Thrills: Vol.2

by Jason A. Joseph

  The time went by quickly as she drank glass after glass of the fruity white wine and halfheartedly watched an old black and white romance movie on TV. It didn’t really take long for her to fall asleep on her couch. Near midnight, the phone woke her up. Isabelle was still groggy, but she recognized Elliot’s number anyway.

  “Hello?” she asked sleepily.

  “Hey. It’s me. Look, I know you’re riding the pine pony right now, but I need your help. We’re not getting anywhere with Maverick. We still haven’t even been able to figure out what country he escaped to.” Maybe it was the combination of the wine and the late hour, but something made Isabelle want to tell Elliot about her theory, and maybe even her plan.

  “Well, that’s because you’re going after the wrong man.”

  “Are you drunk? Bells, you’re slurring your words.”

  “I may be a little drunk, but don’t call me Bells! Listen, it’s not him. There’s someone else that those girls had in common. When they were younger, they all took piano lessons at the same school, and they were both taught by the same man. His name is Jacob Benner. I’m trying to draw him out. I’m using myself as bait to make him strike. Then I can solve the case and get some respect at work.”

  There was silence on the other end of the line, and Isabelle was beginning to think that maybe Elliot had hung up on her.

  “Sleep it off, Bells. I’ll talk to you later.” There was a sharp click and Isabelle stared at the screen of her phone which now read ‘call disconnected’.

  “Don’t call me Bells!” She knew that he’d already hung up, but there just seemed to be some kind of poetic justice in her yelling it after him. She put the phone on the end table next to her couch, and curled back up under her warm blanket. She would yell at him tomorrow.

  ***

  “Did Isabelle have any new information for us, boss?” Elliot’s new partner was overly annoying and he was using every ounce of restraint that he possessed in his body not to let the little puppy dog have it. He was new, and that meant brand new, just out of the academy without a single case under his belt. He thought that he knew everything better, and wanted to do everything just the way it was written in his textbooks. Elliot wanted to kill the kid after an hour in the car with him.

  Unfortunately, until Isabelle made it back from her ‘vacation’, he was stuck with the brown noser. It took everything in him to make it through the day, and at night he now went to the gym to punch the old bag around more than he ever had when he was training for a fight.

  “Well, she was a little tipsy when I called, but I guess that doesn’t necessarily mean that her advice wasn’t good. She says it’s not Maverick at all. She says it’s an old man that taught them both piano when they were younger. I’m not quite sure if it’s anything at all, but I guess it couldn’t hurt to look into it. It’s not like Maverick is going to suddenly appear out of thin air and ask us to tape his confession.” The new guy had a face splitting grin. He jumped on any assignment Elliot gave him, no matter how stupid.

  He puffed out his chest and went over to the computer terminal to pull up any information he could on one Benner, Jacob.

  Elliot honestly thought that Isabelle was drunk off her ass, and that this newbie wasn’t going to find a damn thing, but at the very least, it would get him some peace and quiet while the kid was looking up anything he could find.

  ***

  Monday came yet again, and this time Jacob was going to push Megan a little harder; both in playing her music, and in his romantic advances. He already had a restaurant in mind, where he had a usual table, and wait staff that never gave him any problems. Now, all he had to do was spin the web and catch the glittering, yet unsuspecting fly.

  “I see you made it on time today, Megan.” There was a little sting to his voice, showing that he still wasn’t exactly over her being late last week.

  “Yes, I didn’t have any problems today, luckily. What are we learning today?”

  “It’s a surprise. Let’s see what you’ve learned so far. Wow me.” Jacob sat back and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting.

  “Alright, let’s see what kind of damage I can do here.” Isabelle settled herself on the bench and threaded her fingers together. She flexed her fingers and cracked her knuckles before gently and almost lovingly letting her fingers rest on the keys. She took a deep breath and began to play.

  Her eyes were closed and her fingers danced over the keys like a nubile ballerina in the prime of her youth, fluttering across a stage on winged feet. Jacob allowed himself a smile. Her talent had really grown in the few months that they’d been practicing together. Jacob was proud of her. Now, at the end of the lesson, he would make her take his oath. The one that promised she would never stop playing and would teach any children she had to play as well.

  “That was marvelous. Now, I have something here that I think you should sign.” He slid the oath over to her and watched her face as she read it. She wasn’t going to go for it, he could tell by her facial expression. Oh well, he would be seeing her tonight…

  Jacob was crackling with energy when he left Bella’s School of Music and Dance. He was so furious with his new student. He’d thought that she was someone who would understand what that oath meant. She of all people should want to make sure that the beauty of the piano was respected and spread throughout the world.

  How dare she not sign his oath. How dare she! That was fine. Absolutely fine. He would put her on his list. Tonight was surveillance on her. Then he would take his aggression out on a hot little number that he’d been watching for a week or so. He had her schedule down pat, and he had all the time in the world. For now, though, he was going to focus on Megan.

  He waited in his car at the back of the parking lot until he saw her come out. She walked over to a small silver car and got in. Jacob didn’t need to memorize the plate, he was going with her. He watched as Megan pulled out into traffic, and headed for the upper east side of the town. Well, that was interesting. He’d already done a girl from that area. He followed her as she wove in and out of traffic, finally coming to a stop at a parking garage next to an apartment building. Jacob caught his breath. He’d done a girl from this very building. She had been his second victim. The blonde in the dark blue dress. Yes…memory was coming back to him now.

  She’d decided to change her major from music to something else, and Jacob had found it to be completely unacceptable. She wanted to do something ridiculous, like cosmetology or some bullshit like that.

  He couldn’t believe it. She had what it took. She had natural talent, the discipline, the drive, and the dedication. She had everything that she needed to be one of the greats. Why on earth would she just throw it all away? It made no sense to him whatsoever. He’d followed her out to a movie.

  He sat three rows behind her and watched as she cried at the sappy ending. She’d gone to dinner afterwards, alone, as was her usual. She’d gone to a ritzy little place and ordered a salad. It hadn’t really taken much for Jacob to slip into the kitchen and sprinkle a little something special on her salad. She’d eaten it, not having a clue why she was getting so sleepy. When she walked back out to her car, Jacob had snatched her and wrapped her up in a tarp. She’d been unconscious by the time he’d gotten her to his workshop. That was too bad, Jacob had really regretted the fact that she never woke up, but he still carried out his evil plans. This time he wanted to shock the police. He’d cut her entire body into pieces, and wrapped each one lovingly with a red bow. She was his present to the officers that found her. He smiled.

  Yes, that had been a good memory. Now he had to focus on the fresh piece of meat in front of him. He watched her as she climbed the stairs instead of taking the elevator. His eyes widened fractionally when he realized that she lived next door to the girl he’d left in the park just a few days ago. Who knew? Maybe he could wipe out the whole floor. No, that would really be doing too much.

  Jacob checked his watch. Damn. He was going to be late if he didn’
t leave right this second. He’d have to wait to do surveillance on her another day. He had to get home and hold interviews for his newly opened maid position. Oh boy was he looking forward to this…

  ***

  Wow, Isabelle was still in shock. How could that man seriously expect her to sign his oath? That was one of the stupidest things she’d ever read. She didn’t even know if she wanted to have kids, ever, much less if she was going to force them to learn the piano. She sat back down at her coffee table and let her eyes roam over all the notes, crime scene photos, evidence reports, and random hodge podge that made up the cases of the victims she was supposed to leave alone.

  Elliot had come through for her and gotten her copies. Although they came with the threat that he would personally rip her ovaries out and wear them for garters if she ever told anyone that he’d helped her. She laughed at that five minute phone conversation. She shook herself mentally and refocused on the stuff in front of her. It had been there for about three weeks now, and she just couldn’t get any farther than she was now. She couldn’t haul Jacob in for questioning because he would recognize her. She couldn’t have Elliot do it either, because he wasn’t supposed to help her, she wanted to do it all herself. That left her in a conundrum of her own creation, without a way out. The girls in the pictures seemed to be laughing at her, taunting her for being so stupid. Teasing her for not being able to play Jacob like the fiddle she wanted him to be. It was still early in the evening, she might as well check in with Elliot.

  “What?”

  “How did you know it was me?” Isabelle was a little taken aback by his usual answer for her.

  “You’re the only one who ever calls me. Now tell me what you want or hang up.”

  “Ok, ok, fine. I was just wondering how you’re getting along with the case. Any new leads? Has Maverick come back?” She was hoping for bad news. She didn’t want them to get anywhere with this so she would look more of a hero when she solved it for them. Then they would see exactly how good she was.

  “Nope, haven’t seen or heard from Maverick since he left. His parents are still gone, too. We are sitting in a pool of shit just cooling our heels because we have jack shit on this.”

  “What about what I suggested? Have you had a chance to look into Jacob Benner?”

  “Yeah, I gave the new kid that assignment. Nothing much has turned up though. Nothing on his prints in the system, no priors, just a peaceful old man who really loves the piano. Either he’s really good at hiding shit, or he’s just plain boring, Bells.” She didn’t even bother to correct his use of that hated pet name anymore. He seemed to only use it because irritated her. Jackass.

  “Well, I can tell you I know it’s him, I just can’t prove it yet. I agree with you on the loving the piano thing. He wanted me to sign some oath that I will always play and keep my skills up, and that I will teach all my future children to play with the skills that I have. What a psycho.”

  “Did you sign it?”

  “Hell no I didn’t sign it. I think it really made him mad though. Maybe even mad enough to flip that switch in him so that he goes after me. What do you think?” Isabelle’s voice had gotten more excited towards the end there.

  “I think you’re nuts. Only you would try to whore yourself out as serial killer bait. I think you need to get your head examined.”

  “Oh come on. You know that you wish you would have come up with a clever way to entice him to kill again your own self. You’re just jealous that I beat you to it.”

  “And you think that you know everything about everyone. No, I am not jealous that you beat me to it, I’m worried that this asshole might actually come after you and you won’t be able to stop what happens to you. Then what? Then I get to see you tortured and cut into pieces on a lonely little patch of the park’s walkway. I really don’t want to have to scrape you up off the floor somewhere unless you’re piss assed drunk.” Wow, no one could say that Elliot lacked creativity. Some days he would use curse words that made no sense to Isabelle at all. Or some days he would just throw anything out there with enough venom behind it to make it a bad word. “Well, consider this my daily check in. If I ever don’t check in, then go ahead and worry. Until then, I’m going to bed.”

  “Seriously? It’s six in the afternoon. What are you, eighty years old that you have to be in bed by the time Jeopardy comes on?”

  “Ha ha ha. Hilarious, Elliot. No, I’m just tired and sometimes I do my best thinking when I lay in my bed and stare at the ceiling pointlessly for hours upon hours. I’ll call you tomorrow. If you don’t hear from me by noon, worry.” She hung up the phone and let out a deep sigh. She went into her bedroom and changed into her sleep shorts and t-shirt that she usually wore to bed. She hadn’t been kidding, she really did do her best thinking when she was lying flat on her back, staring off into space in a half conscious state of mind. Maybe she would come up with an answer tonight…

  ***

  Jacob was sitting in the living room, watching as girl after girl paraded into his parlor, answered questions and left again. How was he going to pick one? If he simply wanted one to clean the house and wash his laundry for him, it would be much simpler, but he wanted one that he wouldn’t mind using for his hobby, should he get itchy fingers. That was what made the problem that much bigger. She had to be pretty, small enough that he could carry her, and she had to be discreet. Should she stumble upon anything strange before he added her to his list. It wasn’t an easy choice to make, that much was certain.

  “Yes, alright, well your resume seems to be in order. You said you’re an only child? And your parents passed away while you were young?”

  “Yes, sir. They died in a car crash when I was seven.” Jacob nodded understanding. Well, this was what he would have to settle for. She was pretty, she was tall and thin, and if he had to lift her unconscious form off the floor, he could do it.

  “Well, then, Abby, you’re hired. How long would it take you to get your affairs in order and move in to the house?” The young girl’s eyes lit up.

  “Not long at all! I could be here by tomorrow night!” That would work he supposed, tomorrow morning he had plans. He couldn’t leave poor Kathryn in his workshop alone for another day. She might stink the place up, and that would simply not do. He wanted to make sure it was clean for Megan. He was going to go after her next week.

  This last death would tide him over until the next weekend. He was planning on retiring from his hobby, and he wanted his last murder to be special. So extravagant, so disgusting, so bone-chilling, he would need the week to plan it. This was going to be his greatest masterpiece yet.

  Jacob would have to take the time that Abby was out of the house to move the pieces of Kathryn’s body into the park. Well, she had been a slight girl, so it shouldn’t really require much effort. Jacob vowed to himself that he would be spending more time with Megan, even though Megan would never know that he was there, watching in the shadows, until he was ready to pull her under, hear her scream out her fear, and watch her life’s blood pump out of her body.

  It was early evening, and Isabelle was going to treat herself. There was a new Italian restaurant downtown that she’d been wanting to try, and she was tired of waiting for a date just to go. She could go stag, this wasn’t the eighties any more. Isabelle took a cab and had to admit that the footman that greeted her upon her arrival at the restaurant was a nice touch. She walked in and had to smile. It warmed her heart to see such a wonderful place. This would be a wonderful evening indeed. She sat at a booth and ordered wine. She hadn’t driven, so she told the waiter to leave the bottle as he was pouring.

  Jacob sat in a corner booth behind Isabelle, watching her as he ate his dinner. He watched as she went through the whole bottle of wine before the salad arrived. There must be something that was weighing on her mind. Jacob smiled. If her mind was cloudy and her coordination wasn’t exactly at one hundred per cent, it would only help him later when he snatched her.

  Isabelle’s vis
ion was starting to get a little less sharp by the time she finished her steak, and she decided it was time to go home. She paid her check, left a tip and got up a little slower than she normally would. She wanted to make sure that her movements weren’t considered sloppy, even though they really were. She made it to the parking lot and had to steady herself as she dug her keys out of her purse.

  Jacob had slipped out of the restaurant while she was still paying her check and stood in the shadows of her car, waiting to blitz her when she faced the front. Isabelle turned towards the hood of her car, trying to angle the feeble glow from the streetlight into her purse. Jacob made his move. He slipped soundlessly out from behind the trunk and used his gloved hand to crack her hard on the back of her head. Isabelle went down. Jacob picked her up and brought her to the back of his van.

  ***

  Isabelle awoke with a headache, and the floor rumbling under her. Was she that drunk? No, she’d only had two bottles of wine with dinner. That wouldn’t affect her that much. She tried to bring her hand up to her head to steady it, but she found that she couldn’t. Looking down at her hands, she realized that her wrists were tied. Panic set in and her heart started racing. It had happened. Jacob had made his move and she hadn’t been ready. Shit! What was she going to do now?

  She saw her purse lying in front of her face. Her phone! She had to get to her phone before he realized it was still within reach for her. She had to do it quietly, and she was sweating bullets, afraid that he would turn around and catch her at any time.