Annie sat across from Stone at Evangelo’s while they waited for their pizza to arrive. He was about to relay an event from the day; his eyes crinkled at the edges and a broad smile graced his lips. Surprised at the drastic change in his demeanor, she imagined she was witnessing a side of him that outsiders seldom saw. She found herself sitting on the edge of her seat as she waited to hear the story.
“Her name is Katherine Tanaka, but she goes by Kat.”
Annie chuckled. “I hate her already.”
“Yeah, you’re not the first woman to react that way to her moniker. I think she fancies herself a feline, the way she slinked into the room and eyed me like I was a piece of catnip.” He rolled his eyes.
“Like she wanted to devour you?”
“Pretty much.”
“So she was trying to seduce you.”
“Trying being the operative word. When I shut her down, she became nasty. I don’t think she’s used to hearing the word no.”
“Ah, that’s why you believe she has many lovers.”
“Exactly.” He drank more beer.
A weird pang of jealousy hit her. “Is she beautiful?”
“I’m sure some might think so.”
“But not you?”
He made a face. “Not my type.”
“Why’s that?”
“Too obvious. Heavy makeup. Red stripes in her hair.”
She chuckled. “Racing stripes?”
“You know, she had black hair, but pieces of it were painted red.”
“So it was streaked?”
“Whatever. Streaked, striped, what’s the difference?”
She shook her head. “Never mind. So she’s Japanese?”
“I don’t know, she looked Asian. Why?”
“Just trying to get a mental picture. With a name like Tanaka, at least her father was, but she could be half Irish, African American, or Italian. Any one of these could change her overall appearance dramatically. How much does she weigh, how tall?”
“She’s just a bitty thing. I’d say ninety pounds soaking wet and roughly four-ten. It’s hard to say, she was wearing stilts.”
Annie giggled. “Stilts?”
“You know, her heels were ridiculously high. I don’t know how she walked in those things, she looked as if she’d topple over in a stiff wind. Then she had on this skimpy skirt that barely covered her ass and a low-cut shirt with her breasts practically exposed. At least she was wearing a jacket to make the look somewhat professional.”
“Okay, tell me the truth. You spent your lunch at a strip club, didn’t you?”
“Ha! You’d think. I could see her showing up at a bachelor party in her imitation business suit and getting up on a table to dance. I’ve never seen anyone at my bank in a getup like that. They usually dress like school teachers.”
“You said she was a rival of your victim. In what way?”
“She believes Monroe stole her promotion. It happened over eight months ago and she’s still harboring a grudge.”
“I’d say she has motive.”
“I know, but…”
“But what?”
“I don’t think this is a one-time offender. Too clean, no evidence to speak of.”
She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “You think you have a serial killer on your hands?”
“I think it’s a good possibility.”
He really had her attention now. “What else you can tell me?”
“The ME claims the perp used something to prop open her mouth so she’d look like she was screaming even in death.”
“That sounds like a signature.” Although spoken aloud, she said it more to herself. “Did you search VICAP?”
“For hours. I came up empty.”
“Would you like me to give it a try?”
His eyes widened. “You wouldn’t mind?”
Try and stop me. “I have a little free time I think I can spare.” She hoped her attempt at humor masked her enthusiasm.
“I’d really appreciate it. It would be great to have an opinion from someone with your expertise.”
“No problem. I’d need a copy of the file.” Exhilaration bubbled deep within her; she couldn’t wait to get her hands on a new puzzle.
“Of course. I’m eager to get your perspective and see what I might have missed.”
“I’m sure you’re a fine detective, but two sets of eyes are better than one.”
“Especially if those eyes belong to a Special Agent for the FBI and a profiler.”
“I’m not quite a profiler yet.” Annie feared he had unrealistic expectations.
The pizza arrived and they jumped on it like a pack of hungry wolves. When they came up for air, Stone gulped some beer and wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“I’ve got to say, this guy is really psycho. Besides the manner in which he killed his victim, he also had sex with her several times after she was dead. Walt claimed there was no trauma found in any orifice to suggest he violated her when she was still alive.”
“Did he leave semen?”
“No, but her mouth, vagina, and anal cavity had traces of spermicide.”
“So he used a condom. Might mean his DNA is on file.”
“How the hell does a guy keep a woody within frozen flesh?” “It’s probably the only way he can get and keep an erection. It’s more than likely that as a child someone sexually abused him in such a way that now it’s the only way he can achieve an orgasm. He associates cold with pleasure.”
“Damn, that’s just sick. He might as well stick his dick in a gallon of ice cream.”
“That’s probably his form of masturbation.”
A look of horror came over him. “Oh, God. I don’t know what’s worse, how calmly you made that statement, or the fact that you even know such a thing.”
Annie laughed so hard tears were streaming down her cheeks.
After they finished with dinner, she followed Stone back to the Wasilla PD to receive a copy of the file. With the case hovering right out of reach, the drive home was the longest she’d ever made. She’d forgotten the rush of starting a new investigation.
She had to remember it was just an assist and not a formal one at that. Disappointment ensued. Time to get back to work. She’d call her SAC, Special Agent in Charge, Benjamin Green, tomorrow and let him know she was ready.
Annie pulled up in front of the cabin and cut the engine. She grabbed her purse, the file, and leftover pizza before exiting the vehicle. She let herself into the dwelling, lit a lamp and set the stuff on the kitchen table before venturing out again.
She trudged through the snow toward the back of the truck to unload her supplies. As she neared the end of the truck-bed, a growl interrupted an otherwise peaceful night. She stopped dead in her tracks.
It was close.
Her heart hammered as she held her breath. Without moving a muscle, she searched the darkness of the surrounding woods. Three pair of eyes shone through the abyss. Expelling the air trapped in her lungs, she gasped.
It appeared she’d interrupted a pack of wolves eating dinner. The irony was not lost on her. Earlier her mind had compared the feeding frenzy of her and Stone to a pack of hungry wolves. At the time she thought it funny, she wasn’t laughing now.
The alpha stood point while the other two flanked him. Bloody, dripping flesh hung from his jaws. His lips receded as he flashed his teeth, a low throaty warning followed. Though normally armed, the rifle was affixed to the back of the cab in the truck.
She’d gotten out of the habit of carrying her Glock, after all, she wasn’t on the job. If she ran into trouble on the way to or from town, she expected the rifle would suffice. A handgun would be useless against a bear or charging moose and more than effective with a menace of the two-legged variety. As luck would have it, the rusty old truck hadn’t failed her yet, but she was always prepared to hoof it just in case.
While keeping her stare locked with the animal’s, she eased backward. Her heart raced, her breath came in shallow pants. Time stood still. It seemed an eternity before her foot hit the bottom stair leading to the porch. Slowly she reached behind her for the banister, her hand waving around in mid air until it hit its mark. The alpha closed his mouth, but continued his vigil.
Although the outside temperature was below freezing, Annie’s body was on fire. Sweat dripped down her forehead and into her eyes. She blinked away the sting. Clumsily, but without sudden movements, she made her way backward up the steps without breaking eye contact. It felt as if an infinite amount of time had passed before her back came in contact with the door.
The wolves simply watched. They didn’t want her per se, but they weren’t about to share their meal either. She reached behind until she located the knob; her hand enveloped it like a lifeline. In one fell swoop she twisted, flew through the door and slammed it shut. Collapsing against the solid wood, she slid down to the floor, breathing heavily.
Once her heart stopped threatening to escape her chest, her hands still shook from the adrenaline crash. She sat on the floor for an indeterminable amount of time before she felt strong enough to stand. Once up, she locked the door and lowered the two-by-four. Her supplies could wait till morning.
Her eyes lit on the folder and the entire ordeal was forgotten. It was time to sink her teeth into the case. Ooh, bad analogy. She was just full of them tonight.
Annie went about making the cabin comfortable, lighting a fire and putting a kettle on for tea. She stripped down to her long underwear. As she sat on the edge of the bed, putting on her Ugg boots, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up as if someone were watching her.
This wasn’t the first time in the last month she’d had this sensation, but it had been over a week since the last time. She’d become lax about the curtains. She leapt to her feet and closed them instantly, then lowered the wick on the kerosene lamp. Peeking out through the slit, nothing moved in the moonlit night.
Why would anyone want to watch her? What could they possibly hope to gain? It’s not like she walked around the cabin naked for Christ’s sake. After about twenty minutes, the wolves scampered off into the woods. A stripped carcass lay in a puddle of bloody snow. She continued to watch the tree line.
Without a shadow, without any movement whatsoever, she finally gave up and made a mental note to check the perimeter in the morning. She had more pressing things to occupy her mind tonight. After relighting the lamp and setting it on the table, she brewed herself a strong pot of English Breakfast tea.
Annie read the file and sifted through the crime scene photos. Stone promised to email his notes once he’d copied them into the computer. That was unexpected because not only was she not formally on the case, but her involvement was simply to help him with the VICAP search.
In the past, she’d had difficulty with the locals sharing and that was after they’d asked the bureau for assistance. As if they just assumed she was some kind of super agent who should know everything through osmosis.
Then of course there were detectives who resented her presence because she’d been invited by their captain. They felt it was like a slap in the face, as if their boss was telling them they weren’t competent enough to close the case themselves.
A distant memory flashed through her mind; Matt had once mentioned that his friend, Stone, was more than honest in everything he did. It was a cultural thing with the Alaskan natives. Perhaps that would explain why he was willing to give her total access to the investigation. She shouldn’t over think it. Wasn’t this exactly what she craved? Uh, yeah.
The table was cluttered. She’d spread everything out, but couldn’t get a true sense of the scene. She went to the kitchen and began rummaging through the drawers. Annie located a roll of transparent tape and began attaching the pictures to the wall opposite the table.
When she was done, she stood back. Perfect. She had as clear a sense of the scene as she could without actually being there. She returned to her seat and picked up the autopsy report. Victim clean of evidence. Did he hose her off before freezing her? She tapped her teeth with the pen and studied the makeshift murder board.
Was she standing or lying down? Feet twenty-four inches apart. He must have had something bracing them open. She made a note. Lying down. Was that for better access to her vaginal and anal cavity after death? Double duty, made it easier for displaying vic upright as well.
“That’s why the mouth was propped open, not for shock value of the death mask, but so he would have another orifice for his sexual gratification.”
She began to write. Made his own personal sex doll. She read more. “Death by fire extinguisher. Interesting.” Another note. Urge to speed the process. Foreplay. Fascination with hypothermia or watching a person freeze. Froze. Frozen.
Annie signed onto VICAP. She did similar searches as Stone to see what came up. Then remembered Occam’s Razor, sometimes the simplest explanation is more likely accurate. She typed in: Frozen Bodies.
A case from Sparta, Wisconsin, filled the screen. The bodies of five frozen women were found one after the other. Alone. In various wooded locations. Scanning the file, the word necrophilia jumped out, her adrenaline soared. By the time she got to the end of the report her heart sank.
Henry “Tank” Klump, aged twenty-five, was convicted of the crime and was currently serving life without the possibility of parole at the Wisconsin Secure Program Facility (WSPF)in Boscobel, WI. Arresting officer: Detective Ronald Gantry. She scribbled the name and location in her notes. Completely depressed by her findings, she shut down the computer and decided to call it a night.