by Robin Mahle
He had to be smart. He knew what they called him—the Blackwater Killer—he’d heard it on the news. And while it had a nice ring to it, making him feel almost invincible, Arlen had to dispose of future projects so as not to be found. He’d been so cautious, ensuring no physical evidence was left anywhere, because there was one thing that scared Arlen Tucker more than failing the beast that lay sleeping upon his chest, driving the demons in his head, and that was getting caught. Life in prison or on death row was not a road on which he wished to travel. So he would remain attentive in order to satisfy the cravings and cool the boiling blood that coursed through his veins each time he set his eyes on his prey. It was a drug—and he had become an addict.
The outside air was no longer stagnant and a chill from a mild breeze walked down his spine as he pushed her inside. The heavy plastic tarp in which she’d been wrapped revealed dangling feet that trailed atop the damp soil surrounding the driveway. Extra precautions had to be taken now that he’d become famous and the tarp offered protection against evidence that might otherwise make its way into his truck.
He had to rethink his plan as he stared at the blue heap next to him. Return to the swamp or find someplace new. The swamp was an enticing place for Arlen. He reveled in the thought that he could feed it—give it life. All the creatures, even the water itself, would devour the bodies as he had done. But there had to be a way to let it feed. The sawmill. Only fragments of it remained yet he was confident it would offer enough cover that the body could be wedged beneath the supports and the machines. It could be done. It would take time, but it could be done. He would need rope, which he had plenty of in the bed of the truck. And he would need his waders because it was going to get messy.
The mills were another half-mile inside the swamplands from where he’d taken the others. It was far from the trails that saw several thousand people each year inside the swamp, walking along wood bridges and curated paths. Deviating from the trails was frowned upon, but Arlen took great pleasure in his knowledge of the swamp. He’d studied it extensively while he still lived with his family. It fascinated him and it revealed its deepest darkest secrets to him.
“Come on, Lizbeth. There’s no time to waste.” He walked around to the passenger side and opened the door. The cab lighting was poor at best and scarcely illuminated well enough for him to see where he’d placed the knife. He would need to remove the tarp so that nature could run its course and she would not be preserved inside by the cocoon.
The small flashlight tucked inside his belt presented a better view for him to grab what he needed and he pulled Lizbeth out. Her legs had become heavy and the fluids and gasses had already accumulated inside her stomach. He’d taken extra care in putting her back into clothes that had been his sister’s, but she no longer looked like the pretty young woman he’d met a few days ago. The tarp was tossed into the bed of the truck’s bed to be disposed of later and he dragged her several more feet to the ramp that led to the rotted mill. The shack was small, barely enough for a single operator to push the logs through the blades and out the other side where they would be loaded onto the cars and follow the rail system.
He dropped her through the opening at the bottom where the boards had completely disintegrated, careful not to fall through himself. Arlen had to be quick because she would sink to the bottom pretty quickly. He made his way the few feet into the water to secure her hands to the support beam just below the building. She was now food for all the creatures that lived here.
THIRTEEN
Her early arrival at WFO was prompted by Dwight’s short and curt text message after Kate made it back home late last night. The hour had just reached six am as she drove into the parking garage. Only a few cars populated the enormous structure and, as far as she could tell, Nick’s SUV wasn’t among them.
With her bag tossed over her shoulder, Kate hurried inside to speak with Dwight and get the full story. All of this had put such a strain on her relationship with Nick that she had become almost weary of him—afraid to set him off. He’d also changed as a result. His propensity for drink had grown, and while she knew that it was always a mild concern for everyone, that concern had turned to something akin to worry. However, her hopes that he’d return to his old self again now that he was back at work had begun to fade.
“Good morning, Vasquez.” Kate placed her bag beneath her desk and flipped on her computer. “You’re here early.”
“I could say the same thing about you. How was Florida?”
“Wet.” Kate surveyed the area. “Don’t suppose you’ve seen Jameson yet this morning?”
“As a matter of fact, he just came out of the breakroom. I’m pretty sure he was heading back to his office.”
“Thanks.” She nodded her gratitude and started off toward Dwight’s office. She hadn’t had a chance to fill him in on the progress she’d made with the sheriff’s office yet, so that would be her opening line and, from there, she hoped he would open up about what the hell was going on.
As soon as she appeared in Dwight’s doorway, he’d spotted her, holding a mug of coffee to his lips. “Kate, come in. How did things go with the sheriff?”
“It was productive.” She took her seat. “I asked Deputy Burgess to compile a list of schools around Baker County. You mentioned Ariel Nadal had lived with extended family around the area, but in addition to that, there was something I saw when the deputy and I were at the river, at the location where Sydney Hawthorne was discovered. I began to consider, after noticing some of the local wildlife in the area, that maybe the mascot on her t-shirt wasn’t an eagle, but an osprey. They look a lot alike.”
“I see.”
“I think the killer wanted those bodies to be found near that area and I think maybe the t-shirt has significance to that affect.”
“Okay, good. Let’s see where this takes us. He gave you the list, correct?”
“He did. I’ll get started on it right away.” Kate looked away for a moment, contemplating just how to phrase her next statement. “I got your text last night.” She waited for a reaction from him, but he remained unreadable. “It’s a good think that Nick’s back with us, right?”
“Yes.” His features softened. “It’s a good thing. I spoke with Nick at great length last night. He’s going through some things right now.”
“I know. He’s been going through things for the past few months.”
“No. This is something else, Kate, but it’s not my place to talk to you about it. I’m sure he’ll want to have a word with you later.”
Kate’s nerves began to tingle. What could be happening that Dwight couldn’t say? Her concern over her performance sprang to mind. Perhaps ASAC Campbell wasn’t happy with her. It could be a hundred things and now it was all she could do not to sit in Nick’s office and wait for him to arrive.
Taking a deep breath, she knew her own insecurities were getting the better of her. “Should I be concerned by this?”
“No. It has nothing to do with you, trust me on that,” Dwight replied. “Why don’t you get started on that list and keep me updated on your progress. I expect Nick will be in soon enough.”
“Okay. Thanks. I’ll catch up with you later, then.” She left his office without further inquiry. It occurred to her that it was still far too easy to rattle her nerves, especially when it came to her job. It began to feel like her entire existence depended upon this job. Because, what else did she have in her life? Where else could she turn?”
Shortly after returning to her station, she began to delve into the names on the list that Burgess had given her. It was a stretch, but it was a lead she had to pursue. It just could not have been a coincidence that the killer dressed Ariel Nadal in that t-shirt. He was making a statement and it was one the authorities could not afford to ignore.
Time had passed by virtually undetected until a tap came upon her shoulder. “Hey. You got a minute?”
“Yes, of course.” She noticed Nick’s appearance was haggard and grew co
ncerned that he’d pulled some sort of all-night bender.
Arriving at his office, Kate wasted no time in getting down to business. They were after a killer and, while her personal concerns over Nick had grown considerably, she still had a job to do. “I hear Campbell saw his way to allowing you to work with us on Blackwater?” Kate wanted her tone to come off as enthusiastic, but she feared her words might have failed her.
“It appears that way. You good with that?”
“Are you kidding? Of course I am. What’s going to happen with Dwight? I mean…”
“He’ll still be taking the lead on much of the investigation. I’ll be at his disposal however he sees fit to utilize me.”
This was the Nick she’d come to know. A fair man who saw ability in others and would not stand in the way of their success and, many times, facilitating that success. His seniority meant he could pull the reins from Dwight, but instead, he would complement the team, not run it.
“I’m sure he appreciates the opportunity,” Kate replied. “And will I continue to run on tasks he’s set for me as well?”
“So far as I’m concerned, nothing here has changed. Except for the fact that I’ll be able to help out where I’m needed.” Nick lowered his gaze to observe his fingers twisting the pen he held between them.
Kate figured this was it. The reason why she was really here. “Everything okay?”
An expression emerged on Nick’s face that she hadn’t seen in a very long time, maybe even since Marshall’s funeral. He appeared utterly broken and a negligible grin that was trying to disguise his feelings fell far short of its purpose. “Georgia and I are over.”
Her eyes blinked slowly as she grasped his words. “Oh my God. I’m so sorry, Nick. I had no idea.” She’d wanted to ask why they split, but the intrusion seemed inappropriate.
“Well, it was bound to happen, I guess, sooner or later.” After a brief glance through his window, he soon returned his attention to Kate. “Listen, I know you don’t work with her that often, but I don’t want your feelings about her—and especially her work—to change. You understand? She’s one of the best in her field and she deserves respect.”
“I understand and I would never treat her otherwise.” His insistence to make such a statement caught Kate off her guard. She would never presume to treat Agent Myers any differently because the relationship had failed. It made her believe there was another reason behind his unnecessary declaration.
Kate remained silent, assuming Nick would continue, but it seemed that was all he had to say on the matter. She would not pursue the topic further. “Is there anything else? I’d like to continue working my lead.”
He shook his head. “Nothing else.”
She began to leave his office, but not before turning a final time. “The three of us should meet so we can get you up to speed on the investigation.”
“Sure. Why don’t you set a time on the schedule?”
“Will do.” Kate continued along the corridor before hearing her name as she passed Dwight’s office. Turning on her heel, Kate returned, stopping to peek inside. “What’s up?”
“I just got a call from Agent Lyons.”
Kate immediately walked inside, folding her arms in front of her. “What did he want?”
“He thinks they may have identified a suspect. A woman who disappeared from her grandmother’s home late last week.” He waited for Kate to sit down. “I guess the local authorities questioned the last people who had seen the woman. And apparently, two men had been installing storm windows on the grandmother’s house the day before the woman had been reported missing. They’d worked for a local DIY store.”
“Okay.” Her eyes remained fixed on his.
“One of the men hasn’t been back at work since the company was questioned and, according to Lyons, the information his employer had on file turned out to be bogus.”
“Why does Lyon think this man is connected to Blackwater?”
“Well, they aren’t sure yet, but given the circumstances and the area—it’s within our search radius—he’d like to dig into it a little bit more. The name and address the employer had on file were both false. Doesn’t sound like the guy was on the up and up to begin with.”
The unexpected news left her speechless. After her visit with Burgess, she believed that the killer was in Florida. Perhaps she didn’t have a sixth sense after all.
“How far have you gotten on the school research?” Dwight asked.
“I’m about a quarter of the way through the names.”
“Okay. You continue on that end. I’m going to have a word with Nick, fill him in on this latest development, and then let’s touch base in an hour or so and see where we’re at.”
Kate returned to her desk, unsure now if this was a legitimate lead at all. People went missing all the time and the only thing that could possibly tie this disappearance to Blackwater was the proximity of the occurrence. Okay, it was a little suspect that the man who was on the install turned out to have given a false name and address, probably social security too, but again, that sort of thing wasn’t exactly out of the ordinary. There had to be another reason Lyons believed this could be the killer. Perhaps when the local police interviewed the man’s co-workers, his behavior was noted as suspect. Regardless of what his reasons were, she had to keep looking for a connection to Ariel Nadal’s t-shirt and the schools in Baker County until her boss decided otherwise.
» » »
Nick heard the knock on his office door and already knew who stood on the other side. “Come in.” He continued to scan through his emails.
“Hey,” Dwight began. “I wanted to talk to you about a lead Agent Lyons in Atlanta wants us to run on.”
Just hearing the man’s name made Nick’s pulse rise, but he couldn’t afford to lose his cool, not when he was under Campbell’s microscope. “What is it?”
Dwight sat down and began to fill Nick in on Lyons’ man. It was a stretch, but right now, they had two bodies and no foreign DNA. It was only a matter of time before the killer would kill again and so they needed to follow up on any leads that came their way.
“So no one had seen the guy since he left work the next day?” Nick asked.
Dwight only shook his head.
Nick raised his arms and laced his fingers against the back of his head. “What do we know about him? Is he a loner? How long has he worked there? What about any employee evaluations? Do we have anything like that?”
“Not yet. I got off the phone with Lyons only a few minutes ago. He’s going to send over the police report and we’ll know more after we get that. In the meantime, I’ve got Kate running on the list of schools to try and find some sort of match to the second victim’s school t-shirt. If we can get a break on that, we’ll be golden.”
“Right. That’ll open some doors for us. Did you get any feedback from the deputy down in Baker County?”
“What do you mean?”
“Just how Kate handled the situation. I have no doubt she did a fine job, but I’d be interested in what the locals thought of her.”
“I didn’t get any complaints. In fact, Kate mentioned she and Burgess grabbed a bite before she headed back to Jacksonville. So, I think she probably did okay. It’ll be good for her to start building a rapport with local law enforcement.”
“Agreed.” Nick lowered his hands and sat upright again. “All right. While you’re waiting on the police report, I’ll finish getting up to speed on where we’re at so far. I need to read Agent Myers’ synopsis as well. I need to get a sense of who this guy is.”
Dwight hesitated, but finally began to speak. “Listen, I can handle Lyons. That’s no problem. There’s no need for you to reach out to him.”
“Yeah, okay, thanks. I appreciate that, Dwight.”
» » »
Arlen sat on his couch, staring at the wall where a picture of his family hung precariously on a nail that had slowly been slipping out of the damp sheetrock. The storm had done enough dam
age to the badly neglected exterior that the moisture was seeping through the walls. The quiet left him too much time to think about what he’d done. The compulsion to act on his fantasies were ceaseless. Even now, only days after saying goodbye to Lizbeth, the desire returned. It seemed as though with each kill, the satisfaction lasted shorter and shorter. His fever was returning, his need to serve the demons in his head and the three-headed beast upon his chest, watching his victims as he did, became more powerful. He began to think of the young man who stood behind the counter of the gas station. But he mustn’t. It was too soon and much too risky. He’d already missed two days of work and that alone would raise an eyebrow because he hadn’t so much as called in sick during his entire employment.
Arlen was beginning to put all he worked for, all he had planned for, at risk to serve him—the beast with a new and seemingly insatiable thirst. Sometimes, he wanted to cut it from him, carve it out of his chest like he carved his victims. But it wouldn’t let him. They had to make her pay for what she’d done, for what his father had done. Both, however, were no longer around and that was his doing. It didn’t seem to matter, though, because the fire in his stomach, the flames of Hades itself would not let him stop.
He closed his eyes and knew what needed to be done and so he made his way to the front door, taking his keys. The truck squealed out of the drive and Arlen sped through the deserted streets. He had to do it before the beast regained control, before the voices in his head returned. There wasn’t much time.