Deadly Games Read online

  The world stopped spinning, but the room didn’t, and I fell into my chair. Shit just got real.

  “What the hell kind of personal message is that to me then? What does it mean?” I mumbled aloud.

  “Well, I think it means we need to get a psychologist’s opinion or someone who can interpret art anyway,” Liam suggested. “There must be something the Slasher wants us to see.”

  I shrugged. “Sure. I’ll take any help we can get. This shit has to end, preferably with my neck still intact.”

  I slumped with my head in my hands while the case weighed heavily on my shoulders. How did this freakshow get fixated on me? Was I his next intended victim? To hell with that notion.

  I read over the lab’s findings. There were no prints, no hairs, and no fibers. There was only the victims’ DNA. Five different strands of DNA, including that of missing Tamara Boyd. I scribbled one word on my blotter—why?

  The captain rounded the corner and told us we could all go home early. “I have a feeling you’ll be called back in at any given minute, so rest while you can.” His somber tone did nothing to boost our morale, but we knew he was right. This killer was nowhere near his endgame. I could feel it in my bones.

  WHEN I DROVE home, I kept my eye on the rearview mirror to make sure I wasn’t being followed, and I examined everyone walking along the sidewalk to make sure they weren’t staring too hard at me. I felt eyes on me from every direction, which was a reasonable assumption considering how large the Bloods gang is.

  “You have plenty of ammo at home if you need it,” I reminded myself. I intended to dig out my Mace and taser too.

  Duke was happy to see me like always, and that made me smile. I gave him more food and fresh water before considering my own meal. I wasn’t that hungry despite missing lunch today and dinner last night, so I made do with a TV dinner from the freezer.

  While I ate the crappy meal, I thought about the killer’s victims who weren’t being fed at all while he tortured them for days. I had no idea how they were strong enough to hold on. I couldn’t imagine them wanting to hold on only to endure more pain. For the first time, I cried hard for the victims.

  A loud shot rang outside my house, making me run to the living room window with my Glock drawn. It was just Mr. Anderson’s classic car backfiring as it puttered down the street. It always did that, and it caught me off guard every time. Duke was growling and barking at the front door, so I soothed him.

  “It’s all right, baby. It’s just our crazy neighbors.”

  My cell phone rang, and it was Justin again. “I just wanted to look in on you,” he greeted me.

  “Unless Mr. Anderson’s old Chevy gets me, I think I’ll be all right,” I replied with a giggle.

  “I don’t get it,” he mumbled. “What does a car have to do with your well-being?”

  I laughed again. “The car backfired and scared the bejesus out of me.”

  “Oh, I see. That’s funny. Since you’re on edge, would you like some company tonight?” he inquired.

  I gave the invitation careful consideration. “Well, let me ask you something. What would you do if I needed rescuing? Would you throw a legal document at them, hoping to inflict a papercut?” I teased.

  He sighed, and I could picture his scowl. “It might surprise you to know that I own a gun as well. I used to hunt with my dad when I was younger, and since we live in the big, bad city, I decided to keep it on hand.”

  “Hmm…I feel safer already,” I joked. “If you want to come over, you can, but your jammies stay on.”

  “And I suppose the dog sleeps next to you. Am I right?” he wondered.

  “You bet he does. Can you handle that?” I reached over Duke, throwing his tennis ball for him, which he quickly plodded after.

  “I suppose so. Is that Thunder Paws now? I can hear him running around,” he chuckled.

  “We’re playing, but you can come over anyway. I’ll see you soon. Bye.” I disconnected the line and tidied up my dinner mess.

  Before he came over, I wanted to check up on Denise, so I quickly called her.

  She answered after one ring and asked, “Are you checking up on your little sister again?”

  I smiled to myself. “Someone has to keep an eye on you. Is everything okay?”

  She let out a disgusted sigh. “Yes, Sasha, everything is fine and dandy. Well, Marcus is out of town for a work conference, and I miss him, but everything else is fine.”

  I bit my lip, contemplating her situation. I was worried about her being alone. Marcus would lay down his life for her, but he wasn’t home, so I had to step up. “Why don’t you come over and stay with us until he gets back? I’d feel better if you had someone to watch over you.”

  “Sasha, I’m twenty-five years old and able to handle myself. You can’t protect me forever, and you aren’t the only one who inherited the tough genes from the Delossa family tree,” she ranted.

  I rolled my eyes. “I am the only one with a gun and a two-hundred-pound dog, though.”

  “Oh, that’s right! You got a dog. I’ll be right over.” She hung up before I could warn her that Justin would be here too.

  I looked down at Duke, who was waiting for me to throw the ball again. “I just found Aunt Denise’s price. I guess we’re going to have two guests tonight.”

  Fifteen minutes passed before the first door chime. I knew without looking it was Justin because he lived closer than Denise. As soon as he stepped inside, Duke quit barking and jumped on him, sniffing him all over.

  “What is he doing?” he laughed.

  “He’s seeing if you have been faithful to him. Have you been petting other dogs?” I questioned with a raised brow.

  “Not that I’m aware of, but I think I might sleepwalk, especially after today.” He dragged his hand across his forehead and made a whooshing sound.

  “Why? What happened to you today?” I inquired.

  He sat on the sofa, so I sat across from him in my armchair, so we could talk face to face. “I’m just involved with a tough case. We have a woman who killed her husband in what she claims was self-defense, but there’s no proof of abuse in the home. The prosecutor wants to send her up the river, but I disagree. She seems mentally bashed to me and would benefit more from a mental hospital than a prison.”

  I cocked my head at him. “That surprises me. I always saw you as thinking everything was black and white.”

  He shrugged his slender shoulders. “I think there are three sides to every triangle.”

  I laughed at his remark and then jumped when Duke ran to the door, barking and growling.

  “What the hell is wrong with him?” Justin asked before we heard the knock.

  “By the way, my sister is staying over,” I chirped and walked to the door, pushing Duke aside. “It’s okay, big boy. It’s just Aunt Denise,” I cooed.

  “Do you really think you need a babysitter to protect you from me?” he inquired with a half-smile.

  I opened the door to let her in, telling him, “No, I just need my bodyguard.”

  Denise ignored Justin and went straight for the dog after dropping her overnight bag. “Hi, puppy,” she chimed and hugged on him. “What’s your name?”

  I lowered my voice and replied, “I’m Duke.”

  She looked up, laughing, and noticed Justin standing there with his hands in his pockets. They’d met before, so I didn’t need to do introductions.

  “I didn’t know you were going to be here, Justin,” she remarked.

  “Likewise”—he looked down at the sofa—“Do you have blankets for this thing?” he asked me.

  “I
f you two lovebirds want to share a bed, I can sleep on the couch and wear earplugs,” she teased.

  I wagged my index finger at her and then headed to the linen closet. I pulled out a blanket and pillow for him. “They aren’t Egyptian cotton like you’re used to, sir, but I imagine they’ll do,” I told him in a haughty voice.

  He sighed playfully. “I’ll manage.”

  Before long, I set the security alarm, and we all said goodnight. Denise, Duke, and I headed off to my room, while Justin planted himself on the sofa. I couldn’t tell who was kicking me more, her or the dog, but eventually, dreams overcame me.

  HE FELT TOO tired to paint, but the creative juices were still flowing, so he picked up his sketch pad and pencil and sketched another lovely portrait of Detective Sasha Delossa. This one he’d keep for himself, though. He drew her chained to his basement wall, pleading for him to stop hurting her. He drew her broken and surrendering to his will. He expressed pain on her face along with disbelief, fear, and failure. She had failed to catch him, so he caught her instead.

  He had already visited Tiffany Clark. He had peeled back the tape to allow her some water, and she had spewed obscenities at him. He laughed in response and reminded her to act like a refined lady. Then he had replaced the tape and bid her goodnight after pressing on the nail in her right hand. Her muffled cries almost engorged him, but that’s not what his mission was all about.

  With a self-satisfied smile, he turned out the light and dreamed about adding the good detective to his collection.

  He lured the detective until she was close enough to tase, and then he slumped her flaccid body over his shoulder. He took her to his dungeon and propped her up against the wall, cuffing her wrists and ankles. This woke her up with a start, and she began screaming. He wasn’t worried, though, because no one knew where to look for her. They’d already dismissed his property from their suspect pool.

  She flailed violently against the restraints until he heard her left wrist snap like a twig. He wagged a finger in front of her face.

  “Uh-uh. You’ll only hurt yourself, and that’s my job,” he stated with a smug smile.

  He picked up a leather cat o' nine tails that he’d purchased at a local adult store and brushed the leather fingers over her forearms.

  “Don’t worry, my dear. This isn’t for sex. This has nothing to do with sex at all, lest you think of me as Marquis de Sade.” He reared his arm back and lashed her flesh, causing her to wince and cry out in pain. “That’s it! Scream for me. Scream bloody murder because that’s what this is!” He lashed again but harder this time, and her cries of misery bounced off the walls.

  He woke up and listened to the pounding of his heart in his ears. Sadism excited him even when in dreams. He just couldn’t wait for the real deal.

  WHEN I WOKE up, Denise was already out of bed and in my shower, so I went into the kitchen to make breakfast for everyone. Justin beat me to it, however, and was cooking sausage, eggs, and toast. He also had a pot of coffee made, so I poured some into the largest mug in my collection.

  “I figured you’d want coffee as soon as you got up,” he stated and nudged my shoulder.

  I slowly nodded while taking a sip of the strong brew. “I need a caffeine I.V. instead,” I murmured. “I have the feeling today is going to be rough.”

  He rubbed the small of my back in circles, which he knew I loved. “Why is that? I mean besides the case you’re working on, what else is going on?”

  I cracked my knuckles, which was a habit I wouldn’t mind breaking. “Well, since I arrested Carlos Garcia, I have the entire Bloods crew after me, but hey, no biggie, right?”

  I heard the concern in his voice. “It’s a huge deal, and I heard there was a bomb scare yesterday. What was that all about? Was it related to the gang?”

  I took another sip of my coffee before I answered, “No, it had to do with a package I received from the St. Louis Slasher.”

  He did a spit take all over my clean kitchen floor. “Wait! What?”

  I took a deep breath and explained to him about the portrait, including our conversation with the art professor.

  He rubbed the area between his eyebrows. “So, you think that the Slasher is one of his students then?”

  I looked down into my mug as if the swirling creamer in my coffee held the answers I needed. “At this point, I think he could be my neighbor with the backfiring Chevy. I just don’t know about this guy.”

  He patted my ass. “Well, they wouldn’t have hired you for the Homicide Unit if you couldn’t do the job, so I have faith in you. And, when it’s all over with, I say let’s play hooky for a day or two and go someplace.”

  I laughed and fanned my face because with the stove going, my kitchen was extra warm. “I’m sure they’ll give me time off after I just got the job.”

  He leaned down and kissed my neck. “They should because you’re special.”

  I laughed. “You only say that because it’s true.”

  Denise walked in and asked, “What’s true? That you’re a dork? We all know that.”

  I shot her my big sister glare before getting a mug for her out of the dishwasher. She made a disgusted face. “You know I don’t drink coffee. Do you have tea?”

  I fetched the tea, and breakfast was ready, so I got the plates and silverware too. We sat down together, and Duke moved in circles around the table just waiting for someone to either give him a handout or drop something. Before I could give him a sausage link, Denise gave him one. He plopped down next to her chair, and just like that, I’d been replaced in his eyes.

  Justin was the first one finished eating, and he left right after because of an early morning trial. Denise laid into me as soon as the door shut behind him.

  “So, what’s that all about? Are you getting back together?” she questioned with a mischievous tone.

  I tilted my head and gave her a flat response. “No, we aren’t reconciling. He’s just a friend.”

  “Friend with benefits?” she teased, and I flashed back to last Thursday night. If I told her what had happened, she’d tease me relentlessly.

  “No, because he’ll get the wrong idea about us,” I settled on.

  She let out a disgusted grunt. “Guys like the no-strings-attached option. Well, most guys do.”

  I opened my hands up with a shrug. “He’s not like most guys, so there you go. Anyway, I need to get cleaned up for work since you hogged the shower, so please just lock the door behind you when you leave and don’t even think about dognapping Duke.”

  She looked down at my snoozing friend and frowned. “I want a dog, but Marcus is allergic.”

  “Dump him then,” I said with a smirk.

  “No way. I’ll just have to have unlimited visits with Duke,” she replied and rubbed the dog’s belly.

  I laughed all the way to the bathroom. I knew she was being perfectly serious about coming over more often because she was just as fond of dogs.

  She was gone when I got out of the shower, and I quickly dressed for work. I blow-dried my hair and put it in a quick braid before slapping on some makeup and kissing Duke goodbye.

  The traffic wasn’t any heavier than usual, so I made it to SLCPD a few minutes early. Marisol was already sitting at her desk.

  “You beat me,” I pointed out with a grin.

  She was studying her notes with a grim expression, but she looked up and returned my smile. “I couldn’t sleep. This is really getting to me, and I didn’t want to wake Joe up. He’s been on nights lately, filling in for one of the supervisors on vacation.”

  “It can be rough when work gets in the way,” I mentioned, thinking about Justin. “Between my
hours and undercover work and his caseload, it just got to be too much to overcome, you know?”

  She tapped her finger to her chin. “That’s right, you said you dated ADA Sinclair before. He’s a good-looking man.”

  I blushed at her compliment and looked away. “Yes, he’s handsome, but he’s also…complicated.” I couldn’t think of another word to describe him. Our relationship had been a series of fights and miscommunication smoothed over by a sultry physical connection. That’s why I didn’t want to go down that particular road again. “I suppose all lawyers are,” I added to lighten the mood.

  Eric and Liam walked in, and Eric had the coffees for us. “Did everyone get enough beauty rest?” he asked with a lopsided grin.

  I couldn’t resist the jab, so I narrowed my eyes at him and replied, “Well, some of us did.”

  He put his hand over his heart and feigned shock, stumbling backward and bumping into the captain.

  Captain Roman scowled and cleared his throat. “I’m glad to see you’re all wide awake this morning because another victim was just discovered. Tamara Boyd was dumped inside a horse carriage on Laclede’s Landing. Chris is already on the way, so catch up with him, will you?”

  “Right away, Boss,” Liam belted, and we all rushed for the stairs.

  When Marisol pulled the car up behind the flashing patrol cars, hordes of people were already piled up on the outside perimeter of the crime tape, straining to get a look at the latest thrill kill. It was disturbing how so many people got their jollies off the suffering of others. All too quickly, someone’s last minutes on earth ended up as a casualty reported on the 6:00 news. It roiled my stomach.

  “I’m tired of being three steps behind this lunatic,” Eric spat over the noise of the crowd, and I had to agree with him whole-heartedly.

  I looked over an officer’s shoulder at the victim. The mangled body stared up at me with questions behind her hollow, blank eyes. “I’ve never seen a worse case of death,” I mumbled with disgust.