My heart caught in my throat. I had to pretend to be only vaguely aware of the details. “Oh right,” I whispered, “did he kill her?” I was sure I must be quite pale; I hadn’t expected that they would find him so soon. I hoped Brandon would assume I was just horrified by my question.
“No, it wasn’t the wife. I guess that’s the silver lining. It was the husband, if you can believe that. The wife reported him missing yesterday, and they found his body in the woods today. The body…” He shuddered. “Well, let’s just say it takes a lot to rattle me, but that did it. And, it’s connected to your friend’s date too. We think it’s the same killer.”
Brandon stopped talking. I looked at him, wondering what he was thinking and suddenly afraid of any conclusions he might be drawing.
“Of course, I shouldn’t be telling you any of this,” he said lightly, shaking his head. “And, I haven’t even had a drink!”
I laughed a little, relieved that the sudden change in his demeanor was due to confidentiality and not suspicion.
Brandon gave me a small smile. “I am serious though,” he said, squeezing my hand. “I’m not supposed to be discussing cases. People do it anyway, of course, but please don’t mention this to Kate.”
“I understand. I won’t…” I said reassuringly while my heart hammered in my chest. I needed to keep my face and voice calm. I needed to get more information without seeming overly eager. “How do you know the cases are related?” I asked.
“Well,” he said pensively, “The method was very similar. And, we think both men were killed by a woman. I really can’t get into too many details, but it definitely looks like another serial killer. So now I have two evil freaks to chase down.”
His words stung deeply; I thought he was on the side of justice. He was only saying that because he didn’t understand the motive. I smiled softly to cover the hurt in my eyes and said, “sorry you had such a rough day. But, I do think you’re right about that silver lining. At least that guy can’t hit his wife anymore, right?”
“I suppose, but he didn’t deserve to die. What he did was wrong, and I struggle with wishing some of these guys would get what was coming to them, but to be able to do what this woman did… I can’t imagine what kind of twisted person would do that.”
Saying something would be a mistake. Every fiber of my body knew it, but I couldn’t stop myself from trying to think of a way to argue this killer’s case… my case. I wanted Brandon to understand.
“Do you think there are some people out there who deserve whatever she did to that guy?” I asked.
“I don’t think anyone deserves that. And even if some people did, I don’t know who would think they were qualified to make a decision like that,” Brandon replied.
“You decided that the guy I attacked this morning deserved it,” I said.
“Well, beating up a guy for letting someone smack his daughter around is completely different from torturing and killing someone.”
“What about that rapist you’re after? What if someone killed him? Would that be evil?”
Brandon gave me a sideways look. “This is an odd conversation. I suppose it wouldn’t necessarily be evil to kill someone in order to make the world a better place, but again, these murders were not executions. They were horrendously gruesome.”
“But, say there’s someone, like this rapist-murderer, who’s done nothing but cause suffering and death. How many women has he hurt? He didn’t just execute them either – he raped them first. Don’t you think just getting killed would be getting off too easy?”
“Perhaps,” Brandon replied, “perhaps death is too good for someone like that, but in the end, it’s not about retribution, it’s about stopping a killer. Whether it’s a life sentence or a death sentence is not for any one person to decide, that’s why we have the justice system. Either way, they’re stopped. Anything more than that, any torture… it’s not necessary. Who would think it is?”
“I don’t know,” I replied. “I’m just saying that I don’t think that someone killing an abuser is on the same level as the rapist. I didn’t know Joe, so I’m not saying he was a bad guy. I don’t know what the motive was for the killer. But the wife beater? At least you know he was a bad man, right?”
“It doesn’t matter whether the guy was good or bad. This killer is exactly the same as the rapist. You didn’t see the guy’s body. It was mutilated. That goes beyond a punishment. The killer enjoyed it, and that’s the difference. That crosses the line. If she needs to make these men suffer that much, I think she has the exact same issues as the rapist, just in her own way. I bet both of them crave it. It’s like a drug for them and they need it.”
The conversation was going to get tense if it continued, and I didn’t want to get upset. It wasn’t Brandon’s fault he didn’t understand. He’d feel differently if he’d ever been a victim, or at least been close to one. He’d see that death wasn’t enough for some people.
Brandon also seemed to be looking for an excuse to wrap up the conversation. Pulling out his phone, he suddenly said, “We have to go! Our movie starts soon.”
The drive to the theater was very pleasant. We both avoided any more talk of the killer, and the conversation turned to Brandon’s childhood. He grew up on a farm and had two older brothers who both lived on the other side of the country. Being the youngest, he’d felt a little picked on by the older boys which had spurred his desire to defend other kids from bullies, and eventually led him to his career in law enforcement.
It was sweet watching him light up as he shared a funny story about his brothers pretending he’d fallen in a well and nearly giving his grandmother a heart attack, or when he talked about family holidays. I wanted to tell him something about my own childhood, but I couldn’t. He was sensitive to that and tried changing the subject at one point, but I wanted to hear more and insisted that I was alright.
I was enjoying his stories so much that I was a little disappointed when we arrived at the theater. Brandon led the way inside and got some popcorn and drinks for us before we went in. I couldn’t believe how big the theater was. There were so many seats and people, but it was all dwarfed by the massive screen. I’d seen theaters on TV before, and yet, being there in person was something else entirely. When the lights dimmed and the movie started, I actually did feel like snuggling up against Brandon’s side.
Trying not to be too obvious, I shifted slightly in my seat, and Brandon lifted his arm and put it around me. I scooted into the crook of his arm, and rested my head on him. I didn’t move the entire movie. I had never relaxed with anyone in this way, and it was so nice to feel his warmth, his steady breathing, and the beat of his heart. The movie startled me a few times with its volume, but overall, it wasn’t nearly as scary as advertised.
When it was over, Brandon was slow getting up and I realized that he’d been twisted in an awkward position with his arm out as I’d leaned on him. I saw him rolling his neck and shoulders as he stood up and could tell that he was in some pain.
“You should have said something!” I chided him as we walked out of the theater. “I could’ve moved.”
“That’s why I didn’t say anything,” he said with a smile. “I didn’t want you to move.”
I shook my head, but was secretly delighted to hear that he had wanted to be close to me just as much as I’d wanted to be close to him. He stretched beside his car for a moment before we started the drive back to Kate’s house. I was once again lost in conversation, and the ride flew by. Before I knew it, we were back in Kate’s driveway. It was pretty late, and I knew Norah would be sleeping, but I still didn’t feel like I could invite him in. It wasn’t my home, and he’d likely get the wrong idea.
I opened my mouth to say ‘goodnight,’ but before I had made sound, he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine.
Even after all he’d done to show me how nice he was, something about the unexpectedness triggered a reaction in me and I pushed him back. I felt terrible the minute I’d done
it, and he looked shocked and rejected as he angled back in his seat, trying to figure out what was going on.
I blinked for a moment. Everything inside of me seemed to come alive. I had been scared at first. The fear had quickly given way to surprise, and I realized that I was surprised because I liked it.
“What’s wr…” he started to ask me, but I cut him off, likely adding to his confusion even more, but I had to act before I talked myself out of it. I grabbed him and pulled him back against me, meeting his lips with my own.
Prepared this time, and in control, I moved my mouth against his, tasting him. He responded passionately to my kiss and I felt his hand slide up the back of shirt. He gripped me tightly, and the feeling of his hand on my bare skin sent wild shivers through my body. His other hand was in my hair. He was firm, but not forceful, and just when I found myself wishing that he would touch me somewhere else, he pulled away. He was breathing heavily, and looking at me with desire.
“I should head inside,” I said, not hiding my disappointment.
“Okay… next time I’m making you dinner at my house.” he replied with one more quick kiss.
“That sounds great,” I murmured, as I reluctantly tore myself away from the kiss before it could escalate again. I climbed out of the car, adjusting my top as I headed back to the house. I felt like I could still feel his hands and lips on me as I opened the front door and went inside.
This time, Kate was still awake, and she wanted all the details. I was only too happy to relive most of the evening – from dinner, to the movie, to the kiss. Kate squealed when I was finished.
“That is so romantic, Emily! But I can’t believe you pushed him off at first!”
“I know, it – well, surprised me I guess. I wasn’t expecting him to just go for it like that, but I’m glad he did.” I smiled to myself, picturing the look in his eyes as I walked away. “I hope he calls me tomorrow!”
“I’m sure he will! You might just get that man to make you dinner and breakfast!” she giggled.
I laughed with her, wondering if she was right. Was that the obvious next step? Was that what he was expecting? I felt a familiar flash of anger, then took a few calming breaths. Brandon wasn’t like that, he might want me, but he didn’t think I owed my body to him. Did I want to give it to him? I needed to think about it.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves!” I said lightly.
We both agreed we should get some sleep, and a few minutes later I was alone in my room, sitting on the bed wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Now that I was alone, my mind was pulled back to the conversation we’d had in the restaurant. I had a lot to think about that didn’t involve how far I may want to go with Brandon on our next date.
He’d revealed a lot of information, more than he knew, and not all of it was good. First of all, I was worried that they’d found Kyle so quickly. I was hoping that his body was so remote that it would be weeks, maybe even months before they found him. After so long, they probably wouldn’t have connected him to Joe, but two men with their throats cut in the same weekend? No wonder they’d determined it was the same killer. What I didn’t understand was how they’d guessed it was a woman attacker. I had wanted to ask Brandon that, but thought it would sound too suspicious.
I drummed my fingers on my leg. I would have to be much, much more careful now. There was still no link between Kyle and Kate, or Kyle and me. Knowing that the killer was a woman didn’t put me in any more danger of being discovered; at least not yet. But if I dropped someone else close to Kate or Brandon they might make the connection. Especially since they both now knew that I had a slight violent streak.
I thought back to the way Kate had looked at me after I’d kicked the man at the mall. She hadn’t known I’d done it on purpose, but the thought had clearly crossed her mind. Then, the whole situation with David. If the media started reporting that there was a vigilante female serial killer on the loose, I didn’t want her to start wondering what else I might be capable of doing. I sighed. Killing David was definitely off the table. Lucky bastard.
Thinking about it was making me angry. I could almost feel a vibration under the surface of my skin, a jittery feeling, like I’d had too much caffeine. I needed an outlet. As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I remembered my dream about the witch; even worse, I remembered what Brandon had said. They had both said that I craved death, and they’d both said that it crossed a line to take pleasure in the kills. Brandon hadn’t known he was talking about me, but that didn’t matter, it only made the sentiment more honest. I shuddered as I realized just how closely Brandon had echoed the witch’s words. I could shake her off. That had been a dream – that woman was surely long dead! But Brandon? It had hurt to hear him say those things. He had gone so far as to say that I was just as bad as the rapist. Was he right? Was I a monster?
I searched my conscience. It’s true that I took joy in my kills, but was that wrong? Did the most foul, depraved members of society deserve mercy? Did they give mercy to their own victims? No! They didn’t. What I had said to Kyle as I’d torn into him had been true. He had tormented his wife every bit as much as I’d tormented him. Maybe not in the same way. He hadn’t killed her, and maybe he’d never cut her. But he’d beaten her; he’d taunted her and toyed with her. I couldn’t explain it, but I’d seen it.
I’d looked into his eyes as he died, and for a moment, it was like I had become him. I was looking down at Jenny. Her nose was bleeding and she was crying softly. I’d felt the jolt of pleasure he had felt when he’d stood over her. He kicked her in the kidney and she yelped in pain. “Come on, Jenny,” he snarled in a murderous whisper, “you’re not very good at this game! What game are we playing?!”
“The quiet game,” she’d stammered.
“Good girl! You’re not as dumb as you look!” he whispered before kicking her again, a sharp blow to the ribs this time. She groaned in pain but did not cry out. “Good girl.” He stooped over her and grabbed a fistful of her hair, pulling her up so that her face was inches from his. He spit as he spoke. “If you’d been a good girl yesterday, no one would’ve called the cops on us.”
“I know! I’m so sorry! It was my fault! Please… I’ll be quiet… please!” she begged.
“That’s right, Jenny, you’ll be quiet this time, no matter what.”
Kyle had died then, and the vision had faded from my mind as I saw him dragging her to another room, but I could fill in what had happened next. He was an animal, and he had deserved every moment with me. Brandon was wrong. There were monsters out there, but I wasn’t one of them.
I got up and paced the floor of the bedroom. The jittery feeling was worse, but it wasn’t a need to inflict pain, it was a need to right wrongs. I was not a monster, but there was one out there, stalking the streets. I grabbed my phone and began searching for news stories about the rapist. Dozens came up. If Kate or I ever watched the news we certainly would have heard of him.
I scrolled through the articles. They suspected a white man in his thirties; that was hardly much to go on. The first victim had been found about three months ago, raped and stabbed. A month after that, victims two and three had been found. Within the last four weeks, four more bodies had surfaced. Either there were more victims who had not been identified, or this guy was accelerating; either way he was bound to strike again soon. No wonder Brandon had been feeling so strained.
As I had figured, there wasn’t a lot of information about the man. He favored a certain part of town, grabbing and dumping his victims there, and he had a type. Prostitutes with long brown hair. A smiled to myself as an idea began to take shape in my mind. With nothing else to do, and nothing else to go on, why not just go explore his hunting grounds? If there was anything to the notion that my mind worked like his, maybe I would stumble across something the police had missed, or maybe he would stumble across me.
I quietly stripped out of my sweats and put on the clothes I’d worn on my date. They were nice enough to draw wandering
eyes, but comfortable enough to move around in. I brushed my hair. When I wore it down, it fell nearly to my waist in thick, shining waves. Common in my time, it seemed unusual for women to keep their hair so long now. I hadn’t had the heart to cut it, so I almost always kept it pulled back. Tonight, however, I would keep it loose. If he saw me, I hoped it would be enough to draw him in. I gave my reflection one last wicked grin, and quietly slipped out of the house.
Just like when I had gone after Joe, I walked a few blocks and ordered an Uber. Unlike last time, I had made no effort to hide my looks tonight. Every time the driver glanced up at the rearview mirror, he let his eyes linger on my body. I licked my lips. I had a small blade and a taser in my purse, just in case, although I wasn’t really expecting to need them tonight. I thought about how satisfying it would be to give him a little bite with the taser when he pulled over to drop me off; leave him with a little something to remember me by. Well, besides the image of my chest that he was clearly trying to memorize. Sadly, I knew that I couldn’t risk even that small act of retribution.
Instead, the next time I caught him looking at me, I made direct eye contact with him. “Eyes on the road, asshole!” I snapped.
His gaze dropped immediately. He stammered an apology and never looked at me again the rest of the ride. Even when he dropped me at the corner in front of a seedy looking bar, he kept his eyes down.
“Hey,” he said awkwardly, “I’m really sorry about earlier, I don’t know what I was thinking…”
I looked at him coldly without replying.
“B-but, well, anyway,” he stammered, “it’s just, I don’t know if you know, but this is a pretty bad area. Are you meeting someone?”
I laughed. The idea that he was worried about me was hilarious. He should be worried about himself! “Why don’t you mind your own business?” I snapped, tossing some cash at him and slamming the door.
Evil Unbound- Death's Mistress Returns Page 17