Picture Perfect Murder

by Rachel Dylan

  “Let me show you the darkroom,” she said.

  He followed her down the hallway. Once they entered the room, he surveyed the area, but nothing seemed out of place. There was a big table with large plastic containers on top of it. A sink, surrounded by shelves housing numerous bottles of liquids, sat in a corner. Then there were clips and other supplies scattered throughout. “And what about your digital photography?”

  “I do that in my office across the hall. That’s where my computer and printer are.”

  “I’ll need you to go through the darkroom and your computer and see if it looks as if anything else has been tampered with.”

  “I understand. I’ll definitely do that.”

  “And I’m going to call the crime lab and have them do another sweep for prints just in case they missed anything, as well as run a forensic analysis on your computer. They can also collect the note for examination. Excuse me for a second.” He pulled out his phone and made a quick call to his team. “They’ll be here within the hour. How many pictures do you estimate were on your phone?”

  She blew out a breath. “Maybe a hundred, two hundred. But like I said, they aren’t top quality like the ones on my computer and in the darkroom.”

  He didn’t like this at all. The serial killer had access to more of Lily’s photographs. And if he was going to start using photos as part of his deadly game, then the implications were staggering. Rex didn’t even want one more death on his watch, but the killer obviously had other, bigger plans.

  “Agent Sullivan, you’re off in another world, aren’t you?”

  “Please, call me Rex. And I’m sorry. When I get into a case, my mind goes into overdrive trying to connect the dots.”

  She looked down and back up at him, her blue eyes sparkling. “Why would this guy focus on me of all people?”

  “Because he has a distinct type. You meet all of his preselected physical requirements. We can’t know at this point why he chose to go after women who look like you. I’m going to coordinate with APD so we can figure out what makes sense for some sort of protective detail. Meanwhile, I’ll stay with you until the FBI team arrives. Then I’ll come back tonight.”

  Frowning, she walked out of the darkroom, and he followed her back to living area. “That’s not necessary. My friends you met at the hospital are coming over soon. I won’t be alone.”

  “Okay, but if that changes let me know. I’m also going to put FBI electronic surveillance in place. That should be set up by tomorrow.”

  She winced as she took a seat on the sofa. “Is that really necessary at this point? That’s a pretty aggressive approach.”

  “It is, but I think it’s needed. We have no idea how far this guy is going to take it with you. I find it deeply disturbing that he’s come after you once and has used your photo at a murder scene. I don’t take this threat lightly.”

  “I have one request for you.”

  “Sure. What do you need?”

  “I don’t want my name to be associated with this photo in the news.”

  “I understand. It’s not exactly the type of publicity you’d want for your business. We’ll try to keep a tight lid on the fact that it’s your image.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate you trying to protect my privacy. No one wants to hire a photographer who’s linked to a serial killer.”

  “No problem. I’ll touch base with you in the morning about the security setup and when to expect the installation. The FBI team will arrive soon, but if you end up needing me tonight, let me know. Now that we know the killer has developed a special interest in you, I don’t want you to be alone.”

  “Don’t worry. My friends will be here, and I’ve also got my Glock.”

  “That’s good.”

  “And, Rex? Make no mistake about it. If that man comes into my house again, I will use it.”

  * * *

  Hours later, as she stared at her laptop screen, she felt anxious to hear the results of the analysis the FBI had performed earlier on her computer. Lily felt confident that the only picture taken from her darkroom was the one that had been shown on TV. What she felt far less confident about was whether anything had been taken from her computer. It would’ve been fairly simple to transfer pictures from her desktop. She no longer kept highly encrypted classified files, so she hadn’t been particularly focused on the security of her computer.

  And unlike some of her former counterparts at the CIA, technology wasn’t her specialty. Tradecraft and human intelligence were her strengths. When she needed tech help, she called on others. So for now, she would have to wait for the FBI results to come in.

  She walked over to the sink, and Grace nuzzled her hand while she finished up the dishes. Her pup could no doubt sense that she was feeling down about the whole situation. Though Alison and Jackson were supposed to come over, she had decided that she didn’t feel like company. So she’d told them that she would be fine for the night. And she could take care of herself. Rex’s concern was perfectly normal, but he assumed that he was dealing with an average citizen. Not a highly trained CIA operative.

  Grace whined. “Okay, girl. This is your last time going out this evening.” Thankfully, she had a large fenced-in backyard that Grace loved. Lily let her out the back door and then went into the living room and took a seat on the couch.

  Her thoughts returned to her CIA past. When the truth had come out to everyone at the Agency that James had been a double agent, it should’ve made her feel less guilty over what had happened on the mission. But she had loved him and his deception still stung.

  She closed her eyes and for a moment thought about praying. But what good would that do? She and God weren’t exactly on good terms anymore. No doubt she’d made bad choices, and she had to live with those repercussions. Still, she blamed God for what had happened to her. How it had all played out and how she’d had to end things.

  A loud crashing sound broke through her thoughts. Shards of glass from the window sprayed her body. Instinctively, she dropped to the ground and covered her head. Grace barked loudly from the backyard, but Lily was so thankful that she wasn’t inside right now.

  She bear-crawled toward the kitchen, trying to avoid as much glass as possible. But there were pieces all over the living room floor. She felt a shard cut into her arm, but she didn’t stop until she reached the kitchen.

  Grabbing her Glock from the kitchen drawer, she saw that her hand was covered in blood. She turned, her gun trained on a possible assailant, but she didn’t see anyone. She looked out the window to the backyard, where Grace was still barking.

  Slowly, she proceeded back to the living room, gun drawn. This was the second time someone had invaded her home. That was a threat she didn’t take lightly.

  The living room was covered with bits of glass from the broken window. Looking around, she saw the large brick that had been hurled through the glass. Was this guy trying to intimidate her? Scare her? Little did he know who he was dealing with. It wasn’t likely that one of her CIA enemies would do something like this. They’d just come after her directly with an assassin’s bullet. No, this felt like something else.

  She grabbed her phone from the kitchen and dialed Rex.

  “Lily, what is it?” he answered.

  “Someone just threw a large brick through my living room window. There is glass everywhere.”

  “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice ragged.

  “Just a few cuts. I don’t think they’re too deep.” She looked down and saw that there was a good bit of blood though the cuts were only superficial. “Thankfully, Grace was in the backyard when it happened.”

  “I’m calling this in right now. Do not hang up.”

  Seconds later, he returned to the line. “APD is less than five minutes away. I’m also on my way over. Are your friends with you?”

>   “That didn’t end up working out.”

  “You should’ve called me, Lily. I didn’t want you alone tonight. I told you it was too dangerous. You’re not taking this threat seriously enough.”

  She didn’t respond, because she couldn’t say anything at this point to make him happy.

  “Stay on the line with me until APD gets there. I need to know that you are safe.”

  “I’m right here.” She waited only a few minutes until Rex arrived at her place, along with an APD squad car.

  He walked into her house and immediately started checking her over. “Are you sure you’re all right? Do you need medical attention?”

  “I’ll be fine. It’s really nothing too serious.” She held out her arms to show him. “The cuts aren’t that deep. Just a little blood.”

  He frowned and walked over to the officers who were starting to work the scene in her living room. Now that the police were in the house, she took the opportunity to get Grace safely back inside and put her into her bedroom away from the glass. She walked back down the stairs and into the kitchen, where Rex was waiting for her.

  “They’re gathering evidence,” he said.

  “It happened so quickly. What’s the connection here? Why would the killer do this to me?”

  “Because he’s determined to finish the job he started, and extend his sick game along the way. You’ve proved to be a special challenge for him, and it’s one that he seems to have fully embraced.”

  A chill shot down her arm. “That’s disturbing.”

  “And, unfortunately, I have some more bad news.”

  “What?” She was almost afraid to ask.

  “We’ve got a report of a missing graduate student.”

  “Oh, no.”

  “She fits the victim profile perfectly,” he said quietly.

  “You think he’s already struck again? He’s escalating quickly.”

  “I’m thinking the worst-case scenario. We have search teams looking for her. I think this guy wants us to find his victims because that’s all part of the fun for him.”

  Her phone chirped, announcing a text. She glanced at the screen but didn’t recognize the sender. It was a blank text with an attachment. Something told her that this was wrong. Still, she had to look. She opened up the attachment.

  “Lily, what is it?” He took a step toward her.

  Her heart thumped loudly in her chest. She looked down at the phone and saw the photo that had been on the news. But now it was marked with a bright red X. “Rex, you should look at this.” She handed him her phone. “I think I have the location for your latest victim.”

  THREE

  Lily went with Rex to the crime scene at Westlake Park while Jackson and Guy were busy at the house boarding up her living room window. Minutes after she received the text, Rex had contacted APD to check out Westlake Park. And unfortunately, her suspicion about the next victim had been right. Rex wasn’t crazy about the idea of her going to the crime scene, but she’d insisted and Rex didn’t feel safe leaving her with anyone else, so he had obtained approval for her to visit the scene. She wanted to be able to help in any way she could.

  In the field, she’d seen some pretty heinous things. But nothing could’ve really prepared her for this crime scene. This killer was truly a psychopath. And the damage he’d inflicted on this innocent woman now lying lifeless in front of her was unthinkable.

  She tried to push away the emotions bubbling up below the surface and focus on how she could be of help in catching this guy. Thankfully, due to her CIA training, she was able to compartmentalize her emotions.

  Rex walked over to her. “The crime scene techs don’t think she was murdered in the park. Just that this is where he dumped her body. But you need to come over here and take a look behind these bushes.”

  Following Rex, Lily prepared herself for what she was going to see. The victim’s body had been found on the jogging trail so this had to be something else that lurked behind the bushes. She took a deep breath as he shone his flashlight. And that was when she saw it. Another photo. This time it was in color, and she recognized it as a picture she’d taken of a farmhouse about twenty minutes outside the city.

  “I’m assuming this is your photograph?” Rex asked.

  “Yes. But I don’t get this, Rex. Why would he lead us to the location through pictures? Now that we know what he’s doing, why wouldn’t we just get an FBI team to stake out the farmhouse and catch him when he goes there? I know exactly where it is.”

  Rex shook his head. “Because that’s not how this guy is going to operate. He did this once—using the picture as a means to tell us where the victim was. But he isn’t stupid. He’ll come up with another game. I just don’t know what that is yet. What is clear to me is that he’s formed a very unhealthy connection to you through all of this. The killer doesn’t like missteps or failures. He can’t let it go.”

  “Yes, I understand.”

  He reached out and touched her arm. “This all comes back to you, Lily. He’s not going to let up, and unfortunately he’s got you front and center.”

  “That’s a place I do not want to be.” She was used to being in the crosshairs but in a totally different type of deadly game. In this situation, she currently felt a severe lack of control, and that bothered her. She liked being in charge, not just sitting back and waiting for something bad to happen.

  “I’m sorry you were put in this situation. But we need to talk about your personal security.”

  That was the last thing she wanted to talk about. She didn’t want APD or the FBI providing her with protection. She could handle it herself. Especially since she knew she was a target. This wasn’t a covert operation. This was an in-your-face threat. He was killing women and using her as a pawn in his game. She wasn’t going to stand idly by and let him continue to use her.

  “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it now, but we will need to at some point,” he said. “We can’t presume to understand how the mind of a sociopath like this operates.”

  She nodded. This man was trying to protect her. He was doing his job. It was just difficult for her to relinquish control. To trust someone. To provide full disclosure. After all, her life in the CIA had been all about withholding information. Her instincts told her that he was one of the good guys, but look how wrong she had been about James. How could she ever learn to trust again?

  He gently took her arm and guided her away from the scene and back toward his SUV.

  On the drive to her house, they rode in silence for a few minutes until he spoke. “You’re from Atlanta, right?” he asked.

  “Yeah. It was just me and my mom growing up. Times were tough, as you can imagine. She worked two jobs just to put food on the table. The house that I live in was my grandmother’s. It was the only thing of value we had.”

  “Where is your mom now?”

  “She died my freshman year of college. She had a lot of issues and got mixed up with the wrong guys. It led to her making bad decisions. But enough of my family drama. What about you?”

  “I was born and raised in Georgia. My parents are still together. Not to say there weren’t some really rough patches. But they’re both really solid in their faith and decided to stick it out through the good and the bad.”

  Interesting, she thought. “And do you share their beliefs?”

  “Yes. My faith is really important to me. Especially in my line of work. Sometimes God is all I have. He’s the only one I can talk to about the awful things I experience.”

  Her heart hurt listening to him because there was a time when she’d felt the same way. Then everything had changed. God had taken everything away from her. And she still didn’t know why.

  “What about you?” he asked.

  “That’s a long story for another time.�
��

  “I get it.” He pulled up in her driveway, and she was relieved that he wasn’t pushing the topic right now.

  She stepped out of the SUV and walked up her front porch steps. Guy’s car was in the driveway. The living room window was boarded up. Grace started barking. “She knows we’re home. It looks as if the guys are still here,” she said.

  “Good,” he said. “If the killer is watching, it’s good for him to know that you have a tight circle of friends. And you’re about to have the FBI protecting you, as well.”

  They walked into the house and Grace greeted them warmly. They found Jackson and Guy sitting in the living room. The two of them were polar opposites. Jackson was tall with dark hair and eyes, while Guy was shorter with blond hair and blue eyes. But the one thing they had in common was their loyalty to her. She’d known Guy since eighth grade when he’d moved into town. He was a good man who was currently working his way through school to be an EMT.

  “Thank you both for what you did with the window.”

  “You’re not safe here by yourself, Lily,” Jackson said. He was always very protective of her. Like the big brother she never had.

  “I’m glad you’re concerned,” Rex said. “We are, too, and will be providing Lily with FBI protection.”

  “Will you be taking the lead?” Jackson asked.

  “If I have it my way, then yes. There are a lot of moving parts, but Lily’s security is my priority.”

  “Well, I’m glad she won’t be left alone again for some psycho to attack her,” Guy said, his blue eyes bright with frustration.

  “You two should get home,” Lily said. “I’ve already taken too much time out of your night.”

  “We’re here for you if you need us,” Jackson said.

  “Jackson’s right, Lily. Whatever you need,” Guy added.