Dark Illusion: A Psychological Thriller Novel (4 page)

“S
o, Heather,
what was the nature of the relationship between you and Julie?”

The latest body found had been
identified as Julie
Tyfer
, though it looked nothing
like the girl smiling in the photo. Like all the other victims, she had been
incredibly beautiful, and Sharon would not have been surprised if she were a
model.

In light of the grim
circumstances, Detective Davis had decided to focus first on Julie’s friends
and family while their memories were still fresh, before reviewing the other
victims’ cases yet again, as she had originally planned to do.

Julie’s family resided in San
Francisco, so they couldn’t tell her anything specific about her circumstances
in the last few days, the most crucial information. Sharon was hoping that a
conversation with Julie’s roommate, Heather, could shed some light on recent
events.

“We’ve been roommates and best
friends for almost two years.” Heather sniffled and wiped her tears. “I met her
the first week she moved to New York. Julie came here to pursue her dream of
becoming a model.” Heather paused and gazed at the photos of her friend’s
disfigured body. “I can’t believe someone did this to her . . . that that’s
really Julie!” she burst into tears.

Sharon handed her a tissue. “It’s
very important that you try to recreate the last few days. As her roommate and
best friend you probably were the closest person to her. Anything that comes to
mind may help.”

“We went with some friends to a
bachelorette party in Atlantic City last weekend. Besides that nothing out of
the ordinary has happened in the past week, although I did notice that Julie
seemed happier. She was walking around smiling and even singing in the shower.”
Heather let out a small laugh through her tears.

“Do you think she’d met someone?”

“Julie used to go out on dates
often. She was a very beautiful girl. But I‘d never noticed anyone in
particular. That’s strange,” she continued, “Julie usually told me everything,
but this time I had a feeling that she was keeping something from me. When I
asked her about it that very morning, she just laughed and said I was being
paranoid, but still, that feeling nagged me.”

“Do you think there was
something, or someone, who had gotten her attention?”

“Yes,” Heather nodded agreeably.
“I’m sure something was keeping her mind busy, but I don’t know what. I wish I
could help you more,” she sighed.

“That’s okay,” Sharon comforted
her. “Sometimes, even what seems like the most trivial thing can be of help.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t think of
anything else.”

As Sharon walked her out of the police station, Heather added, “It’s probably
nothing, but a few days ago, I saw Julie put what appeared to be a business
card in the drawer of her nightstand next to her bed. Perhaps it’s nothing, but
anyway, I’m supposed to sort out her things and send them to her parents
tomorrow–”

“You may have helped me more than
you realize,” Sharon interrupted her excitedly. People tended to keep important
things next to their bed; if that card had meant nothing, it probably would
have been thrown away. This could turn out to be the lead that Sharon was so
desperate to get.

“I’ll escort you back to the
apartment. I need to take a look at that piece of paper as soon as possible.”

“K
elly Danes –
Editor in Chief,” was the name printed on the business card, which also carried
the logo of what had been Sharon’s favorite teen magazine during her adolescent
years.

The possibility that this card
had an actual connection to the murder case seemed quite farfetched, but if there
was one lesson Sharon had never forgotten from her days at the academy, it was
never to discount a possible lead in an investigation, because the missing
piece of the puzzle could very well be hidden from the untrained eye; though
Sharon assumed that even those who had written the academy text book would have
questioned the validity of this so-called clue.

In any case, before she acted
impetuously, she should try to learn from her mistakes by examining the
previous cases, rather than being swept away by pursuing a wild theory that was
based solely on a random business card. She didn’t even know what she was
looking for. Did she really believe that the Editor in Chief of Inner Beauty
had something to do with the serial killings? There had to be a better
explanation than
that
.

Sharon knew that Rob would
probably think the same way. She could already hear him dismissing her. It was
not surprising that a beautiful girl would have a business card from a fashion
persona, and there was no proof that the card was even given to her by the
actual editor. And, at the moment, Sharon could not approach the respected
editor for clarification without implying that she was a person of interest –
which would open up a whole new can of worms.

Sharon decided she should wait
for the time being. There was no point in focusing on this new piece of
information, whether it was relevant or not, until she retraced her steps from
the first murder, as planned. Maybe then things would become clearer.

But she couldn’t forsake this new
lead all together; so in the meantime, she asked one of the rookies to provide
her with every piece of information that existed about the renowned editor,
ignoring the raised eyebrow in response. Sharon then started going through the
old cases and conversation protocols, hoping, though without much faith, to
find another lead.

“Well, I guess we have to start
with you, Mandy. If there’s any hope left, it’s up to you,” she said to the
photo of the deceased and began reading the documents.

                               
     * * *

The successful magazine editor walked magnificently across
the glossy marble floor toward the elevator. She confidently pressed the button
and patiently waited until the down arrow in front of her flickered. The clicks
of her heels were soon swallowed by the heavy doors. She was left alone, inside
the designed compartment, waiting to be set free. After a few moments the doors
opened for the second time, and the sound of her footsteps echoed throughout
the underground parking lot. She slid elegantly into the seat of her Mercedes,
inserted the key, and started driving.

It was rush hour and all routes
were jammed. The thought that other people were probably staring jealously at
her luxurious car caused her to grin. Kelly was always in a divine mood after
one of her murders. It was as if she had gone on a pleasurable journey into the
dark depths of her soul and regained the strength that she needed, at least
enough to sustain her until the next time. It had been less than two days since
she had said her final goodbye to Julie
Tyfer
, so the
elevating effect had not yet faded.

The cars ahead of her crawled
slowly through the heavy traffic, but it didn’t bother her. Kelly remembered
that she needed to stop on the way home to buy a new package of extra-large
double layered trash bags to prevent leaks. She felt a slight tremor in her
hands when the thought crossed her mind, not knowing for sure whether it had
been due to excitement or fear. She tightened her grip on the steering wheel.

At times she was overtaken by the
anxiety of someone finding out about her actions and preventing her from doing
the only thing that filled her heart with happiness. She hurried to banish the
apprehensive thoughts from her mind. No one was clever enough to track her
down. She was too good for all those discouraged cops, who even after three
years could not find the slightest clue to lead them to the identity of the
infamous killer.

Kelly opened the window and
exhaled a long breath, as if she were releasing along with it all of her
self-doubts, leaving them behind in the cold New York air. Darkness fell and
the dozens of surrounding cars seemed to Kelly like shining dots escorting her
on the way back home. The traffic light changed, and Kelly pressed the gas
pedal with full force.

From now on, no one could stop
her.

                               
     * * *

Many hours had passed since sunset, and Sharon’s eyes had
become decisively tired. The light on her table lamp had dimmed, as if it were
signaling her that it was time to stop. She finally broke down and decided to
hurry back home so she could gain a few hours of sleep before the day dawned.
She started putting the papers back in the file, but then her jaded eyes
encountered a minor note from the interview protocol with Mandy Sheldon’s
sister. Two words caught her eyes and had immediately perked her back up –
Kelly
Danes.

Apparently, a few days before her
disappearance, Mandy had called her sister and told her she had been discovered
by a magazine editor, who had marked her as the next promising model when she’d
gone for a job interview for a dull desk job. Mandy even had intended to frame
the business card she had gotten from the editor as a souvenir of the glorious
day that changed her life. She had asked her sister not to tell anyone just
yet, because it was supposed to be a surprise. Later in her statement, the
sister bemoaned the tragic loss of her baby sister, who did not get a chance to
fulfill her life’s wish.

Indeed, it’s a rather strange
coincidence
, Sharon thought to herself. Julie
Tyfer
was also quite secretive in the days before she died, as her roommate Heather
had declared. Perhaps she also had planned to surprise her loved ones with
similar news? But still, all she had was some circumstantial, very weak
evidence. Sharon started to think that perhaps the late hour was taking its
toll and impairing her judgment. How could she even suspect someone so high up
the ladder? Kelly Danes was a well-known public figure. Her work in Inner
Beauty magazine had made her legendary. She mingled with haute couture
designers as well as powerful politicians. She had a reputation for being tough
– even fierce – but there were no complaints about assassinating models on the
set, Sharon’s sense of sarcasm interfered.

Kelly Danes was a handsome woman,
no doubt, but maybe being constantly surrounded by gorgeous women as an
inseparable part of her position had driven her over the edge? The odds were
slim. Sharon released a soft yet frustrated groan. Perhaps her desperation to
find something was getting the best of her, because she had actually decided to
examine the vague idea instead of immediately rejecting it.

Maybe she wasn’t as good as she
used to be, if the only thing she had to hold on to was a crazy theory originating
late in the night, just before dawn. It was clear to Sharon that with the given
evidence, no one was going to take her seriously. But it didn’t matter to her.
The real question was if she should seriously consider this ridiculous lead
now, or if she just needed to clear her desk, rest her head, and savor the few
hours she had left before daylight would fill the office.

T
he light of a
new day broke through the luxurious curtains that covered the windows in
Gloria’s room. Warm rays penetrated through and fell like golden stripes around
her bed. She felt as if she had awakened to a magical day, one that would be as
magical as the previous night had been.

Before her eyes had adjusted to
the morning light, a smile spread upon her face as her thoughts drifted back to
last night with Andy. Gloria remembered their last moments together when he’d
walked her to her room, before they had said goodnight.

She had relished his indecision
whether to kiss her or not, probably wondering if it would come across as
unprofessional rather than sincere. She was aware that she hadn’t clarified her
intentions, and that he had been a bit confused by her mixed signals. The truth
was that Gloria herself was not yet sure which road to take. Despite the strong
character that she’d had to develop at a young age, and that had further
stiffened as her career soared, she was still afraid to get hurt.

But how much she’d missed having
butterflies in her stomach.

Gloria longed to feel love again,
true passion, a real piercing feeling without deception or hypocrisy. Something
to call her own, private and shielded from all the fame and glory that
surrounded her. It had been a long time since she had felt that anything like
this even had a chance in the reality she lived in, and it frightened her. But
maybe here, thousands of miles away from home, she could succeed.  

When her eyes had gotten used to
the light and her blurry sight had become clear, she noticed the late hour
flickering on the bedside clock’s display. She had made breakfast plans with
Andy before the beginning of the grueling day. Of course Arthur and the rest of
the crew would be there as well. A slight crease of disappointment formed
between her eyes but she quickly rushed to conceal it.

She had about ten minutes to
create a fresh look, simple but still marvelous. Gloria knew she did not have
to do much herself, since a whole team was waiting to make her (even more)
beautiful for the exclusive photo shoot.

But only after twenty minutes Gloria
finally felt she had achieved her goal and turned to the door. A feeble knock
was heard. Who could it be at this time, she wondered? Gloria opened the door
and found Andy, his flaxen hair slightly disheveled, holding in his hand a map
that probably showed the way to the site of the photo shoot where they would be
driving today.

“I knew you’d be late,” he said
in a deep, confident voice, but his timid smile gave him away.

The hotel breakfast was beyond belief. The buffets were
filled with spectacular delicacies, and the waiters were ready to fulfill any
request, in case something was missing – which was impossible.

Even before she entered the
dining room, when the sweet smell of fresh pastries and cinnamon filled her
nose, Gloria regretted taking this job. She could not afford to gain a single
pound. As a model over thirty years old, the judgmental looks and criticism
were turned her way now more than ever.

During the first years of her
career, she had been so strict about her weight that Arthur had to hire a
professional nutritionist out of concern for her health. In the last few years,
after her status had been well established, she had allowed herself to enjoy
the good things in life and indulged in something sweet from time to time,
between projects; usually it was a rich chocolate dessert from a gourmet
restaurant, but she also had a soft spot for simpler desserts from her
childhood, like vanilla ice cream from Baskin Robbins.

Maybe just one tiny bite . . .
A dangerous thought sneaked into her head.

No!
she instantly ordered
herself. It was well known that the first bite was never enough. It was better
not to succumb to her craving.

“What’s on your mind? You look
like you’re concentrating on something.” Andy’s voice interrupted her culinary
thoughts, thank God.

“Nothing special, I’m just
excited about today.” Gloria lied through her teeth. After all, she was trying
to charm him, not spook him with her weight complex.

“Yeah, me too.” A perfect set of
dimples framed his smile. “Want to know where we’re going?”

                       
           * * *

The road leading to the forest was long, winding and filled
with potholes, but was absolutely spectacular. Breathtaking mountains with
snowy peaks and tiers of evergreen forests encompassed them from all sides.
Their eyes were mesmerized by rare, vivid shades of blue and green, ones that
existed only within the boundaries of nature. It was the kind of view most
people only get to see on the National Geographic Channel.

Gloria was looking out the window,
admiring the stunning view, when she felt Andy’s leg touching hers. Though she
typically travelled separately, she had joined the travel car with the rest of
the crew, not because she wanted to mingle with the common folk, but simply
because she enjoyed Andy’s company. From the little that she knew of him,
Gloria could almost certainly assume that he would not have abandoned his team
at the prospect of a significant upgrade in his mode of transportation to the
private rental jeep. He had an honest sense of loyalty, one that prevented him
from putting himself first at the expense of others. Gloria admired that about
him; therefore, she was also taking the opportunity to hopefully rebut her
elitist image and was attempting to get in touch with her simpler side, which
she knew was hidden inside of her, though possibly somewhere very deep.

The car careened around a sharp
curve and their legs bumped slightly harder this time. Gloria felt a tingling
sensation spreading from her knee to the rest of her body. She wanted to know
how it would feel like to touch him again, but this time with intent, to run
her fingers through his flaxen hair, stroke his chiseled face, fondle his
muscly arms, lean her body against his wide chest. She knew that once they
arrived at the shooting site they would have to act strictly professional, so
timing became more crucial than ever.

Maybe she just needed to take the
reins and kiss him, even if the car was full of people whose names she hadn’t
even bothered to remember?
Not a chance in hell
. Gloria rejected the
idea almost instantly, not just because she was a bit of a coward, but mostly
because despite her age, she enjoyed secretly fantasizing about her knight in
shining armor, just as a teenage girl would.

 After two and a half hours
the driver stopped to refuel one last time. The location of the photo shoot was
pretty isolated and there were no gas stations nearby. The passengers had a
twenty minute break before continuing on their long and bumpy journey.

Gloria sneaked into the minimarket
at the station and went to the one place that always made her feel better, the
chocolate bar section.

She stood in front of the rows of
shelves, noticing the usual chocolate bars like Kit Kat and Snickers, along
with some unknown brands that were probably familiar only to local eyes.

This section always made her feel
calm, because as a child, when she was sad, her mother used to take her grocery
shopping and would always let her choose a chocolate bar to sweeten her sorrow.
The trick never failed. A few years later, her mother became unwell and their
sweet trips to the grocery store ceased, but Gloria kept returning by herself
to those familiar shelves, where she could always find comfort – even if she
hadn’t bought a single candy bar in the last decade.

“Need some change?” she heard
Andy’s voice behind her. “If I were you, I would go for the Twix.”

Gloria frowned. “Do you really
think that just a few hours before I’m going to be photographed in the tightest
dress on earth, for which I’ve spent countless hours at the gym, I would
actually buy a chocolate bar?”

Andy must have lost his mind
,
she inevitably concluded.

“Then why are you standing here?”
he asked confusedly.

Gloria stared at him but then
began laughing, forgetting about maintaining the self-restraint she had so
carefully adopted. The reason why she was poised in front of rows and rows of
candy bars was obvious only to her. Standing and staring at shelves filled with
sweet treats for minutes on end, without buying a single one, just made sense
to her; in other people’s eyes it came across as a bit odd, to say the least.

Soon enough Andy joined Gloria in
laughter. They just stood there, indifferent to the curious glances turned at
them, bursting into laughter. When their eyes met, the laughter vanished
without a trace and was replaced by silence. They looked at each other, smiling
and somewhat embarrassed.

There was only one way out of
this situation. Andy leaned over and kissed her. For the first time. In a
convenience store. Of a gas station. It was just as magical as it would have
been anywhere else.

Gloria glanced behind her as she
walked back to the car.
The chocolate shelves never let you down.