by Lolah Lace
“You sure?” He asked.
“Yeah my stomach is tore up.”
“Okay. I’ll take you home. Get your shoes and coat.”
“Thanks Brian.” Misty forced a smile. She sat on the couch and slipped her shoes on. Brian stood and looked over at the open drawer by the refrigerator.
As Misty bent over to tie her shoes she was hit over the head from behind. The blow knocked her out cold.
When Misty eventually regained consciousness, she wasn’t sure how long she had been knocked out. There was a sound, a weird sound that Misty could not make out. She tried to open her eyes, but her vision was blurry. The sound got louder and louder the more coherent she became. It sounded like a drill. Someone was drilling something. Misty realized she was lying on the couch. Her hands were tied behind her back. Her legs were bound securely together. She tried to speak, but her mouth was gagged. She lay sideways on the couch trying to look around, trying to focus on anything.
“Hey!” Brian’s voice came out in a whisper, a whisper that would have been comforting in an entirely different situation.
Brian was kneeling before her, only inches away from her face. His face was stressed and uneasy. His hair was wet from sweat. He had been doing something to get him in this state.
“You finally decided to wake up.” Brian smiled inappropriately. Misty listened and tried to respond to his words, but the gag made it impossible. “Does your head hurt?” She looked away instead of responding. How could she?
“Misty, I’m sorry. I had no choice. You went through my stuff. I had to buy a new lock for the door. I only have a few more screws to put in. I didn’t plan for things to go this way, but we just got to work within the parameters of the situation. I really have to finish the—”
Misty interrupted his speech by moaning under the gag tied around her mouth.
“You have something you want to say?” He asked, as she shook her head yes. “I’m going to untie you. First, let me finish the lock okay.”
Misty hesitated. What lock? She said no to his request with her eyes and her head. Brian ignored her. He stood and walked over to the front door that was cracked open. He picked up the automatic screwdriver and began to secure the deadbolt lock.
“What are you doing?”
Brian was alarmed at the sound of Brittany’s voice. Brittany was standing behind him at the top of the staircase in flannel pajamas, a robe and rubber boots. She couldn’t see all the way into the apartment.
“What does it look like I’m doing?”
“It looks like you’re putting a new lock on the door. I’m going to tell dad.”
Misty heard Brittany’s voice and hoisted her body off the couch and onto the floor. Misty’s body hit the floor hard making a loud thumping sound.
“What was that?” Brittany asked.
“The TV. Come on Britt. Don’t say anything about the lock.”
“You always lose your keys. If they don’t have a copy, and they have to call a locksmith, it’s your ass.”
“Okay I’ll take the lock off tomorrow. It’s almost two. Why are you bothering me?”
“I went to the kitchen, and I could hear you drilling through the vent. I’m going to bed so you better change the lock back now.” Brittany disappeared out of the doorway.
Brian waited a minute. The noise was too much. He didn’t need his father or his stepmother coming to the door to inquire about the noise. He realized he had to move his party to a different location.
It only took Brian a few minutes to gather up Misty. He hoisted her over his shoulders and carried her to his Jeep. Brian drove down a few snow-covered streets. Misty sat next to him with her hands bound and her feet tied together. He lowered the gag so it sat around her neck. Tears streamed down her face. Brian, his face emotionless, would occasionally look over at her.
Brian drove straight to the video store. He locked Misty in the car, while he unlocked the store’s front door and switched on the lights. He knew he wouldn’t be able to do everything all at once.
He returned to the Jeep to get Misty. He readjusted her gag. Jostling her out of the passenger seat proved difficult when she pulled away and tried make a run for it. Her actions were futile. Brian twisted her arm behind her and led her into the store. He pushed her to the back break room and forced her to sit bound and gagged on the cold hard floor. Brian took a seat next to her. Her eyes begged to be heard.
“I’ll take it off. But you cannot scream. You hear me, no screaming.”
Misty shook her head yes. She would say or do anything to get out of this situation. Brian untied and removed the gag. Misty sucked in all the air she can muster.
“I want you to know I didn’t plan this.”
“I know. Brian, are you going to let me go?”
“How can I let you go?”
Misty thought pleading might work. “Brian, I swear I won’t tell anyone. I promise I won’t say a word. Please just let me go. Please.”
Brian got up off the floor and stood over Misty, looking down at her.
“I don’t want to hurt you. You’re a lot like my girlfriend Pat—feisty, beautiful.”
“Your stepmother?”
“Well one day she will be mine. She just doesn’t know it.”
“That’s sick.”
“No, what’s sick is what’s going to happen to you.”
“Brian, please.” She begged.
“I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to kill you.” His words cut her like a knife. Tears formed and ran down her swollen cheeks. Brian bent down to wipe them away.
“You think I’m crazy, but I’m not. I have to do this. I need to do this to feel better. This is my medicine. I can’t go to jail for killing some random girls.”
CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! Brian and Misty heard the loud knocking on the glass. It hailed from the workroom floor. Someone was at the glass front door. They were knocking with the tip of a metal key and producing a vulgar, annoying sound.
“Shit! Who is that?” Brian spewed.
Misty let out a scream. It was soon muffled to a moan just as Brian tied the gag around her mouth.
“Shut the fuck up!” Brian whispered through gritted teeth. “I swear I will fucking kill you. No sounds.”
Brian paced the room hoping the person at the front door would just leave. There was no such luck.
CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! The knocks grew louder.
Brian nervously left the break room to address the knocking on the glass of the store. He slowly approached the glass door leading to the entrance. There was a series of three additional knocks.
He tried the regain his composure while walking toward the front door. He pressed the front of his shirt down with his hands. He patted the sides of his blue jeans.
Tami was standing outside on the opposite of the glass. She turned away from the door to look out at a passing car on the main street. As the snow fell from the sky she wiped it off the top of her head.
Once the car passed she turned back to the door and was surprised by Brian’s lurking presence on the opposite side of the glass door.
She spoke loudly through the glass door. “Hey Brian, I got your call.”
Brian looked confused. Tami didn’t miss the unconscious facial reaction.
He responded loudly. “My call?”
“Yeah you called my cellphone.” She spelled it out for him.
“No I didn’t. I didn’t call you. I don’t have your number.”
“Yes, yes you did. It was on my caller ID. You called twice, but you didn’t leave a message.”
Brian thought about it. “Oh, oh that was Misty, not me.”
“Well, where is she? I called her cell.”
“I took her straight home after work. She was tired. You should give her a call tomorrow in the morning.”
Tami knew that was a lie. She had been to Misty’s house. She had also been to Brian’s house.
“Okay I will. Thanks Brian.” She waved through the glassed wall.
Tami hesitantly turned to leave. She got into her car and watched as Brian turned the lights off inside the video store. She also watched as he disappeared in the darkness towards the back.
Tami started her car and wondered why Brian didn’t just open the door and talk to her. Yelling at each other through glass seemed stupid.
Tami drove out of the strip mall lot onto the main street. She removed her cellphone from the front seat and dialed. The phone rang once and went straight to voicemail. There was no answer. Tami ended the call and made a quick U-turn in the middle of the street. She headed back to the video store. Misty not answering her call didn’t sit right with Tami and something was off about Brian. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
It didn’t take long to reach the video store. This time Tami parked her car four stores down at the strip mall from where the video store was located. Her car would go undetected near the twenty-four hour donut shop.
Tami walked past a few unopened stores and stopped in front of the video store. She looked over at Brian’s truck parked out front. She approached his truck on the passenger side.
She dusted the thick layer of snow off the window with her leather-gloved hand. She peeked in the window and noticed Misty’s powder blue, down coat lying on the passenger seat along with a small leather purse.
Tami walked over to the video store door. She knocked four times on the glass. CLACK!CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! She stopped to listen and then knocked three more times with her car key. CLACK! CLACK! CLACK!
After a few seconds Brian appeared on the opposite side of the glass. He looked agitated but he was trying hard to keep his composure.
“Hey Brian, I had some car trouble down the road. My cellphone is dead. I need to use your phone.” Tami yelled.
“Okay. Let me unlock the door.” Brian reached into his jeans pocket and removed the key to the front door. He hurriedly unlocked the door. He wanted to get Tami inside before she was noticed.
“Thanks Brian.” Tami faked a smile and entered. The door closed behind her. Brian directed her behind the counter to the phone.
“So what’s wrong with your car?” He asked.
“I don’t know. It just died on me.” Tami removed her coat and held it in her arms. “I’m going to call a tow truck. I tried to call on my cellphone, but my battery isn’t charged. This is the worst time to have a dead cell.” She thought that maybe she was laying it on too thick.
“It’s good for you I was here.” He forced a smile. He was quickly trying to analyze her explanation.
“Yes, you’re a lifesaver.” This time Tami smiled with her teeth.
Brian walked to the front door and peered out the glass window. With her back to him, Tami started to dial the phone.
Brian stared out the window and realized that the passenger window of his truck has been wiped clean of snow. Anger and rage contorted his normally handsome face. He removed the knife he had stashed in the small of his back. It was loosely tucked into the back of his jeans. He rushed behind the counter and grabbed a huge handful of Tami’s hair. He ripped the phone out of the outlet and placed the knife at her throat.
“You stupid nosy bitch!”
“Brian!” Tami yelled out, startled by his kneejerk reaction.
“I will slit your fucking throat!”
“Brian what’s wrong? What are you doing?”
“Shut the fuck up!” Brian held the blade close to her throat. She knew to be very still. One wrong move and he could hit a major artery. Everything was happening too fast to process. Brian had removed Tami’s gun from her waist holster before she could get to it. He had her Glock. She had always worried there would be a day that someone took her weapon from her and unfortunately, that day was today.
CHAPTER 30
At Tami’s townhouse Mike waited for her to come home. He was upstairs when Tami’s landline rang downstairs. When he made it down the stairs it was too late.
“It rings twice. They hang up.” Mike muttered to himself. Mike walked over to the phone and noticed the caller ID light blinking on the cordless phone. He checked the caller ID.
Mike read the small box. “Studio Pictures? What the hell is that?” Mike flipped the cordless phone over and began to dial the number instead of using the call back feature. He was good at memorizing numbers.
*****
Brian had shoved Tami’s Glock in the back of his pants. He needed both hands to deal with her. With the knife to her throat, Brian drug Tami kicking and screaming down the center aisle toward the door that led to the break room. As they entered the break room area, Misty’s eyes grew wide at the sight of Tami with a knife to her throat.
Fear resonated deep inside Misty. Who could possibly rescue her now? Brian had taken the one person that could save her from him.
“Get down on the floor!” Brian yelled to Tami. With a firm push from him, she dropped down to her knees releasing the coat she held onto.
Brian leaned over in her face. “Get on your ass.” Brian shoved Tami’s shoulder knocking her flat on her back.
Brian stood from bending over Tami. She thought about kicking him as he glared down at her. She couldn’t risk it. Maybe her kick wouldn’t take him down completely.
Misty was in pure shock. She sat not far from Tami on the floor bound and gagged. Her hazel eyes were filled with fear.
Tami’s coat lay on the floor beside her. Brian reached in the coat pocket and removed a set of handcuffs.
“It’s a good thing you had those.” He dangled the cuffs in the air. “I didn’t expect you, or I would’ve brought extra rope and an extra gag.”
Brian grabbed Tami by her hair and hauled her to a metal pole that traveled from the ground to the ceiling. He forcibly bent her arms forward around the pole. He quickly clamped the handcuffs on her wrists, binding them tightly together in front of her.
Tami looked at the handcuffs that were around her wrists. She sat on the floor with her hands cuffed around a metal pole.
“Brian, what are you doing? Why are you doing this?”
“Come on Tami. You are the smart one in the room. You know what’s going on here.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Tell me.” Tami played stupid, although she knew it was too late for that ploy.
“You’re cute. This is cute. What do you want, a confession?”
“What did you do?”
“You know I sliced up all those girls.”
“All what girls?” Tami was determined to keep him talking long enough for her to come up with a plan.
“Stop playing games, you know.”
“You stop playing games!” She baited him. “If you have something to say, say it before I die of old age!”
Brian chuckled. “I’ll make sure you never get to see old age!” Brian paced the floor contemplating his next move. “Okay fine fuck it. I’m the Zebra Killer. Are you happy now?”
“Why?”
“Why ask why?” Brian toyed with Tami.
“Why did you kill those innocent women?”
“Why do birds suddenly appear, every time you are near?”
“This is not a joke. It’s obvious those girls lives meant nothing to you.”
“No, they didn’t.”
“But what about your family?”
Brian stopped pacing. His menacing body lingered over Tami. “My family? My family! Why do you think I’m so screwed up? My father is a cradle-robbing pervert. My mother is a drug-addicted drunk. My stepmother is the baby-sitter turned wife. That slut came right in and ruined my entire family. She was fucking my father when he was still married to my mother. I could see it happening, but I couldn’t do a damn thing about it. I loved her first. Fuck them all!”
Brian was just a boy when Patricia entered his life. Tami knew that for sure. Whatever crush he had on her couldn’t have turned into this. Brian was clinically disturbed. This went way beyond his family drama.
“You have a sister, Brittany. Don’t you care about her?”
“My sister is a self-absorbed, manic-depressive bitch.”
“And don’t forget about yourself, the murderous lunatic.”
Brian slapped Tami hard across the face. Her shoulders whipped around and she was knocked face first into the metal pole. Misty tried to hold in her cries of fear, but she was just a teenager; she wasn’t cut out for this.
“Detective, you think you’re fucking Tina Fey.” Brian pulled the gun from his pants and pointed it at Tami. “You showed up to the wrong party, and now I’m going to have to kill you both. So you might as well start praying or something.”
“I will pray for you.” Tami spit out the blood that had pooled inside her mouth from her split lip.
“How sweet. But honestly you need to die because you’re stupid. You are a fucking joke. Kelly White, I killed, and you guys were trying to pen that one on Jason. Then there was Christy. I didn’t know she was pregnant by some jock. Attention diverted elsewhere, that helped me out a little bit. Seasons were changing and I was free to muti-fucking-late. I didn’t even kill Crystal right away. I held that one in my basement for weeks. Your dumb ass couldn’t find her.”
“My GPS doesn’t have all the psycho killers’ addresses.”
“Right. Excuses. You couldn’t even solve the case of the Zebra Killer.”
“You were just too smart for us.” Tami flattered his narcissistic ego.
Brian scratched his head with the gun barrel. “In retrospect, it’s pretty easy to figure out it was moi.”
“How easy was it?” Tami tried to buy her and Misty some time.
“Very.” Brian waved the gun in the air without any immediate target. “You let a teenage girl crack the case for you. They must give those police dick badges to anybody.” Brian directed his attention toward Misty. “Misty, I’m sorry I didn’t want to kill you. You lost your twin.”
“You killed her twin!” Tami hissed. Brian glared at her.
“Look Misty, I like you, but you found the locket and set this whole thing in motion.”
“What locket?” Tami asked trying to stall for more time. She hadn’t figured out how to get out of this mess alive.
Brian put the knife in his back pocket. He reached in his front pocket and removed the locket that belonged to Misty’s twin sister. He tossed it on the floor.