Slasherazzi (12 page)

A gentle breeze drifted through the room, caressing the bare skin of my back. I reached out to pull the covers back over me and then to put an arm around Vince. My hand found only an empty space, the bed still warm where he had lain. I opened my eyes with a groan and blinked a few times as the fog of sleep began to lift from my mind.

There was no reply. I sat up and looked around for any indication of the time. It was still pitch black outside, and my phone was nowhere to be seen. I frowned and glanced around the room again, spotting a dark heap on the floor where I had discarded my pants. A few seconds of rummaging and I pulled my cell from my pocket.

Four twenty a.m., it said. I placed my phone on the bedside table and scratched the top of my head as I ambled out into the hallway. There I collided into a wall of flesh. Vince let out a surprised gasp, and I stumbled back a couple of steps.

He placed a hand on my shoulder and turned me back to the bedroom. “Woke up with a bit of a headache, so I went to get a glass of water.”

“Oh,” I replied as I climbed back under the sheets. Vince followed me in, and the waking world faded out once more.

The pounding of drums and wailing of electric guitars sliced through the blissful embrace of sleep, yanking me from its arms and dragging me backward through several hedges before I returned to the waking world. I groaned, and Vince echoed the sound.

“Seriously? That’s your alarm tone now?” he asked, pulling the covers up and over his head. I fumbled about blindly for my cell and hit the snooze button. My entire body felt heavy, and my head even more so.

“You don’t have to get up. Who needs a job and paycheck anyway?”
I sighed and forced myself out of bed. With both hands, I rubbed at my eyes and then did a slow zombiewalk to the shower. By the time I had finished, Vince was waiting for his turn. I dressed and headed to the kitchen where I poured two glasses of orange juice. I set Vince’s down on the counter, ready for when he finished his shower, and guzzled down my own before reaching into the junk drawer for a small brass key.
I went out into the hallway and unlocked the study. I walked over to the desk and picked up the top page, which contained notes on the fourth victim. A cold chill spread over me, and a lead weight dropped into my stomach. I hadn’t been in the study since before my date with Vince, and somehow, the order had changed. I turned away, went back to the kitchen, and set the glasses down on the counter. After everything last night, was history repeating itself? Footsteps echoed down the narrow hall, followed by the clacking of shoes against the tiled kitchen floor.
“So how about that breakfast? I’m starving,” Vince said. He wrapped his arms around me from behind and leaned in close until I could feel his breath against my ear. I clenched my fists hard enough to make my arms shake.
“Get off me.”
Vince stepped away, and I turned to face him. He frowned, his expression filled with worry. “Alex, what’s up? Did I do something wrong?”
I snorted and folded my arms. “I dunno, Vince. Why don’t you tell me? Did you do something wrong?”
“No. I mean, not that I know of,” he replied. “Alex, come on. You’re freaking me out now. What’s this all about?”
“Don’t play dumb,” I yelled. “You’ve been bugging me for weeks to try and get some information about this case—then you suddenly give up? It almost seemed too good to be true, but I’m starting to see why. This was your plan all along, wasn’t it?”
“The only thing I planned was to try and win you back. And it seemed like it was working until just now.”
“Yeah, it worked right up until you broke every goddamn promise you made to me. I know you’ve been in my study. So tell me, did you find something that was worth all this?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Vince said, raising his voice. “I didn’t go near your study.”
“Yeah, then why was everything out of order?”
Vince opened his mouth, but no words came out. He threw his hands up and gave an exasperated sigh. “Maybe you left it like that? I don’t know.”
I started to pace about the kitchen. My pulse hammered in my neck. Heat radiated from my body, carrying my anger through the room. “You just couldn’t help yourself, could you? I don’t know why I ever thought this time would be any different. You haven’t changed one bit.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re just the same selfish prick you always were. You don’t give a damn about anything but your career.”
“I told you, it wasn’t me,” Vince shouted. He ran his hands through his hair, then stormed over to the door. “You know what, Alex? Fuck you. I made a real effort to make things work this time, but we’re never going to get anywhere if you can’t trust me. I’m walking out this door, and I won’t be coming back.”
“Then go,” I replied, motioning to the exit.
He remained still for a few seconds, as though he was judging how much I meant those words. I held his gaze, and my breath too. The tension in the air was so thick I could almost feel it between us, until Vince turned and left. Seconds later, there was a bang as the front door slammed shut and whatever self-control I’d been holding on to crumbled.
I spun around and lashed out, sending the two glasses of juice flying over the counter. They landed with a sharp crash, and the sound echoed within me as my heart seemed to plummet and shatter into my gut. I slumped to the floor, resting against the kitchen cabinet, and placed my head in my hands. A hollow sensation emanated from the void left in my chest and chased away the molten rage, leaving me cold and numb.

After cleaning up the mess in the kitchen and slicing open my thumb on a shard of glass, I made my way to the precinct and made a beeline straight for my desk, barely avoiding Grady who was carrying two mugs of coffee in from the kitchen. I slumped down into the chair and hid behind the computer screen. It was only moments later when Tanya strode in and set down a stack of papers. She smiled, and I stared back at her, expressionless. No doubt she was waiting for some protest or snarky comment about the wad of work she’d just dumped in front of me. “Okay, what’s up?” she asked.
I exhaled slowly and picked up the first sheet. It was

“Possibly. We’ve got a few more stacks to sort through as well.”
“Guess we’d better get started then,” I replied, welcoming the distraction and pulling the pile toward me. “Anything in particular I should be looking for?”
Tanya took the sheet from my hands and laid it back down on top of the others. “Something’s up. Talk to me, Alex.”
“Everything is fine.”
“Don’t give me that bull. Have you looked in a mirror this morning? Because you look like someone killed your puppy, and don’t go giving me some lame ass excuse because I can tell when you’re lying. You get these little creases in your forehead, and I’m starting to think you could use some anti-wrinkle cream right about now.” She paused for a breath, and I rubbed at my forehead. “I know you, Alex. Something is eating you up inside and keeping it locked up isn’t going to help. And you know I sure as hell won’t be giving up until you tell me.”
I sucked in my lower lip and leaned back in my chair. “Okay,” I conceded. “Vince and I got into a fight this morning. Found out he’d been snooping through my study, and I lost it with him. I just can’t believe I got sucked in yet again. After everything that’s happened, you’d think I would have learned my lesson.”
“Oh, Alex,” she said, pulling up a chair and placing a hand on my shoulder. “So is it over between the two of you?”
“Yeah, I think it is.” I closed my eyes, replaying the scene in my mind. I’d never seen Vince storm out like that before. It was always me losing my cool and Vince slinking off in a sullen daze. He always came back after a few weeks, bright-eyed and cheery, like the past had never happened. This time, my instincts told me that wasn’t going to happen; I’d finally pushed Vince away. “For good.”
“It’s for the best,” Tanya said. “So, honestly, how are you holding up?”
I shrugged. “Deep down, I knew I was setting myself up for trouble, but I wanted to believe things would be different. And they were at first. It was almost like when we first started dating. We went out for a meal last night, and it seemed like Vince had really made an effort to make things work between us. I even started to believe he had changed and that we really could have a future together. You know, a white house with a picket fence and a dog, or two. But I guess that was all just wishful thinking. He hasn’t changed at all, and he never will.”
“I told you he was no good.”
I lifted my head to glare at Tanya. She withdrew her hands and lifted them in surrender.
“Hey, I didn’t want to be right, but Vince has been nothing but trouble since the moment you two met.”
I tightened my fists and grated my teeth. Vince might have almost got me sacked, invaded my privacy to further his career on more than one occasion, then blown his umpteenth chance by betraying what little trust I had left in him. But it hadn’t all been bad. There were many times I’d seen this great guy. Caring. Thoughtful. Romantic. Funny. Sexy. Determined. He always remembered special dates and had a way with words when I was feeling down. When he wasn’t thinking about his job, he was near enough perfect. But when he was in work mode, there was a whole different side to him. Selfish. Manipulative. Just thinking about it was enough to get me riled up again. I shook my head and relaxed my fists.
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly. “It’s not you I’m mad at. I’m mad at myself for letting him use me again. You were right about him. I should have listened to you in the first place. But it’s over now. We’re over.”
Tanya gave me a quick pat on the shoulder. “We all make some mistakes when it comes to love. Don’t beat yourself up about it.”
“Love?” I snorted and folded my arms. “I didn’t love him.”
“Alex, you can’t lie to me. It’s written all over your face when you talk about him. Besides, what man talks about white picket fences with someone he doesn’t love?”
I shrugged. So maybe I had started to imagine a future with Vince, but that didn’t mean I loved him, just that the possibility of love was there. That stabbing pain in my chest was the feeling of being betrayed. Nothing more. Not that it mattered now. Vince and I were done. Finished. It would take several miracles and the aligning of the stars before I would contemplate taking him back. Consider my lesson well and truly learned.
Tanya chuckled. “You know I’m right. And the sooner you admit it, the faster you can start to move on. No rebounds, though, please. Believe me, I went through that nightmare after my divorce was finalized, and it was not pretty. You remember Tyson, right? That whole relationship was one hot mess. I would give my right arm to erase it from my life. Just give it some time, and we’ll find you a nice, dependable young man or woman. But no journalists this time, okay?”
Reluctantly, I nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Not that I was in the mood for starting another relationship so soon. I’d had a few rebounds before I met Vince, and each of them had ended with a not-so-gentle letdown when I realized I wasn’t as into the relationship as the other person. I wouldn’t be making that mistake again.
For the time being, I would settle for beating myself up until I was sure I was over a certain bastard. I clenched my jaw and fists, unable to believe Vince would actually be dumb enough to snoop through my study after the conversation we’d had not long before. Okay, maybe I could believe he would do something like that—after all, it had happened several times previously—but, more than anything, I was angry with myself for being a complete sucker and falling for his lies. And to say I was livid at Vince for lying to me in the first place would be an understatement.
“What are you thinking?” Tanya asked.
“That I wouldn’t mind a few minutes alone with Vince. Taking a fist to his face might make me feel better.”
“Might not be such a good career move, though,” Tanya replied. Always the voice of reason. “Why not do what the rest of us do? Curl up on the sofa with a good movie and your favorite Ben & Jerry’s. Ice cream makes everything better, believe me.”
I shook my head and picked up another of the papers. A round with a punch bag followed by a drink or two sounded like a great idea. But as long as I was at work, I’d have to shift my attention elsewhere.
“Or work is good, too,” Tanya said, pulling her chair closer to the desk.
I hummed in agreement. Working wouldn’t make the memory of Vince disappear for good, but it sure as hell would make forcing him to the back of my mind easier.

The heavy beat of club music drummed through the air, drowning out the conversations taking place all around me. Hot, sweaty bodies ground against each other on the dance floor and pushed past one another in an attempt to get served at the bar.

In the middle of the throng stood my prey, leaning slightly over the counter to shout his order to the barman, while a skinny young thing with long blonde hair clung to his arm and rubbed against him like an attention-starved kitten. Pitiful.

He picked up the two shot glasses placed in front of him, handed one to the woman, then downed his. Afterward, he leaned in until his face was almost buried into her ear and whispered something to her. She nodded, then tipped her head back to swallow the drink.

They left through the main entrance and exited out onto the sidewalk where the quiet helped ease the thrumming of my head. It was only a short walk to his house, though the blonde stumbling about made it seem that much longer. They went inside, and I bided my time, watching as they fucked. There was certainly no lovemaking going on in the bedroom that night.

It didn’t take long for the woman to slip out of the bed afterward and pull on her clothes. She tiptoed out of the house and began her slow amble home, swaying a little with each step. I followed behind, keeping my distance to avoid being noticed. My fingers itched, and I thrust them deep into my pocket to wrap them around the hilt of my knife.

The wind howled, and heavy drops of water began to patter against the concrete. I pulled the hood of my jacket tighter around my head and stood under a nearby tree as my prey stopped outside a two-story house and fumbled with her purse. She managed to open the lock after some effort trying to make the key fit, and went inside. Light spilled from one of the upstairs windows, and I briefly made out her figure before she closed the blinds.