Dark Mind

by Jennifer Chase

  Rick stared at Jordan with a slight smile on his face.

  Jordan stopped for a moment with a glimmer in his eye. “What? Do you want to continue the case?”

  “Don’t you?”

  “Hell ya.”

  Rick laughed. “Time will tell soon enough when there’s another murder, but in the meantime we need to keep digging and stay ahead of the next murder. We might be able to stop the killer before he strikes again.”

  “What does Emily think?”

  Rick hesitated, not sure if he wanted to share personal information with Jordan. “She went for a long run to get her thoughts together. She always does this when there’s a really tough case and we’re not sure how to proceed next.”

  “And what happens next?”

  Rick smiled. “She comes up with a plan.”

  “That’s my girl Emily.” Jordan assembled the computers again.

  * * * * *

  No.

  She pumped her arms faster as her legs pounded the sand and she felt every uneven landscape of the beach on her bare feet. Each step felt slightly different from the last. The waves boomed as they slammed into the shoreline. The mix of ocean spray and island humidity weighted heavy in her lungs, but challenged the senses.

  Dense trees lined the beach area giving each luxury home some privacy. The magnificent stretch of beach proved deserted at most times.

  Immediately after the text message came in from Lani, Emily knew that it was wrong. She heard Lani’s frustration in his voice. Evidence pointed to Timmy killing Alex, but to wrap up the serial cases neatly in the process was a crime in itself.

  Couldn’t they see that?

  After twenty minutes of beating her feet against the beach, Emily felt her running pace level off and stay consistent. This was the best time for her to reflect on cases. Some would view it as immature and a waste of energy, but it worked well for her over the past year. When she pushed her body to the limit, her mind began to concentrate and she could see the cases more clearly. Often, she was too close to her cases, but raising her blood pressure and driving her endorphins accelerated her profiling and investigative skills.

  Emily concentrated on her breathing as she ran, deep and regular. The waves joined in unison, making the natural movements of her run that much more powerful. Her calves ached, thighs stung, and her chest felt tight. She slowed her pace and stopped, allowing her breathing to return to normal.

  She unzipped her sweatshirt and tied it around her waist. She drank up the view of the ocean for a moment, and then closed her eyes to listen to her surroundings – calm and relaxed.

  Emily managed to run the long strip of beach and return a few houses away from where she had started.

  Her mind whipped back to the serial cases, she wanted to study the crime scene photos again including the new ones from the Waimea Canyon. The three crime scene sites were key to the killer’s identity, but she just couldn’t see them clearly yet.

  She plopped down in the sand and stared aimlessly at the water coming and going in its own schedule. The hypnotic sound kept her attention and she didn’t hear anyone approach from behind.

  “Hello Emily.” The familiar voice said in a flat tone.

  * * * * *

  Chapter Forty

  Friday 1530 Hours

  “Where did you get the knife?” Detective Ling asked as he leaned closer to Timmy making sure that he felt trapped and uncomfortable.

  “I…I bought it a couple of years ago. I liked it…”

  “Where did you get the accelerants?”

  “In the garage of my friend Toby’s house.” Timmy whined as he explained.

  “Why did you kill those women?”

  “They were against me. Always… against me. They were going to kill me first you know.”

  “Do you completely understand that you’re waving your rights today?” The detective slid a piece of paper toward Timmy. “Will you sign this?”

  “Okay.” Timmy slowly picked up the pen, examined it for a moment before he signed the release form.

  Detective Simpson watched the interview through the one way glass with a smile on his face. Lani joined him and couldn’t help but notice that Phan’s reaction to the conversation was for the benefit of the police in order not to disappoint them.

  The detective asked Lani. “Where have you been?”

  “Just had an errand to take care of.” Lani watched Timmy slowly sign the piece of paper, his shoulders slumped forward, and confusion imprinted on his face. The killer resembled a young boy in trouble at the principal’s office, not a cold-blooded, calculating, organized serial killer.

  “Hmmm.” The detective answered. “Don’t you have some reports to write?”

  “I do.”

  The detective turned and stared directly at Lani. “Then I’d suggest you get them done now.”

  “Yes sir.” Lani returned to his desk, but instead of sitting down to write a narrative of what transpired at Alex’s house, he decided to walk outside to make a phone call.

  The fresh air made him feel better than watching the two detectives make a career for themselves with a very mentally ill young man who had once been a professional surfer icon.

  Lani pressed the last number dialed on his cell phone. He waited.

  The phone picked up and a rushed voice said. “Lopez.”

  “It’s Lani.”

  “What’s up?” He said abruptly.

  “You okay? What’s wrong?” Lani sensed the extreme stress in Rick’s voice.

  “It’s Emily…”

  Dread filled Lani. “What? Where is she?”

  “We don’t know. She never came back from her run. She’s nowhere on the beach and she’s not answering her cell.” He took a breath. “It’s my fault.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Rick hesitated. “I didn’t tell her that the serial killer that tried to murder her had escaped from prison transport. Oh, god… how could I have been so stupid?”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  “Don’t you have reports and superiors to deal with?”

  “That can wait. I’ll be there in ten, I’ll help you guys find Emily.” Lani ended the call. He thought about how strong and smart Emily was at the morgue. Whatever had happened to her, it was worse than anything they could imagine.

  * * * * *

  Chapter Forty-One

  Friday 1730 Hours

  Pain radiated from her ribs and telescoped up her neck and down her arms with a prickly sensation. A stinging pain gripped her lungs every time she took a breath making her air supply shallow and fast.

  The constant hum of a motor muffled in the background, vibrated the walls with a peculiar jerking motion every four seconds.

  Emily opened her eyes, squinted as she stared at a low ceiling, painted white with a few dark fingerprint smudges. At first, she thought she was back inside the steel slab at the morgue, but realized that she lay on a narrow cot reminiscent of a bunk bed. Slowly she raised her right hand to her forehead and pressed the tender spots just above her eyebrows – more pain radiated around her skull.

  She swung her legs to the side and planted her feet firmly on the floor as the small room swayed with her movement. Instinctively she gripped her hands to the sides as she steadied herself.

  The pain in her head kick started a dull nausea threatening to catapult her last meal. It was difficult to focus on her tiny room because of the rolling effect taking center stage.

  The motor sound hummed at a higher RPM with a more tinny reverberation.

  Emily realized that she was aboard a boat, but her mind blanked on what happened to bring her up to this point. The last thing she remembered was running on the beach. She patted her short’s pocket – no cell phone.

  The air chilled her, goose flesh rose on her tanned skin, and she unconsciously rubbed her bare arms contemplating what to do next.

  The boat took a sharp left turn making Emily feel like a marble rolling around in a shoebo
x.

  She stood up and staggered to the narrow staircase that led to the upper deck. Missing the first ladder step, she fell. Noticing a familiar backpack, she realized the person who must have placed her on the bed.

  But why?

  Emily searched for anything that she could use for a weapon. Everything was soft like linens, pillows, chips, crackers, and rain gear.

  Nothing.

  She decided to go through the backpack when the motor stopped.

  Footsteps approached as the boat rocked back and forth finding its equilibrium on the ocean.

  She skirted to the far side of the small galley.

  Ducking his head as he entered the room, Matt Compton smiled warmly. “Ah, I see you’re awake.” He stepped barefoot into the room.

  “Matt?” Emily watched him closely. He appeared calm, but wrung his hands with anxious energy. His usual lively blue eyes were now dark and skittish.

  “Emily, it’s so good to see you again. I’ve missed you guys and our little adventures on the island, especially our moments scuba diving.” He approached her. “But mostly I’ve missed you.”

  She took a step backward and her back touched the wall. “What’s going on?”

  Matt laughed. “I can’t believe you didn’t figure it out. You didn’t feel it too?”

  Emily accessed all the information they had combined on the serial killer investigation and realized that Matt fit the profile – perfectly.

  “You are amazing Emily.”

  “What is it that you want?” She proceeded carefully.

  “You, the defender of the innocent, investigating crime behind the scenes and never taking credit, fighter to the death. Am I right?”

  “Look… we can…” Emily calculated in her mind how fast it would take her to reach the stairs and get to the upper deck of the boat.

  “No, no, no. There’s no discussion about this. You are the chosen one, there’s no doubt in my mind.”

  “I think you’re mistaken.” Emily lamely responded.

  Matt moved his body dead center of the room where he could easily reach Emily in either direction if she chose to run. His lean, muscular body exercised for every occasion, and fighting him would be almost impossible to win.

  “I think… you’re blushing Emily Stone.” He stepped close to her where she could smell the faint odor of sun tan lotion.

  “I’m just not used to being complimented. Where are we going?” She tried to relax and give him a false sense of security in hopes of finding an opening for her escape.

  “Ah, wouldn’t that be spoiling the surprise?”

  Emily looked away.

  “I knew you were different from the others – the one.” He touched her face with the back of his hand. “I knew that you would be the ultimate sacrifice that would free me from the debaucheries of this world.”

  Emily guessed that he had some type of weapon in his back pocket and she needed to figure out how to get the upper hand. She said, “I felt something different, spiritual that day on the cliff. You saved me, you saved my soul.” She stared him in the eye to make him believe her words.

  Matt’s body flinched as if being struck by an unforeseen force. He put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her nearer to him against his body.

  Emily fought the urge to fight because she wouldn’t win this battle and that made the difference between life and death. She forced her body to relax waiting for the right moment to strike.

  He slowly moved his face next to hers, his lips found her lips and he kissed her softly probing her mouth with his tongue.

  Emily struggled not to vomit as she thought about what he had done to those innocent women.

  Emily slid her hands down his back as she allowed him to molest her. In his back pocket was a solid object, she sunk her hand into his pocket and retrieved the taser.

  Matt’s eyes turned dark like a demon had possessed his body, he effortlessly twisted Emily’s arm. The stun gun dropped to the ground.

  “You disappoint me Emily.” He shoved her into the wall with a crash.

  Pain crippled her spine, momentarily leaving her legs paralyzed. Emily’s weakened condition left her completely vulnerable and alone. She knew Rick and Jordan wouldn’t find her in time – if ever. She had few options and they were dwindling fast.

  Matt bent over and picked up the taser, held it firmly in his left hand. “It’s for your own good. We will be together soon.” He shot the voltage making a direct contact with her chest; her body convulsed and rattled every organ to complete exhaustion.

  Bright light, horrifying pain, and lack of breath, Emily passed out.

  * * * * *

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Friday 1830 Hours

  Rick searched every square inch of the grounds around the house and beach area as his worst nightmare became a reality. Emily had been abducted and time was running out to find her alive. He stood on the edge of the sand and stared out at the ocean with zero clues to move forward. He would search every inch of the island if that’s what it took to find her.

  “Hey!” Jordan jogged up carrying Emily’s pink hoodie. “Just found this down the beach a ways.”

  “Anything else?”

  “No.” Jordan’s face soured. “She couldn’t have vanished into thin air.”

  “It’s fairly deserted around here, but let’s go door to door. It’s the only place to start.”

  “But what about…” Jordan cut his words short.

  “What? Spit it out Jordan.” Rick knew what he was going to say, but it needed to be said.

  “What if someone took her by boat?”

  “I know… let’s see if we can find anyone who saw her because we’re losing daylight.”

  Both men jogged up the beach as Lani rounded the corner, just in front of them.

  “What’s the status?” Lani asked with his booming, authoritative voice.

  Jordan didn’t miss a beat. “Just found her sweatshirt, but no sign of her. We’re headed to a couple of neighbor’s houses to see if they saw anything.”

  Since Lani was dressed in his police uniform, he rapped on the door of the first house.

  No answer.

  They continued to two other houses with the same result – no one was home.

  Anxious and determined, Lani pounded on the next house. The colorful island ornament of a palm tree rattled and thumped. In a moment, a middle-aged woman with red hair answered the door with concern, her kind eyes glanced at all three men. “Yes?”

  “I’m sorry to disturb you ma’am but we’re searching for a lost woman. Have you seen a blonde woman, petite, wearing a pink sweatshirt running along the beach?”

  “Well, yes I have.” She said slowly.

  “When?”

  “Oh, about an hour or so ago. She ran by, it looked like she was running from something, but then I saw her come back and sit down.”

  Rick pushed. “Did you see which way she went?”

  “I think she was sick.”

  “What makes you say that?” Lani asked.

  “She fainted or it looked like it and this nice young man carried her from the beach.”

  Rick took a deep breath. “This is very, very important. Did you get a good look at this man?”

  The woman took a moment to remember and her eyes drifted to the right. “He was nice looking, dirty blonde hair, tall, very tan, and he was barefooted like he had been running too.”

  “Anything else?” Rick felt she described half the men on the island and his hopes diminished.

  “It bothered me.”

  “What?” He asked.

  “Well, I’m good with faces and I knew that I had seen him before.”

  Lani asked, “Do you know where you’d seen him before?”

  “Not at first, but then it hit me. When my daughter and her boys visited from the mainland we chartered a cruise with… oh, it’s called Kauai Sport & Scuba Adventure.”

  “Was the guide’s name Matt?”

  “
Yes… Yes I think that was his name.”

  Rick replied. “Oh man, how could I have not seen it?”

  “And he fits the profile that Emily outlined for the serial killer.” Jordan chimed in.

  “Serial killer?” The woman exclaimed in horror.

  Lani stepped forward and said, “Thank you for your time. You have nothing to worry about ma’am, this is a police matter.”

  She shut the door quickly and locked it.

  Rick looked at his watch. “The store is closed now.”

  Lani spoke calmly. “You two go to the store and I’ll get his home address. There has to be some clue as to where he would take Emily.”

  “What? Just bash in the windows?” Jordan said.

  Lani turned and answered him. “Yes, if you have to. I’ll be in touch as soon as I know something.” He trotted off to his car.

  * * * * *

  Rick walked through the empty parking lot and gave a nod to Jordan that everything remained quiet without any witnesses.

  Jordan grumbled to himself. “Why is it that I have to break a window?” He walked around the side of the building and picked up one of the bricks that lined a flowerbed. Wrapping it in a beach towel, he smashed the side door as glass splintered and fell in haphazard pieces on the ground. It was surprisingly quiet and no alarm sounded.

  “Hurry up.” Rick urged losing more patience as time ticked onward.

  “How do we know that there isn’t a silent alarm?”

  “We don’t.” Rick pushed past Jordan and entered the store stepping on shards of safety glass that crunched under his feet.

  A variety of merchandise packed the store’s inventory, everything from scuba gear and bathing suits to camping gear. Since the doors had been closed for a couple of hours, the packaged plastic and rubber smell lapped a thick smell.