He looked around, in the shadows, and tried to hear something, but he could not see or hear anything. It was no later than 22:15, according to his digital watch. What was that woman doing on the streets so late, with all that rain? That was his second thought. When he was sure there was nobody else, he put the weapon back on its place and he squatted down beside her. He checked her pulse with his middle and index finger. She had no pulse. His eyes saddened then under the rain.
Afterwards, he came back in to tell the bad news and seal the area. He also picked up a thermal blanket, one of those shiny blankets that were silver colored on one side and golden on the other.
“Lloyd, we are going to get in trouble” Richard said once he had entered, while his feet splashed towards the counter.
“Is it true what this lady is saying?”
Richard nodded and some drops came from his head down to the floor.
“Unfortunately, it is. The killer has left us a nice present under our noses this time.”
“Fuck!” Officer Lloyd ranted.
Then, the old woman panicked.
60
Ethan and Charlotte were already in bed, trying to get some sleep while listening to the rain, but both were thinking that they were on the same page as before. They were stuck, but Ethan had promised Boad Hill’s people that he would find him. Where was that promise now?
61
“Sir, we have a serious problem” Lloyd voice said as soon as he heard Burt’s voice answering. He had just seen the cold corpse. She was a blond girl with blue eyes. Her eyes were still open, glassy eyes with the longest eyelashes he had ever seen.
“Now what’s happened?”
Lloyd did not know where to start. His voice trembled; he did not dare to tell him.
“Another girl is dead.”
There was a moment of silence.
“I’m not surprised” Burt’s grave voice answered. He noticed his voice was different, he was almost drunk.
“You are not going to like it, sir.” Lloyd explained with a lamp in his throat.
“What is it? Did the X files couple find the corpse?”
“No, they didn’t. We found it.”
“Have you left your post at the police station?”
“The killer brought her here, sir. He left her on the doorstep” Lloyd said, closing his eyes and touching his left temple at the same time.
“What!!! You are so useless!!! I’m on my way right now!!!”
Then a snap could be heard, as if Burt had crashed the phone against the floor and the impact had been heard. Lloyd’s heart raced under his chest and his face was white as a sheet.
When he came closer to Richard, he saw him next to the old woman, who was still hysterical, and he touched his shoulder.
“The boss is coming and he is really angry.” He stopped for an instant and then he added: “How on earth could he come and leave her here without us seeing him?”
“Maybe because we have no cameras installed outside.” Richard answered.
Lloyd shrugged and he went outside again.
He had called an ambulance and his two partners, Jack and Martin. Burt was on his way, fuming.
62
Ann’s knuckles knocked at his brother’s bedroom door gently, but loud enough for his brother to hear them.
“Hi, sis. What brings you out here so late? Is it love?” He asked with a smirk.
Ann closed the door quietly when she went in.
Denny felt surprised. It’s all right if you come in my bedroom.”
“I know, but mum has always been hard to understand.”
“Mum is...”
Ann’s hand covered his mouth, stifling a cry.
“Ssshhhsss. Denny, I have something to tell you that is driving me crazy.”
Denny lifted both hands as a sign of surrender. When Ann’s hand removed her hand from his mouth, she was stunned to see that he was still smiling.
“Has the specter of your ex come to your bedroom?”
“No, it is even worse.”
Denny started walking towards his bed. Now his face turned serious.
“Have you fallen in love?”
“It is worse than that.”
Denny left himself fall backwards on the mattress, which crackled under the weight of his body.
“Well, tell me then, sis. What is worrying you? I can see it in your eyes.”
Ann sat down on the edge of the bed, next to her brother, who was lying there.
“Someone recently hit my window glass with a stone or something hard, and the glass cracked. I did not dare to get up from my bed to see if it was a child’s prank, you know...” Ann was at a loss for words.
“It’s most likely. Who hasn’t thrown stones to a window sometime? I have done it a couple of times myself.” Denny had crossed his hands behind his head to feel more comfortable.
Ann looked at him sadly and she said:
“There was someone following me when I went out tonight to get some buns.”
Denny stood up as if he had a spring mechanism.
“Are you sure?”
“He was following me, but from a distance. I don’t know if he was doing so because I started running fast or just to intimidate me, but the point is that it reminded me of the man who wanted to attack me...”
“He attacked you!” Denny interrupted her, twisting his lips. “Last winter that guy attacked you, and if it weren’t because you kicked him in the balls he would have killed you. You wouldn’t be here now.”
Ann stared at him, lost in her thoughts.
“You have to call the sheriff!” Denny ranted.
Ann’s hand covered again his lips.
63
The blue lights appeared behind the rain curtain, almost as suddenly as the storm lightning. The lights were scraping every corner of the street, making the yellow light of the street lamps adopting strange colors. The engine was roaring in the middle of the night and the exhaust pipe was spitting a bluish smoke. The headlights of the vehicle increased until they reached the poor girl’s body which was lying on the ground. The thermal blanket, showing its golden side, was shining like a huge jewel. The car screeched to a halt, and then the engine stopped. The car door opened quickly and there he was, with his felt hat on his head. He was Burt Duchamp, who had a face like a smacked ass, with tightened lips and wrinkled eyes.
“What the fuck is that?”
Officers Lloyd and Richard did not answer. The whole area had been cordoned off.
“I saw her first!” The old woman exclaimed. She had seized the moment to go outside, next to the police station entrance; she was pointing at the girl’s body.
Burt turned to her with a questioning look.
Jack and Martin were also there. They had arrived a little before Burt, who had lingered having three cups of coffee to hide he had been drinking.
“Officers Lloyd and Richard were behind the counter and they find no explanation on how the killer could leave the victim’s body here. He must have been really fast to do it, and he has taken advantage of the intense rain, because he knew nobody would be walking around. Besides, there are not many cars driving in this bad weather. I really don’t know what to say, sir” Martin explained, trying to help his partners, who were standing there, his hands crossed and heads down.
“What are we supposed to do now with Bob the Fool? We have arrested him and it wasn’t him. The FBI people will laugh their ass off; they won’t be able to stop laughing.” Burt was almost hysterical, but he tried to calm down gradually. He knew he had to do things right before the gunpowder went off.
“Bob was not really the great suspect. We have only had him arrested the time allowed by law, to verify specifically this.” Jack said pointing to the girl.
“Nobody has called anybody, has it?” Burt asked under the rain.
“What? We don’t understand the question, sir” Martin said, moving one hand.
“Well, my tongue got tangled up. I mean if you have cal
led the media, the local channel or the FBI lovebirds.”
“No, of course not, sir” Lloyd dared to answer, lifting slightly his chin to look at him.
“Ok, fine.”
The bright lights of the ambulance were flashing as it was approaching the police station with the sound of the siren off. It was parked right beside Burt’s car, and subsequently a man and a woman went down to open the back door.
It was still raining heavily, all of them were soaking wet.
“Who is the girl, guys?” Burt asked, standing next to the corpse. Her face had been covered.
“She doesn’t look familiar to me.” Richard answered.
“Well, you are quite new here. You are a greenhorn who cannot fly yet. We all know each other here.” Burt explained while he was stooping down to uncover the girl’s face. He recognized her. “Lillian Walker. She is Wyatt’s daughter. I told you we all know each other here. We all know who is who. That’s why it is so difficult to find the suspect among us, because all of us are suspects. Last winter we were really shocked when we found out that Reverend Larry was Jack Feather Feet. Who will be now? Reverend Samuel? No, that skinny old man wouldn’t even kill a fly. Any of us can be a suspect, because Larry is dead, although he left his legacy.” Suddenly he realized he had given a long speech. He went on uncovering the girl and then he noticed that there was something shiny below one of her breasts on the pavement. It was a necklace with a cross.
The paramedics approached the uncovered girl with a pair or red suitcases. After having done a first check, the young man from the ambulance explained the situation with a grave expression. He had curly hair and he had a scraggly beard.
"This girl has probably suffered greatly. She has bled to death, and there are indications of asphyxia. Her heart probably stopped before bleeding out, or at least, we hope so. Her vagina is dilated, ripped and torn, and so is her anus. She has no nipples. The killer has introduced a sharp and big object that has sliced her in three. It must have been worst that childbirth. Many other organs will be punctured and torn in all likelihood."
"I don't know where I heard that before" Burt said ironically. “We already know all that. We have been going through this for a long time. We have lived this before, last winter, until everything was over and we found the murder weapon: A cross. But our Jack Feather Feet, more made of air than anything else, is imitating his mentor. And it is always the same: Tearing, bleeding, and open eyes that send a desperate message. There is nothing new. But I must thank you, lad.”
“I am Frank” The young man said, still bending over the poor blond girl.
“Ok, Frank. You have earned my trust. Now it is our turn to keep on trying to find more about this girl’s last moments.” His hand looked for his mobile phone inside his pocket. He took it out, and dialed a number with his thumb. It was Peter’s telephone number.
It was 23:30.
64
Peter was awake when his telephone rung. Actually, he was sitting next to his father on the couch, watching the monograph that was being broadcasted by the local channel related to the murders. He picked up the phone, which was on the couch armrest, and then he saw who was calling. It was Burt, and Peter averted his eyes towards the television while the phone kept ringing. Ethan was on a foreground, with his brand new suit. Peter clicked then on the green icon with his thumb and put the phone to his mouth.
“Tell me, Burt. There is another girl, isn’t there?”
“How do you know it?”
“Because that asshole Ethan is talking about it right now on the local channel; and he is spinning out.”
“Fuck!” Burt ranted. “Peter, the killer doesn’t want to dilly-dally. This time he has left a little present outside the police station door. He works just like clockwork. I have discovered something near the poor girl’s body. It is a necklace with a golden cross. I don’t know if it belongs to the killer or not. I need you. Thanks for collaborating.”
“I know, Burt...”
“What do you know? Have you heard about the necklace?”
“No. I know about the little present.” Peter said, listening at the same time to what Ethan was saying on television.
“Who has told you?”
“Ethan is on the air right now, and he is saying that the new victim has been left at the entrance of your police station. He is saying you are very incompetent and he has also said that he will ask for your resignation.”
“What a son of a bitch!” Burt’s voice echoed and it coupled with Ethan’s, who was talking live.
John elbowed him, urging him to listen to Ethan.
“The killer has laughed at him in his face, the sheriff has no chance to catch him; he doesn’t know where to go or how to do it. He has no evidence. He hasn’t got a clue. He is no useless and the FBI will handle this, Boad Hill citizens.” Then, Ethan lifted his hands to loosen up the knot in his tie. The veins in his neck looked disturbingly puffy, almost about to burst.
“Did you hear him, Burt?”
“Yes, I did, perfectly clear. This guy wants the glory, but I will not give it to him. Peter, please, come. Maybe this time you see something else. I had to release Bob the Fool and we are being sued by him.”
“I can go now, Burt, and I’m as eager as you to find the murderer” Peter said, feeling appalled.
“Just one more thing, Peter” Burt’s voice sounded worried. “How could they find out?”
“Maybe some neighbor has seen it from his window and he has contacted with the local channel. They, obviously, must have told the FBI.
“How did you reach that conclusion?”
Peter looked at his father’s face.
“My father has reached that conclusion” Peter said, winking at his father.
“I see” Burt sighed. “It is a good conclusion. I am sending Jack to pick you up. I need you.”
And thus he ended the conversation.
65
Peter came down from the cop car and he stepped on a puddle of water. His glasses were flooded by the wall of water that was coming down the sky as if it was a divine punishment. He pushed the car door and it slammed shut. Then he forced his way through the police officers and Burt received him with a forced smile. He didn’t need to smile right now. He would do it when the murderer was caught, if he was able to do it. Peter walked past the tape used to cordon off the area, and kneeled down in front of the girl to hold her hand. He did not want to waste any time. Then, the shine came through the darkness and he saw everything very quickly.
“He had carried her on her shoulder to bring her here, as if she was an empty sack of spuds. He is strong. She was still alive. Although her heart was beating slowly and she was not conscious, her eyes were recording everything: The rain, the streetlights, and finally the door of this police station. Then, the killer dropped her and she hit her head. A stabbing pain ran through her body, after all the pain she had gone through when he had tortured her with the cross, still being grabbed by the murderer. He saw Richard on his back, under the yellow light of the police station. He was having a cup of coffee. Then, darkness came and he saw nothing else but her whole life projected on a pair of dead eyes. He also saw the blood, which had covered the man’s raincoat. Each drop of blood slid down through the plain plastic fabric, and it mixed with the raindrops. She passed away very painfully. That’s all.” Then, Peter stopped grabbing his hand and he removed his hand in front of the officers, who were confused, puzzled and impressed. There were too many mixed feelings, quite difficult to bear. There was no room for that. Richard felt guilty. He was on his back, he repeated himself again and again. Peter was still kneeling on the wet ground. He was going to touch the necklace now; the small cross.
“It is always the same. It is a repetition, always the same torture.” Burt said in anger. They were in a state of great tension.
Peter reached out the cross with his fingers, and, as he did not feel anything at first, he just grabbed it with his hand and put it in the palm of his han
d. Then he clenched his fist. He got connected.
“He is wearing a black jogging suit. He is in front of a mirror, but I cannot see his face. Now he is putting his raincoat on and he is covering his head, but the mirror is not reflecting his face. Only his body can be seen, covered in black. He holds a white mask, with two holes that seem to take you to a bottomless pit. He turns to the mirror. I have seen one of his cheeks, but just for a moment. Now the mask is covering his face, and I can see it through the mirror.” Peter squeezed it harder, and he felt the edges of the cross on his palm. Then he took a leap in time. “The murderer has grabbed her from behind, covering her mouth. She was right in front of her house. She is being dragged, and then he held her up, always covering her mouth. He takes her to a dark alley. There is trash, but I don’t know where that alley is. There are no graffiti or details that let me identify the place. He breaks the sweater with his hands. He tears it and put it in a garbage bag that he is carrying. He rips her bra and her pants off. She wants to scream and kick, but he is still covering her mouth with his hand and he is putting his full weight on her. He is very strong. He lifts the cross that is shining under the rain. And then, he penetrates her with it strongly. The murderer sees her necklace. This necklace is hers!” Peter came out of the trance and stood up, showing the necklace on his hand. “This necklace is hers, not the murderer’s.”
Burt grabbed his arm.
“Why the hell is he always taking their clothes with him?” Burt wonders out loud.
Nobody answered.
Actually, they were stuck in spite of Peter’s visions.
Thus, Peter feels so impotent that he burst out into tears. His tears got mixed up with the rain and Lillian’s cross.
66
He got back home when his father was already in bed; it was after midnight. He drank a pint of milk and he went up to his bedroom. He dropped his wet raincoat on the chair and he laid down on his bed in his underwear, leaving his mobile phone on his nightstand.
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