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“Stephen, you of all people understand the concept of business. You made a deal. The contracts are signed. River City Aisles is going forward. Whether you’re remorseful or even believe you made a deal with the devil doesn’t matter. There is no going back.” He resumed his pace, whistling as he held his head high.
“Never forget, Christopher, I know all the beasts living just under the surface of your skin. Every one of them. You think you’re unstoppable, but I’ve fed off your weaknesses already. There is nowhere to run and no way to hide from the man you truly are. You have no choice. I’m ready to expose you as the monster you’ve become and there will be no one coming to your rescue.”
This time he turned around, preferring to allow his enemy to see the whites of his eyes. Except there was no one standing in the shadows. There was no man cajoling him or group of people waiting in the wings. He cocked his head and took several steps forward. “Give it your best shot, Stephen. I don’t scare easily. Besides, you’re a member of the freak society yourself. I’m certain the Press and your Board of Directors would love to know.”
He looked from right to left as he awaited an answer, the smile remaining on his face.
There was nothing but silence.
* * *
"Do you need anything, detective?”
Destiny couldn’t help but smile hearing the disdain in Gina’s voice. The girl was a ballbuster exactly when needed the most. “He doesn’t need anything. In fact, he can go if he’d like to.”
“Not a chance,” Montana answered from the waiting room.
She knew Montana was doing everything to solve the case. She wasn’t proud of supplying him with information regarding Michael’s family, but at this point losing her license was the least of her worries. If only she’d concentrated on the abuse more than the actualities of his life today. Perhaps neither of them would be in the situation now. No, chastising herself wasn’t going to do her any good. Michael had seemed relatively normal in the beginning, merely bogged down by life. Yeah? You knew he was losing his mental faculties, yet you did nothing. The little voice was right. She’d failed him.
Gina stuck her head into Destiny’s office. “Two more appointments today.”
“Yes. Shame everyone seems to be running late.”
“What’s wrong. Hot dinner date?” Gina mused as she nodded toward the waiting room.
“Very funny. No, Detective Givens is here on official business.” Destiny hadn’t told her assistant any details. There’d been nothing during the day to indicate anything was out of order. She hadn’t received any return calls from Michael and he certainly hadn’t shown his face.
She folded her arms and walked toward Destiny’s desk. “The murders?”
Destiny nodded.
“Michael. He’s the psychopath.”
“Now what makes you say that?” She dropped her pen and gave Gina her full attention.
“He’s weird for one thing.”
She chuckled. “Don’t tell anyone I told you this, but quite a few of our patients are weird.”
“Yeah, but this guy is… Well, he’s changed.”
“Okay, tell me how you see these changes.”
Gina looked over her shoulder and walked closer, a shiver visible in her actions. “He leered at me the last few times he came in. His mannerisms were odd, like he was being directed. I don’t how to put this into words. I know. Doesn’t make sense.”
“Actually, your observations are spot on. Go on.”
“He kept talking to someone on the phone. They were making him angry.”
“Who?” Destiny sat up in her seat.
“I don’t know but I think it was always the same person. Michael tried to keep his answers vague and whispered, but I heard enough to tell he was riddled with anxiety.” Gina bit her lip and swallowed. “He said things like ‘I’m doing what you asked me to do’ and ‘no, I don’t need your help’.”
She made notes and thought about who he might be talking to. “He didn’t have a lot of friends from what the various comments he made in his sessions.”
“I told you, weird. Every time he left he’d say the same thing. ‘Until we meet for the last time’.”
Destiny blinked and while the words could mean anything, she had the distinct feeling they were a warning. “Interesting.”
