Confusion seemed to form an aura around Mary.
‘We spoke to her about an hour or so ago,’ Choi tipped in. ‘She’s alive and well.’
‘You guys are kidding, right?’
‘Do we look like we’re kidding?’ Choi asked.
Kendall grabbed another set of Polaroids from the envelope – same exact pattern – face, hands, body, bare feet and face again. ‘How about her? Do you know her?’
‘No.’ The word came out with a deflated breath.
Kendall placed another model agency headshot on the table – the same woman as the Polaroids. ‘Kaitlin Morse,’ he told Mary. ‘Also an actress based in LA. Also very alive and well. You didn’t see this picture on the wall either?’
Tears welled up in Mary’s eyes. ‘No. That wasn’t on that wall.’
Kendall retrieved a third set from the envelope – exactly the same as the previous two, followed by another headshot. ‘Amanda Carrillo,’ he said. ‘Another actress from LA, who’s living the dream down there. Emphasis on “living”.’ He fixed Mary with a laser stare. ‘Shall I continue? Because I’ve got sixteen more in here?’
‘I…’ Mary stuttered. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘These women,’ Choi tried to explain. ‘All of them. All nineteen women showing on the wall in that basement.’ He tapped the envelope with his right hand. ‘All of these women… they’re actresses… and they’re all alive and well.’ He gave Mary a few seconds so that his words could sink in. ‘Do you know what your “husband’s” production company’s main source of income is?’ He used his fingers to draw air quotes when he mentioned the word husband. ‘I mean, what type of movies they produce the most?’
Mary had never really talked to Quaddra about that. She had never really talked to Quaddra about any of his businesses. ‘No,’ she replied, her voice faltering. ‘As a rule, we never talked about work at home.’
‘That’s a good rule,’ Choi agreed. ‘Pretty convenient too.’
‘Horror films,’ Kendall offered in explanation. ‘B-type movies, slasher movies, silly gore… that kind of stuff.’
Mary heard the words, but her brain was having a hard time understanding them.
‘All the photos on that wall,’ Choi continued. ‘Were test shots for one of the company’s productions – a serial killer TV series – eight episodes. The production company, or your “husband”…’He drew air quotes again. ‘… needed a different actress for each episode – eight in total – in case you forgot how to count. The photos were splashed over the wall in that basement to ease the selection process for your “husband”.’ Air quotes again.
‘But he confessed,’ Mary blurted out, her tone dripping anxiety. ‘Quaddra confessed to murdering all of those women.’ She pointed at the envelope. ‘Did you hear the 911 call? It’s all there. He said it loud and clear while we were in the kitchen. He said that he had to kill them all, in the same way that he would have to kill me.’
Kendall and Choi exchanged a new look that Mary wasn’t able to decipher.
‘Did you hear the 911 call?’ Mary asked again, her voice reaching a new octave.
‘We did,’ Kendall confirmed, while reaching inside his jacket pocket for his cellphone. ‘We actually have it here.’ He called up an application on his phone, placed it on the table, and hit the “play” button. ‘Have a listen.’
‘Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?’The dispatch operator’s voice came through the tiny speakers at the bottom of the phone.
‘There’s an intruder in my house,’ a desperate male voice replied – Quaddra’s voice. ‘A woman… she’s gone mad. She’s trying to kill me. Please help.’
‘What?’ If disbelief had a human form, it would be Mary right at that moment.
Kendall lifted a hand at her, indicating that there was more.
‘What’s your address, sir?’
Quaddra rattled the address in a shaky voice.
‘Are you in the house right now?’
‘Yes. I’m hiding. I’m in the kitchen. But she’s going to find me.’
‘OK, I need you to stay hidden and stay on the line with me, OK? Units are on their way to you right now. They’ll be there in less than five minutes. Are you hurt?’
‘Yes. I walked in on her in my office, and she slammed me across the face with something. I’m bleeding, badly, and I feel really dizzy. My eyes are completely out of focus. I can’t… Oh fuck, she’s here. She’s got a knife. Arghhh, arghhh, arghhh…’
