No Ordinary Killer (6 page)

Paralyzed, he lay watching flames engulf his father’s
Mustang like a giant bonfire. It was all he had left from a father that died
too soon. “I have a hard time believing this was just a coincidence. Any
evidence we might have gotten from the vehicle are gone quicker than a fart in
the wind.”

“I guess that’s one way of putting it.”

“Do you get the feeling that someone is watching us?” Dallas stiffened in his
arms.

“You … think so?”

He glanced around them. Even in the light cast by the
burning car, nothing seemed to move beyond them. “I think we should get you to
a hospital. I left my phone in the apartment.”

“My cell burned up in your car … along with my purse.
Damn it … there goes my driver’s license, credit cards, badge, and … damn it!”

“I’m sorry. You feel like walking?”

“I thought this wasn’t the time of morning for a lady
to be out walking.”

He smiled as she rolled off him and struggled to her
feet. “I said any woman by herself. You’ve got me to protect you.”

“Oh, yeah, right. If experience serves me, you
couldn’t take me two blocks without getting your car blown up. Can’t tell you
how safe and reassuring you make me feel.”

“You’re exaggerating, besides this could have happened
to anyone whose brake line was cut.” He slid his palm across her back and
pulled her shoulder against him.

“Exaggerating … I think not.”

 
“Maybe someone
is nervous about my appearing on Kari’s show?”

“Remember Megan’s comment about you having an accident
on your way to the interview?”

“Yes, but I don’t think she could have done this.
She’s more of the threatening kind. She likes to be heard. I doubt if she would
know a gas line from a fan belt. No, someone else is responsible for this.”

“Megan’s lover? I’d say someone close who knows that
car meant something to you.”

Dallas
shivered against him and he pulled her
close. “Maybe the killer.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

The coffee was hot and black; it matched Megan’s mood.
She hadn’t got any sleep until late morning. Flashbacks of the past evening,
that had mushroomed into a nightmare, gave her a feeling of doom. She pulled
the newspaper toward her and gasped. The picture of a Mustang in flames
captured the spotlight news. God, it was Cooper’s car.

She reached for the phone and pressed speed-dial one.
It rang … and rang … and rang. She slammed it down hard.

What could have happened? She thought for a moment,
then pressed speed-dial two and waited.

“Great Falls Police Department, how may I direct your
call?”

“I want Josh Arnott, please.”

“One moment, ma’am, I’ll transfer you.”

Megan tapped her long nail on the table. A funky Neil
Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” played in the background.

“Arnott.”

“Josh, this is Megan.”

“What the shit you calling here for?”

“I saw the paper … and … well, I called Coop’s
apartment and got no answer. You know anything?”

“Gee, Megan, one would think you cared.”

Gritting her teeth, she took a deep breath to calm
herself. “Do you know anything? Was Coop hurt?”

“Don’t know shit, Megan. Haven’t seen him since
yesterday. You’ll have to get your info somewhere else.”

“You know when he’ll be in?” She hoped for an answer
without sarcasm.

“Don’t think he’ll be in until he finishes his
interview on the Kari Winslow show. You know about that, don’t you?”

Oh shit! She’d forgotten to call James Airhart. “He
say he was going to be there?” She held her breath, afraid to hear the answer.

“Sure, why not? You have reason to believe he won’t?”

“No, I … you have a cell number I can reach him at?”
His long pause wore on her patience.

“Well, now, I’m not so sure Cooper wants you to have
that number. Is this an emergency? I could forward any message you have, but I
can’t in good conscience give you that number.”

Josh spoke loud and she had no doubt he meant to share
their conversation with everyone around him. “Christ, Josh, I just want his
stupid cell phone number, not his damn investment portfolio.”

“Like I said—“

“Have him call me before ten.”

“Please?”

She wanted to tell him to piss up wind, but refrained.
“It’s important, Josh. I appreciate it.”

“Dang, you can sound nice if you want to. Been a long
time, kinda get out of practice, eh?”

“I’m sure your audience got a chuckle with that one.
It’s about the twins, so now that you know it’s not for me, maybe you truly
will give him the message.”

“Something happen to Tina or Tucker?”

“No, but … he’ll know … just have Coop call.” She hung
up the phone before Josh had a chance to add a few more insulting comments. She
hated when he felt a need to show everyone how much he loathed his partner’s
ex-wife.

Another quick dial rang James’ office. She sipped on
the now lukewarm coffee.

“James Airhart, attorney at law.

“Rhonda, is James in, this is Megan Reynolds.”

“Oh, Megan … he—“

“Don’t give me a song and dance, this is important …
more than important … it’s an emergency.” She recognized the muffled sound of
Rhonda’s palm over the phone and she knew she was speaking with James. He’d
better take the call or she’d drive over to his office and give him a piece of
her mind.

“Megan. How’s it going? Saw that dreadful blaze of
Cooper’s in the paper. He okay?”

“Don’t know, James. He’s my ex-husband now, remember?
Don’t have time to chat. I need you to draw up papers giving Cooper full
custody of the twins.”

“What? Are you crazy? You have any idea what I went
through getting you full custody?”

“As I recall, I paid you handsomely, so why are your
panties in a bunch? Cooper and I have come to an agreement and this is the
result. I need for you to call him at the station and tell him you’re getting
these papers ready. If he isn’t there, call him at the Winslow show—“

“Oh, I get it. A little trade for his silence? You’re
getting yourself in a little deep, Megan. I could get into trouble, too, if I
know about your offer to give up your children in exchange for his silence.”

“Don’t be a fool, James. This has nothing to do with …
why am I explaining myself to you? You work for me. You must get Cooper the
message that I called you and that you are following through with it. That’s
all.”

“I can’t get it done in less than an hour.”

“James, I didn’t say it all had to be done. I said to
call him and tell him it’s being processed. Whether we follow-through with this
is irrelevant. Tell him I called and told you to do it.” She smiled, knowing
she’d never give Cooper what he wanted. If he thought he was getting full
custody of the twins, then that was his mistake.

“I’ll call him, but, Megan, I hope you know what
you’re doing.”

“Don’t I always?” The line went dead and it annoyed
her. The phone rang in her hand, she jumped. “Yes?”

“Megan, turn on the TV.”

The hushed voice of her lover made her long for him.
“Why?” She reached for the remote and pressed the on button. Noticing the time,
she realized Kari Winslow was the reason for his concern.

“Damn, is Cooper her guest?” Megan’s heart raced.
“I’ll take him down if he wants a fight.”

“Be quiet and listen.”

“Don’t tell me to be….” she paused, then pushed the
volume up.

“It is with regret and much disappointment that
Detective Cooper Reynolds will not be my guest this morning. No, he wasn’t
afraid to chat with us….”

The audience laughed and Megan couldn’t help sensing
the shallowness of the crowd. Relief that Cooper wasn’t there washed over her,
and she couldn’t help smiling to herself.

“…it has come to our attention that Detective Reynolds
was called to yet another murder scene. Yes, you’ve guessed it. Word has it
that the second murder in
Malicious
Intent
is identical to the scene the police are now taping off for
investigation.”

 
Megan pressed
her fingers over her lips. “No! It can’t be. Why is this happening?”

“I don’t know love, gotta go.”

“Well, Miss Reynolds, are you out there listening? Our
viewers are wondering if you feel the same as you did yesterday. Is your book a
blueprint for murder? Do you feel any remorse or any responsibility yet? Maybe
you should call and chat with us. We’d love to hear what you have to say.”

Kari was baiting her … the bitch. Megan considered
calling … what would she say? Was the killer using her novel as a blueprint for
murder? She grabbed the phone book and found the number. She dialed, realizing
her fingers were trembling.

“Well, folks, guess who we have on the line? Hi,
there, Megan Reynolds.”

“Hi, Kari. I was watching your show this morning, as I
usually do, and I’m calling because you asked me to.” Megan never watched the
bitch’s show, but a little ass-kiss couldn’t hurt at this point.

“Well, all of us here are wondering what you think
about this latest development. Can you describe how you feel about this?”

Megan cleared her throat and struggled to put some
emotion into her voice. “I’m … shocked. I’m so devastated over the first murder
that I can’t sleep. This is shocking and….” She paused to stifle a sob for the
audience. “…so sad.”

“We hear your pain, Miss Reynolds. What do you make of
the latest killings?”

“To be honest, I didn’t know anything about a second
killing until you just mentioned it a few minutes ago. I can’t begin to express
my sorrow for the family of the young man.”

“Could you tell us about the second murder in your
book, or would you prefer I just read from
Malicious
Intent
?”

Megan wasn’t prepared for the question. Her lip
trembled. It had been a mistake to call in. “I would prefer that we don’t
sensationalize it, Kari. It’s one thing to put it in a fiction book, but once
it’s real … well, it seems too insensitive to talk about it like a common
basketball game.” The audience clapped loud, Megan smiled. She’d outwitted Ms.
Winslow.

“You think readers realize that a book is only
imagination? I mean, they seem real. They give people ideas. They entertain and
excite. Don’t you think they also incite?’

“Yes, maybe so. But, like I said yesterday on your
show, a writer shouldn’t have to feel responsible for every nut case out there
that steps over the line.” Several booing people made her comment sound ugly.

“That’s not to say I don’t feel bad this has happened.
People need to read
Malicious Intent
and then judge for themselves. It’s—“

“Good for sales.”

Megan cringed at the laughing audience. “It’s … a way
to be aware. To be conscious of the intent. I didn’t write it to awaken a
killer. I didn’t intend to have some monster out there copying the murders in
my book. I had no clue that
Malicious
Intent
, even with the publicity and reception it’s received, would incite
such a grizzly response.”

“I hear your words, Miss Reynolds, but I’m not
convinced. I believe violence begets violence. Gentleness begets gentleness.”

The audience gave their beloved Kari Winslow a
standing ovation. Megan wanted to wipe the smug smile from the annoying woman’s
face. “I can only hope people will read
Malicious
Intent
, then decide for themselves. That’s all I ask.”

“Well, we’ve been talking with the author of
Malicious Intent
. No doubt the sales for
this book will triple by the end of the day. You be the judge. When we come
back, let’s take a look at the second murder in Reynold’s book. We’ll also be
talking with psychologist, Trevor Watts, and how a killer’s mind works. Stay
with us, won’t you?”

 
Megan pressed
the off button. Well, according to Kari’s prediction, book sales would triple
by the end of the day. Megan smiled. Things were going nicely after all.

* * *

At ten in the morning the sun struggled to melt the
hoarfrost that gripped every tree branch, blade of grass, and every inch
exposed to God’s night air. The white wonderland personified serenity. Walking
toward the crime scene, Cooper hesitated, not wanting to shatter the illusion.

“Hey, Cooper,” Josh yelled. “Over here.”

Josh stood to the right, away from the taped-off area
… just like the first time. “How’s it going, partner?” Cooper thought his
question sounded hollow and forced.

 
“Damn, that was
quite the picture in the paper of your dad’s Mustang blazing in glory. What the
shit happened?”

 
“Tell you
later. We have a crime scene to investigate. We the first on the scene?”

“All business … fine with me. We’re first. But before
you get wound up on this case, your ex called and wants you to contact her
something about the twins.”

“What about Tina and Tucker?”

“Shit, touchy this morning, aren’t we? I asked her the
same thing and she said you’d know.”

“Long night, sorry. Yeah, I know, I’ll deal with her
later. Let’s get this over with.” Cooper knew he sounded cross, and Josh should
be the last person he took it out on, but no sleep and his dad’s car totaled
did not make for a happy man. Now this second murder, no doubt a replica of
scene two described in Megan’s book. It all made him sick.

“This is getting damn annoying. I can’t believe this
shit has happened again. I mean … one murder copied is one thing, but … well,
the two cases are nothing alike. If the killer in the first case was awakened
by Megan’s book, does this mean the killer of this one has awakened, too? This
is too damn creepy.”

Cooper had to admit, Josh’s comments made sense. “No
way in hell could we have anything but a copycat killer at this point.” Pulling
on latex gloves, Cooper entered the house and headed straight for the bedroom.
As expected, there were no surprises. The young man’s fetal position foretold
the beginning of a familiar murder.

“As in the first case, there’s evidence of
anthropophagy.” Cooper paused to jot it down in his notebook.

“I hate it when you say shit like that, Cooper. Why
don’t you just say consumption of the victim’s flesh and blood? Looks like it’s
another Dracula killing.”

“Evidence of anal sodomy and indications that the
killer had stabbed the victim’s rectum with a knife.”

“The right eye has been popped out just like before.”

“I noticed. We can expect body organs to have been
removed….” Cooper hesitated in his description of known evidence. In the first
crime scene they had seized pieces of surgical glove in the body cavity and
later had the evidence concealed. They’d concluded that the killer wore gloves
because he imagined himself performing surgery. Cooper couldn’t remember if
Megan mentioned this evidence in her book. He had put it in his case notes and
it was mishandled with the chain of evidence. The judge had thrown it out as
inadmissible.