No Ordinary Killer (33 page)

“Well, hell no one
likes to be criticized.”

“True, but you
have the ability to dissect the criticism and decide what good to take from it
or maybe it is just bull and you can dismiss it. The offender in this scenario
cannot control the criticism and feels … no, not even
feel
because he is unemotional and detached. He reacts with his
fist or in ways to get-even behind the scene, like I think is happening here.”

“Jesus.” Cooper shook his head. “I did try talking to
Paul about … it once. He clammed up. So that’s when I promised never to tell
anyone—”

“But you told Candy.”

“
I wish I hadn’t. Maybe … I mean … if this killer is Paul … I could have
stopped this whole thing from happening if I’d kept my mouth shut.”

“And Paul’s step-father would have continued abusing
him. Do you think that was right? There is no blame on your part. Paul had some
demons to deal with, and much to his non-control he might have chosen this
path. I’m telling you right now you couldn’t have known. Most serial killers
are described as intelligent, charismatic, street-wise, charming, and generally
good looking. I hate to say it, but Paul is all of those if not more.”

“What do you mean
… and more?”

“Well he’s not
married but has maintained several relationships. He’s a mobile individual and
could travel miles to find his perfect or worthy victim. I’m sure by now you
have zeroed in on the fact that all his victims are similar in appearance.”

“Long blonde hair, blue eyes, shapely, professional,
and in a new relationship that no one seems to know the identity of. Yes, I did
put that together. I’m still not sure we’re talking about Paul.”

“Once your father gave Mr. Weaver the ultimatum and,
therefore, Paul no longer had a father, and he had to deal with the fact people
now knew he was sexually abused. All these years he has had to worry you might
tell someone else or maybe since you told Candy, she might tell someone else.
His mother didn’t protect him and since he’s adopted, he may feel she isn’t his
mother. In all reality, his birth parents deserted him. He feels betrayed by
them, his father, his mother, and his two best friends and cousins, Candy and
you.”

“You don’t really think after all this time he’s
trying to kill me now? I don’t see it.”

“He doesn’t want you dead, Cooper. He could have made
that happen so many times already. He’s making you look over your shoulder—just
like he has had to. He’s making you feel paranoid and believe everyone is out
to get you—just like he has felt. He wants you to feel betrayed—like he has
felt betrayed. You had a father and mother as you grew up and his father was
forced to leave. Now he is dead and his mother is useless to him. You have a
twin sister to share everything with and once you both shared with him—then
betrayed him and now he has no one. Then suddenly you and your partner get this
big promotion and he wonders why he didn’t. It’s just too much to take.”

“Is that what your profiling is telling you?”

“Yes and no. There’s something missing. Something
tangible that ties it all together. I just don’t know what it is. But if we’re
right we’ll learn that Pete is sexually dysfunctional and has a low
self-esteem, he’s just learned to hide it.”

“That’s why all these kinky sex crimes?”

“It may or may not be about sex, but it’s definitely
about power and control. What his father did to him twisted his way of
thinking. If Paul is our man, he’s found great satisfaction in the knowledge
that he’s defeated the police. I’m sure he’s manipulated evidence to assure the
police made the wrong conclusion. He’s a very clever killer.”

Pete’s phone
buzzed, Cooper jumped and handed it back to Dallas. “You handle it, I’m
driving.”

“Oh, shit.”

“What’s wrong?” A
sick feeling washed over Cooper. “Are the twins okay? God, tell me—”

“He sent a text on Pete’s phone.”

“Read it.”

“An IA agent and detective were confused for the
clever killer left them feeling used. Oh, they properly collected all the
clues, but found themselves breaking all the rules. Where do they go from
here—or do they? Solve the case and make the killer pay.”

“His other poem was better,” Cooper said.

“Funny. Okay, I think Gulchinski had his son’s phone
pinned so if he wanted to know where Pete really was, he could track him by his
cell phone. The killer is telling you he knows you have Pete’s iPhone with you
and knows where you physically are.”

“Text him back.
Cell
phone for emergency in case I get held up and need to let you know. Will toss
it away ten miles before reaching Garnet.
”

“I think that gives him all the control. A serial
killer is a very insecure individual. He is without power unless he’s in
control. I think we should text him your initial comment.”

“What? ‘Your other poem was better’?”

“We’ve been driving for over an hour. Your family is
safe. We need to play with this guy’s head. Let’s flip the coin and make him
our victim. That means we want to manipulate him, make him feel uncomfortable
and unsure what we know.”

“We play that game and we could get Megan killed.”

“You and I both know she’s most likely dead already.
I’m not saying we shouldn’t hope for the best, but we are trained and know the
score. Since our guy is into self-gratification to a point where nothing else
matters, let’s yank his chain a bit. It’ll toy with his control and he’s more
likely to make a mistake.”

“Okay, let’s play ball. It’s about time we had a face-off.”

Dallas said the words as she texted:
Your other poem was better.
She pressed
send. “He should have it right now.”

“I hope you’re right about this. If nothing else, if
he hasn’t gotten to Megan, this might distract him from hurting her.”

“We can hope. Okay, he’s responded already. He said,
Fuck off
.”

Cooper laughed. “Score one for us.”

 
“I suggest we
respond with something like this.” Dallas texted:
Would love to. Can’t. Some asshole serial killer is digging his grave
and I’m anxious to see him fall in it.

“I’m trusting you here, Dallas.” Cooper said. “Go
ahead and send it. But I’m telling you, it’s going to piss him off.”

“That’s the idea. We want to pull him out of his
comfort zone. He believes he’s superior to you. During the day he’s a trained
detective. When he kills he isn’t conflicted because he’s able to operate in an
emotionally detached manner with no empathy for the victims.”

“In other words he feels … oh not feels … believes
he’s justified in what he’s doing.”

“Exactly. Okay, he’s answered.
All evidence is pointing at you, detective. Megan just admitted the
twins aren’t yours. Too bad, so sad. Guess your brother-in-law likes to keep it
all in the family though.”

“That bastard,” Cooper shouted.

“Hold on and keep your cool, he’s playing his game. We
know that because he’s trying to take back control and push your buttons.
There’s a good chance he hasn’t even started on Megan yet. Let’s play this out.
We’ll need to respond but not in the way you think.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’re not dealing with just anyone here. Our guy is
what many like to call the ‘
psychology
of evil
’.
We want to distract
him now. We need to appeal to his self-interests and make him feel he’s got to
be the smartest fucker you’ve ever come across. We’ve got to keep in mind he’s
clever, devious, selfish, and extremely narcissistic.”

“And you know this because?”

“It’s in the handbook I consider my work bible, the
Practical Homicide Investigation
by
Vernon J. Geberth. I don’t leave home without it.”

“I own and have read that book a couple of times. I
concentrate on the investigation more than the psychology. Don’t know where it
is now, but you’re right. So you suggest what?”

“Let’s take control, but feed his grandiose sense of
self-importance called an ego.”

“I’m mighty glad you’re here, Dallas. If I were alone
I’d have screwed this one up royally.”

“Now that you’ve stroked my newly self-inflated ego,
let’s put that energy into our perp.”

She clicked away until he couldn’t take it anymore.
“What you writing?”

“Okay, just finished. You are responding:
Have my own set of paternity tests running.
Unless her lover has red hair and green eyes like me, you can be sure they’re
mine. By the way, I have to say I admire how long you’ve evaded detection. Some
fine police work, if I must say so
.”

“Nice stroke.” Cooper glanced right and noted they had
just passed Helena. Half-way there. He pressed the speedometer to eighty and
reset the cruise control.

“Here we go,” Dallas said.
“You will be charged with nine counts of first degree murder. Your name
will be remembered as Montana’s most notorious serial killer.”

“Nine? What the—“

“He is counting the first three murders and the
copycats, so that is six. I wonder—“

“Megan and her damn second book.”

“What second book?”

Cooper swallowed hard to control his anger. “Arnott
told me Kari Winslow announced Megan’s second book,
Physical Evidence
, was coming out in three segments and the first
was on the market a week ago.”

“Are they based on actual case files again?”

“I asked the same question,” Cooper said. “Arnott said
they we not going to disclose that fact until the third segment hit the
market.”

“And when will that be?”

“Next week already, from what I understand. I told
Arnott to buy and read the damn thing. Then he needs to start figuring out
where the next victim is going to be.”

“You were right. He just texted. You will be found
guilty for nine murders.”

“We’re already too late, aren’t we?” Cooper shook with
frustration.

“Maybe not. Let’s answer this bastard.”

“Okay, let’s say:
I
don’t know how you did it. You outwitted our entire team. Did you change the
evidence? Did you know the wrong men went to prison for something they didn’t
do?
What do you think?” Cooper thought for a moment. “Give him a P.S. Say,
I know of six murders, who are the other
three?”

“Oh, good idea,” she said, clicking away. “Okay, I’ve
sent it.”

“We still have over an hour to go. It—“ The ringing
phone startled him. “Tell me he is not calling to talk.”

“Nope, looks like it’s Arnott. I’ll put it on
speaker.”

“Just wanted to let you both know I’m about ten miles
behind you. There’s an
all-night
gas station just as you come into Missoula. I have a friend’s truck. Good news
here is he has two under-bed supply trunks. I figure a few miles out Dallas and
I will hunker down in them. I brought along a few supplies. I’m wired.”

“Hello yourself,” Cooper said, relieved to hear his
partner’s voice. “I like the plan except it’ll be cold as hell in those truck
beds.”

“It is what it is.”

“Gotta go, Arnott. The perp is texting me.”

“What? Damn, wish I was there.”

“Ditto.” Cooper nodded for Dallas to take the text
message.

“
You fucks
didn’t discover a clue I didn’t want you to. Everyone will soon learn you got a
worthless commendation for the biggest fuck-up in Montana. You’ll be the
detective joke of all time. What do you think your dear ole dad would think of
you now? His protégé and son. You come from a long line of law enforcement and
you’ve just fucked that up. P.S. You might have your team check out three ghost
towns in this order: Bannack where they’ll find Ella Burquist, Marysville
they’ll find Sarah Betrovek, and finally when they get to Garnet they’ll find
Megan Reynolds.”
Dallas paused, then said, “Damn, I can’t wait to get my
hand on this asshole.”

“I knew he was planning on making her a copycat
victim. Why on earth would Megan write a second book after the hideous results
from the first?”

“Maybe she didn’t have a choice. He’s a manipulator.
He doesn’t get what he wants, he threatens and follows through. That might be
why she sent the twins off to grandma’s house.”

“She should have told me. How can I protect Tina and
Tucker if she can’t be honest with me?” Cooper thought over the message. “Read
that part about my dad again, would you?”

“Sure, umm …
What
do you think your dear ole dad would think of you now? His protégé and son. You
come from a long line of law enforcement and you’ve just fucked that up.
”
Dallas waited, then added, “It’s personal, Cooper. You still think it can’t be
Paul Weaver?”

“It’s the way he said it.”

“What do you mean?”

“You come from a long line of law enforcement and you
better not fuck it up.
My dad used to
say that word-for-word. Not many people would know that. Candy, Arnott,
Maxwell, Gulchinski, Weaver and me.”