xXATHINLINE EBOOKXx-docx

by Gianna Boiani

  "UGGH. Absolutely."

  "I ordered for us already. Two Collins burgers, with

  everything. That, my dear, will hit the spot," Julie said.

  “Mmmm. Sounds perfect."

  "Has Todd discussed the new case with you?" Julie asked.

  "Yes. He told me that he is going to lead the team under

  John,” Jacqueline said.

  "Yes. This case scares me. John goes through this...transformation during certain cases. He gets quiet, dark, disturbing even. He doesn’t break out of it until he has caught the killer. I fear this to be one of those cases. Children- it affects us all when the innocence of youth gets harmed."

  "Yes, I’ve noticed Todd a bit on edge about it as well," Jacqueline said. The waiter arrived and placed the food in front of the women.

  "Wow. This looks delicious. Good choice, Julie."

  "Yes, it does. So, where are you two going on your honeymoon?"

  "We agreed on Hawaii."

  "Oh, very nice. I’ve never been, which is kind of odd considering how close we are."

  "Yeah, Todd didn’t want to go too far away in case John needed him," Jacqueline said.

  "You will find detectives are very close and very loyal to their duties and each other. It’s admirable, but it can be challenging to a detective’s wife at times as I’m sure you are discovering."

  "Yes, I am."

  "So have you thought about baby names?" Julie asked.

  “Actually, we have. Devin for a boy and Arianna for a girl."

  "Oh, I love both of them. Very unique," Julie said. Jacqueline then waved for the waiter. "Sir, may I have a dish of chocolate ice cream?"

  "Absolutely, Madam. Coming right up."

  "Ice cream? You only took one bite of your burger. You want dessert already?" Julie asked.

  "Julie, sweetheart. How long has it been for you? Seven years? The ice cream isn’t for dessert."

  The waiter arrived with a dish of chocolate ice cream that Jacqueline proceeded to dump onto her burger. She then looked at Julie with a sly smirk on her lips. Julie just shook her head, gave a hearty chuckle and continued eating.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

  September 20, 1981. Northern Washington State...

  Johnny Corbin put his books in his locker, for there would be no studying tonight. He never studied. He got by on memory, common sense and an elevated IQ. Johnny's plan was to walk to the high school football practice field and watch the high school boys practice all afternoon. His love for football was already extremely intense and he could hardly wait to enter high school so that he could play on the team. He walked out of the back of the school, down the steps and across the parking lot when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. There, in the back schoolyard, three bullies had cornered a small, cowering boy. "Hey!" Johnny yelled as he walked toward the group. "Leave him alone!"

  "What? You want to take his place, big shot?" the leader taunted Johnny.

  "Gladly," he said to the surprise of the three bullies. The boy ran away scared but unharmed. Johnny fought bravely, damaged and hurt all three boys, but he never made it to the practice field that night. Two black eyes, a broken nose, and a split lip was the damage he absorbed. He never told a soul. Not his parents, not one classmate, not one teacher or the principal. He lied to his parents that he got into a small scuffle playing a pickup football game at a corner lot that afternoon. What Johnny did achieve that day was a certain respect from the bullies. They never bothered that little boy again and turned away when walking past Johnny in the hallways, while Johnny would look them all straight in the eyes. They remembered the fight in Johnny that day and the pain he inflicted on all three of them all by himself. From that day on a reputation was growing. Quiet, introverted Johnny Corbin was a defender of the small, weak and feeble. Quiet Johnny Corbin had a fire inside. Quiet Johnny Corbin was not to be messed with.

  CHAPTER SIXTY

  Julie woke up to an empty bed at 3:30 a.m. She got up, washed her face in the bathroom, threw on a robe and headed for the den to see if she could find her husband. The den was dark as she stopped at the doorway and peered in. She saw a silhouette sitting in the chair, staring ahead at the wall. She flipped on the light. John's face was stone cold, emotionless, lined with stress and deep thought. "John. Babe. Are you ok?" In front of him on the coffee table were a few books on psychopaths and serial killers that John used in cases like these. All were open to certain pages as if he was looking for a connecting link, an answer to a riddle or a puzzle. On the floor, a flashlight rolled back and forth, its light still shining. "John, you need to get some sleep."

  "I know," was all he said as he continued to look straight ahead. Julie shut the door, turned the lock, walked in front of John and knelt down.

  She then gave him a sexy, little smirk and said, "I know how to help you, babe." She then pulled down his pants and took him in her mouth. John leaned back and his muscles relaxed for the first time all night. Julie had perfected her craft over years of performing on her husband. She had discovered just what he liked, how to take him to the edge, back off and do it all over again. She used her hand in perfect rhythm and in unison with her mouth, lips, and tongue. He was instantly erect and started giving small little moans as she sucked on just the right part of his shaft. John rocked back as he exploded in her mouth. Julie swallowed it all down. She loved the way his semen felt in her mouth and as it went down her throat. She got up and sat on his lap and held his head to her shoulder. "Come to bed," she said. John gave a small, relaxed smile and said, "Okay."

  CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE

  Silas noticed the resemblance immediately. Gabriel had their mother’s steel blue eyes and curly brown hair. His long face, thin lips and handsome chin were also a direct result of Tracy’s DNA. Having recognized Gabriel without any doubts, Silas anxiously walked across the Emerald Hill Park grounds in San Diego. He approached the bench, stopped directly in front of his half-brother and said, “Gabriel? I am Silas,” as he held out his right hand. Gabriel Crimson looked up, their eyes met, and in that instant, all of the lost years melted away. There were an undeniable connection and kinship in their gaze as Gabriel stood up, took Silas’ hand and pulled him in for a hug. It was the first time in his life Silas had accepted affection from another male. He quickly broke the embrace and sat next to Gabriel.

  “Did she go peacefully?” Gabriel asked.

  “She did brother. She fought bravely, but she finally fell to the disease. She died happy, while heavily medicated.”

  “Good, I am over the anger. I have moved passed it. Silas, I had a rough childhood. My foster father did things to me that I blamed on our mother. But I have turned the page. I now live my own life. Mother is gone. I have moved on from my foster parents. I am free.” Gabriel said. Silas noticed the flash in Gabriel’s eyes instantly. The two were alike. They were the same. Not just half-brothers, they were something deeper, something similar. Silas didn’t know if it was embedded in their DNA or a result of their brutal, rough childhoods, but they were connected. Silas gave him a knowing glance and said, “I understand. We are one in the same, brother.”

  A few hours later, Silas boarded his plane home. During the quick flight, Silas’ thoughts returned to his brother, the man he had become, and the friendship they would share from this moment on. A small smile played on his lips. For once, Silas Alvah did not feel alone.

  CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO

  John pulled up to the Alibi. He needed to think. Think and talk to his friend. The case was grinding on him and he was getting nowhere. No sightings. No leads. Nothing. John sat in his usual seat. "Hey Red."

  "John, nice to see you. What's new, my friend?" Red said as he placed a Brooklyn In front of John.

  "Have you heard about the two missing children?" John asked.

  "Yes, I have. A shame. Boy and girl. Both around seven or eight, correct? In Kent?" Red said.

  "Kent and Auburn. Well, I'm running the investig
ation. I've gotten nowhere. I know more are coming. I need to stop it. What am I missing, Red? I've been up every night going over it in my mind. I've locked down everywhere a child could be between Kent and Auburn and within a five-mile radius surrounding them. Nothing. Not one sighting, not one lead. I'm tired and frustrated."

  "John, look. Clear your mind. You are emotionally too close to this. I can see it in your face. Take a step back and broaden your thoughts. Sometimes the easiest solution is the correct solution. You can squint so much to see in the distance that you might miss something right in front of your face. He is an abductor of children right? Where would be the most obvious place in the next month that would have the most children running around unsupervised? Find that answer and you will find your man. Well, monster, not man."

  With that John's mind took a different angle. The wheels turned in reverse. His thought patterns took a 180-degree turn. He stopped targeting location as his main guideline. He expanded the target zone. Thought more about the setting being what the perp would need to thrive. Then it clicked. The Evergreen State Fair. Farm animals, pig races, loads of fatty, sugary fair foods. A breeding ground for young, hyper children who won’t listen to their parents. John looked at Red. "Red, thank you. You are a fucking genius." Then he was up and out the door. Red just stood behind the bar and watched him go with a confused, blank look on his face.

  CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

  "Men, I know that Monroe is outside of our original target zone, but my instincts tell me the Evergreen State Fair is his next target. It starts tomorrow. I want double the uniforms on patrol. I want ten undercover men with myself leading one team of five and Detective McGrath leading another team of five. Do not question or apprehend, without an actual abduction. Watch, follow, learn and record everything. We will sift him out. I know it seems like a needle in a haystack, but we have one advantage: he has no idea that we are onto him. He will be acting as his usual self, and it is vital we recognize that. Men, we must grind this out. Cross every T. Dot every I. An innocent child's life depends on it. We must get this done. No excuses. Thank you. Any questions?" Detective Bernard raised his hand. John nodded in his direction.

  "Sir, you seem pretty sure that this will be the site for his next attempt at striking. Do you have any data or intelligence to back that up?"

  "Nothing tangible. I have chased many psychopaths in my time. To catch them you must become them. My instincts, my gut tells me this is it. I see this fair through his eyes and I think he sees a breeding ground for his type of victim. I have no other reason than that. I feel it in my bones. Any other questions" John paused for ten seconds then said, "Good. Let’s get to work."

  John walked back to his desk to learn about the layout of the fair and how he would set up his men. "Nice speech." Todd sat down at his desk across from John. "I hope you are right about this, pops, are you sure?"

  "No, I’m not sure. But every fiber of my being tells me it will be correct. Just raw gut instinct."

  "Okay, I trust your gut. If we get this animal, will you smile again?" Todd asked.

  "Todd. If we get this animal, I'm taking you and your better half out to dinner to celebrate."

  "You got yourself a deal old man. But, just a warning, I have an expensive appetite."

  "Yes, I already know that junior. I already know that."

  CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR

  Silas sat with his laptop open in front of him. He typed a name. The name of a man, an acquaintance, who had occupied Silas' mind since meeting him. As Silas read the man's file he knew. He knew this man would be the next chosen one. The next soul to be set free. Was it the man's words? His eyes? His nature? Silas did not know exactly why, but, all the same, he knew it was the right choice. Feeling confident with his selection he now relaxed a bit, left his computer and headed for the room in the back of the house to cleanse his soul and spirit. This was his usual progression. Choose a soul to be set free, then experience a few weeks of spiritual cleansing sessions before actually planning out how he would go about setting the subject free. The shepherd, now nude, had begun tonight’s session, jamming an awl under each fingernail in succession until drawing a stream of blood. The sweet, orgasmic pain relaxed Silas even more. While practicing these rituals, Silas felt truly alive, in the moment, feeling the spiritual build up to the shepherd's release of another soul. This one would be special. Everything had to be special when doing the good Lord's work. As blood trickled from each finger, he started the same process on his toes. While Silas squealed in pain and delight, a blinking light from the other room flashed on the wall. It was the cursor from his laptop. Above the blinking cursor was the name and file of a special man. A man by the name of Todd McGrath.

  CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE

  It was a beautiful late summer day in northern Washington. A perfect seventy-one degrees and not a cloud in the sky. Javier woke with an intensity about him today. He was anticipating the hunt that awaited him, like a wild predator. Having felt like a caged lion for the past few weeks, Javier knew the time has come. The time to find and secure his next victim. He made his way to the kitchen grabbing a quick bite of breakfast before setting out to start his day. All that was left in the refrigerator were a few of Cindy's fingers, one hamstring steak, and a few kabobs of pepper, onions and meat from Cindy's shoulder. All marinated in teriyaki sauce. Much like the Native American Indians' use of the buffalo, Javier would eat every inch that he could, wasting very little. He grabbed a kabob and placed it in the microwave. He then clicked on the radio to see what the weather forecast called for. The gods blessed him with a perfect sunny day. There should be much prey bounding about. He made a mental note to rub on some sunblock. Javier had a light complexion for a Mexican so he took every precaution to keep his skin healthy and protected from the dangers of the sun's rays. As light as he was, he guessed his mother, whom he had never met, was American. Maybe Irish or English. In the little time he knew his father, they had never discussed his mother. He poured a cup of coffee and sat down to eat his breakfast. Javier needed to be well fueled. Today was an important day. The Evergreen State Fair was his destination.

  CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX

  The fair was scheduled to open at 8:30 AM. John had briefed the twenty-five uniformed and the ten undercover officers. Todd's team would handle the red parking lot, the equestrian park, the RV parking lot and the grandstand for the racing track. John's team would handle the yellow and blue parking lots, Kiddie Land, Frontier Land, the courtyard stage area and the rides and amusements. The weathermen were calling for an absolutely perfect day for a fair. John was restless. He paced back and forth like a caged animal inside the empty building that the fair let the force use as a makeshift headquarters. At 8:17 AM Todd entered to have a word with John. "How are you doing?" Todd asked. "You look like shit."

  "Thanks. I’ll be much better when we nab this guy."

  "You know, I was thinking, we all just assume it's a man, what if it's a female?"

  "Good point Todd, but we do tend to play percentages. Over 92% of child abductions by strangers are committed by men. Chances are we are looking for a man. But I guess it wouldn't hurt to pay attention to the women as well. We have the manpower."

  "Will do, John. We are live in ten minutes. Our men are all in position. John, good luck," Todd said as the partners and good friends shook hands.

  "Luck is one thing that we could use a little of here partner."

  John said as they left the building and separated. "Just this once," he said to himself as the bright, warm sun shone down on the beautiful Evergreen Fairgrounds.

  CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN

  11:00 a.m.

  Javier sat on a bench overlooking kiddie land and the food midway. He could hardly believe his luck. This place was a jackpot for pedophiles. Children of every age, shape, and size all running around unattended. The only issue was that there seemed to be an abundance of policemen. Timing would be critical, but to a man like Javier, this was like a chocoholic be
ing inside a Hershey's store. He would have to leave with something today. The weather being perfect brought out the people in droves. That would make it very challenging for the cops and parents to keep track of every child. This would be his best opportunity of the week. Opening day. A Sunday. Perfect weather. A perfect storm. These ingredients would not be duplicated. Javier would watch the movements of the people and the cops and attempt to discover some opportunity, some crack in the patterns, some weakness in the routine. Once he figured it out he would scout out a desired target and finally time his move accordingly. This was definitely the spot he wanted to work from. Right behind him was the lot he parked his van in. He had chosen a spot all the way in the back, which connected directly to Cascade View Drive. From there he would be home free, with dinner for tonight if everything went well. He leaned back to catch the sun on his face. Javier was in a magnificent mood, what a wonderful day it was to be alive.

  4:00 p.m.

  Todd walked down the center of the fairgrounds. The grandstand was on his left and the west gate entrance and the agriculture display were on his right. It had been a quiet day so far. The few alerts that had been reported all proved to be false alarms. Todd and John were the only men allowed to roam free, the rest all had areas assigned to them. Todd thought: Well, at least we are outside enjoying this beautiful day, as he turned left at the speedway office and the fair souvenir tents. As he approached the animal’s tents on the right and Kiddie Land straight ahead he spotted him. A man. All by himself. Sitting. Watching. Waiting. Something deep inside of him, something primal, an intuition or instinct, told him that this man had things on his mind other than rides, animals, games, and food. Todd always marveled at the instinctual nature of John. How his instincts were so accurate, so powerful. This was the first time that he was feeling something similar himself. Maybe the old man’s preaching had finally taught him something, he thought, as he tried to blend into the crowd. Finally, Todd took a seat right outside the petting barn. It was a good spot to keep an eye on the lone man while still remaining concealed. He had no intention of letting this man out of his sight.