Killer Instinct Read online

  Behind Short’s back, Allison was rolling her eyes, but she didn’t say anything.

  Men like Edward didn’t just one day decide to go on a killing spree. They harbored a deep hate against people, mostly women, they felt owed them. They killed as a punishment, as a confirmation, anything to uphold their skewed version of reality in which everyone should always bow to them.

  “The usual pranks, what do you expect? Boys will be boys, right?”

  Joanna imagined herself getting up and shaking the woman, screaming at her that this was a lie that had made it possible for Edward and others to become predators. She did nothing of the kind, just listened, calm on the outside, terrified on the inside.

  “What kind of pranks?” Allison asked.

  “The principal once sent him home, because he’d been sneaking glimpses at girls in the locker room of the gym. That’s a healthy interest to have, don’t you think?”

  It was a sign of a lack of respect for those girls’ boundaries, but Joanna wasn’t going to argue the point with Short now.

  “Tell us more,” she said. “Do you remember any names?”

  Chapter Seventeen

  There were footsteps on the narrow stairs. Rue didn’t have much time for the fantasy of someone—Joanna—coming to her rescue.

  He was back.

  The rope around her wrists had loosened some. It wasn’t just her imagination. But it was too late. He went back to the table and picked up a smaller steak knife.

  “You know,” he said conversationally, “I said this was going to be quick, but we can’t really end it before midnight. Grace always had this idea about having rituals, like real serial killers, so they’d put a profiler on the case and all that shit. Every kill tells a story, she said. Me, on the other hand, I just like stuck up bitches to get what’s coming to them, but let’s humor her, okay?”

  Rue didn’t think he expected an answer from her. In any case, her mind was racing too much to settle on any thought, her heart about to beat out of her chest. She flinched at the pitiful whimper escaping her lips as he moved closer.

  He traced the point of the blade across one of the smaller lines, then applied pressure.

  Rue gasped.

  “Okay, let’s do this,” he said and chose another line. This time, she screamed.

  Fear, adrenaline and the smell of onions and alcohol broke her endurance, and she threw up.

  * * * *

  “It’s Christmas,” Detective Allison Kato reminded her. “People are with their families now, the school is closed.”

  Violet could give them the name of the principal at the time, but not much else. It was no surprise that Joanna wasn’t satisfied with the information, or the pace of the investigation.

  “You’re just going to do nothing?”

  “I didn’t say that. Let’s see if we can find that lady.”

  Allison picked up her phone and headed for the kitchen, holding up a hand when Joanna moved to follow her.

  “You stay here.”

  To her surprise, Joanna complied. She was obviously near her breaking point, but Allison couldn’t worry about her now. Like everyone else, she was painfully aware that a woman’s life was at stake. She conducted a quick search on her phone, found the number and called it.

  It took four rings before someone picked up.

  “Hello?”

  “Am I speaking to Marion Pyland? I’m Detective Allison Kato. I need to ask you about your time as principal in West Haven High.”

  Silence.

  Allison could sympathize with Joanna’s impatience. “Mrs. Pyland, are you still there?”

  “Yes. What’s so important you need to know on Christmas? It’s been a long time since anyone has asked me about West Haven.”

  “I’m sorry about the inconvenience, but I need to ask you now. Do you remember an incident involving a student named Edward Short spying on—”

  “Now, how old do you think I am? Of course I remember Edward. Arrogant, that one, and his mother wasn’t much of a help. Asked me if I’d prefer him looking in on guys. Why?”

  “Mrs. Pyland, do you remember the names of the girls he targeted?”

  “A couple, but I would have to look up the others. There are records at the school. You’d have to ask the new principal.”

  “Could you give me the name?”

  “I certainly could, but is it really this urgent? You’re lucky I’m alone, but she is probably with family…”

  “Short abducted a woman, so yes, it is that urgent.”

  Mrs. Pyland gave her answers quickly after that. Allison returned to the living room where Joanna was pacing.

  “Okay, this is what we have. She gave me the name of the woman who has the job now, and two names of girls he spied on. For the other names, we’ll have to get the records from the school.”

  “What are we waiting for? We need to contact the new principal and go there right now!”

  “Joanna, take a breath! Even if she gave them to us without a warrant, we have to find her first. She might be with family. I’ll get the warrant and send a couple of uniforms to her house.”

  Allison Kato made several calls. At the department, one of their colleagues would run the names against those of the slasher’s victims, and find out if any of them still lived in the area.

  “I’ll have someone come over to your house,” she said to Mrs. Short. “Joanna? Once they’re here, I’ll head over to the school.”

  “What were the names she gave you?” Joanna asked.

  Allison saw no harm in sharing them.

  * * * *

  Rue couldn’t stop crying, and part of her was irrationally ashamed. The cuts had been superficial so far, mostly, not more painful than what she had done to her wrists all by herself.

  Of course, it wasn’t about that, but about the violation, body and mind. The man did it so casually, as if it was a mere task he had to fulfill, but she knew better. She knew every step excited him a bit more, fueled his sick thirst for blood.

  She knew the next time he came back, he would go for the bigger knife, her stomach clenching at the thought.

  Rue finally managed to pull her wrists out of the rope, nearly falling face first onto the floor.

  He hadn’t bothered to clean up. Why would he, when he planned to spill a lot more of her blood?

  There was nothing in here to cover herself with. Could she risk going down, or would he be waiting for her on the bottom of the stairs?

  Rue chose the biggest knife from the table, barely able to pick it up in a shaking hand. She reconsidered, and took a smaller one.

  If she was lucky, she never had to use it.

  If she wasn’t…who knew.

  * * * *

  Principal Banks had no problem leaving her family dinner to join them at the school.

  “What a terrible story,” she said. “Yes, Mrs. Pyland told me about this once. A few of the girls filed reports with her, and I think he was suspended for a while, but there wasn’t much else she could do. If only we knew what we know now, right?”

  Boys will be boys. Harmless pranks. Upon a closer look, a different story was unfolding, a history of harassment and stalking. Joanna managed to take a look at the list of names.

  “Okay. We’ll get back to the station now and check up on those. Joanna?”

  “Yeah. Sure.”

  Allison gave her a strange look, but she didn’t comment.

  Joanna got into her car, lost in thought.

  * * * *

  It took her only a second to come up with the connection, even though her fear for Rue occupied her mind. One of those names rang a loud bell. Joanna made a U-turn that could have become dangerous if it wasn’t a holiday night that left the streets empty.

  Marcia Ellmers was the sister of a student Joanna had interviewed as a possible witness, eleven years ago. The memory came back to her so clearly because it had been one of the first interviews in that case.

  No one connected the man seen near t
he killing place with a teenage boy who had spied on Marcia and other girls in the locker room years ago.

  Until now.

  Her sister Claire had seen a man in a track suit running down the path, and she thought there might have been blood on it. She and her friend, walking back to her parents’ house, had been spooked and hid, but they could describe him somewhat.

  It was back then that Joanna had hoped it could be days, not years before they caught him. The Ellmers family was still around, the daughters living in town as well. There might be a chance that they were all together for Christmas, at the family home.

  Joanna remembered the area where it stood, not so far from where Decker had holed up in a cabin. Houses stood far apart, built with mostly wood. The snow had intensified now, and she could barely see a few feet ahead.

  Was any of this making sense?

  Should she get Theo or Allison, or would her theories pull valuable resources away from the investigation? What if the connection to the Ellmers family was a simple coincidence? The insecurity gnawed at her, but Joanna didn’t think that talking to the Ellmers’ would do any harm. If anything, she could save time for the investigators. They were following all leads right now. The family possibly remembered her too, the time she’d come by to take Claire’s statement. If they had anything important to contribute, if Claire and Marcia could give any additional information regarding what Claire had seen, and what Short did in the girls’ locker room that time, Joanna would pass it on right away. If her trip was futile, she wouldn’t take up valuable time that might help save Rue’s life.

  Maybe she was going on a wild goose chase, because she couldn’t bear the thought that for Rue, it might already be too late, even if Theo and Allison got to Short soon.

  The place where the slasher’s, Edward Short’s, first victim had been found, didn’t exist anymore. She drove past the area where Claire Ellmers had seen him run, all those years ago.

  The Ellmers’ house was a bit further down the hill, and she had trouble controlling the car on the icy dirt road. There was smoke coming from the chimney.

  Joanna backed up a little until the car was hidden behind a row of trees, and stopped. The wheels were in motion, and she had made a choice, to contribute whatever she could.

  She might be lucky. Theo and Allison might have already found Rue, alive and unharmed. The story didn’t always have to end the same, just because she was in it.

  Joanna exited the car, intend on ruining a good family’s Christmas vacation by bringing up a painful past.

  A moment later, she could hear breaking glass, and screams.

  Joanna turned around and got her gun out of the glove compartment before she hastened to the front door.

  * * * *

  Rue had made it down the narrow stairs, miraculously without falling or dropping the knife. On this floor, there was a living area and a kitchen, two doors likely to lead to the bathroom and bedrooms. The man who had taken her was nowhere to be seen.

  Now what? Where were her clothes? It was pitch dark outside, the snowstorm howling menacingly. If she went outside there now, she’d freeze to death. There was nowhere to hide…

  She never saw him coming, but when he pushed her to the floor, Rue used the only chance she had and made sure the knife sank into skin and muscle. It wasn’t just the storm howling anymore.

  * * * *

  Theo was worried about the lack of contact from Joanna, but at least he knew she could take care of herself if necessary. Besides, he was too busy to deal with her now, with the clues coming together and their team closing in on Short.

  He saw that Vanessa had tried to reach him and made a mental note to call her back later.

  They had received a call from a former client of Short’s who said Short had worked on his computer system for two weeks earlier this year and came by for his check just the day before. Theo went to see him while Allison followed up on the records the principal of West Haven High had provided her with. Only a few of the girls targeted back then, now grown women, still lived in the area. They would talk to all of them. Edward Short wouldn’t get out of the city. Not this time.

  Chapter Eighteen

  There was blood on the hardwood floor. The vision and smell hit Joanna in a way she should have expected, but didn’t, making her waver for a moment. Rue had ducked next to the fireplace, a dubious shelter.

  Wood panels, hardwood floor, damn wood all around, reeking of copper and death.

  Not again.

  Short was bleeding, injured from a stab wound in his abdomen. He was standing up, wobbling on his feet, clearly intending to hurt her. Could he, still?

  Joanna didn’t wait. She pulled the trigger, twice.

  The sound was deafening in the confines of the small building. Short toppled backwards, clutching his chest as he fell. Joanna ran over to him, confirming that he was unconscious before she turned to Rue. Her eyelids were fluttering, but her pulse was strong, no life-threatening injuries as far as Joanna could tell. Her skin was cold though, and she was clearly in shock.

  She was alive.

  “All right, let’s warm you up first.” Joanna took off her coat, carefully helped Rue to sit up, and wrapped it around her heaving shoulders. “We’ll find something better in a second, I promise. Can you make it to that couch?”

  The dishes on the table indicated this was where Short had enjoyed a meal with a few beers. She kept an eye on him, just in case, but there was no movement. Reluctant to let go, Joanna found a comforter to cover Rue with, then opened drawers and cabinets to find some clean towels she used to wash and cover the superficial wounds. She didn’t get much of a reaction from Rue other than a pained moan. Joanna knew she had to call an ambulance, even though it would take them a while to get here in this weather.

  For Rue.

  She went back to Short’s motionless body and checked for a pulse, startled when she found none. She couldn’t find it in herself to worry about this now.

  Joanna went back to the couch and leaned in close to brush a strand of hair away from Rue’s face, satisfied that her temperature was getting better, and kissed her forehead softly.

  “You’ll be okay. I promise.”

  Then she made the call.

  * * * *

  There was not a question in Vanessa’s mind about what to do, when she listened to Joanna relate the recent events. She was in her car an instant later, on the road. Theo hadn’t answered her call yet which was just as well. He would ask uncomfortable questions later, but she would deal with them, somehow.

  She was driving too fast, lucky that there weren’t many cars on the road. Many were still on their winter vacation and staying inside during this weather. She thanked God for four wheel drive, and the brake check she’d gone for just a week ago.

  Her truck came to a halt next to an unfamiliar car, and she ran the last steps to the house, nearly falling on the slippery steps.

  Vanessa tried hard not to find the scene disheartening. On the contrary, Joanna was well and alive, Rue was…alive, and for whatever miracle they had to be grateful for, her life wasn’t in danger, not anymore.

  Edward Short was dead, and this was where it got complicated.

  It was clearly deliberation on Joanna’s part to call her, because they both knew, this time it would be someone else picking up the clues. They would see the similarities.

  “I had to,” Joanna said the moment Vanessa rushed into the room. “You have to believe me. I had no choice!” She was cradling Rue in her arms on the leather couch.

  Somehow, she’d always known it would come to this moment, inevitably, at some point in their lives, and she’d be forced to make a decision that would be much harder than the first time. Joanna had crossed a line long ago, and she wasn’t going back. If anything, the circumstances, and the people involved in this case, wouldn’t let her.

  “What about the family?”

  “They weren’t here. I checked quickly. I called an ambulance,” Joanna said. “T
he dispatch officer said they’d be here as soon as possible, but there was a pile-up on the highway. We might be faster to drive her to the hospital.”

  “What about Short?”

  “What about him? He has a table with knives upstairs. I couldn’t just stand by.”

  She straightened, the color draining from her face. “You know what he did. Even if another widow with a crying baby appears out of nowhere, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Look at her!”

  Rue flinched at the raised tone of her voice.

  Vanessa had flinched too.

  “He was going to kill her. I couldn’t let that happen.”

  “I know. This is what we’re going to do. Give me the gun.”

  “What are you—”

  “Do it already!” Vanessa took a deep breath. “No, wait. Wipe it clean first, then give it to me. She’ll have my coat. I bring the truck closer to the house, and I’ll get her to the hospital.” She could tell that Joanna wasn’t entirely on board with the plan. “See if you find some clothes around here. Boots would be good. None of yours. If we’re lucky, your DNA isn’t all over the place, but as you know, that will take a while anyway.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “You go to Kira’s. Wait there until I contact you. I’m warning you, Joanna, this is a one-time thing, and it’s off the moment you open your mouth to say no. I’m offering you a chance not to go back to prison.”

  Joanna’s haunted gaze made her shiver. She had tried to make time for visits on a regular basis, but she remembered the one time she’d been turned away, when Joanna refused to see anyone, staying at the infirmary for a reason she and Vanessa had never talked about.

  “I can’t go back,” Joanna said, which seemed more like an apology for Rue.

  “I know. Now let’s move. Rue will be okay, I’ll see to that, but she should be in a hospital. She’ll need more care than bandages on those cuts.”

  “I agree. Vanessa…thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me yet. We still have a long way to go.”

  * * * *

  When the time came, it still seemed unbearable to let go, and once again Joanna was asking herself if she did something selfish—or the right thing. She had no illusion of what would happen if the authorities other than Inspector Young found out another murderer had died because of her.