CHAPTER FOURTEEN

 

Michel Giovanni stood amongst the onlookers at The Woods Park. They were all murmuring about the murder of the latest young woman while the cops went about their business. He noticed the hot, blonde officer who was asking questions and getting no answers that pleased her. Then she received a phone call and seemed to be shaken by the caller, even more than the brick wall she’d run into at the park while investigating the murder.

Michel sensed that she had been talking to her old man. He recognized the fear in her face and could tell that one eye was swollen. After all, it was the same fear he had instilled in Selene. Right up to the time he allowed her to run away from him. Though he regretted having hurt her back then, at the time it seemed like the only way to get the respect a man deserved from his woman.

The same type of respect Officer Leighton’s man probably demanded of her, otherwise she’d likely get more of what he’d already given her. Only worse.

Michel turned his attention back to the matter at hand. The Woods Strangler had struck again. In the process, the people of the community were more uptight than ever. He moved away from the main crowd, watching with interest as the coroner removed the dead woman’s corpse in a body bag. An autopsy would probably reveal that she died the same way as her predecessors, and there was apparently little the cops could do about it.

Except wait for the next one.

He wondered if the reward money would be increased as the stakes kept getting higher.

What he wouldn’t do to get his hands on that cash.

All in good time.

Michel drifted away from the scene of the crime. He would do well to keep a low profile. After all, he wouldn’t want the wrong people to get into his head. They might not like what they find.