“This thing creaked and swayed with every step you took, are you sure it’s safe enough to use?”
“When the time comes, we’ll reinforce it with mending plates, and brace it better, and we’ll also add a pulley system as well so I won’t have to lug anything with me as I climb up. That should do it.”
In her hiding place, Alice furrowed her brow.
Why would they bother reinforcing this wreck? Just what the hell are they up to?
Before Alice could ruminate further on the subject, she gasped in shock, as Drake freed a gun from the holster at his hip. He fired four shots, and Alice dived to the ground, only to realize that Drake had been aiming far to her right.
Something stumbled from out of the brush over there, stumbled, hit the ground, twitched, and died.
It was a white-tailed deer, a buck with antlers, and judging by the size, Alice guessed it weighed well over a hundred pounds.
Drake had dropped it with four rounds from what looked like a Beretta.
June Chandler ran over to him with her hands held out at her sides and a look of dismay on her face, while her husband shouted at Drake.
“Are you crazy? Those shots could draw attention to us.”
Drake gestured at the forest.
“There’s no one out here but us, so chill,” he said, and for the first time, Alice detected a New York accent, possibly Brooklyn.
Drake gathered up the spent brass cartridges and pocketed them.
“We’re done here for now, so let’s head back to the truck.”
Chandler pointed at the deer carcass.
“What about that?”
“The scavengers will get it, don’t worry, and it’ll be nothing but bones by the time we come back here,” Drake said.
Afterwards, the three of them walked off past the tower and through the woods on the other side, and soon disappeared from sight.
Alice had learned two facts from Drake’s last words. First, was that whatever they were planning was taking place at a later date, far enough away for a fresh kill to turn to bones. The second thing she learned was that the man named Drake liked to kill just for the hell of it, and because of that, she would never follow them again without arming herself first.
Alice rose from the ground, cleaned herself off, and headed home to her daughter.
CHAPTER 21
Chicago, Illinois
Jessica took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and then walked out onto the stage of The Jerry Schneider Show.
The bright lights momentarily stung her eyes, but the polite clapping of the studio audience made her feel welcomed and calmed her nerves.
She had been on three other shows during the previous five months, but they were all brief interviews conducted via remote, and their combined audience was but a fraction of the people that would view The Jerry Schneider Show.
Her husband was opposed to her appearing on the program because he knew of its reputation for the sensational and that it fostered an atmosphere of conflict among its guests, but Jessica had agreed to appear because she knew that Jerry Schneider was also a former print journalist of renown and that he often treated subjects seriously.
However, what actually swayed her towards going on the program was the knowledge that Dr. Elena Colt had agreed to appear as well.
The program topic was titled, The Mindset of the Serial Killer, and was aimed at discussing the motivations and societal forces that created such people.
The program started, and after Elena and Jessica stated their qualifications and backgrounds, Jessica brought up the subject of her family’s search for Michael, and the number was run along the bottom of the screen telling anyone with information where to call.
The number would connect them to Caliber Investigations in Fort Worth, Texas, who Jessica and her husband had contracted with to weed out the real possibilities from the cranks, pranksters, and hucksters.
Afterward, Elena briefly gave voice to a personal concern of her own.
“Keeping with the program’s subject, I’d like to talk about the woman that the press has taken to calling, The Girl With The Long Dark Hair. Many have wondered how she has been able to track down so many serial killers and other predators, and have speculated that she has a source in law-enforcement. I don’t believe that’s the case, however, I think that rather, she’s has a gift for spotting them, that she sees or senses what most cannot, but in any event, I urge her to contact me, because I believe that I can offer her help.”
Jerry Schneider leaned forward in his seat. He had curly gray hair, wore stylish glasses, and was prone to making sweeping gestures and animated facial expressions, although, they were often calculated reactions to dramatize what was being discussed by either himself or his guests.
“What sort of help, Dr. Colt? Do you mean that you would psychoanalyze The Girl With The Long Dark Hair?”
“I would offer her guidance,” Elena said, before smiling kindly towards the camera.
The show was live, and after a commercial break, the program began in earnest, and Jessica and Elena talked about the factors that spawned the mind of a serial killer, such as child abuse, both sexual and verbal.
When they spoke about currently active serial killers, Jerry Schneider seemed stunned to learn that it was estimated that there were likely a hundred or more roaming about the continental United States at any given time. And when both Jessica and Elena said that they believed that the true number was several times higher than that estimate, Schneider remarked that he was glad he had bought an armored limo after being stalked, and quipped that he was going out and buying a bulletproof vest as well, now that he knew how many crazies were roaming about.
They paused for another commercial break, but when they returned, Jerry Schneider brought up the subject of Numerical and asked the doctors if they thought the FBI had been incompetent in its pursuit of the Serial Killer, and mentioned the fiasco that occurred at Emily Carson’s home months earlier.
“I know the head of the Numerical Task Force,” Jessica said, “and I can assure you that Special Agent Robyn Dyer is extremely competent, and I expect that she and the other members of the task force will capture Numerical soon.”
Schneider pointed towards the curtains.
“Those were certainly glowing words of praise, Dr. White, and so I’m sure you’ll be happy to learn that we have a member of the Numerical Task Force here today. Everyone, please give a warm welcome to Dr. Summer Gray.”
The curtains parted and Summer Gray walked out onto the stage. When she was halfway to the semi-circle of seats where Jessica and Elena sat, she paused, turned fully towards the audience and waved, as if she were a contestant in a beauty contest. With her sparkling red hair and dazzling green eyes, she would have been a contender in such a contest, and her flirtation with the audience caused them to extend their clapping, as several men whistled in appreciation of her beauty.
Afterwards, she greeted Schneider with a kiss on the cheek and took the empty seat at Jessica’s right.
Unlike Jessica and Elena, Summer Gray didn’t list her credentials or accomplishments, instead, she turned to Jessica with a big, phony smile lighting her face.
“Dr. Jessica White, I have been an admirer of yours since I was just a girl.”
Jessica blinked at Summer in surprise. Summer Gray was younger than she was, yes, but she doubted if even ten years separated them.
Summer continued.
“You had quite a career back in the day, and I hope to use your example as a springboard to real success, which is why I am my husband Todd have pledged to help the FBI catch that monster known as Numerical.”
Jessica glared at Summer with her lips pressed in a tight line, and she had not missed the implied dig, at Summer’s use of the words, “Real success,”
Jerry Schneider asked Summer a question.
“How close are you and the Task Force to catching Numerical?”
“It’s just a matter of time, Jerry, and remembe
r now, I’ve only been involved in his capture for a few months. Unlike Dr. White, I wasn’t helping the FBI during the first sixteen years that Numerical has been active.”
“I wasn’t involved in the hunt for Numerical during that time,” Jessica corrected. “I was occasionally helping the FBI, that’s true, but never specifically with the Numerical case.”
“Riiight,” Summer said. “By the way, Doctor, how are your twins doing?”
“They’re excellent, and thank you for asking.”
“That’s good, and I see that you’re with child again.”
“What? No, Dr. Gray, I’m not pregnant.”
Summer leaned back in her seat and studied Jessica as if she were attempting to guess her weight. She then smiled as a small chuckle escaped her lips.
“Oh, my mistake, I just assumed given your girth and—never mind, as I said, my mistake.”
Jessica’s face reddened, partly from anger but mostly from embarrassment. Several people in the audience tittered, while one said something that Jessica hadn’t heard completely but knew contained the word, “fat.”
She stared at Summer Gray, saw her shapely figure, her firm breasts and narrow waist, and then briefly studied the graceful neck, which she had a sudden impulse to strangle.
She was about to lash out at Summer verbally, to admonish her for her rudeness, but then she glimpsed their host, Jerry Schneider, leaning forward in his seat, and when she looked at him fully, she saw that he was staring at her with eyes bright with mischief.
He wanted a spectacle, a sideshow. He expected her to respond to Summer’s jabs about her weight and get embroiled in an argument. She had done her homework before coming on the show and knew that Schneider fostered such squabbling, and she suddenly understood that Summer Gray was there for that purpose and that purpose alone.
Jessica settled back in her seat, smiled sweetly, and remained silent.
Summer looked confused by her restraint, and after a brief look over at Schneider, she spoke again.
“As I said before, I’m a big fan of yours, Dr. White, but I was glad to see that you decided to retire from criminal profiling after your husband was nearly killed by that groupie of Jeffrey Mitchell’s, and really, a woman of your age should lead a quieter life. Are you planning on writing another book?”
“I expect I will someday, but I have nothing planned at the moment, but tell me, Dr. Gray, what is your take on Numerical? I’d be interested in hearing your psychological assessment of the killer.”
Summer’s eyes widened and she looked at Jessica blankly, but a moment later, she turned towards the studio audience and smiled.
“My psychological assessment of Numerical, Dr. White, is that the man is a cowardly loony tunes.”
The audience roared with laughter, spurred on in part by the reaction of Jerry Schneider, who slapped his knee and guffawed.
When he had gotten himself together again, Schneider asked Summer a question.
“You called Numerical cowardly; does that mean you’re not afraid of him?”
“Yes, I don’t fear him. He’s a little boy that sneaks around in the dark attacking women, but only if they’re asleep.”
“I think you’re confusing the method with the man,” Elena said. “While it’s true that Numerical has been known to prey on women only at night, it’s clear that he is painstaking in his preparations and very bold. The task force you’re a part of estimates that Numerical stalks his victims for weeks, and possibly even months before striking. That is not a little boy, but an extremely dangerous and cunning man, and only a fool would underestimate him.”
Summer’s eyes narrowed as she stared at Elena.
“I see why you and Dr. White get along so well, you both like to sit on the sidelines and make judgments, and yes, I am a part of the task force, an integral part, and I predict that we’ll catch him soon.”
After another break to allow commercials, the program soon ended, but not before Summer made another attempt to bait Jessica into an argument, by complimenting her on the pantsuit she wore and saying how well it hid the pounds.
Jessica’s face reddened again, fueled solely by anger, but she bit her tongue, endured the rest of the program, and exited the studio.
***
Jerry Schneider stood beside Summer Gray as the two of them watched Jessica disappear behind the curtains at the right of the stage.
Several people approached Schneider, such as the show’s producer, but he waved them off so that he could speak to Summer alone.
“Dr. White kept her cool, and you promised me that you would start some fireworks.”
“I can’t help it if she’s a stuck-up bitch, but I did make her face turn red.”
“That husband of yours called me again, he’s still pissed that I didn’t want him on the show too.”
“I can control Todd, don’t worry about him.”
“Listen, Summer, I’ve known you for years and I’m saying this as a friend, cut that guy loose. You don’t need him and he’s a whack job. He threatened to hurt my assistant when she wouldn’t let him see me.”
“Todd’s still useful, at least for now, but you just keep working on getting me that book deal like you said you would.”
“I’ve already talked to my publisher, and they say you don’t have enough notoriety yet, but you will once the FBI catches this nutcase, Numerical. When that happens, I guarantee you that they’ll give you a book deal.”
“What if they never catch him?”
Schneider shrugged.
“Nobody gives book deals to losers.”
***
After reaching the airport, Jessica had a short wait for her flight home, and so she entered a coffee shop and had a snack to tide her over until she could have dinner at home.
The coffee shop only had a few booths, which were already occupied, but it did have several small round tables that you could eat at while standing.
At one such table, Jessica took out her phone and called her husband. He had not seen the show. He wanted to wait until that evening to watch it with Jessica, and she assured him that she did not let things descend into a circus, despite Summer Gray’s efforts to take the show in that direction.
When the call ended, she thought about the show and recalled Summer’s rude comments about her weight and age.
She was hardly old, and so the remarks about her age rolled off her back, however, her weight was a sore spot.
She made an almost imperceptible shrug of her shoulders. Yes, she had gained considerable weight during her pregnancy, and yes, she had yet to take it off, had even added to it in the last few months, but that was understandable given the stress of her husband’s near fatal shooting.
Jessica looked down at the paper plate before her and grimaced at the half-eaten donut sitting on it. It was the second donut, and she couldn’t remember eating the first one, not really. Next to the donut was a large cup of soda, and that too she had guzzled down without tasting it.
Before her pregnancy, such foods would have been rarely consumed, but she realized that they had become standard fare lately, and that she couldn’t remember the last time she used their home gym.
She threw the half-eaten donut and the unfinished soft drink into the trash can and headed for the ladies’ room. There was a woman washing her hands at the sink when she entered, but once the woman left, she was alone.
Jessica gazed into the mirror and did not like what she saw staring back at her. Despite Summer’s barbs, she was a young woman still, a healthy young woman, and yet, she was wearing a pantsuit more suitable for someone years older. She had originally planned to wear a skirt, but didn’t like the way her thighs looked in it.
She turned sideways and felt along her middle, then, looked carefully at her face and saw the beginnings of a second chin. Before she realized it, she was crying, and she headed into the last stall in the row and let the tears come.
It wasn’t vanity that made her cry, it was despair.
/> Ever since her husband’s brush with death, she felt as if they had been given a second chance. They had faced death before, had always come out on top, and did so because they knew that evil was only defeated when it was met by force.
However, they had a life to live, children to raise, and it would be foolish to continue as they had, madness to keep risking themselves, and so she had made them step down, and they had needed to do so anyway, so that her husband could heal from his injuries and she could give their children the attention they needed.
Still, when she looked ahead, when she thought about never again answering the call to help, to be Dr. White, the elite profiler and solver of mysteries, she wondered if she and her husband wouldn’t die from sheer boredom.
Jessica dried her eyes, emerged from the stall and gazed once more into the mirror, but this time, there was a look of determination on her face.
***
Jessica arrived home and later viewed the program with her husband. She winced when she saw how wide she appeared when seated beside the svelte and shapely Summer Gray, and her husband’s mood grew dark as he heard Summer’s thinly veiled taunts, and he called her a fool when she made her remarks concerning Numerical.
When the show ended, Jessica turned to him.
“Tell me something, are you happy?”
The question seemed to surprise him, and he thought for a moment before answering.
“Yes and no, every time I look at our children I’m happy, but I’m tired of feeling like half the man I was and being bored most of the time.”
“I’m bored too, and if it’s the last thing I do, I will get back to my normal weight, and... I’m also going to ask Robyn Dyer if we can have a look at the Numerical file, not an active role on the task force, but just an overview of the case.”
He grinned.
“You miss it, don’t you?”
“Miss what?”
“You miss the chase, the hunt,”
She sighed.
“I do, I admit it.”
He looked down at his injured foot.
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