Taurus: Zodiac Killers #6

by WL Knightly

  Chapter 18

  Darek

  A loud buzzing went off beside Darek, jarring him awake, and as he opened his eyes, the beauty beside him rolled over and covered her head with a pillow. He slapped at the clock and then rolled over, wondering if he should have let Raven sleep over, but what was done was done. As long as she didn’t go getting too attached or develop a bad habit, he’d be okay.

  He couldn’t help but wonder what happened between Corey and Alan, and with any luck, they had both made it through the night alive.

  Raven had come over to help him calm down, and after things got kinky, he had forgotten all about the situation or at least stopped caring. It was easier to shut the world out with Raven’s help than to have his body forcing blackouts on him, and he couldn’t help but believe she was his own personal therapist.

  He placed his hand on her shoulder and gave her a shake. “Hey, it’s five-thirty.” Raven let out a groan and snuggled against the pillow, causing him to laugh. “You wanted up this early, so don’t be mad at me now.”

  She stretched out her legs and put her warm feet against him. “Your bed is so comfortable.” She rolled over and stretched, and he couldn’t help but think of how beautiful she was in the morning with sleepy eyes and messy hair. It made her look surprisingly younger.

  “Yeah, it’s a great bed. It’s hard to leave it every morning. But we have to work.” She hadn’t told him exactly where she worked, but she was a receptionist. He liked the way they didn’t have to know every little detail to be friends. Slow was good, and he would learn more about her eventually.

  “I’ll meet you in the kitchen with coffee.” He slid to the edge of the bed and got to his feet. He stood, still naked from the night before, and found his shorts as she watched from the bed. He liked her eyes on him, and she gave him a wide smile as he covered up.

  “You’re ruining my view.” She sat up, and the sheets pooled around her waist, showing her perky breasts.

  “My view is quite nice too. And I’m fine if you want to drink your coffee topless.” He walked to the door as she laughed.

  She got to her feet and found her clothes from the night before. “No way. I’m not scalding these babies.” He glanced back in time to see her pinch her nipple and step into her dress.

  “What, that’s not one of your kinks?”

  “You’re thinking of hot wax.” She lifted her voice so he could hear.

  He made it to the kitchen and turned on the coffee pot. “Ah, I knew it was something.”

  She rounded the corner, already looking like she was ready for the day, but then she didn’t need a whole lot of work. Her beauty was low maintenance. “I’m going to run by my house to change,” she said. “Would you be terribly offended if I skipped coffee?”

  “Would you be terribly offended that I’m not terribly offended you’re so eager to get out of here?”

  “Not eager; it’s just necessary.” She walked over and placed her hand on his shoulder.

  Darek turned and pulled her into his arms for a goodbye hug. “Thank you for coming by to save my sanity.”

  “Any time.” She gave him a quick peck, and he stared at her ass as she walked to the door where she stopped and turned around. “Call me.”

  He gave her a wink, and when she shut the door behind her, he kicked it into high gear and ran to the shower. After a quick lather and rinse, he dried off and found something clean to wear. He didn’t want to be late and hear Lizzy bitch, and he still needed to call Alan and Corey and see which one answered. Today was also the day that Seth’s widow was supposed to come in and make her statement.

  He gathered his keys, wallet, and took his coffee on the road. When he got to his office on time, he was surprised to see that Lizzy wasn’t around. “Where is she?” he asked Max.

  Keeping his head down, Max answered. “She’s waiting on that widow, said she wanted to get all of her ducks in a row.”

  “Did she get into the files yet?”

  Max glanced over his shoulder. “Not that I saw. She’ll probably be back for them. She might be with Dr. Cobb to get a copy of his report. She had mentioned he was late getting it ready.”

  “Cool, I’ll get the files for her.” He walked over to the cabinet where Lizzy kept the case file and opened the drawer. Once he found the folder he was looking for, he walked back to his desk. He had to make sure that Max wasn’t looking, and he sifted through the papers to find the sketch. He knew if Lizzy showed them to Seth’s wife, she would be able to identify her. When he didn’t find it, he sifted through the papers again. “Are you sure she didn’t take anything out of here?”

  “Positive. Not today, anyway.”

  “They aren’t here.” He hadn’t known her to take any of the stuff home with her and was always careful to put her papers back into the file when she was done with them.

  “Maybe she took them out before I got here. Why don’t you just go ask her?”

  About that time, Lizzy walked into the office. “Ask who what?”

  “You, about the case file. I didn’t see the sketch in here.”

  “You didn’t?” She walked over and looked through the file. “That’s strange. It should be here.” She continued to flip through the papers. “Max, have you seen—”

  “Nope, I don’t know where anything is. Believe it or not, when you two aren’t looking, I actually step away from my desk.”

  Lizzy gave him a hard look and then turned her attention to Darek. “I have that woman showing up at any minute. I need to have the files ready.”

  Darek’s phone buzzed again, and he peeked down to see that it was Raven. He hadn’t expected to hear from her for the rest of the day and knew it must be something important. He also knew he had better not answer the phone in front of Lizzy, whose mood was growing increasingly worse.

  “I’ll see if the artist kept a copy and if she can fax it over. This is unbelievable. Who would just walk in here and take the picture?” She stormed away to make her call.

  Darek took the opportunity to read Raven’s text. Someone broke into my house; please come.

  “Shit,” he said, dialing her number.

  Raven answered, her voice trembling. “Darek? Can you come?”

  “I’ve got a lady to interview in like five minutes. I don’t know how I’ll get away right now.”

  “I’m not going back there alone. Should I call the cops?”

  “No, not just yet, and please, don’t go back there.” He didn’t want the killer to be after her. “Go to the diner on the corner. I’ll try to be there as soon as possible.” He was going to have to find a way out of the interview. He knew there was only one excuse he could use, and that was his mother. He could tell Lizzy she fell and that he needed to check on her.

  “Please, hurry, Darek. I’m so afraid.”

  “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I promise, okay?” He waited for her to agree and then he ended the call.

  “Shit!” said Lizzy across the room. “The artist doesn’t have one, so I guess we’ll just have to try and find it. I need to get out there. I’m sure the woman is here by now. Are you ready?” She took off, and he had no choice to but run after her.

  He let out a long breath, knowing that she was about to be even more upset.

  Lizzy walked up to the counter and looked down at Toni, who was filing her fingernails with a bored look on her face. “Where is my appointment? Did you show her back already?”

  “She hasn’t arrived,” said Toni. She put the nail file down. “Maybe she’s running late?”

  Darek knew this was his chance. He stepped up beside Lizzy. “Hey, I hate to bail on you, but I just got a call, and I need to go.” He left out the part about his mother, not wanting to jinx the old woman with karma.

  “Seriously?” Lizzy pegged him with a hard glare.

  “I’m sorry, it’s personal. I have to go.” He turned and ducked out, leaving her there to stew.

  He hurried right over to Raven’s
neighborhood and found her at the diner sitting all alone, still in the dress she’d worn the night before. When the bells on the door sounded, she looked up and got up to greet him.

  “Hey, are you okay?” he asked, looking her over from head to toe before pulling her into his arms.

  She held him a moment and pulled away. “Yeah, just still a mess from last night. When I got to the house, the door was open a crack. I pushed it open, and the house was such a mess, I turned and ran out to the car. I was too afraid to go inside.”

  “Did you shut the door?” He could still see the fear in her eyes.

  She nodded. “Before I ran. I didn’t lock it or anything. I just got the hell out of there. With all of this happening to Seth and Finn, I wasn’t going to take any chances.”

  “The incidents could be unrelated, but you did the right thing. They could have still been in your house.” He wasn’t in love with her, but he knew that he cared deeply for the woman. They had shared too much intimacy not to.

  “Let’s go take a look.” He held out his hand, and she took it, but the worry still creased her brow.

  He followed her over and got out once he’d parked. Raven stayed in her car and put down the driver’s window. “I’ll go check it out,” he said. “You stay here.”

  “Thank you,” she said. “Be careful.”

  Darek gave her a smile and then turned, pulling his gun out as he approached the house. The front door opened easily, but he had a mess to wade through, broken photo frames that had been raked off of the shelf, another one that had been turned over that contained books and other things, and even her sofa cushions were tossed around the room. Darek walked to the center of the room and looked around. Whoever had done it didn’t have a rhyme or reason, and with the TV still on the credenza, and even a bit of change still sitting on the coffee table, along with a made-out check that appeared to be a bill, the crime didn’t appear to be theft-related. He walked through the rest of the house and checked all over just to make sure that no one was hiding out, and then went out to get Raven.

  “Come on, it’s clear, I’ll help you pick up the mess. You should probably call in. I’m sure your boss would understand.” He helped her out of the car and walked her up to the house.

  When he pushed the door open, she walked in and took a deep breath. “Should I make a police report?”

  He shook his head. “I’d call down and report it. An officer will stop by, so make sure you don’t tell them anything else.”

  “Okay, but could you tell why someone did this?” She winced like the very sight of her things broken and scattered physically hurt.

  “They weren’t here to steal anything. Chances are, Raven, they were here to find you or scare you. Either way, you might want to pack a few things and find another place to stay for a week or so.”

  She looked down and found her check, and what little change sat with it. “At least they didn’t take my money.”

  “That sends a message when they deliberately don’t steal something so easy to take. And the violence used to tear your house up, that takes passion. Has the fact that you’re seeing me maybe triggered anger in some of your friends or other companions?”

  “Everyone I see, which isn’t as many as you’d like to believe,” she gave him a pointed look, “we keep things discreet. I don’t tell anyone who I’m seeing, or when I see them, and well, you are the only person I’ve let into my private space in a while.”

  Darek had no idea he was so special. “Oh, I just assumed.”

  “Yeah, well, you’re a cop, and a good guy, and you didn’t approach me like most, so yeah, I trusted to invite you here, but no, I don’t want my randoms from the club knowing where I live, and I usually take a different path home every night in case someone is following me.” She sank down to the couch. “What if someone wants to kill me? What if my being with you and the others has put me in danger?”

  Darek knew he’d done that. “Hey, I told you, I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” But he already had. He’d gotten her involved, and now there was no going back.

  Chapter 19

  Alan

  Alan knew time was running out, and he had little options, so he packed up his few things and checked out of the cheap room he’d rented overnight. He was prepared to run if he had to, and that meant from the cops and the killer too. He just needed to see if he could get Corey to listen to him without busting a cap in him.

  He went to Corey’s building and knocked on the door. “Hey, it’s me. I’ve come to apologize, man. I just wanted to say goodbye. I’m leaving. I want to see if I can make it to Mexico before anyone notices. I’ve only got a little time, and my clock is ticking down.” He looked around, wondering if the neighbors could hear, and was careful of what he said.

  Corey was quiet on the other side of the door, but he had heard Corey’s footsteps.

  “Corey? Are you at least listening?”

  “I hear you.” Corey’s voice was muffled.

  “I came ask you a favor, man. I know I don’t deserve one, but if you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I’d like that. I’d also like for you to explain what happened to Jamie. I know you can’t tell her everything, but with you creating games, I’m sure you could probably think of something. Just tell her that I didn’t want to do it, okay? It’s just that I didn’t have a choice. I let things get too far gone.”

  “What are you saying? You’re taking yourself out?”

  “Yeah, it’s the only way unless you want to help me. And I don’t mean volunteer yourself; I meant we could fake a picture. You got any ketchup?”

  Alan heard the locks rattle and then a pause. “I’m going to open the door, and I’m going to keep my gun on you while you unload yours. I want to see the clip and the chamber empty.”

  “Okay. I understand, but I didn’t bring the gun. You can pat me down if you want.”

  The door opened slowly, and Alan soon found himself staring at a gun. “You heard me, this is how it’s going to be,” said Corey. “I’ll help you, but then you leave. I don’t ever want to see you again. Lift your arms.”

  He did as Corey said and lifted his arms. Corey stepped closer, still holding the gun on him as he patted him down. “I told you I’m clean,” he said. “I left the gun in my truck.”

  Corey put the gun to his side, pointing it at the floor before tucking it into the back of his pants. “I don’t have ketchup, but I do have stage blood from a small zombie production I did last year. We had an opening for a zombie game and went all out. I’d be willing to let you take a photo, but then you’re out of here. I’m not dealing with any more of you punks showing up here to put a bullet in my head.”

  “I know it was a shit move, but I couldn’t go through with it. I came here because I was desperate and you were close, but it’s not me. I’m not a killer. I had to psych myself up so hard over Seth. I swear, I still don’t know how I did it. It’s just like with the girl. I didn’t really want to do that either. I kept telling myself it wasn’t real.”

  “Yeah, but it was, and so was Seth. So, let’s get this shit done so you can leave.” Corey walked over to his kitchen. He opened a top cabinet that was almost too high for him and pulled out a jar of what looked like jelly.

  Alan walked over and joined him, standing on the opposite side of the bar. “Is that the blood? It looks real.” This just might work.

  “Get your camera ready. I’ll lie on the floor, and we’ll make it look real.” Corey walked over to the center of his room and lay down. I’ll let you get some on the rug to make it convincing, but keep in mind, it has to look real.”

  “Trust me,” said Alan. “I know what real blood looks like when someone’s been shot.”

  “That’s a fucked-up thing to know.” Corey made sure to keep his own gun close but out of the photo. He wasn’t letting it out of his sight.

  Alan knelt over him and poured the blood from the jar onto his chest. It was dark, but not quite the same color as the
fresh blood he’d seen coming out of Seth. He hoped that the killer wouldn’t notice. “Okay, it’s pretty convincing. Now let me take a picture and send it.” Corey did his best to look dead, and Alan took a photo, and make sure the light quality sucked before he sent it.

  “Did you get it?” Corey was ready to get up from the floor.

  Alan nodded. “Yeah, it’s on the way. Now, hopefully, whoever this is will back off.” Alan held out a hand to hold Corey up, but Corey wouldn’t take it.

  “You should go,” he said instead, and then he pushed himself up and stripped off the button-down shirt that had been ruined and went to the sink to fetch a towel and clean up.

  Alan wasn’t sure he was out of the water. “Wait, I can’t leave until I hear back.”

  Corey tossed his shirt in the island sink and ran the water. “Fine, but I’m not letting you out of my sight. So, I guess you’ll just have to sit your ass over there and be patient.” He pointed to the couch.

  “Okay,” said Alan, holding up his hands in surrender. “You know, Corey, you’re quite the badass with the gun. I wouldn’t have guessed you were a gun owner.”

  Corey looked at him across the sink. “I’m full of surprises.”

  “You are. I played Metal Monsters, by the way. Gnarly game, man.”

  “Then you should have noticed it had lots of shooting, right?”

  Alan realized that he should have put two and two together and decided to take the conversation away from death and destruction. “My son likes games. He’s pretty good at them too. I mean, he knows more than me, but then I was never allowed to play much when I was a kid. My father thought they were a waste of time, so I mostly only played when I went to a friend’s house.”

  “At least you had friends to visit. I grew up pretty lonely.”

  “You had lots of friends at camp. You’re one of the Zodiacs from the start, right?” Alan remembered him being one of the more popular kids.