Cold Blooded III: Sins and Sanctions (Nick McCarty Assassin Series Book 3) (35 page)

“Thanks. Dansing wound my inner psycho with his past deeds. Ollie coming here, neat as you please, to do his playacting scene made me forget for a moment what the hell we’re here doing.”

Nick straightened away from Gus. He approached the sobbing Dansing with absolutely no empathy at all. Gus handed him an unlined tablet with pen. “Thanks, Gus. Okay, Sweetie, here’s what you’re going to do. We’ll release your hands for a moment. You’re going to write an incredibly heartwarming note about how you detested everything you’ve done, but you want to make amends. Then, you’re going to list all the burial locations for the victims the police know nothing about. Are we clear so far?”

Dansing began crying. It took many moments before he could address Nick. He assumed after heated thinking this was an elaborate bluff. “I want a fucking lawyer! I’m not giving you anything! I will sue your asses to kingdom come for what you’ve already done. This was a setup! I will own you, McCarty!”

Moments sometimes transcend reality. Nick exchanging knowing glances with Gus in this safe-room was one of them. They didn’t know what exactly Dansing knew or acted on for sure, but they did know Dansing would be sharing everything… and there would be no lawyer. Nick crouched below Dansing with his gloves on as Gus grabbed Dansing from behind, pinching the area at his scrotum he had worked on before. He didn’t pause for five full minutes. The chair they had Dansing bound to seemed ready to fall apart under its occupant’s wild gyrations of agony. Nick released him to hoots of breath intakes and relief from pain.

“I guess you think this is a game, pussy,” Nick said, slapping Dansing into recognition of where he was at. “I’ll repeat my instruction again before I deliver my penalty phase punishment. Are you ready to write now?”

“Yessssss…. God yes! Whatever you want me to write… I’ll write!”

Nick smiled at Gus. Neither man had any intention of easing Dansing’s pain. It would be a step by step process, but Dansing’s captors knew in intricate detail what he had done. They knew how to make his demise appear when found as a suicide. Nick brought the clipboard over to Dansing’s lap as Gus released his hands. Nick leaned in, eyeball to eyeball.

“Yes… please try something… anything. If you do anything other than write a sincere confession as I dictate to you, I will rip each of your fucking balls out of their sack, and shove them down your fucking throat!”

Nick gripped Dansing’s chin in one gloved hand. “Write what I dictate, and write it like your hours of pain ahead depend on it, because they will.”

Over the next half hour, Dansing wrote what Nick dictated, his handwriting becoming a bit shaky at the end as he neared the finish. Nick looked it over with satisfaction. “I like it, Sweetie. You seem almost penitent on paper. We have to move to the next phase now, which will be much easier, as you are now aware there are no last minute stays of execution. There’s just Gus and I along with our boss. He has a few questions for you, right boss?”

Paul Gilbrech proceeded to interrogate Dansing in minutia concerning his decision to become a serial killer, his motives, his obstacles, and his picking of targets. Gilrech did it in such a way as to draw Dansing in on an intimate basis. By the time Gilbrech finished, Dansing appeared on the verge of sexual excitement.

“Well… okay then…” Nick said in the way of finish. “I’m ready to barf. How about you, Gus?”

“Actually… if Paul’s loving interrogation hadn’t ended soon, I was planning on eating a bullet right here in the room. Nice, Paul – maybe you’d like to ask him out on a date.”

When Gilbrech finished laughing over Nick and Gus’s critique of his questions, he waved at them from Nick’s screen, “I’m done. I leave Mr. Dansing in your capable hands. Do you want transport?”

“No thanks,” Nick answered. “We’ll take him to his house for the final curtain. This may get a bit tricky at the end, but we’ll leave them with their only plausible scenario.”

“Understood. I will tidy up if necessary. Incredible outcome, gentlemen. You have done a service no one can refute. I pray you will be able to return to your pursuit of John’s prey soon also. Although I know you no longer need it, a bonus will be forthcoming to cover all doubt as to my appreciation.”

“Okay, Paul,” Nick answered. “Thanks. We’ll be in touch after we finish with the great serial killer, Ollie Dansing. Adios.”

Nick turned to Gus. “Okay, we have that at an end. Let’s take Ollie home, and finish the last scene in the Dansing play. Paul wore me out with those questions. What the hell was that about? Maybe he has to write a doctorate thesis on sick fucks like Dansing.”

Gus enjoyed Nick’s take on Paul’s interrogation, while readying Dansing for transport. “Want me to follow you in our loaner, or you follow me?”

“We’ll put Ollie in his Beamer trunk, and I’ll drive him home. Once we get there, we take care of business, and get the hell back home. C’mon, I’ll explain what we’re doing to Rachel. She’ll pick up Jean. I want every one of ours in the safe-room until you and I get back.”

“I agree,” Gus replied. “Maybe we should go collect Jean now, and then ride over to your friend’s place to get the car.”

Nick realized at that moment how much Dansing had thrown him off his game. It was only common sense to first remove Jean from school first. “Ollie has messed with my mind. Thanks for the reset. You’re right. Let’s get Jean, and go see Jerry. He’s never met Jean. It will mean something to him when he does. Plus, if my personal business keeps progressing the way it’s doing now, Jean will need all of my contact lists.”

Gus cinched down Dansing with gag back in place. “You’ve given up on altering Jean’s course, huh? That’s a big step, brother.”

“I wish I had a choice. Jean scares me. I never thought it was possible to make someone like me. I’m not so sure anymore. She’s seen so much, and has an absolute rage when it comes to bad guys getting away with the unimaginable, I think her empathy will get her killed unless I help.” Nick threw his hands up in the air, his own helplessness on display. “Jean drives me nuts. I know Rachel believes I’ll be able to turn her to writing, or anything other than what I do, but I’m losing faith that will be possible. She’s no psycho like me. Jean feels things at an elemental level. She wants to help people being terrorized by the bad guys. Unfortunately, she knows how well our skirting rules works.”

“If it’s any comfort, I think you’re right,” Gus agreed. “The way Jean idolized what Rachel did for Mona, moving to take out Blackbeard, and save all their lives, tipped her over the edge. Maybe you could blame it on Rachel.”

The two partners enjoyed that pronouncement for a few moments, while they made sure nothing short of an armed intervention would free Dansing. His wild eyed persona amused Nick and Gus.

“Ollie doesn’t like any of this, Gus. He thinks there are extremely bad times ahead for him,” Nick said, as he and Gus moved to the safe-room exit.”

“I believe he is correct,” Gus commented solemnly. “The world will not miss this sadistic piece of shit at all. I’m sure he has a Mommy. He certainly had a lot to say about her when Paul interrogated him. I felt the joy. Hey Ollie, does your Mommy like you?”

Dansing indicated with enthusiastic positive head nods that indeed, he had a Mommy who would miss him.

“We’ll send her a condolence card after we send your ass to hell,” Gus stated. “I’m sure your demise will sadden her greatly, but Nick and I don’t give a flying ass shit… you twisted prick. You’re damn lucky we don’t have the time to spend with you we’d like, Pookie. I’m certain my brother, El Muerto, has an ending in mind that will both look like a suicide, and also make you wish you’d never been born.”

“Count on it,” Nick said with conviction. “In your favor though, Ollie, the death will not be close to what I’d like to do with you. In that sense, you are blessed. Gus and I have to leave you for the time being to make sure Jean gets home safely. Because of you, I’ve decided to introduce her to one of my contacts, who will be providing a car for this evening’s event. This meeting will be kind of a damnation for both of us.”

Outside the safe-room, Nick set the special code he had installed on the door so the person inside could not get out. He and Gus proceeded to the kitchen. “Gus and I have to pick up a car, and we’ll be taking Jean with us. When we get back, I’ll need you three and Deke to watch a movie in one of the safe-rooms while we’re gone.”

“Why does Jean have to go along to retrieve your ride for the evening,” Rachel asked with suspicious tone.

“My friend, Jerry Burkhart, who supplies vehicles for me now and then loves Deke, and has been bugging me about meeting Jean. It’s nothing for you to get that vein pulsing in your forehead over, Honey.”

Rachel slapped a hand to the vein Nick mentioned. “It is not pulsing.”

Tina put a comforting arm around her. “Yeah, it is. Finish showing me the pictures you took in Boston at the wedding. I may call your husband Gomez, but he’s much safer with kids than Gomez Addams in ‘The Addam’s Family’. You, on the other hand, are too intense for the Morticia character.”

“Am not,” Rachel said, on the way to the kitchen. “Nick’s naming you as our Addams Family Cousin Itt is growing on me though.”

Tina laughed, and followed Rachel. “Don’t be hatin’.”

* * *

“Well, who do we have here?” Jerry Burkhart caught the excited Deke into his arms, hugging the dog to him. “It’s the Dekester, and I believe my favorite author has finally brought his precious daughter Jean to meet the infamous Jerry Burkhart.”

Jean giggled while sticking her hand out to shake with Burkhart. “I’m happy to meet you, Mr. Burkhart. I know you help out my Dad a lot with his special cases.”

Jean’s remark caught Jerry by surprise. He then remembered Nick explaining how he acquired a family in the first place. “Nick tells me you’re a keeper. You have a brother on the way too. I heard you picked out his name. Quinn… right?”

“Yes Sir,” Jean answered happily. “I’ll be his super protective older sister, Dagger.”

“Then you like blades,” Jerry said. “That’s a bit unusual. C’mon inside, and I’ll get you the keys, Nick. I’d like to give Dagger a gift if you’ll allow it.”

“I think I’ll reserve judgment on that until I see the gift, Jer.” Nick handed him an envelope full of money. We appreciate you finding us a ride on such short notice.”

“No problem.” Jerry waved the envelope. “Your request came at a rather good time. How are you doing, Gus. Is married life everything you’d hoped for?”

“So far, so good.” Gus took the keys Jerry handed him.

“It’s the old brown Nissan Sentra out in front. “Leave it in the same spot when you get back. Although I have a cover story for the car, it would be best not to flaunt it by getting traffic violations.”

Jerry then rummaged in a steel bench’s bottom cabinet. He brought out a case wrapped in an old towel. He used the towel to wipe the oaken case off before placing it on the towel. Jerry released the latches at the sides, opening the cover to reveal an all black set of three throwing knives. Jerry handed one to Nick.

“I’d like to give these to Dagger. A guy threw them in as a bonus on a body repair deal I made with him. You can tell Rachel I gave them to you. I know with your skill set, you probably know whether they’re any good or not.”

Nick handled the blade with professional care, nodding his liking for the blade’s weight and feel. He glanced around the empty shop, spotting a wooden pallet leaning against another bench nearly thirty feet away. In one smooth motion, Nick flipped the blade to his right hand, and his throw buried it in the pallet’s top center board. Jerry chuckled while tossing the second and third to Nick, who planted each one below the first in a line.

“Show off,” Gus mumbled.

Jean watched the demonstration in open mouthed amazement. When she found her words, they were what Nick expected. “Can I please have them, Dad… please!”

“As long as you leave it as Jerry suggested with your Mom.” Nick walked over to retrieve the knives. “They were a gift to me from Jerry, okay?”

“I guess those babies are as good as I thought they were. I’m glad you have them now. They’d sit under the damn bench rotting if I kept them.”

Nick shook his hand. “They are indeed very good. Thank you. I’ll have the Nissan back sometime in the early morning.”

“That’ll work,” Jerry replied. He hugged Deke and Jean. “It’s great seeing you Deke, and an honor meeting you, Dagger. Take good care of Quinn, and make your Dad bring him to the shop so I can see if he resembles this cluck.”

“I will, Mr. Burkhart. Thank you so much for the knives. I’ll show you how good I get with them next time I see you.”

“You’re very welcome, young lady. I would love to see how well you progress with the blades. I can tell in your eyes, Barbi dolls are not your thing. Maybe I shouldn’t have given them to you, Nick.”

“There’s no denying just what you said, Jer. Rachel knows Jean loves guns and now I’m sure knives. It’s a competitive sport too. Maybe I can sell her Mom on an explanation that it’s like playing softball.”

Jerry chuckled appreciatively, patting Jean’s shoulder. “Good luck with that, partner. See you on the down low next time.”

Nick shook hands with Jerry again, clasping his shoulder. “Count on it, Jer. If things with the business keep taking a downturn, you damn well better call me. I don’t put friends on the pad. I need you doing what you do, and don’t think for a moment I don’t follow your holdings. I know you live close to the vest, brother. It’s a bad time for everyone except in my line of work, which you are one of a handful who know. Don’t hesitate to call me.”