeling pieces of evidence with numbered cards, and drawing the customary chalk outline around the body.
Matthews tilted Sarah’s head to one side, and studied the bullet’s entry wound. “The shot was fired from medium range,” he determined. “I’d say twenty to fifty feet away. From the direction of entry, that would probably place the shooter outside the house.”
“Probably?” said Nicole. “Did you notice the broken windows?”
She made a strong case, but Lakeysia remained skeptical. “First rule of forensics,” she said, “start from scratch and assume nothing. Things aren’t always what they seem.”
“I suppose now you’ll deduce she died from a gunshot wound. Look, could you please do something about…” Nicole gestured towards the dead maid.
“Sarah? When Matthews gets through with the body. First he’s gotta make sure your story checks out. We can’t rely on a single witness account.”
Lakeysia inspected the shattered windowpane, taking care not to step on the broken glass. “Or even two,” she added with a glance at Kyle.
Once Matthews was done examining the body, he nodded to the coroner. Nicole cried as paramedics sealed the maid’s corpse inside a body bag.
Kyle pulled the girl closer so she could rest her head against his chest. “It’s all right, Nicole,” he said. “No one can blame you for being upset.”
Lakeysia drew the forensics man aside. “So, what do you reckon, Matthews?” she asked. “Three victims in six hours. That has to make your top ten list.”
The doctor’s assistant lifted a crushed bullet from the vase fragments, dropped it in a plastic evidence bag, and brought it over for her supervisor to study.
Matthews held the slug up to the light. “Nine millimeter round,” he concluded. “Your killer’s an expert marksman. It’s not easy to hit a person in the head from that distance with a rifle. This guy used a handgun, most probably a silenced pistol. A one shot kill. Your partner’s lucky the second bullet missed.”
“It wasn’t time for him to die,” Lakeysia said. “This psycho doesn’t miss unless it’s on purpose. Travis wasn’t the target. Neither was Miss Tasoto. They’re not breathing by chance.”
Matthews returned the bagged bullet to his assistant. “So why kill the maid?” he asked Lakeysia.
“Same reason as the driver. Serial killers like leaving dead bodies. Maybe it helps them sleep at night. I dunno.”
“You think it’s the same killer?” From the doctor’s tone, it was obvious he disagreed with Lakeysia’s assessment.
“You don’t?”
“Different murder weapon,” Matthews argued. “Different M.O. No ransom note, no sophisticated setup, no coded message. No similarity at all.”
“Fact is, the victims were closely connected,” Lakeysia reminded him. “To the same woman. First her chauffeur, then her father, and now her maid. You think it’s all just a coincidence, doc? Trust me. This was no random shooting. It was part of the plan.”
Matthews asked the inevitable question. “What plan?”
“Whatever plan this lunatic has cooked up for us. You think this is the work of some videogame nut acting on impulse? So far, three strikes. Two out of those three, Travis and Miss Tasoto saw the victims die.”
The pathologist shook his head, unconvinced. “What’s your point?”
Lakeysia took a deep breath, then gave her verdict. “We got our work cut out. That’s my point. The stiffs we’ve seen today, they were just tasters, players in some sick game show this wacko put on for us. Our killer’s smart, well organized, not afraid to take risks. And from what Travis tells us, might well be female. The young, innocent girl next door nobody would suspect.”
While Lakeysia was analyzing her quarry, Kyle had called Thorne on his cellphone. Her partner was in the thick of an argument. “Lieutenant, I don’t care about resources,” he said. “Miss Tasoto was just attacked in her own home. We’ve already seen what this girl’s capable of. I want round the clock protection at Nicole’s residence. Three teams of two, eight hour shifts. Starting tonight.”
Lakeysia couldn’t hear the Lieutenant’s reply, but from the way her partner shouted back at him, she guessed it wasn’t the response he wanted. “The girl dies and it’s on your head, not mine,” threatened Kyle. “Anything happens to Nicole because you refused to give her protection, and I’ll personally see to it you shoulder the blame. Yeah, I’m aware you outrank me.”
“That’s love for you, Matthews,” said Lakeysia. “It can drive a guy crazy.”
Kyle was so infatuated with his new girlfriend that he wasn’t afraid to talk down to the Lieutenant. Fortunately for him, the gamble paid off. “Thank you, sir,” he said, finally calming down. Kyle terminated the call and gave a thumbs-up signal to Nicole.
“Wouldn’t count on you being a detective when all this is over,” Lakeysia said, walking over to them. “Take it Thorne gave the all clear.”
“Yeah,” confirmed Travis. “Not that it’ll do any good.”
“Do you think she’ll come back?” asked Nicole. “Try again? Because if she does, that bitch better—”
“No,” said Kyle, contradicting his previous arguments. “Our girl’s too smart for that. But right now, you’re the only lead we’ve got. I’m just covering the bases. That’s all. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
Lakeysia whispered in Nicole’s ear. “Not ‘til you dump him, anyway.”
Her private remark brought a smile to Nicole’s face, though it soon disappeared. “My father, and now Sarah,” she cried. “Why them and not me? What does this woman want?”
“We were hoping you could give us some input on that,” said Lakeysia.
Kyle handed Nicole a business card. “Here’s my number. If you think of anything that might help, or if you need someone to talk to, give me a call. Okay?”
“Okay,” said Nicole.
“We’ll catch her,” Travis promised. “You have my word.”
Lakeysia buttoned her coat. “Perhaps you two should spend the night together,” she suggested. “This woman seems to like performing in front of cops.”
“I think Nicole needs some time to herself,” Kyle said.
“Then we should go home, Travis. Get some rest. We’ll need it.”
Kyle joined Lakeysia by the door. “So, do you still think Nicole’s guilty?”
“You bet. Question is what’s she guilty of? Liking you, withholding information, or conspiracy to commit murder one?”
***
Charlie Horwick turned to the final page of Jade Dragon vs. Doctor Takamura. The aging night manager had read the comic book countless times, but this issue was his favorite, the one where the ninja heroine battled a mad scientist with a miniaturization cannon. Charlie ought to have been watching the security monitors, but there was never anything interesting to see. After another hectic day of business, the Dragonsoft Development offices were now officially closed, and everyone else had left hours ago. Apart from Rebecca Masters. The secretary often worked late. Being a single mother, she needed the extra cash.
Charlie squinted, struggling to read the last speech bubble. Then he realized the page had darkened. For the second time in a week, his reading lamp needed a new bulb. The watchman tossed the comic book on his desk and reached for a supply drawer. He froze, staring at security footage of the front approach. A black motorcycle was parked on the tarmac outside. Charlie scanned the monitor screens, but found no sign of an intruder.
On another night Charlie may have checked it out, but the murders of Toshigi and two members of his staff were still fresh in the manager’s mind. Police had interviewed all Dragonsoft em
ployees during the afternoon, and the killings were national headline news. While the exact details had been kept under wraps, the deaths must have been pretty gruesome to cause such a stir. Charlie was in his fifties and unarmed, no match for a crazed killer.
“Not very brave, are you?” It was a woman’s voice.
A gloved hand flipped the lamp switch into the on position. The beam shone directly in Charlie’s face, leaving him dazzled. A tall, vaguely feminine figure stood before his desk. She was dressed in biker’s gear: a black leather outfit with a crash helmet concealing her face. The woman had one hand behind her back, holding something long and metallic that glimmered in the space between her legs. She dragged its pointed end along the floor, repeating the scraping action over and over.
Charlie wasn’t taking any chances. He groped for an alarm button under his desk. “Do I know you?” he asked, stalling for time.
“Yes, Charlie,” the woman replied. “I believe you do.”
Polished steel flashed before Charlie’s eyes. Before he knew it, the woman in leather had a sword against his throat. “I wouldn’t touch that alarm,” she said, “unless you have a noble sense of duty to your dead boss.”
To emphasize her seriousness, the girl twisted her weapon. The blade was so close it shaved hairs from Charlie’s neck. Holding him at sword point, the biker lifted up her helmet and threw it aside. Long, golden blonde hair draped over her shoulders.
The woman leaned forward into the light. “Recognize me now?” she asked, staring into Charlie’s eyes. “I’ve had quite a makeover.”
She spun the comic book round, closed it, and glanced casually at the title. “Jade Dragon,” she said, “my favorite game character. At least, she was before that greedy bastard Toshigi milked her for all she was worth. Of course, I never made a dime from any of his stupid spin offs. Do you think that’s fair, Charlie? Well, do you?” She pushed her sword into his throat, prompting him for a reply.
“No,” said Charlie hastily. “I don’t.”
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