House of Skin (19 page)

His lips curled in anger, drool ran down his chin. His eyes were nearly as black as the make-up highlighting them.

The door opened and Moore came in, his black face sweaty. He was carrying a leather case that had been tagged as evidence. He set it down before Fenn.

“He was carrying this. Take a look.”

Fenn did so. It was loaded with knives of every conceivable sort. “Jesus. You gotta love a perp that comes with his own evidence.”

So many knives. So goddamn many knives. Fenn felt a dull throb at his temples. He could just imagine all the cutting and pain. It made him want to use his fists. He made himself relax. “Why, Spider?” he asked. “Why did you do it?”

It was a simple question, a pretty shop-worn one for cops, but he knew that the answer—if he got one—was going to be interesting.

“Answer the man,” Moore prompted.

Spider grinned and chortled deep in his throat. There was a certain sarcasm in his laugh as if he were asked something far too obvious to answer.

“Because I’m a lunatic,” he said.

“And that’s the only reason?”

Spider laughed loudly this time. “It’s too late to stop any of it now.”

“Any of what?”

Spider shook his head. “You’re too bloody stupid to even understand.”

“Better cooperate,” Gaines told him, twisting his arm a bit, “you’re in deep enough shit.”

“Humor me, then,” Fenn said.

“You couldn’t grasp what I’d say,” Spider told him. And it was obvious to all that he wasn’t being merely derisive; he actually believed what he said.

“C’mon, Spider, for chrissake,” Moore said.

“What’s your real name?” Fenn asked. “The one you were born with.”

“I’m crazy, I tell you,” Spider maintained. “I can’t even remember what I am, let alone
who
I am. This body is a shell, this life is synthetic. Soon I’ll abandon both to make the trip.”

“You ain’t taking a trip anywhere,” Gaines said. “They like to keep the animals in their cages at San Quentin and that’s where you’re fucking going.”

“You don’t know anything.”

Moore shook his head. “Crazy like a fox.”

“Your prints are already being processed,” Fenn said, trying to remain calm. He’d never dealt with a true serial murderer before, but he supposed it was important not to upset them.

“Then when you find out who I am, tell me.”

“Do you know where Eddy Zero is?”

“Eddy Zero?”

“You know who I’m talking about. Where the hell is he?”

For the first time, Spider looked less than confident. He seemed somewhat puzzled, frightened even, though it was hard to tell under all the make-up.

“If you help us get Eddy, maybe we can help you.”

Spider spat a stream of mucus at him. “You’ll never find him. Never.”

Gaines gave his arms a nasty pull. “Be civil, freak.”

“Where is he?”

“I don’t even know. I’m a lunatic, can’t you see that? How do you expect me to recall all these details when I don’t even know the difference between right and wrong?”

“Make it easy on yourself, Spider,” Moore said.

Fenn lit a cigarette. He wondered if he should call Lisa in and let her have a go at this nut. He had no idea even how to proceed with something like this.

“Eddy’s much smarter than you, boss,” said Spider. “You can lock me up all you want, but he’ll carry on with our work until the time comes.”

“The time of what?”

“Oh, you silly bastard, wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Yes, I would.”

“The time of departure,” Spider laughed. “The time we leave the here and now for the Territories. When they come for us.” Spider looked from Moore to Fenn. “See, I told you you couldn’t understand.”

“Help me,” Fenn urged him.

“If I could I would, boss,” Spider admitted. “The road to true knowledge is a long and grim journey. It’s not for everyone.”

Fenn tried a different angle. “Who are they? The ones that come for you?”

“The Sisters, of course.”

“And who the hell are the sisters?” Moore asked. “Do they have names?”

“You cannot know their names.”

“This is bullshit,” Moore snapped.

But Fenn was beginning to wonder. Yes, it was bullshit to them, but to Spider and Eddy, it meant something. But what? What sort of insane relevance did it have? “You seem to be a bright boy, Spider. I want to help you. So, why don’t you help me? Tell me about these sisters and Eddy. Tell me what it all means. We’re going to find out from Eddy when we pick him up, anyway. And I’ll just bet he’ll do anything he can to save his own ass and sink yours.”

Spider laughed. “You don’t know Eddy. You don’t know who he is.”

“He’s the son of a psycho. We know that.”

“Like I said, you know nothing.”

“Put him back for now,” Fenn said.

They hauled him away and he went quietly this time, giggling at some joke no one could pretend to ever know. Fenn didn’t like this at all. He’d thought it would be much easier, somehow. Maybe it was time to bring Lisa in. If there was logic here, maybe she’d see it.

After all, nutjobs were her specialty.

Fenn let Spider spend the night at the hands of the other detectives. They would pull him from his cell every two or three hours and give him a good going over. It was standard procedure, sleep deprivation. Tried and true. He was being held on charges of multiple homicide and murder conspiracy. He was looking at life if he was lucky and lethal injection if he wasn’t. Still … Spider looked upon it all as some kind of cheap amusement. He refused a lawyer because he said he did not recognize the law of the State of California. If he was shooting for an insanity defense, he was making a good job of it.

Fenn met Lisa for breakfast the next morning, before he went to the precinct.

“I talked with Gaines an hour ago,” Fenn told her. “They got nothing from Spider last night. Just the same shit he was telling me.”

“The Territories,” Lisa said.

“Ever come across that one before?”

Lisa shook her head. “Can’t say that I have. But I’d like to talk with him.”

“I’d appreciate it,” Fenn said, dipping into his eggs. “We’ve gone easy on him so far, but that can’t last. He’s a strange one. Doesn’t want a lawyer. Admitted to Gaines that he killed them, but won’t implicate Eddy. Not directly.”

“I’ll interview him, see what I can get.”

“Good. We have a psychiatrist, but he’s a shit and he doesn’t have the sort of experience you’ve had.”

“This isn’t going to be cut and dried,” Lisa said. “I can feel it. Compulsive killers like Spider create very elaborate fantasy systems to justify their crimes. They create immense psychological barriers to hide behind. This is going to be a very complex situation, if these Territories are any indication.”

“I suppose. I’d love to know what he means by these ‘sisters’.”

“It probably means nothing. In my experience, deluded individuals always have some guardian protector they cling to. That’s all this is, I’m sure … but getting him to tell us about them will be problematical.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t see his eyes. He really believes in them.”

“I’ll just bet he does.”

* * *

“Tell me about the Territories,” Lisa said.

They were in an interrogation room. Spider was shackled to a chair. He smiled up at her and then closed his eyes.

“And why do you want to know that? Can’t you see I’m a monster, a fiend?” He fought at his bonds, hissing, then collapsed, giggling. “I’m so terribly deluded, Doctor. I want only to kill people.”

“I only want to help you. There’s no need for sarcasm.”

They were alone in the room, but Fenn and a few other detectives were watching through the glass, ready to burst in at a moment’s notice. But it wouldn’t be necessary, being that Spider’s hands and feet were immobilized.

“Did I tell you I knew Eddy?” she said.

“No, but I’m sure you will.”

“I’m not lying. I was his physician at Coalinga. He was under my care. We got to know each very well.”

“He never mentioned you.”

And was that good or bad? Lisa wasn’t sure.

“I treated him for several years. We talked of his father a great deal. Eddy idolized him.”

Spider was interested now. “The Doctor.” He said it with awe in his voice. “Gone off to the Territories. We’ll see him soon, I think.”

“Where are the Territories?” she asked.

“I’m so bored with that one. But, very well, you seem educated.” Spider yawned and closed his eyes again. “It’s a place beyond here and now. So close you can almost touch it, but so far away you could never reach it in a thousand lifetimes. Not unless you know how, not unless you impress the Sisters. Eddy’s father got in and many others through the centuries. Call it an alternate universe. That will tax your brain less.”

Lisa considered it. “Interesting. I’ve always wondered what happened to William Zero, as, I imagine, many others have.”

“Now who’s being sarcastic.”

She smiled thinly. Sarcasm had not been her intention. She was trying to get Spider to draw her into his fantasy world. Once she had a firm footing on his delusions, she could begin to pick them apart.

“How did he do it?” she asked. “How do you get into the Territories?”

“It’s not easy. It takes work and devotion to your craft.”

“But how?”

“By the very nature of what he did.”

“By killing people?” she chanced.

“No, by the
way
he killed them. There’s a ritual involved. That’s the only way you can get through. Why do you think he was never caught? He slipped away where no one could follow.”

“And you and Eddy are trying to do the same?”

“We’re not trying, we’ve done it. We’re close now. A few more and they’ll take us away. They told us so. That’s why it doesn’t matter if you lock me up or not, one day—and soon—they’ll find this cell empty.”

“I see.”

“No, you don’t. Not yet. But if you keep poking around, you’ll find out. And by then it’ll be too late.”

Lisa just nodded. She was thinking about Eddy and his connection to Cherry Hill.

Stop looking for him. If you find him, you’re going to find me
…
and you don’t really want that, do you?

She grimaced. As if she didn’t have enough problems already. Was Cherry Hill mixed up in this too? And if so, how? Was her infatuation with Eddy still alive? Was she working with him? God, the idea of that was truly chilling. If it was true, then Lisa’s past truly was coming back to haunt her. Eddy, Cherry … well, why not Dr. Blood-and-Bones too?

You unleashed a monster in Cherry, keep that in mind.

No, the monster was already there, Lisa thought.

You threw open its cage and set it free.

Lisa had had enough. She had a few answers now, but none that made any sense. Fenn was right: Spider’s belief in all of this was somewhat unnerving. But it meant nothing, of course. If they could just get Eddy in here and see what he had to say. It could all prove most interesting if he, too, was compelled by similar delusions. A shared psychopathy was a rare thing.

“We have to go,” Fenn said when she came out.

“Where?”

“The hospital. Eddy attacked Gulliver last night.”

When they finally got to Gulliver’s room, they found him staring off into space. There was a Bible resting on his lap. His right leg was exposed, swathed in bandages. He looked very old, very wasted. He saw them and simulated a smile.

“How are you feeling?” Fenn said, clasping his hand and shaking it.

The exchange of warmth between the two of them startled Lisa. Had she missed something? Some male bonding? It seemed out of character for both of them.

“Okay. Knee hurts, but not as bad as last night. Really wonderful stuff those nurses are giving me,” he said. “You could cut your leg off and never so much as shrug.”

“We’re sorry to hear what happened,” Lisa said.

“Not your fault.”

Fenn couldn’t help himself. “What happened?”

Gulliver sighed and shook his head. “I went out for a bottle of booze. Decided I’d best stay behind locked doors for the meanwhile. I wasn’t gone more than fifteen minutes. When I got back, the door was ajar.” He looked pale. “I thought it was funny, but like an ass, I went in. Eddy was there.”

“My God,” Lisa said in a whisper.

“What then?”

“I’m afraid I panicked. I couldn’t help myself.”

They both waited for him to go on.

“He had a knife. He had it against my throat and … I told him things. I was scared, I guess.” He breathed deeply, steadying himself. “He knew I’d told somebody about seeing him and Spider. I tried to lie to him that I hadn’t, but he knew. Somehow, he knew.”

“You didn’t have a choice. You had to save yourself,” Fenn said.

But, much as Lisa respected his warmth and comforting words, she had to know. “Did you tell him about me?” Her voice was oddly airless.

“Yes. I told him everything. I opened my mouth and I couldn’t stop. He knows about you. He knows you’re after him.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Fenn told him.

But Lisa thought it did. If Eddy got to Gulliver, he could just as easily get to her anytime he wished. But she was being selfish and cruel. This was no time to be worrying about herself. Besides, she’d come to find him and the chances of that were very good now.

“He would’ve figured it out eventually. He’s clever,” she said.

“What did he say?”

“He told me he and Spider had killed those women for a reason.”

This is what Fenn had been fishing for. “And why was that?”

Gulliver looked uncomfortable. “So they could go to some place called the Territories. It’s where his father went.”

“Shit,” Fenn snorted. “It’s the same thing Spider’s been saying.”

“You have him?”

Fenn nodded. “He won’t be hurting anyone for a long time. We’ll get Eddy, too. Sooner or later.”

“Did he say anything else?” Lisa inquired. “Anything about ‘the sisters’?”

“The Sisters.” Gulliver said it and from the pinched, compressed look on his face, he wished he hadn’t. He pressed himself down into the bed as if hoping he’d lose himself in it.