Chapter 44 #2
“Hold on. The only coherent words he said after surgery last night were, I killed them for O’Connor.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “What the hell does that mean?”
“Not sure. Jordy mentioned that he’d taunted the police for years. Maybe it was more of the same, but that’s not important. Wellbourne hasn’t heard anything from the Boston DA about getting a statement from Peyton and O’Connor isn’t picking up his phone. That’s what I don’t like.”
Double fuck. My heart raced, internal alarm bells ringing. “We need to find them.”
“Exactly. What kind of car was he driving? I’ll get Jordy on it right now.”
“A white Tesla.”
“Well, that fucking makes it easy.” You couldn’t turn a corner in this town without bumping into a flock of Teslas.
I needed to hit something. I should have paid attention to my instincts and not let her go with him. She could be in danger right now because of me.
Peyton
As Zane opened the door for me, I squinted in the bright light of a beautiful sunny day. The air outside was fresh and crisp.
He walked me out to the detective’s car and opened the door. “How long will this be?” he asked O’Connor.
The detective leaned over. “We should be done by lunch.”
I rolled my eyes. Yeah, it was childish, but I’d hoped for an answer more like an hour.
“Okay.” Zane thrummed his finger on the car’s roof. “Have the lieutenant call me, and I’ll pick her up.”
O’Connor gave him a nod. “You got it.”
Then, I kissed my man and slid into the seat. It was grin and bear it time. Once I was done with this, it was over until the trial, which Pete and Zane had insisted would be a few years out.
When Zane picked me up after this, I could finally get on with the rest of my life, free of the danger that had plagued me.
“Is that the watch?”
I held up my wrist. “It is.”
A block later, O’Connor patted his pockets. “Shit. I’m supposed to call my boss, and I musta left my phone back in the motel. Can I borrow yours?”
“Sorry. Mine is still at work.”
He waved a hand. “Aw, he can wait.”
I hadn’t noticed it at first, but the detective looked tired, like he hadn’t slept.
“This trip must have been hard on you,” I offered.
“You can say that again.” He blew out a sighing breath. “My boss didn’t want me to, but I had to come. Nancy and all the other women deserve my best effort.”
I recognized the name Nancy as his ex-wife, the killer’s third victim. “But at least you got your man.” It had to be doubly satisfying to have captured the man who killed his ex-wife.
“Yup. That’s one dirtbag that will never see the sun again, but it won’t…”
His face fell further without finishing the sentence.
“I’m a good listener if you want to talk about it.” My guess was that this brought back the memory of losing his wife, rather ex-wife.
“Catching him now doesn’t bring any of them back, not my Nancy, not your friend Cassandra, or any of the others. It sucks that we didn’t catch him sooner. So many senseless killings since my Nancy, and I couldn’t stop him.”
I bit back the sadness of his reminder of Cassie. “It’s not on you,” I insisted, leaning over to touch his arm. “He’s the monster. He’s the one responsible for them, and all the others.”
A tear crept down his cheek. “I still feel responsible. She shouldn’t have died. If I had been able to stop him sooner, so many women would still be alive.” He wiped the tear away.
“You did the best you could.”
“No. He outsmarted me. I should have done better.”
I knew it might be out of bounds, but I took a chance. “What was she like, Nancy?”
He sucked in a long breath. “She was once the light of my life.” A second tear started down his cheek and he wiped it away. “Once.”
When he didn’t say any more, I decided it was time for me to zip my big mouth. This was a depressing subject for both of us. I looked out the window at the dreary buildings in this part of town.
Switching gears, I mentally went through my wardrobe to decide what I’d wear for my first date with Zane.
He’d said to dress up.
A first date called for a little black dress, but I didn’t own one.
I had one that was gray with a deep scoop neckline.
I’d gotten it when I thought I’d apply for a job tending bar.
It was shockingly short. Perfect for getting tips tending bar, but would it be appropriate for wherever he was taking me?
Zane and Peyton—I liked the sound of that. Wait a minute, should I change back to using my legal name of Leighton? I didn’t know what the procedures were in California for legally changing my name to Peyton.
But then I’d be Peyton Clarke. Did I like that? It would be symbolic of my moving on to a new stage in my life, and I wouldn’t have to explain to people the whole change my name to run away from a killer thing.
Would Zane like it? He was used to it, which was a plus.
At least we had something normal to talk about over lunch. Zane had said the strangler was in my past and I had to remember that.
As we passed a Thai restaurant, I wondered where he would take me tonight. Dinner made sense, or would he choose something corny like bowling? No, you didn’t dress up for bowling.
Even though Zane and I had made love, the idea of a mysterious first date still sent a tingle up my spine. And, the fact that he’d suggested the date was sweet. My life really had taken a turn in the right direction for a change.
Zane was perfect, and things were going so well now, I might wear out my smiling muscles today.
The car bumped as we turned into a parking lot, and I stopped day-dreaming.
The building was dingy. O’Connor drove us around the side to the back of the building.
The parking area in back was empty except for two other cars.
And except for a homeless guy taking a leak against the back fence. No, this was not the best part of town.
Looking around, something didn’t compute. “Zane said we need to go to LAPD for the interview.” I felt my heart beat faster.
He lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know my way around this city. I just go where they tell me.”
He turned off the car, and we both got out.
A wheel squeaked as the homeless guy pushed his cart along the back.
O’Connor pulled out a phone, checked it and shrugged. “This is the address they sent me.”
Something was wrong. He’d said he’d forgotten his phone. “Can I borrow your phone? I need to call Zane.”
Instead of an answer, he urged me toward the rusty metal door.
“No.” I stopped. This didn’t feel right.
The door opened.
Bile rose in my throat as I recognized the hulking man who emerged. “We meet again, sweet thing.” It was Buzzcut, one of my attackers from that first night.
I backed away. “We have to go.” Something was terribly wrong.
The detective grabbed my arm and my hair. “You’re not going anywhere.” Anger coated his voice as he yanked hard on my hair.
My scalp burned, and I screamed in pain. “Let me go.”
The homeless guy looked over and then began pushing his cart faster to get away.
“What the fuck?” I screamed and kicked. I got the detective in the shin. It didn’t force him to let go of my hair.
His fist slammed into my cheek.
Intense pain radiated across my face.
He yanked my hair, and I stumbled in my heels and fell to the ground. Then a heavy knee landed right on the cuts across my stomach and forced all the air out of me.
“Need some help?” another man yelled from the back door of the building.
The cuts across my stomach burned. “Help me,” I screamed as I pounded my fists against the detective. When I turned, I saw the other man—Shorty, Buzzcut’s partner. How did O’Connor know these dirtbags?
“Get her hands,” the detective grunted.
Buzzcut knelt down and grabbed my wrists. “She’s a fighter.” He pinned my wrists to the ground. “I like that.”
Shorty appeared behind him in a bulky coat. “I want her first.”
Buzzcut laughed. “She’s more woman than you can handle.”
I struggled, but couldn’t get free. How had I ended up here with guys that were just like Lucifer’s thugs. My nightmare was supposed to have ended yesterday.
“Fuck you.” Shorty shoved Buzzcut.
That forced Buzzcut to loosen his grip and brace himself.
I got one hand free and scratched at the brute’s face. I missed his eyes.
“Fuck,” Buzzcut squealed and pulled my hand away. Then, he slammed my head back against the asphalt.
“Get her inside,” was the last thing I heard before everything went dark.