CHAPTER 1.
The man lay on the bed in his black boxer briefs his emerald eyes watched me as I undressed lust in his eyes. He was just another means to an end, I used him to feel something besides the hollow echo of my own emotionless heart. The handsome dark-haired man with green eyes smiles at me, looking at me as though I am his queen of the night. He's close, thinking such things because I am only an echo of the woman I am supposed to be.
It's too bad for him; I am not that woman, and the only reason he's here is to quench a thirst I don't understand. I mimic a smile, and his expression melts to one of lust or love, I can see the desire in his eyes, he wants me as much as I want him. I roll out from under him and press my chest to his only wearing my black panties and bra. My long brown hair falls over my shoulder as I looked at him through thick lashes my dark blue eyes shine with mischief.
He raises to kiss me, and I push his bare chiselled chest back down, straddling him playfully I kiss his neck and trail down to his chest his heart is beating quickly in anticipation. I reach behind me and retrieve a pair of handcuffs before I fasten each of his hands to separate sides of the oak bedpost. I roll off of him, and he opens his eyes a look of pleasure on his face when he sees the metal handcuffs on his wrists. I smile back at him and walk over to my purse, where I pull a metal knife from the sheath gripping the dagger in the palm of my hand. I walked back over to the bed, straddling him once more. I ran the knife over his bare skin, gently careful not to accidentally cut him.
The feel of the blade in my hand made me enthusiastic I stopped kissing his chest and sat up; instead, he watched me in curiosity his eyes; I can see the desire for my touch and that he yearns to touch my body.
"Shh... close your eyes; you don't want to ruin my surprise," I gently say as I kiss his soft lips once more, gripping the blade above him.
He does so willingly a broad grin on his perfect face. I was surprised at his lack of fear when he saw the knife. He probably believed since I am a cop that I wouldn't hurt him what a stupid man. I hear a gentle laugh, and I had to wonder if it was me or the beast living inside. I grip the knife, plunging it into his chest, his eyes open in alarm. I leave the knife in his chest, and he looks at me with a look of betrayal on his perfect sculptured face.
"Why?" he watched me with a look of confusion.
"Marcus Tucker, you didn't honestly believe that no one would seek justice for the crimes you committed? I mimicked a laugh to make him angrier.
His eyes turn to anger, and he struggles against the cuffs, trying to reach out for me. He hates me. I can read it in his eyes, which makes me smile at him.
"Careful Marcus, you don't want to bleed out too quickly." I gave him a perfect smile.
"Help me... Someone, please help me. I don't want to die." He calls out to the hero that would never come to his rescue.
"Did the women beg and plead when you violently violated them?" My voice held venom.
"I don't know what you heard, but I was acquitted of all charges those lying bitches were after my money." He promised.
"Oh yeah... I didn't know that." I pretend I believe his lies.
"Now that you know you can just uncuff me and call an ambulance, I promise I won't say anything about you stabbing me." He had a look of hope on his face.
"Well, maybe I should just go then." I started to get off the bed and stopped.
"Oh, how stupid of me," I say, turning back around to face him.
"Mistakes happen all the time." He was trying to charm his way to freedom.
"Well, your right about that; let me just grab my knife, and I will be out of your hair." Before he could protest, I pull the blade free, leaving him to bleed out on the red silk sheets as I roll off the bed, landing on my feet.
Strolling over to my bag this time, I grabbed my camera and looked through the lens to watch the blood drizzle down his flawless body. I took a photo afterwards, zooming the lens in so that I can see his face; he now wore an expression of horror.
"What are you doing? I need to go to the hospital." He begged.
"I never said I was going to let you go," I say without taking the camera off his face.
I kept taking pictures unable to stop looking, zooming the lens closer and closer until only his eyes are left in the camera's eye.
"You lying bitch, you're just like the rest of those lying whores." He laughed a look of defiance on his face.
"Tsk... Now... Now... that is no way to talk to a lady." Marcus glared at me with hate-filled eyes.
I took some more pictures as I watched the life leaves his eyes, as he bled out from the wound, I had inflicted now he was only a husk of who he used to be. Dressing quickly, I put on my yellow cleaning gloves I had brought along and made a bucket of bleach water to remove all the evidence cleaning the crime scene by bleaching everything I had touched or breathed on, including Marcus himself. I stopped at the bathroom mirror to be sure I still looked like myself and that the monster had not taken over my reflection.
I had made sure that no one had seen me when I pulled his convertible over for speeding. I knew when I saw him that he was the perfect man I had been looking for. He smiled at me when I made him park on the side of the empty road. He turned on his supposed charm, trying to talk his way out of the speeding ticket he believed he was going to get.
"Oh, come on, beautiful. I am headed home from a long trip." He points his perfect smile at me.
I smile back at him, playing the game he started. "Oh, I am sorry Sir, were you not aware of the speed limit posted there?" I pointed at the sign in front of him.
I didn't bother asking for his license I knew who he was, and I didn't need it he wasn't going to be using it much longer.
"Can't you let me off with a warning?" He pulls out a few hundred-dollar bills wearing a small smile and trying for a sexy frown.
"Or do you want something more solid?" He asks seductively.
The man was a player, a charmer, and he believed I had been affected; he was wrong; my echo is immune to all forms of flattery. He had a habit of luring defenceless women to his home and taking advantage of their weakness, forcing them to do whatever pleased him to their bodies as they lay crying.
"What do you have in mind?" I say just as seductively.
"Follow me, and you will find out." He grinned as he started his car, and I touch his arm gently before walking to the stolen car I had borrowed from a store's parking lot.
He waits for me to enter my vehicle before taking off down the road. I followed him in my old blue uniform and an older car I had stolen for this adventure; it wasn't hard to add a siren to it. I had a suit of plainclothes in my black duffle. I had sat beside me in the passenger's seat.
I followed him for a mile and saw him turn off down a dark road leading into a wooded area, which I had scouted earlier. He parked his convertible in front of his large cabin looking house, and I parked behind him in case he made it outside. The man leans against his car, wearing a dark blue suit and a black tie with a large smirk. His clothing said enough about him without him speaking a word. He was taller than I first thought and was obviously used to getting his way. What man didn't fantasize that a sexy police officer would pull them over and take them home to punish them?
The man walked to his front door and unlocked it going inside, he leaves the door open, so I could follow him, shutting and locking the door behind me after I entered the dark house cautiously spotting him standing right beside the living room walkway, but I pretended I didn't see him. I let him grab me up, and he engulfs me in his big arms, pulling me closer and kissing me.
"God, your amazing, and you smell great." He whispers in my ear, and I pretend to smile.
He pins me against the front door, and I tear his shirt open to expose his bare muscled chest. He pulls my uniform open, exposing my c cup breasts hidden behind a black bra. He smiles again and lifts me, so my legs are wrapped around his body, and his hands are on my ass. He takes me into his bedroom and leans against a wall kissing my breasts and neck before he growls playfully tossing us both on the silk sheets.
He stops kissing me long enough to remove his shirt and tie tossing them on the floor, and he unbuttons his pants, exposing a black pair of boxers against his marble skin. I smile, and he pushes his body against mine dry, humping me like a dog in heat. He is a dog who had to be put down! I tell myself as I run my hands down the front of my jeans and black t-shirt before I fastened my detective badge to my belt and my gun to my hip. I smiled as I exited the bedroom looking back over my shoulder at the wall where I had written the word guilty in his blood. I had to wonder who would catch the case.
Once I was home, I showered washing the man's saliva off my body and slipped on my white nighty before I lay down realizing it was midnight I closed my eyes imagining that I was falling down a never-ending dark hole it wasn't long after that I was asleep dreaming of the perfect night.
I have never been like other women even as a child I was different than the others for some reason there has always been an emptiness inside me, a need for something I have been unable to understand or fill. I've been a loner, my whole life, I prefer the solitude always living in my head instead of the real world, but I read enough to know that most serial killers were loners, someone who stood out. So, I decided to join the police academy I had studied enough to know how to pass the psych examine. After graduating, I was an ordinary police officer, and a few years later, I earned my detectives badge.
My childhood was like any other aside from me being raised in foster care my whole life after losing my parents in a robbery. I guess... I have always felt like the outcast, for some reason. Sometimes it's like I am two people; one of me cares as much as she can, and the other is cold and unfeeling an echo. I've read numerous books trying to understand better what is wrong with me, plus I enjoy true crime; they are one of my favorites learning about some of the world's worst serial killers in history. I hated to admit it, but I had more in common with them than anyone else I had met.
The alarm wakes me, and I roll off the bed the coffee pot in the kitchen is making, so I take a quick shower and dress for work. Slipping on a pair of dark blue jeans and a white blouse that buttons up the front. The smell of coffee lures me from the bathroom and into the kitchen, just in time for the coffee to be done.
I poured two cups, one for me and the other for my partner Nicolas Wolfe, a nice enough guy as far as I could tell from working with him for the few months I had. He always insisted on picking me up for work. It was hard not to stare at Nickolas; he was a gorgeous man. A knock at the door informs me he has arrived. I grab his black mug and let him inside. I look up to see his face and give him a friendly smile.
"Morning Nickolas, here is your coffee. I just need to slip on my shoes, and I'll be ready to go in a sec." Nick takes his coat off.
Nicolas nodded as he entered the kitchen, taking a seat at the table where he sipped his black coffee. Nick was a tall, muscular guy standing; he had to be about 6'3 ft. He ran his hand through his brown hair that hangs to his ears.
"Thanks for the Coffee, Lexi." Even his voice was husky, and his smile made his light-blue eyes shine brighter.
I smiled back at him, wondering if he was like the other men that had been in my life. I gaze at his arms that were the size of anvils, noticing a couple of tattoos on his right arm. The one on his forearm was some sort of wording I couldn't make out while the other near his shoulder that one looked like a tribal ring that went all the way around.
I left Nicolas in the kitchen and rushed to get my shoes; he didn't appear to be in any hurry, but I was always in a panic to get away from him. I don't like how he makes me feel. I tell myself as I slipped on my shoes and grabbed my purse off the coat hanger fastening my badge and gun to my hip before facing him again.
Nicolas is quietly looking at the newspaper that he always picked up for me before coming inside. We had been partners for almost four months now, and he seemed to be an all-around a nice guy. It was hard not to like him, and for some reason I found him find attractive we had hung out once at the bar close to the police station as friends nothing had come of it, I had made sure, and he was a complete gentleman about it. I refused to be a toy for anyone to play with. I thought bitterly, not realizing I was wearing a bitter expression on my face.
"What wrong? You look like you sucked on a lemon Lexi." He chuckles and, in turn, made me laugh like a schoolgirl with a crush.
I look at my watch, and he looked at his. "Well, I guess we should get to work partner." He took my cup when I finished the small amount left.
He walked over to the sink and washed them out before adding both cups to the dishwasher.
"You don't have to do that," I said softly, and he turned around.
"My mama raised me to be respectful and rinsing out a few cups is nothing." He grins and turns around, leaning against the sink.
"Haven't you ever had someone help you before?" he joked and dried his hands on a blue dishtowel before folding it and setting it on the countertop.
I purposely didn't answer his question; the truth was no one had done anything for me that didn't benefit themselves in some way or another.
"Well, let's get going." He smiles and starts walking to the front door, and I follow him outside, locking the front door before getting into the car and heading to the office.
Nicolas backs out of the driveway, and the radio comes on playing a country song I didn't recognize. Nicolas turns the music down and looks at me for a second before speaking.
"So... Lexi, why don't you tell me a little bit more about yourself? We have been partners for almost four months, and I still don't know a thing about you." He looks at me, raising his left eyebrow.
"What would you like to know?" I asked, figuring the getting to know one another better was a good thing for a partnership.
'Where are you from?" His sky-blue eyes gaze at me for a second, and he turns back to looking at the road.
I grew up in California, but I moved here to go to the police academy right out of high school."
"What about you?" I acted interested in learning more.
"Not much to tell, I was born and raised here, Medford is not so bad, you know. I enlisted right out of high school about almost twenty years ago. After four years, I was honorably discharged for finishing out my time, and I decided to join the police department soon after. I made detective six years ago." He stops at a yellow light.
"So, you joined the Army or Marines?" I had no idea he was a trained killer; it made me like him even more.
"He lifts his arm and pulls back his coat sleeve; he shows me the tattoo I couldn't figure out. "I joined the Marines right out of high school; I wanted to be all I could be. My oldest brother was killed gunned down by a terrorist who thought it was a good idea to shoot up a mall full of people.
"Did they catch the guy who did it?" I tried to imagine what it was like to lose a sibling, but the truth was I didn't even know if I had any family.
"The guy blew himself up before anyone could question him." Nickolas sounded angry, and I couldn't blame him.
We had a commander, Burke he led the unit into the enemy fire he was a dick and thought he knew more than anyone else." He laughs, and I smile as he passes the green light and turns right.
"He was as dumb as a rock. I lost a lot of my friends while others died in my arms when one of our Humvees was attacked. Some of my best friends died because of that man. His husky voice sounded angry, he shrugged.
"Burke made one stupid mistake that costed countless lives to be lost." He looks over at me, a stone expression on his face.
"I am sorry to hear that," I told him, feeling awkward.
"Not your fault Lexi... Afterward, I joined the MPD, so I could save people without losing so many others along the way." I nodded without saying anything for a minute.
I was trying to figure out if my partner was a good man or a bad one. "So, tell me more about your life Lexi, why did you become a cop?"
"I grew up in foster care after my parents were killed in a robbery when I was a kid." Lexi clears her throat.
"I came here to join the academy after high school and a few college classes. I graduated top of my class." I smiled at the memory of being better than everyone else in the grad class as Nickolas turned left and
"Now, you know more than anyone else in my life." I look out the passenger window, thinking about my childhood and the hell I went through growing up.
"You realize that it is very gloomy." He says, trying to cheer me up.
"Yeah, well, you asked." I gave him a sad smile.
"You're a bit of a mystery to me, Lexi," he returns my smile.
"Yeah... I guess I am a bit mysterious." I joke, feeling empty inside.
"Yeah, but I like mysteries; its why I became a cop." He laughs as he parks the car in the police parking garage.
Lexi enters the back entrance to the police department and heads to her desk as Nicolas takes a left that leads to the men's locker room. He certainly is an odd man. I tell myself as I watched him turn and walk away. I hit the power key on my computer and started filling out the police report I had to start the previous day. Afterward, I looked up to see Nickolas, who was heading my way, holding two fresh cups of coffee and a warm smile.
"Here you are, Lexi." He hands me a red mug and pulls his chair out with his free hand.
"Thanks, Nick." He sat his cup on his desk in front of me and took a seat in a black chair that looks too small for his large frame before turning on his computer.
I sat back in my chair and sipped my coffee as I watched his large fingers tap at his keys vigorously before he stopped, took another gulp of his coffee from the black mug in his hand, and went back to finishing up his work.
"Detectives Wolfe and Blackwater come to my office as soon as you finish what you're doing." Nicolas nods in his direction, and I do the same as I sip from the hot cup in my hands.
"I wonder what the Captain wants," I say offhand as I scan the room for a clue.
"I heard there was another murder by the Seeker of Justice," Nick says as he finishes his report and saves it before emailing it.
"Any idea who the victim was?" I asked, sounding bored.
"Some known rapist who got what he deserved as far as I am concerned." He raises his cup and smiles at me.
"To one less dirtbag in the world." I smiled at his chipper mood, but I couldn't help wondering if he was happy; I had taken out another criminal who had been too smart for the justice system.
Would he care if he finds out it was me? I ask myself as I stand from my desk. Nicolas and I walked to the Captain's office and knocked on the door a moment later, an older man's voice answers.
"Come on in Detectives. I'll just be a minute." The Captain says from behind his desk and puts a finger up to tell them it would be a moment more before he could talk.
Nicolas looks at me and shrugs before leaning against the wall as we waited for Captain Coleman to hang up the phone.
CHAPTER 2
Captain Coleman's office was full of plaques and awards; the Captain himself was an older gentleman who had brown eyes like a hawk. He wasn't an ugly guy but, not my type at all. Coleman was a short-married man with patches of grey hair that ran through what little brown hair remained. It was apparent he wasn't there for his physic but his brain.
My eyes scanned the area taking in every detail on the left wall he had won some awards for his precinct being the leading department with the most crimes solved. The right side had others that were sports-related or seemed to be with the department's softball team. I looked around the office, doing my best not to look at my partner Nickolas who was also scanning the room.
"I will send over two of my best Detectives, Mr. Mayor." Captain Coleman promised before he hung up the phone and looked at Nick and me.
"There has been another murder this time The Seeker of Justice has taken out a friend to the Mayor... which is who I was just talking to, and he is not very happy that this serial murder has yet to be caught."
Nickolas ran his hand over his clean-shaven chin in thought, and I nodded, wondering if they had found my new friend Marcus Tucker. I had no idea he was a friend to the Mayor, not that it changes anything, just explains why he got off without being charged on the rape allegations. I told myself, feeling like justice had been served. Nicolas took a step forward and looked back at me; I thought it best to stay where I was.
"Well, if he can get evidence from the crime scenes more power to him because there has been no evidence left behind," Nick told him boldly.
"The guy is too smart for his good, he will screw up, but until then I don't know what to tell you, Captain.
I did my best not to grin at Nickolas for the compliment I knew I was smart, and I was well versed on getting rid of any evidence.
Captain Coleman nodded. "These guys don't care about excuses; they just want results, but I can understand what you mean, Detective."
"Wasn't this Marcus Tucker up on rape charges a while ago?" I asked the Captain, and a look of disgust came to my partner's face.
"Those charges were dropped, and nothing regarding the allegations could be proven." The Captain says stubbornly.
I knew the truth Marcus Tucker had hired someone to threaten the witnesses in the case, telling them that he would do worse to their family members if they did not retract their testimony.
"Were on the case, Captain." Nicolas extended his hand to take the paper the Captain was holding.
The Captain handed him a red file. "I want this handled discreetly; we don't need any more people punishing the alleged criminals."
I didn't realize I had huffed out loud when he said alleged criminals until the Captain looked at me in annoyance.
"Yes, Sir, we will be very discreet." He promised before looking at me and motioning me to him with his eyes, and I nod again at the Captain in agreement.
"Yes, we will be discreet." I nod at the Captain in agreement and follow Nickolas, who opened the door and held it open for me as we left the Captain office.
Nickolas opened the file as we walked back to our desks. "The guys' name was Marcus Tucker; wait, why does that name sound familiar?"
"He's the guy who had been charged with rape on more than three sperate counts," I barked.
"He's still dead, Lexi, even if Tucker was guilty, he was murdered, and we have to do our job to catch the killer even if we don't like the case or the circumstances." We reach our desks, and Nick grabs something from his office before we head outside.
"So, do you believe that he was charged prematurely, Nick?" He looks at me, a look of skepticism on his face.
"Hell NO... I know this guy was guilty." He pointed at the folder and shook his head.
"Well, at least we agree on that much," I randomly say as we enter Nick's car and head to the crime scene.
I know the type... This Tucker scumbag most likely hired someone to threaten the witnesses into dropping the charges. Nick sounded angry.
"Yeah, you're probably right; the guy was a chicken shit," I say randomly.
"I hate that the justice system is flawed." His tone said he was upset.
I opened the folder and saw a photo of Marcus Tucker; the perfect man had been mine for one night. Now he lay dead on his red silk sheets; the bed had been messed when he fought to get loose. The photo looked like he had worn his boxer briefs to bed and was woken by someone in the night the pair of handcuffs were gone I had made sure to bleach them and put them back in my bag along with the knife I had used.
"Well, now all you have to do to be considered innocent is convince a jury you are." I also hated that the system was flawed, but it did give me a decent pool of potential victims.
"Yeah, I know, but the law is the law." Nick sighs as he turns down a long-deserted back road I noticed it the same route I had pulled Marcus over on before luring him home and killing him.
"Nick, this guy looks like he was woken in the middle of the night?" I point at Marcus, who lay on the ruffled sheets.
"Yeah, maybe we will know more when we can see it up close." Nick yawns as he turns down the road leading to Marcus Tucker's home.
I scanned the file reading all the tidbits I hadn't known about Marcus Tucker, including his relations. Marcus had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but he wasn't alone; he had a couple of siblings, an older brother, and an older sister. Marcus was one of three children birthed by one of the Mayor's sister.
"You will never believe how he knows the Mayor," I said, sounding astounded.
"How is that?" Nick's interest was piqued.
"The Mayor is his uncle." I shook my head, unable to believe just what someone will go to protect their family.
Nick's eyes widen, and his tone becomes angry. "So, this piece of shit was connected, and they will see too it the killer is punished." I realized then that I didn't want Nickolas Wolfe as an enemy.
"I bet the Mayor himself is just as corrupt as the victim Marcus Tucker was." I looked up right in time to see Tucker's house come into view.
I couldn't believe just how many cop cars had fit onto the property. Nick parked the car in a newly vacant spot right in front of the house, passing a cop car heading out. Nick and I exited the vehicle and walked up to the young rookie guarding the property by making sure that the yellow tape was not crossed. I didn't see how anyone else could fit anywhere else.
The rookie raises his hand, not recognizing Nick or myself; we both show him our badges, and he raised the tape, allowing us to pass. I watched Nick as he looked around the property looking for something one of the other officers had missed as I just headed into the house; everything seemed so different in the day. I didn't appreciate just how beautiful the home and everything in it was until that very moment.
Nick came in behind and whistled when he saw the beauty I was finally seeing. "He certainly was a lucky SOB." I nodded as I slipped my hands into a blue plastic glove, and Nick did the same, with his much broader hands.
I had to wonder how he was able to fit the gloves without breaking them. I bet it took a lot of practice before he was able to. I tell myself not caring if the killer who happened to be me was ever caught but, I did need to make it look like I was trying to solve the case.
I walked around the house bending over every once in a while too make it look like I was investigating the crime scene than I made my way to the bedroom where I knew Marcus was waiting on me. Sorry, Marcus, your murder will be a lesson to the rest of your kind. Just because you escape justice in the court system doesn't mean you won't pay for your crimes in another way. I thought attempting to feel proud of what I had accomplished the night prior, but the dull echo was all there was.
I looked at Elizabeth Benton, the regular crime scene tech who was taking pictures of each extremity as another tech looked around the room.
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