Serial Separation (11 page)

Chapter 30

Would Scott and Lisa get married? Mike Miller thought about Scott while he watched his kids play with their presents. Would they have a family like his? They were really meant for each other, just like he and his wife were.

The television was on in the background, but every time the kids moved, it interfered with the reception due to the rabbit ears. He didn’t much care, it was just for background, but he wanted to hear about the storm.

He was glad Paddy consented to let Scott on the task force again. Paddy’s hands were tied once he decided to have Mercedes join. Once that decision was made, Scott had to be included on the task force.

He thought it was strange Scott was intimidated by Mercedes.
She seems nice. She might even give Lisa a run for her money, but Scott seems set for life with Lisa.

His thoughts were interrupted by the storm report:

The slow moving storm took many by surprise. The roads are jammed with stuck or abandoned cars. Officials are recommending only emergency travel until late tomorrow. The unexpected nor’easter developed off the coast with merging low pressure areas creating
severe flooding along the shore. Wind gusts hit sixty miles an hour during the height of the storm.

The storm is currently off the coast of Maine and is expected to move on to Nova Scotia by noon tomorrow. Emergency vehicles are currently attempting to restore power to many coastal areas where downed trees have taken out utility service. Officials warn citizens not to go near any downed electrical wires. They may be live and could cause serious injury or death.

Snowfall amounts in Boston are estimated to reach ten to twelve inches, cities north of Boston twelve to sixteen inches, and the Cape only six to ten.

He was lucky to make it home from Newburyport. They had someone transport the body to the state crime lab in Framingham. He was glad he hadn’t tried to go with the others as it would have been a stretch to reach there due to the bad road conditions. He wondered if Colleen had relayed his message to Scott and Mercedes warning them not to try to make it to the coast.

* * *

We interrupt our normal program for the following. This is WBZ TV reporting that investigators were at the scene on the North Shore, where a body was found in a fishing trawler’s net. Investigators speculate the body is related to the two other recent torso slayings but failed to comment further. We return you to our regularly scheduled programming.

He thought about the report not saying much, but that was good. It would tell the killer, or killers, that they had a body. It didn’t mention Bob Sullivan’s name in the report, but they believe it was him. The timing was right.

His mind drifted back to the storm. He wondered if Scott had tried to make it to Newburyport. What if he tried and was stuck? What if Mercedes tried and also was stuck?

What if they both went together and got stuck? That could be a disaster in the making. Scott would miss Christmas with Lisa and her family. He was sure there was nothing to worry about. Colleen never mentioned that they had already left. What would happen to their relationship if they were together and Lisa found out?

He thought about the meeting with Scott at the Harvard Pub. Signs pointed to the body being that of Bob Sullivan. He had also played in Scott’s hockey league. Scott said these three guys were all the same caliber of players, and he could think of one other player in that same regard. Jason ‘Tippy’ Johnston was this other player’s name.

He thought that might be an important lead to check out when he returned to the office. What would these guys have done in the hockey league to get them killed? It made no sense. If they were stabbed, shot or beaten to death, he could see it—but not dismembered and mutilated like that. Could that be just a smoke screen to hide the fact that someone in the league had a vendetta against them?
We need to walk Bob’s last steps to see what we could learn.
His thoughts were interrupted.

His wife asked, “Hon, are you still with us?”

“Yes, I was just thinking about Scott and some things. I’m sorry.”

Chapter 31

I remember lying on the covers while Mercedes was in the bathroom, but I must have fallen asleep. The fire had burned down; its glow was the only light in the cabin. I looked over and could see Mercedes’ red hair sticking out from under the covers. I noticed her clothes on the chair and a towel draped over the arm.

I didn’t want to disturb her, but I wanted to see what was happening with the storm. I moved cautiously and looked outside. It was still storming outside. My car was just a lump near the fence. From what I could tell the snow was up to the bottom rail, meaning there had to be more than a foot of the white stuff.

There were no visible lights outside and no traffic along the road. The only noise was the wind hitting the window. The scene could be set miles in the woods. There was no rush to leave from the looks of things. I checked the time, and it was twelve fifteen. It was now Christmas.
I’m sorry I didn’t get to be with you today, Lisa.

I went to the bathroom and flipped the light switch, and flipped it again. Nothing! No power.
Better bring the fire to life or we’ll freeze to death.
It took some persuading, but the fire came to life. I was sure the larger log would eventually catch. The orange glow was much brighter now, so I went back to the bathroom.

I tried the blower switch just to make sure the power was really out. Nothing happened. When I closed the door, there was no light coming in from the small window. It took my eyes a moment or two to adjust to the darkness, but I could see well enough to use the john. I decided to take a shower to avoid a problem in the morning when Mercedes was awake.

When I got my clothes off and stepped in the shower and drew the curtain there was not enough light any longer. I got back out and opened the door enough to let some light in. I turned the shower on and quickly realized there wasn’t going to be any hot water. It was dark in the shower and I had to open the curtain enough to let some light in. I don’t mind cold showers, but this was one that made me hurry.

Mercedes had already brought in the shampoo and conditioner bottles, so I washed my hair. When I turned to rinse I thought I saw the bathroom door move. I watched it for a few seconds, but I must have been mistaken.

* * *

I continued my shower, watching every now and then to see if the door moved, but never saw it. My mind drifted to Mercedes in the bed right on the other side of the wall. What if she had opened the door? There wasn’t enough light in here to see me anyway. She wouldn’t have done that. I thought about how uncomfortable she made me, and then I couldn’t help thinking about her long legs.

Even with the cold shower, my body reacted to her image. I couldn’t help thinking about the many showers Lisa and I had taken together. She hadn’t been in a shower with me for months now. I knew she was suffering in silence from her ordeal.

I thought I heard the metal door latch and turned quickly to see but saw nothing. The shower was now extremely cold, and I had to turn the water off.

I got out and dried off, but the air in the bathroom was freezing. I thought about the fire and how warm it would be. I left my clothes on the small linen cabinet and wrapped the towel around me. I peeked out of the bathroom and checked to see if Mercedes was up and about, but she was still under the covers.

I went over to the fireplace and tried to add a couple of larger logs, but in the process one of them fell on the floor. I checked to see if the noise woke Mercedes, but she never moved. Within a couple of minutes the two logs flamed up, and I could feel the warmth. The rocks of the fireplace were warm. I wish I could take one of them with me to bed.

In the next minute, my damp towel was on the floor beside the bed, and I had done my best to climb under the covers without disturbing her, but I did see her naked back.

My thoughts went to the body discovered in Newburyport and the ordeal those men must have endured. Would there be any additional guys killed? Could Jason Johnston be next? I thought that I had to help Mike and the others focus on him. Maybe we could prevent him from being killed.

I was glad I was thinking of him, since I was not thinking about how warm it was under those covers with Mercedes lying right next to me . . . or was I?

Chapter 32

She awoke that morning still naked from the night before. She loved her current environment—anything was better than the factory. That’s how the women referred to the warehouse, if they weren’t using ‘Ice House.’

She closed her eyes, imaging her fantasy partner, loving how quickly her body warmed to the image. She reached for him and knew instantly he was naked.

Her mind drifted to their prior killings, and the next. This one would be Carole’s trophy. The first two were Jean’s and Sandra’s. Her breathing quickened, remembering the look on Bob’s face when she brandished the knife. The women all had their reasons for revenge. However, they all agreed JJ’s would be the most justified.

She remembered Carole describing the rape of her fourteen-year-old sister at the hands of JJ and his gang. Rumor had it they committed many rapes several years ago.

Unfortunately, the police never did anything as the families never came forward. The families avoided the publicity and shame of a trial. Consequently, the police never had enough evidence to arrest and prosecute.

Shortly, JJ would have his own trial, and justice would not be swift.

Bob had felt the cold that weekend, complaining about it. That was their plan, make them uncomfortable and sorry for their sins. They all did, screaming their regret, but too late. They couldn’t reverse their rapes.

Those men should have considered the consequences of their actions. She and her friends had focused on revenge, but, she realized, the killings had taken on a greater dimension.

She thought of JJ and how he would be protected by his gang, but if they could get him and other gang members, that would be special.

When they came up with the idea of keeping body parts as trophies, they realized the benefit of showing them to the new victims—immediately conveying their fate. A picture is worth a thousand words.

The trophy display changed them from big bad men to babies. Having other gang members watch the transition would be rewarding. She felt her body react to the image of a naked companion.

Chapter 33

Naked. Oh my God! How did I get into this predicament?
Looking around, I could see the gloom of the winter’s day. I could see the overcast blanket engulfing me. I could smell imminent rain, or even freezing drizzle, about to cascade.

Cold. I’ve never been this cold.
It was hard to keep my teeth from chattering.

Why? Why am I here? How did I get here?
I tried to determine my surroundings.

I can’t move my arms or legs
. My neck was numb from the cold metal under it. I could see two converging lines. I was lying across railroad tracks. I could see my hands tied with wire cord, but could not feel them. I looked down across my nakedness to see the same thing with my outstretched legs.

Cold, so cold
. My body was shaking and my teeth chattering. There was a slight breeze blowing my hair. I tried to remember how I got here. I couldn’t remember anything.

I could see woods at my feet stretching in either direction. I looked behind—it was the same thing. If I yelled, would anyone hear?

I tried to yell, but nothing came out. I tried again but all I heard was a muffled sound. Why? Why would anyone do this to me?

I felt wet. My mind was racing. Nothing was making sense. I looked into the clouds, and a crow was circling. There wasn’t a sound. Shortly, there were several crows circling, their wings not moving.

I tried to pull on my restraints, but nothing moved. I was numb and had to have been here quite some time. I thought I heard something in the distance. I watched the crows, now too many to count, getting lower and lower, coming close enough that I could see their black eyes. Do crows eat live bodies? Were they just waiting for the inevitable?

I could feel cold water. A whistle getting louder. Then I smelled something sweet. I could feel movement under my body, and the sound had turned to drums—drums beating fast . . . nothing making any sense. No, not drums, a train. I couldn’t look and closed my eyes to the beat getting louder and faster.

This is it. This is the end.
I tried again to call out, but my voice was muffled and wouldn’t work. My mind flashed on Lisa.
I love you, Lisa!
I could feel my shoulders being lifted.
This must be the end.

* * *

“Scott. Scott, wake up; you’re having a nightmare. Scott, please wake up.”

I heard this voice in the distance calling me.

“Please, Scott. Are you awake? You’re just laying there, Scott.
Wake up!
”

It took me a moment to realize I was having a bad dream. The fragrance of gardenias washed over me. My eyes focused; I could barely see her face in the dark. It was Mercedes.

“You were having a dream, and I couldn’t wake you. I tried shaking, rocking, whistling, water, and I even slapped you. Scott, talk to me; are you awake now?”

Her long red hair was hanging almost in my face, and she was kneeling beside me. She had a towel on, but, I noticed in the dim light, it didn’t do the job.

“I must have been dreaming.”

“Scott, I have to say, that is an understatement. I was doing everything to wake you. Are you okay?”

“I am now, but the dream was so real. I couldn’t move. I was tied to railroad tracks with a train coming. It was cold, and I was naked.”

“Kind of like now?” she said, angling her head.

I pulled the sheet up quickly, but obviously it was much too late.

She was just quietly staring at me.

“Scott, I was scared; you were saying things I couldn’t understand. I thought you might be having a seizure or something.”

She put the wet facecloth on my forehead. It felt so good. She seemed so different from the Mercedes I first met.

I realized it was really cold in the cabin now that there were only coals in the fireplace. I saw her long legs, since the towel was too small for the task. She caught me looking at her.

“Scott, this is ridiculous. I have seen you naked for quite some time now, and you seem to be interested in my towel. I know we’re in an uncomfortable situation here, so let’s get this over with so we can both be more at ease.”

She rolled off the bed and stood in the limited light, and said, “Merry Christmas, Scott. You’ll have to forgive the wrapping. It was all I had.” With that she pulled the towel off.

She was even more incredible than I ever expected. Even in the limited light the glow off her body was something I don’t think I will ever forget.

“I don’t know what to say. I guess Santa Claus did find us after all.” I could also tell she was enjoying the opportunity to make me uncomfortable again. She had commented this would make us more comfortable, but we would see.

“Scott, I think I made my point. Now I have to go to the little girl’s room. Do you think you can get your butt in gear and keep us from freezing?”

I was trying to understand what she meant, but she pointed to the fireplace and ruined it.

* * *

I wrapped the towel around me while Mercedes was in the bathroom. The room was very cold since the only heat was the fireplace. There was still a large supply of firewood so that would keep us alive for a day or so.

It took some effort to bring the fire back to life. Mercedes had come back in and climbed into bed. Her towel was right where she left it. I focused my attention on the fire and did not look in her direction.

“Scott, are you upset with me?”

I thought for a moment. “No, just a little surprised, I guess.”

She answered softly, “You must have thought about the possibility of us being in bed together?”

“I had promised myself I was going to be a gentleman. We were thrust into this situation. It wasn’t like we planned it.”

“What if we had planned it—then what?”

I didn’t respond to her question, but I did think about it.
Could she have wanted to be with me? There is no way she would do that
, I thought.

“Scott, didn’t I tell you I found you attractive? Your buns aren’t bad either.”

“When did you see my buns?”

She answered, “When you were in the shower. I couldn’t resist the temptation to check it out; I mean, check you out.”

“Well, I thought I saw the door move.”

“You wouldn’t be a detective if you missed that. Are you more comfortable now, or do I have to come over there?”

“No, I’m comfortable . . . just trying to get this fire restarted.”

I looked over to her, and she was under the covers. The fire caught enough to put a larger log on, and I decided to add two more for later.

“I can see you were a good Boy Scout—always prepared.”

That had a double meaning, but I just let it go. I stood, checked my now tented towel, quickly covering the distance to my side of the bed, climbing in, towel and all.

She rolled in my direction, and I could tell she wanted to talk. “Scott, there are other ways to stay warm, you know?”

I felt like a puppet on a string. I knew how she wanted me to react, but I just looked at the shadows the fire made on the ceiling.

She slid close and put her arm across my chest, and I turned to study her. “Do you have a boyfriend?”

“That’s a deflating question . . . but no . . . I don’t have one. I really never had one. Circumstance just didn’t work out for it.”

She was quiet for a few minutes. “Scott, you’re a stronger man than I ever realized.”

That got my attention. “Why do you say that?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about. You said I was attractive, and I’m so close, yet for some reason you are miles away. I’ve never said this to any man before—I really want you. I need you.”

“Mercy, it’s all I can do to resist you. I have a girlfriend and if things work out we are going to get married after college. I don’t feel its right to be with another woman.”

“Does she make you happy? When was the last time she made you really happy?”

* * *

I didn’t answer either question since Lisa had not been herself for some time. In a few minutes, Mercedes had invaded my space and was warming me up. Our faces were close, and it seemed like an eternity waiting for our lips to touch. But touch they did and I have to admit, more than the log caught fire.

It wasn’t long before the sheets were no longer needed, the towel gone, and we were enjoying each other’s caresses. I liked everything about her. However, there was something I couldn’t quite grasp. It took me a while, but she was like a wild animal. She would never be tamed unless she wanted to be.

I was the one to reach for her hand to stop. She looked into my eyes, smiled, and rolled away. We still spooned together, but for me it was the longing to be close, knowing she wanted me.

We talked again about our first meeting and how we had reacted to each other. We complimented each other on each other’s looks and strength. We managed to stay close for hours.

We were quiet, slept for some time, but when she rolled onto her back it forced me to look at her again. She turned and looked into my eyes. This time, I didn’t hide that I was looking. She smiled, noticing my reaction.

She got up from the bed to tend to the fire, but she was still paying some attention to me. She placed a log on the fire, but all it did was to make a clunk, and I started to smile at her, trying to blow on the coals like I had.

I watched for a few minutes, and, for once, I think I had the upper hand. I jumped out of bed and took over blowing on the coals. After I had poked them, the log roared back to life. I reached over and took the bed cover off and put it beside the hearth.

I wanted to tell her why I thought I had the nightmare, but for some reason I decided not to. We laid there together for the rest of the night, watching the flames, and each other.